Sheriff's Employee Arrested For Allegedly Distributing Meth, Heroin To Inmates

CASTAIC (CBSLA.com) — A 13-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was arrested Tuesday for allegedly distributing drugs to inmates at a Castaic jail.

Juan Ortiz, 55, immediately resigned as a civilian laundry supervisor at the Pitchess Detention Facility when he was taken into custody at 5 a.m. by detectives from the sheriff's Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau.

Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said Ortiz was in possession of 4 ounces of methamphetamine, along with heroin and syringes.

"He was receiving the drugs from the streets, then bringing them in and giving them to inmates. These inmates had gang affiliations," he said.

Ortiz is being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.

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