Man Who Aided Deputies in Scam Gets Year in Jail

A civilian who helped three former sheriff’s deputies at the Temple City station buy more than $75,000 worth of goods with stolen credit cards was sentenced Thursday to one year in county jail and three years probation.

Mario Rendon, 35, was convicted on 12 counts of fraudulent credit card use. Superior Court Judge Richard Neidorf ruled that Rendon could serve his jail sentence under a work furlough if his employer accepts terms of the program.

The work furlough would allow Rendon, a computer programmer, to work at his job during the day and return to the jail at night and on weekends.

Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies involved in the scam have been sentenced. The third deputy faces sentencing in early April. All three men worked at the sheriff’s Temple City station.

The victims, mostly elderly men, testified at an earlier hearing that the deputies pulled them over on trumped-up charges. The men were told to empty their pockets on the front seat, then sit on the curb while a deputy searched the car. After the search, the victims were dismissed.