Six months after being paroled from state prison, Albert Vera Jr., who is building a lengthening record, was arrested in an alley just before dawn this morning by Culver City police.
His last arrest was 16 months ago.
He was allegedly under the influence of narcotics and in possession of methamphetamines.
The troubled 43-year-old son of a prominent Culver City businessman and former Mayor, according to the County Sheriff’s Dept., was booked at 4:19 this afternoon in County Jail. Mr. Vera is being held on $10,000 bail for this morning’s incident. Separately, he is being detained under no bail on suspicion of a parole violation.
If Mr. Vera is found to have violated terms of his parole, he could be returned to state prison.
Lt. Dave Tankenson, spokesman for the Police Dept., said a search of his home turned up a loaded .357 Magnum, which would be a parole violation since ex-felons are prohibiting from owning or possessing a firearm.
Mr. Vera telephoned police at 4:45 this morning, on his cell phone, to report there was a man in the alley brandishing a gun. By 5:10, he had been arrested, and he was booked in Culver City at 6:20.
Officers Jeff Myers and Vince Michel were the first to arrive on the scene, the 11400 Jefferson Blvd. They interviewed Mr. Vera and a woman companion in the parking lot of Winchell’s Donuts as the skies over southern Culver City, a couple of blocks from his father’s market, began to lighten.
Signs of Drugs
Police said he displayed the standard characteristics of a person on drugs, sweating, rapid speech, continuously licking his lips.
While Mr. Vera has been in and out of trouble on drug charges, he has retained his nice-guy reputation, and police said this morning that the former reserve officer was co-operative.
His woman companion was released at the scene, while Mr. Vera was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, a felony, and for allegedly being under the influence of drugs, a misdemeanor. The circumstances were complicated by the fact Mr. Vera is out on parole.
Police contacted his parole agent, an act that informed the actions taken thereafter.
Lt. Tankenson said police made a “strong effort” to locate the alleged gun-toting man Mr. Vera said he spotted, but came up empty.
The Last Arrest
Last Sept. 13, Mr. Vera pleaded no contest to one count of grand theft of personal property on March 6 of last year while a half-dozen other counts, including felonies, were dismissed.
He and an accomplice were charged with breaking into the vending box of a water machine at a Ralphs Market on Sepulveda Boulevard in El Segundo. An hour later, the pair were arrested on a side street a few feet away, allegedly while counting up their take. The accomplice pleaded guilty.
He was sentenced to 16 months in state prison. However, he was credited for time served in County Jail, spanning 288 days, which computes to about 9 1/2 months. Subsequently, Mr. Vera spent about 3 months in state prison, his first term behind bars.
