SAN ANSELMO, CA - MAY 09: In this photo illustration, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) logo appears on a California driver license on May 9, 2017 in San Anselmo, California. The California Department of Motor Vehicles is being accused in a federal lawsuit of violating voter federal "motor voter" law with a requirement for over 1 million residents who renew their license by mail to fill out a seperate form with their renewal. (Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
San Bernadino County, California – Michael Ramos, once one of the most powerful prosecutors in the Inland Empire, has agreed to a six-month suspension from practicing law in California after allegedly destroying key evidence tied to a failed political corruption case. The California State Bar confirmed the development in a statement this week, marking a dramatic turn in a saga that has lingered over San Bernardino County politics for more than a decade.
Ramos, who served as San Bernardino County district attorney for 16 years, oversaw a controversial corruption case targeting three county officials and a prominent developer affiliated with Colonies Partners, a Rancho Cucamonga-based investment group. The case stemmed from a long-running land dispute between Colonies and the county, culminating in a 2011 indictment that charged the four defendants with bribery, conspiracy, and related offenses.
But in 2017, the prosecution unraveled. Three of the four defendants were acquitted at trial, and the fourth saw charges dropped later that year. What followed was a barrage of legal blowback: accusations of misconduct, civil lawsuits, and claims that the prosecution itself had been politically motivated. At the center of it all was Ramos, whose handling of the case would come under increasing scrutiny.
In the discovery phase of one civil suit filed by the Colonies defendants, Ramos was compelled to produce written communications, including emails and text messages. Instead, he admitted to deleting messages sent to his campaign account and erasing text messages altogether. A 2020 federal magistrate judge found Ramos had a clear obligation to preserve those communications and deemed his justifications for their deletion unacceptable.
“It is shocking that any lawyer, particularly one serving as District Attorney, would act in ‘bad faith’ and destroy evidence,” said attorney Stephen Larson, who represented the Colonies defendants. Larson described Ramos’ conduct as “political persecution” and accused the former prosecutor of intentionally erasing digital records that might have revealed ulterior motives.
Ramos, who lost his reelection bid in 2018, did not respond to requests for comment. He is currently listed as a faculty member at the University of California, Riverside.
The six-month suspension agreement, signed by Ramos and the State Bar, still awaits final approval from the California Supreme Court. Until then, the outcome remains technically unsettled.
“Prosecutors wield tremendous authority and discretion,” said George Cardona, the State Bar’s Chief Trial Counsel. “And with that comes a heightened responsibility to adhere to ethical standards.”
The case serves as a stark reminder that prosecutorial power, when mishandled, can backfire not just in court — but in history.
