10-12-2023 3:47pm

Former Inglewood Police Officer Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Charge for Selling Kilogram of Cocaine

Anita Johnson-Brown Editor

A former officer of the Inglewood Police Department (IPD), John Abel Baca, has agreed to plead guilty to distributing cocaine, according to a statement by the US Department of Justice. Baca, who had served as an IPD officer for 21 years, admitted to distributing cocaine twice. The first occasion was on April 29, 2021, when he gave cocaine to a witness who was cooperating with law enforcement. The second incident took place on May 4, 2021, when he delivered approximately one kilogram of cocaine to the same witness in exchange for $22,000 in cash.

According to the plea agreement, Baca had previously offered to sell drugs to a witness who informed the FBI in February 2021. Baca claimed to have stolen the drugs and cash during routine traffic stops he made as a drug task officer with IPD. During a recorded meeting in April, Baca provided a sample of the cocaine to the witness to give to potential buyers. He then negotiated a price of $22,000 in cash for one kilogram of cocaine and delivered it to the witness on May 4, 2021. The same day, he collected $22,000 in cash from the witness' residence.

Baca admitted to abusing his position of trust as a police officer by stealing drugs from IPD's lockup and reselling them. He agreed to plead guilty to one count of distributing cocaine, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Baca is currently free on a $1.1 million bond and is scheduled to plead guilty to the charge on October 17. The FBI is conducting the investigation with full cooperation from the Inglewood Police Department. Cassie D. Palmer, an Assistant United States Attorney, is prosecuting the case.

By Anita Johnson-Brown