CHP ex-officer was arrested with woman
Authorities remained tight-lipped Tuesday about the case against former CHP Officer Ruben Salgado – accused of dealing drugs, using a weapon to commit a crime and soliciting a murder – but they did confirm a woman was arrested with him last week.
Breaonna Nunes, 21, and Salgado, 37, were arrested at 2:15 a.m. Thursday at the Governors Inn in Sacramento.
They both face drug charges, and Salgado also has been charged with soliciting a murder for hire.
Nunes was booked into the Sacramento County jail, while Salgado was sent to Placer County's jail in Auburn – his second stint there in recent weeks.
Salgado was first arrested May 12 by the California Highway Patrol on drug and weapons charges following a two-month investigation.
A spokesman for the Placer County District Attorney's Office released the information about Salgado's second arrest with no mention of Nunes, whose last name has also been spelled Nunez by the CHP.
This is not Nunes' first brush with the law in Sacramento County. In 2009, she faced vandalism charges and she has a July 28 court date for a 2010 DUI offense. She could not be reached for comment.
The Sacramento District Attorney's Office has not filed charges in response to the latest arrest.
In Salgado's case, court documents identify the target of the alleged murder for hire scheme by the initials "R.M."
Jeanie Hoatson, a CHP spokeswoman, linked the arrest of Nunes with Salgado but said no further details on the plot could be given other than to say that crime took place while he was out on bail.
"That is part of the reason why they are so tight-lipped, because this is a continuing ongoing investigation," Hoatson said. "They are not releasing anything on that."
Also Tuesday, two Sacramento law enforcement officers facing misdemeanor charges pleaded not guilty during their separate arraignments.
Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy Monica Chavez pleaded not guilty to a charge of battery for allegedly punching another woman while she attempted to separate their fighting dogs at a Roseville dog park.
Sacramento Police Sgt. John Castiglia, who did not appear in court, made his plea through attorney Daniel McNamara, denying that he stole razors and deodorant from a WinCo store in Roseville.
Chavez is charged with hitting Shelley Riley, whose miniature pinscher fought with Chavez's pug at Bear Dog Park on Pleasant Grove Boulevard. Chavez claimed that Riley threw the pug while separating the dogs, but Riley told The Bee that she dragged the pug off her dog but did not throw it.
Chavez's attorney, Michael Bowman, said his client acted properly in defending herself and her property.
"Under California law you don't have to get hit first," Bowman said.
"You can act reasonably to protect yourself or your property."