Halem had left the department nearly two years earlier after 13 years of service, though he was still a reserve officer at the time.
The 17-year-old, who testified under his first name only, had built his holdings partly by scamming others. Escobedo said that did not excuse the crime, and that a former officer masquerading as police to rob someone was "heinous and egregious."
Halem's family disputes the outcome. His mother Randi told the paper she believed the truth had not emerged at trial, calling it "a miscarriage of the law."
Luis Banuelos, Pierre Louis and Mishael Mann were each charged in August 2025 with kidnapping for ransom, first-degree residential robbery and home invasion robbery in concert. All pleaded not guilty, have yet to stand trial and maintain their innocence.
Halem faces further charges over insurance fraud and a second crypto robbery said to have taken place days before the Koreatown raid. Those remain allegations.
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