Perhaps picturing himself as a character in a novel he is writing, a Lower Lake man made all the right moves to attract attention to himself and get pursued and pulled over by a Lake County Sheriff’s patrol deputy, which resulted in an arrest on multiple charges, including a federal warrant.

Last Thursday, March 27 at 12:30 in the afternoon, according to Steve Brooks of the Lake Sheriff’s Department, the deputy was traveling north on Highway 29 past the town of Lower Lake, when he noticed a gray Toyota Tundra pickup a little ways ahead. He saw the truck change lanes, jump on the brakes, and then turn left onto Seigler Canyon without signalling. While the quickness of the turn raised an alarm, it was so abrupt that the Deputy had to continue on Highway 29 without a chance  to turn and follow the Toyota, which he assumed, based on its movements, was either lost or trying to evade him.

Bond turned around at this point, and the deputy followed.

The Deputy turned around on Highway 29 as soon as it was safe, and then headed down Seigler Canyon. As he was headed south, he saw ahead of him the Toyota turn around at the first chance, where the road widens at the Perini Road turnoff. The deputy followed suit, U-turning at Perini and following the truck back toward Highway 29. As they both headed up the winding road through the hillside forest and fields, the truck crossed the double yellow lines at least three times, and when the brakes were applied, the deputy could also see one brake light was not working.

The deputy stopped the car as they arrived back at Highway 29, and addressed the driver, 43-year-old William Anthony Bond, who resides in Lower Lake. Bond told the deputy that he didn’t have a driver’s license, and that was also on federal probation. Central dispatch found that Bond was not only on probation, but had a warrant out for him on the federal charges. (It is not clear what the federal warrant was issued for.) The deputy advised Bond that he was being detained and arrested for the warrant, and that he would be searching him and the pickup truck.

Two bags of Meth were found on Bond a larger ounce, opened, and a gram bag.

The deputy noticed an unusual bulge at Bond’s waistband, and as he went to identify it, Bond pulled away. The deputy stopped him, and the object fell to the ground, hitting Bond’s shoe. It was two small plastic bags – a ziplock and a white bag, both with white crystal methamphetamine inside; one gram in the ziplock and one ounce in the white bag, secured with blue tape. The smaller amount would warrant an arrest on possession of narcotics, but the larger bag is evidence of possession for sales, since it is far more than one person would be using. When confronted, Bond said he was in fact delivering the meth to a friend, who was purchasing it for $3,200.00. However, he also claimed he was simply the delivery person, he was not the seller.

Sad But True by Billy Bond

William Anthony Bond is also known as Billy Bond – a published author. He has one known book out, and is said to be working on another. His published book is called “Sad But True”; the plot described as “Sebastian Farrar is a successful entrepreneur who seemingly has it all, until the brutal murder of his father, a Marin County, California, Superior Court Judge, propels him into a world of corruption, deceit and betrayal. Soon Sebastian begins to question his own sanity, finding himself a fugitive from the law and falling in love with a woman he’s not sure he can trust. In a violent struggle that spans from Sonoma County, California to the Florida Keys, Sebastian fights to expose the truth and a bizarre conspiracy that could bring the country to its knees.”  The novel was published in 2008 by Trafford Publishing – a print on demand bookseller, and is also found on eBay, Amazon, and other on-line booksellers. Only three reviews were posted, all on Amazon and all three gave it 5 stars as a suspenseful page-turner from readers who wanted more from the author.

Bond also posted on his Facebook feed in January 2013 “Hey people….I am looking for everyone to step up and read my books…trust me, you’ll never be disappointed. If there are people on my facebook who’d like to have a career in writing, let me know! I just started Bond Brothers Productions INC. and I am going to be publishing people the bigger publishing houses forget about…I am going to give people a chance to have some success in their lives!

But for now, William “Billy” Anthony Bond has been arrested and booked into Lake County’s Hill Road Correctional Facility, on both his federal warrant, and on charges of possession and transportation of a controlled substance for sale. Perhaps his sentence will be lightened if his next story is told to the District Attorney about where the meth came from and where it was going. Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force is continuing their ongoing efforts to eradicate narcotics from Lake County, and to seize the assets of anyone profiting from drug trafficking in their communities. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

SACRAMENTO—Sacramento Police arrested Jake Thomas on Sunday, March 30 on suspicion of assaulting a Sacramento parking control officer.

The incident happened on Sunday at approximately 6:00 p.m. at 24th Avenue and 24th Street in Sacramento. Thomas, 24, was apparently so angry with the parking ticket he received that he allegedly became verbally aggressive toward the officer, assaulted him, threw the ticket at the officer and wouldn’t let the officer leave, according to Sacramento police spokeswoman Officer Michele Gigante.

