BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
Daily Post Staff Writer
San Mateo County’s new sheriff, Ken Binder, has fired reserve deputy Victor Aenlle, who as the previous sheriff’s chief of staff and was accused of intimidating and retaliating against sheriff’s employees.
Aenlle was fired a week after Binder took over as sheriff. (Read the memo.)
San Mateo County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker did not respond to the Post’s question about why Aenlle was fired.
Aenlle told the Post he wasn’t given a reason.
“My removal was political, not professional and that should concern every resident of this county.
“In San Mateo County, retaliation isn’t about justice, it’s selective, targeted and uneven,” Aenlle told the Post in an email.
Binder asked Aenlle to turn in his gun and Taser, according to a letter Aenlle provided to the Post.
“My removal was not about conduct, performance or qualification,” Aenlle said. “It was political. It was retaliatory. Sheriff Binder made the decision to release me not because I failed to serve, but because I stood for accountability, fairness and transparency.”
Aenlle said he will be seeking legal counsel.
(Read Aenlle’s letter to Binder)
(Read Aenlle’s press statement)
This is the second time Aenile has been fired. Supervisors fired him on Nov. 12, 2024, the day after the release of retired Judge LaDoris Cordell’s report that looked into multiple HR complaints about Aenile and Corpus, banning him from parts of the county buildings that the general public cannot access. She later attempted to hire him as her assistant sheriff, but he lacked the state qualifications for the job. She then brought him back as a reserve deputy, handling applications for concealed carry weapons permits.
Originally, Corpus hired Aenlle in 2022 to be part of her transition team.
Before she hired him as her chief of staff, he had primarily worked as a realtor with Coldwell Banker. He had no experience in the management of a law enforcement organization. Still, Corpus said in a previous statement that Aenile was fully qualified for the position because he has been a reserve deputy, a volunteer position, for over 17 years.
When Corpus was putting together her executive team, she instructed county employees to create a position for Aenile, and told HR manager Heather Enders to find him a position that would pay more than $72 an hour, Enders testified at an August hearing related to Corpus’ removal.
Cordell spent much of her report looking into complaints about Aenlle, and found that he showered Corpus in expensive gifts such as $1,200 Louboutin boots and $10,000 diamond earrings from Tiffany’s, according to her report. Cordell said the two had an “intimate relationship.”
Both Corpus and Aelle deny they were having an affair.
Corpus testified during the August hearing that she bought the earrings herself.
Cordell’s report also brought into question conflicting stories about Corpus and Aenlle being spotted at SFO on their way to Hawaii with Corpus’ children.
Cordell questioned in her scathing report whether Aenile was eligible to be a reserve deputy. Cordell found Aenile did not complete the volunteer hours to qualify as a reserve deputy, yet he held himself out as a police officer.
When Aenile was chief of staff, he had a gold badge like an officer and gave directions to deputies, according to Cordell.
“By wearing a gold badge, he has likely committed a misdemeanor for willfully wearing a facsimile badge that could deceive a civilian into believing he is a sworn officer with full police powers,” Cordell wrote.
Aenile did not reach the requirements to maintain his status as a reserve deputy, according to Cordell.
“Even worse, it appears that he likely falsified his badge like an officer and gave directions to deputies, according to Cordell.
“By wearing a gold badge, he has likely committed a misdemeanor for willfully wearing a facsimile badge that could deceive a civilian into believing he is a sworn officer with full police powers,” Cordell wrote.
Aenlle did not reach the requirements to maintain his status as a reserve deputy, according to Cordell.
“Even worse, it appears that he likely falsified his volunteer hours when he entered them into the database,” Cordell said in her 408-page report.
A “designated Level 1” reserve deputy has to volunteer for 192 hours per year and go to trainings with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, according to state law.
Aenlle entered his volunteer hours after Cordell reached out to him for an interview, and he appeared to be double-dipping by logging volunteer hours as time he actually spent working as Corpus’ chief of staff, according to her report.
Aenlle said he was wrongfully fired after Cordell’s report was released, which he claimed had a lot of errors. Cordell found that Aenile had been retaliating against the sheriff’s office employees.
“Fear of retaliation is rampant in the organization,” Cordell wrote.
Corpus fired former Assistant Sheriff Ryan Monaghan for participating in an interview with Cordell, though County Manager Mike Callagy kept Monaghan on the payroll to lessen any damages the county might face if Monaghan filed a wrongful firing lawsuit. Monaghan was fired after an alleged conversation between him and Aenlle where Aenlle asked about Monaghan’s participation in the Cordell report, according to multiple county commissioned reports.
After Aelle was fired the first time, he was spotted back in the sheriff’s headquarters in January, with Corpus, contractor Manjit Sappal and an unleashed dog.
County Attorney John Nibbelin at the time said Aenlle’s presence was OK because Corpus was an elected official.
Corpus later brough Aenile back as a reserve deputy who assisted with the sheriff’s unit that approves concealed carry weapons permits.
Aenlle filed a lawsuit in federal court in September against the county, claiming he was retaliated against for supporting Corpus after the board rejected his claim. The county asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit on Monday.
