Suspect Was Out On Bail On Other Drug Charges

HOLLISTER— Police served a search warrant at a home in northwest Hollister, near Calaveras Elementary School, after an investigation provided evidence that the residents were selling drugs on the property. Arrested in the investigation was 32-year-old Jason Lucas Castro.

Officer Miguel Masso of the Hollister Police Department was conducting the investigation of Castro, who was out on bail on other drug charges. Officer Masso obtained a warrant to search the suspected property on the 1600 block of Buena Vista Road in San Benito County.

On Thursday March 5, the United Narcotic Enforcement Team (UNET) assisted the Hollister Police Department, The San Benito County Probation Department and the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office in the execution of the warrant.

The raid produced over four pounds of marijuana, suspected concentrated cannabis, methamphetamine, scales, drug paraphernalia, gun ammunition and packaging material consistent with the sales of drugs.

The search was at a property on Buena Vista Road near agricultural fields.

Castro, who was at the house during the search, was arrested and transported to the San Benito County Jail where he was booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana for sale, being a felon in possession of live ammunition, possession of a controlled substance for sale and committing a crime while out on bail. His listed residence, however, is a mile away on Central Avenue.

Records show that Castro has been arrested frequently in the past year. He has seven arrests since February 2014 for driving on a suspended license, failure to register a vehicle, possession and transportation of a controlled substance for sale, and DUI. Records going back to 2010 show several other arrests for various drug and paraphernalia charges along with parole violations, including bringing a controlled substance into jail in September of 2013.

Officer Masso is still investigating this incident.  Anyone with information on this case is asked to call him at 1-831-636-4330.  Persons wishing to remain anonymous can all the WeTip Hotline at 1-800-87-CRIME.  Information provided to WeTip may qualify for a reward.

Officers Later Recognized Suspect From Another Robbery

SALINAS—The Salinas Police Department were called to the Taco Bell on North Main Street on a report of an armed robbery. Officers arrested 27-year-old Mercurio Bose after he was found in the vehicle that was described as being involved in the armed robbery.

Bose is accused of robbing this Taco Bell at 4 am.

On Wednesday March 11, at 4 in the morning, police learned from the employees of the Taco Bell that a suspect had driven up in a dark colored car and placed an order. The restaurant keeps the window to the drive thru closed in the early morning hours until the vehicle drives up, then they open it.

Once the employee opened the window Bose exited the vehicle and pointed a black colored handgun at the employees. He ordered an employee to open the register, and then fled in his vehicle with an undetermined amount of cash.

Bose thought he had made a clean get-away, but an alert witness provided police with an accurate description of the vehicle. Officers made an area check, and within the hour police had spotted a suspicious vehicle, matching the description, driving in the area of North Main Street and Harden Parkway. Police conducted a high-risk stop, and Bose was identified as the driver.

Bose displays two pieces of possible evidence – his car and replica gun. (Facebook)

One of the employees identified Bose as the armed robbery suspect. Police conducted a search of his vehicle and found stolen cash as well as a replica firearm inside.

Bose was taken to the police station for booking, and while there, other officers recognized him from surveillance footage of another armed robbery earlier that week. He was identified as the suspect in the Shell Gas Station on North Main Street.

He was booked into the Monterey County Jail on two counts of armed robbery and several counts of false imprisonment.

Alert citizens in the vicinity of Richard Place, a cul-de-sac near Elmira Road in East Vacaville, observed Christopher Joseph Allen Edwards, 32 of Fairfield, stealing gas from parked vehicles. When last seen, Edwards had driven off in a silver Pontiac. Earlier that morning of Monday, March 16, Vacaville Police were alerted to a similarly described vehicle allegedly involved in theft of mail from residences along Cavan Court and Stirling Drive off of Nut Tree Road.

As the silver Pontiac left the suburban neighborhood and entered Leisure Town Road, a Vacaville police officer spotted it and attempted a traffic stop. Instead of pulling over, the suspect fled the area at high speed, southbound on Leisure Town Road. The officer pursued, but soon broke off the chase at Alamo Drive due to safety concerns.

Edwards crashed into the median on Airbase Parkway, where he left the car.

The suspect vehicle continued onto southbound Vanden Road. Officers were able to keep it in sight as it sped on into Fairfield and down Peabody. Suddenly the vehicle turned sharply through the center median bushes of Airbase Parkway and crossed into oncoming traffic lanes. At that point the suspect abandoned the vehicle and tried to escape on foot.

