An encounter with three suspected gang members left a Novato man in need of a hospital visit on Sunday evening, according to a press release issued by Detective Sergeant Michael Howard of the Novato Police Department late Tuesday afternoon.

At around 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Howard writes, the unnamed victim was approached in front of the Round Table Pizza at 1565 South Novato Boulevard in the Nave Shopping Center in Novato by a group that included the three suspects: Antioch resident Tatiana Jenkins, 24; Novato resident Christopher Cooke, 19; and an unnamed male Novato resident, 16.

The attack occurred at the Round Table Pizza in the Nave Shopping Center.

The three suspects assaulted the victim, who broke free and began to run. One of the suspects followed the victim in a car with the apparent intent of hitting him, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

At this point, the victim spoke with NPD officers about the attack after he or a witness called officers in, according to NPD Lieutenant John McCarthy. After this meeting, the victim was again assaulted by a group of people and sustained injuries that required a trip to the hospital. “The second time,” McCarthy said, “he called us,” to report the subsequent assault.

While the NPD investigation is “still moving forward,” according to McCarthy, officers have determined that both assaults were likely gang-related. Jenkins and Cooke were arrested and booked into Marin County Jail while the minor suspect has been arrested and booked into Marin County Juvenile Hall. All three suspects face charges of conspiracy and participating in a criminal street gang with a gang enhancement. Jenkins has also been charged with battery and a probation violation. The minor suspect has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon in addition to the above charges.

The Marin Independent Journal reports that Jenkins is a former San Rafael resident who was arrested with other suspected gang members, who were carrying a gun in their vehicle, at the Novato Days Inn on Redwood Boulevard in January 2013. Her probation from this incident may be revoked in connection with this week’s arrest.

The victim has been released from the hospital, McCarthy reported.

Read More:

Marin Independent Journal: Novato police arrest three suspects, including 16-year-old, in alleged gang attack

Novato Patch: Police: Three Arrested in Novato Gang-Related Assault

A suspect wanted for the stabbing death of a man on Florin Road earlier this month was reportedly arrested on Wednesday, March 19, in San Diego County, according to an official Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department press release.

Dinette Eugene Patterson, is reportedly in custody and will be extradited to Sacramento County to face a murder charge for stabbing and killing long time associate Charles Lee Jordan, 42.

According to a press released issued by Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department on March 7, at approximately 8 pm on March 7 patrol deputies had responded to the 5600 block of Florin Road in response to a stabbing that had just occurred. Upon arrival, officers reportedly found a male in his early 40s — later identified as Jordan — who had been stabbed. Medical personnel had reportedly declared the victim deceased at the scene.

Then on March 8, Sacramento County Sheriff had issued another press release, stating they were looking for Patterson in connection to the stabbing.

A motive for the murder has reportedly not yet been determined and Sacramento Sheriff Homicide Detectives are asking anyone with information related to this crime to call the Homicide Bureau at 916-874-5115.

FRESNO – Fresno police officer Derik Carson Kumagai was released from jail on Wednesday after being held in protective custody at Fresno County Jail on federal bribery and extortion charges.

Kumagai, 40, who had been assigned to the vice intelligence unit for 14 months, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly taking a $20,000 bribe from a suspected drug dealer.

The federal complaint against Kumagai states that Kumagai and his co-defendant, Saykham Somphoune, told the dealer that an investigation into his activities could be dropped in return for paying a bribe of $60,000. Two weeks later, the dealer gave Kumagai $20,000, according to the complaint.

Kumagai’s attorney pleaded not guilty on Kumagai’s behalf to the four counts against him: bribery, conspiracy, extortion under color of official right, and attempted extortion. If convicted of all the counts, Kumagai could be facing more than 50 years in prison.

Kumagai was released on his own recognizance around 5 p.m.  Wednesday, but his travel has been limited to within the northern and central regions of the state. Federal agents will be monitoring whether Kumagai has any contact with other police officials.

