Man Pleads Not Guilty to Drug, Abuse Charges
A West Hills man arrested because his son told police that his father was using and selling cocaine pleaded not guilty Wednesday to drug and child abuse charges.
Daniel Lee Hain, 35, entered the plea in Van Nuys Superior Court to one count each of child abuse and possession of cocaine for sale, Deputy Dist. Atty. Jeff Boxer said.
Hain was arrested Nov. 13 and ordered to stand trial after his 9-year-old son told a Los Angeles police officer at Capistrano School in Canoga Park that he had tasted white powder that he had seen his father ingest and sell, authorities said.
The officer was at the school as part of the Police Department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.
His conversation with the boy, who now lives with his mother, led narcotics investigators to search Hain’s home and arrest him.
Boxer said police found a small amount of cocaine, containers for the drug, an electronic pager and other evidence indicating that the drug was not just for personal use.
Judge Leon Kaplan scheduled a trial on the charges March 19.
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