However, he was quickly apprehended by officers from Vacaville PD, Fairfield PD, and the Solano County Sheriff’s Department. The silver Pontiac Edwards abandoned had been reported stolen out of Fairfield earlier that day. Edwards was also in illegal possession of mail and pepper spray. He was also charged with resisting arrest. Edwards had been arrested just a month prior by Fairfield Police for trespassing by driving on private property at a home near Fairfield High School.

The San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office has a man in custody for allegedly killing another man.

According to the Sheriff’s office, deputies responded to a call on Saturday at 12:11 a.m. at a residence on the 400 block of Gahan Place in an unincorporated Paso Robles area just outside of city limits. The caller reported shots fired.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found a body of a man who had been shot in the driveway of the home. The victim was Marshall Chandler Savoy, 32, of Atascadero. Deputies also discovered a man and woman with their teenage son inside the residence.

After detectives began investigating, they arrested the resident, Thomas Nolan Yanaga, 52, of Paso Robles. It is unknown what evidence investigators discovered or statements they collected at time of press.

Yanaga was booked into SLO County Jail on one count of murder. Investigators state there are no other suspects being looked at for the murder and believe it is an isolated incident.

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CalCoastNews: Woman details fatal shooting

KSBY: Victim’s sister speaks out

SANTA ROSA – According to a Community Bulletin posted by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies were dispatched to a scene at the Washoe House on 2840 Roblar Road in rural Sonoma County just north of Petaluma on Monday evening, March 16.

Caller(s) reported that there was a man at the establishment brandishing a gun and making statements that he was going to kill people. The suspect also made other statements that were incoherent and could not be understood by people at the restaurant bar. The Press Democrat reported that he was complaining about men in the bar touching a woman, whom they identified as the bartender. She told them that nothing inappropriate was going on, however.

The driver pulled over at Walker and Pepper, before fleeing again.

The man left the bar in his vehicle just as Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene. A responding Deputy located the suspect vehicle on Walker Road near Pepper Road shortly thereafter. The Deputy initiated a traffic stop of the suspect driver who pulled over to the side of the road. The driver opened the vehicle door as the Deputy exited his vehicle and then accelerated away, and a vehicle pursuit then ensued.

The suspect attained speeds in excess of 100 mph on the rural west county roads. The pursuit lasted about 10 minutes, ending in a fiery crash when the suspect rammed his car into a tree on Highway 1 just north of Bodega Highway. The vehicle, reportedly a Subaru Outback, immediately burst into flames on impact. The Deputy attempted to free the suspect but was unable to do so, due to the fire and the severity of damage to the vehicle.

The fatal crash occurred after the man headed down Highway 1.

Fire personnel and an ambulance were dispatched to the scene where the suspect died. The suspect driver has not as yet been identified and the California Highway Patrol has taken over the investigation per Sonoma County Protocol.

Read More:

Press Democrat: Man dies following pursuit after pulling gun in Petaluma bar

Riverside Sheriff’s Department investigators nabbed a robbery suspect on Monday and are asking the public for help in identifying and locating a second.

According to the Riverside Sheriff’s Department, three armed robberies were reported in the city of Eastvale between March 6 and March 9. Victims reported that the robberies involved a Hispanic male adult who held up the victims at gunpoint in retail center parking lots. Once the suspect mugged the victims, he then fled on foot, escaping to a waiting vehicle idling nearby.

Sketch of other robbery suspect, 5’6″. heavy-set

According to Sergeant Justin Rowan, “One female adult victim sustained minor injuries during a physical struggle with the suspect, although she did not require professional medical treatment.” Investigators assigned to the city of Eastvale, with the assistance of the Jurupa Valley Station’s crime analyst, immediately worked on developing investigative leads and conducted an extensive follow-up investigation.

The investigation led officers to the 16200 block of Homecoming Drive in Chino on Monday March 16, where the suspect vehicle was spotted. Officers assigned to the city of Eastvale detained the suspect near the 7000 block of Archibald Avenue. Justin Christian Davis, a 23-year-old resident of Eastvale, was arrested at the scene. Officers determined that Davis was involved in all three robberies and he was booked for three counts of armed robbery.

