A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was arrested this week after prosecutors mentioned she stole cash throughout a visitors cease, then filed a false report back to cowl it up.
Jessica Lynn, 39, was charged with two felonies — concealing proof and submitting a false report — in addition to one misdemeanor rely of petty theft not exceeding $950, the district lawyer’s workplace mentioned in a information launch Wednesday. She’s scheduled for arraignment in July.
If convicted on all fees, prosecutors mentioned, she might face greater than six years in jail.
“Regulation enforcement officers are entrusted with upholding the regulation and safeguarding our communities,” Dist. Atty. George Gascón mentioned in an announcement Wednesday. “When a person in such a place breaches this belief, it not solely undermines the integrity of your complete justice system but in addition jeopardizes the security and well-being of these they’re sworn to guard.”
In an emailed assertion Wednesday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Division mentioned Lynn had been relieved of responsibility pending decision of the case.
“Our personnel usually are not above the regulation and should be held accountable when their actions violate the Division’s ethical and moral requirements,” the assertion mentioned, declaring that the division accomplished an preliminary investigation of the matter earlier than turning it over to prosecutors. “We worth the general public’s belief and anticipate our personnel to guard our communities with integrity and professionalism.”
Lynn didn’t instantly response to requests for remark. It isn’t clear whether or not she has an lawyer.
The case that led to her arrest stems from an April 15, 2023, incident throughout which prosecutors say Lynn stopped a driver at a strip mall in Whittier at round 2:45 a.m. after noticing the automobile had closely tinted home windows. The motive force didn’t have a sound license, and after looking out the automobile, Lynn discovered a coin purse containing cash.
She’s accused of stealing the money and tossing out the purse in a trash can, in keeping with the district lawyer’s information launch.
The case towards Lynn — who was primarily based on the Pico Rivera Sheriff’s Station on the time — is being investigated by the Sheriff’s Division’s Inside Legal Investigations Bureau and the Justice System Integrity Division of the Los Angeles County District Legal professional’s Workplace.
Information of her arrest comes months after the district lawyer’s workplace determined to not prosecute one other deputy additionally accused of stealing from a driver throughout a visitors cease. In that case, data present Deputy Braulio Robledo pulled over an expert gambler leaving the Commerce On line casino in January 2020. Robledo patted the person down for weapons, put him at the back of his patrol cruiser and searched his automobile earlier than letting him go along with a warning.
Afterward, the person mentioned, he realized that $500 in white Commerce On line casino poker chips had gone lacking from his backpack, so he referred to as the East L.A. sheriff’s station to report the incident. Initially, Robledo denied ever pulling him over. However a later assessment of surveillance footage confirmed it was his patrol SUV that made the cease, in keeping with what prosecutors wrote in a memo describing the case.
Finally, although, the memo mentioned the poker participant stopped cooperating with investigators, telling them he didn’t need to pursue the case as a result of he was afraid of retaliation from a deputy gang he referred to as “Los Banditos.” With out a cooperating witness, prosecutors mentioned it was not possible to show “past an inexpensive doubt” that Robledo had robbed anybody that evening.
