LA County Sheriff candidate Robert Luna highlights LASD history of deputy gangs
Former Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna has a small lead in the race to be the next Los Angeles County Sheriff over current Sheriff Alex Villanueva, according to a poll by UC Berkley that was sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.
The poll showed Luna with an eight point lead over Villanueva.
With the race going down the home stretch, Luna spotlighted the department's long and troubled history of deputy gangs on Thursday while giving a speech in East Los Angeles.
He laid out a plan to get rid of the deputy gangs during his final news conference before Election Day.
"Unfortunately, we also know there is a deputy gang in the East Los Angeles Station known as 'los bandidos,'" Luna said. "And I want to make it clear that if I'm elected Sheriff, there will absolutely be no tolerance."
Luna claims that Villanueva has ignored the actions of the deputy gang members.
"His own chief of staff admitting under oath that he was in a deputy gang of the Grim Reapers," Luna said.
Villanueva said during a press conference Thursday that he fired several deputies who were part of the grim reapers.
He also claims that LA County District Attorney George Gascón is withholding information pertaining to several high-profile cases due to political reasons.
"We created a policy, the first in the history of the department, that outlaws groups that harm other people," Villanueva said. "We are calling on the office of attorney general to start investigation to examine if or not da engaging in electioneering using office to influence outcome of election by suppressing information."
Villanueva claimed that a whistleblower came to him about certain cases being suppressed for months, like the case of Andres Guardardo, who was shot and killed two years ago by deputies while working as a security guard.
Earlier this week, the LA County Board of Supervisors agreed to pay $8 million dollars to Guardado's family. Gascón's office said it is still investigating the shooting but Villanueva said during his press conference Thursday that the case has been signed off as justifiable.
"The DA was literally sitting on the case of their prosecutorial decisions to advantage himself politically," Villanueva said.
The District Attorney's office reputed Villanueva's claims on Thursday.
"Sadly, there were many lies told in today's press conference. I would also add that the families of those who have been killed or injured by law enforcement deserve better than to have their loved ones' cases be made into a media stunt on the eve of an election," according to a statement published by Gascón's communications director.