Part 28: Judge Finds DA Investigator Innocent

Ajudge hasfound major problems in the way the Riverside County District Attorney’s office investigated a high-profile case.

The same judge gave a rare “finding of innocence” to a formerDA Investigator once accused of beating his wife.

This findingcould impact cases in Desert Hot Springs and ongoingFBI investigations.

FormerDA investigator Luis Bolanos has reason to be relieved now that a Superior Court judge finds there was “no credible evidence” against him and that he is “factually innocent” after a 2005 arrest for allegedly beating his wife and lying under oath.

The Riverside County District Attorney’s office is singled out for having “no reasonable cause” to believe the charges against Bolanos were ever true.

And, the State Attorney General’s office is targeted by the judge for “rubber stamping” an “incomplete investigation.”

“I’d like to get my 3 years back, my family’s 3 years back. I’d like to give my children the quality of life that we had, prior to this nightmare starting,” said Bolanos. “I’d like to be able to get all that back. I would like the individuals that caused this to have to be held accountable for what they did. I just think it’s time. It’s just amazing how they’ve been able to hide amongst themselves and protect each other at whatever cost.”

Before apparently wiping out his entire family in a 2005 massacre, DAInvestigator David McGowan was Bolanos’ former partner.

Bolanos filedan affadvit stating that their bosses illegally pressured McGowan to change reports in the case involving former Desert Hot Springs Police Officer David Gallardo.

Gallardo says he lost his job in an attempt to cover up major problems of corruption and sexual crimes inside theDHS Police force.

The DA’s office went after Bolanos in 2005, arresting and firing him.

But key witnesses told News Channel3 and theFBI that Bolanos’ ex-wife Joliewas used by the DA’s office in a slanted investigation against Bolanos.

Olga Bates who was a witness in the Bolanos case said, “She purjured herself and she hasn’t even got a slap on the wrist and this man for two years has been crucified. Where is the justice? where is the justice?”

The Deputy Attorney General who prosecuted Bolanos had a history with him:

During the 2002 investigation ofDA Investigator Dan Riter for shooting a man in Coachella, Michael Murphy with the State Attorney General’s office refused to listen to evidence from then – sheriff’s investigator Luis Bolanos that would have cleared Dan Riter of murder charges according to Bolanos.

Riter was sentenced to several years in prison.

But with his new finding of innocence, Bolanos and his attorney says they’re still waiting for an apology letter.

“Idon’t think an apology letter is in the mail unless and until the thing makes its way perhaps through the federal court or we find out about any appeal on the finding of factual innocence,” said Bolanos’ attorney Ulrich McNulty.

The District Attorney’s office says thatDA Rod Pacheco is out of the office until January 2nd and not available for comment.

With Bolanos’ finding of innocence, his mugshot and arrest record will soonbe destroyed.