Ex-cop Who Stole ‘Brick of Cocaine’ From Police Evidence Locker to Sell Pleads Guilty

A 47-year-old former California police officer took a plea agreement and admitted he sold cocaine stolen from an evidence locker, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

John Abel Baca had been an officer with the Inglewood Police Department for 21 years before facing a federal drug offense. According to the plea agreement, filed Thursday in federal court, Baca admitted to selling cocaine twice, both times in early 2021, the DOJ said.

While serving as an active-duty police officer, Baca reportedly offered to sell a witness cooperating with law enforcement an “unlimited supply of black tar heroin,” two kilograms of “White China” heroin, and one kilogram of cocaine, according to the DOJ. The witness told investigators Baca claimed to have stolen both drugs and cash during traffic stops. He was a drug task force officer with the department during traffic stops. 

On April 29, 2021, Baca brought a sample of cocaine to the witness to purportedly be provided to the witness' buyers, according to the DOJ. The meeting was secretly recorded. 

After that meeting, Baca negotiated the price of the kilo-sized brick of cocaine to be $22,000 in cash. He then delivered the brick of cocaine to the witness’s workplace on May 4, 2021, and collected the wad of cash from the witness’ house later that day, according to federal officials.

As part of the plea agreement, Baca admitted to stealing drugs from the Inglewood Police Department’s lockup and reselling those drugs. He also admitted to abusing his position of trust. He is expected to formally plead guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine on Oct. 17.

He could face up to 20 years in federal prison. He is currently out on a $1.1 million bond.