Deputy Accused of False Arrests, Planting Evidence Surrenders
A Los Angeles sheriff’s deputy accused by two others of falsely arresting and planting evidence on minorities surrendered Thursday on four felony counts of filing a false police report, one felony count of theft of a firearm and three misdemeanors.
Arraignment of Jeffrey Jones, 35, a deputy since 1987 who has been on administrative leave since last summer, was set for March 15, a district attorney’s spokeswoman said. He was released without bail.
If convicted of the charges, Jones could be sentenced to more than seven years in prison.
Jones, stationed at the sheriff’s Century station, was accused by Deputy Michael G. Osborne and his wife, Deputy Aurora Alonso Mellado. Mellado later resigned from the force and Osborne went on paid leave while Sheriff’s Department internal investigators submitted the matter to the district attorney for prosecution.
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