Read More:

Fresno Bee: Fresno officer accused of bribery released from jail

ABC30: Fresno police detective accused of accepting $20,000 bribe

REDDING – Police were on the hunt for a parolee with a stack of warrants out on him, but had to use a police dog to finally track him down.

Last Friday, March 14, Redding Police had received a tip that the man they were looking for, Charles Jacob Steele, was at a home in Anderson, the town just south of Redding. The contacted Anderson Police for assistance in apprehending the 36-year-old man, who was wanted for violating parole, and had four felony warrants out on him. He was a suspect in four residential burglaries – one in he county, two in neighboring Tehama County, and another near Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County. The police units arrived at the home on Lassen Avenue, and verified that he was on the property, or should have been.

Steele was tracked to this location in Anderson

According to a Redding Police report, the officers sought Steele a the home but could not locate him. They brought in Redding PD K9 officer Schmidt and his partner Abel as a trump card to help in the game of hide-and-seek their suspect was playing. They announced to the general area that the dog was there are ready, but got no response.

Steele was no match for Abel, however, and the dog quickly located him hiding under the cover of a partially filled hot tub. The wet suspect tried to put up a struggle, but against the officers and the dog, he didn’t stand much of a chance. He was soon in custody and on his way to the Shasta Medical Center for a medical evaluation after suffering dog bites. (At least he knew Abel didn’t have rabies.)

He could hide from the police, but not from K9 Abel

Steele had a backpack at the arrest location, and it was found to contain stolen property from some of the burglaries. He had also parked a motorcycle in the driveway which had also been stolen. More property was found at a Redding residence that Steele was connected to. He has no official residence on record, however, and is listed as transient. He had been arrested in September of last year on a charge of failure to appear and another warrant.

Once he was cleared at the hospital, Steele was booked at the Shasta County Jail for his outstanding warrants and possession of stolen property, and for resisting arrest. His bail has been set at $531,200.00, so he will likely remain in custody until he faces charges and sentencing for his latest adventures.

Two suspects, a Fairfield adolescent and a Sacramento man, were arrested March 18 in connection with a shooting on January 16 near Capistrano Court on the far southwestern fringe of Fairfield. The arrests came as a result of two separate searches of residences in Fairfield and in Sacramento, according to Fairfield Police.

The juvenile, who was not identified due to his underage status, was arrested after a search warrant was served by police officers at a residence on Northwood Court in Fairfield. Police also arrested Michael Behnamnia, 19, after searching his residence in the 700 block of Dixieanne Avenue in Sacramento.

It is alleged that this duo visited a house on Capistrano Court to purchase marijuana. Something went wrong soon after their arrival, and they pulled guns to rob the would-be seller, a juvenile. After taking items undisclosed by police, Behnamnia and his underage accomplice fled the crime scene. But not before the drug dealer armed himself and took  potshots at the fleeing vehicle, the occupants of which returned fire in the quiet suburban subdivision.  Police investigating the incident discovered two firearms in the Capistrano Court residence during their two month investigation.

The adolescent was lodged in Solano County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of assault with a firearm, robbery and criminal conspiracy. Behnamnia was booked into Solano County Jail on charges of assault with a firearm, robbery, criminal conspiracy, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine and being armed committing a felony.

Fairfield Police did not disclose whether the underage resident of Capistrano, who had traded gunfire with Behnamnia and his accomplice, would be charged later or not.

Read More:

The Reporter: Two more arrests in Fairfield case

At a probable cause hearing on March 18, a Fairfield resident was ordered to stand trial on one charge of attempted murder; the alleged crime took place outside a Suisun City bar on October 5, 2013. The victim was seriously injured after the shooting.

Michael O. Jackson, the alleged perprtrator, quietly listened to the victim testify in Judge Robert C. Fracchia’s Fairfield courtroom. Cody Milligan, the victim, testified he arrived in a parking lot across the street from AJ’s Bar on Main Street. He walked over to the bar to meet up with some friends standing outside. Milligan’s friends were in an argument with Jackson.

