L.A. Officer Charged in Drug Case
A Los Angeles police officer was charged with possession of methamphetamine after he was arrested at a Palm Springs motel, authorities said Wednesday.
Ingram J. Rodriguez, 34, a four-year LAPD veteran from Van Nuys, pleaded not guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm, and being under the influence of narcotics. Rodriguez was scheduled to appear in court in Indio today.
The officer was placed on leave, pending resolution of the charges.
Rodriguez was arrested Saturday morning at a Palm Springs Motel 6, Palm Springs Police Sgt. Dennis Graham said. Shortly before 3 a.m., authorities received a report of people coming and going from a motel room on East Palm Canyon Drive.
Graham said that at about 4 a.m., officers went to the room and found Rodriguez. Officers believed he was under the influence of narcotics and during a search found methamphetamine and a device for consuming controlled substances, Graham said.
According to prosecutors, Rodriguez was also armed with a gun.
Some methamphetamine was recovered from a compartment on the back of Rodriguez’s cellular phone, authorities said.
In addition to the criminal charges, an internal probe into Rodriguez was launched by the LAPD’s Bureau of Professional Standards.
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