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San Bernardino County Libertarian Treasurer Faces Molestation Charges

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SAN BERNARDINO – Nearly one week after the Libertarian Party treasurer from San Bernardino County was arrested on felony child molestation charges, she faces an arraignment in May.

Glynda Sue Perrotte, 42, of Highland was booked into Central Detention Center on March 11, suspected of committing lewd acts on a child and oral copulation with a 15-year-old boy.
A sheriff’s spokesman confirmed that Perrotte had posted bond on $150,000 bail, released from custody and now faces a San Bernardino Superior Court date on May 13 on the two felony counts filed by the District Attorney’s Office on Feb. 25. She surrendered to authorities after the warrant was sworn.
Perrotte, who works as a claims adjuster trainee for the Riverside County Department of Human Resources, is represented by defense attorney Michael Scaffidi.
Scaffidi said Perrotte plans to plead not guilty at her May 13 arraignment.
Perrotte, who has no previous criminal history, is the treasurer for the county Libertarian party, having resigned that post in view of the charges against her. Scaffidi said she hopes to regain that position when she is cleared of the charges.
A county sheriff’s release said that no details have yet to be released on the investigation. Perrotte surrendered to investigators on the morning on March 11. She was presented with the facts of the case, subsequently arrested, and was eventually released from custody at 10:45 a.m. on that same day.
Perrotte’s resignation from the Libertarian party took place within 24 hours after she had been charged.

Read More:

SB Sun: SB County libertarian party treasurer charged in child molestation case


Gambling Parents Lose Bet on Their 4-Year-Old

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Santa Barbara County - Anyone knows that toddlers need their naptime, and most parents can frequently predict the time and duration of their child’s sleep cycle.  But Bulmaro Reyes, 23, and Petra Zaragoza, 28, apparently don’t fall into the category of “most”, and “frequently” does not mean “always”.

Both Reyes and Zaragoza, parents of a 4-year-old girl, may have expected their daughter to put in a full dose of heavy-duty Z’s at noon on March 11th when they decided that it would be a reasonable idea to leave the child in a parked car deep within the parking structure of the Santa Ynez Valley’s Chumash Casino.  Without addressing the general economic wisdom of visiting the popular gambling mecca in the middle of a workday, it was their failure to anticipate the potential for a disturbed sleep pattern in that environment that brought the full force of the law upon them.

After parking the car bearing the sleeping child, both mother and father alighted from the vehicle to partake of the wagering attractions awaiting them inside the air-conditioned casino.  According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff Public Information Office Kelly Hoover, approximately ten minutes later a passing casino patron observed the child who “was seen leaving the car and looking around for her parents.”  The child was taken by the passerby to the casino security office for safekeeping.

TableGames

A call to the SBSD Solvang station promptly brought uniformed Sheriff’s deputies to the scene, and shortly thereafter Reyes and Zaragoza were located.  A brief interview of the parents ensued, whereupon it was determined that “their actions could have resulted in great bodily injury to the child” and both Reyes and Zaragoza were arrested and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of felony child endangerment.

Photos:

Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking, Chumash Casino

Read more:

Noozhawk: Parents arrested after 4-year-old found alone outside casino

ABC7: Santa Maria couple allegedly left daughter,4, in car to gamble

CBS13: Pair arrested after girl, 4, found alone in Casino

 

Jurupa Valley Gamecock Fight Broken Up, Chick Arrested

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JURUPA VALLEY – Sheriff’s deputies broke up a large gamecock fighting ring in Riverside County, arresting the woman responsible for the operation.

On Saturday night, deputies assigned to the Jurupa Valley Sheriff’s Station responded to a report of a large gamecock fighting event. The deputies arrived at 9:45 to a residence in the 52000 block of El Rivino and discovered a large number of people amassed at the location. As soon as officers arrived, the crowd began to disperse.

According to Sergeant Ray Ricken, deputies detained 50 individuals at the scene, which was discovered to be an active gamecock fighting and betting event.  One of the detainees was an individual who lived at the location. On further investigation deputies discovered 40 roosters at the location. Animal control was called to take possession of the animals.

Jaquelyn Acosta, 40, was arrested for animal cruelty, operating an illegal gamecock fight, possession of gaffs and gamecocks for fighting. Acosta was booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center.

Cockfighting convictions receive a lesser sentence than dog fighting. However, according to bill SB 1145 which passed in 2012, it is unlawful for anyone to manufacture, buy, sell, barter, exchange, or have in his or her possession any of the implements commonly known as gaffs or slashers, or any other sharp implement designed to be attached in place of the natural spur of a gamecock or other fighting bird. Individuals convicted of possessing gamecocks receive a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for a period not to exceed one year, by a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine.

