Mocobizscene– A victim was falsely imprisoned by a former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, who has now been sentenced to two years in prison. Moreover, he also attempted to cover up his crime.
On April 13, 2020, Miguel Angel Vega, aged 33 and residing in Corona, and his former partner Christopher Blair Hernandez, aged 38, approached two young Black males in Wilson Park in Compton. They demanded to conduct a search on them for firearms. In court records, another individual, “J.A.” witnessed the incident and started shouting at the officers to release the young men. In response, Vega and Hernandez unlawfully arrested J.A. They failed to inform him of his rights or secure his seatbelt in the LASD SUV.
While he was still in detention, J.A. sustained a cut above his eye when Vega collided with a wall while chasing another young male on a bicycle. Vega believed that the young male had a firearm and told J.A. to flee.
Upon the arrival of the responding officers, Vega initially claimed that no other individuals were present in the patrol car at the time of the accident. However, he later altered his account and informed the officers that he and Hernandez had actually apprehended J.A. on charges of being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Vega and Hernandez went to great lengths to cover up their actions. They had another deputy falsely cite J.A. for being under the influence of methamphetamine. They also filed false incident reports that reiterated their initial claims, even going as far as to state that J.A. appeared to be under the influence of a stimulant and had threatened people at the park while under its influence.
Vega admitted his guilt on September 6th for violating an individual’s rights and was subsequently handed a two-year prison sentence on Monday.
Hernandez entered a guilty plea on July 24 as part of a cooperation agreement, admitting to one count of conspiracy. He is set to be sentenced on January 8, 2024, and could serve up to five years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized the detrimental impact of law enforcement officers abusing their power, stating that it erodes public trust in the fair enforcement of the law. Moreover, he highlighted that Deputy Vega’s actions not only violated his sworn duty to uphold the law but also betrayed the trust of his fellow deputies, who work tirelessly to ensure the community’s safety.
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