MORENO VALLEY-  A local woman was charged for the murder of a man found deceased along a rural section of Hwy 60.

On Thursday, December 4, in the early afternoon a motorist noticed what appeared to be a body alongside Hwy 60 in a rugged area 1.5 miles east of Moreno Valley known locally as The Badlands. Deputies from the Cabazon Station responded to the motorist’s call and were able locate a deceased male adult who appeared to have suffered deadly traumatic injuries.

Believing the case to be a homicide, detectives from the Central Homicide Unit initiated an investigation. The victim was identified as 47-year-old Moreno Valley resident, Juan Servin. The following day detectives identified what they believed to be the scene of the murder at a residence in the 16400 block of Hazelwood Court in the city of Moreno Valley.

Servin’s girlfriend Darla Bennett, age 43 of Moreno Valley, was arrested for homicide and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside. According to court records Bennett also has a prior conviction for embezzlement from 2006 under the name Darla Anne Sell. Bennett made her first appearance in court on Wednesday December 10 and could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted in the homicide. Investigators allege that Bennett lived with Servin and murdered him in their home. A possible motive was not disclosed, nor were any details regarding how the victim was killed. She is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Investigator Freeman from the Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3530.

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KESQ: Moreno Valley woman accused of murdering her boyfriend

Press Enterprise: Detectives arrest woman in boyfriend’s slaying

Ventura County – In March, 2014, managers of Ventura County’s Gold Coast Transit—an Oxnard-based public transportation joint powers agency operating under the aegis of The State of California–became suspicious of an unexplained trend in declining rider fares and quietly began investigating any possible causes. Gold Coast General Manager Steve Brown reported that “we discovered the apparent shortage of fare box revenues while reconciling…data from our new fare box system.”

What Brown’s team discovered flew in the face of any notions of “public service”, as they became suspicious of the activities of four trusted transit company employees. According to an announcement to the media by Ventura County Deputy District Attorney Taylor Waters, law enforcement identified Antonio Maldonado Chavez, 51, Jorge Garibay Alvarado, 37, Jonathan Trujillo, 45, and Anthony David Cribbs, 44, as suspects of the theft of funds in excess of $8,000 from bus fare boxes.

Waters reported that Chavez and Alvarado had been employed as “bus maintenance workers whose duties included transferring cash from the vehicles to the cash depository.” Trujillo and Cribbs, both bus mechanics under the employ of Gold Coast, were complicit in the thievery, but were apparently not the principal perpetrators, as they were charged only with multiple misdemeanor petty thefts. Chavez and Alvarado, on the other hand, were taken into custody charged with multiple felony counts of misappropriating public funds. If convicted, Waters said, Alvarado “faces up to six years in state prison” while Chavez “faces up to nine years in state prison” upon conviction of all the charges facing him.

Arraignment for the light-fingered quartet is scheduled for December 30th in Ventura County Superior Court.

Read more:

Pacific Coast Business Times: Four face charges for filched bus fares

INGLEWOOD, CA—With a name and a current fate that at its simplest sounds like a movie prequel to “Weekend at Bernie’s,” Kevin Renall Carr III, 23, was arrested by Inglewood police officers on Friday, December 5 at approximately 4:30 a.m.

He was apprehended at the corner of 109th Street and Crenshaw Boulevard. The stretch of Crenshaw has for the last few years been a hotbed of shootings, murders, robberies and hit-and-runs resulting in death.

The Compton laborer was charged with first degree robbery (211PC), possession of burglary tools (466PC), receiving known stolen property (496(A)PC), burglary (459PC), grand theft regarding an access card (484EPC), possession of a forged driver’s license (470BPC), forgery (470(A)PC) and forgery concerning false checks (470(D)PC).

Bail amounts ranged from $500 up to $100,000, with the total for all eight charges being $201,000.

If he’s as wealthy as his name would suggest to some, it should be no problem to make bail and set out to make another “movie.”

Ventura County – Clearly, the historical import of December 7th as characterized by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as “a date which will live in infamy”, and which for recent generations was seared into the annals of modern American history continues to fade into the foggy recesses of some citizens as evidenced by their failure to restrain their criminal impulses on what is recognized as Pearl Harbor Day.

It was early in the morning on that anniversary date, at 7:00 a.m. Sunday, December 7th, when Oxnard’s 911 Emergency Dispatch received a call alerting authorities to a possible sexual assault and kidnapping at a Samuel Avenue address. Upon arrival at the reported location, according to an Oxnard Police Department spokesman’s report to the media, “officers learned that the suspect might still be in the area,” which he was indeed.