24th and 24th, with one No Parking sign in evidence.

The corner of 24th Avenue and 24th Street is in the south west area of Sacramento, just blocks from Sacramento City College, the Sacramento Zoo and Land Park. Thomas’ reported home address is also in the same neighborhood, on Attawa Avenue, so it might seem strange that he would not be aware of parking restrictions in the area.

The parking control agent called police officers who came to the scene and arrested the man on charges of assault, delaying and obstructing an officer in their duties, and violating probation.

CLEARLAKE — On the 27th of March at around 2 p.m., narcotics officers and patrol deputies had set their sights on a residence in the 15000 block of Cass Avenue. Why? Because apparently, information had come in that large amounts of controlled substances were being sold from the house. By 5 p.m., they had secured their search warrant.

Upon arrival, police met Dino Eugene Lagomarsino (50) standing in the driveway, while Thomas Richard Griffith (62) bolted for the spare bedroom and slammed the door shut behind him. Deputies forced the door open anyway and managed to detain him. Holly Ann Ogarey (47) was found elsewhere in the house and detained as the search began.

Thomas Griffith

In the bedroom with Griffith, deputies found and seized approximately one ounce of methamphetamine, as well as a digital gram scale, a cane sword, and a replica firearm. Hidden inside a couch in the room was a metal tackle box containing various quantities of pre-packaged meth, hydrocodone, lorazepam, and morphine pills.

In the living room, detectives noticed an unopened UPS shipment package that turned out to contain 540 5-milligram oxycodone pills. It was eventually discovered that the pills had been pre-sold for $2,800.

Holly Ogarey

The master bedroom presented its own cache of surprises. Not only were more packages of meth, drug paraphernalia, and another digital gram scale found, but also a working surveillance system monitoring the exterior of the residence. Combine that with the additional 31 2-milligram and 33 1-milligram lorazepam pills, throw in 13 30-milligram morphine pills and baby you’ve got a stew going.

The resulting arrests follow as thus — Lagomarsino for possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, and being under the influence of a controlled substance; Ogarey for possession of a controlled substance for sale and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia; and Griffith for possession of a controlled substance for sale/purchase for sale of a controlled substance, possession of a cane sword, and being under the influence of a controlled substance. All three were taken to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and promptly booked.

Various evidence confiscated from the house.

Read more:

The Record-Bee: Three arrested on methamphetamine, pills charges

Lake County News: Task force arrests three; meth, hundreds of Oxycodone pills seized

Lake County Sheriff’s Dept. press release (Nixle)

BAKERSFIELD —  A mother in Bakersfield was arrested on Monday in connection with the 2010 death of her then four-year-old son.

Alexis Dixon was booked into the Kern County Jail on one count of first-degree murder and one count of child abuse resulting in death.

Her bail has been set at $2,000,000.

According the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Dixon was taken into custody at around 3:30 pm on March 31.

The 31-year-old was being sought by authorities after a four-year investigation by Kern County Sheriff’s detectives linked her to the April 23, 2010, death of her son Mark Allan Dixon, who investigators determined had died after sustaining life-threatening injuries to his upper torso.

It was determined by detectives that the injuries to Dixon were not consistent with explanations that had been given as to how he had been injured, during the execution of a search warrant at the home where the four-year-old had been living, which was travel trailer on the Cowen’s Pet Resort property at 22110 Stockdale Highway in west Bakersfield.

In March 2014, the case was submitted to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office for review and on March 24, 2014,  the DA’s Office issued a warrant for the Dixon’s arrest.

Read more:

KERO: Mother Alexis Dixon arrested four years after the death of her son

KBAK: Mom arrested on murder charge 4 years after boy’s death

On Monday this week the Sonoma County Sheriff’s office announced the arrest of a man in the town of Cloverdale, 200 miles north of the Central Valley city of Merced where he came from. He was the third notable suspect arrested recently in Northern California who traveled from Merced before being picked up.

On Friday, March 28, Redding Police announced the second arrest in their town of a suspect in a gang murder in Merced County. The investigation went back to December 23 in the town of Winton, when 33-year-old Francisco Pena was gunned down in an ambush involving a street gang. His bullet ridden body was found at 7 pm on Myrtle avenue in the small town of about 10,000 people, just north of the city of Merced. Sheriff Mark Pazin had described Pena as a well-known gang member, and was quoted as stating “He was just a bad egg, and he died in a dirty, rotten alley in Winton.”

