An Inglewood, California police officer has been charged with trying to sell a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cocaine to a law enforcement informant, authorities announced Friday.

Officer John Abel Baca, 45, of Whittier was arrested last week after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges of distributing the drug, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.

Baca’s one-time police informant, Gerardo Ekonomo, 42, of South Los Angeles, was arrested Thursday and charged Friday with intent to distribute heroin after FBI agents found more than a kilogram of heroin and about half that much cocaine buried in his yard, prosecutors said.

A lone police car stands guard as aerial and ground firemen battle a building fire in light snow. Credit: Getty

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Baca or Ekonomo had attorneys who could speak on their behalf.

Baca is a 21-year veteran of the Inglewood department and served as its police union representative, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Baca is accused of delivering cocaine in April to a witness cooperating with law enforcement, and then delivering a kilogram of cocaine to the same person in May in exchange for $22,000 in cash.

Baca won approval five years ago for Ekonomo to work as a confidential informant but Ekonomo never conducted any operations after being signed up, according to a court filing.

If convicted, Baca could face at least five years and up to 60 years in prison. Ekonomo faces 10 years to life.

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