Editor’s note: We acknowledge that much of this reporting is based on allegations by anonymous sources. Many are current or former City employees who urged that this be made public but who refused to allow their name to be used for fear of retaliation. Menifee 24/7 has vetted these sources, cross-referenced their claims, and has determined that releasing this information is in the public’s best interests.
Multiple sources inside City Hall and the Menifee Police Department have confirmed that Police Chief Chris Karrer was fired from his position on Thursday. He did not voluntarily retire, as was indicated in a City news release.
As Menifee 24/7 reported on Thursday, Karrer’s departure was effective immediately, with Captain Dave Gutierrez taking over as Acting Chief of Police. Sources have now also reported that there was nothing upbeat about his departure other than the tone of the “retirement” news release. Karrer was walked off the property after his dismissal.
“Yeah, he was pushed out,” was one source’s description of Karrer’s exit.
What does this mean for Karrer and the City financially? That is unclear at this point. One source stated that Karrer, whose salary was approximately $230,000 plus benefits, will, or has already, filed a medical claim in an attempt to maximize his “retirement” benefits.
In any case, the whole situation is expected to cost the City (i.e., the taxpayers) millions in damages, considering that:
— A resolution of Karrer’s separation pay (disputed contract, pension eligibility, etc.) could result in costly litigation.
— The recruitment of a new police chief could cost as much as $300,000.
— The financial aspect of the City’s settlement with officers Rob Cultera and Lance Willison (reported here on Thursday) remains unclear. Wiping off the record their internal investigations – unfounded from the beginning, sources say – will allow the officers to take jobs elsewhere with no marks against them, which could be considered a huge concession. But will they receive sizeable cash awards as well? Before the settlement, attorneys for both were threatening to sue for millions, one source reported.
— The City could be liable for massive damages in two lawsuits filed by alleged victims of former Menifee PD officer Juan Pesina, whom they accuse of sexual assault while on duty. Pesina is in jail awaiting trial to face 15 criminal charges. In all, five victims have accused Pesina of sex crimes. The lawsuits list both Pesina and the City of Menifee as defendants. The City is accused of being negligent in failing to properly investigate previous accusations of sexual abuse against Pesina, then allowing him to return to active duty, when he allegedly attacked additional victims.
All this happened under Karrer’s watch, but ultimately, responsibility for the conduct of all city employees lies with City Manager Armando Villa. Questions had already arisen when Villa was placed on paid administrative leave and investigated by an outside agency for four months in 2023-24 – an event that was never explained when Villa was reinstated. He faced further criticism for a lack of transparency during the many internal investigations of Menifee PD officers and his failure to place Karrer on leave during the allegations regarding department leadership.
In addition, five department heads have left or been fired in the last two years under Villa’s watch. And buried in the City’s mid-year budget adjustments – recommended by Villa and approved by the City Council in a special meeting Feb. 4 – are promotions given to four high-ranking staff members:
— Rebakah Kramer, promoted from Deputy City Manager to Assistant City Manager – a title also held by Bryan Jones. Kramer had a base salary of $184,310 in 2024, according to the website Transparent California. Now she is at least at step 1 on the Assistant City Manager pay scale, which pays $216,942, according to the City’s mid-year adjusted salary schedule.
— Phil Southard, promoted from Public Information Officer to Community and Government Affairs Director. His salary in 2024 was reported as $165,429. Now he is at least at step 2 on his new pay scale, which pays $181,287.
— Kayla Charters, promoted from Economic Development Manager to Economic Development Director. Her salary went from $126,597 in 2024 to approximately $172,467 now.
— Margarita Cornejo, who served as Deputy Financial Director for three years, including a 2024 salary of $182,213. She was given the newly created title of Director of Strategic Programs and Initiatives, making an estimated $190,000 annually.
In the end, what will all this cost the taxpayers of Menifee, and what other staff departures could be on the horizon? Time will tell.
One City official who isn’t speculating publicly is Mayor Ricky Estrada, who has been overseas on deployment with the U.S. Air Force for nearly five months. During his mayoral campaign, Estrada said he favored abolishing the Measure DD public safety tax, which could basically defund Menifee PD.
Estrada’s last comments to Menifee 24/7 were when the investigation into all the Police Department allegations were first published in May 2025. At that time, Estrada texted this reporter, saying, “We should meet face to face, man to man” in order to “build a better rapport with each other.”
Estrada has at times commented on Menifee events on his Facebook page during his deployment, but his view of the current situation is not known. He did not respond to a text from Menifee 24/7 this week.
