.

3/31/18 – Amidst public pressure, Sheriff Stan Sniff has issued a Press Release on March 28, in which he publicly admits – for the first time in 9 years – that his Department had “sustained” an investigation into a former Senior Investigator, Kevin Duffy, committing sex crimes against one child in 2007 and in 2009.

Duffy was put on paid administrative leave on January 15, 2009 and subsequently killed himself on January 25th.

Sniff’s decision not to inform the public after one of his officers was caught engaging in child molestation is nothing short of unconscionable. It made it difficult, if not impossible for over 1,000 unidentified potential victims, who Duffy may have had contact with over the years, to come forward, tell their story and seek help.

Arguably, Sniff’s 9 year silence may have obstructed justice for those victims as well as their parents.

Sniff’s own Press Release (view here), although intended to diffuse the issue, adds more fuel to the fire: it not only indicates that the rights of unknown victims may have been violated by the Department, but also shows that the public’s right to know about a material fact relating to the Department – in this case the employment of a child molesting pedophile – was compromised.

Both of these issues are aggravated by the fact that Kevin Duffy was also in charge of the Sheriff’s youth programs – for years.

The Press Release further confirms that an enormous conflict of interest existed on the part of Sniff, since he ordered one of his own units to investigate the case. This scenario in and by itself points to unclean hands on the part of Sheriff Sniff, who should have distanced himself by asking another law enforcement agency to conduct the investigation.

In more ways than one, it appears Sheriff Sniff has now been caught in a scandal of epic proportions.

.

.
.

.

KMIR : FORMER RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S EMPLOYEE BREAKS SILENCE ON CHILD ABUSE CASE

On March 28, 2018, Television Station KMIR aired the following segment:

.

.

.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR ACCUSES SHERIFF SNIFF OF HAVING ORDERED A STOP TO THE INVESTIGATION INTO CHILD MOLESTATION

On March, 28, 2018, licensed Private Investigator Luis Bolanos held a Press conference at the Courthouse steps in downtown Riverside.

During the conference, Bolanos referred to the Duffy investigation as the “largest trail of child molestation in US history”.

He cited numerous “sources and whistleblowers” from within and outside the RSO, who stated that Duffy was caught via a pretext telephone call from one of his victims, arranged and recorded by RSO’s Central Homicide Unit. In this context Bolanos spoke of 250 identified and potentially 1,500 unidentified victims that came in contact with Kevin Duffy.

During his detailed presentation, Bolanos further claimed that the “second floor”, meaning the Sheriff’s top administration, and likely Sniff himself, had ordered a stop to the investigation of child molestation committed by senior investigator Kevin Duffy, after he had committed suicide.

Furthermore, Bolanos alleges that according to the same sources, investigators were ordered not to interview or seek out additional victims. Bolenos says that RSO’s Human Resources Department was tasked with collecting identities of the known victims, for the alleged purpose of arranging a monetary settlement.

In his Press Release, Sheriff Sniff does not specifically dispute this account, but states that the Sheriff’s Department is “unable to locate any record of a civil claim or settlement in this case”.

Bolanos’ sources further stated that it was again the RSO “second floor”, i.e. Sheriff Sniff, who ordered investigators not to seek an arrest warrant for Duffy, but instead ordered him to be sent home.

.

The full Press conference was captured by KMIR reporter Kitty Alvarado and can be viewed here :

.

.

.

.

CHILD MOLESTER AND RSO INVESTIGATOR KEVIN DUFFY IN CHARGE OF SHERIFF’S YOUTH PROGRAMS

In his Press Release, Sniff confirms that Kevin Duffy was “serving” in the Sheriff’s “Youth Athletic League”, an account that Investigator Bolanos expanded on by stating that Duffy was in charge of this and other programs, for example a skate park in Idyllwild, for many years.

Bolanos futher explained that many of the program participants came from troubled backgrounds, and had nobody to speak up for them. This made them an easy prey for Duffy.

.

.
MOTOR HOME INTENDED FOR “DRUG ENDANGERED CHILDREN” ALLEGEDLY USED TO MOLEST CHILDREN

According to their website, the Sheriff’s Department owns and operates a motor home to be used to “protect” Drug Endangered Children (DEC).

The RSO website makes the following statement about the vehicle:

“this motor home will provide children a safe location away from the disturbance, the dangerous chemicals, and the investigation area. The motor home will provide them with a unique and very private decontamination area, clean clothing and huggable toys. They will be used to entertain children while other interviews are conducted and it will provide food and drinks to hungry kids.”

However, Investigator Belanos alleges that according to his sources, Kevin Duffy had access to this motor home and used it for countless camping trips to which he invited his victims. Some of these trips, Belanos says, allegedly crossed State lines.

Were there other adult passengers who rode with Duffy and his victims? Did Stan Sniff or other officers participate in any of Duffy’s alleged motor home trips?

.

.

JANUARY 25, 2009 – KEVIN DUFFY COMMITS SUICIDE

According to the Coroner’s Report, issued and signed by Stan Sniff himself, Kevin Duffy committed suicide by shooting himself with a .38 revolver in a hotel room at a Motel 6 in Hemet.

Since we already know that Sniff was profoundly dishonest by not revealing a child molestation scandal within his Department for 9 years, we probably should not blindly trust his Coroner’s Report either.

In more ways than one, the report raises more questions than it provides answers :

.

1. The report makes repeated reference to Duffy as “Kevin”. It is highly unusual for a Coroner to refer to a deceased adult by first name only. Was this a freudian slip? Was Duffy a close personal friend of Sheriff Stan Sniff, with both being on a first name basis? If this was the case, why did Sniff not recuse himself as Coroner?

2. The Coroner’s report talks about Duffy’s wife having observed rope marks on his neck only a few days prior to his alleged suicide, suggestive of a suicide attempt by hanging. Then there was an alleged carbonmonoxide poising attempt with exhaust gases in his garage, which a friend allegedly prevented. Why wasn’t Duffy taken into custody, when the Department knew – or should have reasonably known – that he posed a danger to himself?

3. Why was Sniff, in 2009 just appointed as Sheriff and looking forward to getting elected, allegedly trying to control and stifle the investigation? He could have easily blamed it all on his predecessor, Doyle, and make himself look like a hero who is on a mission to clean up the Department. Yet instead, he chose to cover up pedophelia in his Department for 9 years. Why?

Sniff’s official account makes little to no sense. Was Sniff personally tied to this scandal? Were his personal ties to Duffy the real reason why he did not recuse himself from the investigation, nor from issuing the Coroner’s Report?

Was the “second floor” worried that a full Duffy investigation could implicate others and possibly bring down the entire Department?

.

.

CONCLUSION

Many unanswered questions remain. However, here is what we know today :

Sheriff Sniff’s own Press Release shows us that at least two sex crimes occurred within the Department, yet the perpetrator was never arrested. This was not shared with the public for 9 years. Even today, details remain sketchy, and despite public outcry, Sniff keeps the file confidential.

We also know that Sniff retained control over the entire investigation while having a severe conflict of interest in doing so. The same holds true with him issuing the Coroner’s Report.

After such a horrendous betrayal, how can the public still put their faith and trust in Sheriff Stan Sniff ?

.

.

---

Fair Use Notice

This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of political, economic, and social issues concerning the citizens of Banning, CA. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information see: www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

.

If you would like to comment or discuss this – or any other – article,  please visit us on FACEBOOK