It says about 30 members and prospects work at the East L.A. station, adding the others work elsewhere or have retired. Did you investigate the Banditos? asked Vincent Miller, an attorney representing the eight deputies, according to a transcript of the deposition excerpts. Hish told her that Gonzalez had allegedly hazed a deputy, which she denies. Many of those men were also members of the Banditos. The Banditos gang has controlled the East Los Angeles station like inmates running a prison yard, the lawsuit says. In 2016, Munoz, Deputies David Silver Silverio, Vincent Moran, Anthony Pacheco, Leo Sanchez, and associate Andrea Villa forced Casas to pay taxes to the gang a scheme allegedly cooked up by Noel Lopez, Mark Elizondo, Munoz, Rodriguez, and Silverio. The new defendants include two commanders, three captains, two lieutenants and 41 deputies, according to plaintiffs attorney Vincent Miller. The lawsuit contends that even with the new leadership, the Banditos still effectively run the East L.A. station and that it remains a hostile workplace. The lawsuit describes in detail how members of the "Banditos" clique allegedly control station operations. The federal probe follows allegations of beatings and harassment by members of the Banditos, a group of deputies assigned to the Sheriffs Departments East L.A. station who brand themselves with matching tattoos of a skeleton outfitted with a sombrero, bandolier and pistol. According to court documents, Villanueva also reinstated Danny Batman Batanero, one of the original 10 Banditos, and made him head of his security detail. Lieutenant David Infante, who previously worked at the East LA station and knew about the complaint, made it known to Lopezs supervising Sergeant, Veronica De La Rosa, that he didnt want Lopez at Century Station. In a letter dated Monday, Inspector General Max Huntsman said his office has compiled a partial list that includes 11 deputies who allegedly belong to the Banditos, which operate out of the East L.A. sheriffs station, and 30 alleged Executioners from the Compton sheriffs station. She'd gone into the pregnancy with a plan, knowing Black mothers like herself were at higher risk. assertions made in legal claims filed in March and May And that was on purpose because they had failed in their job to lead the station.. All eight requested transfers out of East L.A. and moved to other stations earlier this year, according to their attorney, Vincent Miller. In a retaliation lawsuit filed by a sheriffs lieutenant, a deputy associated with the Executioners testified last month that he had participated in deciding who could get a tattoo and had attended seven so-called inking parties. The gang also established a culture at the station where deputies work backwards, meaning they arrest civilians then later come up with probable cause by planting and manufacturing evidence. Other new Latino deputies have faced similar treatment court documents allege Bandito member Jose Aceituno shoulder checked another employee inside the East LA station. Lopez also believed that she would be subjected to further harassment if she went to another area. The Countys deputy gangs also subjected him to an experience that left him traumatized. FTO Hernandez brought the fake request to Sergeant Jennifer Barsh, who ordered Lopez back to the station. On that shift Lopez saw Wargo purchase reports, meaning that Wargo would write arrest reports for other deputies as part of initiation into the gang. It says they and others savagely beat and kicked Deputy Art Hernandez, leaving him unconscious, and that Deputy Oscar Escobedo was beaten by Munoz and strangled by Silverio, briefly losing consciousness. The incident was the focus of two internal Sheriffs Department investigations one of which Villanueva has said led to the discipline of 26 employees as well as a report by the Office of Inspector General. Gonzalez was transferred to the Norwalk Station, but no action was taken against the sergeants. Cerise Castle | April 1, 2021 Part of A Sign up for our daily newsletters Thirty-one of these allegedly are themselves Banditos, associates, or prospects for the gang, he said. Bandito FTOs would demand taxes, handing their trainees empty envelopes and telling them to fill them with money, sometimes up to $2,000, by the end of the day. Theyve been called "gangs" because they wear matching tattoos, operate in secrecy, and have initiation rituals. When the Internal Affairs Bureau initiated an investigation into the Banditos, lead investigator Jeff Hamil allegedly followed Villanuevas orders to complete a fake investigation. When Zaredini did not follow the Banditos orders to pressure Gonzalez to leave the station, Mendoza knocked him unconscious behind the East LA Station. repeat In August, Villanueva announced a zero tolerance policy on deputy cliques/subgroups engaging in misconduct, according to the statement. Mejia also claimed to have forgotten texts and phone calls he received from Deputy Oscar Escobedo reporting the hostile work environment. On October 25, 2012, her car was vandalized while parked at the East LA Station. The Banditos of the East Los Angeles Sheriffs Station seemed not only to embrace the tradition of terrorizing surrounding communities, but celebrate the She immediately began to experience chest pains and shortness of breath, and was diagnosed with a stress-induced pre-heart attack condition. Banditos groom young deputies they are considering for membership in the group, assigning them mentors, the deputy said. On September 26, 2018, Deputies Munoz, Silverio, Rodriguez, and Moran apparently planned to attack Deputy Gonzales in order to make an example out of him. Cliques? Art Hernandezs lawsuit charges that there is a video which shows members of the Banditos gathered at the station following the fight, preparing a cover story together. The next time she heard from Patrelli, she informed Lopez that Wolak wouldnt be sending her to the hospital location after all. Community members speak out at a town hall in East Los Angeles on July 10, protesting the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments handling of the Banditos, an After Casas rejected the Banditos recruitment attempts, he faced harassment. The Banditos are at least the third gang to emerge from the East LA Station. Even though he's one of the named plaintiffs, he requested anonymity out of fear that Banditos might harass him at his home or his new station because he spoke to the media. Jefferson Chow, who has been in the department for 26 years, was tasked with investigating a September 2018 fight between deputies at a department party at Kennedy Hall in East Los Angeles. He ended up fiercely resisting oversight and clashing with watchdogs and the rest of the countys political establishment. At East L.A., Gonzalez discovered, there was a shadow government: a secretive group of sheriffs deputies known as the Banditos. Murakami instructed Wolak to uphold the suspension on Villanuevas orders. They use word on the yard, a phrase used to explain what is being said among people in prison, according to the lawsuit. Vincent Miller, an attorney for the whistleblower deputies, says that the gang was looking for Gonzalez, but didnt hesitate to beat up other deputies as well, including: Deputies Jose Fuentes, Art Hernandez, Oscar Escobedo, and David Casas. A Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy associated with a gang-like group of deputies with matching tattoos testified that he has attended about seven inking parties.. Before this amendment, alleged members and associates of the gang included; Commander April Tardy; Captains Ernie Chavez (an alleged Vikings gang member), Richard Mejia, and Chris Perez; Lieutenants Eric Smitson, Anthony Easter, Edmundo Torres; Sergeant Angelica Estrada (AKA the Pink Hand); Rafael Rene Munoz (AKA Big Listo); Gregory Rodriguez (AKA G-Rod); David Silverio (AKA Silver); Michael Hernandez (AKA Bam Bam); Vincent Moran; Hector Soto Saavedra, who killed Paul Rea in 2019; Jeff Hamil; Jeff Chow; William Jaeger; Scott Chapman; Raymond Mendoza; Luis Carbajal; Braulio Robledo; Jonathan Rojas, who killed Anthony Vargas in 2018; Eldemira Para; Andrea Villa; Marc Elizondo; Nikolis Perez, who killed Anthony Vargas and Jorge Serrano in 2018; Kelly Porowsky; Woodrow Kim; Juan Sanchez; Aaron Abellano; Silvano Garcia; Joanna Macs Moran; Joanana Palombi; Jose Aceituno; Anthony Pacheco; Soraya Sanchez; Karla Sepulveda; Marcelo Ortega; Diana Woodward; Eduardo Muniz; Rebecca Cortez; Joe Mendoza; Erin Rosario; Jessica Santos; John Soria; Miguel Ortiz; Claudia Perez; Brian Goodwin; Manuel Palacios; Jodi Hutak; Pablo Partida; Noel Lopez; and Christopher Moore. She was placed on medical leave. The Banditos extract "taxes" from young Latino deputies for clique members' parties and travel, one of the deputies who filed the lawsuit told LAist. Eight Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies are suing the county, saying they were pressured by the Banditos gang to quit their jobs or leave the East Los Angeles station. Patrelli refused to accompany Lopez to the meeting or send any other union representation saying, You should be grateful that Commander Romero is willing to meet with you!. Deputy Lemus was stormed by Bandito associate Rebecca Cortez at a County detention facility. Here's Why It's Especially Dangerous To Hike SoCal Mountains Right Now, How 4 Words Upended A University's Journalism Program, And Stirred A Reckoning Over Race, What A Popular Yoga Teacher's Descent Into Conspiracy Theories Says About The 'Wellness To QAnon Pipeline', Ancient Lung Disease Strikes Countertop Cutters In LA. The new defendants represent a significant expansion of the civil rights and workplace harassment Orange says that Gray told himhe was beaten by several deputies. The Bandito tattoo is a skeleton with a giant mustache wearing a sombrero with a bandolier and pistol. While Deputy Granados encountered other deputies firing guns at a suspect and pulled over his vehicle, he was written up for misconduct by Diana Woodward. Deputy Christopher Wargo drove to the location and blocked Lopezs patrol car so she could not move and ordered her out of the vehicle. Even Near The Hollywood Sign, Authorities ID Man Arrested In Killing Of LA Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell As Husband Of Housekeeper, Another Missing Hiker Has Been Found Dead In San Gabriels As Search For Actor Julian Sands Continues, LA Explained: How To Live Safely With Our Coyote Neighbors. "Pretty much they were calling the shots, they were dictating the decisions of the station and that has a very bad outcome obviously," he said. But he has also taken credit for addressing the problem by instituting a policy that prohibits deputies from joining groups that promote behavior that violates the rights of others. Deputy gang members, or those seeking membership, have shot at least 19 County residents to death in that time. The trainees were reportedly told that if they stole anything from a suspect, they should dispose of it outside of the station. Dear reader, we're asking you to help us keep local news available for all. Villanueva told ABC7 on Tuesday, May 24, that the hearing was a political stunt that allowed witnesses to testify without cross-examination. This is America, Orange recounts. As described by Huntsman, the Executioners Dear reader, we're asking you to help us keep local news available for all. In screenshots of the messages obtained by The Times, others joke about evidence, advising each other to get rid of it and burn it., The inspector generals report last year said theres substantial evidence that the Banditos are gang-like and their influence has resulted in favoritism, sexism, racism and violence.. . Leaders, known as "shot-callers," determined deputies' hours, promotions, even days off. 3:20 p.m.: This article was updated to note that the Sheriff's Dept. 2023 Southern California Public Radio - All Rights Reserved, assertions made in legal claims filed in March and May, A Los Angeles Family Seeks Answers And Accountability After Black Mom Dies In Childbirth, A Brief History Of Why It Does Occasionally Snow In LA. The FBI is investigating a secret society of tattooed deputies in East Los Angeles as well as similar gang-like groups elsewhere within the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, multiple people familiar with the inquiry said. During the August 14, 2013, meeting, Romero asked Lopez where she wanted to go. Rodriguez was rehired despite being charged with falsifying the police report concerning the unlawful detainment and beating of Christopher Gray. On March 8, 2012, Barsh filed a Policy of Equity (POE), a practice that prohibits discrimination against County employees on a variety of bases, on Lopezs behalf and told Captain Henry Romero about the Banditos threats and harassment. In September 2018, two deputies were knocked unconscious at a department party at an event space called Kennedy Hall, the lawsuit says. Anthony Lowe was shot and killed by Huntington Park police on Jan. 26. "They see who is eager to belong, who they can manipulate, who they can control easily," he said. She even contends that Hish manipulated her score in order to keep her from moving up in rank. The Fort Apache insignia, which depicts a riot helmet and a boot with the words Low profile and siempre una patada en los pantalones or always a swift kick in the pants, was created at the station during the Chicano Moratorium, when deputies brutalized hundreds of people gathered to protest the Vietnam War. LASD has never thoroughly investigated allegations of gang corruption, and this case is no exception, Huntsman told The Times. Granados reported this to Woodwards supervisor, Sergeant Albert Maldonado, who initially discarded the write-up. The legal action also accuses L.A. County and Sheriff Alex Villanueva of failing to eradicate the Banditos and other problem cliques, which date back decades and whose members have risen to the highest ranks of the department. Chief Bobby Denham moved to initiate a fake investigation into the attack. Donate Now I dont know who the Banditos are, Chavez, who is now a commander, said under oath in March. 4 min read. Lopez was also subjected to intimidation: Deputy Benjamin Zaredini once followed Lopez into the garage area at the East LA station. Deputies Alfred Gonzalez, Oscar Escobedo, Ariela Lemus, Art Hernandez, Mario Contreras, David Casas, Louis Granados, and Benjamin Zaredini, the latter of whom was previously accused of being a Bandito, claim to have suffered at the hands of the gang for the past four years. But eight deputies now accuse Sheriff Villanueva of allowing a violent group, the Banditos, to thrive in his department's ranks. The Banditos initially attempted to recruit some of the plaintiffs. It also alleges that the Banditos once secretly removed ammunition from another deputys shotgun. The station has been home to several deputy gangs, including the Little Devils, Cavemen, and newest addition, the Banditos. Heres everything you need to know about coyotes in Los Angeles County. Rodriguez also bragged that If [civilians] run from me, I make sure they come back with broken bones. Hector Little Listo Soto Saavedra allegedly drove around solely to attack civilians. Deputy Zaredini was allegedly left without backup for most of the summer of 2018 under the direction of Munoz, Eldemira Parra, Andrea Villa, and Claudia Perez. However, the inquiry did not examine the allegations of withholding backup, according to the complaint. The Banditos And Other LA Sheriff's Deputy Groups Are Now Being Investigated By The FBI, East LA Sheriff's Deputies File Suit Claiming Harassment, Violence By 'Banditos' Clique, Authorities ID Man Arrested In Killing Of LA Auxiliary Bishop David O'Connell As Husband Of Housekeeper, Huntington Park Police Shot, Killed Man Who Had Both Legs Amputated: What We Know So Far, LAPD Chief Bans Thin Blue Line Flag From Police Station Lobbies, Patrol Vehicles, And Uniforms, Mayor And City Council Members Express Concerns After LAPD Releases Footage Of Fatal Shootings, New LA Sheriff Says He Thinks Deputies Are Ready For A Stabilizer. After taking office in December 2018, Sheriff Alex Villanueva removed the captain and transferred numerous deputies out of the East L.A. station. Despite Gonzalezs high test performance in the Sergeants promotional exam, she was repeatedly passed over for the promotion. They have been broken up in accordance to the law, and constitutionally permissibly, he said. After Lopezs POE was filed, the harassment escalated. The refusal to provide backup created "close calls" that almost got deputies killed, according to the suit. Your tax-deductible financial support keeps our stories free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. The inspector generals new figures add to a growing body of information about the secretive groups, which have existed in the Sheriffs Department for decades. Following her complaint to Chavez, Internal Affairs opened an investigation into the matter, resulting in a two-day suspension. Deputy Louis Granados claims that his number of calls went up in 2018 after he blew the whistle on the Banditos with Deputy Zaredini. Once she rejected them, they retaliated against her. In November 2011, Deputy Andrew Hernandez, a Banditos associate, leered at Lopezs breasts in the hallway as she was leaving the womens locker room. Once she arrived at Century Station, Lopez was assigned to the Youth Activity League, which significantly impacted her career prospects, according to her lawsuit. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has repeatedly touted what he says was his first act in office in December 2018: removing the captain of East L.A. station, where a group of tattooed deputies known as the Banditos ran roughshod and dictated where deputies would be assigned. Deputies Alfred Gonzalez, Oscar Escobedo, Ariela Lemus, Art Hernandez, Mario Contreras, David Casas, Louis Granados, and Benjamin Zaredini filed an internal complaint with Los Angeles County in March of 2019. She previously covered the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, focusing on accountability stories and writing about failures by officials to comply with transparency laws. Former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka was a tattooed member of the Vikings, which a federal judge called a "neo-nazi white supremacist" group. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. In his letter, Huntsman requests that the Sheriffs Department cooperate with his investigation into the groups by providing investigative files and other documents. The pair demanded she immediately resign from her mentoring position, and she was removed the following day. When she asked Wargo what was going on, she was told that she was a trainee and to mind her business. Lieutenant Eric Simpson allegedly buried the memo under the orders of Chief Bobby Denham. The lawsuit Instead, it issued this statement: Sheriff Alex Villanueva was the first sheriff in the history of LASD to implement a strict policy prohibiting cliques and sub-cultures, and he has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to transparency and accountability.. the F.B.I. We had a captain that was gracious enough to take her in [his unit] and she just hid, says Gonzalezs attorney, Gregory Smith. According to a lawsuit filed by eight East L.A. deputies and the A.C.L.U., the Banditos gang "controls the East Los Angeles station like inmates running a prison yard." On April 10, 2013, Lopez found a dead rat underneath the drivers side door of her vehicle. On patrol, they operated in the gray areas of law enforcement. Those tactics were immortalized in a mural of the logo in the East LA Station floor. He wrote that the list is based on information gleaned from investigations conducted by the Sheriffs Department. LAPD Chief Moore also questioned officers' actions in the fatal shooting of Takar Smith, although not in two other fatal incidents. Deputy Lemus was overloaded with calls by the alleged morning Banditos shot caller, Raymond Mendoza. And as I understand it, she really would have liked to have all of those things.. Forty-seven Los Angeles County Sheriffs officials were added Monday as named defendants Will It Solve The Problem? Gray was charged and prosecuted for intentionally obstructing a law enforcement officer from performing their duties. Sgt. Gonzalez developed high blood pressure and a heart condition which led to her removal from the field. The sheriff said previously that he cracked down on the Banditos presence in East Los Angeles as one of his first acts upon being sworn in. She was also regularly sent on calls with just a few minutes left on her shift. In 2014, Gonzalez took the exam to become a Field Training Officer, and in July of that year, Master Field Training Officer Angelica Estrada assigned Gonzalez to be a mentor to new deputies. Villanueva did not respond to questions about the discrepancies. In May 2019, Contreras was denied backup by Deputies Nikolis Perez and Jonathan Rojas, both Banditos. He was elected in 2018 after running as a progressive Democrat who would reform the department. Part of A Tradition of Violence, an extensive investigation into more than five decades of abuse, terror, and murder carried out by gangs within the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Gregory Rodriguez was charged with perjury by the office of then District Attorney Jackie Lacey for lying in his report. They met with station Lt. Richard Mejia, who initiated an investigation into the Banditos gang and interviewed about 20 deputies who acknowledged the Banditos problem, according to the suit. Guadalupe Lopez started her career at LASD in 2003. Members of the gang are given special privileges, like preferred parking spaces. Gonzalez passed the exam, and Smith says she is currently a Patrol Sergeant. The lawsuit claims the department is "permeated by criminal gang culture.". The Sheriffs Department may not refuse to produce the records requested below by unilaterally declaring that no deputy sheriff is a member of a law enforcement gang, Huntsman wrote, adding that the Banditos and Executioners may fall within the states definition of such a gang. The Banditos are said to operate out of the sheriffs East L.A. station, and sport tattoos of gun-wielding skeletons wearing sombreros. Banditos also pressure deputies "to ignore constitutional protections which require there to be probable cause to stop and arrest civilians," which leads to the "planting and manufacture of evidence and other illegal acts," the complaint claims. Casas also says he received several intimidating messages from the Banditos, including demands to stop working at the station and threats of assault. The new court filing does not attach specific allegations to each new defendant. Gang culture is reinforced by older employees who reward newer recruits who subscribe to it. A CBS News investigation has uncovered allegations of gangs existing within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, possibly for decades. The suit accuses all four of being involved in the September 2018 attack on some of the plaintiffs. Once she was out, Wargo began screaming at her. At the time, then-interim Sheriff John Scott announced he would share the results of an investigation into claims of bullying by the Banditos, yet the probe has Based on the information that I have, that is incorrect. The Banditos control the East Los Angeles station "like inmates running a prison yard," the lawsuit alleges. Mejia opened an inquiry into Munoz and reported it to Lieutenant Eric Smitson and Captain Chris Perez. Deputies who are members have The other plaintiff deputies would provide assistance, despite the fact they would have to go outside of their respective areas of service. On August 23, 2012, LASD personnel descended upon the 1300 block of South Marianna Avenue in East Los Angeles. Later he was asked: To your knowledge, you were not brought in to quell the Banditos situation, correct?. She also told Lopez she would contact her on August 11 with a work schedule, which Lopez received. It says this has happened "dozens" of times over the last three years. Members have gang nicknames and use slang like ese and homes when speaking with each other. The charges were dismissed at a pre-trial hearing by the prosecutor after reviewing the cell phone video of Grays arrest. Huntsman also said LASD ignored evidence that exists to support the conclusion that the Banditos are a gang-like clique and their influence has resulted in favoritism, sexism, racism, and violence ICIB did not want to delve into the Banditos involvement.. A second investigation into the Kennedy Hall incident initiated by Sheriff Villanueva resulted in the termination of Deputies Gregory Rodriguez, David Silverio, and Sergeant Michael Hernandez, all members of the Banditos. She's Union Says It'll 'Wait And See', A Look Back At LA Sheriff Alex Villanueva's Tumultuous 4 Years, A Los Angeles Family Seeks Answers And Accountability After Black Mom Dies In Childbirth. In the message, he said that Queen FUPA, meaning Fat Upper Pussy Area, was not going to make it to work today because she was going to Hawaii. He said that Villanueva did not discuss the problems at the station with him. For the latest national news from NPR and our live radio broadcast, visit The list includes 11 deputies allegedly belonging to the Banditos and operating out of the East LA sheriff's station. The lawsuit says Banditos are given preferred parking spots at the station and collect taxes from young deputies, including through a recent fundraiser to help four of them pay for legal expenses related to these claims. Banditos prospects Rojas, Perez, and Saavedra were allegedly given membership tattoos following the shooting deaths of Vargas and Rea. 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He informed her that she would be put on loan to Century Station pending the approval of her transfer, but refused to give her a copy of the paperwork. LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. The L.A. County Sheriffs Department Inspector General has identified dozens of deputies who are allegedly members of gang-like groups that operate out of the East L.A. and Compton stations. The claim states that Captain Mejia wrote a memo in June of 2018 to the County recommending an investigation into the Banditos. But Villanueva limited the investigation into the attack at the party, saying only the actions of individual deputies would be examined -- not the Banditos as a whole. Every weekday, you'll get fresh, community-driven stories that catch you up with our independent local news. Moore allegedly reported the attack directly to Banditos shot caller Raymond Mendoza. Subgroups? The money has been used for legal fees for some defendants in the claim and vacations for Banditos members to Thailand. Munoz, Rodriguez, Silverio and Michael Hernandez were all placed on paid leave. Lopez went to Area Command to request a copy of the paperwork and discovered it had never been filed. Your tax-deductible financial support keeps our stories free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. Gonzalez said under oath that in the summer of 2013, shortly after being given the day off and mentioning plans to travel to Hawaii, she received a text message sent to a group she was in with Deputy Jose Rauno. The next day, eggs were thrown at her car and someone wrote fuck you on the rear window. The other plaintiff deputies continued to face harassment from Banditos associates. However, he was found not guilty by a jury. SEE MORE OF OUR COVERAGE ON LA'S DEPUTY GANGS: Our news is free on LAist. She was contacted by Lascono again, who told Lopez to report to work on August 11. Denham was later promoted to assistant sheriff by Sheriff Villanueva, and retired in 2019. Every weekday, you'll get fresh, community-driven stories that catch you up with our independent local news. LAist.com/radio. We are dedicated to providing independent journalism and telling the real story of LA. Attorneys representing a group of Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies who claimed to have been harassed and brutalized by the Banditos deputy gang at the East Los Angeles Station have filed a fifth amended complaint naming 17 additional associates of the group. . It says Banditos denied them backup, Granados was denied a promotion he had earned and Zaredini was stripped for a time of his position as a training officer. Lemus, Contreras, Hernandez, and Escobedo were told they could move to another gang-dominated station, or a station far from their homes. What are you going to do? On December 23, 2011, Deputy Eduardo Sanchez, another Banditos associate, swore at Lopez and demanded that she meet up with him. There were sexual implications to his request and she told him that she would not meet up with him alone. Deputies Garcia, Rodriguez, Munoz, and Silverio fled the scene in Garcias car and drove to the East LA Station. According to the complaint, Mendoza also conducted personal business while on duty and ordered her to do his work.

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