Paul Tanaka Explained

Paul K. Tanaka
Office:Undersheriff of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Term Start:June 2011
Term End:August 1, 2013
Predecessor:Larry L Waldie
Office2:Assistant Sheriff of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Term Start2:January 7, 2005
Term End2:June 2011
Alongside2:R. Doyle Campbell
Successor2:Marvin O. Cavanaugh and Cecil W. Rhambo
Office3:Mayor Pro Tem of Gardena
Term Start3:March 2003
Term End3:April 2004
Office4:Mayor of Gardena
Term Start4:March 2005
Term End4:April 2016
Blank1:Criminal status
Data1:Released
Blank2:Conviction(s)
Data2:Conspiracy, obstruction of justice
Blank3:Penalty
Data3:5 years in federal prison
Birth Place:Gardena, California, U.S.
Alma Mater:Loyola Marymount University (B.A. Accounting)
Spouse:Valerie Tanaka
Website:

Paul K. Tanaka (born 1959) is an American convicted felon, former politician, and former law enforcement officer who served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department until his conviction in 2016. He was convicted April 4, 2016, in Federal Court of conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice. Tanaka served as Undersheriff of Los Angeles County from 2011 to 2013. He was also mayor of the City of Gardena, California. His tenure has provoked controversy due to allegations of violence, corruption, and alleged membership in the Lynwood Vikings, a deputy gang, which was described as a "neo-Nazi, white supremacist gang" by a federal judge.

Personal life

Tanaka was born at the Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles.[1] At the age of 7, he and his family moved to Gardena, where he lived for 47 years.[1]

Tanaka received an accounting degree from Loyola Marymount University and was also a Certified Public Accountant.[2] He served as Chief Financial Officer for the Go For Broke Foundation and the East West Players, and served on the board of the Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law.

Tanaka was married to Valerie Tanaka, with whom he has 2 children.[2]

Elected official

Tanaka was active in local government since his election to the Gardena city council in March 1999. In March 2005, he was elected mayor with 62% of the vote.[3] He was re-elected to a second term in 2009.[3] [4]

Law enforcement

A career law enforcement officer, Tanaka initially joined the El Segundo police department in 1980. Transferring to the LA County Sheriff's Department (LASD) two years later, he rose through the ranks, earning his stripes in 1987, and making lieutenant in 1991. Tanaka then rose from lieutenant to captain in 1999, commander in 2001 and chief in 2002.[5] From January 7, 2005, to June 2011, he was an assistant sheriff.[6] He is the first Japanese American in the position.

He has been criticized for his affiliation with the Lynwood Vikings, a secret police organization, brought to light amidst police misconduct litigation in 1990, which a federal judge described as a "neo-Nazi, white supremacist gang." Tanaka is of Japanese descent.[7] Sheriff Lee Baca acknowledged Tanaka still has a tattoo related to the group.[8] [9] Tanaka was tattooed as a member of the Vikings deputy gang in 1987, while serving as a sergeant at the Lynwood station.[10]

On March 7, 1988, Tanaka was involved in a controversial killing of a Korean American in Long Beach, sparking outrage among Korean American community leaders. Hong Pyo Lee was shot and killed by Tanaka and four other deputies following a car chase. The deputies said Lee tried to run them over. The deputies were later found to have been justified in shooting by the district attorney’s office.[11]

Los Angeles County Undersheriff (2011-2013)

Tanaka was appointed Undersheriff, the second-in-command at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in June 2011 by Sheriff Lee Baca.[12] During his 2-year term as Undersheriff, the Department was dogged with several controversies. He announced his resignation on March 6, 2013.[13] [14]

Controversies

On October 18, 2011, at a Board meeting, Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Mark Ridley-Thomas held a motion to create a Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence with the mandate of reviewing the nature, depth and cause of Sheriff’s deputies’ inappropriate use of excessive force in County jails and to recommend corrective actions.[15] In early 2011, the FBI launched an undercover probe at the Men's Central Jail, to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse.[16] [17] The U.S. Department of Justice's civil rights division also launched a wide-scale pattern and practice investigation into allegations that Antelope Valley deputies discriminated against minority residents who receive government housing assistance.[18]

During Tanaka's tenure as Undersheriff, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Sheriff Lee Baca and top commanders, including Tanaka, for perpetuating a long-standing, widespread pattern of violence by deputies against inmates in the county jails.[19]

