Thread: Burbank Councilwoman arrested ties to Vineland Boys gang

BURBANK -- She was "the quintessential soccer mom," ferrying three sons to games while succeeding at the small-town politics of this Los Angeles suburb so well that even City Hall gadflies liked her...
(Vineland Boys, MS 13 rivals, illegal alien gangs, laws, crimes, corrupt politicians, campaigns, Americans)

July 17, 2005
By RYAN PEARSON
Associated Press Writer

Indeed, Stacey Murphy's people skills were put on full display two years ago when, as mayor, she organized a big thank-you luncheon for the police agencies that aided Burbank after a rookie officer was killed, allegedly by street gang members.

Then, this week, the 47-year-old city councilwoman was arrested as police linked her to the same violent gang. Also arrested was her boyfriend, who has allegedly confessed that he knowingly sold a gun to one gang member and that the couple bought cocaine from other gang members.

Police who raided Murphy's tidy one-story home found cocaine in a bedroom and, in the garage, three loaded guns and 900 bullets.

Neighbors and colleagues are reeling at the apparent dark side of the city's most popular politician, who won more votes than any other candidate in this year's election.

"I find myself thinking this has to be a nightmare, it can't possibly be true," said Mayor Jef Vander Borght, who has known Murphy for two decades and vacationed with her at Lake Tahoe and in Canada. "It's not good no matter what. It shakes peoples' confidence in the people you elect as leaders."

Murphy was released on $100,000 bail awaiting an August arraignment on expected drug possession and child endangerment charges. She would be forced out of office if convicted.

She refused to open the front door Friday afternoon at the light blue house with its carefully trimmed lawn and colorful flowers that she has called home since 1983. Instead, she referred questions to attorney Rick Santwier, saying, "As soon as he tells me I can talk, I'll talk."

Santwier did not return phone calls.

Meanwhile, Murphy's blue Prius hybrid car sat parked on a street lined with BMWs and Cadillac SUVs. The neighborhood is so quiet that Ernesto Cuevas, who lives down the street, said he often leaves his front door open at night for ventilation.

When detectives raided Murphy's home Wednesday, "of course the neighborhood was abuzz," said Kara Connor, 27, who works in NBC's publicity department.

"Kinda makes the neighborhood seem like 'Desperate Housewives,"' she said, referring to the crimes and domestic intrigue that occur on the hit ABC show, which is set in a similarly well manicured suburban landscape.

Murphy's political career began amid her own marital conflict.

Married to former City Councilman Timothy Murphy, she poured her energy into raising her sons Sean, Robert and Connor.

"She was the quintessential soccer mom," Vander Borght said. "The type of mom that's always taking kids here and there, that's always the team mom."

But she also had political ambitions, and soon after being elected to the City Council in 1997 she divorced her husband.

"Something else filled her life," said the mayor, an architect who described himself as a close friend of her former husband. "Politics probably gave her another outlet that made her decide to end her marriage."

Her two oldest boys are now in college. Murphy has primary custody of 12-year-old Connor.

An open and usually warm politician, Murphy worked to complete a major bicycle path on an old rail line, campaigned for the city's first lighted soccer field and helped complete a community theater. She also listened closely to problems residents presented at council meetings, Vander Borght said.

"Stacey's a populist type person, liked a lot by the people," he said. "She had this affable personality that the gadflies would like her even if she voted against them on an issue."

She was mayor in November 2003 when two reputed members of the Vineland Boys street gang killed Officer Matthew Pavelka during a traffic stop. A detective was badly wounded and one of the suspects was killed during the confrontation, which resulted in the first on-duty death of an officer in the Burbank Police Department's history.

Murphy gathered donations and helped organize a large buffet luncheon honoring the agents and officers who helped catch the other suspect, David Garcia. The wounded detective, Gregory Campbell, who had been briefly paralyzed, walked to his table.

"It was a monumental point in him recovering," police Sgt. Jay Jette recalled.

Jette finds it hard to believe now that the woman who helped plan the event where he enjoyed a salad could be connected to the gang members themselves.

"It's a very difficult thing for the Police Department to look at, and see what the possible implications are," he said.

An 18-month investigation of the Vineland Boys following Pavelka's killing eventually led to Murphy's arrest. Dozens of suspected gang members have also been indicted on federal and state charges in recent months.

Murphy's link to the gang came through Scott Schaffer, her boyfriend and one-time boss at a Los Angeles taxi company where she still works. Police said they traced an alleged gang member's .45-caliber Sig-Sauer semiautomatic handgun to him.

