The Silicon Valley Voice

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Cops Bust City Employee On Gun Charges

Santa Clara police have arrested a Silicon Valley Power (SVP) employee for possession of illegal guns.

Thejon Baza, 47, of Turlock, was a journey lineworker for SVP, according to the site Transparent California. 

In 2023, Baza earned $460,191 in pay and benefits, $149,326 of which was overtime pay. The site has not been updated with 2024 data, as it is not readily available at this point in time. Records obtained by Transparent California indicate that he has worked for SVP since at least 2012, when he earned $121,805 in total pay and benefits.

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Just after 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 13, police arrested Baza at East Empire and Sixth Streets in San Jose, according to the Santa Clara Police Department’s (SCPD) arrest log

The log lists six gun-related charges, four that deal with guns that have a “disguised or misleading appearance” and two for possession of short-barreled rifles or shotguns. Baza also stands accused of possessing drug paraphernalia, i.e., any device “used for unlawfully injecting or smoking,” a misdemeanor.

Each of the gun charges carries a penalty of a year in prison. 

During the arrest, police seized the contraband, according to the arrest log. The log also lists the arrest type as “on-view arrest.” Unlike when police execute a warrant, these types of arrests typically occur when an officer witnesses a crime and must intervene to preserve evidence or prevent immediate harm.

Lt. Michael Crescini, SCPD’s public information officer, confirmed with The Voice that Baza is an employe with SVP but he is currently on leave.

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8 Comments
  1. Sloooow News Day 4 weeks ago
    Reply

    Wow, another public employee made a mistake in their personal life…? and it gets reported here? OMG!!!! Are we going to report out on every City of Santa Clara or Sunnyvale employee that screws up? What about City of San Jose? I hear their employees are big time screw ups! They even get parking tickets… -the horror… go chase an ambulance or something already.

    • Ruth Lodge 4 weeks ago
      Reply

      I think reporting on anyone possessing modified and illegal guns is very important. Trying to keep them off the streets is very important, in addition to possessing drug paraphernalia. This story should matter to all of us. It’s our safety at stake.

  2. Snooze News 4 weeks ago
    Reply

    Why are you highlighting what this individual made 15 years ago and now? How does this pertain to what he was charged with and what crime was actually committed ? We get people love to bag on city and government employees but it seems to me if he worked there for 15 years he probably was a decent employee. Why even mention his employer? Were the weapons brought to work? I’m guessing that would have been in the story or even a headline if that was the case. So they were most likely found elsewhere .With California changing gun laws like infants need diapers changed, guns that were legal yesterday are not today. Was he selling them? Again no mention of that in your story, so I will assume he wasn’t. So to say they were keeping guns off the street is a stretch, more like a liberal ideological catch phrase at this point.

    Just my opinion……. You don’t have to like it, but I get one.

  3. Dirty Harry 4 weeks ago
    Reply

    $460K a year? No wonder he had so many cool guns! Makes me proud to be an American.

  4. El Gringo 4 weeks ago
    Reply

    Typical author attacking a utility worker. If people took the time to see how many hours and the amount of work it took to get that wage, you wouldn’t be questioning it. He easily spent more time at work than at home. Respect the grind.

  5. Finley May 4 weeks ago
    Reply

    How much did you make to write this article? Too bad you’re not a government employee to post your annual salary. So was he fired because he owns guns? Little confused how his personal life pertains to this job? F*** the city of Santa Clara. Must have worked a lot to make that amount of money.

  6. RJ 3 weeks ago
    Reply

    “a [city of Santa Clara] utility worker..He easily spent more time at work than at home.” You got it backwards, he likely spent more time at home in the Central Valley than at work. Santa Clara is known for liberal work schedules and high pay.

    • Trollin 3 weeks ago
      Reply

      How would a UTILITY WORKER spend more time in the Central Valley than at work.. actually curious if you know what these men physically do for work. This ain’t tech ya tard.

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