Jackson, Milligan testified, “became irritated,” and rushed over to his car parked nearby. He grabbed a .45 caliber pistol out of his car. Jackson walked over to the group of friends and brandished the gun “in their faces” while loudly cocking it several times. The verbal argument seemingly came to an end.

Jackson returned to his vehicle, got in and slowly backed out of his parking slot.  At that point Milligan testified he saw Jackson shove a clip of bullets in the powerful .45 pistol and shoot out the passenger’s side window. Milligan further testified he heard a woman in Jackson’s vehicle scream, “No, No, don’t do it,” just before Jackson pulled the trigger. Milligan was hit in the hip and has undergone several surgeries. He stated he is still “in constant pain.”

Jackson is now scheduled to appear for arraignment at 8:30 am on April 1. He remains in custody at Solano County Jail.

Read More:

Daily Republic (10/11/13): Suisun cops make arrest in shooting

INGLEWOOD, CA—Her career concerns making faces but do you want her making this kind of mark?

Malissa Ann Wilson Sargent, 37, was picked up by Inglewood Police Department on Sunday, March 16 at approximately 11:30 p.m. near the corner of Manchester Avenue and Fir Avenue. The 6-foot-tall, 145-lb. cosmetologist was charged with a number of violations including battery on a police officer, obstructing/resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and possession of marijuana.

Perhaps the most significant charge, however, may have been the one that prompted police to stop the Los Angeles resident: urinating and/or defecating in public.

Bail for all the charges was set for the woman at $31,285 for all five charges. Of the bail amounts, the marijuana possession charge was the lowest at a pithy $35, the battery charge was the highest at $20,000 and the urinating/defecating charge was $1,000.

The next time one pops in to have one’s face done up, be sure to check for skid marks.

Ventura County - When local law enforcement in any community publishes a warning to the public to “please lock your car”, there’s a good reason…and that reason was certainly in the spotlight with the arrest of two citizens of Ventura on March 19^th pursuant to a month-long investigation into a series of break-ins and thefts from vehicles in the City of Thousand Oaks.

According to Ventura County Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Eric Buschow, Michael Rodriguez, 44, and Nastaza Schmidt, 25, had been the focus of the investigation that began in February and are suspected of conducting more than 30 auto burglaries.  Rodriguez and Schmidt, who had been under extended surveillance, were contacted at a Newbury Park motel where evidence was found indicating their involvement in “a crime spree that involved vehicle burglaries and the theft of property from the vehicles.”  Among items of evidence were personal ID documents and credit cards stolen from multiple victims.

Because of the widespread timeline and the geographical reference points of the alleged crimes, “Thousand Oaks Police are working closely with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies” in anticipation of some connection between Rodriguez and Schmidt and other similar crimes across jurisdictional lines.

Also contacted at the Newbury Park Motel scene was Natasha Williams, 34, who just happened to have been sought on an outstanding felony warrant unrelated to the burglary activity.  She was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and was taken into custody as well.

All three were booked into Ventura County Jail, with Rodriguez held on $70,000 bail, Schmidt held on $390,000 bail, and Williams held on $85,000 bail.

Even though they remain in jail…lock your car.

Photo: Courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking

Read more:

VCSTAR: Pair arrested in connection with more than than 30 vehicle burglaries

INGLEWOOD, CA—He knows how to help push up the daisies and may also know how to nourish them with you.

Edgar Paul Mijareslugo, 25, was picked up by Inglewood Police Department on Sunday, March 16 at approximately 7:30 p.m. along the 1100 block of South Prairie Avenue. The location is directly across from the Hollywood Park Casino in an area that Inglewood Police reports indicate is a heavy crime area where recent shootings, robberies and assaults have taken place. It is immediately south of the recently reopened Forum which has leased a number of parcels along 102nd Street at Prairie that are slated to be parking lots from which patrons are to be shuttled to the venue that Madison Square Garden purchased in January, 2013 and opened 12 months later with a series of shows featuring the Eagles.

The self-proclaimed gardener was charged with carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and an immigration violation.