Authorities report that there is a second suspect outstanding who is described as a Hispanic male adult, in his early twenties, approximately 5’06” tall, with heavy-set build, short brown hair and a “round” face. They have released a composite sketch and are asking citizens for help in locating the suspect. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Investigator Brett Johnson at the Jurupa Valley Station at 951-955-2600.

San Luis Obispo Police arrested a man after the suspect allegedly caused a commotion at a local motel.

According to SLOPD, they received a call regarding a suspect with a knife. The call came from the Best Western Motel, located at 214 Madonna Road at approximately 11:45 a.m. on Saturday. Upon arrival, police were told a suspect had entered the motel and confronted employees in the lobby with a knife.

According to witnesses, the suspect took a master key from one of the employees. He used it to enter an unoccupied room, where the suspect smashed a sliding glass door. The motive for what the suspect did is unknown at time of press. Witnesses said the suspect continued through the motel. Once officers arrived on the scene they located the man.

The Best Western on Madonna Road in San Luis Obispo

An officer confronted the suspect at gunpoint toward the rear parking lot. He was identified as Joe Kasper Sigala, 40, of Grover Beach. Sigala was ordered to drop the knife and get on the ground. Police say he complied with these orders and was taken into custody.

Sigala, according to SLOPD, had a minor injury to a finger from the broken sliding glass door, and was treated at the hospital. “He was under the influence and delusional,” said SLOPD Sergeant Jeff Booth.

Sigala was booked into San Luis Obispo County jail for felony robbery, felony vandalism, felony assault with a deadly weapon other than a gun, and misdemeanor drug possession, with bail was set at $60,000.

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KSBY: Police arrest man for robbing employees

Ventura County – Some people apparently continue to have faith in the moral and legal sanctity of traditional mail depositories and pickup-and-delivery protocols. Based upon evidence unraveled pursuant to a search warrant served in the City of Thousand Oaks on March 5th, that faith may need to be reconsidered.

According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Dan Hawes, “Detectives with the City of Thousand Oaks Police Forgery/Fraud Unit and the Special Enforcement Unit” arrested Rosel Mayor Magistrado, 34, and Jeffery Robert Greenfield, 31, both residents of Agoura Hills, pursuant to that warrant on multiple charges stemming from “a forgery call” two months prior, in January 2015.

At that time, an alleged victim reported that he had “mailed” assorted utility bills along with personal checks by placing the stamped mail “in the mailbox for the postal carrier to pick up.” According to Hawes, after some weeks had passed and the victim was reviewing his bank records and statements, he noticed that the payee on a number of cleared utility bill checks had been manually changed along with the amounts paid.

When the Forgery/Fraud detectives dug into things, they discovered that Magistrado and Greenfield had deposited the victim’s checks into their personal accounts, as well as into additional accounts bearing false identities. It was eventually determined that Magistrado had created numerous identities with which she had leased a BMW, rented an apartment, paid her personal bills, and even bought dog food.

Pursuant to the March 5th search of Magistrado’s residence, she was found to be in possession of “miscellaneous mail, bank statements, checks, check books, driver licenses, social security cards, birth certificates, passports, credit cards, income tax W-4’s, 1099’s, cell phone numbers, and addresses for in excess of 250 persons.”

Whew.

Both Greenfield and Magistrado were arrested and booked into Ventura County Jail where she remains in custody with bail set at $250,000, while “Greenfield was released pending further investigation.

Photos: Courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking

Read more:

Sespe Sun: Identity and Mail theft

EdHat: Identity/mail theft arrests

The San Luis Obispo Police have a man in custody for allegedly possessing child pornography.

According to SLOPD, detectives served a search warrant last Wednesday at a residence, which was the home of Christopher Daniel Kluck, 57, of SLO.

The detectives were working on information they received from an Arroyo Grande Police Department detective who is trained and affiliated with the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. SLOPD was told Kluck was in possession of child pornography.

Detectives seized four computers, seven hard drives and some thumb drives belonging to Kluck. Numerous images and videos of child pornography were viewed on one of the seized computers.

According to detectives, the children depicted in these images appeared to be of various ages from possibly 10 to 17 years of age. Kluck was arrested without incident at his residence. He was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail for possession of images of minor(s) involved in sexual conduct. His bail was set at $35,000.

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The Tribune: Child porn found at SLO home

Duran Candyce Briardy and Garett Lamar Wallace booking photos

SACRAMENTO—Police arrested a man and a woman on Monday, March 16, on suspicion of robbery, battery with great bodily injury, and elder abuse of a man in Citrus Heights.

