Judge Orders Lee Baca To Surrender To Begin Serving Prison Sentence
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has lost his latest bid to stay out of prison.
A federal judge rejected his appeal to remain free on bond pending the appeal of his conviction for obstructing an FBI probe into the county jail system, and ordered he surrender Monday to begin serving his three-year prison sentence.
Baca's attorney, however, says he plans to bring the appeal to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which will automatically delay the former sheriff's surrender date.
In an eight-page ruling issued late Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson determined that Baca has not offered any proof that his request to remain free on bond had any purpose beyond simply delaying his prison time.
"The court additionally concludes that defendant has failed to raise a substantial question likely to result in a new trial, a sentence that does not include a term of imprisonment or a term of imprisonment less than the expected duration of the appeal process," Anderson wrote.
Baca, 75, was sentenced in May for his conviction on charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and making false statements. Baca's attorney, Nathan Hochman, moved that Baca be allowed to remain free on bond, but Anderson in July rejected the request.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)