LAPD PROBES CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- The arrest of an officer last week on
charges of stealing six pounds of cocaine from a property room has
prompted a Los Angeles Police Department investigation into allegations of
widespread corruption.

The Los Angeles Times reports today that detectives are investigating
tips from informants and drug dealers who say 31-year-old Officer Rafael
Antonio Perez and other officers stole money and drugs from them.

The drug dealers allegedly told police that Perez and the other
officers would ``shake down'' dealers with the excuse of arresting them,
then confiscate the drugs and money before releasing them.

Perez, a nine-year police veteran, pleaded not guilty to the charges
earlier this week. He faces up to eight years and four months in prison if
convicted.

Perez allegedly impersonated another officer with the same last name
when he checked the drugs out of the property room on March 2.

Police revealed that a pound of cocaine was also taken from the same
station in February.

Perez is also accused of trying to sell a kilogram of cocaine through
a police informant in December, and of obtaining leniency in the
sentencing of two convicted drug dealers, one of whom was allegedly his
girlfriend.

Police believe the woman, Veronica Quesada, and her brother helped
him distribute drugs.

Court documents show that one colleague complained that Perez and his
partner did not follow police procedure in conducting narcotics
searches.

The officer also said Perez tried to convince an informant to work
exclusively for Perez, who allegedly offered to pay him ``some of the
dope and some of the money'' that were seized as a result of their
collaboration.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry