A San Fernando Police Officer Jeffrey King has been charged with stealing money from a man during an arrest last June, according to officials.
“Law enforcement officers take an oath to uphold the law, not to break it. Maintaining integrity is a fundamental principle of law enforcement, and stealing personal belongings during an arrest is a clear violation of that trust,” District Attorney George Gascón said. “No one should have their rights compromised, especially by those who are tasked with protecting them. “
King, 37, was charged with one felony count each of second-degree robbery and extortion and one misdemeanor count of petty theft.
Arraignment will be scheduled for a later date. The case was filed for warrant on June 6.
On June 21, 2022, King responded to a call of possible domestic violence at a residence in San Fernando. A suspect was arrested and booked in jail. He was released two days later and reported that he was missing money that he had in his pocket during the arrest.
The defendant allegedly took cell phones and cash from his pockets while he was restrained but only handed over the phones later to a supervisor. The cash was never booked into evidence or returned to the suspect.
The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau at the request of the Chief of the San Fernando Police Department.