The California attorney general’s office has charged a San Joaquin County supervisor’s aide and former Stockton police lieutenant with soliciting an informant to commit an assault and with illegally selling a gun, a complaint shows.
Augustin Telly — chief of staff to District 1 Supervisor Mario Gardea and a retired 26-year veteran of the Stockton Police Department — was arrested Tuesday by agents who appeared to be wearing federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives gear, according to ABC10. Jail records show he was booked on three felony counts: the unlicensed sale or transfer of a firearm, conspiracy to commit a crime and solicitation of specified criminal acts.
On Thursday, Telly was charged with two of the felonies, with authorities dropping the conspiracy allegations. He made his first court appearance at an arraignment in downtown Stockton, where about 10 family members and supporters gathered behind him in the courtroom benches.
Telly’s lawyer, Melissa Adams, first asked the judge to remove media from the courtroom, arguing that Telly didn’t receive enough notice of their presence. Judge Richard Mallett denied the request.
“Nobody ever says, ‘Kick the press out because I didn’t know that they were coming,’ ” he said.
As the hearing unfolded, conversations between Mallett, Adams and a state lawyer about a document in the case hinted at the alleged conduct at its center.
Deputy Attorney General Barton Bowers said Telly, 54, carried out “solicitation to commit assault with a firearm,” saying he had “public safety concerns” when issues about granting the ex-officer bail were raised.
Meanwhile, Adams said the document they were discussing suggested the defendant was reluctant to provide the gun.
“This individual does not have any criminal history,” she said. Mallett did not grant bail.
As of Thursday, the complaint was the only publicly available document filed in the case, court records search show. It alleges that between Jan. 6 and Jan. 21, Telly solicited a “confidential reliable informant” to commit assault with a deadly weapon.
No further information about the nature and scope of the attorney general’s investigation was included. The complaint did not identify the informant or any alleged victim.
Telly is also charged with selling a gun “without at least one party to the transaction being a licensed firearm dealer” sometime around Jan. 21, the complaint states.
He is due back in court Friday for further arraignment. No evidence has yet been presented against him in court.
Telly took over as chief of staff for Gardea just weeks ago. On Tuesday, the supervisor said he was “shocked and disappointed” to learn of Telly’s arrest and noted he would cooperate fully with the investigation.
“I will not tolerate any behavior that undermines the public trust from anyone associated with my office,” said Gardea, who was elected to the board in November. “I have asked that this matter be investigated internally.”
Telly is currently on unpaid leave from his county position, Gardea said.