Ex-Pacific Grove police commander to be arraigned in federal court

Former Pacific Grove police commander John Nyunt is scheduled to appear in federal court Wednesday afternoon, court records show.

Nyunt, who pleaded guilty to multiple charges in Monterey County, also faces federal criminal charges of wire fraud and extortion.

He pleaded guilty last week to local charges that included dissuading a person from reporting a crime by threats of violence, being an accessory after the fact to theft and burglary and being an accomplice to the burglary of a business. He was sentenced to three years in prison.

Those charges stem from allegations that Nyunt’s wife was committing massive identity fraud and that he knew about it and tried to cover it up. Charges are still pending against Kristin Nyunt.

Federal prosecutors have asked that John Nyunt be transferred from the Monterey County Jail to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Office by no later than 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. That’s when he’s scheduled to be arraigned at the U.S. District Court in San Jose.

According to the federal criminal complaint, Nyunt is accused of extorting money and information from a crime victim by using his position within the police department. He’s also accused of unlawfully providing access to sensitive police databases.