Sheriff Stan Sniff fires back at allegations of child molestation cover up

Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff is shutting down allegations from a private investigator, Luis Bolanos, who’s claiming the sheriff’s department is covering up dozens of child molestation allegations against a former Riverside County Sheriff’s Senior Investigator, Kevin Duffy, who killed himself in 2009.

The allegations against the department were made Wednesday during a staged news conference held outside the Historic Riverside Courthouse by Bolanos.

The Riverside County District Attorney’s office confirmed the investigation and sent KESQ/CBS Local 2 this statement:

“A prior administration of the District Attorney’s Office was made aware of the child molestation investigation into former RSO Investigator Duffy in 2009. However, because Duffy committed suicide the District Attorney’s Office was unable to pursue prosecution.

Anyone who feels they have been the victim of a crime, with or without prosecution may obtain services by contacting our Family Justice Center at any one of our three locations: Riverside (951) 955-6100; Murrieta (951) 304-5680; and Indio (760) 863-8363.”

Bolanos is raising these molestation allegations as the 2018 sheriff’s race takes off. Sheriff Sniff said it’s not a coincidence.

“The Red Book investigation may lead to one of the nations largest trails of child molestation in U.S history,” said Bolanos during the news conference.

Bolanos claimed two young victims came forward to law enforcement in 2009 alleging they had been sexually molested and assaulted by Duffy.

“Sources and whistleblowers close to the investigation strongly believe that there was at least 250 victims, 50 separate cases that were prosecutable against Kevin Duffy for child molestation,” said Bolanos.

Bolanos said Duffy’s position with the sheriff’s department gave him access to hundreds of boys between the ages of eight and 14 and sources and whistleblowers told him Duffy was walked off the job for misconduct with a child on January 12, 2009.

Sheriff Stan Sniff fired back with details on a 9 month investigation that started on January 12, 2009. He says ten staff members were involved in completing 151 reports, 23 search warrants were authored, 90 persons interviewed and 75 potential victims interviewed, netting only one substantiated victim.

“Sources and whistleblowers close to the investigation claim that there were discussions that included maybe Kevin Duffy will go home and do the right thing,” said Bolanos.

Duffy shot and killed himself on January 25, 2009, as the investigation was still ongoing.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, a statement to the media was provided, identifying Mr. Duffy as a Department investigator, who was on administrative leave amid a criminal investigation. The news release prompted media stories about Mr. Duffy’s death and the associated criminal investigation. The Department also distributed an internal memorandum informing Department members of Mr. Duffy’s passing.

Due to Mr. Duffy’s sudden death, the criminal investigation was not sent to the District Attorney’s office, as there was no living person to prosecute, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

In a news release the Sheriff’s department went on to say:

“The investigation revealed Mr. Duffy’s contact with the minor child occurred during his service with the Sheriff’s Athletic League (SAL), a Hemet Sheriff’s Station youth outreach program. The investigators worked to identify and interview program participants, until the case was concluded in September 2009. When this investigation was initiated the SAL program was ended.”

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department the investigative file is closed and remains confidential. The Sheriff’s Department believes the investigation was properly closed in 2009, and says anyone wishing to share additional information about this investigation, including Mr. Bolanos, should contact the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at (951) 955-2777. Additionally, services for those suffering from the impacts of child and or adult abuse can be obtained through the Department of Social Services by calling the Child Abuse Hotline (800) 442-4918 and or the Adult Services Hotline (800) 491-7123.

Statement sent exclusively to CBS Local 2/KESQ from Sheriff Sniff:

“The Bolanos press conference smacked of nasty election-year politics designed to create “scandal” as part of a larger agenda…

…This Sheriff’s Department investigation started on 1-12-09 and involved 9 months of effort, with more than 10 of our staff involved in completing 151 reports, 23 search warrants authored, 90 persons interviewed, and 75 potential victims interviewed at the time – netting one substantiated victim.

Duffy was placed on admin leave on 1-15-09 within days of the start of the investigation, and committed suicide on 1-25-09. The investigation continued until it ran its course many months later, on 9-9-09.

Claims that the Department should have made an arrest before he had an opportunity to take his own life are specious; decisions on the timing of arrests are made by the actual case agents based upon the evidence at hand in coordination with prosecutors.

If new evidence exists 9 years later, it should be turned over to law enforcement agencies, not vaguely alluded to through staged “media events” that consist of nothing more than speculation.”