Theft ring of Fresno County workers took cars, cash, jewels from the dead, prosecutors say
Three former county employees, who were once responsible for protecting the assets of the dead, were accused in court Tuesday of being part of a ring of thieves who stole cash, cars and jewelry from their client’s estates.
The employees worked for the Fresno County’s Public Administrator’s Office, which came under fire in 2015 after an investigation revealed people’s valuables were being illegally taken and sold through online auctions and at pawn shops. Or in some cases, kept for themselves.
The Public Administrator’s Office handles millions of dollars in assets of people who die without anyone to oversee their estates.
In all, eight people were implicated and more than $120,000 worth of items was allegedly stolen.
Several of the employees have since pleaded guilty or no contest to charges including conspiracy to commit a crime and receiving stolen property.
For example, the alleged ring leader Noe Jimenez, the deputy public administrator, pleaded guilty to six counts of embezzlement by a public officer, one count of perjury and one count of conspiracy to commit a crime.
He is expected to be sentenced at the conclusion of the cases against the remaining three defendants, Susan Nesbitt, Terrence Ward and William Stoutingburg.
The state Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case because the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office declared a conflict. The Public Administrator’s office is under the Fresno County Coroner.
During Tuesday’s preliminary hearing, former DA investigator Daniel Jenkins was assigned to the case after the county receiving a tip from the estranged wife of one of the defendants, alleging he and other employees in the administrators office were taking people’s property.
“She said that some of the property that was stolen was at his (her estranged husband) home or at the other employee’s property,” Jenkins said. “They were not to be trusted.”
Jenkins testified that the estranged wife described some of the items as “Sanford and Son rejects” — referring to the comedy show that starred Redd Foxx as a grouchy but lovable junk collector.
But other items taken were far more valuable.
Prosecutor Tifffany J. Susz, deputy attorney general, introduced evidence of several receipts from local pawn shops where the employees allegedly sold gold coins, jewels, other valuable collectibles. Some of the receipts totaled nearly $9,000. The public administrator’s theft ring also sold more than two dozen guns.
Some items they allegedly kept for themselves. Jimenez had six cars registered in his name. Jenkins also reported finding photographic evidence on Jimenez and Nesbitt’s phones of lavish vacations to Europe. Both employees made less than $40,000 a year.
When police searched Jimenez’s home they found 30 diamonds and precious stones he allegedly took from the estates of the dead.
And it wasn’t just the employees who appeared to benefit. Jenkins said the county had paid a cleaning company more than $35,000 to clean the homes of the deceased. The company was co-owned by Nesbitt’s husband.
The preliminary hearing continues Wednesday in Judge Gary Hoff’s courtroom Dept. 71. Hoff will decided if there is enough evidence to hold the defendants for trial.
This story was originally published January 14, 2020 at 5:24 PM.