Bail for the first two charges was set at $70,000.

The next time Inglewood residents hire a gardener, be sure that the that person is not carrying a loaded firearm alongside the lawn tools.

Driver Looked At Officer Then Sped Away

PRUNEDALE—An Officer with the California Highway Patrol Monterey office is recovering from moderate injures after an attempted vehicle stop when horribly wrong.  The CHP is still looking for the driver of the Acura that intentionally caused the accident.

Shortly before noon on Sunday, on a bright and clear day, A CHP Officer was watching traffic along Highway 101 near the intersection of Highway 156.  She spotted a speeding car down Highway 101 in the fast lane. As the Acura drove by, the CHP officer, identified as Leann Gamble, merged into traffic and pulled behind the Acura.  The Officer was in ‘Code Three’ pursuit, which means she had all lights and siren on when she attempted to pull the vehicle over.

When the driver of the Acura saw the officer in the mirror he came to almost a complete stop in the slow lane.   The Officer seeing that the vehicle was coming to a complete stop tried to avoid the vehicle by swerving but struck the Acura and was ejected from her motorcycle.

The CHP Officer stated that, “The driver looked at her while she was on the ground and then sped away”.

According to the Officer, the vehicle was speeding down Highway 101 at at least 90 miles per hour then came to a complete stop within seconds.  The driver of the Acura could face Hit and Run charges and assault of a Peace Officer.

“The Officer involved is doing much better and is in good spirits.” California Highway Patrol Officer Jaime Rios said, “We are following several leads in this case and are close to finding our suspect.”

The California highway Patrol Monterey Office is asking for the public’s help in find the driver of the gray Acura, with a partial licence plate of 6PA. Anyone with information is asked to call the CHP Monterey Office at 1-831-796-2160.

Read More:

KION 46: CHP Officer injured in hit and run accident

Salinas Californian: CHP officer knocked down in hit-and-run

Ventura County - The word has undoubtedly spread like wildfire throughout the Ventura County communities of Piru and Fillmore that with a friend like Pedro Tello, you truly don’t need enemies.

That would be a reasonable opinion in the minds of Jose Martin Herrera, 25, Steven Cheveste, 33, Frank Villa, 33, Martin Gaspar, 24, and Natane Chapman, 22, who all had the bad luck to be hanging out with Tello, 23, at his Piru residence when Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputies showed up early in the morning of March 18^th.

Natane Chapman

The purpose of the sunrise visit by law enforcement was initially only to serve an arrest warrant on Tello but, according to Ventura County Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Eric Buschow,  “as they arrived at the house, the deputies noticed a structure at the back of the residence.”  Inquisitive as member of the law enforcement community so often are, the deputies made a wake-up call on the structure and discovered a gaggle of “known Fillmore gang members”, each of whom just happened to be on various protocols attendant to felony probation.

Three of those encountered, apparently not as sleepy as the others at the early hour, attempted to flee, but they were quickly corralled and taken into custody.

Once those outside were properly managed, Deputies then conducted a search of the primary residence, where Mr. Tello had attempted to hide.  The attempt failed as he was quickly arrested on his outstanding warrant and stood by in what one can only presume was a state of ignominy as Deputies then located a pair of loaded firearms, assorted drug paraphernalia, 19 grams of methamphetamine, and a small amount of marijuana.

Martin Gaspar

All six were arrested on mulitple drug, weapons, and probation violation charges and were transported to Ventura County Jail for booking where they remain on “no bail” holds.

Photos: Courtesy Facebook

Read more:

VCSTAR: Six Fillmore residents arrested in Piru on drug, gun counts

HAWTHORNE, CA—How many violations can one pick up during one stop while bicycling in southern California? If the question is directed at the Hawthorne Police Department, it could be as many as eight.

