A former San Luis Obispo County IT employee accused of charging more than $250,000 on a county credit card for personal purchases was back in front of a judge Thursday after posting bail early last week.
Norman Hibble, 54, did not enter a plea. He faces 12 felony counts of misappropriation of public funds.
According to San Luis Obispo County officials, Hibble used a county credit card to buy items like a crossbow and personal DJ and photography equipment for a side business and stored them on county and personal property.
Those are just a few of the purchases the County says he made between April of 2017 and October of 2023 that tallied up to, what county prosecutors say, at least a quarter million dollars. Hibble was arrested last month.
San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Rita Federman ordered that Hibble must surrender to search and seizure of personal property, including electronic devices, while out on bond. The Australia native must also wear an electronic monitoring device, report to probation, submit to random drug and alcohol testing, as well as not be in possession of any firearms or passports.
In court Thursday, Judge Federman said, to this point, Hibble has followed all terms of supervision and monitoring while out on bail.
He is set to appear in court again on April 30 for further proceedings regarding a plea.
