Public Corruption Investigationhttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/LASD-large.png800170SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Multiple Search Warrants Served Today in Connection With Ongoing Public Corruption Investigation
Today, detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Public Corruption Unit served search warrants at multiple locations in connection with an ongoing public corruption investigation. Those locations included the homes of Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and Los Angeles County Civilian Oversight Commissioner Patricia “Patti” Giggans. Also searched were offices located at: Los Angeles County Hall of Administration, Peace Over Violence Headquarters, and LA Metro Headquarters. The investigation has been shared with a federal agency and they continue to monitor.
This remains an active investigation and we are unable to comment further at this time, although in full transparency the search warrant has been posted here:
Letter to Board of Supervisors regarding a request for removal of Max Huntsman as Inspector General, September 21, 2022 – PDF
Letter to Attorney General Bonta regarding request for investigation, September 21, 2022 – PDF
Declaration of Max Fernandez in response to Court’s Order, September 20, 2022 – PDF
Sheriff’s response letter to Board of Supervisors regarding demand to relieve specific confidential employees from their duties of public trust, October 05, 2022 – PDF
Declaration brief regarding Destruction of evidence – PDF
Twenty-one years ago, our world was drastically changed on September 11, 2001, when the United States was cowardly and viciously attacked by terrorists. In the span of a few moments, our nation’s history was redefined, and the scar of those tragic events will remain etched in our minds forever.
Over three thousand American lives were lost that day, and many more continue to die due to illnesses they have developed over the years from that fateful morning. Today we honor their memory and pray that their families and loved ones find peace.
Today, we remember our heroes; the first responders who ran up the World Trade Center (Twin Towers) stairs. The first responders who went up the many levels of stairs to help people. With 40-plus pounds of equipment and fear in their eyes, they ran up those stairs into the unknown. Imagine, as innocent people ran down the stairs, those first responders kept running up. Not knowing what would come next, those first responders sacrificed their lives to help as many as possible and never got a chance to say goodbye to their families. Many heroes were lost that day and in the days to come.
In the aftermath of September 11, the phrase, ‘Never Forget,” became a symbol. It is now a symbol that reminds all Americans never to forget those we lost. In memory of many, in honor of all, let’s stand united and never forget.
Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, or background. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and continues to be on the rise. On #WorldSuicidePreventionDay, our goal is to raise awareness and hope that the information we provide can help prevent a tragedy from happening.
Recognizing the warning signs and understanding how to respond, can help prevent suicides. Depression, financial problems, abuse, aggression, exploitation, or a life-changing event, can contribute to feelings of pain, despair, and hopelessness. If you or someone you love are in a crisis and suffer from depression, please don’t wait. Help is available, all you have to do is one of the following:
• Call 911
• Go to the nearest hospital
• Call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 on your smartphone or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for free confidential emotional support. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the United States.
• Contact the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HELLO to 741741
• Lifeline counselors are available for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing by dialing the 988 number.
• Veterans and service members, the Veterans Crisis Line has crisis line responder readily available to help by texting 838255.
Homicide Detectives Release New Information about the Murder of 16-year-old Danah Rojo-Rivashttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Post-Rojas-main-1024x633.jpeg1024633SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Homicide Detectives will Release New Information about the Murder of 16-year-old Danah Rojo-Rivas; $20,000 Reward Offered
Homicide Bureau detectives will release new information they received via anonymous tip about the murder of Danah Rojo-Rivas. They will also release a picture of what they believe to be the actual suspect vehicle. On Wednesday, November 23, 2016, 16-year-old Danah Rojo-Rivas was in the backseat of her mother’s car, leaving a church function when suspects were chasing unrelated persons in a vehicle. The intended target exited his vehicle and fled south across Euclid Avenue in the City of Lynwood. The suspect fired several times, missing his target, but striking the car Danah was in. Danah was fatally wounded during the shooting. Homicide Detectives and deputies will go door to door in the neighborhood passing out flyers with a picture of what they believe to be the actual suspect vehicle.
Press Conference
Information wanted posters
$20,000 reward. Information Wanted. The suspects were last seen in a silver Ford Taurus.
$20,000 reward. Information wanted. Victim Danah Rojos-Rivas.
STATEMENT REGARDING “LEAKED” GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION
August 8, 2022
On Thursday, August 4, 2022, the Sheriff’s Department received notification of a criminal grand jury subpoena for records regarding a use of force incident in the San Fernando Court lockup from March of 2021.
Any allegation of misconduct is of deep concern to the department, and this one is no exception. Hence, we are conducting a thorough internal investigation, and we are fully cooperating with this subpoena.
To date, our investigation indicates that the allegation of misconduct was orchestrated by involved Department executives to falsely portray themselves as whistleblowers in order to avoid discipline, up to and including termination. The District Attorney has been given this and all other relevant information.
