An ex-Glendale police detective who tipped off a gang member about his pending arrest and lied about his connections to the Mexican Mafia and Armenian organized crime faces a possible prison term Friday when he is sentenced on federal charges.
John Saro Balian, 46, of Seal Beach, pleaded guilty last July to felony charges of bribery, obstruction of justice and making false statements.
The ex-lawman has been in protective custody for about 10 months following his May 2018 arrest. Federal prosecutors are asking that U.S. District Judge John F. Walter sentence Balian to three years behind bars and order him to pay a $95,000 fine. A portion of the hearing in Los Angeles federal court is expected to be closed to the public.
The defendant’s attorney, Craig Missakian, wrote in court papers that his client should receive no additional time in custody and instead be ordered to complete a period of community service. The defense attorney also requested that Walter schedule an evidentiary hearing to explore the “untested claims” of an unnamed confidential informant against Balian.
According to the government’s sentencing papers, Balian, after a long career with the Glendale Police Department, “made a conscious decision to turn to a life of crime and join forces with Armenian organized crime and the Mexican Mafia,” choosing to “subvert law enforcement, place other officers at risk, and live the life of a gang member.”
Balian, a former department spokesman, was terminated from the agency following his guilty plea.
Quoting from a report prepared by U.S. probation and pretrial services, prosecutors wrote that the ex-detective functioned as “an active gang member” while wearing a badge. “He kept watch for criminals, acted on their behalf and profited from criminal activity,” according to the report.
In his plea, Balian admitted lying to investigators about his ties to Jose Loza, described as a Mexican Mafia member and shot caller for a Santa Fe Springs street gang. Loza is awaiting trial on federal racketeering charges.
In a letter to the court, Balian wrote that he was “truly sorry for what I did and for the dishonor it brought” to the law enforcement agencies he worked for. The former deputy asked that the judge allow him to speak to “police recruits and rookies” in order to “tell them my story.”
Around the time of an April 2017 interview with an FBI agent and Los Angeles police detectives, “Balian was communicating with Loza via a burner cell phone to discuss jointly undertaken criminal activities,” according to the government.
Balian also relayed inside information about planned raids at marijuana grows, instructing his contact to get rid of evidence before law enforcement executed search warrants, court papers state. He also warned Loza of a pending raid, allowing the Mexican Mafia member to escape authorities for more than a month.
A confidential informant reported that Balian was involved in various extortion plots and got rid of a gun used in a shooting, prosecutors said.
Missakian wrote to the court that his client is “deeply sorry for the offenses he committed and is eager to rebuild his life as a law-abiding citizen.”