Just a couple of doors away in the same apartment complex, officers located the suspect and made verbal contact with him, whereupon Lawrence Beasley, 41-year old Oxnard resident, made it clear that he was not interested in having a dialogue with them, warning them that he had barricaded himself inside the apartment and was armed.

With the arrival of Oxnard Police Department’s SWAT team, negotiations ensued with Beasley as six neighboring apartments were evacuated for the safety of anyone in the immediate vicinity. After two full hours of conversation with the SWAT negotiator, Beasley saw the error of his earlier thinking and surrendered himself.

Beasley was promptly taken into custody, arrested on the scene, and transported to Ventura County Jail where he was booked on multiple felonies, including sexual assault and “possible kidnapping” charges, surely making it his personal day of infamy.

Photo: Courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking

Read more:

CBSLA: Suspect taken into custody after barricade

VCSTAR: Oxnard man arrested Sunday is ex-convict

ABC7: Oxnard barricade ends peacefully

FRESNO – Police arrested three Bulldog gang members on Wednesday who were wanted in connection to the shooting of a 16-year-old honors student last month.

The shooting happened in the 600 block of North College Avenue in central Fresno on Nov. 30. Police said that 10 to 15 gang members went to the home to confront a rival gang member, but did not live at the house anymore.

One of the gang members fired four gunshots through the door and one of the bullets hit a 16-year-old girl in the head.

Police were on the lookout for a gang member known as “Maniac” in connection to the shooting. More than 50 officers from the Fresno and Clovis police departments, the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office participated in a large enforcement sweep that ultimately led to the arrest of three gang members wanted for the shooting.

While conducting the more than 30 probation and parole searches on Wednesday night, police were able to locate and arrest Paul Murillo, 22, Marcos Vega, 23, and Miguel Martinez-Lopez, 23.

Police are still looking for a fourth suspect, 17-year-old Brandon Escobedo. Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is asked to call detectives Leonard Cabrera at (559) 621-2451 or David Fenstermaker at (559) 621-2424.

Read More:

Fresno Bee: Fresno police arrest 3 in shooting

KMPH: Fresno teen shot, 3 arrested

Ventura County – With the Holiday Season in full swing, it’s that time of year when we look forward to receiving all manner of “goodies” in our mailboxes, including Christmas cards from our insurance broker, end-of-the-year notices from the IRS, the seasonal solicitations for donations from every non-profit charitable organization on the planet, and all of those last-minute-online-shopping parcels from the internet purveyors to whom we’re all becoming addicted. It’s that seasonal reality that makes us all vulnerable to those who would violate both state criminal codes and U.S. Postal Service law by filching whatever may addressed to us in our own mailboxes.

It’s something of an epidemic throughout the fair-weather Central Coast where anyone can approach our mail box and leave with its contents and never leave a single footprint in the snow…unless the neighbors happen to be watching.

Just after noon on December 11th on Teal Club Road in the city of Oxnard, however, the neighbors were indeed in an observant state of mind when they called the Oxnard Police Department to report a man stealing mail from a private mailbox. Responding promptly to the reported address, according to Oxnard Police Department spokesperson Offficer Yvonne Negrete, officers discovered Richard Bravo at the scene, his pockets stuffed with mail…none of which bore his name or address. With the reporting witnesses nearby, Bravo was quickly identified as “the person they saw stealing the mail out of a business mailbox.”

Officers contacted the business owner who confirmed that Bravo, a 58-year old Oxnard resident, was unknown to him and was not in any way authorized to be in possession of the company’s mail.

Bravo, out on bail for a prior petty theft arrest, was taken into custody and booked into Ventura County Jail and charged with possession of stolen mail.

Negrete indicated that neighborhood witnesses in this case did the appropriate thing by providing information from a safe distance, and that the victim’s cooperation was instrumental in effecting the arrest. She also recommended that all residents make a habit of picking up their mail on a daily basis.

Photo: Courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking

Read more:

Citizens Journal: Oxnard PD arrest man for stealing mail

EDHAT: Stolen Mail

18-year-old Christian Bejar was arrested for two violations under VC 10851 (a) 666.5 Vehicle theft with a prior conviction. Vehicle theft is quite often under looked by the courts as a serious threat to the victims. However the threat becomes much worse to law enforcement when they locate a stolen vehicle with the theft suspect still driving it. Authorities found Bejar had been driving a stolen 1998 Honda Civic on Nov 7, and a 1995 Honda Civic on Nov 12.

