Former cop pleads guilty to theft

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A former Maricopa Police Department detective pled guilty to two felonies on Wednesday in Pinal County Superior Court.

Jose Lizarraga pled guilty before Judge Joseph Georgini to one count of fraudulent schemes and practices, a Class 5 felony, and one count of theft, a Class 6 felony.

His sentencing is April 14. According to Tiffany Davila of the Pinal County Attorney’s office, he faces up to two and a half years in the Department of Corrections and three years supervised probation.

Lizarraga worked for MPD from 2007 to 2013. He was accused of stealing $1,300 while investigating a drug-smuggling case.

He was arrested July 2, 2013, on charges of theft, forgery, fraudulent schemes, tampering with a public record and attempted money laundering. He resigned from MPD three days later.

Lizarraga’s criminal case dates back to April 7, 2013, when he was part of the Pinal County Narcotics Task Force. During the investigation of a drug-smuggling case, he was accused of stealing the $1,300, submitting false documents on the investigation and tossing the money out of the window of his vehicle.