Ex-deputy accused of faking sniper shooting in Lancaster is arrested on suspicion of insurance fraud, filing false report

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) -- A former Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy who admitted to lying about being shot by a sniper outside the Lancaster station has been arrested on suspicion of insurance fraud and filing a false police report, authorities said Thursday.

Angel Reinosa, 21, was taken into custody at 2:30 p.m. after a traffic stop in Sylmar, the department said in a news release.

He faces two felony counts of insurance fraud and a misdemeanor count of filing a false police report, the department said.

The Sheriff's Department said the insurance counts are related to worker's compensation he received after he falsely reported being targeted outside the station.

Reinosa was a probationary employee and had been with the Sheriff's Department for about a year when in August 2019 he said he was shot at from a nearby apartment building but that his vest had stopped a shot to his chest, authorities said.

The claim sparked a large law enforcement response as deputies searched for the gunman.