18 current or former members of the
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department have now been convicted of federal charges.
Posted By CotoBlogzz
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA –
Two Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies who were found guilty after a two-week trial
earlier this year of falsifying reports with the intent to obstruct justice
related to their assault of a waist-chained inmate were sentenced to
prison terms today according to announcement by Department
of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office Central District of California
Former deputies Joey Aguiar, 28, and Mariano Ramirez, 40 were sentenced
respectively to 18 months and 13 months in prison by the Honorable Beverly
Reid-O’Connell.
Aguiar was convicted of one count of falsification of records for submitting a
report that falsely stated the inmate, Bret Phillips, who is now 44, was beaten
after he had attempted to headbutt deputy Aguiar’s face and that Phillips
violently kicked at Aguiar. Mr. Phillips did neither, according to testimony
presented at the trial. Mr. Phillips was waist-chained with handcuffs binding
his hands to a chain around his stomach throughout the entire beating.
During the trial, Chaplin Paulino Juarez, who was an eyewitness to the event,
testified that he repeatedly raised concerns about what he had seen with senior
LASD officials, but was rebuffed. Chaplin Juarez ultimately relayed his
concerns to the ACLU. The information provided to the ACLU by the
chaplain later came to the attention of the FBI. By this time the FBI had
begun a wide-ranging investigation into civil rights abuses by the LASD in
custodial settings, particularly excessive uses of force by deputies on the
3000 Floor of the Men’s Central Jail. Another witness, who was an inmate when
Mr. Phillips was beaten, testified that he hid in the shower to avoid being
seen by LASD personnel as he watched the deputies beat a defenseless and
unmoving inmate. During the sentencing, Judge O’Connell stated that she
believed the testimony of Chaplain Juarez and Mr. Maestaz.
The case against Aguiar and Ramirez is the result of an investigation by the
FBI, and is one in a series of cases resulting from an investigation into
corruption and civil rights abuses at county jail facilities in downtown Los
Angeles. As a result of the investigation, 18 current or former members of the
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department have now been convicted of federal charges.
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