Burlingame, California – A San Mateo County jury on Wednesday found former Caltrain deputy director Joseph Navarro guilty of misappropriating public funds, concluding he illegally used taxpayer money to build a private apartment inside the historic Burlingame train station.
Navarro was convicted on one felony count for converting a portion of the station into a fully furnished living space — complete with a bedroom, gym, and living room — between 2019 and 2021. Prosecutors said he spent roughly $38,000 in public funds on the project, bypassing oversight by keeping individual invoices under $3,000, the threshold for requiring additional approval.
The jury deliberated for several hours after closing arguments on Tuesday and returned its verdict Wednesday afternoon. Jurors also determined that the charges were filed within the statute of limitations — a key point of contention in the case…