3 SLO County embezzlement cases, 3 very different sentences. What to know
Three high-profile embezzlement cases have been prosecuted in San Luis Obispo County in recent years, resulting in dramatically different punishments despite involving hundreds of thousands of stolen dollars each.
The sentences ranged from less than a year in county jail to six years in state prison — and the harshest sentence did not go to the person who stole the most.
Here are key takeaways about the three cases:
Fallyn Rollins
A former SLO County probation officer, Fallyn Rollins, was sentenced June 2 to 270 days in jail for embezzling nearly $170,000 from her department’s union. Her sentence was far less than the Santa Barbara probation department’s recommendation of eight years and four months in state prison.
Rollins was charged with nine counts of grand theft over $950 by embezzlement for diverting more than $100,000 into her own accounts between February 2023 and July 2024 while serving as union treasurer. She used the money to pay off credit card debt, cover her daily living expenses, pay an $8,000 car payment on a new Tesla and buy trips to Miami and Las Vegas.
She pleaded no contest to all charges, accepting a felony conviction, and admitted to the sentencing enhancement with her 270-day jail term contingent on paying full restitution of $169,875.
A forensic psychiatrist testified that Rollins’ bipolar II diagnosis was a “substantial factor” in her conduct, arguing the thefts were impulsive rather than calculated.
SLO County Superior Court Judge Rita Federman denied Rollins mental health diversion, finding that her pattern of writing herself up to $10,000 checks around the first and middle of each month showed conscious decision-making rather than impulsive behavior.
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Robert Conrad Vasquez
Former SLO County small business executive Robert Conrad Vasquez was sentenced to four years and four months in prison on May 4 for embezzling more than $480,000 from Scott O’Brien Fire and Safety between 2019 and 2023 while serving as chief operations officer, spending the money on rent, credit cards, fine dining, vacations and firearms.
The exact amount he embezzled and owes back in restitution is still under investigation.
Vasquez pleaded no contest, accepting a felony conviction, to five grand theft charges and illegal possession of an AR-15 assault weapon, with a sentencing enhancement that brought his maximum possible sentence to six years.
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Norman Hibble
Former SLO County IT supervisor Norman Hibble received the harshest punishment upon his sentencing in August 2024 — six years in state prison — for using a county-issued credit card to buy DJ equipment, camera gear, a crossbow and other items between April 2017 and January 2023.
The District Attorney’s Office originally estimated that Hibble stole more than $500,000 in taxpayer dollars, but he was ultimately ordered to repay $377,040 in restitution. He was also ordered to turn over $20,000 worth of Apple computers he bought using the county card.
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The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
