Dominic Garcia
SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Two married
San Diego police officers pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to commit
burglaries while armed and on duty in order to steal prescription medications
and other crimes.
Bryce Charpentier, 32, faces up
to 14 years and Jennifer Charpentier, 41, originally faced up to 11 years and
in state prison, but a judge Wednesday said each would now face a maximum
sentence of 7 years, 8 months. They are scheduled to be sentenced January 30.
Both defendants pleaded guilty
to conspiracy to commit a burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime -- possession
and sale of a controlled substance -- selling or furnishing a narcotic
substance and possession of a firearm by an addict.
Deputy District Attorney
Matthew Tag said the defendants' decision to plead guilty to all charges came
as a surprise.
"You know, police officers
are human beings just like everyone else, so they can commit crimes as well,
it's just unfortunate and it's a complete betrayal to the law enforcement
community, and I expect them to think about that in state prison," the
prosecutor told reporters outside court.
According to their guilty
pleas, the Charpentiers admitted sending text messages to each other in order
to set up burglaries in which they stole prescription drugs from people they
had contact with while on duty. The defendants also admitted stealing Hydrocodone
and selling the drug.
Jennifer Charpentier even
offered to take over a narcotics operation from a drug dealer, Tag said.
Following their court
appearance Wednesday, SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman released the following
statement:
"Effective today, November
19, 2014, Jennifer and Bryce Charpentier are no longer members of the San Diego
Police Department. Both of these individuals will have to face the consequences
of their actions, which have diminished the great work our officers do every
day to serve our City."
