A former employee of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is facing charges for illegally recording her colleagues' conversations without their knowledge or consent. Meghan Capone, a former Operations Assistant III, has been charged with two felony counts of eavesdropping on confidential communications. The charges stem from allegations that Capone, a civilian, used a small voice-activated recording device plugged into her computer to record her colleagues in the Body Worn Camera Unit between March and June of 2021.
If convicted on both charges, Capone could face a sentence of up to three years and eight months in state prison. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón emphasized the seriousness of the offense, particularly as a government employee. Gascón stated that government employees are held to the highest standards of conduct and ethics, and Capone's alleged actions reflect a total disregard for the law and breach of public trust.
The investigation into the case was conducted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which discovered that Capone also used an external storage device to connect to her work computer and store the files of the private conversations. The recordings included conversations between her superiors and their legal team. Capone is scheduled for arrangement on September 28th.
In California, it is mandatory for all parties involved in a conversation to give consent before being recorded, including phone conversations. Violations of this law can result in both civil and criminal penalties. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity within law enforcement agencies, regardless of an individual's role.