Karl Glass, 25, was stopped by Hawthorne police on Saturday, March 8 at approximately 11 p.m. It is unknown why he was arrested when they stopped him along the 4100 block of El Segundo Boulevard as there were no prior warrants listed. He did, however, get charged with eight violations apparently related to his bicycling behavior: “vehicle on a sidewalk,” “fail[ing] to present ID,” “pedestrian must yield,” “bicycle brakes required,” “bicycle lighting required,” “reflector on pedals,” “reflectors on center” and the curiously named “misc municipal code.”

The total bail was set at $1210. Of the amounts, six were only $35 but the two $500 bail amounts were for the odd charges of “vehicle on a sidewalk” and “misc municipal code.” Hawthorne police would not respond to requests for comment when asked about the two charges’ relation to a bicycle.

The Novato Police Department has arrested three additional suspects who were allegedly involved in two gang-related assaults on the same Novato man on Sunday evening, according to a press release issued by NPD Sergeant Michael Howard.

Between Tuesday, when Sergeant Howard announced the arrest of the first three suspects in this case, and Thursday evening, NPD investigators identified and arrested Christian Velasquez, 21, and Carlos Rodas, 20, both of Novato, as well as Diego De la Cerda Guerrero, 21, of Larkspur in connection with the assaults.

All three suspects have been charged with participation in a criminal street gang. Both Rodas and De la Cerda Guerrero have been charged with assault with a deadly weapon and dissuading a witness. Velasquez and De la Cerda Guerrero both face charges of conspiracy. On top of these charges, Rodas has a charge of making criminal threats and Velasquez has been charged with a violation of probation. NPD officers booked all three suspects at Marin County Jail.

On Sunday at around 7:00 p.m., multiple suspects approached the victim, who is not being identified by police, outside of the Round Table Pizza location at 1565 South Novato Boulevard in the Nave Shopping Center in Novato. The victim escaped and began to run away from the group. One of the suspects attempted to hit him with a vehicle, but did not succeed.

After the police became involved, interviewing the victim about the assault, alleged members of the same group again assaulted him, this time sending him to hospital for a checkup. He was ultimately medically cleared to go home.

By Tuesday evening, NPD officers had identified and arrested Antioch resident Tatiana Jenkins, 24; Novato resident Christopher Cooke, 19; and an unnamed juvenile male Novato resident, 16. All three were charged with conspiracy and participating in a criminal street gang with a gang enhancement. Jenkins had additional charges battery and a probation violation, while the minor had additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon.

In January Christian Velasquez and Tatiana Jenkins were arrested with four others at the Days Inn Motel in Novato for causing a disturbance and possession of drugs and firearms. Velasquez also has several prior arrests in the past few months on drug charges.

Read More:

Novato Patch: 6 Suspected Gang Members Arrested at Novato Hotel

Ventura County - In what has to be the working definition of the notion of “irony”, Ventura County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau and its Sexual Assault Unit have arrested Luis Manuel Gonzalez, 62, a Los Angeles resident of the community of Atwater on charges of child molestation.

According to Ventura County Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Eric Buschow, Gonzalez was under investigation pursuant to allegations that he sexually assaulted a seven-year-old resident of Camarillo in November of last year.

Most disturbing in this case is the fact that Gonzalez has, for nearly a decade, been employed as a Los Angeles County social caseworker, with the specific responsibility of determining claimant eligibility for welfare benefits.  As Buschow describes Gonzalez’s long-standing position of trust, it “involves dealing with families in difficult circumstances and gives him access to children.”

Detectives of the Ventura Major Crimes Bureau suspect that Gonzales—who was arrested at his home on Marth 20^th and has been identified by two more Los Angeles area victims—may be guilty of similar crimes of record as early as 1998.  The investigation into Gonzalez’s professional and personal history remains open because, as Buschow noted in his report to the media, “investigators are concerned there may be other victims in Los Angeles County.”

Gonzalez was taken into custody and transported to Ventura County Jail where he remains on $1,100,000 bail.

Pursuant to those concerns, anyone with any knowledge of the activities of Gonzales are encouraged to contact Ventura County Sheriffs at (805) 383-8791.

