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San Luis Police officers guilty of drug smuggling

May 3, 2010

By KAREN VELIE

CalCoastNews has learned that two San Luis Obispo police officers have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of bringing misbranded Mexican prescription drugs into the United States at the San Ysidro port of entry south of San Diego.

The officers, Dan McDow and Armando Limon, pleaded guilty to the misdemeanors in exchange for no jail time and a year of unsupervised probation, according to court documents obtained by CalCoastNews.

Last Sept. 15, the two officers were stopped and detained while reentering the U.S. from the Mexican border town of Tijuana, said Lauren Mack, spokesperson for Immigration and Customs in San Diego.

The officers were attempting to bring more than 800 pills, including both uppers and diet pills, into the United States. Neither officer had prescriptions for the Spanish labeled drugs.

McDow and Limon were placed on paid leave on Sept. 16 after the city learned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were investigating them.  The officers earned more than $150,000 during the investigation.

As of March 11 of this year, Limon had received $75,393 in total pay and benefits and, for McDow, that amounts to $75,817. The officers remain on paid administrative leave.

Update: This story has been updated to include some drug types as well as the quantity of pills.


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Well there are probably few non-criminals with more reservations about the way folks can be twisted with the power a badge brings. Combine that with only dealing with mostly the “underbelly” of society and these folks (cops in general) must have a hard time keeping their heads straight. It would be nice to know what drugs were being “transported” across our border. Frankly I doubt if they had taken their wife’s sleeping aid, for a Mexican fishing trip, in a bottles that had their own names on them, that they would be being prosecuted to the degree that they are. Why are the details hidden? Any other criminal would have their booking photos published and full details. PRINT THE DETAILS!


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Congratulation to CCN for another fine job of investigative reporting. It makes me sick to think that the drug smuggling by local officers was actually true.


I wonder what happened to all of the supporters of McDow and Limon when the story originally broke saying how untrue the claim was? They sure stomped on all of those who dared to say anything against their brothers.


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There has to be a cover up for these two rogue cops to be able to get back on the streets with only a mild finger wagging. This STINKS! BAD!! REAL BAD!!!


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And another thing. They have been on paid leave since Sept, that’s about 8 months ago. They cost us 150 k so far, which means they must cost us about 140k or so per year, each. Is that what our cops are costing us? Christ, we can’t afford that. Here in Camelot there just isn’t much for them to do, I think we should take a look at all this.


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Let me get this right. We are paying for these corrupt police officers to continue to get paid while there is a shortage of almost 5% in lost revenue for the city of San Luis. Why is this happening? Let’s fire them and let them find jobs like anyone else in the private sector. These people should be upholding the law!!! We are allowing corruption.


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Bloody amazing. Could be the drugs were not a big deal but they were smuggling. So we are out 150k as of now and more coming, then they go back to work as if nothing happened. Compare to a kid busted in Texas (or Pozo) for a joint or two and does serious time with outrageous attorney fees. Guess the message is clear, those who should be held to a higher standard are held to almost nothing. Terrific…


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There is no way these guys are going to be released back on our streets to protect and serve. They have collected all the income from the public coffers that they are ever going to collect from my tax dollars. So “help me GOD” they will not be back on our streets to serve on my behalf and I will gather my church group to picket the BOS the City Council and Linden if that ever happens, so help me.


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Dog I am 100% in your corner on this one. Astounding that just weeks ago we had Pozo like you mentioned and these assholes get a free ride? Somebody pinch me I have got to be dreaming!!


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I think many of us would agree on many things if a bit of time was set aside for rational debate. This issue is pretty easy, I can only think Linden and others must be bound by some inane agreements or government codes. If I had been chief (and free to act) this would have been wrapped up in a week and with this outcome these two guys would have been fired and docked enough wages to pay for the investigation. Somehow WE are being penalized for their behavior, what a world!!!

According to the radio show today they had at least two types of speed, plus other stuff. Frankly I don’t really care if someone has a little speed but for cops to be smuggling it over the border, and maybe for sale, that isn’t cool at all.


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First, we have paid over 150K to public servants that have been sooooooooo guilty that they plead GUILTY. Are you going to tell me that Linden didn’t know that ICE busted these guys for something real? I agree that there is innocent until proven guilty but hey, these guy’s were “cops” and got themselves busted! They know every trick in the book to getting around this stuff and I just want to know why did we have to pay them or at least couldn’t we agree that if they were guilty that they have to pay us back? This has been going on for how long?

Second, I sure would like to know what they had and how much? They plead to a misdemeanor, is it really a misdemeanor or a plea deal? Well of course it was a plea deal, was it really a misdemeanor?

BTW – To all you folks that used to tell us all how wonderful these guys are and how they are sooooooooo innocent, THEY PLEAD GUILTY!! Wonder what they don’t want us all to know? McDow and Limon- YOUR FIRED.


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Many people plead guilty who are in fact innocent, happens everyday.


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It is ironic that you would call yourself ThomasPaine and be defending institutional corruption.


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Call it by name, plea bargain game , you must lie to play, including judges, onlookers everyone involved lies ,Mr Paine is correct, happens everyday.


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One years unsupervised probation and $75,000 a piece, I’d plead guilty for 10 grand.


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I can’t imagine Linden would welcome them back with open arms. I don’t care how you spin this, they have got to go or the integrity of the department is shattered.


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I agree with you and I would think that common sence would dictate that LInden would be out of her mind to bring them back but oh wait a minute it is LINDEN. To risky to bet that she won’t.


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What were the drugs? Narcotic pain killers are one thing Viagra would be another…

I would assume pleading guilty to misdemeanor drug trafficking would mean being fired as a cop too. But there are procedures for doing such things that must be followed.


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If they lived in section 8 government housing, they would get kicked out. If they were getting a student loan they may be denied. Background check for employment, drug arrests are a big negative. Best to put them back to work arresting folks for drugs, and making those people’s lives miserable for a living. *sarcasm*


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Why are they not fired immediately? Why do we have to pay them to do nothing?


Law enforcement should be held to a higher standard. Let’s put a new ordinance on the books that requires all law enforcement agents to be randomly drug tested!


Cheers!


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