Read More:

Press Enterprise: Woman arrested after deputies break up cockfight

 

Suspect Arrested Following Chase in Roseville

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The Roseville Police Department reportedly arrested a man who ran from officers and led them on a chase, according to an official report.

John Patrick Barrios, 43, of Citrus Heights, was reportedly arrested on suspicion of DUI, driving on a suspended license, and other related charges.

According to Roseville PD, on Sunday, March 9, at 11:19pm, an officer tried to stop a car with expired tags on Whyte Avenue. After initially failing to yield, the driver reportedly pulled his car over, got out of the car and ran. Officers reportedly surrounded the area and conducted a search with the help of a helicopter from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, however, officers were unable to locate the driver.

Then at 3:20 am on Monday, March 10, officers reportedly spotted the suspect — later identified as Barrios — on Mariposa Way. The suspect reportedly began running again and officers chased him down, eventually taking him into custody.

Cops Nab Guns, Drugs, & Gang-bangers in Multiple Sweeps

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Ventura County - According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Gang Unit Detective J. Foote, recently accelerated efforts to interdict the trafficking of weapons and drugs throughout the Oxnard, Fillmore, and El Rio areas of Ventura have delivered a cornucopia of arrests and seizures.

At the beginning of the month, VCSD Gang Unit deputies engaged in an up-tempo series of searches pursuant to warrants and probation enforcement activities upon individuals suspected of violating the terms of their freedom from custody.

The first probation search reported by Foote occurred on March 12th when Rolando Gallardo, 28, was contacted at an Oxnard residence where he was suspected to have been in “hiding”.  According to Foote,  Gallardo is “a known member of a criminal street gang”, and when he was found to be in possession of a handgun and a sufficient quantity of methamphetamine to be considered evidence of possession for sale was promptly arrested for those violations.

Just a week later,  the VCSD Gang Unit contacted Joseph Lopez, 25, pursuant to a valid probation search.  The search took place at a Fillmore residence where Lopez was found to “be in hiding”, according to Foote.  Lopez, like Gallardo, is considered “a known member of a criminal street gang and a convicted felon.”  His possession of a controlled substance and a handgun on the morning of his contact by Deputies was enough to bring him back into handcuffs with charges of drug and weapons violations.

The following day, March 13th, the same law enforcement team traveled to the El Rio section of Oxnard in pursuit of contact with Timothy Medina, 20, “a known documented member of a criminal street gang”.  When Deputies located him, Medina—like the others before him—was holding drugs and a loaded handgun.  Beyond his probation status, Medina was out on bail at the time awaiting adjudication of an earlier allegation of his involvement in a gang-related robbery, so any possession of weapons or contraband are reasonably considered an egregious no-no and earned him another arrest ticket with his bail now set at $750,000.

All three gentlemen currently reside at Ventura County Jail.

Photo Courtesy Ventura County Sheriff

Read more:

VCSTAR: Police arrest three during March warrant and probation searches

SESPE SUN: Illegal firearm activities

Two Smugglers Busted with Large Amounts of Currency and Drugs

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CALEXICO – Smugglers arrested in two large currency and narcotics busts at the Calexico downtown port of entry last week.

On Monday, March 10, around 3:20 PM, a man driving a Chevrolet Cobalt, heading south into Mexico was stopped at the Calexico port.  A dog alerted to the vehicle’s rear seat, where an officer found several packages of U.S. currency. The money was stowed away within the rear seat headrest area and the rear bumper of the vehicle.

In total, border patrol reported finding 41 packages containing $499,730 in unreported currency. Manuel Eduardo Velazquez-Comparan, 19 of Perris, was advised of his rights and arrested. According to a complaint filed against Velazquez-Comparan, he “stated he was going to be paid $1,500 to smuggle the United States currency into Mexico.

Velazquez-Comparan was booked into Imperial County jail and the currency was seized.

On Thursday, at the same port of entry around 11:45 a.m., a 2005 Ford Taurus was stopped at the border station. A detector dog alerted to the vehicle’s undercarriage. After inspecting the vehicle, border patrol discovered 17 wrapped packages of methamphetamine which were stashed in custom compartments in the gas tank and wheel well. The narcotics had a combined weight of about 22 pounds.

Sonia Salazar, 39, of Kerman reportedly admitted to having knowledge of an unlawful substance in her vehicle. She thought she was transporting cocaine, but denied knowing the exact location of the drugs or exactly what she was carrying. She also was reported to have admitted to several other instances of smuggling.

Salazar stated that she made $5,000 during smuggling expedition and about $3,000 on each of her previous trips. Once arrested, she was put into the custody of Homeland Security Investigations agents for further processing. Salazar was later booked into Imperial County jail.