Department Officials Discuss the Civilian Oversight commission’s Hearing on Deputy Subgroups and Cliques within the Sheriff’s Department
On Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Assistant Sheriff Holly Francisco and Chief April Tardy discussed developments and actions taken on alleged deputy subgroups and cliques within the Sheriff’s Department in response to allegations made by the Chair of the Civilian Oversight Commission, Sean Kennedy.
In a news interview last week, Chair Sean Kennedy made the following statement: “It is time to hear from the Sheriff and Undersheriff Murakami and the other LASD officials who have the authority to address deputy gangs, but it appears have done nothing to do so.”
His statement could not be further from the truth. Sheriff Villanueva has addressed and taken various steps to address the problem, build community trust, and counter the false narrative broadcasted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Civilian Oversight Commission (COC). Assistant Sheriff Holly Francisco presented factual evidence of Sheriff Villanueva’s steps to address deputy subgroups and cliques.
On his very first day as the Sheriff, Villanueva removed the captain of the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station and replaced the entire command staff. Throughout 2019, 36 East Los Angeles Deputies were transferred to other stations, four were terminated, and 22 that were part of the Kennedy Hall investigation were suspended without pay.
In February of 2020, Sheriff Villanueva successfully implemented a department policy that prohibits employees from participating in any clique or subgroup that promotes conduct that violates the rights of other employees or members of the public, the first sheriff in the department’s history to do so. Department training videos on the topic were created and distributed, personnel viewed these training materials, and mandatory briefings regarding cliques were conducted.
Additionally, Sheriff Villanueva sponsored AB 958 legislation for Peace Officer Cliques with Assembly Member Mike Gipson; AB958 was signed into law on October 2021. The legislation is intended to tackle the issue of “gangs” among peace officers that might undermine the professional standards of policing among California’s law enforcement agencies.
In August 2020, the Kennedy Hall investigation was completed, and Sheriff Villanueva held a press conference to announce the investigation results, including the termination and suspension of the deputies involved. In September 2020, Sheriff Villanueva sent a message to all personnel requesting their participation in the RAND Corporation study on deputy subgroups. Deputies were encouraged to complete the anonymous survey.
In March 2021, a subgroups and cliques policy re-briefing email was sent to department members, including a reminder that all employees would be held accountable for any policy violation. Unit commanders had their personnel sign a copy of the policy stating that they read and understood it.
In February 2022, the department created a portal on the department’s website so that the public could report any evidence of deputy gangs or employee misconduct in the department (https://sheriff33.lasd.org/report-employee-misconduct/).
After Assistant Sheriff Francisco outlined the Sheriff’s actions to dispel rumors of inaction, Chief April Tardy spoke about her experience implementing all the subgroup policies to encourage compliance. “In addition, we’re holding our supervisors accountable to monitor the workplace and encourage our deputies to continue to work hard, rebuild our community relationships and make good decisions,” said Chief April Tardy.
“Our goal today was to truly show the amount of work we have done and negate the headlines that the Sheriff and the department have done nothing regarding the deputy subgroups and cliques. I think you can see that this is the farthest from the truth,” said Assistant Sheriff Holly Francisco.
Contrary to what the media or some politicians claim, many policies have been implemented regarding deputy subgroups and cliques so the community can trust that law enforcement and personnel are held accountable.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva is the FIRST Los Angeles County Sheriff to successfully implement a policy banning “deputy cliques.” The policy went into effect.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Active Shooter Training Drillhttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_8480-1024x839.jpg1024839SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Active Shooter Training Drill at Lakewood Mall
On Monday, June 13, 2022, during the early hours of the morning, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Tactics and Survival Training Unit, Lakewood Sheriff’s Station personnel, and Los Angeles County Fire Department conducted an active shooter response drill at Lakewood Center Mall in the city of Lakewood. Lakewood’s Mayor Steve Croft, Lakewood’s Public Safety Director, Joshua Yordt, and Mall Property Manager, Deena Henry, were also present during the drill.
Deputies wait for training.
Today’s event involved a rapid response by deputies, mall security personnel, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The training simulated a shooting at the mall, and it incorporated simulated gunfire. Although the drill was an organized training, responding deputies were unaware of how many shooters were inside the mall, nor did they know the location of the shooters. To make it even more realistic, “injured” volunteers ran away from the shooter and towards responding deputies.
The goal of the training was to prepare deputies for an actual emergency. The realistic component of the training prepared them to successfully identify and react to threats and articulate their observations and decision-making process.
People are placed in make up to simulate injuries from an active shooter.
The men and women of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department constantly prepare and train for active shooter events. In these unpredictable situations that evolve very quickly, preparation is the key. Preventing these types of tragedies and continuing to maintain a safe environment is a goal of law enforcement. If an active shooter incident does occur, you can be assured that LASD personnel will respond rapidly, efficiently, and decisively.
