Man Is Convicted of Selling Drugs to Informer at Times Plant

A man has been convicted of selling drugs to an informant during an undercover investigation at The Times plant in Costa Mesa two years ago.

David Louis Abbott, 30, of Anaheim was found guilty by a Superior Court jury Thursday of selling two grams of methamphetamine to the informant in November, 1988. Of the 20 people accused of selling drugs during the undercover operation, Abbott is the first to be convicted by a jury.

The jury deadlocked on another charge that Abbott sold a half-ounce of methamphetamine to the same informant in September, 1988.

Abbott faces a maximum of four years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 20 by Superior Court Judge John J. Ryan.

Defense attorney Milton Grimes argued during the trial that Abbott was a victim of entrapment during the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s undercover operation. Grimes contended that the informant, William McPeck, was a drug addict who had repeatedly badgered Abbott into selling him drugs. After initially refusing, Abbott finally agreed, Grimes said.

Grimes added that the jurors indicated they convicted Abbott on the one charge after hearing a tape-recording of his conversation with the informant about his willingness to sell drugs in November. Because there was no recording of the September transaction, the jury deadlocked after five of the 12 jurors voted for acquittal.

The charges filed in January, 1989, against Abbott and the other 19 ended a five-month investigation that began in August, 1988, when The Times contacted the Sheriff’s Department with information that drugs allegedly were being sold at the Costa Mesa plant.

During the investigation, informants made 32 separate purchases of small amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana from the 20 suspects, authorities allege.

Grimes, who represents 12 of the 20 defendants, said at least five have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the undercover operation.

In addition, prosecutors dismissed a cocaine-selling charge against another man two weeks ago after a jury had voted 11 to 1 to acquit him.