Tow-Away Zone: details emerge on King City police scandal, involving car bribes.

South Monterey County cities are more like small towns. As retired Greenfield Police Chief and King City resident Joe Grebmeier puts it, "Down at this end of the county, we’re all related through marriage."

In the case of a corruption scheme in King City, in which seven people—including five active-duty cops—were arrested Tuesday morning, the scheme involves brotherhood, rather than marriage. 

Acting Police Chief Bruce Miller and his brother Brian Miller, who owns Miller's Tow in King City, were among those arrested.

Impounded vehicles went to Miller's Tow in large numbers, and some of those vehicles were then gifted to police officers. 

Officers targeted poor Hispanics for vehicle impounds, and when they couldn't pay fees to get their cars back, the vehicles went mostly to Miller, according to statement released by Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo.

Evidence shows Sgt. Bobby Carrillo—who was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, accepting a bribe, and bribing an executive officer—impounded more than 200 vehicles, 87 percent of which were impounded at Miller's Tow. He then received multiple cars from Miller for free.

The investigation "revealed a significant lack of leadership within the King City Police Department," according to Flippo's statement.

The FBI, Salinas PD, Monterey County sheriff and DA's Bureau of Investigation led the six-month investigation, which began in September, as a result of ongoing complaints of corruption in the King City PD. 

The defendants are expected to be arraigned beginning Monday, March 3.