4 MORE RAMPART OFFICERS LINKED TO TAINTED CASES

The integrity of four more Los Angeles police officers will be called into
question today when prosecutors seek the reversal of nine additional
criminal convictions tainted by alleged police misconduct linked to the
LAPD's scandal-plagued Rampart Division.

In a sign that the corruption probe has taken a new turn, prosecutors will
move for the first time to overturn convictions not directly involving
former officer-turned-informant Rafael Perez, the man at the center of the
investigation.

The cases in question involve a total of nine officers, four of whom have
not been relieved of duty or disciplined in connection with the scandal,
but who are under active investigation, sources said. One of the four newly
implicated officers recently has resigned from the force.

"These officers were allegedly involved in the misconduct or knew something
was going on and failed to disclose it," said one source familiar with the
investigation. "Obviously, they had to know something was going on."

The source said some of the officers could face criminal charges as a
result of their roles, and others could face internal discipline, or even
termination, for "code of silence" or other offenses.

In at least two of the cases expected to be thrown out today Perez was not
one of the arresting officers, according to sources within the district
attorney's office. Most of the convictions stemmed from fabricated drug and
weapons charges, authorities said. Seven adults and two juveniles were
wrongly convicted, district attorney officials said. One alleged victim is
expected to be released from prison as a result of the district attorney's
petition. Four others will remain in custody on unrelated convictions,
sources said.

If, as expected, a judge overturns the convictions, it will bring to 32 the
number of cases thrown out in the wake of the ongoing corruption
investigation.

"Our top priorities continue to be freeing the innocent who have been
wrongly convicted, working with LAPD Chief Bernard Parks to remove any
officer who has dishonored the badge, and developing evidence that will
lead to the successful prosecution of officers involved in the corruption
scandal," Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti said in a prepared statement.

Parks announced last week that, to date, investigators believe 99 people
were framed by Perez and his partners. Prosecutors have proceeded
cautiously in asking for the dismissal of criminal convictions. LAPD
officials have complained that the pace is too slow. Parks called on the
district attorney to move quickly and seek the mass reversal of dozens of
convictions that investigators have verified are unjust, instead of
continuing with a "case by case process."

"The department is very encouraged that the D.A. is moving forward on these
nine cases, and we hope the other cases will be acted on as soon as
possible," said LAPD Cmdr. David J. Kalish, the department's spokesman.

Those expected to have their cases overturned are:

* George Kenneth Alfaro, who pleaded guilty to a drug charge and was
sentenced to state prison. Alfaro is the only defendant whose release from
custody is being sought by prosecutors.

* Sonia Castro, who pleaded guilty to a drug charge and was sentenced to
county jail and probation. She is a fugitive after having failed to abide
by the terms of probation.

* Transcito Hernandez Luna, who pleaded guilty to a drug charge in exchange
for dismissal of another case. He was given two weeks to surrender in 1997
but failed to do so. A bench warrant was issued and is outstanding.

* Allan Manrique Lobos, who pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a
felon. He remains in state prison for murder in an unrelated case.

* Julian Lopez Hernandez, who pleaded guilty to a drug charge and was
sentenced to county jail. He is in state prison on an unrelated case.

* Michael Williams, who pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a
felon and was sentenced to state prison. He is serving a 50-year-to-life
term for an unrelated conviction.

* Laura Villatora, who pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale and
was sentenced to state prison. She is serving time on an unrelated
conviction and is expected to be deported upon her release later this month.

* Two unidentified juveniles, whose names and case information were
withheld by authorities.

Perez, who in September pleaded guilty to stealing eight pounds of cocaine
from LAPD evidence facilities, is hoping to receive a lighter sentence in
exchange for cooperating with investigators. The ex-officer maintains that
he is also motivated by a desire to clear his conscience.

The former cop said that over a three-year period beginning in 1995, he
routinely planted drugs and weapons on innocent people, then perjured
himself in court in an effort to send his victims to jail.

In his most sensational disclosure, Perez implicated himself and former
partner Nino Durden in the shooting of an unarmed 19-year-old man. After
shooting the man several times, Perez said he and Durden planted a gun on
the gang member, then testified in court that he had attacked them. The
man, Javier Francisco Ovando, was released from prison in September after
serving three years of a 23-year sentence.

Perez has identified at least one other police shooting as "dirty." Both
shootings are the subject of an ongoing grand jury investigation.

A second officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, has since told
The Times that he could corroborate a number of Perez's allegations, and
that such conduct took place with the knowledge of at least one Rampart
Division supervisor.

So far, 20 officers have been relieved of duty, suspended, have quit or
were fired in the wake of the continuing corruption investigation. Parks
has publicly asked prosecutors to bring criminal charges against two
current and one former LAPD officer stemming from alleged crimes uncovered
during the probe.

Parks has vowed to root out corruption in his department and has more than
45 officers and detectives investigating the alleged wrongdoing.