Former L.A. County Sheriff Pleads Guilty in Jail Abuse Scandal Cover-Up

Corrupt California law enforcement officials are being brought to the lime light. Fresno police are implicated in an activist's death and now the largest sheriff's office in America has it's former head being indicted in obstruction of a federal investigation into wrongdoings under his watch:

A retired Los Angeles County sheriff has filed a plea agreement in which he admitted that in 2013 he made false statements to federal authorities conducting a probe of the county’s jail system.

Lee Baca and his department have been mired in scandal ever since reports emerged of alleged prisoner abuse and a conspiracy to cover it up. Though the 73-year-old formerly denied knowing about an elaborate plot to hide the alleged abuse from federal authorities, Baca in the plea agreement filed Wednesday confessed to lying multiple times.

Newsweek

In another article, we find out why Baca resigned:

Baca announced his retirement and stepped down in January 2014 following the indictment of 18 mostly low-level deputies by a federal grand jury.

The indictments came after the ACLU and area activists, including former California Attorney General John Van de Kamp of Pasadena and the Rev. Ed Bacon of All Saints Church, called on the FBI to investigate allegations of deputy-sanctioned physical and sexual brutality in county jails that were brought to light in an ACLU report on the claims.

And just what else did this sheriff do other than lying to investigators?

In addition to lying, Baca also admitted that he ordered former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka to carry out a plan to hide an inmate that the FBI was using as an informant. Anthony Brown was allegedly rebooked under a number of different names and transferred to several locations in order to keep him from testifying before a federal grand jury.

Is it really just a few bad apples?

“Today’s charge and plea agreement demonstrate that illegal behavior within the Sheriff’s Department went to the very top of the organization,” US Attorney Eileen Decker said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. “More importantly, this case illustrates that leaders who foster and then try and hide a corrupt culture will be held accountable.”

Copping a Plea

What says ATS?

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

What says ATS?

Bet it's happening in more places than California. I hope he gets the book.

Nevermind he will do no more than 6 months

It's always been this way and alas, will always be this way.

My wife's uncle left the force in the 1950's because of the corruption that existed even then.

They are in a perfect position and unfortunately greed has got the better of some very good men.

originally posted by: Cobaltic1978
It's always been this way and alas, will always be this way.

My wife's uncle left the force in the 1950's because of the corruption that existed even then.

They are in a perfect position and unfortunately greed has got the better of some very good men.

Just another criminal enterprise dressed up as law abiding citizens and enforcers. They could probably learn a bigger better way of doing things from places like Chicago or N.Y. Where the shake down and crime syndicate has become "fine art" in a criminal sense of doing things.

a reply to: amicktd

Nevermind he will do no more than 6 months

Indeed, this chaps my ass almost more than the original malfeasance. That someone who was entrusted with the public safety and upholding the laws we are bound by then breaks those laws and receives a minimum sentence like that?

Not really a lot of accountability there, is it?

Oh the justice system in California is totally fubar trust me.

I've seen guys get practically killed by Leo and the treatment is less than human by far.

The judicial system just railroads everyone regardless of guilt or not.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

This is just the tip of the iceburg. When all those plea bargains start with all those indited rating out their friends in the state police and big city departments not to menbtion All the crooked DAs, judges, POs, and prison officials.


Yeah, just a few bad apples.....

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

From illegality to ineptitude, the hits just don't stop for the LA county sheriff's office:

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy accidentally shot himself following a pursuit of two suspects in Wilmington, authorities said.

The deputy suffered leg injuries that are not considered life-threatening and is receiving medical treatment, said Deputy Ryan Rouzan, a department spokesman.

The shooting was unintentional and occurred at the end of the pursuit, he said.

L.A. County sheriff's deputy accidentally shoots himself while chasing two suspects

I wonder if the above mentioned deputy was worried about what his boss might reveal?
Although this event happened the day before his boss admitted guilt.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

In looking back a bit further, one can see that this problem does indeed encompass all levels of the law enforcement in the LA county sheriff's office and began years ago:

Federal officials on Monday unsealed five criminal cases filed against 18 current and former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies as part of an FBI investigation into allegations of civil rights abuses and corruption in the nation’s largest jail system.

...

Among those charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice in the 18-page indictment are two lieutenants, one of whom oversaw the department’s safe jails program and another who investigated allegations of local crimes committed by sheriff’s personnel, two sergeants and three deputies.

18 LA County sheriff’s deputies arrested in FBI jail probe from 2013

Then they moved up the ladder:

What began more than four years ago as a federal investigation into brutality and corruption by deputies in L.A. County jails reached the highest echelons of the Sheriff's Department on Thursday, with two top officials indicted on charges of orchestrating an elaborate scheme to thwart the FBI.

Former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, once the agency's second highest-ranking figure, and a now-retired captain, William “Tom” Carey, are charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice for allegedly concealing the whereabouts of an inmate who was working as an FBI informant.

With Paul Tanaka's indictment, L.A. County jail probe reaches top echelon from 2015

Which then to yesterday's announcement that the top dog knew about this all along and actively tried to cover up his departmen' s culpability.

I hope the FBI goes in to Fresno next.