Salgado sentenced for solicitation of murder

The case of a Ruben Salgado, 37, a former California Highway Patrol Officer came to a sudden end today when he pled out to felony charges of soliciting a murder and possession of drugs while carrying a firearm.

Ruben Salgado, 37, was ruled ineligible for probation by Placer County Superior Court Judge Larry D. Gaddis, who sentenced him to three years in a state prison. Salgado waived all local custody time since his original arrest in May, meaning his jail time will not count toward his prison time.

‘The defendant pled to the two most serious charges, and this plea arrangement prevents any possibility of Mr. Salgado receiving probation,’ said prosecutor Doug Van Breemen of the Placer County District Attorney’s Office. ‘He will now have to go to state prison.

‘This law enforcement officer betrayed the public trust. It is appropriate that he go to prison, even though he had no prior criminal record. The defendant would have been probation-eligible even after a successful jury trial.’

Salgado was arrested on May 11 on eight charges, including possession and transportation of methamphetamine, DUI and possession of a firearm while under the influence.

After being released on bail, Salgado was arrested again on July 15 on four more charges, including the solicitation of murder on an informant in the first case.

Salgado was remanded into the custody of the Placer County Sheriff”s Office for delivery to the California Department of Corrections.