Sheriff’s captain in Rancho San Diego placed on leave amid federal criminal investigation

A San Diego County sheriff’s captain who most recently oversaw the Rancho San Diego substation has been placed on administrative leave as part of a federal criminal investigation, sheriff’s officials said Wednesday.

Capt. Marco Garmo, a 26-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, will continue to receive pay during the leave, according to a department spokeswoman.

“The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has been assisting and cooperating with federal authorities on a criminal investigation,” the spokeswoman said in an email responding to questions about Garmo. “As this is an ongoing federal matter, there will be no further comment at this time.”

Sheriff’s officials did not say for what Garmo was being investigated.

Garmo, 51, was reprimanded by Sheriff Bill Gore in 2017 for violating state limits on gun sales, and received a warning from prosecutors not to engage in any more unlawful firearm transactions.

The warning from prosecutors came after state investigators referred the criminal case to then-District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, whose office declined to file charges.

Officials did not say if the current federal investigation of Garmo had to do with unlawful gun sales.

News of the criminal investigation of Garmo came the same day the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said several searches were being conducted throughout the county due to a firearms trafficking investigation. NBC7 reported that among the locations raided Wednesday was the sprawling backcountry estate of San Diego jeweler Leo Hamel in Jamul — an area covered by the Rancho San Diego sheriff’s substation — and Hamel’s business in Old Town.

Garmo did not immediately return a voicemail seeking comment Wednesday evening.

According to the written reprimand from Gore to Garmo, dated Feb. 1, 2017, Garmo sold 11 handguns in 2014, eight handguns in 2015 and 25 handguns in 2016.

Selling more than five handguns per year violates state law, Gore pointed out in the reprimand, which was signed by Undersheriff Mark Elvin.

Garmo told the Union-Tribune last year he didn’t know the volume of sales required a federal firearms license, which he never obtained.

“I’m a gun guy,” Garmo said in the interview last year, estimating he bought and sold about 30 firearms over his career. “I’m not making excuses. It’s a mistake that’s probably commonly made. My intentions were not to violate the law. The minute it was brought to my attention, it stopped happening.”

The website for the Rancho San Diego substation was altered Wednesday. Earlier in the day, it featured a photo of Garmo, but by the evening, Garmo’s photo had been taken down, and Charles Cinnamo was listed as the substation’s captain.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

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alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com