A former Los Angeles police officer with a prior criminal case is now accused of taking part in a violent home invasion and kidnapping for ransom that prosecutors say targeted two people in the middle of the night.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, 37-year-old Eric Halem of Porter Ranch allegedly entered a Koreatown apartment with another man around 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2024. The two are accused of handcuffing the victims, transferring funds from their cryptocurrency account, and stealing cash and jewelry before fleeing.
Prosecutors say two additional suspects waited outside as getaway drivers. All four were later arrested and charged.
Halem, who previously served as a reserve officer for the Los Angeles Police Department, has faced legal trouble before. Earlier this year, state officials charged him and his brother in an alleged luxury car insurance fraud scheme involving a Bentley convertible.
At the time, the California Department of Insurance accused him of falsifying an accident report and submitting staged photos to support a claim. LAPD records show he was removed from the department in March 2025.
In the current case, Halem is charged with kidnapping for ransom, first-degree residential robbery, and home invasion robbery. He is being held without bail.
Also charged are Luis Banuelos, 27, of Jurupa Valley in Riverside County; Pierre Louis, 26, of Attleboro, Massachusetts; and Mishael Mann, 20, of Los Angeles. Each faces the same felony counts as Halem. Mann is being held without bail, while Louis and Banuelos are each held on $1.3 million bail.
Halem and Mann pleaded not guilty during their arraignment Monday. Banuelos and Louis entered not guilty pleas at their June 11 arraignment. A preliminary hearing for all four defendants is scheduled for Sept. 24 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
“Whether you once wore a badge and served in law enforcement, or not, if you take part in violent crimes, you will be held fully accountable,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “This office will pursue justice for victims without fear or favor.”
If convicted as charged, each defendant faces life in state prison, prosecutors said.
The post Former LAPD officer charged with kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery appeared first on KTLA.
