LA Deputy Stole Pot, Cash During Fake Downtown LA Raid, Feds Say
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Three more men were arrested Thursday in a scheme involving a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy who led a fake drug bust last year at a downtown L.A. warehouse that resulted in the theft of 1,200 pounds of marijuana and $645,000 in cash and money orders.
In total, six men have been charged in the case, including 41-year-old LASD Deputy Marc Antrim.
In the early morning hours of Oct. 29, an off-duty Antrim and several other men posed as armed deputies and raided a warehouse, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The suspects detained three security guards, then loaded stolen marijuana and two cash-filled safes into a rental truck.
During the robbery, Los Angeles police responded to a call from the warehouse. Antrim was able to deceive the LAPD officers, giving him and the other thieves enough time to move the drugs and cash out, federal prosecutors allege. At one point, Antrim put one of the LAPD officers on the phone with one of his co-conspirators who pretended to be an LASD sergeant, the Justice Department said.
On Nov. 8, Antrim, 32-year-old Eric Rodriguez of Adelanto and 43-year-old Kevin McBride of Glendora were all arrested on federal drug trafficking and gun charges.
Then on Thursday, three more men – 42-year-old Matthew James Perez of Ontario, 31-year-old Daniel Aguilera of East Los Angeles and 41-year-old Jay Colby Sanford of Pomona -- were also taken into custody on similar charges.
Antrim, Rodriguez and McBride have already signed plea agreements and are expected to enter guilty pleas soon, the justice department reports.
At the time of the robbery, Antrim worked as a patrol deputy assigned to the Temple City station.
The FBI, DEA and ATF are continuing to investigate the case.