In September 2012, the Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence issued a final report that is very critical of the Sheriff Department’s management, including Baca, Tanaka and other executive-level staff, accusing them of fostering a culture in which deputies beat and humiliated inmates, covered up misconduct and formed aggressive deputy cliques in the county jails. Tanaka was in charge of the Department's Patrol Division and its budget.[20] [21] [22] The report also called for the removal of Tanaka from the chain of command supervising the jail system, for statements that Tanaka had delivered, indicating that deputies could use excessive force against prisoners and that aggressive behavior would not result in discipline.[22] The report also noted that Tanaka had accepted campaign contributions from many department employees, furthering perceptions of patronage and favoritism in promotion and assignment decisions.[22]

On March 6, 2013, Tanaka announced that he would retire as the Undersheriff, effective August 1, 2013, during an ongoing federal probe conducted by the FBI into widespread allegations of abuse, misconduct and mismanagement in County jails.[23] Although his decision to resign was portrayed as being under his volition, Baca told Tanaka to step down because Tanaka had become a political liability.[24]

Plot to hide informant

The plot to derail the federal investigation of the LASD supposedly began in August 2011, when sheriff's deputies retrieved a mobile phone from an inmate at Men’s Central Jail and were able to connect the phone to the FBI. Discovering that the inmate-turned-FBI informant was Anthony Brown, deputies had purposely hidden Brown from his FBI handlers, by moving him around different jails and changing Brown's name.

Criminal charges

On May 13, 2015, Tanaka was indicted on federal conspiracy and obstruction charges in the ongoing Los Angeles County Men's Jail corruptions investigation.[25] Tanaka was the eighth LASD official to be criminally charged based on actions taken in the summer of 2011.

Conviction

On April 6, 2016, Tanaka was convicted on conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges by a federal jury in a case presided over by U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson.[26] "The criminal charges centered on allegations that in 2011 Tanaka orchestrated a scheme to derail the FBI's jail investigation by intimidating the lead agent in the case, pressuring deputies not to cooperate and concealing the whereabouts of an inmate who was working as a federal informant."[27] As a result, Councilman Mark E. Henderson was appointed Mayor Pro Tem and served as acting Mayor of Gardena until the March 2017 election.[28]

Sentencing

On June 27, 2016, Tanaka was sentenced to five years in prison, for civil rights abuses inside the nation's largest urban jail system. He was also sentenced to serve two years of supervised release after he is discharged from prison and pay a $7,500 fine. He faced a maximum of 15 years in federal prison.[29] Tanaka planned to file a motion to sidestep his August 1 jail surrender deadline, and remain out on bail while he appealed his conviction. He surrendered Monday, January 16, 2017, to federal authorities in Colorado, to begin serving the prison sentence at a minimum-security camp in Englewood, Colorado.[30] He was released on April 19, 2021.