Photo: courtesy of US Customs and Border Protection

Read More:

IVPRESS: Twenty pounds of meth seized at port

Roseville PD Arrests Four for Drugs and Weapons Charges

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The Roseville Police Department recently arrested four men and seized weapons and drugs from their possession, according to an official report.

The four men were see and detained in this parking lot

The four men were see and detained in this parking lot

The following individuals were reportedly arrested and charged for weapons violations, possessing marijuana for sale, and other related charges:

  • Michael Dawane Micheau, 29, of Natomas
  • Marquis Lemar Whittington, 28 of Sacramento
  • Derek Anthony Dawkins, 24 of Sacramento
  • Ivory Lee King, 28, North Highlands

 

According to Roseville PD, on Wednesday, March 9, at 12:20am, an officer checked on a car in a hotel parking lot in the 1000 block of Lead Hill, as well as the group of males associated with the car. Officers reportedly found them armed with loaded handguns, and also found evidence of marijuana sales in their vehicle.

Can’t Stay Away, So It’s Back to Jail

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Santa Barbara - Just in time for the 2013 Christmas Holiday, on December 16, 2013 Richard Douglas Box, 69, was arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on various charges stemming from an episode of alleged sexual assault, rape, and false imprisonment.  The charges and the alleged offenses against multiple females—his wife and stepdaughter–were serious enough at the time to impose a bail amount of $2,000,000.

Pursuant to judicial proceedings shortly thereafter, and in spite of Box posting bond on that bail amount, the Santa Barbara Superior Court imposed a Temporary Restraining Order upon him with terms that precluded him from being within 500 yards of his residence or within the same distance of the alleged victims.  Additional courtroom proceedings regarding an alleged child molestation that took place in Long Beach, California previously produced an additional protective order designed to keep Box from within 500 yards of a specific Long Beach location or from within the same distance from the alleged victim in that case as well.

But Mr. Box, apparently confident that the $200,000 bond he had posted in the Santa Barbara case gave him some sort of immunity from further enforcement prior to any trial, reportedly ignored those restraining orders, and was reported to have violated them.  According to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, SBPD Detectives initiated an investigation into those reports and learned that “on or around January 24, 2014, Box violated the conditions of the court order pertaining to the protected Long Beach location.”  With that information at hand, Detectives then learned that Box made the same misstep in Santa Barbara on February 15th.

Armed with that information, SBPD Detective Brian Larson obtained a $1,000,000 arrest warrant for Box and a high-priority investigation into his whereabouts was begun.  For the next month, however, Box was nowhere to be found…until March 14th, when Narcotics Detectives—working another case with no relationship to Box—spotted him at a Santa Barbara restaurant and summarily took him into custody.  He was promptly taken to Santa Barbara County Jail and booked on the warrant, charged with violation of a domestic restraining order and violation of a court order.

No bail amount has yet been set, but if granted, it will presumably be enough to make an impression upon Mr. Box.

Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking

Read more:

KCOY: Santa Barbara realtor surrenders in sexual assault investigation

EDHAT: Richard Box arrested for violation of court orders

KEYT: Richard Box accused of molesting a second child, years ago


Speeding Driver Faces Charges in Crash that Injured Children

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FRESNO – Police have identified the man behind the wheel of the vehicle responsible for causing a collision last Friday that left four students injured.

Police arrested 21-year-old Cameron Woods and booked him on charges of felony hit-and-run and reckless driving in connection to the accident that happened just after 1 p.m. on Friday on California and Fruit avenues.

Woods, who did not have a valid license and had a warrant out for his arrest, was going over 70 mph on California Avenue in a Lexus when he ran a stop sign and slammed into a Chevrolet Suburban, which was crossing Fruit Avenue from the south, according to authorities.

The Suburban contained several school-aged children, some of whom were ejected from the vehicle during the collision. Two of the children reportedly suffered head trauma and another has several broken bones.

The children, who attend Anchor Academy just a mile away from where the accident happened, were taken to various hospitals in the area. Several have already been released.

Read More:

ABC30: Fresno man faces felony charges in crash involving kids

 

Police and CHP have their hands full with drugged suspect

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What at first appeared to be a routine call for Novato police officers on Monday morning turned into a high-speed car chase followed by battery on an officer, all concluding with the arrest of the local man responsible. Sergeant Demski of the Novato Police Department released a statement concerning the arrest on Monday afternoon.

At around 7:00 a.m., NPD received a report of a driver, suspected to be under the influence of a controlled substance, spinning donuts in the 800 block of State Access Road. Officers arrived on the scene at 7:05 and found a small Ford pickup with 32-year-old Novato and Canoga Park resident Richard Goldsmith at the wheel, according to NPD Lieutenant John McCarthy.

