A former Inglewood police officer, John Abel Baca, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for stealing and selling drugs from his department’s lockup, according to federal prosecutors. Baca, a 21-year veteran of the Inglewood Police Department, admitted to the crime and pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine in October 2023.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced the sentencing on August 27. The FBI’s Los Angeles field office assistant director, Akil Davis, stated that Baca’s actions dishonored the integrity of law enforcement.
Baca’s attorney, Victor Sherman, said the trauma of Baca’s undercover work influenced his decision, which he deeply regrets. Sherman expressed confidence that Baca is on a path to redemption.
Court documents reveal that Baca offered to sell large quantities of cocaine and heroin to a cooperating witness in September 2020. He even delivered a sample of cocaine and later exchanged a kilogram of the drug for $22,000. Baca admitted to stealing drugs during his time on the department’s drug task force and reselling them.
In addition to the prison sentence, Baca was fined $40,000. This case highlights that no one is above the law, according to Davis.