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Acton man gets 8 years for causing drug-related death

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Tommy Loaiza [booking photo courtesy: LASD]
Tommy Loaiza [booking photo courtesy: LASD]
A 38-year-old Acton man was sentenced Friday, Dec. 18, to eight years in state prison for furnishing drugs, which ultimately caused a man to overdose.

Superior Court Judge Hayden Zacky imposed the term on Tommy Loaiza who was charged in the death of Kahlil Banks, 42.

Loaiza pleaded no contest Dec. 4 and admitted that he had a 1995 conviction for second-degree robbery, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Banks was found dead from an overdose May 21 at his apartment in the 28000 block of Sarabande Lane in Santa Clarita, authorities said.

Loaiza supplied heroin to Banks, then left him for dead after the man overdosed, according to Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Illions.

Loaiza was arrested six days later after Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies saw him driving Banks’ Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, which had been missing.

Three other counts filed against Loaiza in May — murder, grand theft of an automobile and sale of heroin — were dismissed as a result of his plea.

Previous related story: Acton man pleads to causing drug-related death

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Filed Under: Acton, Crime/ Safety

2 comments for "Acton man gets 8 years for causing drug-related death"

  1. it’s important that we change the rules about this, doing so gives us hope that our loved ones involved in the lifestyle survive. I agree, I would like to ring there necks, but for whatever reason a person decides to do drugs, is because they decided to do them…AND not fearing to call 911 for help would make it more possible for our loved ones another chance for change. There isn’t a day goes by I don’t worry that the one person in my life I love sooo much, it’s possible I will never see her again…..in the meantime I call the hospitals everyday to see if she is there. I think of drug dealers and friends of each other are like pit-bulls, they are all very intimidating! if a person with no alterior motives, and if your not a threat or afraid they are like puppies. My advice to the family that lost there son is don’t take for granted the other people in your family the only way to fight drug addiction is through interaction and making time to be involved in there lives. I pray for a second chance!

    • that’s cold driving his truck around after the fact. he didn’t want to call 911! it’s a known fact among addicts not to call 911 because you will go to jail for whatever happens when there is an O.D