A former Inglewood Police Department officer has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing cocaine.
John Abel Baca, 47, of Whittier, pleaded guilty on Oct. 17 of last year to charges he distributed cocaine on at least two occasions while he was a police officer. Baca was also ordered to pay a $40,000 fine by U.S. District Judge James Selna.
According to federal prosecutors, on April 29, 2021, Baca delivered cocaine to a witness who cooperated with police. The following week, during a meeting with the same witness who cooperated, Baca delivered 2.2 pounds of cocaine in exchange for $22,000 in cash.
In February 2021, the witness told the Federal Bureau of Investigation that Baca had previously offered to sell them 2.2 pounds of cocaine, 4.4 pounds of white heroin and an unlimited supply of black tar heroin, the plea agreement said.
The informant told federal prosecutors that Baca claimed to have stolen both drugs and money during routine traffic stops he conducted while working on a department drug enforcement team.
Prosecutors say Baca gave a sample of the cocaine to the informant so he could give it to alleged buyers during a secretly recorded meeting.
Just days later, he negotiated a price of $22,000 for the 2.2 pounds of cocaine, which he then delivered to the informant’s workplace.
In his plea agreement, Baca admitted to abusing his position of trust as a police officer, including stealing drugs from the Inglewood Police Department’s holding cell to sell them.
Baca worked at the IPD for more than 20 years.
