Release Date: February 28, 2006

Contact:

Howard Wise, Deputy District Attorney

(805) 289-1997  

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that the District Attorney's Office has obtained the conviction of Ventura County Sheriff's Deputy Edward Garcia Ponce (DOB 09/16/70), a resident of Fillmore. Ponce pleaded guilty to three felonies including embezzlement by a public employee, grand theft of a firearm, and possession of an illegal assault weapon. This matter was investigated by the Ventura County Sheriff's Department with assistance from the District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation.

Deputy Ponce was arrested in September 2005 after being caught in a Sheriff's Department sting. Ponce was targeted because of an earlier allegation that he had pressured a civilian to turn over firearms to him in return for making a donation to charity. The civilian had previously requested that the guns be destroyed. On September 1, 2005, an undercover officer pretended to be a civilian desiring to turn over guns for destruction to the Sheriff's Department. While on duty, Ponce took four guns from the undercover officer, but only booked three into evidence. The next day, a search warrant was executed at Ponce's home. The "sting" gun and an illegal assault weapon were seized.

On February 27, 2006, Judge Bruce Clark accepted Ponce's guilty pleas. Ponce can face up to four years and four months in state prison and a $10,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2006, at 1:30 p.m.