According to the California Highway Patrol, “Since 2003, the number of licensed drivers in California has increased 6.9 percent. Of the licensed drivers in California, 22.4 percent were under 30 years of age; however, drivers under 30 years of age comprised 32.9 percent of all drivers in fatal and injury collisions.” Of those, a high number of injuries are caused when a car theft suspect tries to run from police and injures themselves or others during the chase. Police chases that lead to the death of the suspect are often frowned on by the community. This has made for a greater need for the Regional Auto Theft Task Force (RATTF) to judiciously appeal to the car theft suspect before going on such a chase.

RATTF Detectives driving through the area of Lanai Avenue recognized a stolen vehicle, which Bejar was seated in. During the initial contact, Bejar ran from officers. He was later located and identified. Once detectives searched the vehicle they found a glass pipe used for smoking ‘Meth’. Bejar also had a crystal like substance in his pants pocket later identified as methamphetamine. Detectives also found a silver type key used to open the doors and ignitions of the stolen vehicles.

A second suspect was transported to Juvenile Hall, and Bejar was transported and booked into the Santa Clara Main Jail. Once Bejar was fingerprinted a hit came back for the previous 1998 Honda Civic theft stolen out of San Jose which linked him to both crimes.

RATTF Detectives asked Bejar where he had gotten the stolen vehicle, and Bejar just said, “They gave it to me”. When asked about the second suspect, Bejar said, “I just met him”. Bejar admitted to only knowing him by the name of “Frosty”. Bejar also admitted to having committed prior thefts to detectives. Records bear out this claim, as they show an arrest for vehicle theft and driving without a license on July 30, and another on May 31 of this year. In the May arrest, he was also charged with possession of burglar’s tools and possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. And he had an outstanding warrant at that time, related to his arrest on May 4th for vandalism, and again being under the influence and possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. Any possible arrests prior to New Years Day 2014 would not show due to his then status as a minor.

The next court date has been scheduled for Feb 2, 2014 in Dept 34 at 9:00 AM in front of the Honorable Sheylyna V. Brown.

Riverbank, California is a small town in Stanislaus County just outside of Modesto along the bank of the Stanislaus River. Monschein Industries is headquartered in Riverbank, and is a leading manufacturer of cabinets and countertops in the western United States. Their 150,000 square foot facility is located in the center of town on Patterson Road, right along the BNSF Railroad tracks and near the railroad yard.

Lori Gonsalves, Stanislaus County booking photo.

Lori Gonsalves was a long time employee of Monschein Industries. According to company officials, she began working for them in the year 2000. But on Monday, August 25, according to the Stanislaus Sheriff’s Department, an official contacted them, and Detective Jesse Tovar took their statement that they suspected Gonsalves was stealing from the company.

They had become suspicious of her when some cash deposits went missing. Detective Tovar began an investigation, and found a number of unauthorized purchases using company credit cards, checks made out to Gonsalves with forged signatures, and a large amount of cash that was unaccounted for over several years time. He estimated a total of $300,000 worth of missing funds and purchases.

The investigation concluded on Thursday, December 11 with the issuance of a search warrant that was served at Gonsalves’ Modesto home. They found there a number of items matching those purchased with the company credit card. She was arrested for embezzlement, grand theft, and computer related crimes.

Anyone with any information that may help in this case is encouraged to contact detective Tovar at 209-863-7136. Anonymous tips may be reported by calling Crime Stoppers at (209) 521-4636. Tipsters can also submit tips to Modesto PD Crimestoppers, or text them to CRIMES (274637) by typing “Tip704″ plus the message and be eligible for a cash reward.

Ventura County – California law protects the identities of juvenile offenders, presumably in the interest of preserving the public perception of “the innocence of youth” or in pursuit of some notion of “second chances” for wild-and-crazy kids.

But on the night of November 29th, at approximately 10:00 p.m., when teenagers should arguably not be out running around on the public streets, Santa Paula Police Department’s 911 Emergency Dispatch received multiple citizen calls alerting them to gunfire on a busy downtown street reportedly in the presence of passersbys and multiple children nearby.

According to Santa Paula Police Sgt. Ken Clark, officers were immediately dispatched to the scene where a number of putative eye witnesses “advised a subject in the area had a handgun and fired shots in the area where they and several children were standing.” As witnesses described a young man and pointed off in the direction of his flight from the area, SPPD officers quickly established a perimeter and the search was on.

