LOS ANGELES — A street gang associate pleaded guilty Wednesday to her role in the robbery and killing of an off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer who was gunned down in January 2022 while house-hunting with his girlfriend.
Haylee Marie Grisham, 19, entered her plea for her part in the robbery and fatal shooting of Los Angeles Police Officer Fernando Arroyos, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The charge of violent crime in aid of racketeering carries a possible sentence of life in federal prison without the possibility of parole because the fatal shooting occurred during a robbery, prosecutors said.
U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson set sentencing for Sept. 11.
Three other defendants — all suspected gang members — face trial in July in Los Angeles federal court.
On the night of Arroyos’ death, Grisham and her co-defendants were driving around looking for someone to rob when they decided to target the victim, who was wearing gold chains around his neck, according to her plea agreement.
While committing the robbery, the three co-defendants — one of whom was Grisham’s boyfriend — killed Arroyos, the document states.
“When defendant participated in this robbery … she was a major participant and acted with reckless indifference to life,” according to the plea agreement.
Also charged with violent crime in aid of racketeering to increase and maintain position within the Latino gang based in South Los Angeles were Luis Alfredo De La Rosa “Lil J” Rios, 30; Ernesto “Gonzo” Cisneros, 23; and Jesse “Skinny Jack” Contreras, 35.
Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva indicated at the time of their arrests that he directed detectives to take the case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office because of his opposition to District Attorney George Gascón’s decision to no longer pursue sentencing enhancements in gang cases.
Those enhancements in a murder case can mean the difference between a life term with the possibility…
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