LOS ANGELES – Two former Torrance Police Department officers were charged today for vandalizing a vehicle that was spray painted with a swastika during an incident last year.
29-year-old Christopher Tomsic and Cody Weldin, 28 were charged with one felony count each of conspiracy to commit vandalism and vandalism.
Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges Thursday.
On Jan. 27, 2020, the officers were among a group of officers who had responded to a call about three men who had allegedly stolen mail from an apartment building. The officers were led to a vehicle that may have been used in the alleged crime.
The officers had the vehicle taken away to a tow yard. When the vehicle’s owner arrived to pick up his car, he found that a happy face had been spray painted on the front passenger seat and a swastika symbol on the rear seat. Other items also had been strewn throughout the vehicle.
Both officers are accused of conspiring to commit and committing the vandalism.
“Immediately upon learning of the reprehensible allegations in 2020, the Torrance Police Department opened a criminal investigation and the officers were put on leave,” said Torrance police Sgt. Mark Ponegalek. “The criminal case was delivered to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in April of 2020 with a recommendation that criminal charges be filed. The defendants do not work for the Torrance Police Department and we are cooperating to the fullest extent with prosecutors.”
“Our office is committed to uprooting discrimination within the law enforcement ranks to preserve the integrity of the criminal legal system,” District Attorney George Gascón said.
District Attorney Gascón added that hundreds of cases involving the two officers will be reviewed by his office to ensure no other alleged misconduct occurred. Any potential misdemeanor crimes would be turned over to the Torrance City Attorney.
