Man who posed as officer to steal pot makes plea deal

Pita is said to have told the victim his home would be raided later that day and directed him to give him all the marijuana he had and he would keep it for the victim. Pita allegedly told the victim he knew the man’s cousin and wanted to help him out because he’s a good guy, according to prosecutors.

Believing Pita, the victim allegedly gave him a half pound of marijuana, $1,500 in cash and a 9 mm Beretta handgun he purchased for $1,200 off the street. Four days later, when Pita didn’t return with the items, the victim called police, who reviewed surveillance footage of his home and asked officers to be on the lookout for a man of Pita’s description and a Honda Civic with a cracked windshield, according to prosecutors.

Later that day, Pita was arrested during a traffic stop and found with a loaded ammunition magazine, the stolen handgun under the seat of his car, $1,240 in cash and 13 grams of marijuana. He allegedly told officers he thought the victim was a marijuana dealer and wanted to put him out of business because he was concerned his younger family members may be obtaining drugs through him. He denied telling the victim he was a police officer and said he identified himself as a bounty officer instead, according to prosecutors.

For the 2014 robbery conviction, Pita was sentenced to five years probation and one year in county jail. He admitted the prior felony conviction and will next appear in court Feb. 26 for sentencing and for his defense attorney Garen Nazarian to make a Romero motion, which requests the judge drop one of his client’s previous strike convictions from consideration in sentencing.

Nazarian could not be immediately reached for comment.