Leary’s Troubles Continue - Former Elk Grove Council Member Dismissed From Sheriff’s Department

UPDATED 11:00 AM

Potential campaign issue in sheriff's race?

Mike Leary can add another “former” title to his repertoire - this time the former Elk Grove City Council Member and Community Services Director can hang it in front of his career as a Sacramento County Deputy Sheriff.

According to information verified by Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Tim Curran, Leary was dismissed at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, April 7.

“I cannot comment on why he is no longer employed,” Curran said in an e-mail correspondence.

Leary, a Lieutenant with 27 years of seniority with the department was placed on paid administrative leave last October after he was criminally indicted on four charges of real estate fraud. Leary stands accused of attempting to defraud his former girlfriend in a real estate transaction.

A charter member of the Elk Grove City Council, Leary served two terms before being soundly defeated in 2008 by Steve Detrick. Leary’s political problems stemmed from a scathing 2005 Sacramento County Grand Jury report that found him and fellow council member and sheriff department colleague Jim Cooper to have been in conflict of interest as it related to the city’s law enforcement contract with Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department.

Cooper came through the Grand Jury report unscathed and was reelected to a third term in 2008. Cooper is currently running for Sacramento County Sheriff against fellow sheriff Scott Jones and former Sacramento County Deputy Sheriff Brett Daniels.

Although Leary's problems are exclusive of Cooper's campaign, Jones campaign manager Matt Ross pointed out their shared history.

"With this recent incident, it begs the question of what is the relationship between Cooper and Leary," Ross said. "After all, both were members of the Sheriff’s Department, charter members of the Elk Grove City Council and faced a grand jury investigation for potential conflict of interest.”

Leary’s criminal attorney William Portanova did not respond to request for comment on his clients dismissal from the department. Leary could not be reached by EGN for comment.