Ex-Santa Clara County Undersheriff Pleads Guilty In Concealed-Weapons Bribery Scandal – South Bay Fallout

Guilty Plea Brings Long Probe to a Close

Former Santa Clara County Undersheriff Rick Sung pleaded guilty Monday to two felony counts of bribery, capping an eight-year investigation into corruption within the sheriff’s office. Sung, who served as second in command to former Sheriff Laurie Smith, reached the plea agreement after a retrial following an earlier trial that ended in a hung jury.

Under the plea deal, Sung will not serve time behind bars. Instead, he must complete 400 hours of community service and will be on probation for two years. Authorities also said he must permanently surrender his California peace officer certification – a career-ending penalty for a longtime law enforcement official in the South Bay.

Sentence Details and Charges

District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced the guilty plea in a release, saying the conviction was the latest development in a case that exposed how concealed gun permits were allegedly traded for favors. At the same hearing, officials said a bribery charge against defendant Harpreet Chadha – who had control of the Sharks luxury suite – was dismissed "in the interest of justice."

Sung’s sentence avoids incarceration but carries other serious consequences – the community-service requirement, probation and the loss of peace officer certification all mark a steep personal and professional fall from grace.

"This plea brings a measure of closure to a long and thorough investigation into public corruption that betrayed community trust," said a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office.

How the Scheme Worked – Permits for Perks

Prosecutors say the bribery scheme centered on the department’s "rarely-issued" concealed-weapons permits. The top brass at the sheriff’s office allegedly traded those permits in return for campaign donations, tech gear and access to a luxury suite at San Jose’s SAP Center so Sheriff Smith and her guests could watch a Sharks game.

The probe began shortly after the 2018 election when investigators received a tip about an "unusually large" donation to an independent expenditure committee that backed Smith’s reelection. From there, prosecutors say the paper trail led to a pattern of favors and permits being issued to connected individuals and companies.

Apple, Security Teams and iPads

District attorney’s officials said Sung helped push through gun permits for Apple’s executive security team after the tech giant donated 200 iPads to the sheriff’s office. The donation was reportedly rescinded once the district attorney’s office started scrutinizing the permits – some of which were said to protect then-CEO Tim Cook, according to local reporting.

Apple Chief Security Officer Thomas Mayer was accused of facilitating the exchange but maintained the iPads were a gift. Mayer was acquitted in a February 2025 trial, while that same proceeding ended in a mistrial for Sung, according to reporting. The Apple connection highlighted how Silicon Valley resources and South Bay politics collided in this scandal.

Other Indictments and Convictions in the Case

A grand jury first indicted former sheriff’s Capt. James Jensen in connection with the plot; Jensen and others were accused of issuing permits in exchange for donations and perks. Prosecutors said Jensen issued permits to employees of AS Solution Inc., a security company, after the company donated $90,000 to Smith’s reelection campaign.

Jensen and several employees of the company were convicted of felony bribery. Jensen faced up to four years in county jail but was ultimately sentenced to 10 months behind bars in 2024. Sung was the highest-ranking department member to be convicted by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office in this long-running case, which drew sustained local attention.

Aftermath for the Former Sheriff and the Office

Former Sheriff Laurie Smith never faced criminal charges in the probe, but she retired in late 2022 after a civil grand jury found her guilty on six counts of corruption and misconduct. Smith had led the department since 1998, and her departure marked an end to a contentious chapter in Santa Clara County law enforcement history.

The plea and related convictions have prompted serious questions about how permits were handled and how political influence can intersect with public safety in the Bay Area. For residents across the South Bay and Silicon Valley, the case remains a cautionary tale about the costs when public trust breaks down.