The shooting occurred at the apartments on Myrtle Ave. in Winton.

Pena’s family objected to Pazin’s description, and told the Merced Sun-Star that Pena had left the gang over a decade before and had turned his life around, becoming a good family man. His mother told them that his killing was over a personal issue, but didn’t state the details.

Several arrests were made in the course of the investigation into the shooting, and some of the suspects had left the area following the incident. By March, Elias Vera, 21, Ricardo Romo Jr., 17, had been arrested. Fernando Luna, 21, had been picked up on February 26, and his brother, 24-year-old Julian Junior Luna was arrested at an apartment in north Redding, on Boulder Creek Drive the same day. All four of them were linked directly to the ambush shooting of Pena, who was lured to the Myrtle apartment complex and gunned down with a shotgun and assault rifle, like an AK-47. Julian Luna was armed with a .357 revolver, and was said to be the first to fire at Pena, who fled and was killed by the shotgun and assault weapon as he ran.

Following the initial investigation and arrests, five more members of their gang were arrested on weapon, drug, and gang charges, though none of them were directly linked to the killing of Pena. What may be the final piece to the puzzle, however, is the Redding Police arrest of 24-year-old Arturo Morfin near Gerlinger’s Machine and Welding Shop on Placer Street in east central Redding. He was booked at Shasta County Jail last Friday, to be sent to Merced County to face murder charges along with the four others.

Kamon James Stephens (Facebook)

Meanwhile, in the Sonoma County town of Cloverdale, the Sheriff’s Officer announced the arrest of Kamon James Stephens, a 34-year-old resident of Merced. On Monday evening, Sheriff’s detectives witnessed Stephens as he pulled into the Patriot gas station while driving north on South Cloverdale Boulevard. He got out of his car, and showed signs of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The detectives approached the man and took his ID. They learned that he was currently under felony probation for a past domestic violence conviction. He was searched, and had 4 grams of crystal methamphetamine on him.

Stephens was placed under arrest, and a further search of his vehicle revealed a loaded gun inside. The detectives learned that Stephens was staying at the Super 8 Motel on Treadway off South Cloverdale, a few blocks south of the gas station. They continued their investigation with a search of the motel room, and found a box ready to ship to another state, with approximately 5 pounds of marijuana inside. It looked like Stephens had set up a little operation in the room, complete with packaging materials and a scale. There were also several credit cards with names of people other than Stephens.

Kamon Stephens was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on charges of possession of drugs while armed, being a convicted felon with a firearm, possession of meth, driving with a suspended license, and probation violations. He is being held without bail due to the probation violations. Detectives are continuing their investigation into the credit cards and the marijuana sales operation.

Read More: 

Merced Sun-Star: Four arrested in gang homicide in ‘massive’ Merced County Sheriff’s Department case

OILDALE — One man was left dead after being shot by sheriff’s deputies following a high-speed pursuit through the streets of northeast Bakersfield last Wednesday.

Today the Kern County Sheriff’s Office talked about the shooting, which occurred at around 10 p.m. on March 26, when a deputy tried to make a traffic stop on a stolen 1998 Honda VTR 1000 motorcycle driving at a high rate of speed in the residential neighborhood near Beardsley Avenue in Oildale.

The rider, later identified as 41-year old Christopher McDaniel, failed to comply, leading the deputy on a pursuit, failing to stop for signs or traffic lights and at times driving on pedestrian sidewalks.

After a short time, additional deputies joined the chase, but lost sight of McDaniel in the area of River View Park.

“Deputies set up a perimeter near the park and began monitoring intersections where the suspect was last seen,” Ray Pruitt, sheriff’s public information officer said. “A few minutes later, the suspect was again spotted entering the intersection of South Plymouth and Beardsley Avenues, where he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed.”

Deputies said that McDaniel then began running east bound on foot on Beardsley Avenue, pulling a hand gun from his waistband and pointing it at two deputies, who fired three rounds each from their service weapons striking McDaniel.

Deputies immediately began administering first aid to McDaniel, who was transported by ambulance to Kern Medical Center where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

No deputies were injured during the incident, but a canine dog was struck by gunfire.

The canine was transported to an emergency veterinarian and after undergoing surgery, is expected to survive.

Both deputies are on routine administrative leave pending a review from the Lethal Force Review Board.

Read more:

KERO: Sheriff answers questions on case

KBAK: Names, numbers of shots released

VISALIA – Police arrested a Visalia woman late earlier this week for suspected child abuse of her 2-month-old baby.