Police responded to a call at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Monday to the area of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights, where a 70-year-old man had been assaulted and robbed of his money and other belongings.

The elderly man was transported to a nearby hospital for non life-threatening injuries. A witness was able to provide descriptions of possible suspects to a patrol officer.

Wallace and Briardy – image from Facebook

One suspect, Duran Kandyce Briardy, 20, was taken into custody. Her alleged accomplice, Garett Lamar Wallace, 24, was seen running into a nearby apartment complex on Birdcage and Greenback. He was found a short time later hiding on an apartment patio.

Wallace and Briardy are reportedly married, or at least living together in one of the apartment buildings on Birdcage Street, opposite the Sports Authority at the Birdcage Marketplace.

Wallace and Duran were both booked into Sacramento County Jail.

COVELO – MENDOCINO COUNTY – Dustin Gabriel Henderson, a 39-year-old transient from the Willits area, must have been in a big hurry. On Monday, March 9 in the afternoon, he was traveling along Highway 162 towards Covelo, the small town in inland Mendocino County in the valley between the Coastal Ranges and the Mendocino National Forest, east of the 101 Freeway. He had marijuana, methamphetamine, stolen property, and a pellet gun in the car.

Henderson came upon another vehicle that wasn’t going as fast as he liked, so he pulled out on the two lane highway to pass the other car. According to the Sheriff’s Office, as he was completing the pass, either the other driver sped up, or Henderson misjudged the distance, and the two collided as he merged back into the right lane. Apparently so enraged at the other driver for not giving him enough clearance, Henderson stopped the car, got out, pulled his pellet gun out and shot at the windshield, breaking the glass.

The other driver, who had perhaps expected to exchange license and insurance info, quickly pulled away and headed towards Covelo, while Henderson managed to shoot out the passenger window as well. Not through, Henderson got in his car and followed, continuing to shoot the pellet gun at the other car. They entered the town at a high rate of speed, and another driver, who had ended up following them, witnessed Henderson shooting what appeared to be a regular firearm at the other vehicle. That driver reported the incident to the Mendocino Sheriff’s office.

Meanwhile, the driver of the other car managed to elude Henderson, thanks to traffic in Covelo. While Henderson then headed out of town, Sheriff’s Deputies and Highway Patrol officers responded, and by 5 pm, they had located him on Highway 162 near Dos Rios, south of Covelo near the Eel River. They stopped his car and detained him, and were then able to contact the victim, taking a statement of the incident.

They identified Henderson, and searched his vehicle, finding the pellet gun, which looked like a genuine pistol, along with plenty of pellets. They also located some packaged marijuana, and what appeared to be meth in a hypodermic syringe. There were also items identified as stolen from a burglary in Willits. A check on the suspect also revealed an outstanding warrant out of the state of Missouri for felony theft.

Henderson was arrested and booked for assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, possession of stolen property, vandalism, possession of marijuana for sales, and possession of meth and paraphernalia. He was also charged with forgery, and possession of a switchblade knife. Bail was set at $30,000.00.

A San Luis Obispo man is under arrest for allegedly providing alcohol to a minor decoy.

According to the SLOPD, the department receives grant money from the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control. The funding covers costs for their participation in a statewide effort to combat underage drinking.

SLOPD uses a minor decoy to ask others to purchase alcohol for him or her. According to the state an average of nine out ten who are solicited refuse to buy alcohol for the minor decoy. Those who do buy the alcohol can face arrest and fines of up to $1,000.

The operation in SLO included the solicitation of 30 individuals who were approached by the minor decoy. Out of the 30 solicited, only one provided alcohol to the decoy.

The lone arrest was of Christopher Supor, 19, of San Luis Obispo for providing alcohol to a minor as well as being a minor in possession of alcohol. That investigation revealed Supor was under the age of 21 and was already in possession of alcohol when he was solicited by the decoy. Police do not know how Supor came to possess the alcohol.

Photo: California Department of ABC

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FRESNO – The suspect believed to be responsible for hitting and killing a woman with his car and then running away on Sunday has been caught, authorities said.

On Tuesday, California Highway Patrol officers arrested 36-year-old Ruben Perez, who they say was involved in three separate hit-and-run crashes on Sunday, one of which ended with the death of 55-year-old Mary Sandoval of Reedley.

