A former officer of the Banning Police Department who previously said he was retaliated against for his skin color was indicted this week on five felony counts that stem from his employment with the agency and ultimately led to his dismissal, officials tell Banning-Beaumont Patch.
Allen Eley-- who is currently employed with the McFarland Police Department outside Bakersfield-- worked for Banning PD until June 2011 and is accused of lying to obtain medical insurance.
"He eventually resigned in lieu of termination for conduct he was eventually indicted on," Banning Police Chief Leonard Purvis told Patch.
That alleged conduct has to do with accusations that Eley lied to get medical insurance for his girlfriend and her children, according to Riverside County District Attorney Spokesman John Hall.
Hall says that investigators believe in 2008 and 2009, Eley forged a marriage certificate and witness signature, and submitted it to the county. He then apparently illegally put his girlfriend and her children on his government health insurance plan.
Prior to Eley's dismissal, while on administrative leave for this case, he accused the department of discrimination, and threatened suit against the city along with two other officers.
One of those officers is now the police chief in McFarland, who told Patch he had no idea that Eley was being investigated for these felonies.
McFarland Chief Gregory Herrrington says his department will conduct an internal affairs investigation, and has placed Eley on paid administrative leave from that department.
"We knew absolutely nothing about it," Herrington said in a telephone interview Thursday.
Chief Purvis says that's likely because they were never contacted for information about Eley's time at the Banning department.
"No one from the city of McFarland or a representative from the city of McFarland contacted the Banning Police Department regarding [Eley's] background," Purvis said. "If they had contacted us and given us the appropriate waivers, we would have fully disclosed the reasons officer Eley had resigned in lieu of termination.”
A grand jury investigation led to Eley's indictment on the following counts: three felony counts of making a false or fraudulent claim, one count of forging an instrument and one count of a forged ID card, according to Hall and court records.
He could face up to 7.5 years in prison if convicted on the charges, Hall said.
Eley was indicted on Monday in Riverside, and was released on his own recognizance after pleading not guilty to all the charges, court records indicate.