Goldsmith sped off before the patrol officers could successfully conduct their traffic stop, leading them on a chase through stop signs and red lights and around stopped traffic. When Goldsmith pulled his car onto U.S. 101 northbound, NPD contacted California Highway Patrol to continue the chase.

Goldsmith was seen doing donuts in his pickup in one of the parking lots along State Access Road.

Goldsmith was seen doing donuts in his pickup in one of the parking lots along State Access Road.

CHP officers were able to stop Goldsmith near Golf Course Drive in Rohnert Park, where they took him into custody. NPD officers took custody of the suspect shortly thereafter and brought Goldsmith for a checkup at Petaluma Valley Hospital. Once he was medically cleared, officers walked him to the car to take him for booking at Marin County Jail. When an officer opened the door to put Goldsmith inside, McCarthy explained, “He pushed back against the officer and struck him with the backside of [his] head into the officer’s face.” Fortunately, neither Goldsmith nor the officer sustained any injuries.

Officers Braun and Dunbar, along with Sergeant Demski, booked Goldsmith on charges of reckless evasion of a peace officer, suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, battery on a peace officer, and multiple vehicle code violations. Goldsmith also had an outstanding felony arrest warrant issued by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Ironically, just days before his most recent arrest, Goldsmith posted this message on his Facebook page: “I can say it took half my life to really realize what is important in my life, it sure has had its ups and downs. I am ready to start a new chapter in my life , old behavior was the hardiest thing to get rid off and knowing that you can’t just pick out the past and try to fix every little thing you did wrong(Impossible) I stand here today and say I am willing to go to any lengths… (Love happy and free)”

Read More:

Novato Patch: Suspected DUI Driver Leads Police & CHP On Chase

Petaluma360: Multi-county Highway 101 chase ends in arrest

Woman beaten by man and three women

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LAKEPORT, LAKE COUNTY – A dispute over some apparent bad marijuana led to the beating and robbery of a woman by family and friends of a man in the tribal reservation area south of Lakeport.

The victim reported to Sheriff’s Deputies that she was walking on Mission Way in the area of the Konocti Vista Indian Casino and the Big Valley Rancheria Tribal office of the Pomo Tribe on Saturday at 6:45 in the evening. According to the Lake Sheriff’s Office, she was addressed by 42-year-old Leonso Paul Rangel, who invited her to come into the house and speak with him. The woman, who apparently knew Rangel well enough to agree to come in, said that Rangel closed the door and accused her of giving him a chemical that was “messing with his body”. The victim told the investigators that a friend of hers had given Rangel some marijuana that he must have thought had some adverse affect beyond the normal intoxication of cannabis.

The victim went on to state that Rangel appeared to be under the influence of a drug that must have caused his violent behavior, and that he had grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall. She also said that Rangel threatened to kill her is she did not leave the reservation. The Big Valley band of Pomo Indians has a reservation near Lakeport and Finley, on the west shore of Clear Lake, where Rangel resides on Soda Bay Road. The woman said she feared for her life, believing Rangel would carry out the threat against her.

Leonso Rangel has been in trouble with the law before, dating back as far as 1991 when he was picked up for petty theft in Ukiah. His most recent incident was an October 2013 arrest in Clearlake Oaks, across the lake from his home, when he was charged with possession and sales of marijuana and/or hashish, along with a probation violation.

 

Leonso "Leo" Rangel and Teena Marie Rangel (Facebook)

Leonso “Leo” Rangel and Teena Marie Rangel (Facebook)

The victim told investigators that she left Rangel with the intent to get out of the area, and had contacted a friend for a ride. While she waited, she was approached by three women, 26-year-old Teena Marie Rangel and Deena Tess Chavez, and 42-year-old Andrea Melanie McCloud. She said Deena Chavez punched her in the face, and shoved her towards Teena Rangel, who knocked her to the ground and began kicking her. Andrea McCloud grabbed her hair, and Teena Rangel took a diamond ring from her finger, and her purse. She stated that all three continued to search her pockets and steal personal property from her. She says she was kicked at least ten times in the head during the assault, and that all three women participated.

The victim was treated by responding paramedics from station 55 in nearby Kelseyville. She was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for further treatment of her injuries. Leonso Rangel was arrested and charged with battery and criminal threats. Teena Rangel, Deena Chavez and Andrea McCloud were all booked for battery and robbery.

Oops she did it again

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A criminal complaint was filed against 36-year-old Catalina Garcia and 19-year-old Maricarmen Palomeravilla on Jan 17 for second degree burglary under PC 459-460 (b).  Garcia and Palomeravilla had entered a TJ Maxx located at 3201 Mission College Blvd in Santa Clara with the intention of stealing merchandise.

