INGLEWOOD – An Inglewood Police Department narcotics detective has posted bail and is out of jail, for now.
Det. John Baca was indicted on drug trafficking charges last October, however, the department has made no public statements about his arrest outside of they are “cooperating” with the investigation.
“He was released on a $1.1 million bail a couple of weeks ago,” said Thom Mrozek, spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office.
Records dated Feb. 16, 2022, shows he put up $250,000 cash, and three properties. He is instructed not to speak to any witnesses in the case, and can not possess a firearm. He is also ordered to not work as a police officer, and must provide a DNA sample.
Since Baca’s indictment a series of unfortunate events have followed, particularly in the last couple of weeks, that would make Lemony Snicket scratch his head.
The narcotics unit was alleged to have been temporarily disbanded, and police equipment was also alleged to be confiscated.
The City then spent thousands of dollars to purchase new communications equipment (laptops and cellphones) that Mayor Butts vehemently denied having taken place.
It was discovered that Butts’ 2015 re-election campaign cut a check to Baca, which Butts denies knowing anything about. He claims to have no knowledge of who his campaign hired, despite his signature appearing on each campaign finance report turned into the City Clerk’s office.
Officers continue to depart for lateral transfers, and/or retirement.
An off-duty officer was in his marked police officer helping his sister move, who is then shot with what department insiders call “possible medical retirement” type wounds. Sources also shared it was the officer who called into IPD’s dispatch with a full description of the shooter, who was located a week later in Michigan.
The City cut a $60,000 petty cash check to IPD on the April 5 warrant register, which signals the narcotics unit is possibly back in action.
Three police officers had workers compensation claims on the April 12 agenda, only for Butts to abstain on voting for settlement authority for them. Several elected officials have shared that you abstain when there is a conflict.
What conflict could Butts have with these officers injuries?
Oh, and Butts has yet to be physically present for a city council meeting for a “couple of weeks”. He was absent April 5, and called in remotely April 12.
Butts will tell you there is no connection to these events.
Baca’s trial has been pushed back to September 27.
2 Comments
Can anybody explain to me what is the petty cash check mentioned in the story? Thank you for the update/story.
Let’s be grateful the FBI is handling the Baca drug sale issue and let’s hope they have no vested interest in limiting the scope of their investigation …having said that let us also hope at the end of all this we discover there were not many on our payroll involved in drug sales.
Why be grateful it is a US Attorney rather than The Los Angeles District Attorney ? It is a lack of confidence thing since the LA DA still hasn’t taken Jose Fernandez to trial nearly ten years after the arrest for his misdeeds at Centinela Valley Union High School District! No we didn’t all vote for Gascon polices – some simply voted AGAINST JACKIE LACEY because of cases like Jose Fernandez where documents magically went missing from the Public Integrity Office.
Sadly Our Police Department appears to be out of control.
As for the injured off duty officer being shot –
Let’s start with it is, uncalled for, and not acceptable that another person has been shot. NO ONE should use firearms to settle disputes!
The entire women are not property to be owned thing should be obvious.
If she wanted to leave the situation she should have been able to walk away without the threat of violence. That a gun was used, perhaps to keep her from leaving or perhaps to keep her brother from encouraging her to leave was wrong. Period not even debatable.
Now beyond that …..residents should expect that public property is not being used for private use.
This is not the first but ANOTHER incident of a city owned vehicle being used by someone while not in the line of duty!
NEWS FLASH!!! ATTENTION. FIELDS/ FONTERATA !!!!
Where is the public statement -no, not a Jimmy photo op time, a real Police Department Statement?
It was reported that this officer was off duty and was “helping his sister move” …(as opposed to getting his sister out of a potentially violent domestic dispute). …
If this was a Lennox emergency was the Sheriff’s Department called for a domestic issue? Was response time from sheriff too slow? Or, perhaps the officer was using a break time to make certain his sister was not being kept from leaving a thoughtful brotherly care taking action ?
If this was actually helping her move as in longer than a break-time check-in to make sure all is going well that is unacceptable moving usually takes a while and the car should be available for resident needs.! Unfortunately because OUR CARS have been used by others in uniform no where near Inglewood. It makes some of wonder… who is regulating use of city property ?
Granted this took place in Lennox a stones throw from the City of Inglewood but it brings to mind that James Butts use of a city owned vehicle rather than his own has made us more attentive to his and others misuse of our funds. The idea that any employee, ( elected or otherwise) can simply use city property for their own personal use is a BETRAYAL of public trust.
Police vehicles should not be treated as if they are part of a city toy-lending library !!!!!!
Unfortunately residents have seen their tax dollars being spent not for resident benefits but for transporting officer kids to school in far far away. The city is currently facing multiple lawsuits with attorney fees growing and growing re James T BUTTS turning into oncoming traffic all because Fonterata and Fields have permitted the mayor to use our car rather than his own.!!
Clearly the reason for the conflict of interest abstention should have been disclosed.