Criminal charges filed against officers in Los Angeles police corruption

April 24, 19100
Web posted at: 9:57 p.m. EDT (0157 GMT)

In this story: Charges related to 1996 arrest Scandal emerged after confession RELATED STORIES, SITES

LOS ANGELES (CNN)-- The first criminal charges against Los Angeles police officers connected to the corruption investigation were filed Monday, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's office.

A criminal complaint against Sergeant Edward Ortiz, Detective Brian Liddy and Officer Paul Harper involves at least a charge of planting a gun and covering up the deed, according to Los Angeles District Attorney's spokeswoman Victoria Pipkin.

VIDEO Correspondent Charles Feldman looks into the charges filed. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     MESSAGE BOARD Policing the police

All three officers are former members of an elite anti-drug unit operating out of the Rampart division.

According to Pipkin, the charges are related to an arrest in 1996 of suspected gang member Allan Manrique Lobos who was arrested and convicted of felony gun possession.

The Los Angeles District Attorney asked that Lobos' conviction be thrown out in February after determining the case was based on falsified evidence provided by former Officer Rafael Perez.

In the criminal complaint, Ortiz and Liddy are charged with filing a false report. Harper is charged with perjury. All three are charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime.

"The officers will be arrested and booked, they will not be allowed to surrender themselves under any conditions," said Pipkin.

The police corruption scandal emerged after Perez confessed to participating in or witnessing criminal behavior in the department's Rampart Division. He made the confession in exchange for a plea agreement with government prosecutors following a cocaine theft conviction.

More charges against other officers are expected to be filed within the next few weeks.

More than two dozen officers have been fired, relieved of duty, or have quit as a result of the corruption scandal. At least 70 are under investigation, CNN has learned.

Attorneys for the officers declined to comment on the pending charges.

The corruption scandal has led to a public feud between the police chief and the district attorney. The FBI and the U.S. Justice Department are also looking into the allegations against the police officers.

Correspondent Charles Feldman and Producer Stanley Wilson contributed to this report.

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