Press Release: People v. Salgado, Ruben Cesar, 10/4/10

October 04, 2010
Bradford R. Fenocchio

District Attorney

PLACER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

10810 Justice Center Drive, Suite 240
Roseville, California 95678

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Date: October 4, 2010

Contact:

Art Campos

Public Information Officer

916-543-8076

Scott Owens

Assistant District Attorney

916-543-8000

EX-CHP OFFICER PLEADS NO CONTEST TO SOLICITING MURDER AND POSSESSION OF METH WITH A FIREARM

The case of a former California Highway Patrol Officer came to a sudden end today when he pled out to felony charges of soliciting a murder and possession of drugs while carrying a firearm.

Ruben Salgado, 37, was ruled ineligible for probation by Placer County Superior Court Judge Larry D. Gaddis, who sentenced him to three years in a state prison. Salgado waived all local custody time since his original arrest in May, meaning his jail time will not count toward his prison time.

Salgado entered a plea of no contest to the felony charges, as well as to a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of methamphetamine.

“The defendant pled to the two most serious charges, and this plea arrangement prevents any possibility of Mr. Salgado receiving probation,” said prosecutor Doug Van Breemen of the Placer County District Attorney’s Office. “He will now have to go to state prison.

“This law enforcement officer betrayed the public trust. It is appropriate that he go to prison, even though he had no prior criminal record. The defendant would have been probation-eligible even after a successful jury trial.”

Salgado was arrested on May 11 on eight charges, including possession and transportation of methamphetamine, DUI and possession of a firearm while under the influence.

After being released on bail, Salgado was arrested again on July 15 on four more charges, including the solicitation of murder on an informant in the first case.

On September 16, Salgado waived his preliminary hearing and a trial was scheduled for November 8. Today’s court hearing was to be a routine matter in which his trial date was to be confirmed.

Salgado was remanded into the custody of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office for delivery to the California Department of Corrections.