The ensuing investigation led officers to a nearby apartment building where they approached the residents of a particular living unit and discovered “a person matching the description of the suspect” inside. Officers also located a handgun inside the apartment that matched the descriptions of the weapon involved in the shooting provided by witnesses.

Following a positive identification by those who had personally observed the incident on the street, the 16-year old juvenile male was transported to Ventura Juvenile Justice Center were he was booked on charges of negligently discharging a weapon, child endangerment, being a minor in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number, and brandishing a firearm.

The identity of the shooter remains undisclosed.

Read more:

Santa Paula Times: Witnesses identify teen suspected of firing gun

Over the last week, officers from the Roseville Police Department have reportedly made quite a few arrests, including one for negligently discharging a firearm and another for vehicle burglary, according to an official weekly crime report.

On Friday, December 5 at about 4 am, officers reportedly responded to a report of a vehicle burglary in progress at a hotel parking lot in the 10000 block of Fairway Drive. Officers found the suspects had smashed a car window and stolen property from inside the vehicle. Officers reportedly stopped a suspect vehicle nearby and recovered the stolen property.

Two women, Joshanay Sims, 22, of El Sobrante, and Shnaitta Renee Agee, 29, of San Francisco, were reportedly arrested on suspicion of burglary, possessing stolen property, and conspiracy. Records show Sims had been arrested at least once previously, in April 2013 on petty theft charges.

Neighborhood Watch paid off as citizen reports resulted in an arrest.

And at 3:45 am on Friday, December 12, officers reportedly responded to a report of shots fired at a home in the 400 block of Sierra Boulevard, right across the street from Woodbridge Park. Officers reportedly found two men had gotten into an argument and one of them grabbed as shotgun and fired it into the ground. No one was reportedly hurt during this incident.

Kevin Albert Neep, 29, of Roseville was reportedly arrested on suspicion of negligently discharging a firearm and other related charges. Neep had also been arrested in October on public intoxication charges.

Oakland resident Carl Jodecee McCoy, 22, is the real deal, a “real goer,” as he calls himself on his Facebook page. He loves guns. He loves having his picture taken holding guns. He loves pointing guns at cameras. Unfortunately, for the rest of us, he also loves pointing guns at people, especially when he wants something from them.

Carl McCoy booking photo from June 21

In August of 2013, according to a report in the Contra Costa Times, McCoy and two accomplices were charged with robbing a man at gunpoint in San Leandro’s Lake Chabot Park. On June 21 of this year, according to a San Leandro Police Department press release, McCoy and two accomplices are alleged to have tried robbing another man at gunpoint in the 1000 block of Davis Street. The suspects spotted a patrol car in the area and fled the scene without getting anything. As police were giving the victim a ride home, they spotted two of the suspects, one of them McCoy. Both suspects were arrested.

Last Tuesday night at around 7:20 p.m., again according to San Leandro Police, McCoy, on probation, was loitering with three friends on a corner of West Avenue 135th and Menlo Street when officers patrolling the area recognized him. The group ranged in ages between 16 and 22. The 16-year-old, police discovered, was, like McCoy, on probation for robbery. Both young men had search clauses in their probations that allowed police to search them without warrant.

The Beretta PX-4 Storm CO2 pellet pistol McCoy was carrying (San Leandro PD)

It turns out McCoy had a Beretta PX-4 Storm CO2 pellet pistol stuck in his waistband. The pellet pistol is an exact replica of the real Beretta PX-4 Storm semi-automatic pistol.

McCoy was taken into custody for violation of his probation. The Alameda County District Attorney has filed a probation revocation against him. McCoy is due to appear at the Hayward Hall of Justice on December 26 at 9:00 a.m. Meanwhile, he is being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

“Carrying a replica firearm such as this causes great concern for law enforcement and the community that we serve,” said Lt. Robert McManus of the San Leandro Police Department. “The fact that it was concealed in McCoy’s waistband, who is on probation for robbery, leads us to believe that he wasn’t carrying it for its intended purpose – target shooting.”

Let’s hope McCoy doesn’t get a gun for Christmas, real or replica.

SAN BERNARDINO – The Daily Show, which stars veteran comedian Jon Stewart, issued an apology to the San Bernardino District Attorney after wielding a high-level criticism against county law enforcement on his TV program.

Longtime District Attorney Mike Ramos lashed out at Stewart when he compared the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who died in Ferguson, Missouri, with the death of Dante Parker, who died as a result of being Tasered by San Bernardino County deputies.

