Stepson of Laguna Chief Held on Drug Sales Charge

The stepson of Laguna Beach Police Chief Neil J. Purcell has been arrested on charges of selling marijuana to a city undercover officer and later trying to flee from arresting officers, police officials confirmed Wednesday.

Cary Holt, 26, remained in custody Wednesday in Orange County Jail, with bail set at $11,790.

An undercover Laguna Beach police officer investigating reports of narcotics trafficking around the city’s Main Beach area bought “4 to 5” grams of marijuana from Holt, Sgt. Ray Lardie said. About a week later, on May 5, when police were ready to begin making arrests, the undercover officer and a uniformed officer saw Holt at Main Beach and tried to arrest him, Lardie said.

Holt ran, and the officers chased him for about 4 blocks, Lardie said. They found him hiding in a store in downtown Laguna Beach, Lardie said.

Holt was uncooperative during his booking at Laguna Beach police headquarters and refused to say where he lived, Lardie said. Police said Holt lives in Laguna but not with his mother and stepfather.

The arresting officers did not know that Holt was the police chief’s stepson until the watch commander on duty that day recognized the name and notified Deputy Police Chief Jim Spreine. Spreine said he then contacted Purcell, who told him to not show his stepson any special treatment.

“He (Purcell) never once lost sight of his responsibility to this department and at no time were we told to show his son favoritism,” Spreine said.

Spreine said the chief was upset by the arrest, however.

“The police chief, more than anything, is embarrassed,” Spreine said.

Holt is charged with sale of marijuana and resisting arrest. He also had two outstanding warrants, one for burglary and the other for driving with a suspended license, Lardie said.

Purcell’s instructions that his stepson receive no special treatment was admired by his staff, Spreine said.

“The chief is very adamant that no one gets special treatment in Laguna,” Spreine said. The chief probably has “the highest integrity” of anyone “I’ve ever worked with,” he said.

Purcell, 49, has been with the Laguna Beach Police Department for 20 years, 8 of those as chief. He earned national recognition as a rookie officer in 1968 when he arrested LSD guru Timothy Leary for possession of marijuana, LSD and hashish. Leary was convicted in 1970 and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He ultimately served 44 months.