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A Los Angeles-based attorney is facing charges for allegedly conspiring with a couple to smuggle heroin to one of his clients incarcerated in a county jail.
61-year-old Stephen Beecher of Sherman Oaks was arrested April 9 on a felony complaint for arrest warrant charging him with two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, one felony count of bringing drugs into jail, one felony count of transportation of a controlled substance and one felony count of bringing a firearm into a jail, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.
Beecher's client, 20-year-old Jesus Antonio Duenas, was allegedly tied to “the Southside,” a criminal enterprise that controls the drugs and other illegal activity inside jails.
According to the LADA, Beecher arranged with Duenas to visit him on December 28, 2012 at the North County Correctional Facility.
Prior to his visit, Beecher met up with 19-year-old Jessica Paredes, Duenas' girlfriend, and she provided him with the drugs to bring to Duenas. Paredes is accused of ironing and flattening 36.09 grams of heroin in packages that she slipped inside a greeting card envelope. Authorities allege the heroin was valued at over $30,000.
Beecher took the envelope to the jail, but was arrested on site with the contraband.
Duenas, who remains in custody on an attempted murder case, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy, while Paredes pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to the same two counts.
Beecher posted bail and was released early Thursday morning. His arraignment is set for May 1.
If convicted, Beecher is facing 11 years in state prison. Duenas and Paredes are facing nine years each in state prison.
