LASD deputy arrested in Castaic jail drug probe

A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy was arrested in connection with a probe into the smuggling of drugs into the county jail complex in Castaic, according to officials and media reports Tuesday.

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The sheriff's department issued a statement confirming only that an unidentified employee had been arrested.

"The department's Internal Criminal Investigation Bureau initiated an investigation into allegations involving an employee," according to the department. "We arrested the employee on April 30th for felony charges. The employee is relieved of duty pending the outcome of the case."

Although the department did not identify the employee, various media reports Tuesday identified him as 39-year-old Michael Meiser. Jail records show Meiser was arrested April 30 and booked early May 1, although it was unclear what he was booked for.

Jail records did not provide any information about his release.

According to reports by the Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles Public Press, Meiser was assigned to the department's Operation Safe Jails anti-gang unit at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic, and he was arrested for allegedly smuggling narcotics in the jail. The LA Public Press reported that he was caught with drugs and cash during a surveillance sting.

Both outlets said Meisner's arrest was part of a larger, ongoing investigation into the activities of the Operation Safe Jails unit.

In a statement to The Times Tuesday afternoon, Richard Pippin, president of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, said the union is "aware that there is a criminal investigation underway regarding one or more employees working in our jails."

"All law enforcement professionals are rightfully held to a high standard both on and off duty," Pippin told the paper. "ALADS will wait until we have access to all the information yielded by the investigation before commenting further."

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