The Visalia Police Department received a report of suspected child abuse at a residence at the 300 block of West Murray Avenue on Monday. Officers dispatched to the scene around 11:35 a.m. found a 2 ½-month-old baby with multiple fractures.

Doctors who examined the infant discovered at least a dozen fractures and tests showed that the injuries were consistent with physical abuse, according to authorities.

Detectives interviewed the baby’s mother, 19-year-old Jessica Castillo, and determined that she was responsible for the abuse. They arrested her on Monday night on suspicion of child abuse, according to police.

In addition to being charged with one felony count of child abuse, Castillo faces a special allegation that she caused great bodily injury to a child under the age of 5. She faces up to 12 years in prison.

Child Welfare Services took custody of the infant, who is being treated at a local area children’s hospital.

Read More:

Visalia Times Delta: Visalia teen mother arrested on suspicion of abusing 2 month old

Two 19-year-old twin brothers and a third suspect are under arrest after a multi-city, two-county crime spree left two dead, according to an official press release from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.

Ruslan and Roman Glukhoy, both 19, of Antelope, were reportedly arrested and charged with two counts of homicide, as well as other charges. Roman was reportedly booked into the Placer County Jail after completing an interview, and Ruslan was admitted to Mercy San Juan Hospital in Carmichael.

The third suspect, Yuriy Merkushev, 21, was reportedly later arrested after hiding in Loomis.

Roman Glukhoy and Yuriy Merkushev, Placer County mugshots.

According to Placer County Sheriff, at 5:10 am on Wednesday, April 2, Auburn police officers were checking on a suspicious vehicle with three male suspects inside that they believed was related to a series of burglaries in the area. As the officers attempted to make contact, the vehicle with the three suspects reportedly drove directly at the officers, committing an assault with a deadly weapon.

The officers were reportedly able to get out of the way, and a pursuit began. The pursuit reportedly entered westbound Interstate 80, and the suspects exited at Horseshoe Bar Road in Loomis, crashing their vehicle at the end of the off-ramp. The suspects then reportedly ran into the nearby neighborhood.

Placer County Sheriff says some of the suspects entered an occupied home on Becky Way and stole the keys to a Ford F-150 truck. The home’s occupants reportedly did not see the suspects until they saw them driving away in their truck. Two of the male suspects — later identified as Ruslan and Roman Glukhoy — drove the stolen Ford F-150 back onto I-80 and the pursuit began again.

The Glukhoy twin brothers were from Mira Loma High School. (Facebook)

The pursuit continued back onto westbound I-80, with the suspects reportedly driving erratically and at speeds in excess of 100 mph. The suspects exited at Antelope Road and were driving so fast deputies reportedly lost sight of them for a time. As the suspects approached Antelope North Road, they reportedly struck a sedan that had turned left in front of them. The car was occupied by an adult male and juvenile female, who both died instantly. The man was later identified as Jose Luis Barriga-Tovar of Antelope, who was with his 14-year-old daughter, Anahi Tovar.

Deputies continued to then chase the two suspects, who reportedly jumped fences and ran through the backyards of homes. Roman was reportedly apprehended right away, and a Placer County Sheriff’s deputy sustained a broken hand while making the arrest. Ruslan was reportedly captured a short time later hiding in a nearby backyard, and he was arrested after being subdued by a Sacramento County K-9.

Two of them, Roman Glukhoy and Yuriy Merkushev. will be arraigned tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the Placer County Jail courtroom.

Glukhoy is being held without bail, and he also had a no-bail warrant out of Sacramento County. Merkushev’s bail is set at $15,000. Ruslan Glukhoy is being discharged from Mercy San Juan Hospital in Carmichael, where he was treated for injuries sustained in the crash. He will be transported to the Placer County Jail and be booked.

Read More:

News 10: Father, daughter killed during high speed chase

Search of Home Reveals Numerous Weapons

AROMAS—The Watsonville Police Department have had their eyes on 34-year-old Aromas resident Hector Rocha, under the “Adelante” Gang Grant, for numerous methamphetamine sales throughout the city of Watsonville.

On Monday, March 31, Watsonville Police after gathering enough evidence against Rocha served a search warrant at his residence on 800 block of Via Manzana in Aromas.  The Santa Cruz County Gang Task Force and the California Highway Patrol assisted the Watsonville Police.

Aromas is a small community of under 3000 people that is part of both Monterey and San Benito Counties. It is just south east of Watsonville. Rocha’s residence is in the northern, mostly rural section of the town.

