Former L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca lacking from dwelling

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca went lacking from his dwelling in San Marino on Sunday afternoon, in keeping with authorities.

Baca, now 82, has been recognized with Alzheimer’s illness, The Instances beforehand reported.

The previous sheriff was final seen leaving his dwelling round 4:30 p.m., officers mentioned. He was sporting a crimson long-sleeved shirt and black pants, in keeping with an inner division message. He needs to be sporting a steel medical alert bracelet, the message mentioned.

“His household, associates and colleagues together with members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division is anxious for his well-being,” a Sheriff’s Division spokesperson advised The Instances on Sunday night. “We’re in touch along with his household, providing our help and assist throughout this tough time.”

The division mentioned it will be offering further sources to help the San Marino Police Division with the search.

Raised by his grandparents in East Los Angeles, Baca dropped out of neighborhood school and was employed as a beat cop with the Sheriff’s Division. He labored his manner up the ranks, finally incomes a doctorate from USC. He labored for the division for a number of many years earlier than changing into the county’s prime cop in 1998.

Towards the top of his tenure, the division was engulfed in a scandal that finally landed him and a number of other others in federal jail. He stepped down in 2014.

The 2011 scandal that tarnished his popularity as a reformer concerned hiding an inmate who was an FBI informant after which threatening to arrest the agent who was main the investigation. All 10 of these within the division who confronted prices within the case both pleaded responsible or had been convicted, together with former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, who was sentenced to 5 years in jail after a jury discovered he helped lead the scheme.

A number of different deputies had been discovered responsible of civil rights violations for beatings of inmates and jail guests.

At trial, federal prosecutors centered on Baca’s efforts to impede the investigation, saying Tanaka had spearheaded the obstruction and saved Baca within the loop about its progress. Baca’s attorneys argued that he by no means approved wrongdoing and that there was no arduous proof instantly linking him to the obstruction scheme.

At one level, Baca deliberate to take a plea deal, however a federal decide mentioned it was too lenient and the case went to trial — twice. After one mistrial, he was convicted and in 2017 he was sentenced to a few years in federal jail.

He spent a number of years combating his conviction in court docket. After shedding his appeals, he started his sentence in 2020 on the Federal Correctional Establishment in La Tuna.

He was launched in January 2022, in keeping with federal jail data.