Law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant Tuesday at the residence of the Stockton Unified School District’s board president and portions of the district’s office.
The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office said on its Facebook page “This morning, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office … executed a search warrant on the residence and possessions of Stockton Unified School District President AngelAnn Flores.”
However, the statement was removed from social media moments later, with the DA’s office releasing the same statement but without Flores’s name.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said they served a search warrant at several locations including private residents in Stockton and the SUSD office.
“[W]e would like to assure the community that, based on our thorough investigation surrounding this case, the students, faculty, nor the community are in any known danger.” San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said they could not confirm one of the residences belonged to Flores and said they believed the information was shared incorrectly.
“First, we would like to assure the community that, based on our thorough investigation surrounding this case, the students, faculty, nor the community are in any known danger,” stated a statement from the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office said they wanted to make it clear to the public that they had taken discreet steps to independently develop probable cause before going to a judge.
“It is our goal and responsibility to thoroughly investigate this matter without tarnishing anyone’s reputation,” stated the statement.
According to prosecutors, the search warrants were part of an ongoing investigation into the school district.
In April, San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced his office was investigating SUSD over possible fraud that came to light in a state audit.
The investigation came in the wake of two grand jury reports and an “extraordinary audit” by the state’s Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team.
An “extraordinary audit” is a comprehensive examination of the fiscal issues of the school district.
Following the news about the searches, the school district released a statement saying “It has been brought to our attention that the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation. The Stockton Unified School District will cooperate fully while keeping our focus on student wellness and achievement.”
Victoria Franco is a reporter based in Stockton covering San Joaquin County for Bay City News Foundation and its nonprofit news site Local News Matters. She is a Report for America corps member.
