Citron Seeking to Avoid Jail, Manual Labor

Former Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron is seeking to avoid both jail time and any grueling manual labor that might be offered as an alternative, a member of his defense team said Thursday.

Nancy Clark, an independent contractor who worked as a sentencing consultant for Citron, said the ousted public official is still recovering from the shock of being denied an opportunity to serve his sentence at home through an electronic monitoring program.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge J. Stephen Czuleger quashed that idea in a written court order handed down Dec. 18. Czuleger said, however, that Citron, 72, could apply for the Orange County sheriff’s community work program, which allows a defendant to work during the day but sleep at home.

However, because of his age and a variety of medical problems--which have included skin cancer, prostate problems, lower spinal separations, bursitis and ringing in the ears--Clark said Citron might be unable to handle manual labor.

“They wash cars, they pick up trash, they mop floors,” Clark said of the people who customarily handle such duties. “He’s willing to do anything that he can. It’s not that he’s not willing, but he’s 72.”

Clark said she hoped that Citron would be allowed the opportunity to do something of a more “clerical” nature, such as work he’s already performed during extensive hours of community service.

He wrote an earthquake preparedness manual for the Orange County Community Development Council, “and they were so impressed with what he did,” Clark said, “that they testified on his behalf at the sentencing hearing. I believe he could easily fulfill the terms of his sentencing doing that type of work.”

But Lt. Tom Garner, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, said Thursday that any method of sentencing for Citron is “still very much up in the air. . . . I wouldn’t have a clue. The decision will be made by the sheriff [Brad Gates] and high-ranking people within the department.”

Garner said he knew of no one currently doing “clerical” work in connection with the county’s work program. Gates, who was out of town, could not be reached for comment.

The sheriff’s spokesman said Citron has been ordered to report to County Jail on Jan. 10 and has not yet applied for the county’s work furlough program. He said it’s possible that Citron’s medical condition would dictate that most of his time be served in the jail’s medical ward.

“He’ll be completely evaluated the day he comes in,” Garner said. “And after he’s evaluated, he has to go wherever he’s assigned.”

Citron, who pleaded guilty to six fraud charges, was sentenced to a year in jail instead of prison time because of his early admission of guilt and cooperation with authorities investigating the county’s bankruptcy.

Meanwhile on Thursday, Citron’s successor, John M.W. Moorlach, took full responsibility for the county’s investment pool. The milestone marks the first time since 1994 that county officials alone have controlled investment decisions.

After the bankruptcy, the county hired Salomon Bros. to manage the portfolio. The Board of Supervisors also adopted strict investment guidelines that forbid the use of derivatives, a risky form of investing that played a role in the county’s financial crisis.

Moorlach began investing a small portion of the $2.5-billion pool in May. He took on larger portions in recent months.

“I’m really happy we are finally to this point,” he said.

Moorlach, whom the board appointed to replace Citron, said he and his staff have modernized the treasurer’s office and have their decisions evaluated by two citizen review panels.

The pool now earns a yield of about 5.4%. Using risky securities, Citron earned yields of 8% or more.

“We are not leveraging. We are not making yields significantly higher than the marketplace,” Moorlach said. “We are trying to invest the taxpayers’ money in the most efficient way.”

Also contributing to this report was Times staff writer Shelby Grad.