Snoop's Guards Trigger Investigation

By Louise A. Barile

Friday June 27, 2003 01:00 AM EDT

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Officials in Los Angeles have vowed to investigate the after-hours employment of all state workers after three parole agents were found to be part of rapper Snoop Dogg's entourage of armed guards at the third annual Black Entertainment Television Awards earlier this week, reports the Associated Press.

Corrections Department spokesperson Russ Heimerich tells AP that the three agents have been reassigned to desk duty pending an investigation.

While the Corrections Department doesn't have a regulation against outside employment involving people with criminal records, parole agents are expected to report who they work for and any knowledge of criminal activity. Snoop Dogg, 30, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, was convicted in 1990 of possession of cocaine for sale.

The imbroglio started on Tuesday night when Snoop Dogg's entourage was stopped outside of the BET Awards at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, after they arrived wearing bulletproof vests and riding in an armored van. Although Snoop was not detained, police searched 13 people and recovered seven handguns. Three bodyguards were arrested, two on outstanding misdemeanor charges, the other on parole violations.

Although he wasn't found with any weapons on himself, the incident exposes Snoop to possible firearms charges because it's against federal law for a convicted felon to employ armed guards.