UPDATE: 11am Tuesday – At Monday night’s Bishop City Council meeting, Police Chief Chris Carter spoke to the Council about the embezzlement investigation. He called it “quite the daunting task for our small department.” He said investigations like this are few and far between. The Chief said he hopes to have more information on this case by the end of the week. He thanked the District Attorney’s Office and County for the team effort in the investigation.
Supervisor Jeff Griffiths also spoke at the Council meeting. He thanked Chief Carter and the DA for working “on the embezzlement to locate suspects. We concerned,” said Griffiths, “about internal controls. We want to make sure this does not happen again.”
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Bishop Police Chief Chris Carter has confirmed that over the weekend the Police Department, in conjunction with the District Attorney’s Office, served a search warrant at a Bishop area home in a continuation of their investigation of possible embezzlement from the Inyo County Welfare Office in Bishop.
Officers served the warrant at the home of Kenneth and Dawndee Rossy in the Bishop area. Chief Carter said as a result, officers found a small amount of controlled substance which led to the arrest of Ken Rossy who was transported to the Inyo County Jail.
Asked if police and attorneys recovered any evidence related to the welfare money embezzlement, Chief Carter said the arrest of Ken Rossy was unrelated. He also said, “Our investigation is progressing and Dawndee Rossy is a person of interest.” She is an employee of the Inyo Welfare or Social Services Office in Bishop.
Last week, Health and Human Services Director Jean Turner had issued a press release that said employees in Social Services had detected “irregularities” and that a “substantial amount of money was taken.” Turner said the irregularities pointed to a potential theft of public funds in Social Services. She reported this to Inyo law enforcement and to the State.
Director Turner said because this case is under investigation she could not reveal any other details. She offered assurances that steps were taken to stop what she called “this emerging scheme to defraud the public.”
Both Turner and Police Chief Carter said they could not comment on the exact amount of money involved, although Turner did say the amount is “substantial.”
Benett, I would be surprised if a third party could be convicted of a crime unrelated to this search warrant. Unless they convict him of a crime related to the search warrant. Lawyers should have a field day with this one.
“Officers served the warrant at the home of Kenneth and Dawndee Rossy in the Bishop area. Chief Carter said as a result, officers found a small amount of controlled substance which led to the arrest of Ken Rossy who was transported to the Inyo County Jail.” If the original warrant… Read more »
I suspect you are not correct about this. I don’t believe officers have to ignore the law generally because
they search a location for a specific reason.
Benett Kessler
Benett, the question that needs to be answered is whether the narcotics found was related to the case, example was the money diverted for drugs. If they are not related then the evidence cannot be used to prosecute and the Exclusionary Rule is applied. More information is needed in order… Read more »
Steve…With what you say,if Law Enforcement entered the house looking for evidence in the embezzlement case,and while looking around,and behind the couch,they found some dope….and a dead body, would they have to walk away from that,fearing 4th amendment rights ?
In your example Wayne through the process of discovery, police may seize objects not specified in the warrant only if they are in plain view during the course of the search, discovered in part as a result of an independent, untainted source or preponderance of the evidence that normal police… Read more »
Steve you are wrong. If Law Enforcement is searching for paper records, stolen property, cash etc. and they find drugs, it can be used against the suspect. As long as they find the drugs in an area they were searching that could contain the items listed on the warrant. The… Read more »
So with your logic if cops have a search warrant for drugs and find child porn that’s ok ?
If they are searching for a murder weapon and they find someone being held against their will, it’s fine ?
You have got to be kidding.
Dear getreal,
You’ve got to be kidding.
Benett Kessler
I’m not kidding, its the law.
Getreal, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but what you see on television isn’t real!
Truth is stranger than fiction. How many search warrants have you personally been a part of ?
Dont be so naive Inyo County residents. It’s here in our neighborhoods.
Over two hundred over 30 years.
It would not be a violation of the 4th amendment. The Warrant (go get a copy at the court house) will indicate that the judge signed off on a search of the location for a list of details. I will bet the list will include an item small enough to… Read more »
Exactly Cat. You nailed it.
Having written a few hundred search warrants and never lost one on a 1538.5 motion, I know what I am talking about.
Cat-I luv to gamble around Super Bowl time, I’ll take that bet if Benett promises to follow up on it 🙂 Good luck getting our DA to comment on it.
It’s these type of unfounded comments that make it so hard to be treated fairly, within our judicial system. We don’t even know if there actually have been any criminal acts committed, and you are condemning a person who is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. It’s just too… Read more »
You are right. I’m removing the comments.
Benett Kessler
People aren’t treated the same! They aren’t treated the same on a national level and they aren’t treated the same on a local level. Just because YOU don’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t out there. And no it is not comments on this site that create a tainted system.… Read more »
That’s speculation at this point. How about we wait for actual evidence and charges.
BK