Former DWP Employee Charged with Conflict of Interest, Misappropriation
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Thatcus Carl Richard (dob 5/23/51) of Moreno Valley is expected to be arraigned next week in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
He is charged with 27 counts: nine counts each of conflict of interest, public officer crime and embezzlement by a public officer with an excessive-taking allegation of more than $1 million.
Deputy District Attorneys Kennes Ma and Susan Choi of the Public Integrity Division are prosecuting the case.
The defendant was in charge of managing video and audio jobs for the utility. Between July 1996 and March 2014, Richard allegedly enlisted friends to establish audio-visual companies and then he helped award DWP contracts to them, the prosecutor said.
In return, these companies would then allegedly subcontract the work to a company owned by the defendant called Top Line Communications. Richard also is accused of using DWP equipment and resources for his personal gain.
Case BA433122 was filed for arrest warrant on Jan. 26, 2015. Investigators from the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation arrested the defendant yesterday in San Bernardino County.
Prosecutors have recommended that the defendant’s bail be set at $1.2 million. If convicted as charged, Richard faces up to 20 years in state prison.
The case remains under investigation by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation.
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