It was a Deputy District Attorney who raised a red flag about the alleged ticket fixing scandal that NBC San Diego uncovered earlier this month, according to law enforcement sources.
The scandal involves San Diego police Sgt. Kevin Friedman and two prosecutors at the District Attorney’s Office, sources said.
The allegation stems from a traffic incident involving two prosecutors who were cited for not wearing their seatbelts.
Sources told NBC San Diego that when one Deputy District Attorney showed up for a court appearance at traffic court, her citation was not on the court docket. She became suspicious and confronted the other Deputy District Attorney who also received a seatbelt citation.
Sources say the Deputy District Attorney was told by the other Deputy District Attorney that she had a friend in traffic division who took care of the tickets as a favor.
That friend has been identified as Sgt. Kevin Friedman who worked at the police department's traffic division for years before being placed on administrative duty, pending the outcome of the investigation.
The Deputy District Attorney, who unknowingly had her citation destroyed, informed a supervisor at the District Attorney’s office about the illegal ticket fixing. The District Attorney’s office then contacted the San Diego Police Department, where an internal affairs investigation is underway.
District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis forwarded the investigation at her office to the Attorney General’s Office, which is now reviewing the allegations.
A spokesperson at the Attorney General’s Office says the investigation could take up to two weeks before a decision will be made on whether any criminal charges will be filed.
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Former San Diego City prosecutor Anthony Solare says if the allegations are true, Sgt. Friedman and the Deputy District Attorney allegedly involved in the scandal could face charges including destruction of evidence, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
