Ex-Baseball Pro Held on Drug Charge

A former professional baseball player and a 27-year-old man have been arrested on cocaine possession charges by undercover narcotics officers who seized $200,000 worth of the drug at a Huntington Beach residence, Orange County sheriff’s officials said Saturday.

William Paul Sudakis, 39, of Huntington Beach, who played with the Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels and several other clubs, was arrested Friday evening, along with Theodore Earl Turina, who listed the same Huntington Beach address, Sheriff’s Lt. Tom Conner said. Both are being held in Orange County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail each.

Sudakis was armed with a handgun at the time of the arrest, and a second weapon was found in Turina’s briefcase, Conner said, adding that authorities also plan to pursue charges concerning the weapons.

On Thursday, sheriff’s undercover officers, using county funds, purchased one ounce of cocaine for $1,700 from Turina at his business, Majestic Advertising, 15623 Brookhurst St., Westminster, where Sudakis also works, Conner said.

The narcotics officers then made a deal to buy more cocaine the following day, Conner said. On Friday, assisted by Huntington Beach police, the officers seized one kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of cocaine from Turina and Sudakis at a private residence. The address of the residence could not be learned.