The two shoplifters were only interested in Michael Kors purses and wallets

The two shoplifters were only interested in Michael Kors purses and wallets

The Santa Clara Police Dept responded to TJ Maxx loss prevention employees reporting that two female suspects had entered their store and were seen removing security tags from purses and wallets. Advising officers that the suspects had just left the store with concealed merchandise, a lookout began for a red Acura leaving eastbound on Mission College Blvd.  An officer spotted the vehicle a short time later entering an In-N-Out Burger located just a few blocks away.

The loss prevention employee arrived at the scene and identified to officers that these were the female suspects he had seen entering the store.  In fact, on his way into the store he had seen Garcia also entering the store. He felt he knew immediately that she was there to steal purses and wallets by removing the security tags, using a device to pry them off. As Garcia removed the tags, Palomeravilla would then roll the purses up into a larger DKNY purse taken from the rack.

The pair concealed their loot in a larger handbag.

The pair concealed their loot in a larger handbag.

Two scarves were also taken to help conceal the purses inside, and they left the store without making an attempt to pay for the items. Inside the suspects’ vehicle six purses were found.  Five were identified as Michael Kors brand purses, along with one being identified as the DKNY purse used to smuggle out the items. The total value of the merchandise equaled $1,164.92.

TJ Maxx on Mission College Blvd. in Santa Clara.

TJ Maxx on Mission College Blvd. in Santa Clara.

According to court documents, a bench warrant was issued for the re-arrest of Palomeravilla for failure to appear for sentencing after giving a guilty plea, in which she was to receive 3-years probation and a 4-month county jail term on March 13. Her next court hearing was set for March 18, 2014 for new charges after being re-arrested for failure to appear.  Her bail of $20,000 was revoked and another bail hearing set a new amount of $10,000.

9-year-old Boy Used as Human Shield in Drug Bust

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Ventura - Some people simply watch too much TV and have difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality.

Proof of that came on March 14th when Ventura County Sheriff’s Department patrol officers sought to enforce a search warrant upon Jorge Garcia, 27, and Leah Montijo, 32, both wanted on suspicion of dealing methamphetamine.

When their vehicle was spotted by VCSD units, orders went to field officers to conduct a traffic stop and conduct a search of the vehicle as of both Garcia and Montijo, who had  been under surveillance for the past month and had been seen conducting multiple narcotics transactions.  Compounding law enforcement interest in Mr. Garcia, he had been the target of a recent failed arrest attempt by VCSD units who recovered a stolen vehicle traced to him, inside of which were discovered “a large quantity of heroin and a loaded handgun,” according VCSD spokesman Sgt. Mike Horne.

Leah Montijo

Leah Montijo

But on March 14th, in spite of his dramatic and somewhat histrionic attempts to evade deputies, when Garcia saw flashing red lights approaching from the rear, he accelerated to a high rate of speed and—apparently believing he was in a TV cop-show car chase—swung his vehicle into a downtown avenue intersection and promptly crashed into a curb, disabling the car, which was quickly blocked from further escape by pursuing Sheriff’s units.  According to Horne, it was then that Garcia was observed “throwing a plastic bag from the vehicle,” after which Garcia alighted from the car with Montijo’s 9 year-old son held tightly to his chest as he “used the boy as a shield.”

At that point, Garcia was ordered to release the boy and step away from the vehicle.  Refusing at first to do so, deputies eventually “removed the combative Garcia” as well as Montijo, taking them both into custody.  The ensuring search of the vehicle revealed five ounces of heroin, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, an unspecified but “large sum” of cash, and a handgun later identified as having been stolen a month earlier.

Both Garcia—a documented Santa Paula area gang member—and Montijo were arrested for conspiracy, felony child endangerment, possession of heroin and methamphetamine, and evading and resisting arrest.  Garcia was additionally charged as a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession of a controlled substance with a firearm.

Both were booked into Ventura County Jail with bail set at $500,000 each.  That’s reality, not fantasy.

Photo: Courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking

Read more:

ABC7: Suspect uses child as shield from pursuing officers

VCSTAR: Police arrest two on drugs and weapons violations

Manhunt for Felon Continues

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Santa Barbara County - A full week has passed since Santa Barbara County Sheriffs and Santa Maria Police units lost sight of Sergio Benny Castro, 32, carrying two passengers in the stolen car he was driving led law enforcement on a short high-speed chase through area residential streets late on the night of March 12th.

When deputies answered a 911 Emergency call reporting a white GMC pickup truck cruising suspiciously through neighborhoods, Castro reacted to their appearance on the scene by hitting the gas and eluding patrol units long enough for him and his passengers to flee the scene on foot.

The ensuing intensive police search of the area turned up no sign of Castro, but one of his passengers was observed nearby, according to Santa Maria Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jesus Valle, “acting suspiciously”.  Upon contact, Alexander Trujillo, 27, was determined to be wanted on an outstanding felony warrant and was taken into custody and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail.

