Former LAPD officer Eric Halem was sentenced to life plus 15 years in state prison on Tuesday for his role in the December 2024 armed robbery of a 17-year-old in Koreatown, who was robbed of a hard drive containing $350,000 worth of bitcoin.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mildred Escobedo imposed the concurrent life terms for kidnapping and robbery after rejecting a last-ditch request by defense attorneys seeking a new trial, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Halem had sought a new trial on grounds that his initial attorneys failed to call witnesses or examine key evidence.
However, Judge Escobedo denied that motion, noting that the evidence presented at trial showed Halem had acted out of "sheer and utter greed," adding that "there could've been no other conclusion." According to a district attorney's spokesperson, Halem must complete most of his 15-year sentence before serving the concurrent life terms and will be eligible for parole after seven years.
Halem was convicted in March following a two-week trial in which a jury found him guilty of kidnapping and robbery.
