Deputy Pleads Not Guilty in Credit Card Fraud, Posts Bail

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who was relieved of duty last spring and arrested at his home last week pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday to four felony counts alleging credit card fraud.

David Osorio was freed on $50,000 bail after relatives pledged their home on his behalf. The district attorney’s office had filed a motion to determine that the source of the bond money was legitimate. Osorio had been held since Thursday.

Osorio is also alleged to have been the ringleader in another credit card scam, allegedly involving 10 other Sheriff’s Department employees. Sheriff’s investigators are continuing a probe in that case, which they say probably will result in the filing of criminal charges.

But sheriff’s officials said Osorio was arrested in a separate investigation that involved two transactions with stolen credit cards. The criminal complaint alleges that he used a fraudulent credit card to make purchases at a Bellflower custom wheel store.

At the request of the district attorney’s office, Osorio will submit a handwriting sample next week, said his attorney, Vicki Podberesky.

Lt. Mike Pippin, who is heading the investigation, said the handwriting sample is needed “to substantiate physical evidence that’s in our custody.”

Pippin also said the department is working with “multiple federal agencies” to determine other possible criminal acts by Osorio.

Osorio’s attorney stressed that the deputy maintains his innocence in all the allegations.

“David denies the charges,” Podberesky said after Osorio’s court appearance. “It remains to be seen what the D.A.s have as evidence.”

The other, ongoing investigation troubles the lawyer because, she said, her client could be faced with difficult decisions if charges are filed in that case.

“If they end up charging him in the second matter, I assume they’ll try to leverage him into a very bad situation here,” Podberesky said. “I think this is going to be a strong-arm tactic.”

Osorio, who worked at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic, is alleged to have netted sums that investigators say could run into millions of dollars from a separate credit card scam. The ring allegedly involving the sheriff’s employees, who all worked at the Twin Towers jail, netted far less, the sheriff’s investigators said.

Osorio is expected to return to court Oct. 30, when a preliminary hearing date will be set.