2 Accused of Drug Sales at VA Clinic

Two men who allegedly posed as patients in order to sell heroin to addicts at a veterans drug rehabilitation clinic in North Hills were arrested by the FBI, authorities said Thursday.

“They were both patients there for several years,” said FBI spokeswoman Cheryl Mimura. “This crime is particularly heinous because they targeted such vulnerable victims who are trying to get off drugs.”

James Marshall Venti, 50, of Van Nuys, and Luis Carrillo Rodriguez, 51, of Santa Paula, were arrested Wednesday and were being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center downtown. Both are charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin.

The sales allegedly occurred outside the offices of a Department of Veterans Affairs health center in the 16000 block of Plummer Street.

The FBI has been investigating the pair since March in cooperation with the inspector general’s office for veterans affairs.

Beverly Fitzgerald, a spokeswoman for the VA’s Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, said the agency has made helping veterans kick drug habits a top priority.

“You are always disappointed that people would take advantage by trafficking drugs,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s certainly not something we want happening on our grounds.”

The methadone clinic serves about 150 patients a day on an outpatient basis.

The FBI investigation was started at the clinic’s request, Mimura said.

“They noticed a significant heroin problem at their facility,” she said. In addition, three heroin overdoses occurred on Veterans Affairs property in Westwood and North Hills. Two of those users died, and all three were methadone clinic patients. The FBI is investigating whether any of them are linked to the suspects, Mimura said.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit filed by the bureau, an informant allowed FBI agents to record his purchases of black tar heroin from the suspects. The transactions allegedly took place at the methadone clinic and at Venti’s home.

Mimura said the suspects face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted.

The public defender representing Rodriguez declined to comment. Venti’s court-appointed lawyer could not be reached for comment.