Castro—wanted on a felony “no bail” warrant—has a history of engaging in high-speed police pursuits, having been arrested in December of 2012 under similar circumstances detailed on CrimeVoice at that time.

In the present case, he has not yet been located, leading authorities to reach out to the public for any possible leads.  He “should be considered armed and dangerous,” according to Valle, and is described as an Hispanic male with black hair, goatee, multiple tattoos visible on both arms, stands 5’11”, 250 pounds, and frequently wears a hat.  Anyone with any information about him or where he may be located is urged to call Santa Maria Police at 805-928-3781.

Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking

Read more:

KCOY: Santa Maria police searching for convicted felon

NOOZHAWK: Wanted Santa Maria man flees after police pursuit

CrimeVoice: Man leads police on Pursuit through Santa Maria

Driver Tries to Walk Away from Crash Scene

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Santa Barbara - As if utility costs weren’t already high enough, Southern California Edison will no doubt be increasing all of our rates if people keep crashing into their equipment.

Perhaps believing that because he was driving a late-model Volvo sedan complete with airbags and one of the highest safety ratings on the road, Charles McKenna, 27, apparently didn’t bother to negotiate a reasonably accurate path of travel in the early evening of March 15.  It was a Sunday at approximately 5:45 p.m., according to Santa Barbara Police Department spokesman Sgt. Eric Berecher, and traffic was very light with the sun still shining down the one-way downtown street.

In spite of those clear advantages to the safe operation of a vehicle, McKenna nevertheless managed to drive his Volvo over a curb and directly into a sturdy, 4-foot-tall Edison utility box anchored on the sidewalk.  As solid as that unit was—virtually an immoveable object—it was no match for McKenna’s hurtling vehicle constructed of formidable Swedish steel, and was destroyed.  But the utility box didn’t give itself up without a fight, bringing the Volvo to a sudden stop.

Apparently undaunted by any of this, McKenna alighted from the vehicle and blithely walked away.  Beecher described this behavior to the media succinctly with “he blacked out, then woke up and walked away.”

It didn’t take responding SBPD patrol officers to locate McKenna—now a pedestrian—strolling down the same street.  Upon contact with him, suspicions of alcohol consumption on his part immediately surfaced, and he was taken into custody and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of DUI hit-and-run.

Read more:

Noozhawk: Santa Barbara man jailed in Downtown DUI,


Two young men arrested in standoff

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REDDING – Two wanted men were arrested by the Redding Police yesterday, but not before they held them at bay for nearly two hours.

Benson Thomas Hodges III had been on Redding’s “Most Wanted” list since last November. The most wanted program publicizes people who have been convicted and skipped out on their sentencing while on bail. The 24-year-old Hodges had been charged with receiving stolen property, and had additional warrants out, including one for felony evading pursuit. Police received a tip that he and another young man were at the Cambridge Apartments in Locust Street.

The other man turned out to be 26-year-old Jesse Randy Bryant, who is an at-large parolee wanted for violation of his parole. Bryant was arrested in 2007 for an incident when he was 19. According to a story published in the Redding Record Searchlight, he was at Bert & Ernie’s Sports Bar, and was served alcohol at least 5 times on the evening of July 20. Bryant was even driven home by the bar’s courtesy van. Another patron, 34-year-old Joshua Gorman also rode the van, and claims to have not wanted to wait for his own stop, and got off with Bryant, intending to call for a ride. Bryant invited Gorman in for more drinks, bragged about being allowed to drink at the bar because he had a bouncer friend, and challenged his new drinking buddy to a fight.

The two agreed to wrestle on the front lawn, and when Gorman won, he claimed that Bryant then challenged him to a fist fight. Gorman told police he was then walking away, and Bryant attacked him with a baseball bat. By then it was morning, and a neighbor witnessed Bryant hit the man at least six times. She called 911 and shouted for Bryant to stop. He was arrested with blood on his hands and a meat cleaver in his pocket, which he apparently never used. Gorman needed surgery, and ended up with a metal plate in his head. He sued Bert & Ernie’s for serving liquor to the underage man who attacked, and Bryant was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to assault with a deadly weapon.

Hodges and Bryant were in a upstairs apartment in this building.

Hodges and Bryant were in a upstairs apartment in this building.

Bryant and Benson Hodges were at the Cambridge Apartments when police arrived at 3:20 in the afternoon yesterday. When they saw the police they both ducked into apartment #14. Seeing them flee, officers demanded that they come out and give themselves up. They refused, and officers placed a perimeter around the building. Hodges spoke to the police through the window, and challenged them to come in and get them. Knowing the history of violence both of them had, the police decided to stay outside and try to convince them to come out, while in the meantime, the tenants in the other apartments were evacuated for safety.

