Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood says former deputies Logan August and Derrick Penney were arrested after an internal investigation found they’d stolen 350 pounds of marijuana from evidence lockers, not the 25 originally suspected.

At a news conference Tuesday at the DA’s Office, Youngblood said they went to the feds after other deputies turned them in during an internal investigation. The case was passed to the District Attorney when federal investigators declined to prosecute.

August and Penney have pleaded not guilty to several felonies, including burglary.

The pair got three years probation in their federal trial last year for their role in a drug scheme run by ex-Bakersfield Police detectives Patrick Mara and Damacio Diaz.

Kelli Pierce