140 Arrested in 2-Day ‘Reverse Sting’ Targeting Customers of Rock Houses

A two-day “reverse sting” on rock house customers ended in the arrests of 140 people for investigation of various drug-related offenses, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said Sunday.

Sheriff’s narcotics, gang detail and patrol deputies served warrants on suspected rock cocaine houses from 4 p.m. Friday until midnight Saturday, taking alleged dealers into custody and then posing as drug sales clerks to arrest people who bought $10 and $20 “rocks” from them.

The operation, dubbed “User Accountability,” was conducted in the communities of Carson, Firestone, Lennox and Lynwood. Most of those arrested were held in lieu of bail ranging from $2,500 for possession of cocaine to $5,000 for selling the drug, Deputy Sam Jones said.

“We want to make users accountable for purchasing drugs and put doubt in their minds about who they are buying from,” Jones said in explaining the sting operation. “We want them to think it could be a police officer.”

The operation, which followed a similar one in Lynwood last week, was financed by Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, who provided discretionary funds to combat drug use in his district, Sheriff’s Lt. Frank Merriman said.