Sheriff cracking down on gun permits

Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness has revoked concealed weapon permits of a gubernatorial appointee and a state parole official while also vowing to overhaul permit record keeping, both in the wake of a Bee investigation.

The Bee reported that at least 30 of the 550 people issued local carry permits from 1996 to 2007 had records of criminal convictions – and at least seven had failed to disclose them in their concealed weapon applications. Most of those permits were granted by McGinness' predecessor, former Sheriff Lou Blanas.

McGinness said he revoked the permit of Julie Motamedi, whom Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointee to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and one of the permit holders profiled in The Bee's story.

Motamedi was arrested Sept. 1, 2005, on suspicion of drunken driving and cited by a California Highway Patrol officer for having a gun with her in the car. Under Sheriff's Department policy, drinking alcohol while carrying a loaded gun invalidates the permit.

The Sacramento District Attorney's Office chose not to file the gun charge and Motamedi pleaded no contest to the DUI charge in 2005.

McGinness said he had not previously known about the incident and subsequently sent Motamedi – who had held a concealed weapon permit since 1999 – a letter revoking her permit. He also said he plans to more rigorously screen permit renewal requests, required every two years. No section of the current renewal form asks for details about intervening arrests.

Motamedi said late in December that she was not angry about the sheriff's decision.

"I don't mind losing the permit because I injured a finger a few years ago," she said, making it harder for her to fire a gun.

Motamedi has resigned from her position as chair of the TRPA governing board but did not return calls seeking comment about that resignation.

McGinness also revoked the permit of Robert T. "Bobby" Rodriguez, the state Board of Parole Hearing's associate chief deputy commissioner, who was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in Merced.

Merced police said Rodriguez's blood alcohol level at the time of the November arrest was 0.16 – twice the legal limit.

Rodriguez, reached at his Elk Grove home, declined to comment.

McGinness said he canceled both permits because the holders displayed questionable judgment.

"Generally, a DUI conviction on your record should be presumed to be a disqualifier," for a concealed gun permit, he said.

The Sheriff's Department can allow people to carry a loaded gun if they have "good moral character" and prove they have "good cause" for needing a gun, according to state law. But the state grants leeway to local law enforcement in determining which applicants fit those definitions.

Despite that, The Bee's investigation found a number of questionable calls, including permits granted for such needs as carrying a lot of money or wearing expensive jewelry. A bounty hunter received a concealed weapon permit even though he had been accused of domestic violence and had been subject to a temporary restraining order – although he was never convicted of a crime.

A federal lawsuit that the county so far has spent nearly $180,000 defending accuses former Sheriff Blanas of favoring campaign contributors who apply for permits.

The Bee's review found that Blanas had issued a concealed weapon permit to a campaign contributor who bought a vacation home with him and to a couple who contributed cash and liquor to his campaigns, who were allowed to complete their gun training at the department's officer-only range.

Blanas has declined to comment – his attorney says he cannot because of the pending legal action – but in sworn statements he firmly denied the allegations.

The Bee found that among people granted permits to carry a loaded gun, more than 70 past and current permit holders collectively contributed at least $200,000 to Blanas' campaigns. Past and current permit holders, it reported, contributed $25,000 to McGinness' campaign for the office he took over in July 2006.

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