During the search Officers located six firearms, which included three semi-automatic pistols, a shotgun, an illegal sawed-off rifle and a banned assault rifle with a large capacity magazine.  The firearms were all loaded, including the assault rifle.

With the exception of the pistol that was reported stolen out of Seattle, Washington, all other firearms belonged to Rocha.  There is only one thing wrong with that statement, Rocha is a convicted felony and cannot legally possess or own any firearms.

Officers also located evidence of narcotic sales as well as illegal firearms transactions.  Police also found “gang indicia” inside the residence.

“The ‘Adelante Initiative’ is a two year grant awarded to Watsonville Police geared towards gang prevention and suppression.” Watsonville Police Officer David Rodriguez said. “The Officers that were responsible for the arrest are assigned to the suppression aspect of this grant.”

Rocha was arrested on numerous firearm violations with gang enhancements.  He was also charged with one count of child endangerment.  Rocha was booked into jail and his bail was set at 300,000 dollars.

Read More:

KION 46: Aromas man arrested with numerous firearms, drugs

Ventura County - The date of this report notwithstanding, it’s no April Fool’s prank when those who are entrusted with our security violate it by criminal subterfuge.  From any perpetrator’s perspective, of course, the ability to use that position of trust and possibly go undetected is simply too attractive to ignore.

Such appears to have been the dilemma faced by Michael Glen South, 57, a resident of Thousand Oaks who has been employed as the Director of Security at a number of senior citizen residential homes throughout Ventura County, and who literally had the “keys to the kingdom” on his keyring.  Using those keys, South is alleged to have conducted a number of residential burglaries of those facilities under his direct “care”.

On the weekend of March 30^th, according to Ventura County Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Jason Robarts, investigators working out of the Thousand Oaks Police Department received a tip that South was in possession of various items of stolen property belonging to residents at one of South’s workplaces.

Pursuant to that report, a search warrant was served upon South’s residence “which resulted in investigators finding additional victims as well as their property,” Robarts reported, including “guns, jewelry, medication, and other household items.”

With his key access to victims’ homes and the property found in his own residence, investigators had ample probable cause to book South into the Ventura County Jail on multiple charges of felony residential burglary, elder abuse, and possession of stolen property.

Photo: Courtesy Ventura County Jail Booking

Read more:

CBSLA: Security director at senior living facility accused of stealing

Thousand Oaks Acorn: Security director accused of robbing seniors

Camarillo - Perhaps hoping to live in infamy as did Robert Opel following his sudden rise to international notoriety when he “streaked” across the 46^th Academy Awards stage wearing nothing but his birthday suit in 1974—which inspired actor David Niven’s brilliant adlib regarding certain male “shortcomings”—Scott Christopher Wood, a 39 year-old Thousand Oaks resident with a clearly exhibitionist nature, was arrested on March 27^th by Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Camarillo Station detectives and charged with two counts of indecent exposure.

Detectives were first made aware of Wood’s recreational habits on March 6^th when two separate incidents were reported involving the appearance of male genitalia in full view of multiple females at two area shopping centers.

With multiple reports of similar incidents coming so close in time, detectives took witness reports and compared them to information stored in the Megan’s Law database regarding sexual offenders.  Pursuant to that review, Wood was identified as a possible suspect in the immediate fact situation. According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Det. Sgt. Pete O’Sullivan, “one of the victims was able to provide a very good description of the suspect for a sketch.”  So good was her description and the resulting artwork that “detectives noticed the similarities to the sketch and the picture of Scott Wood was uncanny.”

Role Model for Wood?

Pursuant to this series of elements falling into place, Detectives located and arrested Wood, a registered sex offender currently on probation for possession of obscene matter depicting sexual conduct of minors.

Photo: Courtesy Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, Wikipedia

Read more:

VCSTAR: Thousand Oaks man arrested in connection with indecent exposure

CBSLA: Sex offender arrested for allegedly exposing himself

FRESNO – A man who police believe was involved in several vehicle burglaries was arrested Wednesday morning in southeast Fresno.

Offices with the Fresno Police Department arrested Bennie Montes following the search of a home in the 200 block of North 11^th Street. He is suspected of many vehicle burglaries, including one on Monday, according to police.

Video surveillance showed Montes breaking into a parked vehicle at the Vista Pharmacy on E. Tulare Street. In the video, Montes is seen breaking the car window and then stealing a woman’s purse, medication and money.

Montes has also been identified as the suspect in a second vehicle burglary at the Quick Pick & Deli, just a few blocks away. During a search of Montes’ residence, police discovered items that they believe were taken during other vehicle burglaries. The investigation is ongoing, authorities said.