Aenile claims that an investigation into the living conditions of farm workers on his coastside ranch was an act of retaliation for his support of Corpus.
After the mass shooting in Half Moon Bay in 2023, the Farmworker Housing Compliance Task Force inspected 56 properties, including Aenile’s. It was found that it was unsafe and the water was contaminated.
A week into the job as sheriff, Binder has also reinstated deputy union president Carlos Tapia, Sgt. Javier Acosta and Sgt. Joe Fava, who were retaliated against by Corpus. Binder was appointed by the board on Nov. 12.
Thank you, Sheriff Binder, for cleaning up the mess. These first few actions speak volumes in showing the SO staff you have their backs and mean to repair the damage Corpus and her lapdogs; Parea and Anelle (among others) inflicted on the poor staff in the SO.
FINALLY!!!!! This Sheriff is a real sheriff who made that fraudster vicky pack his bags! GOOD RIDDANCE!
Little Vicky has the audacity to “demand” retirement credentials in his letter AFTER he was TERMINATED. This little man doesn’t know when to quit! Guaranteed the real sheriff will tell him to pound salt!
To retire from the county with benefits (SamCera) one needs to be vested. Requires 5 years of service credit. I don’t think the little guy made the cut.
Litter Vicky’s BS FINALLY caught up with him!! It’s been a long time coming, but is worth the wait. He is a civilian, with no law enforcement status whatsoever. He also can no longer carry a concealed weapon, since he’s not a Deputy. He won’t get a Retirement ID or LEOSA HR218 endorsement because he did not “Retire” – he got fired, so he’s on his own…
I believe Aenlle can still carry bc he has a CCW permit outside of being a reserve. I personally think if that is correct , his license to carry should be rescinded due to his actions and behavior in the SO.
He did not have a CCW. As a Designated Level 1 Reserve, he held an HR218 endorsement, which was good in all 50 States. But he lost that when he turned in his Sheriff’s Office ID. He can now apply for- through the Sheriff’s Office – for a CCW, which will only be good in California, and which will be subject many restrictions within the State. It might take the SO a while to process his application though… 😉
Goodbye fake Deputy doc.
The whining indignant letter Anelle sent off to Sheriff Binder in response to his firing was embarrassing.
He continues to paint himself as a respectable man that has been persecuted. Absolutely no acknowledgment of any of his or Corpus’ despicable behavior.
In addition, Aenlle demanded he receive his Sheriff retirement ID. He does not deserve to have any association with the Sheriff’s office.
What rights? He is at best a volunteer reserve? Nothing more… he doesn’t need any reason except for a violation of nepotism laws and also 4 independent investigations showing a violation of retaliation laws. So there are multiple reasons, but as a reserve you need NONE!!! What retirement? Did that change back ? To where it should be? Wow
Interesting that Victor made is email address visible in his letter to Binder. Did he not think his letter might be made available to the public? I will resist the temptation to send him a love note!
You literally can’t make this stuff up. I’m not going to lie, it’s been brutally painful but did make for some good chisme. A real life Sons of Anarchy with some labradoodles thrown into the mix. Now Victor can kick back with Corpus and watch Cops or just Netflix and chill. Anyways, rest easy little fella, we got the watch from here.
Welcome Sheriff Binder and thanks for showing that actions speak louder than words. Losing the creep fake PhD, fake LE was a great first step. Also bringing back those retaliated against was perfect tone setting and a great example of leadership. Polite suggestion ? Ask Chris Hsiung to come back too, do you think he would do it ?
I hear that Monaghan and Hsiung are going to come back too. AWESOME ! Sheriff Binder, you rock Sir. I am really grateful that we have a real Sheriff once again. Go for it and kick butt ! The faster we can get beyond her era of slime, the better.
Victor’s press release is really cute, and in typical Victor fashion, he takes no accountability. Victor, you and your manipulation cost Corpus her job. Victor, your little man complex and bullying of employees, especially women, is why you are gone. Victor, your ego and thirst for power coupled with your desire to be a real deputy, which you’re not, is why you’ve now been fired twice by the same department. You’re a sad little man. You’ve made no positive impact in this world and you’re a loser. If only the woman you abused in the 90’s was still alive to tell her story at this present time. Put your little size 7 cowboy boots on, hop onto your donkey, and turn all your stuff in. You’re done little guy.
Only the little doctor could get fired twice. The days of pretending to be a cop are finally over for you. No more driving around in a patrol car and doing traffic stops with Perea or giving Foxy a hug during a parade with your little chief of staff badge. No more having your named announced at graduations (remember to say doctor first) or hanging out with Garcia and Zaidi. Just a lonely little guy who could never pass FTO.
Take it easy on Victor. He meant well. Not!! See you down the road, Vic and good riddance.
Why in Aenlle’s letter to Binder does he list he is only returning the gun, belt and taser? Binder directed him to also return the badge. That badge is everything to Aenlle , he thinks it makes him important , powerful. Mr Aenlle has never been a real cop. He is a fraud – con man who is not worthy of being in possession of a deputy’s badge.
“If only the woman you abused in the 90’s was still alive to tell her story at this present time.”
What happened to this woman? Are you able to share?