Former Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith found guilty of corruption in civil trial

SAN JOSE -- Former Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith has been found guilty of corruption charges in her civil trail. 

Smith was found guilty on six civil counts of corruption and willful misconduct by the county Civil Grand Jury.

The verdict comes just days after Smith announced her immediate retirement from office. She had previously announced she would retire in January. Smith would have been removed from office following the guilty verdict if she had not abruptly stepped down on Monday.

Undersheriff Ken Binder has taken over as acting sheriff until a new sheriff is either elected or appointed by the Board of Supervisors. 

The sheriff's office issued a statement saying it respected the jury's decision and remained focused on the mission of providing the highest level of public safety and service to the community.

"The actions of a few people are not a reflection of the great work that our deputies do every day," said Binder in a prepared statement. "The men and women of the Sheriff's Office are looking forward to new beginnings, with the Sheriff election coming up next week." 

The trial followed an investigation into allegations that Smith's office traded concealed weapons permits for donations to her reelection campaign and mismanaged the jails, where mentally ill inmates died or were injured. Smith was also accused of withholding documents concerning an internal affairs jail investigation and lying on campaign finance forms.

She has denied the allegations.

Smith is also under investigation by state Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is trying to determine whether her office "engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional conduct" that could merit corrective action.

Before her retirement, Smith had been sheriff of Santa Clara County since 1998.