On Sunday, Sandoval and her husband were in their car entering the Cedar Avenue on-ramp to eastbound Hwy. 180. Perez was traveling eastbound on the 180 and exiting the Cedar off-ramp when he went out of control and slammed into the Sandovals’ car, authorities said.

Officers believe Perez was going up to 80 miles per hour when he crashed into the Sandovals. After the accident, Perez got out of his car and ran, authorities said.

Mary Sandoval died at the scene and her husband suffered major injuries.

Officers believe that Perez had been involved in at least two other hit-and-runs earlier that day.

Authorities received a handful of tips from the public as to Perez’ whereabouts and ended up finding him sitting on a bus bench at Palm and Belmont in Fresno around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Perez has two previous felony convictions for drug possession and a narcotics warrant out for his arrest.

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Your Central Valley: Suspect arrested in hit and run

ABC30: Suspect in Reedley fatal hit and run in custody

Shooting victim Juan “Sharky” Luna (Facebook)

San Jose Police have reported on the arrest of five juveniles who were tied to the shooting death of 20-year-old Juan Luna on Monday, March 9, at approximately 11:00 P.M. According to the San Jose Police, “Officer Osborn #4242 observed a vehicle driving in the area of Capitol Expressway and Story Road matching the suspect vehicle description in the March 7th homicide.” The Officer attempted to initiate a vehicle stop, but the suspects in the vehicle drove off trying to avoid being pulled over.

Earlier that day, a shooting was reported at a memorial vigil for Luna, and the same car may have been the one seen in that incident. One person was injured in that shooting.

According to Sergeant Heather Randol, “The vehicle fled, leading San Jose Police and CHP on a vehicle pursuit that ultimately ended on Highway 680 near Livermore.”

Friends and family set up a memorial for Luna at the location of his murder. (Facebook)

As the pursuit had continued onto the freeway, officers witnessed a gun thrown from the vehicle. The five homicide suspects, driving in a Ford Fusion, hit speeds of up to 100 mph on Interstate 680. The California Highway Patrol was called in to help, and took over the chase. The suspect’s vehicle was identified by the CHP near the Washington Boulevard exit in Fremont.

Dublin CHP units took over the chase at Highway 680 and Vargas Road, reaching speeds of between 80 and 100 mph. Then suspects’ vehicle sustained damage to the left rear tire. According to the CHP, the suspects were apprehended near Bernal Road in Pleasanton, where they finally pulled over into the center divider and were detained by CHP officers. The five juveniles who had tried to run from police were taken into custody and booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail.

The San Jose Police Department reported that on March 11, 2015 their Homicide Unit filed the case with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office for review. The SCCDA’s Office then filed murder charges on all five juvenile suspects, charging them as adults.

17-year-old Jacob Lapenias, 14-year-old Arturo Garcia-Laredo, 15-year-old Michael Anaya, 16-year-old Thalia Ruiz, and 17-year-old Jasmine Rosales were all booked on murder charges under PC 187. The five juvenile suspects are also facing gang enhancement charges under PC 186.22.

Juan Arturo Luna with his newborn baby, image from GoFundMe.com

A GoFundMe site for the family’s support. As of this writing, they have raised $675.00. The memorial says “Juan Arturo Luna was a great person, he was full of life. He had gotten into some trouble but changed his ways because of his precious baby. He was an amazing father, brother, and son. Juan will be greatly missed, he was abruptly taken from us.” His baby daughter was born on December 31, just over three months before his death.

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CrimeVoice: SJPD Need Public’s Help in Identifying Suspects in Shootings

REDLANDS – Police arrested a 21-year-old Mentone man who is believed to have set three fires at different locations, targeting the Redlands school system.

Robert Aaron Trujillo was taken into custody on Wednesday night at a residence located on the 3000 block of Mill Creek Rd. in Mentone, a neighboring community.

Trujillo is suspected in a burglary at the Church of the Nazarene. While investigating that burglary, police discovered forensic evidence that linked Trujillo to two of the fires that were set early Wednesday, according to city spokesman Carl Baker.

A fire occurred at the Redlands Unified School District transportation yard, while another fire was set at a classroom at Redlands High School, located just a short distance from the transportation yard, which houses about 60 school buses on Central Ave. A third fire was started on the school’s north side campus.
Baker said police also located stolen property from the school, left behind during the burglary of the church. Crime lab reports were expedited, said Baker, in order to identify and locate Trujillo. He did not disclose the evidence.

