Santa Clara officer faces conspiracy charge

OFF THE WIRE
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — A Santa Clara police officer is facing a felony conspiracy charge after authorities say he passed on confidential information to a Hells Angels member.

The reports Clay Rojas was arrested Thursday and booked into Santa Clara County Jail, along with a suspected member of the motorcycle gang, William Bettencourt. A woman accused of receiving the information from Bettencourt was also arrested.

Santa Clara police are saying little about the investigation, other than the information given to Bettencourt came from the Department of Motor Vehicles and was about "private parties."

Santa Clara Police Chief Steve Lodge says the arrest "tarnishes the good name of" his department. But, he says he believes it's an "isolated incident."

Information from: San Jose Mercury News, http://www.sjmercury.com