A former Redondo Beach police officer once honored for bravery has been charged with tipping a Torrance policeman that narcotics investigators were about to raid a house where the policeman allegedly had gone to buy drugs, prosecutors said Monday.
Christopher Sabosky, 33, allegedly sent a text message to Torrance Officer Jeff Grau when he recognized Grau as he and a South Bay police task force prepared to serve a search warrant in El Segundo in 2010, prosecutors said.
Grau, a former UCLA Bruin tight end who played briefly for the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, drove up and walked inside the house. Grau reportedly had a drug problem and was at the house to purchase narcotics, prosecutors and police said.
Sabosky’s attorney, Bill Seki, denied the allegations against his client and said he will be exonerated.
“Officer Sabosky looks forward to the opportunity to get his side of the story out. Definitely you’ll see it is not as the charges appear to be,” Seki said.
“In no way, shape or form would he ever knowingly compromise any investigation that was ongoing based upon his experience working that task force and his commitment to the task force. He knew the seriousness of everything they did.”
Sabosky’s alleged crime occurred Dec. 16, 2010, as Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and El Segundo police detectives prepared to raid a suspected drug house in the 600 block of Sheldon Street in El Segundo, prosecutors said.
As detectives conducted a stakeout, a GMC Yukon pulled up about 1:30 p.m. and a man went inside the house.
Police checked the license plate number and found it was registered to Grau, a Torrance police officer.
“Before officers could enter the residence, the complaint alleges Sabosky texted Grau, who was a friend of his, that police were about to search the house,” said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office. “Sabosky also allegedly called Grau as Grau was fleeing the scene.”
Grau tried to leave without buying drugs, but was detained. Prosecutors allege Sabosky tried to “influence another officer into not detaining Grau.”
Officer plans appeal
Redondo Beach Police Chief Joe Leonardi said El Segundo police notified his department about Sabosky in January 2011. Redondo Beach police officials assigned Sabosky to station duties while conducting an administrative investigation.
“Christopher Sabosky is no longer employed by the city of Redondo Beach,” Leonardi said. “We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards of the police service in the Redondo Beach Police Department. This was an isolated incident.”
Sabosky, who worked for the department for about 10 years, plans to appeal his dismissal, Seki said.
The District Attorney’s Office charged Sabosky last week with felony counts of revealing warrant information prior to execution of a search or arrest warrant, and conspiracy to commit an act injurious to the public.
Sabosky was ordered to appear Monday for arraignment in Superior Court in downtown Los Angeles. He pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. He must return Feb. 14.
According to the criminal complaint filed against him, prosecutors allege Sabosky called and texted Grau before the warrant was served, failed to tell his fellow officers he had done so, called Grau as he fled and tried to influence another officer to let him go.
“The crime itself speaks for itself,” El Segundo police Capt. Brian Evanski said. “He notified somebody inside the house prior to the warrant being served. That could be dangerous. That is letting people know a warrant is about to be served at that location.”
After the warrant was served, police arrested Sandor Arpad Palfi, 46. Records show Palfi, who is registered to vote at the residence, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a methamphetamine pipe, possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of dronabinol, a drug used to prevent nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.
Palfi ultimately pleaded no contest to maintaining a place for selling, giving or using a controlled substance and was sentenced on March 22 to three years’ supervised probation and ordered to perform 45 days of community service, District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said.
Heroic acts remembered
Prosecutors said Redondo Beach police fired Sabosky on Jan. 24, ending 10 years on the force that included a Distinguished Service Medal in 2005 at the South Bay Medal of Valor luncheon.
Sabosky was honored for coming under attack Jan. 7, 2004, when he checked two suspicious men on a Redondo Beach street. One of the men, Matthew Ryan Bickel, 26, was shooting at him.
Sabosky fired back and took cover behind trash cans, ducking and diving for safety, and then throwing trash cans at Bickel when his own gun jammed.
Bullets missed Sabosky, and Bickel escaped. Torrance officers killed Bickel later that day in a confrontation on Prairie Avenue.
“I never go to work thinking I’m going to get a medal,” Sabosky said. “It’s just icing on the cake. It’s a thankless job, but any time they honor you for something that’s admirable, it’s great.”
Grau, who was briefly detained at the scene, was not charged, prosecutors said. He did not have any narcotics on him, they said.
Torrance police Sgt. Steven Jenkinson said his department was made aware of the allegations involving Grau in December 2010. The department conducted an internal administrative investigation while El Segundo police conducted the criminal investigation.
“Mr. Grau separated service with the Torrance Police Department on Oct. 7, 2011,” Jenkinson said. “He no longer works here.”
