A former sheriff’s deputy who stole $3,500 from a homeless man he arrested in California has been permanently banned from serving as a peace officer in the state, while felony theft charges against him were dropped, authorities said.
John Sanzone, a former deputy with the Glenn county sheriff’s office, arrested a homeless man who had been carrying $3,500 – money the man had been saving for urgent dental work.
Sanzone took the money and later tried to cover up the theft when the man attempted to reclaim it after his release.
“Sanzone went so far as to drive the homeless man to another county,” reads a statement by the Glenn county sheriff’s office posted on Facebook.
In May 2023, authorities announced that Sanzone had surrendered to the Glenn county jail under an arrest warrant. He was charged with grand theft by embezzlement and later released after posting bail.
Officials said on Friday that Sanzone has since repaid the $3,500 and surrendered his peace officer certification, effectively barring him from law enforcement in California.
In exchange, felony charges against him were dismissed. People on social media did not take the news lightly.
“So a cop steals 3500 and gets let off with no charges lol wow only in glenn county,” one Facebook user commented.
“Just shows the actual level of corruption in this county when a cop steals from a homeless man and walks free,” another wrote.
The Glenn county sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sanzone was previously named in a lawsuit against the Oroville police department alleging racial discrimination within the department, according to ABC7.
The suit claims that another officer witnessed citizens make complaints about Sanzone, mentioning four other incidents in which Sanzone allegedly stole money from citizens he had arrested.
