2nd former California Department of Justice supervisor pleads no contest in LA theft case

LOS ANGELES — One of two former supervisors from the California Department of Justice charged last year with diverting about $12,500 in government funds pleaded no contest Tuesday to a felony count of theft by an employee.

The count against James Biscailuz, 56, is expected to be reduced to a misdemeanor at his sentencing next March if he completes 36 hours of community service and pays a total of $12,500 in restitution with co-defendant Eric Bunde, according to Deputy District Attorney Casey Higgins.

Bunde, 56, pleaded no contest Jan. 19 to the same charge, and was immediately sentenced to two years probation and 36 days of community service, along with the restitution.

Bunde was barred from holding a government job during his probationary period, and can ask Superior Court Judge Kerry L. White to reduce the felony count to a misdemeanor when he completes his probation.

According to a statement read in court by his attorney, Biscailuz agreed to the use of a company he owned as a “pass-through” for the money from Los Angeles Regional Criminal Information Clearinghouse (LA Clear) — which was headed at the time by Bunde — for social media services through Bunde’s consulting company.

“The People assert that James Biscailuz knew that Eric Bunde was not allowed to be paid for his social media work by LA CLEAR, and that he intentionally aided and abetted Eric Bunde in unlawfully taking LA CLEAR’s funds. James Biscailuz pleads no contest to this allegation,” according to the statement which described the factual basis for the plea.

The statement noted that Biscailuz — who worked for the Department of Justice’s Los Angeles regional office — agreed to the arrangement as a favor to Bunde, whom he had known before. Biscailuz “did not retain any of the money paid by LA CLEAR,” was not paid for allowing his company to act as a pass-through and did not do anything related to the pass-through during working hours, according to the statement.

In a January 2023 statement announcing the criminal case, state Attorney General Rob Bonta said, “The California Department of Justice’s work is built on the highest standards of ethics and integrity, and the alleged actions of these two defendants violates these standards. Breaking the law to line your own pockets, especially while in a position of power, is unacceptable. Trust is a fundamental part of law enforcement and we will not stand by when this trust is broken.”

The attorney general said he was “grateful to my team at DOJ and the incredible agents within LA Clear for their hard work in thoroughly investigating this case, and to Los Angeles County District Attorney (George) Gascón for working in partnership to hold these defendants accountable.”