Former Cop, Towing Operator Sentenced For King City Kickback Scheme

MONTEREY COUNTY - A former King City sergeant and a towing operator were sentenced Friday for their roles in a kickback scheme, according to Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo.

Bobby Carrillo, 46, was sentenced to two years in state prison with execution of sentence suspended for three years, was placed on probation for 3 years and received 365 days in county jail.

Brian Miller, 51, was sentenced to three years probation on condition he serve 150 days in the county jail.

Carrillo, a former King City sergeant, pleaded guilty to two counts of bribery and a count of perjury, and Miller, owner of Miller's Towing, pleaded guilty to felony charges of bribery and grand theft, prosecutors said.

In 2013, the District Attorney's Office became aware of numerous complaints that King City police officers were confiscating residents' vehicles by towing and impounding them, prosecutors said.

The District Attorney's Office investigated the complaints and discovered evidence of an illegal towing kickback scheme involving bribes headed by then Sgt. Carrillo.

Carrillo and Miller agreed that for approximately every 10 cars ordered impounded by Carrillo that went to Miller's Towing yard, Carrillo would receive a bribe of one car of his choosing free of charge, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Miller's Towing received more than 87 percent of the cars seized by Carrillo, and virtually all of the cars Carrillo had towed were owned by low-income Hispanics unable to retrieve their cars from the towing yard.

During the course of the scheme, more than 200 vehicles were impounded.

Five other officers were also arrested in February of 2014 following the investigation.

-Bay City News, image via ShutterStock