Two sheriff's deputies from San Bernardino County were booked into the slammer for drug-related charges. Jonathan Campos, a current deputy, and Ricardo Alonzo Baires, a former deputy, found themselves on the wrong side of the law after an investigation triggered by an anonymous tip-off last month.
The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department caught Campos and Baires red-handed on December 17, at about 10:00 a.m. The unsuccessful duo was observed in Baires' vehicle parked at an undeveloped housing tract at Elina Rose Ct. and Berlina Rd., in Hesperia, according to a statement released by the department. Campos was off-duty but was armed and under the influence of what was believed to be cocaine, while Baires had suspected cocaine and paraphernalia indicative of drug sales.
Search warrants executed at both their homes uncovered more incriminating evidence, with Campos' place yielding drug paraphernalia and Baires' home revealing both drug sales paraphernalia, and ammunition, authorities revealed. Campos, 32, was charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance while armed and possession of a firearm while in possession of a narcotic. Baires, 29, faced charges of possession of narcotics for sale and being a prohibited person with ammunition.
Though Campos might have favored the escape of sobriety during his off-hours, there were no signs he reported to duty under the influence. No other deputies were tangled in his web of poor judgment. He was a six-year veteran of the department and resigned following his arrest. Baires had already turned in his badge last year. "The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department has several readily available programs to assist all our employees with any wellness or addiction issues," Sheriff Shannon Dicus lamented, "I am disappointed Jonathan did not utilize these programs."
Both men managed to post bail, but they're set to face their reckoning at the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office which will be reviewing the case. The Sheriff's Department is urging anyone with additional details to step forward—on the record or via the We-Tip hotline.
