Los Angeles deputy accused of robbing poker player, case dismissed
The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office will not charge a Los Angeles County police officer who allegedly stole $500 worth of poker chips from an unnamed professional gambler, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Affected players initially reported the incident but later withdrew their cooperation. He said he would "put his life at risk" if he continued to help investigators, according to a memo from the district attorney's office obtained by The Times.
The alleged victim said he feared retribution from "agency gangs," including one he called "Los Banditos."
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) has faced a gang problem since the 1970s. According to a 2021 report from Loyola Law School, the department is now believed to have at least 18 vice gangs dealing with corruption and violence.
Robber
Deputy Sheriff Braulio Robledo, who is under investigation for allegedly stealing poker chips, was previously described in two lawsuits as a gang member, the Times reported.
According to the prosecutor's memo, the alleged victim left Commerce Casino around 3 a.m. on January 2, 2020. On his way home, he was stopped by a police officer because his registration had expired.
The officer searched the player for weapons and then placed him in the back seat of a patrol car while his vehicle was searched. The deputy then released the player with a warning.
The player later realized that $500 worth of poker chips were missing from his bag. He called the East Los Angeles Police Department to report the incident.
Three police officers patrolling the area that night all denied making the stop. But surveillance cameras near the incident captured the SUV. Robledo was the only deputy driving the SUV in the area, according to the memo.
NO WITNESSES
A Los Angeles SD spokesman told The Times on Friday that Robledo has been placed on administrative leave. He remains under internal investigation but could not say whether he is still receiving a salary.
"The Sheriff's Department holds every member to the highest standards and expects them to act with integrity and professionalism," the department said. "Any employee who abuses the public trust and commits inappropriate conduct will be investigated and held accountable."
The district attorney's office said in the memo that without cooperating witnesses, it could not prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the deputy stole the poker chips.
In 2018, alleged gang members were accused of beating several junior police officers at a post-exit party, leaving two in a coma. In a subsequent civil lawsuit, Robledo was accused of contributing to the violence but not participating in it.
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Source: www.casino.org
