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70-Year-Old Comedian Battles Police in Fentanyl Raid Row, Claims Racial Motive

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Known humorist Paul Rodriguez is contemplating taking legal measures against the authorities, alleging that a surprising drug raid on his residence was racially biased, while police report a different account of events.

Currently, the 70-year-old comedian finds himself at odds with the Burbank Police Department following his latest arrest on charges of drug possession. He has asserted that a police officer – presumably white, given the context – physically struck him.

DailyMail.com has obtained contrasting accounts from the ex-El Pollo Loco spokesperson’s lawyer and the investigating authorities.

According to Rodriguez’s attorney, Bobby Samini, the actions taken by the arresting police officer were a breach of Rodriguez’s civil rights.

In a statement given to DailyMail.com on Wednesday, Samini denied the allegation that Mr. Rodriguez had any illegal substances in his possession, stating it as completely untrue.

It’s underhanded and unjustified for nameless individuals to make statements aiming to harm Mr. Rodriguez’s reputation. Mr. Rodriguez intends to challenge these accusations and will pursue any necessary legal steps against the parties involved.

In a subsequent part, the lawyer detailed Rodriguez’s significant national contributions through his military service.

Samini added: Beyond his celebrated career in Hollywood, Mr. Rodriguez is a former U.S. Air Force veteran. He served our nation with distinction and held top-level security clearances.

Even though Mr. Rodriguez willingly complied with law enforcement, he was physically taken out of the car, handcuffed, detained, and subjected to a thorough body search. However, no illegal substances were discovered on him or in his belongings. Regrettably, this action seemed less about safeguarding the community and more about degrading and embarrassing Mr. Rodriguez.

Rodriguez got apprehended alongside a female companion, who was behind the wheel. During the arrest, authorities carried out a search since they discovered illegal substances hidden inside an unknown woman’s handbag.

In the end, it was determined that Mr. Rodriquez, who was traveling in the car, was handled as if he were a potentially harmful suspect.

My client trusts our justice system and intends to get fair treatment from a group of fellow citizens on a jury. Mr. Rodriguez plans to assert his constitutional privileges and establish his innocence.

Currently, Sergeant Stephen Turner has issued a response to Rodriguez’s claims, representing the Burbank Police Department, in a statement made to DailyMail.com yesterday.

As a devoted follower, I can confirm that I’ve been informed by the officer that the agency acknowledges the reported misconduct and is currently undergoing an administrative review by the department regarding this incident.

Turner further shared with DailyMail.com that, upon being released from jail, Mr. Paul Rodriguez reportedly had a conversation with a Watch Commander, but he didn’t accuse anyone of wrongdoing or misconduct.

This came days after Rodriguez broke his silence following his arrest on Friday. 

A well-known performer, recognized for his stand-up comedy acts and movie appearances, was stopped by the police in Burbank, California, due to a traffic infraction, as reported by TMZ.

Although the precise aspects of the infraction are yet undefined, it’s been reported that during a stop, authorities are said to have conducted a search on Rodriguez’s car and discovered what appeared to be illegal substances within.

He was arrested and taken into custody on misdemeanor drug possession charges.

Over the weekend, when TMZ reached out for a comment, I, being a diehard fan, vehemently declared that the substances found weren’t mine. Instead, I accused one of the officers involved in my arrest of acting unprofessionally and potentially planting evidence.

He also suggested the incident may have been racially motivated.

DailyMail.com had reached out to Paul’s reps for comment at the time.  

Rodriguez shared that during a traffic stop, he was sound asleep in the front passenger seat. According to him, the officer, whom he characterized as white, reportedly slapped him to rouse him and, in his view, this officer seemed to be acting out of a sense of authority or power trip.

As for the narcotics, Rodriguez claims they belonged to his friend, who was driving at the time. 

According to the comedian, his friend admitted to police that the drugs were hers.

Nevertheless, Rodriguez claims he was roughly handled and taken into custody together with her. The car was seized.

Rodriguez insists that he was manhandled and detained, alongside her, in this instance. Their vehicle was confiscated.

Lastly:

In spite of this, Rodriguez asserts that he was roughly treated and arrested together with her. The automobile was towed away.

According to police officials, Rodriguez received a citation and was freed on minor drug charges. The matter is now being examined by the city attorney. At this point, no comments have been made regarding Rodriguez’s accusations.

Rodriguez shared that he’s thinking about submitting an official report on the officer’s behavior, while his friend currently remains in custody due to existing arrest warrants.

This incident comes amid a challenging period for the comedian. 

Last November, Rodriguez’s lifelong friend, Donald Serrato, unfortunately lost his life due to natural reasons during his stay at Rodriguez’s residence in Los Angeles.

Additionally, in 2021, the comedian underwent quadruple bypass surgery.

At the time of his passing, Serrato had recently sold his house in Torrance and was temporarily residing with Rodriguez in the Los Angeles region, prior to his move to Montana.

According to law enforcement officials, it’s believed that Serrato passed away due to natural reasons, with no signs indicating drug involvement or any suspicious activity.

At that point, Rodriguez suggested that Serrato’s suspected excessive alcohol consumption and smoking, combined with his deep mourning over the losses within his family, might have played a role in his downfall.

He shared that he departed from home around 6 am on Thursday, heading for a movie set, and later called Serrato around noon to arrange lunch plans.

Being utterly smitten, I couldn’t help but try reaching out to Serrato over a call, but alas, he didn’t respond. Intrigued and concerned, I decided to take matters into my own hands. So, I reached out to his girlfriend, who graciously agreed to check in on him at his residence. As it turns out, she shared the details of this visit with TMZ.

Rescue workers visited Rodriguez’ home and found Serrato dead on the scene.

Born in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, Rodriguez later moved with his family to Compton, where he’s been making people laugh for over four decades as a comedian.

He frequently performs in comedy clubs, and his face graces the walls of the renowned Comedy Store in Los Angeles, a distinction shared only by an exclusive group of top-tier comedians.

In the early stages of his acting career, Pablo Rodriguez starred as the lead in his own sitcom titled “a.k.a. Pablo,” but unfortunately, it only ran for six episodes before being discontinued.

Over time, viewers have encountered him gracing various popular TV shows such as The Golden Girls, Touched by an Angel, and The Twilight Zone.

Additionally, he’s provided vocal work for television shows such as King of the Hill, Dora the Explorer, and The Proud Family, along with the movie “Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.

Rodriguez has appeared in films such as the 2002 live-action movie Blood Work, directed by Clint Eastwood, and the 2021 release Clifford The Big Red Dog.

His son, known as Paul Rodriguez or simply P-Rod on social platforms, boasts a significant following of more than a million people on Instagram. He’s well-known for his skills as a professional skateboarder.

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2025-04-02 22:34

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