A former Fullerton police officer pled guilty today to destroying evidence relating to the death of an inmate at the city's jail. He won't be seeing the inside of a cell, and the district attorney is none too pleased. Vincent Thomas Mater, 42 was charged with destroying his audio recorder after Dean Gochenour, arrested and transported to Fullerton jail on April 14, 2011 by Mater for driving under the influence, hung himself in his cell.
“In the hours after Mater learned of Gochenour's death,” read a press release from the Orange County District Attorney's office. “Mater destroyed his DAR by crushing it and removing the mother board and circuit board.”
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Mater was sentenced to three years of informal probation, and 60 days of community service. The prosecution argued Mater should be given jail time based on the nature of the crime, which led to the destruction of evidence possibly related to an inmate's death. No word yet on when or if Southern California motorists can expect to see Mater waste deep in ice plant along the 57 freeway. If you do see him wearing an orange vest, be sure to snap a pic and send it our way.
