In 2021, John Abel Baca, an Inglewood police officer and the department’s union representative, was caught on an FBI sting operation selling drugs he had stolen from the department's evidence room. Baca, 48, arrived at a meeting in a Ferrari, carrying a gram of cocaine in a medical glove. He informed the potential buyer, who was actually cooperating with the FBI, that he had more drugs available for sale. Baca's criminal activities included selling "White China" heroin, black tar heroin, and cocaine, which he had boasted about stealing during routine traffic stops.
Federal agents recorded Baca's dealings, including a meeting in April 2021 where he provided a cocaine sample. The cocaine, later tested by the FBI, was found to be 75% pure. Baca also arranged to sell a kilogram of cocaine for $22,000 during another meeting in May 2021, driving a Nissan Maxima without license plates. He claimed to only be making $1,000 from the deal, though the cash was never recovered.
Baca’s illicit activities extended to recruiting others, including Gerardo Ekonomo, who was arrested in Las Vegas with three kilograms of heroin. Baca attempted to intervene in Ekonomo’s case by contacting Las Vegas police, falsely claiming to be his handler.
Baca was eventually charged with distributing cocaine and sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, along with a $40,000 fine. At the time of his arrest, Baca had significant assets, including $300,000 in bank accounts and investments, multiple properties, and luxury vehicles. He expressed remorse in court, acknowledging that he had disgraced the police badge and would live with the shame for the rest of his life.
Link: LA Times
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