Investigation of officer in prostitution case By Patricia Klein A Los Angeles police sergeant who faces departmental charges of supplying guns and confidential information to the subject of a narcotics investigation now will be investigated by the county grand jury on charges related to organized prostitution, authorities have disclosed. Deputy District Attorney Gil Garcetti, head of the district attorney's special investigations division, said yesterday the grand jury will be convened within the next two weeks to hear testimony concerning Hollywood Division Sgt. Eugene N. Ingram, 34, a 13-year police veteran. Ingram reportedly is being investigated on charges he was involved in organized prostitution activities, including training prostitutes how to elude police. Garcetti declined, however, to detail the new allegations and refused to comment on reports that two pimps and a prostitute are among those subpoenaed/ Ingram was relieved of duty Oct. 31 and faces a departmental hearing on 11 counts of serious misconduct, including accepting a "$1,000 gratuity" from a suspected cocaine dealer in return for confidential information, thus putting an undercover officer in danger; being present when cocaine was being used; and using cocaine himself. The hearing, delayed because Ingram was recuperating from a bullet wound to the back of the shoulder, reportedly will begin Tuesday. Ingram was shot while driving to the Police Academy Sept. 22, the same day he learned of the Police Department's internal affairs probe, his lawyer, Bob Lowe has said. Police say a sniper was responsible for the unsolved shooting. Last November, Garcetti's unit concluded there was "insufficient evidence" to prosecute Ingram on any of the previous misconduct charges, charges Lowe said were in retaliation for his client's past representation of officers in departmental disciplinary proceedings. Lowe said the Ingram's superiors erroneously "inferred" that Ingram accepted a $1,000 bribe because he sold the suspected cocaine dealer a classic Mustang for $4,000 while the department considers the car worth only $3, 000. Garcetti said the grand jury won't be asked to decide whether to file criminal charges but is merely being used to gather information. |
Herald
Examiner January 2, 1981