Dennis RomeroWhen 58-year-old Beverly Hills investment bank employee Michael Poret was arrested twice for a string of window shootings in the 90210 and along Ventura Boulevard earlier this summer the big question was why?
Well, as the L.A. County District Attorney's office today threw the book at the Encino man this week, the reason might have surfaced.
It sounds like a story straight out of Breaking Bad. Among the charges, according to a D.A.'s statement today, is this:
… one felony count of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine.
Ah-hah! And you thought bath salts might have been involved.
Poret was arrested by Beverly Hills cops July 3 after a couple windows were sling-shot out in that gilded city.
Cops told us in July that he was stopped because the car he was driving had no plates, but officers soon realized, as a call of vandalism “just occurred” came over their radio, that Poret might be a suspect in not only the shootings but in a similar rash of vandalism in the Valley, they said.
A slingshot was found in the car, police told us.
Poret was eventually investigated for as many as 20 vandalism cases in Beverly Hills and 50 in the Valley, mostly along Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills. The D.A.'s office today said the total number of incidents was a whopping 75.
He worked at the UBS investment banking office in Beverly Hills, which is apparently where he shot this creepy photo of President Obama's motorcade.
Credit: Michael Poret / Facebook
He was also charged with six felony counts of vandalism and five counts of possession of weapons.
Prosecutors say he might have caused up to $125,000 in damage. They said they would recommend a bail amount of $360,000 when they face off in court with Poret Sept. 28.
He could see nearly 11 years behind bars if prosecuted.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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