San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus, who said publicly that he had battled but overcome drug addiction, was arrested Thursday on charges that include felony possession of methamphetamine.
About 50 agents from the county district attorney's office, armed with 10 search warrants, raided locations in San Bernardino, Highland, Apple Valley, Victorville and Rancho Santa Margarita in Orange County. When they entered Postmus' Rancho Cucamonga home, they found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, officials said. Postmus was arrested and released on $11,450 bail.
Agents also searched the office of James Erwin, chief of staff for newly elected county Supervisor Neil Derry.
A longtime associate of Postmus, Erwin is a former assistant assessor and once headed the San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies union. Susan Mickey, spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, declined to provide details but said the investigation was ongoing.
The arrest comes after Postmus, 37, made a surprise appearance before the county Board of Supervisors on Jan. 6 to tell them he had successfully beaten addiction to unspecified illegal drugs.Board Chairman Gary Ovitt said Thursday was a "sad and embarrassing day for the county." He said Postmus' comments were now "suspect" and the board would decide at its Jan. 27 meeting whether to try to force him from office.
"If in fact what he said was a lie, then I am outraged that he would use the board as a venue to lie to the people and try to convince them of something that is not true," Supervisor Josie Gonzalez said. "I think he should resign."
During his appearance last week, Postmus, who once headed the Board of Supervisors and the county Republican Party, also apologized for past "mistakes" at the assessor's office.
Last April, authorities raided the office, seizing documents and laptop computers as evidence. Soon after, Assistant Assessor Adam Aleman was arrested and charged with six felonies, including falsifying documents and destroying public records. A month later, a grand jury report criticized the assessor's office for hiring inexperienced employees, doing campaign work during office hours and misusing a college tuition reimbursement program.
Rumors swirled that Postmus was abusing drugs. He refused demands to appear before supervisors to address the charges but took a nearly 12-week medical leave of absence.
