A former City of Oakdale department head who took a position as a planning manager with Sutter County in March 2012 is facing an array of criminal charges, including two felonies, after an investigation by the Sutter County District Attorney showed numerous incidents of making false statements, providing false information, perjury and voter fraud.
Danelle Stylos, who served as the city’s Community Development and Services Director from 2007 to 2012, was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 1 by district attorney investigators for felony voter fraud, perjury, and other criminal offenses.
Stylos, 60, was serving as Sutter County’s director of Development Services, a post she held since July 2013. She was previously the community services director after she left Oakdale.
On Monday, Feb 2, the Sutter County Board of Supervisors in a special closed meeting placed Stylos on paid administrative leave.
In a Feb. 3 article in the Appeal Democrat of Marysville, Stylos’ attorney, Michael Barrette, said he told supervisors during the closed session they should not terminate Stylos until a full and fair investigation into the criminal allegations by a fair court proceeding.
“I think I can only sort of surmise from here, but I think the common underpinning is where she resides," Barrette said, adding “Under the Election Code, you can have a thousand residences and one domicile.”
The article also stated Barrette said he won't represent Stylos in the criminal case.
Sources close to the investigation have revealed that Stylos may have been using the home address of a retired public official to substitute for her address which required her to reside in Sutter County.
In May 2012, The Leader, in an article about Oakdale’s troubled financial affairs after the city council expressed concerns about a number of financial irregularities, noted that over $325,000 was made without city manager knowledge or prior council approval. Included in The Leader article is, “a payment for $113,000 made to Environmental Science Associates was approved by former Community Development & Services Director Danelle Stylos.”
The Sutter County Sheriff’s Office shows she was booked into jail on Feb. 1 with bail set at $25,000. She is no longer in custody
In addition to the two felony charges, Stylos was also booked on suspicion of several misdemeanor crimes, including making a false statement on an application for a concealed carry permit; not presenting clear evidence of her identity or age; using a false or fictitious name or knowingly concealing any material fact in any document filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Department of the California Highway Patrol; and willfully causing, procuring, or allowing herself or any other person to be registered as a voter, knowing that he or she or herself is not entitled to registration.
