Los Angeles, California 

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, was sentenced to 36 months of Federal Custody today along with 3 years of supervised release and a $7,500 fine by U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson, after being convicted on charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

Baca, 74, was the lead defendant along with members of his command staff in a wide ranging criminal conspiracy of inmate abuse, beatings, and corruption by sheriff's deputies working in the L.A. County Jail that led to federal convictions of several Sheriff's officials.

Baca's lawyer Nathan Hochman at sentencing requested Baca be assigned to the federal prison camp in Taft, Calif., or possibly the federal prison camp in Sheridan, Oregon.

While those prisons are generally safe places, "Baca, may still have a rough road ahead of him", said former Federal Inmate Larry Levine.

Levine who is Director and Founder of Wall Street Prison Consultants, served a 10 year sentence in federal custody at 11 different institutions on conspiracy charges relating to narcotics trafficking, securities fraud, obstruction of justice, racketeering, and possession of automatic weapons. He now assists defendants entering Federal Prison with RDAP Sentence Reductions, prison designations, and prison survival stratagies.

"What makes Baca unique", said Levine, "is those facilities are full of people (inmates) from Southern California…including gang members, who most likely served time in the L.A. County Jail system under Baca's watch, and may have been mistreated by the deputies."

"I could see someone getting in his face and maybe looking for a little payback," stated Levine. "He might have an easier time on out the East Coast like in Florida or New York where fewer inmates know who he is. He seriously needs to watch his back!"  

Both the Judge and Prosecutor made statements about Baca prior to his being sentenced.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Brandon Fox, who prosecuted Baca, told the court that Baca had, "abused the great power the citizens of Los Angeles County had given him and had recommended that Baca be sentenced to 2 years in Federal prison.

Judge Anderson who had wide latitude in sentencing Baca admonished him before sentencing and stated, "Your actions embarrass the thousands of men and women who put their lives on the line every day. They were a gross abuse of the trust the public placed in you."

Although the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines set an offense level of 22 with a sentencing range of 41 to 51 months, the judge ultimately sentenced Baca at the 36 months along with 3 years of supervised release and a $7,500 fine.

Baca who is appealing his sentence is scheduled to report surrender July 25, 2017.