‘I am despicable’: Kern County lawman convicted in drug plot blames Satan

A former Kern County sheriff’s deputy who pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to steal marijuana seized during criminal investigations apologized in a recorded video message for his misdeeds, saying Satan was “playing games” with him.

In a May 7 video entitled “I am sorry!” Logan August appeared seated with his wife as he apologized to Kern County residents, law enforcement officials and “anybody I had ever worked with that wears the badge that I disgraced.”

“I made a horrible decision,” the 30-year-old Bakersfield resident said in the YouTube video. “It was nobody else’s fault. Nobody influenced me to do it. I made that decision based on Satan playing games with me and making me feel like I was prideful and unable to go to family members for help.”

August and Derrick Penney, another former Kern County sheriff’s deputy, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, according to U.S. Atty. Phillip A. Talbert. They have agreed to forfeit any money they earned from the trafficking operation. August and Penney face up to five years in prison.

The former deputies were accused of working with former Bakersfield police detective Patrick Mara and others to steal marijuana from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office storage unit, according federal court documents. The plot transpired between June 2014 and October 2014, according to the documents.

Federal authorities said the group planned to sell the cannabis, which had been previously seized by police during drug operations on private and public properties.

August was assigned to the Sheriff’s Major Vendor Narcotics Unit and participated in drug busts.

After August and Penney, 34, of Star, Idaho, stole the marijuana, they had it trimmed, so it could be sold, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. August then handed the eight pounds of marijuana to a confidential informant who sold it for him, federal authorities said.

August shared his earnings with Penney, each receiving about $1,200, according to federal prosecutors. August also gave a portion of the proceeds to Mara, who is about to begin a five-year federal prison sentence in a separate case, authorities said. Mara, a 13-year Bakersfield police veteran, admitted to stealing methamphetamine from drug dealers during traffic stops.

Federal authorities said August took the marijuana from drug busts on 10 separate occasions and gave his informant about 25 pounds of cannabis. After the marijuana was sold, he received $15,000, according to federal prosecutors.

In his video, August thanked people for leaving negative comments on his social media.

“I am deserving of everything you said,” August said. “I am despicable and I am a piece of crap and that is me in this world.”

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Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA