Unsuccessful Santa Clara County Sheriff candidate found guilty of perjury

(KRON) — A former candidate who ran for Santa Clara County Sheriff was convicted this week of lying about her experience in law enforcement. A jury convicted Anh Colton, 51, of felony perjury for falsely certifying that she had the required experience to run, prosecutors said.

Colton was listed on the 2022 June primary ballot and received more than 4 percent of votes. She did not advance to a November runoff.

California law requires that candidates for sheriff have at least one year of law enforcement experience within the last five years, or a certificate showing advanced training in law enforcement. The Cupertino woman “had neither,” the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office wrote.

“Certifying falsely under penalty of perjury is a serious matter, and in an election case such as this one, could prevent a legitimate candidate from making the runoff or even winning outright,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said.

Leading up to the 2022 election, a DA investigator went to Colton’s home in April and asked about her law enforcement experience. She referred him to her campaign advisor.

Prosecutors wrote, “In May, the investigator received an email from her campaign advisor saying that the investigator should stay away from Colton and she did not have to and would not answer his questions. Unfortunately, state law did not permit the Registrar of Voters or the DA’s Office to remove Colton from the ballot.”

Perjury is a felony punishable by up to four years in county jail.

“The qualifications for sheriff are not for show,” Rosen said. “The sheriff oversees the safety of thousands of people, hundreds of deputies, and our jail. It is not a job for the inexperienced or incompetent.”

Colton was sentenced to jail time that she had already served behind bars, which totaled 134 days.

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