Former Hollenbeck Police Officer Pleads Guilty
In January, Anthony Razo, then an LAPD officer, said he had been attacked outside his home in City Terrace, he now says he made it up and has been sentenced.
By EGP News Service
Former Hollenbeck Police Officer Anthony Razo, 49, pleaded guilty today to a misdemeanor charge of filing a false police report and to a felony charge of insurance fraud.
Razo, who used to be an anti-gang unit officer, was in the news on January 31 when he was hospitalized after being shot outside his home in City Terrace—he told police two young men assaulted him and managed to shoot him with his own gun in the shoulder.
In his court appearance today, Razo pleaded guilty to having made a false police report to the LA Sheriff’s Department regarding the shooting and admitted the two men did not exist and he was alone at the time of the shooting, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s press release.
The former officer was arraigned at 8:30 a.m. this morning and entered the plea before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Norm Shapiro, said Deputy District Attorney Christian Gallon with the Justice System Integrity Division. As part of the plea, Razo also admitted to having falsely reported his 2005 BMW 745Li stolen on Jan. 4 and setting the car on fire to collect auto and homeowners insurance for the vehicle and its contents. He admitted to setting the car on fire himself, according to the press release.
Judge Shapiro sentenced him to one year in county jail, three years formal probation and ordered him to pay $5,400 in restitution to the LAPD Hollenbeck Division, which had raised funds to help pay his medical bills.
Razo was also ordered to surrender at the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station on Thursday to begin serving his jail sentence.
Razo had faced four additional felony counts and one misdemeanor count, however they were dismissed as part of the guilty plea.
After an LAPD internal investigation in March, Razo was relieved of duty.
Last week, LAPD Chief William Bratton called Razo a disgrace to the department and said that both he and Mayor Antonio Villarigosa participated in fundraisers for Razo in the days after the shooting.
“The former officer is a disgrace to his badge, to his family and to this profession. The fact that he allowed a number of charitable events to proceed and raise funds for him is a further disgraceful act on his part,” Bratton said.
Jane Robinson, spokeswoman for the LA County District Attorney’s Office told EGP the DA would not be pursuing additional restitution for fundraisers held on behalf of Razo.
LAPD Spokesperson Officer Rosario Herrera, told EGP she could not confirm or deny whether LAPD was further investigating Razo for other crimes.
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April 7, 2009 Copyright © 2010 Eastern Group Publications, Inc.
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[...] Former Hollenbeck CA pig Anthony Razo, 49, pleaded guilty today to a misdemeanor charge of filing a false police report and to a felony charge of insurance fraud. [...]