The case revolves around a federal investigation launched in 2011 into misconduct at the LA county jails that authorities say was purposefully thwarted by Baca and his deputies.
Advertisement
Baca joined the Sheriff’s Department as a deputy in 1965 and was first elected in 1998 to lead the 10,000-member law enforcement agency that controls the Los Angeles County jail system, which houses an inmate population of about 18,000. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16.
Baca says in a statement that he made a mistake and accepts being held accountable.
A jail abuse scandal took a new twist Wednesday, when a Los Angeles sheriff admitted that he had lied to FBI investigators.
The plea deal calls for a maximum of six months behind bars, but the actual sentence will be determined by a federal judge, according to court filings obtained by the Daily News. Baca, who resigned in 2014, is expected to enter his plea this afternoon for a felony charge of making a false statement to federal authorities. Sheriff Baca had previously denied knowing anything about it, even when his deputies were facing charges, but he now admits he told them to “do everything but put handcuffs” on her.
The investigation into the sheriff’s department has been going on for five years and has resulted in more than a dozen former officials being convicted.
Last year, Baca’s former top aide, Paul Tanaka, was indicted on charges of orchestrating an elaborate scheme to thwart the Federal Bureau of Investigation, raising questions about whether Baca would be the next to face prosecution.
A former sheriff’s captain who has pleaded guilty to lying under oath has yet to be sentenced. It’s not clear if that included providing grand jury testimony against Baca.
Defense lawyer Michael Zweiback said Baca was permitted to remain free without bond after his court appearance because of his cooperation with the legal proceedings surrounding his plea and because he was deemed not to be a flight risk. “I will always love the men and women of the Sheriff’s Department”.
Prosecutors accused Baca in court records of lying about his involvement in hiding a jail inmate from FBI investigators.
The feds were investigating misconduct, and physical abuse in LA County’s jail system.
After Baca learned of the investigation, he met with Tanaka, Carey and a lieutenant in September 2011 and told them to approach Special Agent Leah Marx, one of the inmate’s handlers, according to court documents.
Advertisement
“He had the opportunity to lead”, Bowdich said.