The apology from The Daily Show was issued in a tweet, which admitted the show’s “sloppy” mistake regarding Parker’s death. In response to Stewart’s jab, Ramos issued a video which severely criticized Stewart’s commentary. The video was posted to Ramos’ YouTube account. Stewart was comparing police shootings from around the country, noting both the Brown and Parker deaths in the piece.

Parker, a Victorville man, died in August after a confrontation with a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy. Law enforcement reports said that Parker, 36, was attempting to break into a home in the 13000 block of Bucknell Ct. in Victorville. Deputies responded, struggled with Parker who tried to flee on a bicycle. Termed uncooperative and evasive, likely from being under the influence of unknown substances, deputies shocked him with a Taser.

According to reports, Parker left multiple marks on a female officer, who used the Taser multiple times during a struggle. A second deputy handcuffed, placed him inside a deputy’s patrol car before noticing Parker sweating and breathing heavily. He died two days before his 37th birthday. In Ramos’ video, he said Parker did not belong on the list because officers did not shoot him. Parker, according to reports, was tased and died from medical complications.

The Daily Show tweet read, “You’re right re Dante Parker. Sloppy to put him in our list of shootings. TV apology coming Monday … Larger point still stands” – The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) December 5, 2014. Stewart also addressed the error on the next edition of the show as promised. The Daily Show features political comedy, having aired since 1996.

Read More:

ABC7: Daily Show apologizes to San Bernardino district attorney

CBSLA: Jon Stewart apologizes to SB DA

LATimes: Jon Stewart apologizes to DA

SACRAMENTO— Police have arrested two men in connection with the stabbing of three people on Friday, December 12, following a fight at an Elk Grove apartment complex known as “The Crossings”. The first, Loc Nguyen, 20, was arrested Friday night at the Kaiser South Hospital.

According to an Elk Grove Police Department statement, a fight broke out at the complex on the 8500 block of Elk Grove-Florin Road after a confrontation over speeding in the parking lot. During the course of the fight, the suspects allegedly stabbed three victims. The three residents of the apartment complex had suffered multiple non-threatening cuts during the fight from what police believe was a folding pocket knife.

Nguyen and Tran apparently did not like being counseled on their speed driving though this apartment complex.

Police said Nguyen was one of two armed men who fought with the victims, who had expressed concern about Nguyen and another man speeding in the apartment complex parking lot. Nguyen was arrested after he went to the hospital with a fracture to his little finger and abrasions on his face and hands. He is listed on his arrest report as a resident of the apartment complex.

On Saturday, December 13, Johnny Van Tran, 18, turned himself in to police after seeing a television news report saying that he was a wanted suspect. Both men are accused of assault with a deadly weapon or instrument, and conspiracy, which are both felonies. Bail was set at $50,000. Unlike Nguyen, Van Tran does not currently reside in the complex; his listed residence is a house about a mile away, also in Elk Grove.

SANTA ROSA – You’d think it would be simple. You’re in court for a serious issue, such as a DUI arrest and conviction. The judge hands down your sentence of a suspended drivers license. Your obvious choice is now to call someone for a ride (if you didn’t think ahead and get a ride there) or to find public transportation – or even a cab – to get home. But some people must think that means “beginning tomorrow”. But it doesn’t, and police have learned that a lot of people think that way.

This morning, in anticipation of that, officers from the Santa Rosa Police, Petaluma Police, Sebastopol Police, California Highway Patrol, and Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a court sting, according to a police press release. They watched as individuals faced the judge, received their suspension, and then walked past a whole courthouse full of law enforcement personnel to make their way home. Of the fourteen people they observed, six of them walked to their car, started it up, and no doubt very carefully drove out of the parking lot.

Of course they carefully drove into the waiting arms of the officers who had anticipated their actions. They were stopped and cited, back into the courthouse they had just left, with another violation of driving with a suspended license. The consequences of their actions may include jail time, longer license suspension, and potential fees and costs for fines, attorney fees, or lost work time.

Those arrested in the sting were:

• Timothy B. Hanson, 26 of Rohnert Park
• Daniel Montero, 22 of Santa Rosa
• Juan Ricardo Hernandez De La Rosa, 31 of Calistoga
• Elizabeth Torres, 19 of Santa Rosa
• Christopher Hoppe, 44 of Guerneville
• Jose Castillo, 32 of Santa Rosa

The stated goal of these kinds of sting operations, and DUI checkpoints and enforcement, is to deter impaired drivers from getting on the road, and to keep public awareness of the law and dangers of impaired driving high. Perhaps these six, who joined a long list of others caught in the same kind of sting operations all over the state, are making a firm commitment to drive safely once they get their privileges back, but forgot their sentences started when the judge’s gavel hit the bench.

