Chief Gates’ Son Enters Pleas of Not Guilty in Drug, Jewel Thefts

The 29-year-old son of Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates entered pleas of not guilty Wednesday to charges that he robbed a Huntington Beach pharmacy and stole $3,100 in jewelry from a Westminster woman last month.

The grand larceny charge in the jewel theft was added to the armed robbery complaint against Lowell Scott Gates at his arraignment Wednesday before West Orange County Municipal Judge Alan McKone. Bail was set at $50,000 and McKone scheduled a preliminary hearing for June 14.

Gates, who according to his father has had a drug problem dating back 15 years, is accused of using a threatening note to steal $5,000 worth of Demerol, Dilaudid and Percodan from The Druggist pharmacy at 16881 Algonquin St. Investigators said Gates flashed a note reading, “Don’t move. I have a gun,” at pharmacist Mike Fraley before fleeing the store with the drugs.

He was arrested later Monday at a home on Malta Street in nearby Huntington Harbour that he shared with his mother and stepfather, police said. He was charged with two counts of armed robbery because there were two employees in the store at the time of the alleged holdup, police said.

The grand larceny charge stemmed from an incident that occurred March 25 at the home of a 52-year-old Westminster woman, said Westminster Police Officer Larry Woessner. Gates spent the night at the home after he and the woman’s 33-year-old daughter attended a nearby party, Woessner said. He said the younger woman is “just an acquaintance. It’s not a boyfriend-girlfriend thing.”

The victim, whom Woessner declined to identify, discovered the jewelry missing the following morning.

Gates was questioned soon after the theft was reported and admitted taking the jewelry, Woessner said. He gave officers a ticket to a Los Angeles pawn shop and the items were recovered on April 10, Woessner said.

Police turned the case over to the Orange County district attorney’s office last week. The grand theft charge was filed against Gates at his arraignment Tuesday.