Former Law Enforcement and Military Officers Charged in Alleged Sham Raid to Extort Orange County

Police and military officersPhoto byPhoto by Somchai Kongkamsri:

Federal prosecutors announced they have charged three former law enforcement and military officers in connection with a staged raid designed to extort a businessman in Orange County, California, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced. The individuals, who allegedly posed as legitimate officers during the operation, are accused of conducting the sham raid to intimidate the victim into paying a large sum of money.

The superseding indictment filed on August 1, charges the following defendants with one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, one count of attempted extortion, one count of conspiracy against rights, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law:

• Steven Arthur Lankford, 68, of Canyon Country, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputy who stopped working for LASD in 2020 and owns a Santa Clarita-based process service company;
• Glen Louis Cozart, 63, of Upland, a former LASD deputy who owns and operates a San Bernardino County-based private investigation and security services company;
• Max Samuel Bennett Turbett, 39, of Australia, a United Kingdom citizen and former member of the British military who owns an Australia-based private investigation and asset recovery business; and
• Matthew Phillip Hart, 41, of Australia, an Australian citizen and former member of the Australian military who owns an Australia-based risk management services business.

This case highlights the seriousness of abuses of authority and the commitment of federal authorities to hold such offenders accountable. The defendants now face potentially severe penalties if convicted, reflecting the gravity of their actions in betraying public trust.

The U.S. Attorney's Office emphasized that the justice system will pursue and prosecute individuals who exploit their former positions for personal gain and criminal activities.

For more information, visit the DOJ press release.