The operation was funded by a grant from the State Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, who reminds citizens who witness drunk or impaired drivers to call 9-1-1.

MORENO VALLEY- A man impersonating a police officer and attempting to pull over vehicle with flashing lights was arrested after a witness called 911.

On Friday December 12^th a motorist on Highway 60 in Moreno Valley noticed something amiss with a vehicle that was displaying flashing lights and was attempting to pull over a van heading eastbound near the Moreno Beach Drive exit. While the lights and car were similar to what police officers use, the motorist driving behind the tan Chevrolet Impala noticed that car had Louisiana plates. Believing that the driver of the Chevrolet was not actually an officer, the motorist dialed 911 at around 3:00 pm.

Concerned for the safety of the driver of the van, the witness followed the progress of the vehicles. The witness pulled up behind the Chevrolet as the two vehicles pulled over alongside the road. Noticing the third vehicle, the driver of the Chevrolet got spooked and accelerated around the van, exiting at Moreno Beach Drive. The witness then followed the Chevrolet and remained in contact with authorities, leading officers to the suspicious vehicle.

An officer pulled the Chevrolet over and identified the driver as Hezekiah Williams, age 25 of Moreno Valley. Officers questioned Williams and were able to confirm that Williams activated police style emergency lights from his vehicle while behind a van traveling eastbound on the freeway.

According to Sergeant Brian De Marco in a press release, the officer also found a law enforcement badge in William’s possession as well as additional law enforcement related items inside the vehicle. The vehicle was equipped with items similar to those installed in official police vehicles. Following the discovery of these items, Williams was arrested and later booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center for impersonating a police officer.

Photo Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Read More:

Press Enterprise: Man accused of police impersonation

KESQ: Inland Empire man allegedly impersonates police officer

Three suspects are currently in custody following an investigation of sales of a “date-rape” drug in the Sacramento area, according to an official press release issued by the Roseville Police Department.

Michael Manoff, 74; Corrina Amber Day, 42; and David Eric Culfa, 40, all of Rancho Cordova, were reportedly arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs for sale and other related charges, and booked at the Sacramento County Jail.

A search of Manoff and Day’s home on Angie Way turned up plenty of evidence.

According to Roseville PD, detectives from Roseville’s Vice and Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET) had been investigating regional sales of a synthetic narcotic drug similar to GHB, also known as the “date-rape drug.” GHB and those chemically similar to it are reportedly often implicated in sexual assaults, DUI and overdose cases. VNET detectives had reportedly been hearing rumors about a house in Rancho Cordova being a major source of GHB in Roseville and the rest of the Sacramento metropolitan area.

On Tuesday, December 9, Roseville officers reportedly served a search warrant at this particular home on Angie Way in Rancho Cordova. The home reportedly had a fortified security door and numerous surveillance cameras. Both Manoff and Day reside there. Culfa, who provided his address as a PO box at the Rancho Cordova UPS store, may have been staying with them at the time. His past address was a house in Carmichael.

Inside the home, officers reportedly found a large quantity of a GHB substitute drug disguised as, and reportedly sold under the guise, of a massage oil. According to Manoff’s Facebook page, he is the owner of “innerdance.net” which is, according to the website, “…a massage spa dedicated to providing quality products for the mind, body, and spirit.​” The site sells massage oils and creams, but lists no physical location for customers. Their contact address is a PO Box at the same UPS store as Culfa’s address.

David Culfa has a more extensive record than his partners. (Image – Facebook)

Officers also found more than $20,000 in cash, firearms, methamphetamine packaged for sale, and other evidence of illegal drug trafficking. Detectives later seized more large quantities of the drug at another related location.

Records show that Culfa was arrested twice before recently, in February this year and October of last year, for theft and petty theft, and for resisting arrest both times. Prior to that, he was charged with burglary in December 2012, and vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, and driving with a suspended licence in November 2012.

Records going back to 2008 show an arrest for Corrina Day for vehicle theft and possession of stolen property in April 2008.

PALM DESERT – A homicide suspect and two juveniles in a stolen car led authorities on a high speed chase that ended in the arrest of all three.

