L.A. Probation Officer: Drug Supply to Juvenile Hall Arrested
Los Angeles County probation officer Michael Solis was arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs into Barry J. Nidorf juvenile hall, a case that underscores concerns about drug use within the facility. Solis is accused of conspiring with juvenile detainees to sell Xanax. This arrest follows an investigation prompted by increased drug use, including a fatal overdose, and reveals Solis’ alleged operation, where he charged up to $400 per drug drop, earning the nickname “Old Boy.” The scheme collapsed when a juvenile was caught with a stash of pills. District Attorney Nathan Hochman condemned the actions as “unconscionable.” The charges against Solis are part of a broader crackdown targeting L.A.County probation officers, a story News Directory 3 will continue to follow. Discover what’s next as the investigation proceeds and Solis faces potential prison time.
L.A. Probation Officer Arrested for Juvenile Hall Drug Smuggling
Michael Solis, 59, a Los Angeles County probation officer, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of smuggling drugs into Barry J. Nidorf juvenile Hall in Sylmar, prosecutors said. The arrest comes after an investigation into increased drug use at the facility, including a fatal overdose in 2023.
Solis allegedly conspired with two juvenile detainees between may adn August 2023 to sell Xanax within the juvenile hall. Court records indicate the conspiracy began shortly after the fentanyl overdose death of 18-year-old Bryan Diaz at the same facility.
According to the criminal complaint, Solis was observed on camera handing small packages, believed to be drugs, to a juvenile identified as “Co-Conspirator A.” He allegedly charged up to $400 per drug drop and was nicknamed “Old Boy” by the juveniles in recorded phone calls.
The scheme unraveled in August 2023 when “Co-Conspirator A” was caught with 106 Xanax pills inside Nidorf Hall.
“Trafficking illegal drugs to juveniles is unconscionable under any circumstances, let alone as a government employee taking advantage of vulnerable youth in need of guidance and support,” Los Angeles County Dist.Atty. Nathan Hochman said.
Chief Probation Officer Guillermo Viera Rosa condemned Solis’s alleged actions.
“There is no room in this Department for anyone who violates the public trust and endangers the safety and wellbeing of the youth in our care,” Viera Rosa said in a statement.
Solis first came under scrutiny in October 2023 when another resident, Nicholas Ibarra, alleged an officer was bringing drugs into the facility. Attorneys for two other probation officers, Reggie Torres and David Corona, claim their clients were wrongly placed on administrative leave for pursuing the investigation that ultimately led to Solis.
The charges against Solis are the latest in a series of criminal investigations targeting L.A. County probation officers. Earlier this year, indictments were handed down against 30 officers related to alleged “gladiator fights” at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.
What’s next
Solis faces up to three years in prison if convicted. The investigation into drug activity at L.A. County juvenile halls is ongoing.