SUNSET — Former Sunset Police Chief Luis Padilla was sentenced to probation today in federal court.
Back in March, Padilla pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information charging him with Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law.
On Tuesday, a federal judge sentenced him to five years supervised probation, including six months of home incarceration. Padilla can leave the house for medical appointments and religious activities, and to attend events as approved by the court.
Back in March, the victim in the case told us he felt justice had not been fully served. He also gave a victim impact statement during the sentencing hearing; we'll update this story later with that.
The incident that gave rise to the case took place in December 2023. Following the federal investigation, Padilla accepted a plea deal and agreed to step down as police chief. You can read more on the legal proceedings here.
To see our interview with the victim, click here.
The case isn't closed; there is a hearing set for August during which the court will decide how much restitution Padilla will have to pay the victim. The hearing has been postponed several times, according to prosecutors, who filed a motion stating that the amount of restitution claimed by the victim "is mixed with amounts that are supported by law, and some that are not."
We asked Padilla for a comment following the sentencing hearing, but he declined.