On the night of Wednesday, December 3rd at approximately 9:00 PM a confrontation occurred between the drivers of two vehicles at Washington Street and Avenue of the States. There was at least one shot was fired and one of the drivers was discovered in his vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim, Conrado Pizarro, a 26-year-old male from Palm Desert succumbed to his injuries on Friday December 5, making the case a homicide.

During the homicide investigation a white SUV that was identified as the suspect vehicle was determined to be stolen from a residential burglary in the city of Palm Desert.  With the vehicle recovered, investigators identified Kurtis Knigge, 18 of La Quinta as a person of interest both in the homicide and in a rash of residential burglaries and vehicle thefts in the cities of La Quinta, Palm Desert, and Rancho Mirage.

On December 11 at 2:50 PM, a K9 deputy from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department identified a stolen white Mercedes sedan, traveling eastbound on Interstate 10, approaching Bob Hope Drive. The deputy attempted to pull the vehicle over on the Interstate 10 off ramp at Bob Hope Drive at which time one of the passengers of the vehicle was identified as Knigge.

The vehicle suddenly accelerated and fled the scene, leading deputies in a vehicle pursuit through the cities of Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Bermuda Dunes, Thousand Palms and Cathedral City. The pursuit ended when the Mercedes collided with an uninvolved vehicle.

The driver and occupants attempted to flee the scene and were apprehended a short distance away with the assistance of the Cathedral City Police Department, the California Highway Patrol Air Unit, and the Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force. Kurtis Knigge was apprehended by a Riverside County Sheriff’s Service Dog (K-9) and treated at a local area hospital for resulting injuries. The driver was identified as a 17-year-old juvenile from Beaumont, and the second occupant, a 16-year-old female juvenile of Palm Desert.

The 17-year-old juvenile driver of the stolen vehicle was arrested for felony evading, possession of stolen property, auto theft and felony resisting arrest.  The 16-year-old juvenile passenger was arrested on an outstanding arrest warrant. Knigge was booked for homicide, residential burglary, auto theft, resisting arrest and a felony arrest warrant.

Read More:

Desert Sun: Man arrested in caught-on-tape killing

KESQ: Man charged with murder in Palm Desert shooting

Banning Patch: Boy leads cops on high speed chase

SANTA ROSA – The California Highway Patrol (Santa Rosa Area) had a busy weekend.

On Saturday at approximately 5:30 am, CHP officers responded to a car-pole accident on Scenic Avenue near Moorland Avenue. Officers found a BMW at the scene that had hit a utility pole and caused partial blockage to the eastbound lane. The driver was contacted by officers and identified as 22-year-old Jose DeLeon of Cloverdale. The odor of alcohol and marijuana emanating from DeLeon prompted officers to conduct a field sobriety test. He was shortly thereafter taken into custody. DeLeon was also found to be on felony probation for gang violations and dissuading a witness. He was booked on charges of DUI and violation of probation.

State Route 12 near Dutton Avenue.

At approximately 4 am Sunday, officers patrolling eastbound State Route 12 near Dutton Avenue saw a Chevrolet Malibu weaving on the road. The officers conducted an enforcement stop and noted that the driver was impaired. He was identified as 42-year-old Pedro Lagunes of Santa Rosa. Lagunes failed the field sobriety tests. Records indicated that Lagunes’ license had been suspended since 2009 for a prior DUI conviction. He was booked on DUI charges, driving while suspended and having a second DUI within 10 years.

At approximately 10 am Sunday an officer patrolling North Old Redwood Highway in Cloverdale observed an Audi sedan coming at him. The vehicle was in the northbound lane driving southbound. The Audi had passed another vehicle at a high rate of speed. The officer activated his emergency lights and pulled to the shoulder as the Audi passed. The officer turned his vehicle around and attempted to overtake the vehicle, that had then turned right onto SR 128.

Old Redwood Highway and SR 128.

The officer followed as the Audi pulled away from him as he radioed ahead to another CHP officer on SR 128. The Audi continued to flee for about a mile before encountering the other CHP unit who was now blocking his path. The pursuing unit pulled in behind the Audi to block any possible escape. The officer ordered the driver out of the vehicle.

Joel Degallier (image Facebook)

The driver was identified as 32-year-old Joel DeGallier of Ukiah. DeGallier told the officer that he didn’t want to be pulled over. A DUI evaluation determined that DeGallier was almost 3 times over the legal limit. He was subsequently arrested and booked on charges of DUI and evading an officer.

