Pair of Off Duty LAPD Officers Charged With Fight Outside East Los Angeles Restaurant

Two Los Angeles Police Department officers have been charged with assaulting a man outside a restaurant last October in East Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Juan Israel Zendejas (dob 11/25/71) was charged in case BA481769 with one felony count each of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury. Co-defendant Rudolph Rivera (dob 3/21/75) faces one count of misdemeanor battery. The case was filed for warrant on Oct. 10. Rivera pleaded not guilty to the charges today and Zendejas was arraigned on Oct. 15. 

They are both scheduled to return to court on Dec. 4 in Department 31 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Deputy District Attorney Byron Beck of the Justice System Integrity Division is prosecuting the case.

On Oct. 21, 2018, the two defendants were leaving a restaurant in the 4500 block of East Cesar Chavez Avenue when they allegedly confronted a 35-year-old man who was talking with a female acquaintance.

Zendejas is accused of punching the man, who fell unconscious. A short time later, Rivera approached the victim and allegedly pushed him to the ground.

If convicted as charged, Zendejas faces a possible maximum sentence of seven years in state prison, while Rivera faces up to six months in county jail.

The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

About the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office Oct. 22, 2019 Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey leads the largest local prosecutorial office in the nation. Her staff of nearly 1,000 attorneys, 300 investigators and 800 support staff members is dedicated to protecting our community through the fair and ethical pursuit of justice and the safeguarding of crime victims' rights.