FIRST COPS CHARGED IN SCANDAL.

Byline: Greg Gittrich and Beth Barrett Staff Writers

A sergeant allegedly linked to several of the most heinous abuses committed by the LAPD Rampart Division and two other cops were charged with criminal misconduct Monday, the first prosecutions arising from the city's unfolding police corruption scandal.

The charges against Sgt. Edward Ortiz, Sgt. Brian Liddy and Officer Paul Harper came just two days before a criminal statute of limitations was set to expire.

Several other cops are expected to be charged within the next five weeks as county prosecutors face additional criminal filing deadlines, a top law enforcement source said.

``There can be no excuse for intentional crimes committed by police officers,'' District Attorney Gil Garcetti said during a press conference that included top brass from the Los Angeles Police Department.

The four-count felony criminal complaint alleges that Ortiz, Liddy and Harper engaged in a criminal conspiracy to file a false police report and to commit perjury to send a gang member to prison in 1996.

Ortiz, 43, and Liddy, 38, were also charged with filing a false police report, and Harper, 33, was charged with perjury. If convicted, the cops face a maximum of four years in prison for each perjury charge and three years for each charge related to falsifying a police report.

With arrest warrants issued in their names, Ortiz, Liddy and Harper turned themselves in Monday night at sheriff's stations. They were then booked and given arraignment dates, officials said.

Garcetti said his office is asking that a $75,000 bail be set for each officer.

The cops could not be reached, but their lawyers each claimed the officers are not guilty.

Attorney Paul DePasquale, who represents Liddy, said: ``I can't believe the guy is guilty of these charges.''

Harper's lawyer, Joel Isaacson, said his client will be exonerated. ``I just hope the community will keep an open mind until all the facts are in.''

Barry Levin, who represents Ortiz, said he is looking forward to clearing the sergeant's name. ``Whether or not we feel we can get a fair trial in Los Angeles is another issue.''

All charges filed Monday hinge on the allegation that a gun was planted on Allan Lobos during his April 1996 arrest.

``There was no evidence whatsoever that Mr. Lobos was carrying a weapon,'' Garcetti said. ``The criminal case . . . was completely fabricated.''

Lobos' conviction was overturned earlier this year by the Superior Court at the request of the District Attorney's Office. Lobos is in prison for an unrelated murder.

Dirty-cop-turned-key-informant Rafael Perez has told corruption task force investigators that Ortiz was a central figure in the scandal and often helped dirty cops cover up their crimes.

Ortiz was among several corrupt sergeants in the unit who knew ``everything,'' Perez charged last September, according to confidential transcripts of his sworn statements obtained by the Daily News.

Perez has charged that Ortiz once delayed reporting a shooting to help rogue cops who had planted a gun on a dying man get their story straight.

A source close to the investigation described Ortiz on Monday as a ``facilitator or enabler'' for the renegade cops.

``His purpose seemed to be to cover for officers after they'd done their stunts,'' the source said. ``He'd come in to clean things up.''

Ortiz is named in 10 civil lawsuits pending against the city. Harper and Liddy are each named in one lawsuit. The city's liability in the scandal has been estimated at $125 million.

In the Lobos case, Ortiz stands accused of knowingly signing off on a false police report doctored by Liddy and Harper, and conspiring to frame Lobos.

The report claims the cops saw Lobos remove a gun from his waistband and stash it in the front wheel-well of a parked car. The report indicates that Liddy told Perez to retrieve the gun.

But Perez has told investigators that he was searching the parking lot when another officer brought the gun to his attention.

``Officer Liddy did not direct me to that gun,'' Perez testified last October. After the weapon was recovered, Liddy falsely wrote that he had observed the suspect putting it there, Perez said.

Shortly after his arrest, Lobos told a detective he had been set up. But Lobos agreed to plead guilty in May 1996 to the weapons charge in exchange for being sentenced to one year in county jail and three years' probation.

To date, 67 felony convictions have been overturned based upon Perez's testimony and corroborating evidence.

The City Attorney's Office on Monday referred an additional 89 misdemeanor cases to the LAPD for review.

As part of a plea bargain with the county, Perez was sentenced to five years in prison on Feb. 25 for stealing eight pounds of cocaine from an LAPD evidence locker.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo: Gil Garcetti

Requesting $75,000 bail