When Giovanni Tilotta, a supplier of police gear, was convicted of three felonies in one of the largest law enforcement scandals in San Diego history, his lawyer at the time wrote that he “lost pretty much everything.”
Tilotta’s business was going to tank, in other words, due to his conviction. Only, that’s not what happened.
Before his conviction in 2022, Tilotta ran a business called Omni Equipment Solutions that sold hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment to the San Diego Police Department. These days, business appears to be doing just fine.
Since Tilotta’s conviction, various city departments, including SDPD, have purchased more than $1 million in equipment from Omni.
The largest purchases — roughly $900,000 worth — came from the city’s Contracting and Purchasing Department for supplies in the city’s central warehouse. A spokesperson could not immediately say exactly what had been purchased, but said the types of items stored in the warehouse include gear bags, first aid bags, flashlights, helmets, tools and other equipment.
SDPD has spent more than $230,000 with Omni on everything from night vision to pistol magazines and rescue ladders, according to receipts obtained by Voice of San Diego.
Tilotta played a part in a sensational law enforcement scandal that centered around Marco Garmo, a powerful sheriff’s captain who was planning a run for sheriff. Garmo, who took a plea deal, had two prominent side hustles, illegally trafficking guns and tipping off East County marijuana dispensaries prior to sheriff raids.
Garmo used Tilotta, a licensed gun dealer, to forge paperwork in the gun-trafficking scheme, according to court documents.
Garmo would buy guns that are only available in California to members of law enforcement — known as “off-roster” guns — with the intention of selling them to others. Tilotta essentially whitewashed the paperwork. He helped conceal the “straw purchases” and also backdated forms so that Garmo’s customer could receive their guns immediately. (California requires a 10-day waiting period before a gun purchaser can actually pick up their firearm.)
Text messages entered into evidence show that Tilotta talked to Garmo about how he could get contracts with the Sheriff’s Office.
Profit wasn’t Garmo’s only motive in selling guns. He also wanted to curry favor with rich San Diegans, like jewelry store owner Leo Hamel. Hamel, who was also convicted in the scheme, was an avid gun collector. By getting him guns, Garmo hoped he could pick up a benefactor in his intended run for sheriff.
Tilotta served a six-month sentence and lost his license to deal firearms for his part in the scheme. Even though he lost his license to sell arms, Tilotta is not prevented from selling other law enforcement gear.
At the time of his sentencing, Tilotta’s lawyer argued that Tilotta should not serve a prison sentence because his business had already been ruined.
“Though his business is still running, it is running on fumes, and he will be forced into a new line of work when his lease expires,” wrote Jeremy Warren, Tilotta’s attorney.
The receipts show that has not been the case.
SDPD has made more than a dozen purchases from Tilotta since he was convicted in September 2022. The largest was $69,714, while others were less than $1,000.
Several deals between SDPD and Tilotta actually occurred while he was serving his six-month prison sentence between early May 2023 and Nov. 13, 2023.
During that time, SDPD made five purchases from Tilotta that totaled more than $73,000.
Ashley Nicholes, a SDPD spokesperson, said the department followed all the proper procedures when making purchases from Omni.
“The city’s contracting guidelines do not contain a requirement to perform a background check on all vendors,” Nicholes wrote in an email.
I asked Nicholes, as well as another spokesperson overseeing some of the city’s other departments, whether they had been aware of Tilotta’s connection to the Garmo law enforcement scandal.
Nicholes declined to say. The other spokesperson, Nicole Darling, said there was no reason to believe officials in other city departments were aware of Tilotta’s history.
I also asked both Nicholes and Darling whether the city planned to continue doing business with Tilotta.
Nicholes also declined to answer that question on SDPD’s behalf, writing: “SDPD has not purchased from the vendor since July 1, 2024.”
Darling wrote: “The city will need to further evaluate Mr. Tilotta’s role within Omni Solutions to determine the future of the business relationship.”
Tilotta is the owner of Omni, according to court documents, and he is listed as the CEO and CFO, according to business registration records.
Aside from SDPD and the city’s Contracting and Purchasing Department, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, Office of Emergency Services and Public Utility Department also purchase equipment from Tilotta.
Tilotta did not respond to multiple phone messages and an email. I also tried to find him at Omni, but the office was closed on a recent weekday when I visited.
Tilotta is a US Marine Corps veteran, who did two combat tours in Iraq. In one dramatic scene, he rescued three people from a burning helicopter and helped them get to safety on a different aircraft, according to court documents.
“I would not be here if it wasn’t for Gio,” wrote Enrique Gauthier, during Tilotta’s sentencing. Gauthier was one of the men Tilotta rescued.
“He is the epitome of selflessness and has a heart of gold,” wrote Gauthier. “He is the guy you want in your corner and is one that will always have your back.”
I asked Jared Wilson, president of the San Diego Police Officers Association, what he made of the deals.
“I don’t see this as being controversial as long as the city followed existing procedures and got a good deal,” Wilson wrote. “Which based on the pricing it seems like [it] did.”
Tilotta has appealed his conviction and that case is still working its way through federal court.
Leave a comment