SHERMAN OAKS—Leonard Jimmy Ramirez, 44, a former Los Angeles police detention officer who worked inside the Valley Jail Division, and William Aroutounian, 35 and his wife, Iryna McCormick 33, all pleaded guilty in court on Wednesday, October 5 for their involvement in a bail solicitation scheme.
According to a press release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, each suspect pleaded guilty to one felony count of providing information for purposes of bail solicitation. They were sentenced to 3 years of formal probation and ordered to complete 400 hours of community service by LA County Superior Court Judge David Horwitz.
The case was handled by Deputy District Attorney Rosa Alarcon from the Justice System Integrity Division. She noted Ramirez, who worked in the Van Nuys jail, gave contact information of arrestees to Aroutounian and McCormick, who owned BBB Bail Bonds Company, in exchange for receiving kickbacks.
The LAPD Professional Standards Bureau initiated an investigation after receiving a tip that Ramirez was illegally providing contact information to the couple, who would then contact family members of arrestees.
Ramirez was released from his position at the Van Nuys jail. McCormick and Aroutounian were forced to hand in their license as bail agents, Alarcon noted.