After 90 minutes, the two must have realized their options were out, and they finally gave up. They were both taken into custody without further incident. Hodges was booked for his three outstanding warrants, and Bryant was booked for parole violations and both were charged with delaying and obstructing officers. They await hearings at the Shasta County Jail.

Read More:

Redding Record Searchlight: 2 men in custody after Locust Street standoff

Redding.com: Redding man sues bar over beating

 

Car thief out of jail at it again

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REDDING – A young man who has been in frequent trouble with the law was arrested once again after leading police on a chase and wrecking a stolen car, knocking down a utility pole, which closed traffic lanes in the early morning yesterday.

Monday night at 9:33, a Redding Police officer saw a vehicle traveling north on Waldon Street near Sonoma Street that he recognized as a stolen car. The officer followed the car and attempted a traffic stop. The driver of the car, 23-year-old Anthony Russell Taylor, did not pull over, but continued to drive north. According to a Redding PD press release, as he approached Gold Street he instead drove into the parking lot of a commercial building, lost control, and hit a utility pole at the railroad tracks just beyond.

Taylor concluded his chase with Redding Police at this parking lot and into the power poles beyond.

Taylor concluded his chase with Redding Police at this parking lot and into the power poles beyond.

The collision caused the pole to break and power lines fell to the ground. Meanwhile, Taylor jumped out of the wrecked car and ran away on foot, apparently uninjured from the crash. He was apprehended soon, however, and arrested on charges of auto theft, possession of stolen property, and felony evading a peace officer. A crew from Union Pacific Railroad was summoned to the scene to repair the downed pole and power lines. Road closures were required for the safety of the public in the general area.

Anthony Russell Taylor has had an active relationship with law enforcement in recent years. When arrested he was out on AB109 post release supervision for a past conviction of possessing stolen property – a stolen car based on his history.

Originally from Auburn, in 2009 he was arrested in the town of Lincoln, near Auburn, for grand theft, accused of breaking into several vehicles and stealing property. Then in October of 2011 he was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle, and while released pending his hearing, he was arrested again within a week driving yet another stolen car.

Taylor’s more recent adventures have followed his release on AB109 supervision. On December 30 of 2013 he was arrested in Redding for possession of methamphetamine, then on January 9 he was arrested for stealing property from the Sportsman’s Warehouse in Redding. Back to bigger and better targets, on January 17 he was arrested driving a stolen Dodge Pickup truck in nearby Anderson. He also reportedly had meth on him at that time and was charged with bringing it into the jail. Finally, just last week, on March 8 he was arrested for receiving stolen property and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.

Perhaps this latest arrest and the costly damage caused will result in a much longer term in prison, as he has shown he has a difficult time keeping away from other people’s vehicles.

Read More:

Redding.com: Police: man nabbed three times in three weeks

A Father’s Decision Lands Him in Jail

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He Allowed His Son to Drive His Vehicle

HOLLISTER—Officers with the Hollister Police Department arrested 50-year-old Hollister resident and father Roberto Nunez for child endangerment and other charges after his 16-year-old teenager son sideswiped another vehicle on South Street.

In the early hours of Monday, March 9, at 12:50 in the morning, Hollister Police were on patrol driving southbound on Powell Street near South Street, when they observed a vehicle approach Powell Street and sideswipe a parked vehicle and then did not stop. The officers pulled the vehicle over on the 1100 block of Powell Street.  Upon making contact with the driver, they discovered that he was an unlicensed 16-year-old juvenile.  They also discovered that there was a 9-year-old juvenile also in the vehicle.

The two boys were picked up on Powell Street.

The two boys were picked up on Powell Street.

Officers made contact with the registered owner of the vehicle and called him to the scene.  The boy’s father, Roberto Barcenas Nunez, Sr. confirmed that he allowed his son to drive his brother to the store to buy ice cream after midnight Sunday. However, the boys may have gotten lost in the early morning hours. The location they were picked up was 3 miles from their home, and nowhere near any retail stores that would sell ice cream. It was in the vicinity of San Benito High School, where the young driver would presumably be in class later that morning.

“We want to remind people that it is a criminal violation to allow an unlicensed driver or a person with a suspended license to drive your vehicle.” Hollister Police Captain Carlos Reynoso wrote in a press release, “It is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or imprisonment or both.”

While Officers interviewed Mr. Nunez they noticed that he was showing signs of being under the influence of a controlled substance.  After an evaluation at the scene Officers arrested Nunez and transported him to San Benito County Jail. He was charged with allowing an unlicensed person to drive his vehicle, child endangerment, being under the influence of a controlled substance and a probation violation. Nunez, who lists his occupation as fork lift driver, was arrested in February as well on a warrant and probation violations.

If anyone has information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact the Police Department at 831-636-4330.

