Image via WikipediaLove this from our pals at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. I wonder what kind of "pat down" Gabriel Noel Baltodano got for this lulu of a crime. Amazing, what these guys think that they can actually get away with. RrE
Media Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
LOS ANGELES – A 35-year-old state Department of Justice employee was charged today with grand theft and embezzlement after he allegedly stole $33,000 last week during an internal investigation, the District Attorney’s office announced.
Gabriel Noel Baltodano, (dob 2-10-75), is a special agent with the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. He is charged in case BA378316 with two counts each of grand theft and embezzlement and one count of filing a false police report, said Deputy District Attorney Alfred Coletta with the Justice System Integrity Division.
On Nov. 18, agents from the Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) arrested Baltodano, a 9-year veteran of BNE. Officials with the state Attorney General’s Office said Baltodano was the subject of an internal investigation when fellow BNE agents were alerted to the possibility that he was stealing proceeds from narcotic suspects.
Baltodano is scheduled to be arraigned sometime after 1:30 p.m. at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Department 30. Prosecutors will ask bail be set at $125,000.
If convicted, Baltodano is facing up to four years, four months in state prison.
2 comments:
Can you say "something smells fishy"
about this case?
I am not saying that this guy is not corrupt - but if he is, then there are others and the timing of this arrest should raise some eyebrows.
He is being prosecuted by L.A. County D.A. Cooley. Using the time line provided in the news release, this guy was referred to investigators, was investigated and was caught violating right after the election.
The election which might send D.A Cooley up to Sacramento to be this guys boss as the CA State A.G.
Instead it looks like Cooley will be staying in L.A. to prosecute Agent Baltodano. The news release on Agent Baltodano comes one day before Cooley concedes the A.G. election to his opponent Ms. Harris.
This is highly suspect. Do you believe that these investigators usually catch a guy in one act and then call it a wrap?
Wouldn't they continue and allow the guy to commit other acts and follow things to see where they lead?
For one reason - to establish a pattern of behavior and build a strong case.
For another reason - because it will probably lead to someone else thats crooked at one end or the other.
Im no expert, but common sense says that if drug agents are ripping off suspects there would probably be at least two that are crooked to make it work.
If this agent was working in L.A. County wouldn't he be interacting with other local agencies? These narcotic's operations always seem to end up as multi-jurisdictional.
To summarize:
The timing and circumstances of this announcement stink like D.A. Cooley's socks at the end of the day. If Baltodano is dirty then he is the little fish, the big fry are running free and clear like always - that would be Baca's boys.
I worked at the LARO BNE office in Commerce and know Gabriel well. He's an upstanding man and whatever the explanation is, I hope everything works well for him.
I've met Cooley and his Justice Integrity unit. They're a huge joke. They justify their existence to stroke Cooley's ego in making a name for himself so he can advance in politics.
They'd be better off using the tons of cash that goes into that unit for domestic violence, victim witness assistance funds.
Good luck to you Gabriel and God speed.
**Willy T**
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