The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office dropped the hammer yesterday on one of the city's own, charging LAPD Officer Alan Carrillo with evidence tampering and petty theft. The announcement, issued April 18, paints a sordid picture of a cop gone rogue, shaking down the very community he swore to protect.

According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Carrillo stands accused of playing fast and loose with the law, tampering with evidence and relieving individuals of their possessions during stops between April and June 2023. Shoes of integrity waiting to be filled, the D.A.’s statement drives home the betrayal: "The public's trust and the integrity of law enforcement are undermined when officers tamper with evidence and steal items from the public."

"Police officers are entrusted with upholding justice and protecting our communities, and any breach of that trust is unacceptable," Gascón stated, pointing to the crucial role these public servants play in maintaining societal order. Carrillo, who was born on July 17, 1992, faces seven years and six months in the pen if convicted on all charges. With his day in court yet to be scheduled, the suspect remains a stark example of the fine line officers walk between guardian and transgressor.

In specific instances called out by the District Attorney, metal brass knuckles and knives were taken from individuals by Carrillo during pedestrian and traffic stops on April 19 and June 15, 2023, as reported by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Following the incidents, the missing items, like ghosts through Carrillo's fingers, were never properly accounted for. Documenting the items inconsistently in his reports, this alleged conduct sprouts from a larger probe into complaints about officers tied to the LAPD’s Mission Area Gang Enforcement Detail.

Bail for the tarnished badge has been set at $100,000. As the caseload thickens, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Complaint Investigation Section, Internal Affairs Division, and Professional Standards Bureau continue to dig through the mire, bringing the case against Carrillo, detailed in case number 24CJCF02528, into the glaring light of justice.