A Fresno police officer and a police informant pleaded not guilty Friday to stealing a suspected drug dealer's vehicle.
Officer Paul Cervantes, 32, and informant Jesus Jose Mendoza Valles, 45, who face one felony count of auto theft in connection with the theft of an SUV during a drug bust in January 2007, asked for a speedy trial.
Judge Don Penner gave them an April 20 trial date in Fresno County Superior Court.
Cervantes is on paid leave from the Fresno Police Department's now-defunct major narcotics unit. He is free on $15,000 bail. Valles is in the downtown jail. His bail is $1 million.
If convicted, they face up to three years in prison.
Outside court, the men's lawyers said their clients are innocent.
"My client worked for law enforcement and did what they told him to do," said attorney Ralph Torres, who represents Valles.
In this case, Torres said, Cervantes gave Valles the suspected drug dealer's vehicle to use when helping police in other drug busts. Valles accepted the SUV in good faith because he thought that was part of his job as a police informant.
Attorney Terry Bowman, who represents Cervantes, said the sale of the SUV was an arrangement between Valles and suspected drug dealer Humberto Ortega Quintero. Cervantes had no role in it, she said.
"He can't wait to get his name cleared and get back to work," Bowman said.
Initially, Fresno police narcotics officer Hector Becerra also was charged with auto theft.
But Judge Gary Orozco, after hearing testimony at the defendants' preliminary hearing last month, said there was insufficient evidence to link Becerra to the crime.
Orozco, however, found probable cause to believe Cervantes helped Valles steal the SUV.
The evidence came from Randy Royal, an investigator with the California Highway Patrol.
On the witness stand, Royal recalled his interviews with Valles and Quintero.
Royal testified that Quintero told him Valles agreed to pay him $5,000 for his 2001 Ford Explorer but never did.
Instead, Cervantes allowed Valles to drive off with the SUV after Quintero was busted, Royal testified.
Cervantes also successfully convinced two Fresno police sergeants who were at the scene of the drug bust that Valles owned the car by lying about signatures on a vehicle owner record, Royal said.
A day after the bust, Valles went to the Department of Motor Vehicles and registered the car in his name, Royal said.
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