Document: More San Bernardino County jail deputies under investigation for alleged inmate abuse

SAN BERNARDINO >> In addition to four sheriff’s deputies who already have lost their jobs at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, the FBI and sheriff officials are investigating several other deputies in the San Bernardino County jail system for alleged inmate abuse, according to a document obtained Saturday by this newspaper.

The document, consisting of minutes from an internal Sheriff’s Department staff meeting distributed Wednesday, revealed that one employee had resigned, two or three were going to be terminated as a result of an FBI investigation, and several other deputies were still under investigation.

The FBI is investigating possible civil-rights violations of inmates at the center in March, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said Friday.

She said the case will ultimately be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles for consideration of criminal charges.

As of Thursday, four deputies assigned to West Valley Detention Center were no longer employed by the department, but according to the document, several more employees also may be terminated, pending the outcome of the investigation by the FBI and Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff’s spokesman Randy Naquin said Saturday he couldn’t comment due to the nature of the investigation.

“The Sheriff commended the fine work 99 percent of our employees are doing,” according to the document.

On Saturday, sheriff’s officials declined to comment on allegations of misconduct at the other county jails.

“What was indicated in the press release is all the information we have,” Naquin said. “We currently have no information about incidents occurring at any other facility.”

Sheriff John McMahon ordered an administrative investigation after allegations surfaced March 5 about the possible abuse of inmates at the Rancho Cucamonga jail, according to a sheriff’s news release on Friday.

“I will not tolerate any misconduct by department personnel,” McMahon said in a statement. “These allegations are being taken very seriously and this department is determined to get answers.”

The news comes in the wake of a jail abuse scandal in Los Angeles County in which 18 current or former sheriff’s deputies have been accused of abusing inmates at the Men’s Central Jail.

U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. said the alleged incidents did “not occur in a vacuum” and that the pattern of behavior of which the defendants are accused had become “institutionalized.”

via: http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20140412/document-more-san-bernardino-county-jail-deputies-under-investigation-for-alleged-inmate-abuse

California governor proposes drug rehab program changes after CNN investigation

(CNN) -- California Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed millions of dollars in additional funding to crack down on abuses in the state's drug rehab program as a result of an investigation by CNN and The Center for Investigative Reporting.

The governor's budget summary specifies additional government oversight needed to run the Drug Medi-Cal program.

"The budget proposes 21 positions and $2.2 million ... to continue the state's intensive focus on program integrity and expansion of drug treatment services by recertifying all providers in the state," says the budget summary, which was released Thursday.

The yearlong investigation by CNN and The Center for Investigative Reporting -- which culminated in reports in July on CNN.com and onCNN's "AC360º" television program -- revealed widespread fraud in the drug rehab program, which is part of the largest Medicaid system in the United States. The investigation revealed that convicted felons were operating clinics in violation of the law, clinics charged taxpayers for "ghost" patients and teens had been taken from their group homes for drug rehab even though they had no drug problems.

Regulators who could have stopped the fraud allowed it to continue, despite warnings that the system was being abused, the series found.

The investigation prompted a swift and strong reaction from the state. A total of 177 clinic sites have been suspended and 69 referred to the state's Department of Justice for potential criminal prosecution. The head of the program publicly apologized for the fraud before a legislative oversight hearing in September.

"Due to concerns about program integrity in the Drug Medi-Cal program, DHCS (the California Department of Health Care Services) took steps in July 2013 to eliminate fraud and abuse in the program. ... DHCS has conducted a review of internal operations to improve oversight and monitoring of drug treatment programs, and has improved coordination with counties to ensure appropriate monitoring and recertification of all drug treatment providers," according to the budget summary.

State Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, chairman of the Senate Business, Professions and Professional Development Committee, said, "I am pleased the governor is proposing additional positions and funding to fight fraud in the Drug Medi-Cal program. We will analyze his proposal during the budget process to see if it is sufficient, but it is a good start."

DHCS spokesman Norman Williams said the money will allow the department to add a wide variety of new positions to scrutinize individual clinics and the department's own procedures.

Some staffers will comb through applications from rehab clinics to be recertified by the state -- a new requirement prompted by the series. Others will analyze data to make sure clinic billing matches the services provided, examine the department's policies and make recommendations for improvement.

"These are positions that will make the (Drug Medi-Cal) program stronger," Williams said. 

"This amount gives us the support necessary to continue our efforts ... in a way that we will ultimately be able to improve the integrity of the program."

Of the $2.2 million, half will come from the state's general fund, and the rest will be matched with federal funds.

All of the clinics featured in the CNN/CIR investigation have either closed on their own or have shut down after being suspended by the state. George Ilouno, one of the clinic operators who continued to stay open despite being out on bail on charges of Medi-Cal fraud and grand theft, pleaded guilty to Drug Medi-Cal fraud in September. He received a one-year suspended jail sentence, three years' probation, paid $90,000 in restitution to the state and must perform 60 days of community service.