Deputy Sheriff Faces Felony Theft Charges: Contra Costa County Sheriff

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A longtime Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office employee was arrested after investigators accused him of stealing property from the agency's Property Services Unit, a case that has triggered calls for an independent review of the division's operations.

Detectives arrested 62-year-old Kevin Lee, of Martinez, on Thursday after an investigation into alleged thefts from the Property Services Unit office in Concord.

Authorities say the probe began after the Sheriff's Office uncovered evidence of criminal conduct involving Lee, who worked in the unit.

According to the Sheriff's Office, detectives secured search and arrest warrants during the investigation before taking Lee into custody.

Lee was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on four felony charges: burglary, receiving stolen property, embezzlement, and possession of an assault weapon. He is being held in lieu of $160,000 bail.

Lee joined the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office as a deputy sheriff in May 1990. He later became a Temporary Deputy Sheriff (Per-Diem) in 2012 and remained assigned to the Property Services Unit.

In response to the arrest, the Sheriff's Office said it will ask the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to conduct an independent audit of the Property Services Unit.

"All Sheriff's Office employees are held to the highest standards, and any employee who is involved in criminal conduct will be held accountable," Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston said. "This matter was taken seriously, and a thorough investigation was immediately launched once we learned about it."