Smith promoted Sung to undersheriff in July 2018 and, according to a July 10 court filing by the DA, was “essentially her campaign manager” that year and “actively solicited endorsements and contributions.”
The DA alleged Sung deliberately held up approval of CCW licenses for the Apple security detail protecting then-CEO Tim Cook and for insurance executive Harpreet Chadha until they did favors for the sheriff.
When Sung first learned of the investigation in August 2019, the DA added, he “reset his personal cell phone to factory settings, effectively permanently deleting its contents,” apparently to remove compromising text messages.
Sung is scheduled to appear in Santa Clara County Superior Court on Oct. 19 for sentencing.
“The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the court proceeding involving a former undersheriff and conduct dating back eight years,” a department spokesperson told San Jose Spotlight. “Our responsibility today is to continue serving our community with integrity, professionalism and accountability. We remain committed to earning the confidence of the community we serve and strengthening public trust in the sheriff’s office.”