Out of options

An unnamed professional gambler’s fear of “putting his life in danger” in response to prosecuting Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Deputy Braulio Robledo – who allegedly robbed him of $500 worth of poker chips – has led to the L.A. District Attorney dropping the case against the controversial deputy.

The poker pro robbed of chips from Los Angeles’s Commerce Casino in January 2020 is so scared of retaliation by an alleged LASD deputy gang, reports the Los Angeles Times, that he actively avoided federal investigators following up on his case. With the gambler in the wind, the Feds stated they were “out of options” in January 2022.

After the DA dropped the case against Robledo, the L.A. County Civilian Oversight Commission on Friday accused the feds of “turning a blind eye to the problem of deputy gangs in the department.”

Deputy gangs of L.A.

The independent oversight commission for the LASD stated the DA’s correct response should have been “to thoroughly investigate” Robledo’s possible gang affiliations. The commission’s Sean Kennedy said the DA instead “blames the victim for being noncooperative and declines to prosecute.”

rogue deputy gangs working from within LASD ranks

The Times cites decades of allegations of rogue deputy gangs working from within LASD ranks “running roughshod over certain stations and promoting a culture of violence.” One of the most notorious gangs, known as the Banditos, allegedly operates out of the LASD’s East L.A. Station, which is also Robledo’s base.

On Friday, the LASD stated it had placed the deputy on administrative leave. In response to the Times, the LASD said it was legally bound not to divulge if the accused poker chip thief was still receiving police pay.

A long reputation

When first quizzed about the missing poker chips, Robledo denied pulling the gambler over and searching him.

The DA’s memo, meanwhile, cites LASD records naming Robledo as the only SUV-driving unit in the area at the time. Robledo, however, seems like someone not to mess with, having several lawsuits, some still active, accusing him of links to the Banditos.

The LASD did not respond to the Times’ question asking if the department had ever questioned Robledo about alleged gang membership, but instead said his case was still under internal investigation. The DA also previously investigated Robledo in 2019 about a complaint involving three women, one of whom accused the uniformed deputy of asking her to touch his penis.