Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
News

Former LA Sheriff Lee Baca, 77 And With Alzheimer's, Reports To Prison

Former L.A. Sheriff Lee Baca. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Former L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca has started a three-year prison term for obstruction of justice, conspiracy and lying.

Baca reported to the La Tuna federal correctional institution near El Paso, Texas, according to the Bureau of Prisons' inmate locator. An official at the prison confirmed that Baca reported Tuesday.

The 77-year-old Baca, who has Alzheimer's, lost the last of his appeals earlier this month. He was convicted and sentenced in 2017.

His imprisonment caps a scandal that dates back to 2011, when sheriff's deputies hid an inmate informant from FBI agents who were investigating systematic abuse of jail inmates.

Baca was convicted in part for directing deputies to hide the informant, and for lying about his role to the feds.

The scandal snagged nine other Sheriff's Dept. officials, several of whom were convicted of beating prisoners or helping to cover up the abuse.

BACKGROUND:

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated the day Baca reported to prison.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today