Seven current and former San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department employees accused of faking training documents to boost their pay have been indicted by a special grand jury on charges of perjury, grand theft and conspiracy,

All are accused of falsifying training documents, which made them eligible for increased pay and retirement benefits, District Attorney Mike Ramos and Sheriff Rod Hoops said at a news conference Tuesday. Ramos said the alleged thefts range from $2,000 to possibly as much as $100,000 when retirement increases are considered.

An official with the state agency overseeing officer training said this is the first such case in California.

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William Wilson Lewis III/The Press-Enterprise

Sheriff Rod Hoops said the allegations were first reported by other sheriff’s employees.

The defendants are Cpl. Detective David Pichotta, 48; retired Lt. William Maddox, 57; Lt. Russell Wilke, 44; retired Assistant Sheriff Michael Stodelle, 64; retired Capt. Hobart Gray, 51; custody specialist Angela Gray, 42; and training specialist Sallyann Christian, 45.

All of the current employees in that group were placed on administrative leave Monday, Hoops said. The grand jury, which began hearing the case Feb. 28, returned the indictments Friday.

All the charges are felonies and carry penalties of between three years and eight months to five years and eight months in prison.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say this is a very disappointing day for the Sheriff's Department," Hoops said.

He said the indictments do not reflect the vast majority of the department's 3,500 employees.

"The Sheriff's Department will not be defined by the alleged acts of a few number of individuals," he said. Hoops said the allegations were first reported by other sheriff's employees. He described them as "very brave in doing so."

According to the indictment, Pichotta, Maddox, Wilke, Stodelle and Hobart Gray placed their names on attendance rosters for classes at the sheriff's training academy that they never attended. The two other suspects, Angela Gray -- who is married to Hobart Gray -- and Christian worked at the training facility and assisted them in falsifying the rosters, according to the indictment.

The indictment states that Angela Gray and Christian had autonomy to place names on attendance rosters, and "there was no audit program for attendance roster records in place during this time period."

As a result of the investigation, Hoops said procedures have been changed so that two or three people, including a supervisor, must now review training rosters.

"I'm very confident the procedures we have in place will not allow this to happen," Hoops said, adding. "I hope."

POST training

Law enforcement officers who attend the training academy or complete college courses can earn credits for certificates issued through the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST. Certificates are awarded for several levels of peace officer training, from basic to executive, according to the POST website.

An agreement with the union representing safety employees promises deputies 8 percent pay increases when they move up in certification level, Hoops said.

Pichotta, Maddox, Wilke, Stodelle and Hobart Gray are all accused in the indictment of lying about their qualifications in earning their advanced certifications.

Dan Silverman, a deputy district attorney who will be handling the case, said the suspects were "able to gain a monetary benefit" through their alleged actions. Officials did not have details on how much each is accused of stealing.

Hobart Gray, Stodelle, Pichotta and Wilke were arraigned in San Bernardino County Superior Court on Tuesday and entered not guilty pleas. The arraignment for the remaining suspects was continued to Friday.

Darla Engler, bureau chief of POST's administrative services division, said the agency knows of no other fraud or investigation involving falsifying of credentials.

She said Hobart Gray's intermediate and advanced certificates were canceled.

Educational credits

Maddox and Wilke declined to comment.

A woman who answered Stodelle's phone said he was not available. The Grays, Christian and Pichotta did not return messages seeking comment.

Last week, Hobart Gray declined to say whether his retirement was linked to the investigation.

Attorneys for Stodelle and Hobart Gray said they did not have enough details to comment.

The indictment lists the first instance of fraud occurring in May 2006 when Angela Gray instructed another clerk to place Hobart Gray's name on the roster of a Basic Traffic Collision Course. From then until April 2008, she had his name placed on the roster for five other courses.

Hoops said the allegations first surfaced in late 2009 with reports that a sheriff's captain -- now known to be Hobart Gray -- had falsely claimed educational credits allowing him to receive added certification and added pay of $16,000.

At the time, Hoops said a department review substantiated the charge and that Gray was confronted and later retired. The captain returned the money, but prosecutors continued to review the case against him.

It first began as an administrative review by the Sheriff's Department, but, once it expanded, officials realized crimes may have been committed and the district attorney's office was brought in, Hoops said.

"We weren't sure in the beginning what we had," he said.

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William Wilson Lewis III/The Press-Enterprise

From left, deputy district attorneys Michael Fermin and Daniel Silverman, District Attorney Mike Ramos, Sheriff Rod Hoops, and Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Fagan, appear during a news conference Tuesday.

He described it as a "very complex case" that investigators knew would take some time to complete. He and Ramos said numerous witnesses were interviewed, and thousands of pages of documents going back a decade were reviewed.

The sheriff said investigators believe they've identified all the suspects involved and the investigation is complete.

Return of funds

Ramos said prosecutors intend to seek the return of the funds and already have contacted the county retirement board about getting back the increased benefits some may have earned through the alleged crimes.

Hoops, who requested that Gray's training certificates be rescinded, said certificates for the other suspects may be rescinded as the case continues.

Gloria Anderson, president of the League of Women Voters of San Bernardino, said the indictments are particularly disturbing because they involve law officers.

"If you can't trust them, who can you trust?" she said.

On the heels of other San Bernardino County public corruption scandals that have led to charges against former officials, including elected leaders, they further undermine public trust, she said.

"It's really disconcerting to think they just can't seem to get rid of the unethical behavior that has plagued the county," Anderson said.

Josie Gonzales, chairwoman of the county Board of Supervisors, acknowledged that the indictments can affect the perception of the county, but said the true test is in how they are being handled.

"We're addressing the situations as they come," she said. "There's no sweeping it under the rug. There's no ignoring it. There's no putting it off until tomorrow."

Bill Abernathie, president of the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association representing deputies, called the indictment "an unfortunate set of circumstances."

"If it turns out these individuals were wrong in their conduct, then shame on them," he said. "By the same token, let's let the process play out and see what the courts say."

Staff writer Richard Brooks and Cassie MacDuff contributed to this report.

Reach Imran Ghori at 951-368-9558 or ighori@PE.com