Schaffer, 51, told authorities he and Murphy had used cocaine they purchased at a North Hollywood bar from men both knew to be gang members, according to a Los Angeles police affidavit.

The mayor and neighbors still hold out the possibility that Murphy may have been unaware of Schaffer's activities and the drugs and guns in her home.

"I hope that maybe it's a misunderstanding or she got mixed up with the wrong people," said Connor, the neighbor who said she met Murphy at another councilman's Christmas parties.

She urged the councilwoman: "Tell us this was a mistake."

http://www.alipac.us/article-546-thread-1-0.html

They found cocaine in a bedroom and three loaded hand guns and 900 bullets in the garage.

Something smells about this arrest....does anything seem odd to you all about this one?

What constitutes the "child endangerment"?

Aren't Americans allowed to have hand guns and bullets? I sure thought that was what the 2nd Amendment was all about. There weren't any fire arms violations according to the article, so what's up with the "child endangerment"?

Maybe the boyfriend is bad news....??? Maybe the cocaine was his and he had it hidden.

Something isn't right about this one....hope we can track it and see how it all turns out.

Have they "raided" the MAN MAYOR in Denver yet that hired illegal aliens, that used his position as Mayor to tell police officers to stand down on traffic stops of illegals...gun toting murdering illegals....that killed one of the police officers, Officer Young? When questioned, didn't the Mayor just claim, "He didn't know?" Well....they were his employees working in his restaurant.

I'll bet a "raid" of that home would be "rich"....

Found another article with a few more details.

kcal9.com



Burbank Councilwoman Arrested
For Alleged Cocaine Possession, Child Endangerment
Jul 15, 2005 7:40 am US/Pacific

A city councilwoman was arrested for investigation of cocaine possession and child endangerment by members of a task force that recently raided a notorious street gang blamed in the shooting deaths of two police officers, authorities said Thursday.

Councilwoman Stacey Jo Murphy, 47, was arrested Wednesday night at her home, where law enforcement agents served a federal search warrant, police said. She posted $100,000 bail and was released from jail Thursday. A phone call left for Murphy at her office Thursday was not immediately returned.

Also arrested was Murphy's longtime companion Scott Schaffer, 51, for investigation of federal firearms and narcotic violations. Robert Polloreno, 54, who lives with Schaffer, was arrested for alleged grand theft of a firearm. Schaffer was being held at a federal custody facility and Polloreno was being held on $50,000 bail.

The warrant served at Murphy's home was based on information gathered by a task force that last month arrested 36 people, including 23 members of a San Fernando Valley gang. Police have accused some gang members of participating in the slayings of Los Angeles police Officer James Beyea in 1988 and Burbank Officer Matthew Pavelka in 2003.

Many of those arrested were wanted for trafficking in cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana.

The organization allegedly forged a treaty with the Mexican Mafia prison gang under which it agreed to pay taxes on its drug profits. Its drug trafficking operation allegedly stretched from Hawaii to Indiana.

Authorities have arrested more than 200 of the gang's documented members over the last 18 months, seizing cars, firearms, at least $500,000 in cash and more than 300 pounds of narcotics.

Murphy, who has been on the Burbank City Council since 1997, served as mayor in 1999-2000 and in 2003-04. The mother of three children was re-elected earlier this year to a four-year term.

The organization allegedly forged a treaty with the Mexican Mafia prison gang under which it agreed to pay taxes on its drug profits. Its drug trafficking operation allegedly stretched from Hawaii to Indiana.

"agreed to pay taxes on its drug profits"

What does this mean? They pay taxes to the Mexican Government? They pay a fee to the Mexican Mafia prison gang? What is a Mexican Mafia prison gang? How do you get money into a prison? I hate newswriters that bait you with more questions than answers.

Shoooo...just GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OUR COUNTRY!!

Look at that woman.....what a shame.....she has somehow got enravelled in a mess through that boyfriend....she went with him somewhere that he introduced her to gang members and once introduced....placed her at risk and personal jeopardy and probably thought he could use her for protection.

I still do not understand the child endangerment. They would have to lock up half the parents in the United States if having drugs in a bedroom and guns in the garage constitute "child endangerment".

This has a stink to it. Look at her bail set at $100,000 when the gun dealer's bail and narcotic traffickers' bail is set at only $50,000.

This has a big stink to it!!

