A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy pleaded guilty Thursday to attempting to smuggle heroin inside two Pringles cans into a Santa Clarita Valley jail last year.

Michael Meiser, 40, of Lancaster, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

According to his plea agreement, as Meiser was working as an LASD deputy at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic in April 2024, he arranged with inmates to smuggle narcotics into the jail in exchange for cash.

Meiser met two women at a Valencia gas station, one of whom was associated with a jail inmate, and received a grocery bag with two Pringles cans stuffed with over 1 pound of heroin. He also received $15,000 in cash, as payment from the inmates for smuggling heroin into the jail, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Meiser later placed the Pringles cans in a backpack as he drove in another deputy's truck to the jail's campus.

Later that day, Meiser met with an inmate participating in the smuggling scheme and spoke to him for several minutes. At the end of that day, LASD investigators stopped Meiser and the other deputy as they began driving outside the jail.

LASD investigators arrested Meiser and searched the other deputy's truck, where they found the backpack containing $15,000 in cash, Meiser's loaded handgun, his badge, and LASD identification. Investigators also found the two Pringles cans with heroin inside.

Meiser faces a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 11.