Merced Police detective resigns amid embezzlement investigation

Reports show that investigators with the State Attorney General's Office detained and searched Joseph Deliman on his way to work last month.

Trusted investigator and former Police Detective, Joseph Deliman, resigned in light of being investigated for allegedly embezzling more than 140,000 dollars from the Merced Police Union.

DA Chief Investigator, Bill Olsen said, "Well, we're all very shocked... and concerned, those are very serious allegations."

An affidavit for the search warrant from the California Attorney General's Office states the president of the Merced Police Officer's Association along with Chief Norm Andrade suspected Deliman of embezzling the funds around August, that is also the time he left the police department and was sworn in as an investigator for the Merced County District Attorney's Office.

The report says a union member noticed, "questionable transactions" from the MPOA's WestAmerica account, and withdrawals for cash that were not consistent with MPOA practices.

A list of transactions show both the UBS and WestAmerica accounts were used, but union officials say they did not know a UBS Financial account still existed, or that Deliman has a union credit card in his name.

Bank statements show lavish trips to Las Vegas with limo service, as well as trips to Lake Tahoe and Niagara Falls. Investigators also noticed that seven different Bank of America MPOA cards were used.

An attorney for the union declined to comment, and the police chief never returned our calls about the ongoing investigation.

We also reached out to the State Attorney General's Office, they did not respond to our request for comment but so far there have not been any charges filed.