HEY!! What if the ex-husband is trying to get child custody of the 12 year old?

And set her up.

Hmmm.

Well...this is very sad to see a mom that's raised 3 good kids all in college and a 12 year old, I'm sure, on the same good path; a woman that has tried to do alot of good for her community; and keeps a tidy house to boot.

Something isn't right about this one.

How could her ex husband set her up? The boyfriend's gun was found in the possession of a gang member arrested in an earlier raid, which ended up nailing this woman. Her boyfriend even confessed to the both of them using drugs. I'm not buying the set up.

There is not enough information Brian. SHE wasn't arrested for narcotics trafficking, her boyfriend was. SHE wasn't arrested for illegal weapons or firearms violations. SHE isn't a drug dealer and SHE didn't have anything to do with the weapons that killed the police or the gang that killed the police. KNOWING A GANG MEMBER IS NOT AGAINST THE LAW ANYWHERE THE LAST TIME I CHECKED. RUNNING INTO A GANG MEMBER IS NOT AGAINST THE LAW ANYWHERE THE LAST TIME I CHECKED. SHE WASN'T ARRESTED FOR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE GANG.

She was arrested for drug possession because it was found in her house. There is so far no evidence she bought it or that it even belonged to her or that she even knew it was there.

Her "companion" knows the gang, sells and deals with the gang.

So....why charge her with child endangerment? What possible evidence is there that her child was endangered? Is it customary to charge people with drugs of "child endangerment" because some cocaine is found in the bedroom?

Like I said.....LOCK UP AMERICA AND BUILD ORPHANAGES if that were the case. Why is her bail twice everyone else's when possession is a much lower level crime than TRAFFICKING?

The CLUE to the ex is the child endangerment charge. The only purpose of that is to remove that child from her partial custody and give full custody to the Dad. There is no other point to that. And, perhaps the Dad's concerns are legitimate given the criminal nature of this "companion".

The "companion" is a Bad News Bear....but maybe she couldn't get out of the relationship so easily, him being a gun-toting drug trafficking gang dealing PIG!!

Maybe he "stretched" his story alittle bit to get a lower bail and "cooperation" benefits against a member of the City Council, eh?

It smells....the higher bail and the child endangerment charge....make this one STINK!! Someone wanted the child endangerment charge for some purpose other than the law.

I'm not saying she was guilty of everything, but I do think she probably knew a lot of what was going on. I don't think she was necessarily selling drugs or dealing guns. However, I do believe she was probably using drugs at least, and knew of the boyfriend's activities to some extent.

You have to be kidding about this not having anything to do with child endangerment. Finding dangerous and illegal drugs in the house, loaded guns that I'm assuming were probably not in a secure place, or had trigger locks, and a criminal boyfriend who was probably in and out of the house frequently. Maybe even some gang members were in her house as well. I think that is good enough reason to take the kids until it is all sorted out. What's the problem with giving them to the ex-husband? I believe that is the best place for the children at this time.

Yes it is true we do not know all the details but it does sound like there was good enough reason to arrest this woman. But like you say if there is not enough information how can you claim she is innocent? Just because she appeared to be squeaky clean on the outside doesn't mean there are no skeletons in her closet. It's for the court to decide if she is guilty or not.

OH yes, Brian I agree. I just do not understand why they charged her with child endangerment. This is not normal when drugs are found in a home and no trafficking charges or firearms violations filed against the parent. I mean, Brian, look at the news and tell me how many drug possession charges in the United States were accompanied by child endangerment charges.

Illegal drugs are illegal drugs, but use of them does not necessarily endanger a child. Cocaine is the least endangering of them all. It is a euphoria drug. It's not like Heroine or Angel Dust or LSD or a 100 other drugs that "wack" you out and make you unfit to function. Half of corporate America operates on cocaine every day. Half of Washington snorts up all day long. Half of the New York Stock Exchange snorts all day and night.

Who do you think buys cocaine? The rich and famous.

I'm not saying its right, I'm saying....was Whitney Houston charged with "child endangerment" for drug use? No. Are alcholics that can't function and turn mean as hell and beat and abuse their kids charged with "child endangerment"? No. Are you aware of any other case when a drug possession charge, the only charge against this woman, was accompanied with a "child endangerment" charge?

