| By Michael Webster: Investigative Reporter May 7, | | | | in a professional manner, the Department of Justice will |
| 2008 12:00 PM PDT | | | | not hesitate to prosecute those who cross that line." |
| U.S. Justice Department reports that former Long | | | | "This case exposed a dark world of corrupt law |
| Beach police officer Joseph Ferguson was sentenced | | | | enforcement officers who defiled their badges and |
| in federal court in Los Angeles, Calif., for his role in a | | | | compromised the good work of their colleagues," said |
| series of home invasion robberies over a two-year | | | | U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien. "The home |
| period which were connected to the LAPD in the | | | | invasion robberies committed by these former officers |
| wake of the 1999 Rampart corruption scandal. | | | | shocks the conscience and will lead to lengthy prison |
| Ferguson was sentenced to 97 months in prison and | | | | sentences that they so richly deserve." |
| four years of supervised release. | | | | "The reality is, no police department is immune from |
| On Jan. 30, 2008, a Los Angeles jury convicted the | | | | bad cops," stated Los Angeles Police Chief William J. |
| defendant of conspiring to violate civil rights, conspiring | | | | Bratton. "I have no tolerance for intentional misconduct |
| to possess narcotics with intent to distribute, and | | | | and will deal with it forcefully and aggressively. |
| possession of narcotics with intent to distribute. The | | | | Supervision, safeguards and civilian oversight are used |
| defendant's brother and co-defendant, former Los | | | | to monitor employees and ensure quality police service. |
| Angeles police officer William Ferguson, was also | | | | No good cop wants to work with a bad cop. No good |
| convicted of deprivation of rights under color of law | | | | cop wants a bad cop in their Department. Today's |
| and several firearms offenses and is scheduled to be | | | | announcement proves we are committed to getting rid |
| sentenced on May 19, 2008. | | | | of those who would tarnish the LAPD badge." |
| As previously reported by this reporter the evidence | | | | Long Beach Police Chief Anthony Batts stated: "When |
| at trial showed that the defendant and his | | | | a police officer violates the laws that he has sworn to |
| co-defendants were members of a wide-ranging | | | | uphold, it erodes the public trust that we in law |
| criminal conspiracy, led by former Los Angeles police | | | | enforcement work so hard to build. The men and |
| officer Ruben Palomares and including other law | | | | women of the Long Beach Police Department take |
| enforcement officers and drug dealers. Together, they | | | | great pride in their work and are fully committed to the |
| committed more than 40 burglaries and robberies | | | | safety of our community. Reckless actions by |
| throughout the Los Angeles area between early 1999 | | | | individuals that undermine the integrity of this |
| and June of 2001. The robberies generally were | | | | department and damage the public trust will not be |
| committed after the group received information that a | | | | tolerated." |
| particular location was involved in illegal drug-trafficking. | | | | An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has |
| The robbery teams usually consisted of multiple sworn | | | | committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed |
| police officers in uniform or displaying a official police | | | | innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. |
| badge, who would gain access to the residence by | | | | - Ruben Palomares, 36 of Diamond Bar, who was |
| falsely telling any occupants that they were police | | | | arrested on federal narcotics charges in 2001 and was |
| officers and that they were conducting a legitimate | | | | terminated by the LAPD in 2003; |
| search for drugs or drug dealers. Victims often were | | | | - Gabriel Loaiza, 30, of Montebello, who received law |
| violently restrained, threatened or assaulted during the | | | | enforcement training and unsuccessfully applied to be |
| search. These brutal assaults included firing point blank | | | | a non-sworn employee of the Long Beach Police |
| stun gun at a victim, striking victims with police batons | | | | Department in 2000, was arrested with Palomares in |
| and putting a gun in the mouth of victims. After these | | | | 2001; |
| on and off duty police officers stole the drugs, they | | | | - Jesse Moya, 29, of Whittier, who was a Los Angeles |
| would use co-conspirators to sell the drugs and they | | | | Police Officer until late 2004; |
| would split the profits among the group. | | | | - Manuel Hernandez, 25, of Pico Rivera, who is a |
| In all, 17 defendants, including law enforcement officers | | | | cousin of Palomares; |
| from the Los Angeles Police Department, the Long | | | | - Alvin Moon, 30, of San Gabriel, who also received |
| Beach Police Department, the Los Angeles County | | | | law enforcement training and unsuccessfully applied to |
| Sheriff's Department, and the California Department of | | | | the Los Angeles Police Department, was arrested |
| Corrections have been convicted or have previously | | | | along with Palomares and Gabriel Loaiza in 2001; |
| pleaded guilty to federal crimes in connection with the | | | | - Manny Martinez-Godinez, 25; |
| conspiracies. | | | | - Jessica Treat, 31, of Whittier; |
| Â "This former police officer violated his oath as a | | | | - Steve Quintero, 30, of Montebello, a custodial police |
| public servant when he, along with his co-defendants, | | | | officer with the Garden Grove Police Department; |
| began engaging in violent criminal conduct," said Grace | | | | - Geronimo Sevilla, 32, of Whittier, who met Palomares |
| Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for | | | | while he was a LAPD explorer scout and who |
| the Civil Rights Division. "While the vast majority of law | | | | unsuccessfully applied to the department in 2000; |
| enforcement officers carry out their difficult duties in a | | | | - Jesus Estrada Dominguez, 40; |
| professional manner, the Department of Justice will not | | | | - Pablo Estrada, 29, of La Puente, a friend of Gabriel |
| hesitate to prosecute those who cross that line." | | | | Loaiza; |
| During the course of the conspiracy, Palomares | | | | - Juan Pablo Mendoza, 29, of Muscoy, who is a cousin |
| provided associates with official LAPD badges, | | | | of Palomares; and |
| uniforms, radios, firearms and other equipment. Some | | | | - David Barajas, 32, of Paramount, a longtime friend of |
| of the robberies were committed after the thieves | | | | Palomares who is currently in custody on unrelated |
| drove to the location in official LAPD police black and | | | | narcotics charges. |
| white squad cars. The robbers used the LAPD | | | | "The FBI counts public corruption as its top criminal |
| equipment to make victims believe they were the | | | | program priority, and this case illustrates that |
| subject of legitimate law enforcement operations and | | | | commitment. Investigators and detectives tirelessly |
| to minimize the defendants' risk of being questioned if | | | | pursued a small number of law enforcement officers |
| confronted by law enforcement officers. | | | | who, in betrayal of their sworn duty to serve the public, |
| The indictment alleged a series of incidents in which | | | | used their badges and guns as instruments of terror |
| the robbery crew broke into houses and commercial | | | | and personal gain," said Salvador Hernandez, Assistant |
| establishments with the goal of obtaining narcotics, | | | | Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles. "The |
| cash, guns and other valuables. Palomares was | | | | FBI, along with its law enforcement partners, will |
| involved in all of the incidents, with the Fergusons and | | | | continue to root out the small percentage of sworn |
| Loaiza participating in many of them. In one burglary, | | | | personnel that act outside the law."Â Â Â Â Â |
| members of the gang allegedly stole 600 pounds of | | | | Â Â Â Â |
| marijuana. In another incident, several co-conspirators | | | | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â |
| allegedly stole television sets from an 18-wheel truck in | | | | This case was investigated by Special Agent Phil |
| Montebello. And, in another robbery outside a Fontana | | | | Carson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the |
| market, Palomares and another man dressed as a | | | | assistance of Steve Sambar, Roger Mora and Mark |
| police officers robbed a man of $45,000 worth of | | | | Bigel of the Los Angeles and Long Beach Police |
| pseudoephedrine pills, which are the key precursor | | | | Departments. This case was prosecuted by |
| chemical in the manufacture of methamphetamine. | | | | Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas M. Miller of Los |
| The other three defendants named in the indictment | | | | Angeles and Department of Justice Trial Attorneys |
| are fugitives at this time. They are: | | | | Jeffrey S. Blumberg and Joshua D. Mahan. |
| - Michelle Barajas, 38, of Paramount; | | | | The Civil Rights Division is committed to the vigorous |
| - Armando Contreras-Lopez, 35, of Paramount; and | | | | enforcement of the federal criminal civil rights statutes, |
| - Oscar Loaiza, 35, of Montebello, who is a cousin of | | | | such as laws that prohibit willful acts of misconduct by |
| Palomares. | | | | law enforcement officials. In Fiscal Year 2007, the |
| These three defendants are accused, along with the | | | | Criminal Section convicted the highest number of |
| three law enforcement defendants, of conspiring to | | | | defendants in its history, surpassing the record |
| violate civil rights and conspiring to possess both | | | | previously set in Fiscal Year 2006. |
| marijuana and cocaine with the intent to distribute the | | | | The Department of Justice has compiled a significant |
| narcotics. | | | | record on criminal civil rights law enforcement |
| "The depth of corruption and audacity among these | | | | misconduct prosecutions in the last seven years. |
| law enforcement officers is nothing less than stunning," | | | | During the last seven years, the Criminal Section |
| said United States Attorney Debra Wong Yang. "While | | | | obtained convictions of 53 percent more defendants |
| having a badge imparts some degree of power to an | | | | (391 v. 256) in color of law cases than the previous |
| officer of the law, it also imparts a great deal of | | | | seven years. |
| responsibility. In addition to rejecting their responsibilities | | | | Related article: Los Angeles, Long Beach And Other |
| to the law, these officers rejected their sacred | | | | Police Officers Found Guilty Of Home Invasion |
| responsibilities to their communities and their | | | | Robberies & Trafficking In Drugs |
| departments." | | | | PBS - frontline: l.a.p.d. blues: the scandal: rampart |
| Â Â | | | | scandal timeline Rampart Scandal - Wikipedia, the free |
| "These defendants, who were sworn to serve and | | | | encyclopedia |
| protect the people of Los Angeles, went from | | | | SOURCE |
| enforcing the law to breaking the law," said Grace | | | | U.S. Department of Justice |
| Chung Becker, Acting Assistant Attorney General for | | | | L.A. P.D |
| the Civil Rights Division. "While the vast majority of | | | | L.B.P.D |
| law enforcement officers carry out their difficult duties | | | | L.A. |