Sheriff to Investigate Culver City Incident

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca said Monday that he would investigate allegations that a Culver City councilman interfered in an investigation of his son, who eventually was charged with a misdemeanor drug offense.

Officer Heidi Keyantash alleged that Councilman Albert Vera Sr. threatened her, shouting, “I’ll get you! I promise I’ll get you!” after an Aug. 7 traffic stop.

Baca said he acted at the request of Culver City Chief John Montanio. Keyantash has also complained that Montanio ordered her to omit references to the councilman’s actions at the crime scene from her incident report.

“The chief, in the interest of objectivity, asked my department to conduct the probe,” Baca said. “No police department likes to be in the middle of something like this, and obviously it is better to get an independent review.”

Keyantash alleged in an Aug. 30 memo to Montanio that Vera appeared at the scene, threatened her and interfered with her investigation of Albert Peter Vera Jr.

Vera Jr. was released without being cited or arrested. He was later charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.

In the memo, Keyantash alleged that the councilman “accused me of being ‘out to get’ his son.”

The elder Vera has denied any wrongdoing. The arrest occurred several blocks from the councilman’s business.

“I went to see what happened. I didn’t interfere at all,” Vera told The Times.

Vera was elected to the council in 1992 and reelected in 1996, serving two terms as mayor pro tem.

He left the council because of term limits, but was reelected after a two-year absence.

Keyantash pulled over the younger Vera on Sepulveda Boulevard because the tags on his pickup truck were expired.

During questioning, the officer found what appeared to be methamphetamine in his hand, according to police records.