Read more:

VCSTAR: L.A. County welfare worker accused of molesting child in Camarillo

Sespe Sun: Child molestation Arrest

MIDDLETOWN, LAKE COUNTY A man was arrested Thursday afternoon after he went to great lengths to keep his mother from contact with people trying to check on her.

It began when an agent from the Lake County Adult Protective Services made a welfare check on the woman at her home on Armstrong Street in Middletown. They had received a report that the woman was malnourished and not getting proper medical care. The agent came to the house but was prevented from entering and contacting the woman by her son. Concerned, they contacted the Sheriff’s Department to get assistance, also reporting that it appeared there were several guns in the home.

Middletown is a small community of less than 1500 people in the southern portion of Lake County. The woman’s home is on a street just outside of the main part of town, where the surroundings become more rural, but still only two blocks from the main business center.

Wesley Wayne Tolleson

According to the Sheriff’s Department, Deputies responded to the home around noon to make contact with the woman and her son. They knocked on her door, but the son, identified as 49-year-old Wesley Wayne Tolleson, refused to allow deputies inside. He told them they’d need a lot more deputies there before he’s let anyone inside. Tolleson apparently does not reside with his mother in Middletown, but has an address ten miles away in Lower Lake,

Obligingly, the deputies proceeded to set up a perimeter around the house, and called for assistance from the Lake County SWAT team. Since Tolleson was believed to have weapons inside as reported by the APS agent, they notified nearby Lake County International Charter School, just over a block away, which was placed on lockdown. The Charter School was in the news recently when they were broken and had several laptops and iPads stolen by Shellby Dunlap, who was arrested last week. Three other area schools were also placed into lockdown pending the outcome.

Tolleson is coming off of another run-in with the law just over a week prior to this incident. He was arrested on Tuesday, March 11 in Middletown on charges of first degree burglary and exhibiting a weapon other than a firearm, such as a knife or club. His bail then was set at $60,000, and he appeared in court that Thursday.

Apparently the show of force was enough to convince Tolleson that they were serious. He resumed communication, and by 2:15 gave himself up without further incident. His mother finally got her welfare check, and as a result was transported by ambulance to a hospital for care. Tolleson was taken to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked for resisting or obstructing a peace officer. As the investigation continues he may be charged with elder abuse, or related violations, and possibly weapons or parole violations.

Usually if a person is carrying illegal drugs, they do their best to keep it quiet, especially when the police are around, but it didn’t quite go that way for Anthony Moron and his partner Cynthia Fox.

The couple visiting Lakeport this week got into a fight that was loud enough to attract the attention of police, though it never came to blows. The verbal spat brought Lakeport police to address Moron and Fox, who told officers they were arguing over a cell phone.

The 24-year-old Moron and 23-year-old Fox are both from Corning, in Tehama County, but list their current residence at a mobile home in Oroville, in Butte County. It is not clear why they were in Lakeport, 170 miles away from the northern Central Valley locations, but they may have been visting Moron’s onetime home of Kelseyville, just south of Lakeport.

Cynthia Fox has a distinctive tattoo (Facebook)

Cynthia Fox, also known as Cynthia Fox-Torres, admitted to to the officers that she had marijuana and a pipe in her purse. A closer inspection revealed a glass meth pipe, which still had some suspected methamphetamine in it, along with a small bag of processed marijuana.

Moron was asked if the officer could search him as well, and no doubt believing he would be detained and searched anyway, he consented. He had a plastic bag containing meth on him. Moron has some experience with law enforcement, with two prior arrests recently, once in October and earlier in March. His arrests were on various charges of drug possession and vehicle code violations. He also listed his residence in Kelseyville at that time, which is in Lake County and near Lakeport.

Fox was with Moron when he was arrested on March 9 when they were pulled over in Colusa County, midway between Oroville and Lake County. At that time they were both charged with several counts of possession of drugs, giving false Identification to police, and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

Fox and Moron were arrested this time for possession of a controlled substance, and booked into Lake County Jail with bail set at $15,000 each.

