Former CHP Officer In OC Charged With Filing False Timecards

SANTA ANA, CA —A former California Highway Patrol officer, who worked out of the CHP's Santa Ana Office, was charged Wednesday with 27 felonies and accused of stealing more than $4,000 by submitting false time cards, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said.

Scott Helberg, 47, of Corona, has been charged with 27 felony counts of presenting a false claim and one felony count of grand theft by an employee after allegedly claiming he was present for regular shifts and overtime that he did not work, officials said.

Helberg resigned from the CHP on June 14, after spending 22 years as an officer. The DA's office said Helberg is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 22, and he faces a maximum sentence of 21 years in state prison if convicted on all counts.

According to authorities, Helberg was tow officer for the CHP and often worked off-site inspecting tow trucks. He also was responsible for coordinating and assigning overtime.

Between July 1, 2020 and Oct. 16, 2020, the DA's office alleges Helberg filed 27 timecards -requesting pay for regular hours and overtime - for hours he did not work.

According to the DA's office, the CHP began an investigation into Helberg in October 2020, when officials noticed inconsistencies in Helberg's timecards and the hours in which he actually worked.

The CHP alleged that on multiple occasions, Helberg was at his home in Corona, when he claimed to have been working within the jurisdiction of the CHP's Santa Ana Area Office.

The CHP eventually referred the case to the DA's office for further investigation and prosecution.

"Stealing precious taxpayer dollars while pretending to protect and serve the residents of Orange County is not only a disservice to the taxpaying public, it is a disservice to all of the hardworking men and women of law enforcement who are actually doing the job they are sworn to do," said Todd Spitzer, the Orange County DA.

Spitzer added: "Thank you to the California Highway Patrol for identifying and thoroughly investigating this theft of taxpayer dollars so that we can hold this individual accountable."