Former Lodi firefighter accused of embezzlement makes court appearance
Next appearance for Oscar Picazo set for Feb. 17
STOCKTON — The case against Oscar Picazo, the former Lodi firefighter accused of embezzling almost $300,000 from the Lodi Professional Firefighters Union, was continued to Feb. 17 during his arraignment on Tuesday afternoon at the San Joaquin County Superior Court.
Court proceedings will be held at 8:30 a.m. at the county courthouse in Department 35.
Judge Ron A. Northup also ordered Picazo to report to the San Joaquin County Jail for booking on Saturday.
According to Picazo’s lawyer Al Ellis, the purpose of the continuance was to determine if there can be a solution to the case without going to trial.
“We’re exploring various options in terms of resolving the case without having a trial, so as a result of that, we’re coming back once we can provide the courts more information,” Ellis said.
Ellis hopes to speak with Picazo and the district attorney with hopes of returning to court with a resolution.
Deputy District Attorney Stephen Taylor said that a trial date has not been set and noted Picazo is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty and has the option of going to trial if he would like. Ellis said that either a jury trial will be set or Picazo will enter a plea.
Picazo, who served as the union treasurer, is facing charges of grand theft by embezzlement over $950 with enhancements of taking, damaging or destroying property over $200,000 and theft of more than $100,000. Taylor said Picazo could face up to five years in prison, with the maximum sentence for grand theft in California being three years and two years being the maximum sentence for the enhancements.
Taylor said that with the enhancement of theft of more than $100,000 on Picazo’s charges, the general rule is that the court can’t give probation.
“In an embezzlement case with no criminal history, it always comes down to where is the money. Where is the money, and when is the money coming home? You can imagine why, especially if the victims don’t have insurance,” Taylor said.
According to Taylor, less than half of their embezzlement victims have insurance, adding that the fire union was not insured.
“It’s really cheap and really a good idea for anyone who is running a business or handling money for an association to get insurance,” said Taylor, adding that the only recourse for the union is for the money to be returned.
“We’d really like to see the victims restored. The money is used for charitable or benevolent purposes,” he said.
Taylor said that according to court documents, which have not yet been released to the public, money that the firefighters raised for breast cancer awareness and other charitable fundraisers was part of the missing funds.