Glendale cop tied to Mexican Mafia and Armenian organized crime

[The Greek]

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-m ... story.html


Glendale cop tied to Mexican Mafia and Armenian organized crime, federal officials say

A Glendale police detective was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of lying to federal investigators to hide ties and collaborations with the Mexican Mafia and Armenian organized crime in Southern California, authorities said.
John Saro Balian, a 45-year-old narcotics detective who had previously served as the department spokesman, is suspected of obstructing justice by tipping off gangsters about impending raids, providing false and misleading statements to federal agents and accepting a bribe, according to an affidavit supporting the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court.


"Mr. Balian moved in criminal circles and operated as though he was above the law by repeatedly lying to hide his criminal activity and that of others," Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, said in a statement. "His alleged actions impeded legitimate investigations into organized violent crime and consequently presented a threat to public safety."
Balian was identified as a person of interest in an FBI investigation and was interviewed several times.
The allegations listed in the affidavit largely come from confidential informants who described a series of interactions with Balian — who was known as "Saro" — dating from at least 2015. One informant met with Balian up to 15 times that year and occasionally saw him wearing a badge and a gun.
The informant was involved in stealing more than a dozen high-value cars for Balian and someone else, the filing said. The informant would allegedly leave the keys inside the car and park it on a designated street, where someone would pick it up, presumably to sell outside the U.S.
The informant also described being involved in attempting to extort marijuana dispensaries. If the informant and his associates were unsuccessful, they would send Balian and the police to "hit" the dispensaries, the filing said.
The informant said Balian also used a burner cellphone to call Armenian criminals before police would execute search warrants, according to the filing.
In one case, another informant described a situation in which Balian offered a tip about an FBI gang sweep, allowing a top target of the Mexican Mafia to flee before agents arrived the next morning.
"Tell your boy Bouncer that he's the No. 1 on the list for tomorrow," Balian warned, according to the affidavit.
The next morning when agents arrived, the target was gone. It took agents another month to arrest him.
During a search of a third informant's home, investigators found handwritten notes referencing "Saro" and possible cocaine shipments from Mexico. Balian's role in this is unknown.
Federal investigators first interviewed Balian in April of last year. He told them he was an expert on the Mexican Mafia when he worked for the Montebello Police Department, so he used to "stay on top of all these guys."
An FBI spokeswoman said authorities were searching Balian's Seal Beach home Tuesday afternoon. Investigators were looking for evidence of racketeering, interference with commerce by robbery or extortion, and bribery, according to the affidavit.
Balian was one of five Armenian American officers who sued Glendale in 2010, alleging discrimination, retaliation and harassment. The city eventually agreed to settle the case, paying $7,500 in Balian's attorney's fees, and depositing 250 hours of sick time and 50 hours of vacation time into his leave bank.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

[Nicholas]

I never thought a story from my local paper back home (Seal Beach), would pop up on the Black Hand...