Embezzlement Arrest

In May 2024, the owner of Scott O’Brien Fire and Safety contacted the Atascadero Police Department to report a suspected case of employee embezzlement. Following a thorough investigation, detectives uncovered that Robert Vasquez, the company’s Chief Operations Officer, had embezzled $423,460 from the business for nearly five years between January 2019 and October 2023. 

After the investigation, it is believed that Vasquez misused company funds for personal expenses, including paying his rent, making unauthorized cash withdrawals from the company’s checking account, and paying his personal credit card bills. 

On December 19, 2024, detectives from the Atascadero Police Department arrested Robert Vasquez, a 37-year-old Paso Robles resident, for embezzlement, a violation of Section 503 of the California Penal Code. Vasquez was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail, with bail set at $20,000. 

The Atascadero Police Department remains committed to ensuring justice and safeguarding the community from financial crimes.