LOS ANGELES – A Walnut man was sentenced today to 168 months in federal prison for orchestrating a $2 million armed robbery of a commercial marijuana warehouse where over half a ton of marijuana was stolen with the help of a corrupt Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy.

          Christopher Myung Kim, 30, was sentenced by United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips, who also ordered him to pay a $500,000 fine.

          Following a four-day trial in November 2019, a jury found Kim guilty of five felonies: conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy against rights, deprivation of rights under color of law, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

          Kim had worked at the downtown Los Angeles warehouse for years, but a dispute with its owners left him “bitterly disgruntled,” according to court documents. Kim left his job just weeks before the robbery and conspired with LASD Deputy Marc Antrim, 42, of South El Monte, to orchestrate the raid both for profit and to get revenge against his own bosses. Antrim was assigned to the LASD station in Temple City at the time.

          Days before the robbery, Kim supplied Antrim with inside information about the robbery, including key details about the warehouse’s layout, operation and security. Kim also gave Antrim the warehouse’s blueprints, noting where security guards likely would be stationed and which rooms Antrim and their co-conspirators should “hit” to ensure that the most valuable items were stolen.

          At approximately 3 a.m. on October 29, 2018, Antrim and six co-conspirators began to rob the marijuana distribution warehouse. Antrim was dressed as an armed deputy and flashed his badge and a fake search warrant to gain access to the warehouse. He then detained the warehouse’s security guards in a cage in the back of an LASD Ford Explorer.

          During the two-hour robbery, Antrim and the fake law enforcement team stole more than half a ton of marijuana, two large commercial safes containing more than $600,000 in cash and money orders, and other items of value from the warehouse.

          Hours after the robbery, Antrim drove a rental truck to a storage facility in Walnut, where Kim had rented a storage unit the day of the robbery. Antrim and co-conspirator Kevin McBride, 44, of Glendora, delivered $1.5 million dollars’ worth of stolen marijuana and marijuana products to Kim to resell for profit.

          In the weeks following the robbery, Kim worked diligently to sell off the marijuana, trying to make as much money as he could from it and also to exact revenge against his former employers.

          Kim has been in federal custody since his conviction in November 2019.

          “Although not physically present during the robbery…Kim was integral to its planning, success, and profitability,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum. “He was a leader, organizer, and knowingly made this robbery possible.”

          Antrim was arrested in November 2018 and pleaded guilty in March 2019 to multiple felonies in connection with the armed robbery. At Kim’s trial, Antrim testified about how he devised and executed the robbery with Kim’s help. Antrim’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 13.

          Five other defendants, including McBride, have pleaded guilty to criminal charges for their involvement in the robbery and will be sentenced in the coming months.

          The Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. LASD’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau provided substantial assistance to the federal investigation.

          This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Greer Dotson of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.

          LOS ANGELES – A former employee of a marijuana distribution warehouse was found guilty by a jury today of federal criminal charges that he conspired with a corrupt Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy to rob his former employer of $2 million dollars’ worth of marijuana and cash through an armed robbery staged to look like a legitimate law enforcement operation.

          Christopher Myung Kim, 29, of Walnut, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy against rights, deprivation of rights under color of law, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

          According to evidence presented at his four-day trial, at approximately 3 a.m. on October 29, 2018, LASD Deputy Marc Antrim, 42, of South El Monte, and six co-conspirators, robbed a marijuana distribution warehouse in downtown Los Angeles. Antrim, who was assigned to the LASD station in Temple City, was arrested by federal authorities for his role in the robbery and agreed to cooperate with the government. Antrim, who was dressed as an armed deputy, flashed his badge and a fake search warrant to gain access to the warehouse and detain the warehouse’s security guards in a cage in the back of an LASD Ford Explorer.

          Days before the robbery, Kim had supplied Antrim with inside information about the robbery, including key details about the warehouse’s layout, operation and security. Kim also gave Antrim the warehouse’s blueprints, noting where security guards likely would be stationed and which rooms Antrim and their co-conspirators should “hit” to ensure that the most valuable items were stolen.

          During the two-hour robbery, Antrim and the fake law enforcement team absconded with more than 1,200 pounds of marijuana, two large commercial safes containing more than $600,000 in cash and money orders, and other items of value from the warehouse.

          Hours after the robbery, Antrim drove a rental truck to a storage facility in Walnut, where Kim had rented a storage unit the day of the robbery. Antrim and co-conspirator Kevin McBride, 44, of Glendora, delivered $1.5 million dollars’ worth of stolen marijuana and marijuana products to Kim to resell for profit. The next day, Kim and others unloaded the stolen marijuana from the storage unit into Kim’s white Lexus RX, a Subaru SUV, and a U-Haul moving truck.

          Kim had worked at the warehouse for years, but a dispute with its owners left him “bitterly disgruntled,” according to court documents. Evidence admitted at trial, including Kim’s social media communications, showed that Kim left his job just weeks before the robbery and conspired with Antrim to orchestrate the raid both for profit and to get revenge against his own bosses.

          Antrim, who was arrested on November 8, 2018 on a federal criminal complaint, pleaded guilty on March 4 to multiple felonies in connection with the armed robbery. His sentencing is scheduled for March 16. Five other defendants, including McBride, also have pleaded guilty for their involvement in the robbery and will be sentenced early next year.

          United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips scheduled a February 10 sentencing hearing, at which time Kim will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 12 years in prison.

          The jury acquitted Kim of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

          This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. LASD’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau provided substantial assistance to the federal investigation.

          This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lindsey Greer Dotson of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.

          LOS ANGELES – Three men were arrested this morning on federal drug distribution charges alleging they conspired with a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy and others to steal more than 1,200 pounds of marijuana and $645,000 in cash and money orders during an armed robbery of a downtown Los Angeles warehouse that was staged to look like law enforcement was executing a search warrant.

          Matthew James Perez, a.k.a. “Neer,” 42, of Ontario; Daniel Aguilera, 31, of East Los Angeles; and Jay Colby Sanford, a.k.a. “Monte Jay,” 41, of Pomona, were arrested this morning without incident. They are scheduled to make their initial court appearances this afternoon in United States District Court.

          According to a criminal complaint unsealed today, Perez, Aguilera, and Sanford conspired with LASD Deputy Marc Antrim, 41, of South El Monte, and others to commit the early morning armed robbery on October 29. The off-duty Antrim, Perez and a third man arrived at the warehouse at 3:00 a.m. in an unmarked Ford Explorer registered to LASD. All three men were dressed as LASD deputies, were carrying holstered firearms, and posed as legitimate law enforcement officers executing a search warrant of the warehouse, court documents state. Perez, a convicted felon, also allegedly brandished a rifle.

          After Antrim detained the warehouse’s three security guards inside the LASD Ford Explorer, Aguilera drove a large rental truck into the warehouse parking lot, which later was used to transport the stolen marijuana, two cash-filled safes and other items from the warehouse, according to court documents. During the robbery, Sanford allegedly served as a nearby look-out, scouting for potential law enforcement and remaining in contact with his co-conspirators via phone and walkie-talkie radios.

          While the two-hour robbery was in progress, Los Angeles Police Department officers legitimately responded to a call for service at the warehouse, the complaint states. When LAPD officers arrived, Perez and the other man posing as a deputy discarded their LASD jackets and fled through a back door, along with Aguilera, according to court documents. Antrim allegedly remained at the warehouse, showed the LAPD officers his LASD badge, and falsely claimed that he was conducting a legitimate search.

          Antrim then allegedly handed his phone to one of the LAPD officers so that the officer could speak to someone on the phone claiming to be Antrim’s LASD sergeant. According to court documents, however, the individual on the phone was not Antrim’s sergeant, and Antrim did not have a legitimate search warrant for the warehouse. Antrim’s falsehoods ultimately prompted the LAPD officers to leave the warehouse, thereby allowing Antrim and his co-conspirators time to complete the heist, court documents state.

          According to the complaint, text messages between Antrim and another conspirator suggest that, for their assistance the night of the robbery, Perez was going to be paid $30,000, Sanford $10,000, and Aguilera $5,000.

          Perez, Aguilera, and Sanford are charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of this offense, each man would face a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.

          Antrim and two other men who participated in the robbery were arrested in November. They since have signed plea agreements admitting to drug trafficking and gun charges related to the sham search, and are expected to enter guilty pleas in the coming weeks.

          A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

          This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. LASD’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau provided substantial assistance to the federal investigation.

          This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Greer Dotson of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and Assistant United States Attorney Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.