It took fire crews about 15 minutes to control one blaze which destroyed a school bus and an empty utility trailer at the transportation yard. Emergency personnel had arrived on the scene at 4 a.m. Another school bus was damaged, said Baker.

Fire crews took about 30 minutes to control the blaze on the school’s north campus. Baker said no classrooms were damaged by the fire, but detectives noted that the arsonist tried to get into classrooms before setting the fire.

Baker said Trujillo, who had attended schools in the Redlands district, graduating in 2011, did not attend Redlands High School. Police believe that Trujillo walked to Mentone on Wednesday night from an unknown location, pushing a wheelchair after burglarizing the church. They discovered four boxes of cheese, believed to be stolen by Trujillo from an unknown location. They are trying to determine where the cheese was stolen from. Trujillo was found with stolen property from the church in his possession, according to reports. A search at another Mentone location uncovered more stolen property from the church.

No one was injured in the fires and the school district is on a two-week spring break. Police have released no motives for the fires. Four engines, a truck, a medic squad and a battalion chief responded to the three fires, along with Redlands police.

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Redlands Daily Facts: Mentone man arrested in connection with fires

Ventura County – By all appearances, the City of Camarillo, is a desirable suburban residential enclave, hardly the kind of place to find a business establishment perhaps better suited to a metropolitan “tenderloin” district…but appearances may be deceiving.

One of the more recent additions to the city’s business entities is “April’s Massage”, which first opened its doors on February 6th. As these things go, it generally takes a week or so for community code enforcement personnel to follow up on new enterprises. When the Camarillo Police Department’s Community Resource Unit and City Code Compliance staff personally stopped in at April’s Massage a month after their opening, what they found must certainly have raised some eyebrows.

According to Camarillo Police Department’s Sgt. John Franchi, “during the compliance check deputies learned that two employees of the business were performing massages without licensing or certification.” Further investigation of the premises indicated unpermitted structural interior changes, “including the installation of a large jetted tub (a ‘table shower’)” that had not been permitted.

Even more intriguing than plumbing violations, however, the deputies found numerous suitcases filled with personal belongings on the premises, giving rise to suspicions that “employees were living at the business,” a further violation of municipal code. Ensuing interviews of the employees on the premises indicated that the 17-year old daughter of an unlicensed masseuse was engaged in providing services. Franchi reported “she was in a closed room with a male client at the time of the compliance check,” and that the girl had been featured in a Craigslist posting describing her as “beautiful sweet cute attractive staff magical hands designed to meet your specific needs.”

The girls mother, Han Li, 45, was arrested and booked into Ventura County Jail on multiple charges, including child endangerment, while the proprietor, Jie Miao, 31, was cited on multiple code violations.

Photo: courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking

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Camarillo Acorn: Massage parlor under investigation

Two juveniles are under arrest after allegedly robbing two women at gunpoint.

According to the San Luis Obispo Police Department, officers responded to a call on Saturday around 2:21 a.m. regarding a report of an armed robbery. The caller said the robbery took place by Palm and Toro streets near downtown SLO.

According to SLOPD, two 21-year old female SLO residents were walking on Palm Street when they were approached by two men wearing dark-colored clothing and ski masks.  According to Sergeant Jeff Booth of SLOPD, the women were headed from downtown.

One of the victims stated at least one of the suspects was armed with a weapon described as a long rifle or shotgun. Police say the suspects stole the women’s personal property and then left the area driving a dark-colored sedan.

SLOPD said this crime was consistent, as is the suspects’ descriptions, with two other armed robberies that occurred in the Central Coast area.
A few hours later, the two juvenile suspects were arrested by Santa Maria Police officers.

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Nixle: Armed robbery using a firearm

Ventura- The Ventura Police Department has released the Part 1 Per Capita Crime Index for the calendar year of 2014. With an estimated population of 108,961 people, the VPD crime rates reflect a 3.6% decrease in Part 1 per capita crime when compared to 2013. This equates to 38.1 crimes per one thousand residents. While total property crimes decreased by 4.2% in Ventura, reported violent crimes increased by 5% in 2014.

