The Region - News from March 31, 1987

A deputy Los Angeles County district attorney who was recently fired for allegedly using cocaine while off duty has been charged with misdemeanor counts of being under the influence of cocaine and being present at a location where controlled substances were in use. The charges against Ralph Ayala, 35, involve a late February incident for which the eight-year deputy was fired, according to authorities. Documents filed in court show that Ayala was apprehended in a Venice house by district attorney’s investigators who had received information from two tipsters who said they had watched Ayala ingest the drug regularly on Friday nights at the same location. The district attorney’s office declined to comment on whether any promises were made to the tipsters in exchange for their information. Although no cocaine was found on Ayala, a voluntary urinalysis test proved positive, said Deputy Los Angeles City Atty. Alice Hand, who filed the misdemeanor charges. Arraignment will be April 21.