A former Cathedral City policeman is facing multiple charges, including drug possession and domestic violence, after allegedly stealing fentanyl during a drug raid and assaulting his former girlfriend. The accused, Claudiu Murzea, 46, from Rancho Cucamonga, is planning to request a reduction in his bail during a hearing on Tuesday.
Murzea is currently being held at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside on a $1 million bond. He was initially arrested for the domestic violence-related charges on October 4 while awaiting the resolution of the drug case. According to court documents, Murzea is accused of threatening and assaulting the victim, referred to as “M.M.,” in violation of a domestic violence restraining order.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department filed a bail-setting request, highlighting Murzea’s history as a trained former police officer and his possession of registered firearms. The request also mentioned Murzea’s termination from the Cathedral City PD due to drug offenses, as well as his credible threats towards the District Attorney’s office and law enforcement officials.
Detective Christi Arnold, in an affidavit, described Murzea’s behavior as erratic based on emails and voicemails. Murzea was initially arrested for the drug-related charges in November of last year. The arrest warrant affidavit stated that during a probation sweep on May 11, 2022, Murzea and other law enforcement personnel found fentanyl pills, powdered fentanyl, methamphetamine, and a firearm in a hotel room occupied by a felon and another individual.
After the search, Murzea was assigned to watch the detainees outside the room. It was later discovered that one of the detainees had drugs in his pocket, but there is no record of those substances being booked into evidence. Two hours later, Murzea was found unconscious and suffering from a drug overdose behind the Cathedral City Police Department. Fentanyl was allegedly found in his wallet during medical treatment at Eisenhower Medical Center. A toxicology test confirmed the presence of fentanyl and other drugs in his blood.
Murzea ultimately recovered from the overdose but was fired from the police department. The drug charges he faces are misdemeanors.
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