BAKERSFIELD — A Bakersfield man trying to sell a stolen oilfield drill bit to an undercover police officer was arrested on Thursday.

Daniel Ince, 31, of Bakersfield was booked into the Kern County Jail on charges of grand theft and possession of stolen property.

The incident began after Ince contacted U.S. Bit and Tool in Seminole, Okla. and tired to sell them a drill bit that they determined had been stolen from Cesmat Service Company in Bakersfield, CA.,  officials said.

The company then contacted the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, who assigned a detective from its Rural Crime Investigation Unit to the case.

During his investigation, the detective contacted Ince posing as representative for U.S. Bit and Tool, and arranged a meeting to purchase the drill bit.

According to the sheriff’s office, the detective arrived and looked at the drill bit, determining it to be the one that was stolen from Cesmat Service Company.

The Alameda Police Department reported today that the attempted kidnapping of a child that reportedly occurred Friday was false.

Once the kidnapping report was deemed unfounded, APD personnel went to Santa Rita Jail, Dublin, and filed paperwork to immediately release the 53-year-old Alameda man arrested Friday afternoon.

…

[Read the full story on LaMorinda.Patch.com]

SAN BERNARDINO – An ex-sheriff’s deputy, found guilty of having a sexual relationship with a teen-age girl, was sentenced to over 13 years in prison by a Superior Court judge on Friday. Nathan Gastineau, 30, who will also be required to register as a sex offender for life, had long since denied the accusations of a then 15-year-old former Explorer scout who made the charges in 2011.

The unidentified victim, who appeared in court with her parents, watched Judge William Jefferson Powell IV hand down the maximum sentenced allowed – 13 years and eight months in state prison.

Gastineau, who resigned as a Highland-area deputy in 2012 and drove a taxi cab in the Los Angeles County area, kept getting delays in his trial which took nearly three years from the outset of the incidents. He was convicted on January 17 on charges of lewd acts with a child, unlawful sex with a minor and possession of child pornography.

The two met through the sheriff’s Explorers, a county-based program that allows teen-agers a glimpse into law enforcement. Explorers are allowed to ride along with deputies who are on duty. They became involved in a sexual relationship that lasted about six months, according to investigators. Gastineau, who continuously denied any sexual involvement, later testified that the two had sex just once.

Investigators discovered a videotape of their sexual activities in the bedroom of his Redlands apartment. During trial, it was disclosed that Gastineau used his deputy’s handcuffs during their activities.

Gastineau’s attorney, Andrew Haynal, argued that his client should have received a suspended sentence and probation based on his years of service with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The convicted ex-deputy called the affair a “monumental mistake and a huge lapse in judgement.”

Read More:

The Sun: Ex-San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy Nathan Gastineau sentenced to 13 years in prison

LAMONT — For the second time in less than a week, sheriff’s deputies from a special task force arrested two suspects for stealing farm equipment in a rural area southeast of Bakersfield, CA. on Wednesday.

Jesus Guillen, Jr., a 52-year-old convicted felon, was booked at the Kern County Jail’s Central Receiving Facility on charges of grand theft, possession of stolen vehicle, grand theft auto, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of firearm by felon and possession of tear gas. In addition, 30-year-old Richard Reyes III, was booked for grand theft and receiving stolen property. Both men are from Lamont.

According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the arrests stemmed from an operation by sheriff’s office Rural Crime Investigation Unit, which was in direct response to an increase in farm equipment being stolen in and around  the City of Lamont.

“Detectives placed a few pieces of farm equipment under electronic surveillance,” Ray Pruitt, spokesperson for the sheriff’s department said. “And on March 20, they received an alarm indicating the equipment had been moved.”

After tracking the equipment to a home in the 11000 block of Rose Street in Lamont, detectives obtained and served a search warrant at the residence. ”During the search, the stolen farm equipment was located,” Pruitt added.

Detectives said they also located a stolen Polaris Quad and a stolen handgun.  Guillen is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition.

Read more:

Californian: Theft sting nets two arrests