A former Contra Costa deputy sheriff has taken a plea deal after being charged with illegal gun possession and other offenses. Matthew Allen Buckley, age 42, pleaded no contest to three felonies, including having an illegal assault weapon, filing false police reports, and preparing fraudulent documentary evidence, as per the announcement by the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office.
The case against Buckley originated from an incident in September 2020, when, as a deputy assigned to the C.A.S.E (Contra Costa County Anti-Violence Support Effort), he participated in a search warrant operation in Antioch. Buckley seized two unregistered AR-15s, electronics, illicit drugs, and drug paraphernalia, only to later file a false report stating that the firearms had been booked into evidence, according to officials. Buckley dismantled the guns and returned parts to the suspect while keeping the rest.
During a follow-up investigation, it was revealed that Buckley also created and signed off on fake documents and signed for a judge without his permission on multiple search warrant returns unrelated to the initial case. The specifics of these documents have not been disclosed, but their discovery paints a troubling picture surrounding the former deputy's actions while in service.
Ultimately, Buckley's downfall came in August 2022 when deputies searched his residence and uncovered the missing lower sections of the AR-15's — confirming the earlier suspicions of his ploy. They also found a small quantity of methamphetamine during the search. Under California law, Buckley's felony convictions will prevent him from ever serving as a police officer again and from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The plea arrangement stipulates that Buckley will serve a 3-year and 8-month prison sentence, with a possibility of mandatory supervised release should he complete a six-month drug rehabilitation program.