Jenkinson, citing privacy issues related to police officers, declined to say whether the 32-year-old was fired or resigned.
Christopher Sabosky, 33, allegedly sent a text message to Torrance Officer Jeff Grau when he recognized Grau as he and a South Bay police task force prepared to serve a search warrant in El Segundo in 2010, prosecutors said.
Grau, a former UCLA Bruin tight end who played briefly for the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, drove up and walked inside the house. Grau reportedly had a drug problem and was at the house to purchase narcotics, prosecutors and police said.
Sabosky’s attorney, Bill Seki, denied the allegations against his client and said he will be exonerated.
“Officer Sabosky looks forward to the opportunity to get his side of the story out. Definitely you’ll see it is not as the charges appear to be,” Seki said.
“In no way, shape or form would he ever knowingly compromise any investigation that was ongoing based upon his experience working that task force and his commitment to the task force. He knew the seriousness of everything they did.”
Sabosky’s alleged crime occurred Dec. 16, 2010, as Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and El Segundo police detectives prepared to raid a suspected drug house in the 600 block of Sheldon Street in El Segundo, prosecutors said.
As detectives conducted a stakeout, a GMC Yukon pulled up about 1:30 p.m. and a man went inside the house.
Police checked the license plate number and found it was registered to Grau, a Torrance police officer.
“Before officers could enter the residence, the complaint alleges Sabosky texted Grau, who was a friend of his, that police were about to search the house,” said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office. “Sabosky also allegedly called Grau as Grau was fleeing the scene.”
Grau tried to leave without buying drugs, but was detained. Prosecutors allege Sabosky tried to “influence another officer into not detaining Grau.”
Officer plans appeal
Redondo Beach Police Chief Joe Leonardi said El Segundo police notified his department about Sabosky in January 2011. Redondo Beach police officials assigned Sabosky to station duties while conducting an administrative investigation.
“Christopher Sabosky is no longer employed by the city of Redondo Beach,” Leonardi said. “We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards of the police service in the Redondo Beach Police Department. This was an isolated incident.”
Sabosky, who worked for the department for about 10 years, plans to appeal his dismissal, Seki said.
The District Attorney’s Office charged Sabosky last week with felony counts of revealing warrant information prior to execution of a search or arrest warrant, and conspiracy to commit an act injurious to the public.
Sabosky was ordered to appear Monday for arraignment in Superior Court in downtown Los Angeles. He pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. He must return Feb. 14.
According to the criminal complaint filed against him, prosecutors allege Sabosky called and texted Grau before the warrant was served, failed to tell his fellow officers he had done so, called Grau as he fled and tried to influence another officer to let him go.
“The crime itself speaks for itself,” El Segundo police Capt. Brian Evanski said. “He notified somebody inside the house prior to the warrant being served. That could be dangerous. That is letting people know a warrant is about to be served at that location.”
After the warrant was served, police arrested Sandor Arpad Palfi, 46. Records show Palfi, who is registered to vote at the residence, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a methamphetamine pipe, possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of dronabinol, a drug used to prevent nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.
Palfi ultimately pleaded no contest to maintaining a place for selling, giving or using a controlled substance and was sentenced on March 22 to three years’ supervised probation and ordered to perform 45 days of community service, District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said.
Heroic acts remembered
Prosecutors said Redondo Beach police fired Sabosky on Jan. 24, ending 10 years on the force that included a Distinguished Service Medal in 2005 at the South Bay Medal of Valor luncheon.
Sabosky was honored for coming under attack Jan. 7, 2004, when he checked two suspicious men on a Redondo Beach street. One of the men, Matthew Ryan Bickel, 26, was shooting at him.
Sabosky fired back and took cover behind trash cans, ducking and diving for safety, and then throwing trash cans at Bickel when his own gun jammed.
Bullets missed Sabosky, and Bickel escaped. Torrance officers killed Bickel later that day in a confrontation on Prairie Avenue.
“I never go to work thinking I’m going to get a medal,” Sabosky said. “It’s just icing on the cake. It’s a thankless job, but any time they honor you for something that’s admirable, it’s great.”
Grau, who was briefly detained at the scene, was not charged, prosecutors said. He did not have any narcotics on him, they said.
Torrance police Sgt. Steven Jenkinson said his department was made aware of the allegations involving Grau in December 2010. The department conducted an internal administrative investigation while El Segundo police conducted the criminal investigation.
“Mr. Grau separated service with the Torrance Police Department on Oct. 7, 2011,” Jenkinson said. “He no longer works here.”
Jenkinson, citing privacy issues related to police officers, declined to say whether the 32-year-old was fired or resigned.
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