Former county parks employee claims innocence against an embezzlement charge.

A Monterey County employee who oversaw operations at three county parks has been charged with embezzlement for using county funds to buy personal items. Gustavo Flores claims he is innocent and the items purchased, though kept at his home, were for his job.

The complaint filed by the Monterey County District Attorney against Flores alleges he committed the crime around May 21, 2021 and that he embezzled more than $950, the threshold for a felony charge. As administrative operations manager for Monterey County Department of Public Works, Facilities and Parks, Flores oversaw operations for a trio of county parks – San Lorenzo, Royal Oaks and Manzanita.

Flores has since resigned from his post, according to his attorney Jim Dozier, but maintains his innocence and has entered a not guilty plea.

“He maintains that the items recovered at his place were tools that he kept there so he could leave directly from home to work sites with those items, thus saving the county money in terms of his time in getting to his job,” Dozier says.

Dozier listed 12 purchases Flores is alleged to have made, totaling $5,786. However, Dozier says he expects “there will be more” purchases revealed when the case goes to a preliminary hearing on Dec. 3, when prosecutors will lay out more details of their case.

As administrative operations officer, Flores’ purchases had to be approved by his direct supervisor who, at the time, was Shawne Ellerbee; Ellerbee retired from her post in July.

County parks officials declined to comment about the matter. The prosecutor in the case, Deputy District Attorney Amanda Puck, declines to speak in detail about the case and says only that her team is conducting further investigation.