U.S. Agents Seize Boats, Cars in Probe : Property Owned by Deputies in Drug Unit Held

Federal agents, investigating nine Los Angeles County sheriff’s narcotics officers in connection with missing drug money, have seized personal property owned by officers, sources said Thursday. And the mother of one of the suspended investigators complained that her car was confiscated as part of the probe.

In addition, sources close to the investigation said that the homes and offices of eight deputies and their supervisor have been searched. All were relieved of duty on Sept. 1 amid allegations that tens of thousands of dollars in drug money seized in narcotics raids was unaccounted for.

Although court records remain sealed, one source said that in addition to the search warrants, “there were also seizure warrants” that targeted specific property owned by the narcotics officers.

State Department of Motor Vehicle records show that the officers own numerous late-model automobiles and one has an antique Ford. The Times has found that at least five of the officers own expensive boats and that two purchased the vessels with cash during the last 14 months.

The source would not specify what property has been confiscated, but the mother of one deputy told The Times that her own car was seized last week by Internal Revenue Service agents.

Shirley Daub, whose son, Ronald E. Daub, was suspended two weeks ago, said that IRS and FBI agents appeared at her Van Nuys home last Tuesday with a warrant ordering her to surrender her 1988 Oldsmobile coupe.

Mrs. Daub said she had paid about $13,000 in cash to a Whittier car rental agency for the used car but was told by federal agents that they believed that the money came from her son as part of some “ill-gotten gains” as a narcotics officer.

“They asked me where I got my money (for the car) like I committed a crime or something,” Mrs. Daub said. She said she had used some of her own savings, along with money provided by a younger son, to buy the vehicle.

“I told them that I had saved money and had driven my old car for a long time,” she said. “I’ve worked for most of my life, why isn’t it possible that I bought it myself?”

Her younger son, Reid, told The Times that he gave his mother some of the money with proceeds from a house sale. He added that his brother, the veteran deputy, had accompanied their mother to complete the car purchase--but only because no other family member was available.

“Regardless of what my brother did or didn’t do (on the narcotics team), my mother bought that car,” Reid Daub said. “What right do they have to implicate my mother in this investigation?”

Deputy Ronald Daub said he could not talk about the investigation on the advice of his attorney. Robert Giannangeli, a spokesman for the IRS, declined comment, as did Assistant U.S. Atty. Thomas Hagemann, who is heading the federal money-skimming inquiry.

State and federal laws require that before property can be seized, warrants must be filed in court establishing reason to believe that the property was purchased with funds gained illegally or was used in an illegal activity. The warrants remain sealed in this case.

In addition to Daub, the suspended officers include Sgt. Robert Sobel and Deputies Terrell H. Amers, James R. Bauder, Nancy A. Brown, Eufrasio G. Cortez, John C. Dickenson, Daniel M. Garner and Michael J. Kaliterna.

A source close to some of the officers confirmed that vehicles had been taken by federal agents. But attorneys for two of the officers said they were unaware of any seizures.

Attorney Mark Beck, who represents Sobel, said none of his client’s boats or cars had been confiscated. And Richard Hirsch, who is Bauder’s lawyer, said that no cars or boats were taken from his client. The deputies have consistently declined comment or have been unavailable for comment.

Mrs. Daub said federal agents asked her not only about her car but also whether she had received any jewelry or expensive gifts recently from her deputy sheriff son. The clear implication, she said, was that if she had received any such gifts, it was from drug money.

“I felt like my civil rights were violated. . . . It was like, ‘I’m his mother, so shoot me,’ ” she said.

The eight deputies and a sergeant--all members of a narcotics investigation team--were placed on administrative leave in what Sheriff Sherman Block called possibly the worst scandal in his seven-year tenure.

State records show that Sobel, Daub, Cortez, Amers and Kaliterna all own nearly new or costly boats.

According to sources, Sobel bought his 31-foot Huntermar sailboat for $31,500 in cashier’s checks and cash in June. He is the legal owner of the vessel, the state reports. The sergeant also owns a 1987 BMW and a 1988 Chevrolet Blazer.

Daub also bought a boat for cash, his purchase coming in 1988 for $17,668 for a 19-foot ski boat, sources said. Daub or his wife also own a 1988 motorcycle, are making payments on a 1987 Cadillac sedan and are leasing a 1986 Nissan coupe.

Cortez bought a 20-foot, 1989 ski boat for about $23,000 a year ago and is the registered owner of a 1988 Chevy station wagon, a 1928 Ford and a 1978 Ford, the DMV reports.

Kaliterna is the registered owner of a 19-foot ski boat, a 1989 Jeep and a 1984 Oldsmobile. Amers is the registered owner of a 1989 ski and pleasure boat that is 22 1/2 feet long and a 1985 Chevrolet commercial vehicle.

Garner or his wife own a 1987 BMW 535i, a 1989 Ford Bronco, a 1980 Ford pickup and a 1986 off-road vehicle.

Registration information was incomplete or could not be found for the remaining deputies.