Montes was arrested on suspicion of vehicle burglary and a probation violation.

Read More:

ABC30: Fresno burglary suspect arrested

Fresno Bee: Fresno police arrest man suspected in car break-ins

Ventura County - The Thousand Oaks, Ca. Boys and Girls Club, and agency of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley with the well-publicized mission to “provide life-changing programs and guidance” to area youth as a non-profit organization, depends upon community support and financial support to maintain its myriad services and facilities.

The last thing any particular neighborhood club operation needs is to lose valued property and cash at the hands of nefarious intruders breaking into the club.

But that is apparently what transpired at the West Gainsborough Drive Boys and Girls Club at midnight on March 27^th.  For the prior month or better, that Thousand Oaks facility had been the target of multiple burglaries and property thefts, pursuant to which “Thousand Oaks Police Bike Patrol personnel conducted surveillance at the location,” according to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Timothy Lohman.

It was during the first hour of that Thursday morning that Bike Patrol officers spotted Joshua Thomas Young, 23, himself a resident of Thousand Oaks as he methodically forced his way onto the premises and into the building housing the youth facility.  As contact with Young was made, he summarily took off running, apparently failing to account for the higher level of physical conditioning enjoyed by officers who spend most of their working shifts riding bicycles, and was quickly brought down “a short distance from the location,” as reported by Lohman.

Young was arrested at the scene and transported to Ventura County Jail where he was booked on four counts of commercial burglary, with his bail set at $10,000.

Photo: Courtesy Facebook

Read more:

VCSTAR: Man arrested in connection with Thousand Oaks burglaries

CBSLA: Thousand Oaks police bust alleged serial burglar

ABC7: Thousand Oaks Boys & Girls Club burglary suspect arrested

Santa Barbara - The Iron Cross Tattoo parlor occupies retail space in downtown Santa Barbara, subleased from the 83-year-old owner of Collector’s Corner Antique Shop, which conducts business immediately adjacent in the same building.

Pablo Sela

Collector’s Corner—a well-known local source of antiques and collectibles that include Native American artifacts, antique firearms, and art objects from around the world—had been the victim of recent burglaries, with reported losses approaching $2,000,000 under ongoing investigation by Santa Barbara Police Department Property Crimes Division.  According to SBPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, Detective John Ingram had been leading the investigation for more than a month when he “developed information” that Pablo Sela, 49, the proprietor of Iron Cross Tattoo, “was in possession of property stolen from Collector’s Corner.”

Pursuant to that information, Ingram served a search warrant on Sela’s downtown residence as well as his place of business, and discovered more than 150 items traceable directly to the antique store thefts.  Harwood reported that the owner of Collector’s Corner had been in ailing health and the store had been irregularly attended to in recent months, during which time “suspects exploited the owner’s absence” to perpetrate the thefts.

Some of the stolen antiques on display

The search of Sela’s tattoo parlor also revealed the presence of methamphetamine, Suboxone, Valium, and assorted drug paraphernalia, compounding the charges against him.  He was arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of receiving stolen property, elder abuse, possession of methamphetamine, Suboxone, Valium, and drug paraphernalia, with his bail set at $250,000.

Presumably it will be just a little bit more challenging in the immediate future to get a really gnarly tattoo in Santa Barbara.

Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking

Read more:

Independent: Tattoo Shop Owner turns Antique Thief?

EDHAT: Receiving stolen property and elder abuse

The Roseville Police Department recently made arrests in two separate cases, one that included a suspect assaulting a taxi driver and the other for a man trespassing in a garage, according to an official report.

On Saturday, March 29 at approximately 2:08 pm, officers reportedly responded to a report of a disturbance between a taxi driver and his passenger on Sunrise Avenue at Palm Avenue. Officers reportedly learned that the intoxicated passenger had been verbally abusing the driver, and when the driver pulled over to let the passenger out, the passenger blocked the driver from getting back into the cab.

This reportedly resulted in a physical fight, and when officers arrived they reportedly witnessed the passenger punching the driver in the face, ignoring the officers’ orders to stop. Larry Wayne Hole, 46 of Roseville, was reportedly arrested on suspicion of battery and obstructing officers.

Anthony Kalaualii Reeves

And on Monday March 31, at 3:14 am, a resident of the 1400 block of Rose Glen Drive reportedly was awakened by the sound of someone talking in his garage. Officers arrived and reportedly found a suspect exiting from the side of the garage door, carrying a metal pole. The suspect reportedly seemed disoriented and was talking to himself.

Anthony Kalaualii Reeves, 37, of Loomis, was reportedly arrested on suspicion of trespassing in an occupied house.