2014 Sheriff's campaign

On August 15, 2013, Tanaka announced his candidacy to unseat his former boss, Lee Baca, as the sheriff in the 2014 election.[31] [32] Tanaka lost the election to Jim McDonnell, McDonnell received 49.4 percent of the vote and Tanaka received 15.1 percent to come in second.[33]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Mayor of Gardena Wins a Second Term. Simmonds. Yussuf. 5 March 2009. Los Angeles Sentinel. 11 September 2012. 5 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140905202555/http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6493:mayor-of-gardena-wins-a-second-term&catid=83&Itemid=173. live.
  2. Web site: PAUL TANAKA, UNDERSHERIFF. https://web.archive.org/web/20100517035310/http://www.lasdhq.org/aboutlasd/execs.html#tanaka. dead. 17 May 2010. LASD Executive Photos & Bios. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. 11 September 2012.
  3. Web site: Mayor Tanaka . Elected Officials . City of Gardena . 11 September 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120904055509/http://www.ci.gardena.ca.us/councilmemberTanaka.html . 4 September 2012 .
  4. News: Election 2017: Rachel Johnson takes razor-thin Gardena mayoral victory; two newcomers top City Council field. The Daily Breeze. Sandy. Mazza. Cynthia. Washicko. March 7, 2017. 12 March 2017. 10 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170310175711/http://www.dailybreeze.com/government-and-politics/20170307/election-2017-rachel-johnson-takes-razor-thin-gardena-mayoral-victory-two-newcomers-top-city-council-field. live.
  5. https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/324350411.html?dids=324350411:324350411&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+14%2C+2003&author=Sue+Fox&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=County+Facing+Cuts+to+Budget%3B+After+forecasting+a+shortfall+of+%24205+million+in+the+general+fund%2C+the+top+official+today+will+introduce+a+plan+for+a+leaner+2003-04.&pqatl=google "County Facing Cuts to Budget; After forecasting a shortfall of $205 million in the general fund, the top official today will introduce a plan for a leaner 2003-04"
  6. Web site: PAUL K. TANAKA PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT SHERIFF. https://web.archive.org/web/20131111194126/http://www.lasdhq.org/releases/4a-promo-tanaka.htm. dead. 11 November 2013. 7 January 2005. Press Releases. Los Angeles County Sheriff. 11 September 2012.
  7. Book: Sullivan. Rob. Street Level: Los Angeles in the Twenty-First Century. 2014. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. 23–4.
  8. News: Secret clique in L.A. County sheriff's gang unit probed. 2012-04-20. Los Angeles Times. 2012-04-20. 2012-04-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20120420065043/http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sheriff-clique-20120420,0,663420.story. live.
  9. News: Tattoo in sheriff's deputy clique may have celebrated shootings, sources say. Faturechi. Robert. 9 May 2012. Los Angeles Times. 11 September 2012. 26 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120626222350/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/09/local/la-me-sheriff-clique-20120510. live.
  10. News: The Secret Society Among Lawmen. https://web.archive.org/web/20131111003319/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/mar/24/news/mn-20461/2. dead. 11 November 2013. O'Connor. Anne-Marie. Tina Daunt. 24 March 1999. Los Angeles Times. 11 September 2012.
  11. News: Cries of Bias Follow Death of Korean at Hands of Law. Arax. Mark. 17 March 1988. Los Angeles Times. 11 September 2012. 13 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220413214810/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-17-me-1723-story.html?_amp=true. live.
  12. Web site: Paul Tanaka Appointed to Undersheriff . June 2011 . Sheriff's Department . County of Los Angeles . 13 September 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023434/http://sheriff.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/lasd/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3hLAwMDd3-nYCN3M19LA0_nEDPvMJMAQ39jA_2CbEdFAFVdgp4!/?current=true&urile=wcm%3Apath%3A%2Flasd+content%2Flasd+site%2Fhome%2Fhome+top+stories%2Ftanaka_promotion . 4 March 2016 .
  13. News: Leonard. Jack. L.A. County sheriff's No. 2 leader to quit. 12 September 2013. Los Angeles Times. 6 March 2013. Robert Faturechi. 13 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220413214812/https://www.latimes.com/archives. live.
  14. Web site: Downfall . Los Angeles Magazine . February 26, 2014 . May 3, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140503224259/http://www.lamag.com/features/2014/02/26/downfall/ . May 3, 2014 . dead .
  15. Web site: Motion by Supervisors Yaroslavsky and Ridley-Thomas. Board of Supervisors. County of Los Angeles. 12 September 2013. 18 October 2011. 27 December 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121227113528/http://ccjv.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Board-Motion-Amendment-10-18-11_1.pdf. live.
  16. News: Sheriff Baca meets with feds over FBI jails investigation. Hayes. Rob. 27 September 2011. Los Angeles Times. 13 September 2013. 14 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140214002234/http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news%2Flocal%2Flos_angeles&id=8370641. live.