CHP officers made a total of 14 arrests over the weekend, 12 of which were for DUI’s. The CHP had also been called upon to assist with protests in the Oakland area.

Domestic violence is a problem that usually affects one victim, and sometimes other family members, often with tragic circumstances. But on Sunday evening in Lucerne, a town on the eastern shore of Clear Lake in Lake County, an incident nearly resulted in the injury or death of several bystanders, including several children, according to a report issued by Lieutenant Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.

Marcus Ray Gregory, Lake County booking photo.

Witnesses reported to investigators that 20-year-old Marcus Ray Gregory, originally from Stockton, was in a car parked at the Riviera Motel, which is on the Frontage road behind Highway 20 along the shore of the lake at the southern end of town. He was apparently living at the motel at the time. They saw him arguing with a woman in the car, and began hitting and choking her. One of the witnesses tried to stop him, and pulled Gregory off of the woman.

Gregory then attacked the intervening witness, and briefly left the scene to go to his room, unit #1. He returned with a handgun, pointed it at the people gathered in the area, and threatened to shoot them, including several children. When the people ran from him, he did begin shooting. A witness reported five to seven shots fired.

During all this activity, at 6:50 pm, someone called the Sheriff’s Department to report it, and deputies were quickly on the scene. They saw Gregory with his gun run into the motel room. He tried jumping out through the rear window, but deputies had already established a perimeter around the motel, and Gregory was quickly taken into custody, at 7:09 pm Sunday, December 14.

The front side of the Riviera Motel, where the incident began.

The deputies investigated the scene and took witness statements. They located several bullet holes in the motel, along with shell casings on the ground. They also found the gun Gregory had used, and a bullet lodged in an exterior door.

After a quick trip to a local hospital for treatment of a laceration Gregory sustained in the jump from the window, he was booked into the Hill Road Correctional Facility on charges of attempted murder, inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or co-habitant, making terrorist threats, resisting arrest, and exhibiting a deadly weapon. Bail was set at $200,000. Gregory had been arrested earlier this year, on March 24 by Clear Lake Highway Patrol officers when he was pulled over for speeding. He was also found to be driving without a valid licence, and in possession of marijuana while driving. At that time he was residing in a house in Lucerne rather than the motel.

A series of gold chain thefts were reported throughout the cities of San Jose, Santa Clara, and Campbell. The announcement of the arrest of four suspects may put the fears of victims to rest. 19-year-old Tyler Richard, 30-year-old, Rudolf Green, 18-year-old, Jerrell Galloway, 19-year-old Lawrence Carter were arrested on warrants connecting them to more than 40 strong arm robberies, in which they pulled gold necklaces of their victims’ necks through the use of force and fear.

The San Jose Police Department has booked the four men into Santa Clara County Main Jail on multiple counts of armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

According to Sgt. Heather Randol with the San Jose Police Department, “Over the last year, the Bay Area has seen a dramatic increase in Chain-Snatch robberies.” During many of these attacks the suspects would target women of South-Asian descent wearing noticeable gold chains.

The victims from several different cities were approached by the suspects when they were shopping or taking walks alone in a quiet area. That is when the men would approach the women and forcibly rip the gold jewelry from their necks. Randol said, “If the victim resisted, the suspect frequently struck and punched the victim until they could complete the robbery.” In several cases a firearm was brandished in order to commit the robbery without the victim resisting. Randol said, “After the robbery, the suspect would flee in a waiting vehicle.”

San Jose Police Robbery Detectives partnered with the Sunnyvale DPS, Santa Clara Police Department, and the Milpitas Police Department in order to learn the identity of the suspected gang that was stalking and then later attacking these female victims. Randol said, “With the cooperation of witnesses and examination videos from businesses, Detectives identified the four suspects listed above as taking part.”

A video was released by San Jose Police on YouTube showing a robbery in action. In this video, once the women in the foreground have parked, you can see an assault and robbery occurring in the background parking lot, before several people run in to help the victim while the assailant runs away.

Detectives are continuing to investigate other possible suspects involved in the robberies. After serving search warrants for each suspect, their properties were searched in order obtain possible evidence, including the gun and jewelry still in their possession. The Robbery Unit is hoping to find any other possible victims, and asks anyone with information contact their local police agency. The San Jose Police Department is also looking for owner of a possibly stolen necklace, believed to be stolen in East San Jose sometime in late November.

Persons with information regarding the above case are urged to contact Detective Drago or Detective Zanotto of the San Jose Police Department’s Robbery Unit at (408) 277-4166.