Shasta County's assistant CEO, Eric Magrini, now works a second job

While former Sheriff Eric Magrini is still employed as Shasta County's assistant county executive officer, he also has a job selling real estate in Redding.

County public information officer David Maung said this week that Magrini remains employed by the county, but he would not say whether the former sheriff-turned-assistant-CEO is on leave or whether he still comes to work at the county's Administration Building.

Maung also would not address whether a top county executive is allowed to hold a second job. The county personnel manual includes a section that requires employees to notify a department head if they intend to have outside employment or have obtained a second job.

It wasn't clear whether Magrini had provided the county notice that he had a second job.

Magrini went on leave from his job sometime in March or April of 2023, Shasta County Supervisor Patrick Jones said in May of that year. When asked again this week about Magrini's status, Jones said the former sheriff is still out, but because of personnel privacy issues he could not say why.

As has been the case numerous times over the past two years, Magrini did not return phone messages left with him and did not reply to an email sent to him. The Record Searchlight also attempted to contact him by leaving messages at phone numbers connected to the real estate office where he works.

Jones said the Board of Supervisors has met in closed session to discuss Magrini's position because he and other supervisors want to hire someone to work as assistant CEO.

"There's nobody in that position doing the work. He is a county employee, but that work isn't getting done. There's no one in the building doing that work. So, what I mean by that is we have work to be done and it's not getting done," Jones said.

More: 'Don't speak to him': Ex-Sheriff Eric Magrini on leave from Shasta assistant CEO job

Several people also have contacted the Record Searchlight over the past year asking whether Magrini still works for the county.

The supervisors appointed Magrini sheriff in December 2019, but he resigned in June 2021 to take the job as assistant CEO. Earlier that year, the two unions representing most of the sworn law enforcement in the sheriff's office, including captains and lieutenants in the department, took votes of no-confidence in Magrini.

Before Magrini stepped down as sheriff, the county also had also hired a law firm in 2021 to investigate claims that that included allegations that Magrini's management style had caused of low morale among employees. He allegedly retaliated against at least one department captain, was accused of misusing a statewide law enforcement communication system and allegedly interfered with an officer-involved shooting investigation of a sergeant in the department.

Related: 'Secrecy no more.' Under court order, Shasta County releases sheriff's office records

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Former county CEO Matt Pontes said when he hired Magrini as assistant CEO he wanted him to spearhead efforts to eradicate illegal marijuana growing operations in the county and he wanted him to coordinate plans to build a new jail and mental health and drug addiction treatment facilities.

But by the spring of 2023, Jones said Magrini was out on leave from his job. He also applied for worker's compensation benefits in March last year. That same month, the California Department of Real Estate issued him a license to sell real estate. Magrini is listed as an agent with Josh Barker Real Estate in Redding.

Maung would not say how much Magrini earned in 2023. Transparent California, which obtains salary information about public employees statewide through public records requests, said that in 2022 Magrini earned $191,784. In 2020, his only full year as sheriff, Magrini earned $135,035 annually, according to Transparent California.

In his worker's compensation claim filed in March 2023, Magrini indicated he had injuries that were "due to several years' exposure to loud noise, stressful situations and repetitive use of right shoulder," according to forms he filed with the state Division of Workers' Compensation.

He also claimed injuries that included high blood pressure "from situations from law enforcement to harassment" and hearing loss. He also reported injuries from wearing a law enforcement duty belt for several years, excessive sitting and standing and working on SWAT teams and dive teams, according to his worker's compensation forms.

Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta County's assistant CEO, Eric Magrini, is working a second job