Timeline: An L.A.-area gang member’s months of rule-breaking before a cop killing

After Michael Christopher Mejia was charged last year with shooting two Whittier police officers, many in law enforcement were quick to blame California’s efforts to slash its prison population for failing to keep an admitted gang member like Mejia off the streets.

They decried recent changes to the state’s justice system that reduced sentences for drug and theft crimes and shortened jail stays when newly released offenders violate the terms of their supervision.

But a review of the case by The Times and The Marshall Project found a far more complex chain of events that allowed Mejia to remain free despite his record of criminal behavior.

Local authorities gave Mejia an “excessive” number of chances while he continued to break the rules of his supervision, failed to document all of his violations and didn’t share important information with each other, according to confidential county reports prepared by a panel of criminal justice experts.

At the same time, court records reviewed by The Times and The Marshall Project show, prosecutors missed an opportunity to send Mejia to jail and drug treatment for several months in the weeks before the killings.

April 19, 2016

Released from prison

Mejia was freed after serving a two-year sentence for stealing a relative’s car. Since his last crime had been nonviolent, he was placed under the supervision of Los Angeles County probation officers. Despite having a history of drug use, he was not offered a screening for substance-abuse treatment when he left prison.

July 6, 2016

Arrested with drugs at home

Mejia was detained after authorities searched his family’s East Los Angeles home and found black-tar heroin, syringes and written materials that mentioned his gang. He was given 10 days in jail.

Sept. 8, 2016

Gang tattoo on face

Mejia turned up to a meeting with his probation officer with a new tattoo on his face — a “W” on his right cheek and a “G” on his left, the initials of his gang, “Winter Gardens.” He was told to remove the tattoo.

Sept. 29, 2016

Arrested with gang member carrying drugs

L.A. County sheriff’s deputies arrested Mejia after seeing him with another gang member who was carrying meth and a smoking pipe. Mejia was given another 10 days in jail.

Nov. 17, 2016

Syringe found in Mejia’s home

Probation officers found a drug syringe at Mejia’s home. Mejia admitted injecting heroin “every other day” and said he wanted help. His probation officer referred him for drug treatment, but there was a two-week delay in setting up the appointment for him.

Dec. 5, 2017

Failed to report for drug assessment

Mejia admitted that he skipped his drug assessment appointment. He was given a new appointment, but again didn’t go.

Dec. 7, 2017

Associated with a gang member

Deputies saw Mejia with another gang member. He was given another 10 days in jail.

Dec. 30, 2017

Walked out of drug treatment center

A probation officer learned Mejia had shown up to an appointment at a drug treatment center but then walked away. His grandmother also called probation saying that was afraid for her safety, that Mejia was still doing drugs and that he was paranoid and claiming she was trying to poison him.

Jan. 2, 2017

Drugs and gang member found at home

Deputies searched Mejia’s home and found meth and written materials that mentioned his gang and his gang moniker. Hiding inside his bedroom was a female gang member. Mejia tried to flee but was caught and jailed.

Jan. 5, 2017

90 days in jail and drug treatment recommended

Probation officers recommended Mejia be locked up for 90 days and then transferred to a court-ordered inpatient drug-treatment program.

Jan. 10, 2017

Prosecutor agreed to 30 days in jail

A prosecutor asked a court commissioner to sentence Mejia to 30 days in jail instead of the recommended 90. With credit for the time he had already served in jail and for good behavior, Mejia was released two days later.

Feb. 2, 2017

Returned to jail a 5th time

Mejia fled when deputies arrived at his family home after someone inside dialed 911 and hung up. He was sent to jail for another 10 days. He was released Feb. 11.

Feb. 20, 2017

Killing of cousin and Whittier police officer

Mejia allegedly fatally shot his cousin, Roy Torres, then ambushed two Whittier police officers, killing Officer Keith Boyer and wounding Officer Patrick Hazell.

Sources: Los Angeles County government and court records