In both cases , the suspects were booked and released on citations to appear, and mugshots are not available.

Santa Barbara - Many believe that “any publicity is good publicity”, but Domonick Alonzo Love, 18, may currently believe otherwise.

Love, who has appeared on local area television and identified himself only as “Slim” to protest recent law enforcement crackdowns upon criminal transients, was identified by that nickname on the night of March 20^th when when a 15-year-old female arrived at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital claiming she’d been raped.  According to Santa Barbara Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Riley Harwood, the girl became intoxicated at a Santa Barbara Westside party attended by members of the area’s homeless community, where she was in the company of a young man she knew only as “Slim”, whom she claimed raped her that evening.

Based upon the victim’s description of her assailant, police investigators “immediately recognized the suspect as Love,” and then made the connection to “Slim” from his earlier television appearance, Harwood reported.  The following day, SBPD Crimes Against Persons Detective Brian Larson obtained a $100,000 arrest warrant for Love…who proved difficult to locate despite law enforcement sweeps of known transient hangouts.  Three days later, March 24^th, however, Love was involved in a “disturbance” in the Santa Ynez area.  When he was contacted by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies there, he was immediately recognized as wanted on the SBPD warrant and placed under arrest.

Love was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on a no-bail hold where he was charged with rape by force, violence, duress, menace, or fear, rape by intoxication preventing the victim from resisting, and unlawful intercourse with a minor less than three years younger than the perpetrator.

Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Jail Booking

Read more:

KCOY: Man arrested for alleged sexual assault

EDHAT: Sexual Assault Arrest

Noozhawk: Police arrest Santa Barbara man accused of raping teen

REDDING — On the 4th of April just before 7 a.m., an employee of the Lulu’s Restaurant at 2230 Pine Street called to report an attempted robbery that had occured moments ago. Within minutes, a cashier at the Starbucks in the nearby Safeway at 2275 Pine Street called in the same thing.

Officer Brian Cowan, having been travelling west down Cypress Avenue in response, pulled into the Safeway gas station parking lot just in time to see an unidentified male subject exiting the station convenience store and throw a handful of money the moment he noticed Cowan’s presence. The man was quickly pointed out by the store employee who’d exited after him and detained for questioning.

He was shortly identified as Bradley Clyde King, a 46-year-old transient living in the Redding area. Several witnesses came forward to confirm he’d been the man going from store to store.

Safeway at 2275 Pine Street — Redding

We find him first at Lulu’s, where he attempted to reach into the cash register tray while the cashier was helping another customer. Soon as she saw what he was up to, she grabbed his arm, causing a brief struggle that left King fleeing the restaurant without so much as a penny.

Then he went to Starbucks, where he demanded cash while pretending to have a gun under his sweatshirt. King was told the cash drawer couldn’t be opened, so he left.

On to the Safeway gas station, where he again tried the weapon-under-the-shirt ploy. Again he was told the cash drawer couldn’t be opened, but by this point it was no more Mr. Nice Guy. King walked around the back of the counter and shoved the register off. It landed on the floor with enough force to break it open, allowing King to snatch up handfuls of bills and leave the store, right into the path of Officer Cowan. All the money was promptly returned to the station.

Salvation Army at 1557 Pine Street — Redding

King was arrested for one count of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery. An admitted user of methamphetamine, he was discovered to have had a hypodermic syringe in his possession during his arrest. Once taken to Redding Police Investigations, he admitted to the aforementioned crimes as well as smashing a window at the Salvation Army (1557 Pine Street) earlier that morning to steal clothing. The clothing was found across the street and returned by responding officers. For this, King was also charged with burglary.

He has since been booked at the Shasta County Jail for the above charges, and an outstanding misdemeanor warrant on top of that.

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The Record Searchlight: UPDATED: Police arrest man after reported attempted robberies

Redding PD press release (Nixle)

LOS ANGELES – A trial date has been set for a man already convicted of beating a Giants’ baseball fan at the 2011 season-opening game at Dodger Stadium.

Louie Sanchez, 32, of Rialto, pleaded not guilty to a federal county of being a felon of firearms and ammunition. Appearing at the Federal Building in Los Angeles, Sanchez faces a tentative May 27 trial date.

Sanchez who, along with Marvin Norwood another convicted felon facing the same federal gun charges, was convicted by a jury in February of beating Giants’ fan Bryan Stow following a Dodgers-Giants game on March 31, 2011.

