Ex-Sheriff Baca Sentenced to Prison

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca was sentenced Friday to 3 years in prison for orchestrating a scheme to interfere with a Federal grand jury investigation of inmate abuse in County jails.

Baca showed no reaction as U.S. District Court Judge Percy Anderson announced the sentence.

Anderson said were it not for Baca's Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and decades of public service, Baca would have received the same sentence as former under sheriff Paul Tanaka -- 5 years.

Baca was convicted in March of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice, and making false statements to federal authorities and could have faced a prison term of around five years, according to sentencing memos filed by attorneys.

The U.S. Attorneys Office suggested a reduced term of two years because of Baca's Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and defense attorneys suggested home confinement alone.

Earlier this week Baca's attorneys asked that regardless of the sentence the former Sheriff be released on bail during an appeal.


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