FBI probes claims of excessive police force

CITY CENTER — A Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigation into an alleged assault by a member of the Burbank Police Department will be turned over to county prosecutors by month’s end, authorities said Friday.

The county sheriff’s probe was initiated by Burbank Police Chief Tim Stehr in April, spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

News of the probe comes after court documents revealed that the FBI investigation into the department has zeroed in on allegations of excessive force by officers.

The U.S. attorney’s office on Sept. 14 issued a grand jury subpoena for records involving 12 current officers. The request specifically sought records on “use of force, defensive tactics, Tasers, pepper spray, or the rules and ramifications pertaining to the use of excessive force or a violation of civil/constitutional rights,” according to the subpoena.

Mayor Gary Bric on Tuesday went public with the FBI probe. On Friday, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller confirmed that the agency was looking into possible civil rights violations by officers, the results of which would be forwarded to the Department of Justice. She would not specify when the probe began or how long it would last.

City officials on Friday would not comment on how the FBI first became involved.

“What instigated that, how it got started, I don’t know. We’ve never been told,” Bric said.

FBI agents are also seeking Police Department records of internal affairs investigations as a result of use-of-force complaints filed as far back as 2003. The 12 officers listed in the subpoena are Omar Rodriguez, Jose Cruz Duran, Neil Thomas Gunn Sr., Christian Dereck Canales, Jon Murphy Jr., Mike George Reyes, Steve Sarkis Karagiosian, Armen Dermenjian, William Hampton “Bill” Taylor, Nick Wayne Nichols, Tommy Perez and Edgar Manuel Penaranda.

The FBI investigation involves at least two incidents — the Aug. 23, 2007, arrest of Rene Escarsega; and the Dec. 28, 2007, robbery of Porto’s Bakery.

Details as to each of the officers’ involvement have not been made public.

In addition, details of Escarsega’s Aug. 23 arrest were not immediately available.

In the Porto’s case, officers responded about 8:23 p.m. after six suspects entered the bakery at 3614 W. Magnolia Blvd. after hours and committed a takeover-style robbery, Burbank police Sgt. Thor Merich said.