  17. News: FBI probing reports of beatings in L.A. County jails. Faturechi. Robert. 25 September 2011. Los Angeles Times. 13 September 2013. 14 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130914145617/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/25/local/la-me-fbi-jails-20110925. live.
  18. News: L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca gives details of FBI sting. Faturechi. Robert. 29 September 2011. Los Angeles Times. 13 September 2013. 14 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130914145654/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/29/local/la-me-baca-jails-20110929. dead.
  19. Web site: ACLU Lawsuit Charges Los Angeles County Sheriff with Condoning Pattern of Deputy-on-Inmate Violence. 18 January 2012. American Civil Liberties Union. 13 September 2013. 14 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130914082321/https://www.aclu.org/prisoners-rights/aclu-lawsuit-charges-los-angeles-county-sheriff-condoning-pattern-deputy-inmate. live.
  20. News: Tanaka. Paul. Tanaka answers critics. March 25, 2014. Los Cerritos News. February 28, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140228024658/http://www.loscerritosnews.net/2014/02/27/exclusive-l-a-county-sheriff-candidate-paul-tanaka-answers-critics/. live.
  21. News: Stoltze. Frank. LA jail violence commission turns attention to undersheriff Paul Tanaka. 12 September 2013. KPCC. 26 July 2012. 22 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222065847/http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/07/26/33466/la-jail-violence-panel-turns-attention-undersherif/. live.
  22. Web site: Report of the Citizens' Commission on Jail Violence. Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence. County of Los Angeles. 12 September 2013. September 2012. 27 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131127142253/http://ccjv.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/CCJV-Report.pdf. live.
  23. Web site: Press Release – Undersheriff Retires . Sheriff’s Department . County of Los Angeles . 12 September 2013 . 6 March 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130704151917/http://sheriff.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/lasd/!ut/p/b1/04_Sj7QwNzM2MzA3M9GP0I_KSyzLTE8syczPS8wB8aPM4i0MIMDI3czTzcDT393TLcDY3MggCKQhEqjAAAdwNCCkP1w_Cq8SJ3OoAjxW-Hnk56bq50blWHrqOioCAPLZWiM!/?1dmy&page=dept.lac.lasd.home.newsroom.detail.hidden&urile=wcm%3Apath%3A%2Flasd+content%2Flasd+site%2Fhome%2Fhome+top+stories%2Ftanaka_retires_ . 4 July 2013.
  24. News: Faturechi. Robert. Baca told aide to retire. 12 September 2013. Los Angeles Times. 25 March 2013. Jack Leonard. 6 February 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160206010641/http://articles.latimes.com/print/2013/mar/25/local/la-me-baca-tanaka-20130325. live.
  25. News: LASD's Paul Tanaka, Tom Carey indicted for obstructing FBI investigation. Bartley. Lisa. ABC7. May 13, 2015. May 19, 2015. May 21, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150521013215/http://abc7.com/news/lasds-paul-tanaka-tom-carey-indicted-for-obstructing-fbi-investigation/721297/. live.
  26. Web site: Ex-Undersheriff Tanaka Convicted on Conspiracy and Obstruction Charges. LAist. 8 April 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160515184238/http://laist.com/2016/04/06/tanaka_conviction.php. 15 May 2016.
  27. Web site: Tanaka convicted on conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges. Los Angeles Times. 6 April 2016. 16 April 2020. 22 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200422080321/https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-tanaka-trial-20160405-story.html. live.
  28. Web site: Councilmember Mark E.Henderson ed. D. 2017-04-05. 2017-05-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20170521060245/http://www2.cityofgardena.org/elected-officials-coucilmember-henderson/. live.
  29. News: City News Service. Former Undersheriff Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison. June 28, 2016. NBCUniversal Media, LLC. June 27, 2016. June 28, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160628133510/http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Paul-Tanaka-Ex-LA-County-Undersheriff-Sentenced-Corruption-Trial--384542181.html. live.
  30. Web site: Los Angeles Times . . 17 January 2017 . 2020-04-16 . 2020-06-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200626214322/https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-tanaka-surrenders-20170116-story.html . live .
  31. News: Faturechi. Robert. Ousted top aide to challenge Sheriff Lee Baca. 12 September 2013. Los Angeles Times. 14 August 2013. Seema Mehta. 13 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220413214811/https://www.latimes.com/archives. live.
  32. News: Villacorte. Christina. L.A. Sheriff's former #2 man, Paul Tanaka, vies for top job. 12 September 2013. Los Angeles Daily News. 15 August 2013. 17 November 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151117023458/http://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20130815/la-sheriffs-former-2-man-paul-tanaka-vies-for-top-job. live.
  33. News: Orlov. Rick. Election 2014: Jim McDonnell defeats Paul Tanaka to become Los Angeles County Sheriff. 28 June 2016. LA Daily News. November 14, 2014. 2 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161002171613/http://www.dailynews.com/government-and-politics/20141104/election-2014-jim-mcdonnell-defeats-paul-tanaka-to-become-los-angeles-county-sheriff. live.

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