Norwood, 33, pleaded not guilty to the same federal charge. He will face trial on April 29 in federal court.
While authorities were tracking down the two suspects because of the 2011 beating, the investigation traced both men to their Rialto homes in San Bernardino County. During that investigation, it was discovered the both men possessed six weapons, including two semi-automatic rifles along with 70 rounds of ammunition.

While both men are serving time for the beating, the current federal charge they face could mean serving up to 10 years in prison, said authorities. Investigators discovered the guns stored in a crawl space in Norwood’s home, but investigators believe the weapons belonged to both men.
The charges are not related to the beating case. Stow, now 45, requires daily care after the injuries he suffered in the beating.

On Feb. 20, both Norwood and Sanchez pleaded guilty in state court to beating Stow, who suffered brain damage among other major injuries.

Sanchez is currently serving an eight-year sentence on the beating charge at the North Kern State Prison in Delano. Officials said he will be kept in federal custody pending the trial in the new case.
Norwood, meanwhile, was about to be released from state prison, having spent eight months past the two years of a four-year sentence he was required to serve. It was part of the plea deal he made in the Stow beating case.

Both men had prior felony convictions in San Bernardino County, which led to the felony weapons charges.

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HOLLISTER—One officer’s intuition paid off when he saw a man run to his vehicle carrying two cases of alcohol.  Officer Hutchison stopped the vehicle and eventually arrested driver 29-year-old Latoya Sherrice Svenningsen and 22-year-old Alex Mendoza on suspicion of burglary.

On March 16, Officer Hutchison was on patrol at two in the morning near the intersection of San Juan Road and Miller Road when he noticed a man running with two cases of beer to an awaiting vehicle. Feeling that something was wrong, Officer Hutchison pulled in behind the vehicle just as it was pulling away.

When Svenningsen and Mendoza noticed that Officer Hutchison was pulling them over, they stopped their vehicle, but instead of waiting in the vehicle they decided to get out of their vehicle and walk away.  The two eventually complied with Officer’s repeated commands to stop.

The pair went on a beer run here at the Quick Stop.

“Officer Hutchison was interviewing the two, when he received a call from dispatch.” Hollister Police Captain Carlos Reynoso wrote in a press release,” Dispatch reported that there was a burglary at the Quick Stop Market and the clerk stated that a man had taken two cases of beer without paying.”

Both Svenningsen and Mendoza knew that they had been caught red-handed because the cases of beer were sitting near the truck when they were talking to the officer.

Mendoza was also identified was the suspect that ran out of the store with the two items without paying.  Both Mendoza and Svenningsen were arrested and transported to San Benito.  Mendoza was charged with burglary and Svenningsen was charged as an accessory.

The Hollister Police Department is still looking for information related to this investigation and is asking if anyone has information to contact the police department at 1-831-636-4330.

BLYTHE – A joint investigation between Lake Havasu City Police Department and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department yields a suspected boat chop shop with significant ties to the Blythe area.

Responding to a report of a stolen jet boat, a Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy assigned to the Colorado River Station investigated the theft which occurred at McIntyre Park. The boat’s owner had stored his vehicle at this RV park along the Colorado River in the unincorporated area of Blythe, California where it was discovered missing.

During the initial investigation, which occurred on February 25, parts of the missing boat including its engine were recovered at Jet Boats Plus located in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The boat’s hull was also discovered where it had been dumped in Fort Mohave, Arizona. At this time authorities began to suspect an active chop shop operation and a joint investigation between Lake Havasu City Police Department and the Sheriff’s Department ensured. Leads into the case suggested Jet Boats Plus  as the location of the chop shot.

On March 27, Randolph Letcher, Jr., 41, owner and operator of Jet Boats Plus, was suspected as the operator. Detectives obtained a warrant to search property he rented at Lost Lake Resort in the River Communities area north of Blythe. The search at the unoccupied residence yielded a stolen jet boat, the boat’s trailer, and a stolen 5th wheel trailer.

Further search warrants for Letcher’s residence and business were obtained. In these searches authorities discovered several boats with altered hull identification numbers, a stolen travel trailer, a stolen boat engine, miscellaneous boats parts, suspected methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia which were seized. The property was believed to be valued at $500,000 and investigators are still seeking the owners of much of it.

Letcher was arrested and charged him with conducting a boat chop shop, possession of stolen property, possession of dangerous drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.  He is currently in the custody of Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities are also requesting that Riverside County District Attorney’s Office file multiple counts of vehicle theft and possession of stolen property against Letcher and arrest warrants be issued for him.

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KESQ: Police discover alleged stolen boat chop shop

HavasuNews: Man arrested on chop shop, drug charges