Woman Denies She Tried to Buy Cocaine
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An Encino woman denied Thursday in Van Nuys Municipal Court that she attempted to buy cocaine last month while accompanied by the San Fernando Valley’s top fire official.
Lisa Louise Andrews, 29, was a passenger in a car owned and driven by then-Assistant Fire Chief James J. Mullen Jr. on Sept. 6 when she tried to buy rock cocaine from undercover police officers, prosecutors say.
Mullen, 53, who retired Monday, is also charged in the case. He is to be arraigned Oct. 29 on a charge of soliciting another to commit an offense.
Andrews, also known as Lisa Tapar, entered a not-guilty plea Thursday to a charge of attempting to buy cocaine. Both charges carry a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Andrews is scheduled to be tried Oct. 28, the same date that she has been ordered to appear in court to face an unrelated misdemeanor prostitution charge.
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