LASD custodian accused of destroying evidence from his DUI arrest

Los Angeles County prosecutors charged a former Sheriff's Department evidence custodian with stealing and destroying evidence from his DUI arrest in 2024.

Tommy Ray Trimble faces three felony counts for burglary, preparing false evidence and destroying government records, as well as a misdemeanor count of destroying evidence. 

He faces up to three years in prison if he's convicted as charged. 

"We entrust our public officials and law enforcement officers to uphold the law, not to break it," LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said. "Those who perform civic service should expect to be held to a higher standard. This wasn't a mistake. This was a concerted effort to flout the law to escape justice."  

Prosecutors said Trimble worked at the LA County Sheriff's Department crime laboratory in Downey, where investigators stored his blood sample taken after authorities arrested him for driving under the influence on July 7, 2024.  

Trimble allegedly accessed the vault where his blood sample was stored and attempted to destroy the sample by heating it in a microwave. 

A criminalist at the facility examined the blood sample about two months after his arrest and noticed it had been damaged. The Sheriff's Department said they "separated' with Trimble in September 2024, shortly after the alleged evidence tampering. 

"The Department was made aware of the alleged misconduct on September 11, 2024, and it was immediately referred to the Department's Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau (ICIB) for a comprehensive review," LASD wrote. "Following a thorough investigation, the case was submitted to the Justice System Integrity Division (JSID) on August 21, 2025, for filing consideration."

According to court records, Trimble ended up pleading no contest to the misdemeanor DUI charge and was sentenced to three years of probation.