By Mary O’KEEFE

A Glendale police detective was arrested on Tuesday afternoon and charged with lying to federal agents. Det. John Balian, 45, of Seal Beach has been with the GPD for 14 years and, until the time of his arrest, was on medical leave from the department.

“As of now, [Det. Balian] is on administrative leave without pay,” said Sgt. Dan Suttles, GPD spokesman.

Balian is a narcotics officer with GPD and, prior to that, served as the department’s public information officer.

GPD was aware of the federal investigation and knew it involved Balian; however, it did not know the purpose of the investigation until it was made public, Suttles added.

“We are learning of this as it unfolds,” Suttles said.

Balian has been charged in a criminal complaint with allegedly making false statements to investigators during several interviews that were conducted over a six-month period in 2017.

“For example, Balian [allegedly] lied during an April 2017 interview with an FBI agent and Los Angeles Police detectives ‘in an effort to hide his associations and criminal collaborations with gang members, the Mexican Mafia and Armenian organized crime,’ according to the affidavit signed by a special agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations [HSI),” according to a released statement by the Dept. of Justice.

The criminal complaint, which was made public after Balian’s arrest, makes several references to the detective’s alleged involvement with both the Mexican and Armenian mafias and how he allegedly worked with gang members to commit crimes including extortion. In the complaint, an informant referred to him as “his partner.” There were alleged uses of “burner” phones (a disposable cellphone) and aliases used by Balian and gang members.

“The defendant swore to uphold an oath to enforce the law, but instead chose to break the law,” said Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s LA Field Office, in a statement. “Mr. Balian moved in criminal circles and operated as though he was above the law by repeatedly lying to hide his criminal activity and that of others. His alleged actions impeded legitimate investigations into organized violent crime and consequently presented a threat to public safety.”

If Balian is found guilty of the charge of making false statements to federal investigators, he could face a maximum sentence of five years incarceration. The case is being prosecuted by Asst. U.S. Attorney Jeff Mitchell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.

  Mary Okeefe