Former LAPD Officer Sentenced to Life Plus 15 Years in $350,000 Crypto Kidnapping and Bitcoin Robbery: ReportEnglish 한국어日本語繁體中文ไทยPortuguêsItalianoDeutschFrançaisEspañolA Los Angeles court sentenced former Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer Eric Halem to life in prison plus 15 years on Tuesday for a crypto robbery in which he kidnapped a teenager and stole a hard drive holding $350,000 in bitcoin. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mildred Escobedo handed down the concurrent life terms after rejecting a defense request for a new trial, according to the Los Angeles Times, which first reported the sentencing. Judge Rejects New-Trial BidHalem asked for a new trial, arguing that his original attorneys failed to call witnesses or examine key evidence. A jury convicted Halem in March after a two-week trial, returning the verdict in under a day. Investor TakeawayEx-LAPD Halem Faces Further ChargesHalem left the LAPD nearly two years before the robbery but still carried reserve officer status when it happened, according to the Los Angeles Times.