Fired for on-duty sex, Kern County sheriff's lieutenant faces state disciplinary board, gets big raise to work for DA

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – As supervisor of the Kern County Sheriff's Internal Affairs Division, Lt. David Wesley Hubbard regularly presided over investigations into alleged misconduct by his colleagues.

Today, Hubbard himself is the subject of an investigation based on an alleged multifaceted dereliction of duty.

After Sheriff Donny Youngblood fired him with a scathing seven-page litany of alleged dishonesty and abuse of power, he was immediately hired by prosecutor Cynthia Zimmer as a DA investigator.

Today, the state Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training — known as POST — holds Hubbard's future in the balance.

If POST judges that he abused his position to conceal an affair with a subordinate – and potentially harm the defense of a KCSO colleague whose sexual relationship with this same subordinate was also under surveillance – Hubbard's case would be brought before an administrative judge. Ultimately, he could permanently lose his right to wear a badge anywhere in California.

The case of David Hubbard — a rising star in the Kern County Sheriff's Office who claimed to have been the youngest person ever promoted to sergeant and, later, lieutenant — advances at a POST committee hearing Wednesday in Sacramento.

The hearing follows a months-long investigation by 17 News into off-duty and occasional on-duty indiscretions that caused conflict within the Kern County Sheriff's Office. As has happened over the years in other cases – including that of former Deputy Carly Snow, which returns to Kern County Superior Court on the same day as Hubbard's POST hearing – the problems of Hubbard started with sex.

POST investigator Kevin Sherburne laid it all out to the POST advisory committee at a hearing in March.

“Mr. Hubbard,” Sherburne said, “took actions that conflicted with his professional obligations.

Over a weekend in late November 2021, Lt. Hubbard and a civilian sheriff's employee who reported directly to Hubbard had what both parties describe as consensual sex in his office, while he was on duty as a guard commander, serving, as POST investigators described him: “as the highest-ranking law enforcement officer in Kern County.”

Hubbard, who months later gave an audio-only interview to a POST investigator, said he was trying to do his job as best he could, given the intimate distraction of the moment.

“I had my radio on,” Hubbard said. “I had my phones on. I was available as needed. …I feel like I'm, uh, capable of reacting to any situation.

For Hubbard, who is married, workplace sex with a low-ranking employee, who was engaged to another sheriff's deputy, was bad enough.

But the woman was also involved in a seemingly unrelated incident involving, again, sex. She reported that a second man, a detective sergeant in the same unit as Hubbard, had sexually assaulted her. Internal Affairs has also undertaken a review of this matter.

Hubbard and the woman became concerned about what this detective sergeant might say about other sexual liaisons in the sheriff's office – particularly the affair between Hubbard and the woman.

Their worst fears were confirmed. Not only did the accused detective tell investigators about Hubbard's affair with his subordinate, but he accused her of being, quote, “crazy” and “getting angry” with him.

Suddenly, Hubbard himself was under investigation. Internal Affairs would question him and re-interview his subordinate.

Hubbard panicked. He allegedly deleted evidence – text messages from his work cell phone and phone logs. He allegedly interfered with the investigation into the sergeant and inappropriately shared confidential information with the woman he had sex with, according to POST's findings.

Hubbard's attorney, speaking to the POST advisory committee, argued that Hubbard was remorseful and had been forthcoming during the investigation.

She said Hubbard had been close friends with Deputy Philip Campas and was part of the SWAT team in Wasco in July 2021 when Campas was shot and killed while saving a family.

That trauma, just four months before the events that led to his firing, led to out-of-character behavior, Hubbard's attorney suggested.

“The actions that bring David Hubbard before you,” said Kasey Castillo of Riverside, “are isolated, personal in nature and span a short period of time in 2021, unlike an admirable career spanning more than 16 years.”

Neither Hubbard nor his attorney Castillo responded to multiple requests for comment.

Sheriff Youngblood, in his termination letter, did not accept Castillo's argument.

“Having sexual relations with your subordinate while on duty in the highest position that day,” Youngblood wrote, “is inexcusable and a prime example of what someone would do without regard for the people that it is charged with protecting – civilians and personnel.” .”

Youngblood said Hubbard used the trust of his fellow detectives to improperly obtain information about the sergeant's investigation and then pass it on to the sergeant's accuser, with whom Hubbard was having an affair.

“To allow you to continue in your employment,” Youngblood wrote, “would be to condone the behavior you have demonstrated.” …It is obvious that you do not have the integrity required to continue to serve in any capacity within the Sheriff's Office.

Prosecutor Cynthia Zimmer apparently disagreed with the sheriff.

Even before his firing was official at the sheriff's office, Zimmer hired Hubbard as the DA's lead investigator at a salary of $128,000 a year.

He is still working there, even after POST took away all his police powers pending the June 12 hearing.

The prosecutor's office, through Assistant Prosecutor Joseph A. Kinzel, declined to comment, citing a pending case involving the employees.

17 News had a list of questions for DA and Zimmer that were never asked, including:

• Why was Hubbard hired after being fired at the sheriff's office?
• His authority as a police officer being suspended, what functions did he exercise within the prosecution?
• Did anyone at the sheriff's office support his hiring at the DA's office?
• Did anyone at the sheriff's office object to his hiring in the DA's office?

Hubbard worked for the KCSO from April 2007 to August 2022 and would celebrate 20 years with the county in 2026.

Youngblood's office declined to comment, saying “Hubbard is no longer an employee of KCSO.” The department referred further questions to the county attorney's office.