Sheriff Alex Villanueva's son was hired to be a deputy seven months after his father took office
LOS ANGELES - When Alex Villanueva appeared onstage in December to be sworn in as Los Angeles County sheriff, his son was standing nearby cheering him on.
Now, 33-year-old Johannes Jared Villanueva is working for the department as a deputy sheriff trainee, on track to graduate from the academy in November.
The son, an Army veteran, was hired in June despite a record that department watchdogs said would generate scrutiny. It comes as the sheriff is facing questions about other hiring decisions.
In 2009 and 2010, the younger Villanueva was the subject of two bench warrants for failing to comply with a court-ordered treatment program tied to his 2009 conviction of a misdemeanor DUI in San Diego County, resulting in an extension of his probation until 2015, according to court files.
His Instagram account has included a post making light of the Holocaust.
Those in law enforcement said this record would not necessarily prohibit Johannes Jared Villanueva from becoming