The VPD crime index reflects an 11% reduction in residential and commercial burglaries which translates to 663 burglaries in 2014, down from 745 burglaries in 2013. Reported vehicle thefts also dropped by approximately 18% with a total of 210 reported incidents in 2014.

While larceny/theft numbers are down by 1% from 2013, shoplifting incidents accounted for 883 of the 2,994 reported thefts in 2014. This reflects a 23% increase from 2013. Meanwhile, reported incidents of arson decreased significantly in 2014 with only 10 reported incidents, down from 20 in 2013.

Although the VPD is reporting an increase in violent crime, homicides are actually down by 83%, with just 1 reported homicide in 2014 compared to 6 in 2013. However, reported rapes increased by 33% with a total of 28 reported incidents in 2014, up from 21 reports in 2013. Aggravated assaults also increased by approximately 5% with 143 reported incidents in 2014. There were also a total of 103 reported robberies in Ventura last year, up 4% from the 99 reported robberies in 2013.

The VPD is also reporting an 11% increase in the number of calls for service in 2014, with a total of approximately 92,000 calls last year. This is the highest number in over a decade. Subsequently, the VPD is reporting an 18% increase in arrests with a grand total of 5,240 arrests for the calendar year of 2014 in the city of Ventura. The Part 1 per capita crime rate in Ventura continues to be the highest in the county.

Photo: Ivsar Afanador

SACRAMENTO— Police arrested a man on Tuesday, March 17, in the brutal murder of a Citrus Heights woman.

Allen Bocteemus Franks, 48, was arrested after police found him in the victim’s van. The victim, Kimberly Ann Chittenden, 46, had been found unresponsive at approximately 2:40 p.m. on Monday, March 16, in her home in the 7900 block of Rocky Point Court, near Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue.

The victim, Kimberly Ann Chittenden (Facebook)

She was rushed by ambulance to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead at 3:13 p.m. Her injuries indicated that she has been assaulted.

Her silver Honda Odyssey vehicle had been taken from her home, leading police to put out an alert seeking a person of interest on Tuesday. The van, with Franks behind the wheel, was located in the area of Marysville Boulevard. Police said that Franks and Chittenden knew each other. The victim leaves behind a 7-year-old child.

Franks was booked into Sacramento County Jail early Wednesday morning on homicide charges. He was also jailed on a misdemeanor charge of violating probation. Franks had been arrested just one month prior to this incident, on February 16, for stealing a vehicle, possession of burglar’s tools, drug paraphernalia, and a probation violation.

On September 24 of last year, Franks was also arrested by Sacramento Sheriff’s deputies for vehicle theft, possessing stolen property, and filing a false report of an emergency. On March 24, 2014, he was arrested by Sacramento police at a home on Grand Avenue in North Sacramento. In that case he was also charged with filing a false emergency report, along with unlawful treatment of an animal at a park, and failure to appear in court. No further details of these unusual charges were available.

Older records show frequent arrests for parole violations, failure to appear in court, and public transportation violations over the past five years.

LOS ANGELES — Two therapists have been arrested on multiple counts of felony health insurance fraud.

Marriage and family therapist Steven Orenstein (57) and licensed speech therapist Erin Kayem (42) stand accused of insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit grand theft, and grand theft. The two are alleged to have billed Anthem Blue Cross for services totalling $3.5 million, services which were never actually provided.

“Health insurance fraud is a multi-million dollar criminal enterprise in California that everyone pays for through higher premiums,” said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones in a news release by the California Department of Insurance.

Anthem Blue Cross investigators alerted the Department of Insurance once they became suspicious of provider fraud. Working together, department investigators found that something was indeed rotten in Sweden.

Steven Orenstein

Billings for two patients seen at the Brain Enhancement Institute (owned by Orenstein) and the Neurodevelopment Learning Institute (owned by Kayem) were closely examined, and it wasn’t long before things weren’t adding up. In one case, a patient had been seen for 12 sessions but their insurer was billed for 59. In another, a patient had been seen by NLI for 6 sessions but Anthem was billed for 74.

Given their status as out-of-network providers, Orenstein and Kayem were able to distribute bills totaling $3.5 million and collect nearly $1 million. Orenstein was booked at the inmate reception center in Los Angeles, with Kayem booked at Lynwood Sheriff’s Station. Bail rests at $350,000 each and both face up to 65 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

The case is being prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

This story and the information herein is based on the official press release by the California Department of Insurance.