According to multiple sources within the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, Assistant District Attorney Diana Teran, who was charged with 11 felony counts on April 24th, is allegedly still employed and working remotely collecting a county paycheck.
Attorney General Rob Bonta announced charges against Teran after an extensive years-long investigation.
The California Department of Justice charged Teran with 11 felony violations of Penal Code section 502, subdivision (c)(2), alleging repeated and unauthorized use of data from confidential, statutorily-protected peace officer files.
Penal Code section 502, subdivision (c)(2) prohibits the use of data from a government computer system without permission.
Allegedly Teran, handpicked by DA George Gascon to be in charge of Ethics and Integrity, accessed computer data including numerous confidential peace officer files in 2018 while working as a Constitutional Policing Advisor at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Teran joined the LA DA in January 2021, and impermissibly used that data at the LA DA.
Sources say Teran illegally accessed protected files, and took them to the DA’s office with the intent to weaponize their ongoing efforts to destroy the credibility of law enforcement officers. Her actions were not a secret – not only to the peace officers who were adversely impacted by her actions, but also those who worked in her sphere of influence at the DA’s office.
In spite of Teran’s well-documented data breach and most likely the knowledge there was an Attorney General probe into the matter, Gascon promoted her in December, 2023.
Two days after the charges were announced against Teran, her lawyer James Spertus told the Daily Journal: “I wouldn’t be surprised if she is temporarily put on an administrative leave while this is sorted out. I mean, that would be routine. She’s employed today, of course, and there will be no termination of her if… she’s not convicted of felonies”.
The LA Times reported on May 6th that Teran is no longer the “assistant district attorney over ethics and integrity operations,” according to district attorney’s office spokeswoman Venusse Dunn, who declined to comment further on Teran’s job status.
Teran is labeled as an “unclassified” or “at-will employee” which county sources suggest the gravity and severity of the charges warrant immediate termination, not a “temporary administrative leave” as suggested by Spertus. A fate that has been the fate dealt to many at the DA’s office and in law enforcement, specifically those under Teran’s watch.
Attorney Tom Yu who specializes in defending criminal prosecution against law enforcement officers told The Current Report “100 percent of the time when a civil service employee is accused of a felony, they are immediately relieved of duty without pay per Civil Service Code section 18.01”
While the current District Attorney organizational chart reflects Teran’s position is now being held by James Garrison, sources say Teran is still actively employed by the DA’s office and working remotely. It is unclear whether she is overseeing cases.
Although her California State Bar profile reflects that she has been charged with a felony, her status to practice law is active.
In July of 2023, whistleblowers met with investigators at the Attorney General’s office. The investigators told whistleblowers the case they are investigating, which includes L.A. County officials and key figures in L.A. politics, such a Diana Teran, is “a mile wide”.
Sources say a grand jury has been convening this month allegedly regarding the Teran case. “The necessity for a grand jury inquiry is questionable due to the fact that felony charges have already been filed in this case. The purpose of a grand jury is generally to hear evidence in the case by the prosectors in the case as to whether there is probable cause to file criminal charges. This may point to the fact that there may be another inquiry at the county level regarding Teran’s scandalous activities.” said retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Captain Mike Bornman.
This inquiry may also touch upon additional targets including Inspector General Max Huntsman and former Sheriff Jim Mc Donnell as to who gave Teran permission the permission and access codes too download the protected files.
Sources say officials are hoping to try the case privately given the high profile witnesses, potentially including former Sheriff Alex Villanueva who claims he notified the Attorney General in 2019 that Teran downloaded approximately 2400 protected personnel files. The potentially damaging evidence related to her illegal data breach and unauthorized use of it at the DA’s office could have a significant negative impact on Gascon’s bid for re-election if it were made public.
Teran’s arraignment is scheduled for the beginning of July.
The Current Report contacted the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office regarding Teran’s employment status requesting any and all communication to and from Teran, as well as meetings she was involved in, specifically from the date the charges were announced, to present. Kathryn Albracht, assistant to Assistant DA Garrison responded they were processing our request.
This is a developing story.
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