Testimony links S.F. cop to stolen-property dealer

Indicted San Francisco police Officer Ian Furminger (center) leaves the Federal Courthouse after his arraignment in February 2014. Indicted San Francisco police Officer Ian Furminger (center) leaves the Federal Courthouse after his arraignment in February 2014. Photo: Michael Short / Special To The Chronicle Photo: Michael Short / Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Testimony links S.F. cop to stolen-property dealer 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Federal prosecutors wound up their case against two San Francisco police officers Monday with evidence that appeared to tie one officer, Sgt. Ian Furminger, to a dealer in stolen property.

A defense lawyer then said the second officer, Edmond Robles, would take the witness stand Tuesday.

Furminger and Robles, both of whom worked in the plainclothes unit at the Mission District station, are charged with stealing money, drugs and other property from suspects and with conspiring to deprive the public of their honest services.

A third officer, Reynaldo Vargas, pleaded guilty to four felonies Oct. 21. He testified last week that he, his former colleague Robles and Furminger, their supervisor, stole tens of thousands of dollars in cash and items ranging from marijuana shipments to Apple gift cards.

Other prosecution witnesses included criminals who became police informants and testified that they had kickback arrangements with one or both defendants.

The closing prosecution testimony Monday included a description of a text message that Furminger sent to Robles in May 2012 saying he had been listening to music on a “system I got from Sergio,” an apparent reference to Sergio Sanchez, a known buyer and seller of stolen property.

The evidence also included thousands of communications between the two officers and Sanchez, a prosecution witness said.

The disclosure by attorney Teresa Caffese that Robles would take the stand in his own defense took prosecutors by surprise. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer halted the day’s proceedings three hours earlier than usual to give prosecutors time to prepare for cross-examination.

Furminger apparently will not testify, although at one point he asked Breyer if he could reserve the right to make that decision. His case opened Monday with brief testimony by his estranged wife, Stephanie Furminger, to counter the prosecution’s case about the motive for the alleged thefts.

Stephanie Furminger — who said the pending breakup of their 10-year marriage has not been amicable — testified that the couple lived comfortably in a house in Orinda during the years of the alleged comspiracy, 2009 through 2012. She said she had worked full-time as a sales manager while her husband made more than $120,000 a year as an officer.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Hemann focused his cross-examination on debts that Ian Furminger owed for child support and the couple’s expenses in remodeling their house.

Vargas testified last week that when he stole $30,000 from the backyard of a drug dealer and divided it with his two colleagues, Furminger told him he was using his share to pay for new skylights in the Orinda home.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko