LASD deputy charged with stealing money from driver during traffic stop in Whittier

LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy has been charged for allegedly stealing money from a driver's coin purse after a traffic stop last year in the Whittier area and then concealing the evidence and filing a false police report, District Attorney George Gascón announced Wednesday.

Jessica Lynn, 39, is set to be arraigned July 2 in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on one felony count each of filing a false police report and altering, planting or concealing evidence, along with one misdemeanor count of petty theft not exceeding $950 in value, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Lynn allegedly stopped a vehicle for excessive window tint at about 2:46 a.m. April 15, 2023, at a strip mall at 10422 Whittier Boulevard, and the driver was not in possession of a valid driver's license, according to the D.A.'s  Office.

The deputy allegedly searched the vehicle and recovered a coin purse containing money and then allegedly stole the cash before discarding the coin purse in a trash receptacle, according to prosecutors.

In a statement, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said, "The department's Internal Criminal Investigation Bureau conducted an investigation into the allegations involving our employee. Once the case was completed, it was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office -- Justice System Integrity Division for filing consideration. The employee is relieved of duty pending the outcome of the case."

"Our personnel are not above the law and must be held accountable when their actions violate the department's moral and ethical standards. We value the public's trust and expect our personnel to protect our communities with integrity and professionalism," according to the Sheriff's Department's statement.

In the statement released by the District Attorney's Office, Gascón said, "Law enforcement officers are entrusted with upholding the law and safeguarding our communities. When an individual in such a position breaches this trust, it not only undermines the integrity of the entire justice system but also jeopardizes the safety and well-being of those they are sworn to protect."

Lynn could face up to six years and two months in state prison if convicted of all of the charges, according to the D.A.'s Office.