California's SLO County Refuses to Investigate Citizen Complaint Against Sheriff

(SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.) - In a letter dated February 3, 2009, Undersheriff Steve Bolts snubs California State law penal code 832.5 by neglecting to investigate Cheryl Aichele's citizen complaint about Charles C. Lynch's medical marijuana case against San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Pat Hedges and other department employees.

By law, the sheriff's department has to investigate each complaint and keep these complaints on file for five years. In addition, the law requires all complaints against Sheriff Hedges be forwarded to California State Attorney General's office because Hedges is an elected official.

Undersheriff Bolts maintains that the department has not broken any laws in this situation.

"It is the department's position that there are no violations of state or federal law committed by employees in the course of the Lynch investigation" writes Undersheriff Bolts.

But this lack of cooperation does not deter Aichele from following through with the complaint.

"I will not rest until this is investigated", replies Aichele in a letter dated February 5, 2009.

After contacting the California State Attorney General's office, Aichele forwarded her complaint the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's office and filed a Grand Jury complaint which included all correspondence with the sheriff's department.

Aichele's complaint questions the legality of the Sheriff's initiation to investigate Lynch since no complaint against Lynch or his dispensary, Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers (CCCC) has ever been made public. It also accuses specific deputies of specific violations.

Aichele accuses Deputy John Blank of smoking marijuana with a Los Angeles doctor while providing false information to obtain a medical cannabis physician's recommendation.

In addition, the complaint alleges that Deputy Nick A. Fontecchio of returned marijuana to a paid-criminal undercover informant after an undercover operation. Aichele also contends the informant may be a family relative to Fontecchio.

The citizen complaint also claims that unnamed deputies went dumpster diving on private property to illegally obtain evidence without probable cause, permission or a warrant.

Aichele's complaint asserts that the SLO County Sheriff's Department used California tax payer money to do the forensic work in the Lynch case for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The complaint states the DEA was backed up with investigative work and would not have been able to get to Lynch's case for years.

Aichele also argues that the sheriff's department violated patients' privacy rights by doing this forensic work for the DEA. San Luis Obispo County resident Elaine McKellips has sued Hedges for these violations.

The only state violation alleged by the sheriff's department involves Abe Baxter a former security guard at Lynch's dispensary. Baxter has made a legal declaration to Lynch's judge that Lynch had nothing to do with any actions Baxter may have committed away from CCCC.

The citizen complaint concludes with a list of transgressions by Sheriff Hedges which shows a pattern of misconduct including domestic disturbances with all three of Hedges' current and previous wives, violating medical marijuana patient rights in other cases, wrongful deaths of marijuana defendants, and mishandling murder cases.

Concerned citizens interested in an investigation should file their own complaints via the sheriff's website: slosheriff.org.

Friends of Charles C. Lynch will demonstrate against the SLO County Sheriff's involvement in this case and the injustice of federal medical marijuana laws in California cases at noon on Monday February 23, 2009 on the Main Street side of the Federal Courthouse at 312 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles.

Lynch's case gained national attention after Reason foundation's the Drew Carey's Project created a Reason.tv episode featuring Lynch and Owen Beck, a former seventeen-year old student athlete who had his leg amputated to keep his bone cancer from spreading.

Al Roker interviewed Lynch for a MSNBC show called "An Hour on Marijuana" scheduled to air in the coming weeks. In addition, John Stossel from ABC's 20/20 for an episode called "Bullsh*t in America" interviewed Lynch and his Federal Public defenders which is scheduled to air Feb 16th or 20th at 10:00 p.m. eastern standard time.

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steve September 12, 2015 9:28 am (Pacific time)

Cheryl Aichele is a internet stocker no life loser, who never gets along with any one she is up in Oregon causing all kinds of trouble up here now, she is wanted for skipping bail

Steve April 26, 2013 2:48 am (Pacific time)

As of 2011 Pat Hedges is no longer Sheriff in San Luis Obispo County. Thank God. One of the unjust acts Hedges did when in office was to eliminate the Internal Affairs Office here so he had a free hand to do whatever he wanted. Living here it just blows my mind. One of Hedges last great acts was in December of 2010 when he raided several Medical Marijuana Collectives with S.W.A.T teams and many offcers. 12 people were arrested, children were sent to C.P.S. ALL 12 CASES WERE DISMISSED. This clown loves to spend the tax payers money.

Troy December 15, 2012 12:21 pm (Pacific time)

Pat Hedges appears to me to be a criminal of his own making. I hope people see this individual of what he is! The time for honoring himself will soon end and he will have to face his own doings.

Anonymous February 9, 2009 3:46 pm (Pacific time)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10950778/ Here's an idea.

ChrisJones February 9, 2009 11:31 am (Pacific time)

I can't wait until next time I get illegally harassed by a cop. My lawyer is on speed dial and I'm ready to bring the wrath down upon the tyrants with my absolute force. I am suing criminal officers personally now for astronomical damages civilly and as well as bringing criminal charges against the demonic entity. The only way to get these public servants back under our control is by punishing them extremely severely when they act like rabid animals.

ChrisJones February 9, 2009 11:22 am (Pacific time)

To all: when filing a citizen complaint against a renegade "peace officer", refusal to investigate is the best thing that can happen in the case. You may now go to the DA with the complaint against Steve Bolts, and if the DA continues to refuse to uphold the law you can actually get a grand jury indictment against the DA. This is a nation of laws and this corrupt dictatorship will be tolerated NO LONGER. May hedges, bolts, and the DA rot in prison for a decade over this to set an example to these jackbooted traitorous thugs out here lording over us with their sub-100 IQ's.

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