Former Inglewood police officer sentenced for re-selling cocaine taken during traffic stops

    INGLEWOOD, California (KCAL/KCBS) -- A former Inglewood Police Department officer was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine.

John Abel Baca, 47, of Whittier, pleaded guilty on October 17 last year to charges that he distributed cocaine on at least two occasions while he was a police officer. Additionally, Baca was ordered to pay a $40,000 fine by U.S. District Judge James Selna.

According to federal prosecutors, Baca delivered cocaine to a witness that was cooperating with law enforcement on April 29, 2021. The next week, during a meeting with the same cooperating witness, Baca delivered 2.2 pounds of cocaine in exchange for $22,000 in cash.

In February 2021, the witness told the Federal Bureau of Investigation that Baca had previously offered to sell them 2.2 pounds of cocaine, 4.4 pounds of white heroin and an unlimited supply of black tar heroin, the plea agreement said.

The informant told federal prosecutors that Baca claimed to have stolen both drugs and cash during routine traffic stops that he made while he was working on a drug task force with the department.

Baca provided a sample of the cocaine to the informant so that he could provide it to purported buyers during a covertly recorded meeting, prosecutors said.

Just days later, he negotiated the $22,000 price for the 2.2 pounds of cocaine, which he then delivered to the informant's place of work.

In his plea agreement, Baca admitted that he abused his position of trust as a police officer, including stealing drugs from the Inglewood Police Department's lock-up in order to sell them.

Baca served as an officer with IPD for more than 20 years.