Former San Leandro Police Sergeant Sentenced For Embezzling Funds

OAKLAND, CA —Three months after pleading no contest to felony grand theft, former San Leandro Police Department Sergeant Robert Frank Sanchez was sentenced Wednesday for fraudulently receiving over $16,000 for overtime he didn't work, the Office of the Alameda County District Attorney announced.

Sanchez was sentenced to two years felony probation, 240 hours of community service and ordered to pay a maximum of $46,815.88 in restitution, the Alameda DA reported.

According to the Alameda DA, in 2019 and 2020, Sanchez served as the professional standards administrative sergeant, where he managed the San Leandro Police Department's timekeeping and payroll systems.

However, Sanchez used his administrative privileges in that position to add his unauthorized and compensatory time hours directly into the payroll system, and he edited the payroll system to credit back vacation, sick and compensatory time he already had used, the DA's office said.

The Alameda DA said the case was referred to its office in April 2020 by the San Leandro Police Department after concerns were raised internally about Sanchez's conduct.

An investigation by an Alameda DA Inspector discovered that Sanchez had claimed overtime and compensatory time while not working - including while on family trips or vacation - and erased vacation, sick and compensatory time he already had used. The total loss due to fraud was determined to be $16,702.88, which Sanchez has repaid to the city, the Alameda DA said.

Sanchez pleaded no contest to felony grand theft charges in a negotiated disposition, the DA's office said. The remainder of the restitution to the city includes San Leandro city attorney fees. Plus, Sanchez will be forced to repay the cost of an ongoing independent audit for an amount not to exceed $27,940. So far, the defendant has paid over $12,000 in restitution to the city, according to officials.

On Thursday, the city of San Leandro released a statement in response to the conclusion of the criminal case against Sanchez.

The city said Sanchez has retired from the San Leandro Police Department, and the city has instituted new safeguards -including bi-weekly audits of payroll conducted by the city's Finance Department - to ensure a similar incident will not happen in the future.

"This clearly was a violation of the public trust," San Leandro Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter said in a statement. "But it is import to remember that it was our own women and men of the San Leandro Police Department that stopped this violation and made possible the justice we see today.

"I am confident the proper steps have been taken to protect our hard-earned taxpayer dollars from a repeat of what was a painful and sad event."