Former county employee sentenced for stealing public money

Norman Hibble plead guilty to seven felony counts, admitted to stealing more than $100,000

– Atascadero resident Norman Hibble, 54, has been sentenced to serve six years in state prison, according to an announcement made today by San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow. The sentence, handed down by Superior Court Judge Crystal Seiler, also requires Hibble to pay restitution to San Luis Obispo County for theft.

On July 17, Hibble pleaded guilty to seven felony counts of misappropriation of public funds, which occurred between April 2017 and October 2023. Hibble also admitted to stealing more than $100,000, which led to a penalty enhancement for aggravated white-collar crime. This plea and the admission of the enhancement resulted in his six-year sentence.

Hibble began working for San Luis Obispo County in 2008 and was terminated from his position in January 2024. In 2016, as a supervisor in the Information Technology Department, he was issued a county credit card intended for official business only. Over several years, Hibble used the card for personal and often extravagant purchases. He concealed his thefts by falsifying records and modifying invoices to make the purchases appear legitimate.

Hibble used the stolen funds to purchase items such as DJ and lighting equipment for his personal event company Light and Sound, high-end photographic gear, an electric scooter, a telescope, a crossbow, and large shipping containers, which were apparently used to store many of the stolen items. The total theft is estimated to exceed $500,000. A hearing to determine the exact amount of restitution owed will be held on Oct. 2.

“No one is above the law, and those who steal from the public that they serve deserve strict accountability for their betrayal of the trust given to them,” said Dow. “We are grateful for the diligence of the County Auditor staff member who detected the unusual financial activity and reported this so it could be investigated and successfully prosecuted.”

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the San Luis Obispo County Office of the Auditor-Controller and the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Ben Blumenthal of the Major Fraud/Public Integrity Unit.

The mission of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit is to ensure that public and appointed officials, along with their subordinates, fulfill their legally mandated duties. The unit aims to increase the public’s trust and confidence in local agencies by detecting, investigating, and prosecuting criminal misconduct at all levels of public service.