Former L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca, 82, found in ‘good condition’ after wandering away from home

Josh DuBose
·2 min read
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Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, 82, is safe and recovering Monday morning after walking away from his San Marino home, authorities confirmed to KTLA.

Baca was reported missing after around 7:30 p.m. Sunday by a family member who said he hadn’t been seen since leaving his residence just after 4:30 p.m.

“An extensive search for Mr. Baca took place with assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (Missing Person’s Unit), Pasadena Police Department Air Support, Arcadia Police Department K-9, and Claremont Police Department K-9, the San Marino Police Department stated in a news release.

Baca was wearing a medical bracelet which helped officials eventually find him and identify him, San Marino Police Chief John Incontro said.

“He was found in good condition … and he’s been reunited with his family and resting comfortably,” Incontro said.

Baca was located just after 12:30 a.m., the Police Department stated.

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca walks with his wife and attorneys to the U.S. District Courthouse in Los Angeles for his sentencing on May 12, 2017. (Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca walks with his wife and attorneys to the U.S. District Courthouse in Los Angeles for his sentencing on May 12, 2017. (Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

The 82-year-old former L.A. sheriff, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, served a three-year federal prison sentence after being convicted in 2017 of obstruction of justice.

He resigned amid the corruption scandal in 2014 and was convicted of lying to the FBI and trying to thwart the agency’s investigation into corruption in the nation’s largest jail system.

Agents had been secretly looking into allegations of bribery and inmate beatings by jail guards in 2011 when Baca and his top lieutenants learned that an inmate was acting as an FBI informant.

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Baca and top brass hatched an elaborate plot to hide the informant in the jail system by booking him under false names and moving him to different locations. They also tried to intimidate an FBI agent by threatening to arrest her.

Baca and his chief deputy, Paul Tanaka, were both convicted. Tanaka was sentenced to five years in prison.

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