Riverside County chief deputy promoted to assistant sheriff

Some roles are shifting at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff Stan Sniff appointed Chief Deputy Raymond Gregory to the rank of assistant sheriff Monday morning. Gregory will be responsible for oversight of the sheriff department’s administration, corrections, courts and coroner divisions, according to Sniff.

Assistant Sheriff Gregory is filling a vacancy that was created after Bill Di Yorio was appointed to the rank of undersheriff in early August.

Gregory is a 22-year veteran of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. He began his law enforcement career at the Blythe Station where he worked both in the jail and on patrol. He was later assigned to serve in court services at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to the sheriff’s release.

In the years following, Gregory was promoted to investigator, sergeant, lieutenant and commander. He also served as police chief for the Coachella and La Quinta Police Departments in 2010.

In February 2012, he took over as chief deputy for the sheriff’s department.

Assistant Sheriff Gregory is a resident of the Coachella Valley and earned a B.A. from California State University, San Bernardino/Palm Desert Campus. He also has an M.A. from the University of Redlands.

Gregory and his husband, Eric Ornelas, have two sons and one grandson.