Jason Christopher Puopolo, the former West Sacramento parks operations superintendent who once served as the public face of the city's viral wildfire-prevention goat herds, appeared in Yolo County Superior Court on July 30 as he pursues a bid to enroll in a state mental health diversion program that could ultimately wipe away his felony embezzlement and grand theft charges. Puopolo pleaded not guilty to the charges on April 22.
According to the Sacramento Bee, the case traces back to an alleged unauthorized purchase made by a city staff member on February 20 in West Sacramento. City officials said internal review practices identified the unauthorized purchase, and West Sacramento recovered the purchased item, though a city spokesperson declined to release the amount of money involved or the specific item that was bought. Puopolo was arrested in April and released after posting a $10,000 bail bond on April 20.
City officials said they worked closely with law enforcement and the Yolo County District Attorney's Office throughout the investigation, and they characterized the incident as isolated, stating that no other employees or officials were found to have committed wrongdoing or were involved. Officials also said the city practices strict internal auditing and compliance protocols, according to the same report.
A High-Profile Municipal Role
Before his termination, Puopolo held a prominent public post in West Sacramento government. During his tenure as parks operations superintendent, he served as the city's primary spokesperson for its wildfire-prevention goat grazing program, an initiative that used hundreds of grazing goats along local trails and canals and drew national media attention, including coverage on NBC's Today Show and from the Associated Press in 2023 and 2024, according to CBS Sacramento.
His division's portfolio extended well beyond the goats. In April 2023, Puopolo represented the city during early construction milestones for the Sycamore Trail pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Highway 50, a project that established a pedestrian link across the freeway between city neighborhoods, per the West Sacramento News-Ledger. More recently, in July, local Little League leaders and community members raised complaints about field conditions and safety at Memorial Park, an asset managed under his former division, following a municipal remodel, per Around Sacramento.
Puopolo's pay history is part of the public record. He earned a base salary of $118,356 in 2022 and $126,975 in 2023, with total pay and benefits of $155,776 in 2022 and $163,339 in 2023. His base salary dropped to $83,831 in 2024, with total pay and benefits of $110,994 that year, and his 2025 compensation records are not yet available.
How Mental Health Diversion Could Resolve the Case
Puopolo plans to seek enrollment in a California mental health diversion program that could result in dismissal of his felony charges. Under Penal Code 1001.36, courts may pause criminal proceedings for up to two years on felony charges if a defendant has a qualifying DSM-5 diagnosis that contributed to the offense and poses no public safety risk, according to My Rights Law. Qualifying conditions can include bipolar disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder, though the dossier does not specify which condition, if any, Puopolo has cited.
Puopolo would have two years to complete the diversion program if it is granted. If he performs satisfactorily, a judge would dismiss the charges; if granted, a judge would also order him to undergo mental health treatment, and the court would schedule hearings to monitor his progress. Recent legislative changes under SB 1223 require courts to presume a diagnosed mental disorder was a significant factor in the offense once qualified expert evidence is submitted, unless evidence proves otherwise, according to DCD Law. If a defendant successfully completes court-ordered treatment, the law requires the court to dismiss all charges and permit the arrest record to be sealed.
A Local Pattern of Contested Diversion Bids
Puopolo's case is not the only recent Yolo County public-corruption matter to test the diversion process. Former UC Davis Fire Chief Nathan Jon Trauernicht sought admission to the mental health diversion program in his own pending felony case, but a judge rejected his diversion request in November 2025. Trauernicht was accused of approving $42,000 in unearned overtime pay for a female assistant, and that assistant pleaded no contest in January to a felony charge of misappropriating public money. In June, an appellate court denied Trauernicht's appeal seeking to overturn his indictment, according to reporting tracked via Sacramento Bee reporter Rosalio Ahumada's archive. Trauernicht has no scheduled trial date.
Yolo County Superior Court judges have shown they scrutinize diversion petitions closely, routinely evaluating expert medical assessments and public safety arguments before granting or denying motions, and they have denied requests when defense filings lacked formal expert evaluations or raised safety concerns, according to the Davis Vanguard. The Yolo County District Attorney's Office has separately pushed state lawmakers to tighten diversion eligibility, publicly backing Assembly Bill 46 in March as part of an effort to curb broad pretrial diversion applications in felony cases.
The pattern of public-fund cases moving through Yolo and neighboring Sacramento County courts has drawn wider scrutiny in recent months. In January, Sacramento County prosecutors charged former Capital Public Radio chief Fidias “Jun” Reina Jr. with felony embezzlement and grand theft involving more than $370,000, in a case involving a defendant who maintained a home in West Sacramento, as Hoodline previously reported. It remains unclear whether the Yolo County District Attorney's Office will formally oppose Puopolo's diversion request, and the exact dollar amount and item tied to his charges have not been publicly disclosed.
