LOS ANGELES (CN) - The former police chief of the Port of Los Angeles faces up to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion and lying to FBI agents who were investigating him for bribery.
Ronald Jerome Boyd, 58, of Torrance pleaded guilty Wednesday, the day he was to go to trial on a 16-count grand jury indictment, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
He told FBI agents he had no financial interest in a company developing a smartphone app called Portwatch, to allow people to report criminal activities at the Port: He actually had 13.3 percent interest in it. He got his interest in it by promising the Portwatch contract would be awarded to the company he set up with two partners, according to the indictment.
His attorneys agreed to let prosecutors present evidence about the bribery arrangement at his sentencing hearing on July 25.
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