Lee Baca
Leroy David Baca (born May 27, 1942) is a former American law enforcement officer and convicted felon who served as the 30th Sheriff of Los Angeles County, California from 1998 to 2014. In 2017, he was convicted of felony obstruction of justice and lying to the FBI.
Lee Baca | |
|---|---|
Baca in 2011 | |
| 30th Sheriff of Los Angeles County, California | |
| In office December 7, 1998 – January 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Sherman Block |
| Succeeded by | John Scott (interim) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Leroy David Baca May 27, 1942 East Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Judith Howell
(m. 1964, divorced)Carol Chiang (m. 1999) |
| Criminal status | Released |
| Conviction(s) | Obstruction of justice, making false statements |
| Penalty | 3 years (36 months) in federal prison |
| Other names | Lee Baca |
| Police career | |
| Country | United States |
| Department | Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department |
| Service years | 1965–2014 |
| Rank | Sworn in as a deputy — 1965 Sergeant — 1970 Lieutenant — 1975 Captain — 1981 Commander — 1987 Deputy Chief — 1992 Sheriff — 1998 |
Baca was elected Los Angeles County's 30th sheriff against his mentor Sherman Block, who had died in office days prior to the election but remained on the ballot. He was sworn in on December 7, 1998. He was re-elected to a fourth term in 2010. He was criticized for proposing a half-percent sales tax increase in 2004 to hire more deputy sheriffs, placing friends on the payroll, taking of gifts, and for releasing inmates from the Los Angeles County Jail. On May 12, 2017, Baca was sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in a scheme to obstruct an FBI investigation of abuses in county jails. Baca reported to prison and began his sentence on February 5, 2020.