San Bernardino County assessor is arrested on drug charges
San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus, who said publicly that he had battled but overcome drug addiction, was arrested Thursday on charges that include felony possession of methamphetamine.
About 50 agents from the county district attorney’s office, armed with 10 search warrants, raided locations in San Bernardino, Highland, Apple Valley, Victorville and Rancho Santa Margarita in Orange County. When they entered Postmus’ Rancho Cucamonga home, they found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, officials said. Postmus was arrested and released on $11,450 bail. Agents also searched the office of James Erwin, chief of staff for newly elected county Supervisor Neil Derry.
The arrest comes after Postmus, 37, made a surprise appearance before the county Board of Supervisors on Jan. 6 to tell them he had successfully beaten addiction to unspecified illegal drugs.
Board Chairman Gary Ovitt said Thursday was a “sad and embarrassing day for the county.” He said Postmus’ comments were now “suspect” and the board would decide at its Jan. 27 meeting whether to try to force him from office
Last April, authorities raided the office, seizing documents and computers as evidence. Assistant Assessor Adam Aleman was later arrested and charged with six felonies, including falsifying documents and destroying public records. A month later, a grand jury report criticized the assessor’s office for hiring inexperienced employees, doing campaign work during office hours and misusing a college tuition reimbursement program.
Derry said agents searched Erwin’s office early Thursday, but added, “I don’t think Jim has anything to do with it. He is not being accused of doing anything untoward or of any crime,” he said of his chief of staff. “To my knowledge, he is not a target.”
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