Santa Barbara County sergeant charged with overtime pay fraud

A custody sergeant with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has pleaded not guilty to 64 criminal charges, including grand theft and misappropriation of public funds. Jeffrey Koeller, 39, is accused of filing fraudulent timecard entries between March 2023 and January 2026 to claim compensation for overtime shifts he did not work.

Authorities allege that Koeller claimed more than $93,000 in compensation for unworked time while serving at the Northern Branch Jail. The investigation into Koeller followed a separate incident in January, when another custody sergeant, Segun Ogunleye, was arrested for allegedly stealing more than $175,000 in overtime pay.

These allegations arise as the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors increases scrutiny of the Sheriff’s Office’s overtime spending, which has reached approximately $20 million annually over the last two years. Koeller remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal case.