The former chief of police of the tiny town of Lakeside pleaded guilty to embezzlement of public property and first degree official misconduct on Tuesday.
Robert Joel Gordanier, who at times was also the town's mayor and ran its fire department, must pay restitution to the tune of $26,088.
Lakeside, which occupies 0.2 square miles on the eastern edge of Jefferson County, has a population of just 16 people, according to the 2020 Census. In addition to a handful of houses, it’s made up of the historic Lakeside amusement park, plus a sprawling shopping center with a Walmart, and, of course, a lake.
In 2017, 2018 and 2021 the town government bought cars from various police departments that were supposed to be used for municipal business, but each vehicle was later sold to Gordanier’s daughter, Brenda Renee Hamilton, the former town clerk. Investigators say Hamilton bought the cars for well under the fair market value and went on to sell them at a large profit.
The self-dealing first came to light through an investigation by CBS4.
In addition to paying restitution, Gordanier will be on probation for four years. He cannot hold an office or any job of public trust, including mayor, councilmember, or peace officer while he serves his probation.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Darren Kafka said in a statement that Gordanier's actions represented “a significant breach of public trust, undermining confidence in both our government institutions and law enforcement everywhere.”
Meanwhile, Hamilton was indicted on ten counts and has pleaded not guilty. Her next hearing is set for Jan. 29.
In addition to the fraud charges, she’s also charged with impersonating a police officer for an incident from July 25, 2023. Prosecutors say, while driving a cop car, Hamilton attempted to stop a suspected shoplifter in the Walmart parking lot. The investigation also found that she used a credit card associated to the town to buy nearly $500 worth of personal goods from Costco.