Sheriff and Homicide Detectives announce a Solved Cold Case from the 1980shttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Post_Homicide_Cold_Case_PC_Main-1024x819.jpg1024819SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Sheriff Alex Villanueva and Homicide Detectives announce a Solved Cold Case from the 1980’s
On Sunday, October 13, 1985, Victim David R. Evans was brutally beaten to death inside his residence in Claremont, CA. His body was discovered by Claremont Police Officers when neighbors called to report a possible burglary. At the time of the murder, the 57-year-old victim was the Vice President at Pomona First Federal Bank and former Pomona Unified School District Superintendent. David was divorced and lived by himself. In 1985, the investigation had few leads, and no suspects were identified.
In 2006, advancements in forensic technology prompted investigators to re-analyze evidence discovered at the scene of the crime. The analysis led to the identification of Hillery Marcus Dupleasis as a person of interest. Over the next several years, the ongoing investigation failed to further implicate Dupleasis to the case. Investigators were also unable to establish that Dupleasis resided in California at the time of the crime.
In 2020, Detectives Shaun McCarthy and Bill Marsh re-investigated the case with the help of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Scientific Services Bureau and they were able to link Dupleasis, a person of interest identified in 2006, as the suspect in the murder of David Evans.
Investigators were able to definitively determine Dupleasis lived in the San Gabriel Valley during the time of the murder and were also able to link Dupleases to the Victim’s 1980 Chevrolet Monza that was stolen immediately after his murder and abandoned in Covina, approximately two hours later.
Dupleasis is currently incarcerated in a New York State Prison, serving an extensive sentence for an unrelated murder. He will be eligible for parole in that case, in 2033.
On May 2, 2022, 1stdegree murder charges were filed against Dupleasis by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The 36-year-old cold case murder was solved by detectives assigned to the Homicide Bureau’s Unsolved Unit. Detectives worked closely with investigators from the Claremont Police Department, New York State Police, and the New York Department of Corrections.
It is never too late to provide information that will assist detectives solve a case. If someone knows something about a crime, please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. They can also provide information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or use their smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile App on Google Play or the Apple App Store, or use the website http://lacrimestoppers.org/.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Announces the Beach Patrol Mission
On Saturday, May 28th, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) will officially kick off the LASD Beach Patrol Mission, which will run from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The beach patrol will consist of members from the Sheriff’s Response Team and the Mounted Enforcement Detail.
The team will perform high visibility patrol to assist LASD beach partners with extra patrol from Playa del Rey to Malibu. The LASD Homeless Outreach and Mental Evaluation Teams will be available and part of the deployment throughout the summer.
“Summer is upon us and the last couple of years have been challenging for everyone. I want to remind the community that we’re doing our best, we’re stretching our resources so that people feel safe wherever they are, including the beach areas of Los Angeles County. This summer, the LASD Beach Patrol Mission will be visible throughout our beaches so that visitors and the community have a great time at the beach,” stated Sheriff Villanueva.
The Sheriff’s Department wants all residents and visitors to our LA County beaches to have a safe, and enjoyable summer. Please visit our social media pages for additional information.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva announcesLASD Operation Safe Travel
Within the last six months, there have been several crimes in the Metro system including people pushed on train tracks, unprovoked attacks on passengers by homeless individuals. Sexual assaults on female passengers, and a patron intentionally set on fire while riding the train have also been reported. Several of these crimes resulted in fatalities.
According to Metro, approximately 5700 homeless people live on the train system and on the Metro platforms. This has created an enormous problem for those whose only transportation option is the train system.
On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva held a press conference to announce a new initiative to keep the public safe while they ride the Metro system.
“The biggest problem we have right now on the entire transit system, is we have a homeless population that are living on the train system and on the platforms. And the intersection of that, and the people that are actually using the trains for their intended purpose, for travel, is colliding and it’s colliding with deadly results,” said Sheriff Villanueva.
To halt the grave problem and to ensure the safety of Metro passengers, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) is launching Operation Safe Travel. This will be a multi-layered approach to conduct targeted operations along the train system. The goal of the operation will be the safety of commuters by having high law enforcement visibility and the removal of homeless individuals from trains and platforms through homeless outreach and early intervention. Right now, security officers request assistance from deputies when a situation is out of their control and sometimes that intervention comes late. With early intervention, deputies can interact with an individual showing distress so that the situation does not escalate.
Resources for the operation will include members of various units and bureaus from the LASD including the Sheriff’s Response Team, Community Oriented Policing Services, Homeless Outreach Services Team, Transportation Services Bureau Special Assignment Team, Mounted Enforcement Detail, Narcotics Bureau, Operation Safe Streets, Human Trafficking Detail and other units and bureaus from the Sheriff’s Department.
Operation Safe Travel will begin on June 1st, 2022, and the first step of the multi-layer approach will be to remove individuals living on the transit system. LASD wants train commuters to see the difference and feel safe while using the Metro.
Train commuters and riders are encouraged to call this number to report any Metro non-emergency concerns: (213) 229-2298.