Pair to stand trail in 2013 wire fraud scheme to steal money from NASA

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On March 27, 2013 a felony indictment was handed down against Ali Kashani and Yang Zhao of Atlas Scientific, also known as Atlas Nanotechnologies, located at 1367 Camino Robles Way in San Jose.  The company had been established to conduct research regarding adhesives and carbon nano-tubes.

Kashani was the president of “Atlas” when he and a female employee, Yang Zhao, began to seek funding for research programs through a Small Business Innovation Research funding program or (SBIR), which offers scientific grants to small business owners. The National Science Foundation (NSF), in association with the National Aeronautics Space Agency (NASA), sponsor grant proposal submissions sent to SBIR and other grant proposal project sites.

Kashani began submitting grant proposals in June 2006, then continuing January through June 2007. Kashani and Zhao submitted a NASA SBIR proposal tilted “Dry Thermal Adhesive” based on carbon nano-tubes.  The NSF awarded Atlas funding of $99,991 in June of 2007. Finding a lucrative payout, the pair sought larger funding of up to more than 2 million dollars at different times within a period of five years.

On Sept 6, 2007 Kashani and Zhao submitted an application to NASA seeking funding for a project field study titled “Thermally Conductive Tape Based on Carbon Nanotube Array”. In a short essay format the document reads, “The goal of the proposed research is to develop a flexible thermally-conductive tape”. The tape would be used in electrical devices to help prevent off-gassing through the use of nano-tube technology. However, the use seemingly derives from other technologies already used in the computer and hardware industry when building hard drive and electronic applications.

Similar aspects of the proposal are already widely in use as an “electrical tape” often used in the automotive industry. The proposal, in fact, resulted in the waste, fraud and abuse by Atlas employees seeking to enrich themselves at the taxpayers’ expense. Under the NASA SBIR, an award of $99,970, and $599,927 was given in two separate phases ending February 5 of 2008.

Zhao continued to seek funding on Jan 26, 2009 when she sought $124,998 for grant funding, claiming that Atlas had not received funding prior to her application, stating that she was an employee with Atlas, that she worked directly on the project, and had not received funding from a separate agency.

Kashani and Zhao had received funding from 2007 – 2010 when federal authorities caught onto their scheme to commit wire fraud, a violation under 18 U.S.C. §1957 (a), engaging in monetary transactions derived from unlawful activity. Funding had been transferred to a Wells Fargo Account under “Atlas” and was subsequently transformed by Kashani into his personal bank account.

Kashani certified through FastLane in association with the NSF that no other funding was being used to perform similar work. However, it was determined that documents submitted to NASA through the SBIR were, in fact, false. In a six count indictment Kashani and Zhao appeared in federal court on March 18, 2014 on six counts of wire fraud. They face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The trial is expected to be held in the Northern Federal Court of San Jose on June 20, 2014.

Delusional Caller Causes lockdown of Santa Cruz School

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Suspect Was Under The Influence When He Called Police

SANTA CRUZ—The Santa Cruz Department spent last Thursday dealing with a delusional caller that left one school on lockdown.  At the end of the day, Police arrested Kyle Lee Allala for being under the influence of narcotics.

The incident started at 2:10 p.m., when police responded to a report of a shooting that occurred at an apartment complex on Errett Circle.  The caller stated that he heard a female and a male arguing in an adjacent apartment.  The argument ended with the male shooting the female.  Furthermore, the caller stated that the male was standing outside the apartment with the handgun in his hand.

When Officers arrived they were met by the caller, later identified as Kyle Lee Allala.  When officers were trying to get more information about the incident, Mr. Allala suffered a seizure and had to be taken to Dominican Hospital.

School being conducted at Garfield Park Church in Errett Circle was placed on Lockdown

School being conducted at Garfield Park Church in Errett Circle was placed on Lockdown

Officers established a perimeter around the neighborhood and as a precaution, and a school at Garfield Park Church was placed on lockdown.  Due to the seriousness of the threat, Santa Cruz Police called the SWAT team to help secure the area.

Officer located a 44-year-old man who was reported to be the gunman.  “After an investigation it was quickly determined that no shooting had occurred” Santa Cruz Police Deputy Chief Steve Clark Wrote in a press release, “Basically, the victim had his afternoon ruined by a delusional caller.”

Officers even contacted the reported victim of the shooting and she confirmed that she was not harmed, and was not even at the apartment at the time of the incident.  Tactical squad members completed the security sweep of the apartment complex to ensure that there was no other victim.

A follow up investigation revealed that the caller, Allala, showed that he was under the influence of narcotics.  He was arrested for being under the influence of narcotics and making a false report of an emergency.

Read More:

Santa Cruz Sentinel: Man on drugs made false report of shooting in Santa Cruz

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