Veteran cop stole drugs from department lockup to sell in CA, feds say. He’s sentenced
A former police officer has been sentenced after he was accused of stealing drugs from his California police department’s lockup and selling them, federal prosecutors say.
John Abel Baca, 48, a 21-year veteran with the Inglewood Police Department, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, said in an Aug. 27 news release.
“Former officer Baca tarnished the badge and dishonored the majority of those who serve and protect our communities with integrity,” Akil Davis, an assistant director with the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said in the release.
In an Aug. 28 email to McClatchy News, Victor Sherman, Baca’s attorney, said “the trauma of (Baca’s) undercover work led to a decision which he will regret for the rest of his life.”
“Mr. Baca is on a path to redemption which he, his family and his fellow police comrades know he will eventually reach,” Sherman said.
The Inglewood Police Department immediately responded to McClatchy News’ request for comment on Aug. 28.
Baca pleaded guilty to the distribution of cocaine in October 2023, McClatchy News reported.
“Mr. Baca understands the consequences of his plea,” Sherman told McClatchy News in an email at the time. “I believe that when all the facts are revealed in court it will be clear that a narcotic officer in his position is often under tremendous stress and things happen that don’t really reflect the kind of person he is.”
Cooperating witness
A cooperating witness told the FBI in February 2021 that Baca offered to “sell large amounts of cocaine and heroin” to them, according to a plea agreement.
Specifically, in September 2020, Baca offered to sell the witness “a kilogram of cocaine, two kilograms of ‘White China’ heroin, and an unlimited supply of black tar heroin,” the agreement says.
During their interactions, Baca told the witness he and his “team” stole drugs and cash during routine traffic stops while he worked on his department’s drug task force, court documents say.
If potential buyers questioned where the drugs came from, Baca told the witness to say they were from Mexico, according to the plea agreement.
As Baca discussed pricing the witness, he reassured them that the heroin he planned to sell didn’t have fentanyl as others do, the plea agreement says.
“It’s the old school China White,” Baca said, adding that he would give the witness a sample in a medical glove for potential buyers, according to the agreement.
Baca delivered a sample of cocaine to the witness on April 29, 2021 during a meeting that was “secretly recorded,” prosecutors say.
Days later, Baca dropped off a brick of plastic-wrapped cocaine inside a Target bag at the witness’ place of work, the agreement says.
The witness turned over the little more than 1-kilogram substance to the FBI, which confirmed it was 83% pure, according to the agreement.
Later that same day, Baca collected $22,000 in cash from the witness’ home, prosecutors say.
Baca admitted to stealing drugs from his department’s lockup and reselling them, the plea agreement says.
In addition to his prison sentence, Baca was ordered to pay $40,000, prosecutors say.
“This case serves as a reminder that no one is above the law, and corruption and criminal behavior will not be tolerated,” Davis said in the release.
This story was originally published August 28, 2024 at 2:43 PM with the headline "Veteran cop stole drugs from department lockup to sell in CA, feds say. He’s sentenced."