This is not fair. This is wrong. It smells, it stinks, and there is more to this story....you'll see. This woman is going to lose custody of her youngest child because of a charge of child endangerment that should have never been filed. If the father has legitimate concerns, there is a legal process for him called a Custody Hearing. And, it may not be the Dad, but who else would be behind it? No cop doing his normal duty is going to add a charge of child endangerment on a cocaine possession charge. There wouldn't be enough foster homes to hold all the kids. No cop doing his normal duty is going to add a charge of child endangerment because a mother has a crum bum for a "companion". Again, there is no law against having a crum bum for a "companion" and again, there are not enough foster homes in the world to hold all the kids in America whose mom's are having "companion" relationships with crum bums.

This woman has been targeted and charged improperly of child endangerment. She has Pissed Off somebody BIG IN BURBANK!!

Looks like I was right about one of the reasons for child endangerment. They were after her for the loaded guns. Probably the drugs and the bum she was going with didn't help her cause either.

www.pasadenastarnews.com

Burbank official Murphy arrested

Search of home nets guns, drugs

By Jason Kandel , Staff Writer

BURBANK -- Councilwoman Stacey Murphy was arrested after police found drugs and guns at her home in an investigation into whether her longtime businessman boyfriend supplied guns to the notorious Vineland Boys street gang, officials said Thursday.
Reached at her home after she was released on $100,000 bail, Murphy declined to talk about the charges.

"I'm really pretty shocked about this whole thing,' she said in a brief interview.

A three-term council member and former mayor who was the highest vote-getter in February's council primary, Murphy was arrested at her home Wednesday night by a task force of federal and local officers. Her arrest came hours after her longtime companion and his roommate were arrested at their Glendale home, officials said.

"This is a difficult situation for all of us,' Burbank police spokesman Sgt. Jay Jette said at a news conference Thursday. "To have somebody (on the council) who may have some connection to this organization ... is really heart-breaking.' '

Businessman Scott Schaffer, 51, the former co-owner of the Sun Valley-based City Cab Co., where Murphy works as controller, was arrested on suspicion of violating federal firearm and drug laws. His roommate Robert Polloreno, 54, was arrested on suspicion of firearm theft, police said.

Schaffer was taken into federal custody. Polloreno was freed on $50,000 bail.

Jette said Schaffer is suspected of supplying at least three handguns to people in the Vineland Boys gang, whose members include two men suspected of gunning down Officer Matthew Pavelka of the Burbank Police Department in 2003.

Pavelka's father, Detective Mike Pavelka of the Los Angeles Police Department, said Murphy has become a friend since his son's murder and has been a strong supporter of his family.

"I held her in high esteem. If the charges are true, it's disappointing. Hopefully it's not (true),' Pavelka said. "It's very distressing, obviously, to hear.'

Burbank Mayor Jef Vander Borght said he was shocked.

"Stacey Murphy has been a friend and a colleague. To the extent we can help her family and her, we'll stand next to her.'

Murphy would be forced off the council if convicted of a felony.

Vineland Boys task force officers recently arrested a gang member in possession of a handgun registered to Schaffer, Jette said. Detectives had learned earlier that Schaffer might have provided guns to Vineland Boys members in exchange for cocaine, Jette said.

At Schaffer's home Wednesday night, officers said they found nine handguns and an undisclosed amount of cocaine. Jette said they also learned that more guns, drugs and ammunition were at Murphy's home.

Officers said they found an undisclosed amount of cocaine in Murphy's bedroom at her home and three handguns in an unlocked storage container next to a bicycle in the garage, plus 900 bullets. The guns were registered to Schaffer, officials said.

Murphy was arrested on suspicion of drug possession and child endangerment. Loaded guns were readily accessible to her 12-year-old son, Jette said.

The arrests came less than a month after Operation Silent Night in which more than 1,300 officers, making raids across Southern California, swept up some 40 purported members of the Vineland Boys gang on allegations of assault, robbery, drug-dealing and murder.

Murphy's Lime Street neighbors were stunned by her arrest.

"I never knew her to be anything but upstanding,' said Sally Aquila, 66, who lives down the well-manicured street from Murphy's single-story, pre- World War II stucco house.

Added Aguila's husband, Tony: "I personally like her. ... She's done great things for the city.'

Murphy's former husband, Timothy Murphy, a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner and a Burbank city councilman himself from 1989 to 1993, said he was shocked.

"She's a fantastic mother. She loves her kids. I hope it's a terrible mistake,' said Timothy Murphy, divorced from Stacey Murphy in the 1990s. "A reminder: An arrest is only an arrest. It has to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt in court.'