One of two former supervisors from the California Department of Justice charged last year with diverting about $12,500 in government funds pleaded no contest Friday to a felony count of grand theft by an employee.
Superior Court Judge Kerry L. White immediately sentenced Eric Bunde, 56, to two years probation and 36 days of community service and ordered him to pay $12,500 in restitution. He was barred from holding a government job during his probationary period.
Between January 2014 and November 2017, Bunde oversaw the Los Angeles Regional Criminal Information Clearinghouse (LA Clear), which assists law enforcement agencies with criminal investigations,
Two other counts against Bunde — grand theft by embezzlement and conflict of interest — were dismissed as a result of his plea.
Bunde can ask a judge to reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor when he completes his probation, according to Deputy District Attorney Casey Higgins.
Co-defendant James Biscailuz, 55, is charged with one felony count each of grand theft by embezzlement, grand theft by an employee and perjury. A date is scheduled to be set next Thursday for a hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial.
At Bunde’s direction, LA Clear contracted with Biscailuz’s company for social media services that were eventually subcontracted to a consulting firm owned by Bunde, resulting in a loss of about $12,500, according to a statement released by the District Attorney’s Office last year shortly after the case was filed.
Biscailuz is also accused of filing a disclosure form that omitted his ownership of the company, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
“The California Department of Justice’s work is built on the highest standards of ethics and integrity, and the alleged actions of these two defendants violates these standards,” state Attorney General Bonta said in a January 2023 statement. “Breaking the law to line your own pockets, especially while in a position of power, is unacceptable. Trust is a fundamental part of law enforcement and we will not stand by when this trust is broken.”
The attorney general said he was “grateful to my team at DOJ and the incredible agents within LA Clear for their hard work in thoroughly investigating this case, and to Los Angeles County District Attorney Gascón for working in partnership to hold these defendants accountable.”