Los Angeles County deputy accused of smuggling heroin into jail
A Los Angeles County deputy sheriff is facing felony charges for allegedly smuggling drugs to inmates at a county jail, according to booking records and media reports.
Michael Meiser, 39, was arrested last week by the Sheriff Department’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau.
The exact charges were not listed on the jail’s inmate information center. However, the Los Angeles Times cites unnamed sources who say Meiser worked at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic and was arrested for smuggling heroin into the complex.
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The department offered very few details in a statement to KTLA 5 News on Tuesday.
“The Department’s Internal Criminal Investigation Bureau initiated an investigation into the allegations involving an employee,” the statement read. “We arrested the employee on April 30th for felony charges. The employee is relieved of duty pending the outcome of the case.”
A source told the L.A. Times that Meiser, who worked with the jail’s anti-gang unit, had been under surveillance for a long time and was observed purchasing heroin in Los Angeles before returning to the jail.
The department said the investigation is ongoing and would be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office “once the case is completed.”
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