New Santa Ana | Monthly Archives: May 2015

O.C. Clerk-Recorder locations to be open on Saturday, May 16

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, OC Clerk-Recorder, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Clerk-Recorder Offers Special Saturday Hours

Plan now to take advantage of special Saturday hours available at the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department on Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Santa Ana, Fullerton and Laguna Hills. Appointments for civil marriage ceremonies and passports are recommended due to limited space.

The Old County Courthouse will be offering marriage licenses, civil wedding ceremonies and passport application services only. Copies of property records and birth, death and marriage certificates will be available at the Laguna Hills and Fullerton branch offices, as well as obtaining marriage licenses and civil wedding ceremonies. Please note that the department’s South County
branch office in Laguna Hills is now offering passport services. Free parking will be available at all three locations.
Continue reading→

Santa Ana attorney charged with large scale diversion of prescription drugs

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Drugs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, May 7, 2015

Three California Men and Minnesota Corporation Indicted in Nationwide Prescription Drug Diversion Scheme

Three California men and a Minnesota company were charged in an indictment today in the Southern District of Ohio for their roles in a massive prescription drug diversion scheme.

The indictment alleges that David Jess Miller, 50, of Santa Ana, California; Artur Stepanyan, 38, and Mihran Stepanyan, 29, both of Encino, California, and Minnesota Independent Cooperative Inc. (MIC) engaged in a conspiracy to sell prescription drugs from illegal, unlicensed sources to wholesalers and pharmacies throughout the United States. The 12-count indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, multiple counts of mail fraud, and conspiracy to distribute prescription drugs without a license and to make false statements. Continue reading→

Man charged with being the getaway driver in several convenience store robberies

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF0964

Date: May 7, 2015

MAN CHARGED WITH DRIVING GETAWAY CAR IN MULTIPLE CONVENIENCE STORE ROBBERIES IN ORANGE COUNTY

SANTA ANA – A man has been charged with being the getaway car driver in multiple convenience store robberies in Orange County. Richard Gomez-Quiroz, 20, Riverside, is charged with four felony counts of second degree robbery. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison. Gomez-Quiroz is out of custody on $50,000 bail and his arraignment is scheduled for June 3, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

At approximately 11:00 p.m. on April 7, 2015, Gomez-Quiroz is accused of being a getaway driver during the commission of a robbery at a Chevron in Orange. Approximately 30 minutes later, Gomez-Quiroz is accused of being the getaway driver during the commission of a robbery at a Mobile gas station in Santa Ana, and 30 minutes after that, he is accused of being the getaway driver during the commission of a robbery of a 7-Eleven in Newport Beach. Continue reading→

Three Santa Ana men convicted of trying to hook up with prostitutes

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: May 4, 2015

FOUR MEN CONVICTED OF AGREEING TO ENGAGE IN PROSTITUTION

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) convicted four men in April 2015 of agreeing to engage in prostitution. The defendants in these cases approached a woman whom they believed to be a prostitute in areas known for prostitution and human trafficking in Orange County. Each of the defendants below agreed to engage in commercial sex with a woman and were subsequently arrested by law enforcement.

Defendant/Conviction/Sentence: Continue reading→

Santa Ana man busted for pimping and pandering a woman and trying to traffic a girl on FB

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15NF1216

Date: May 6, 2015

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR PIMPING AND PANDERING WOMAN AND ATTEMPTING TO TRAFFIC 17-YEAR-OLD GIRL THROUGH FACEBOOK

*The account of the 17-year-old girl belonged to an undercover officer

SANTA ANA – A man is scheduled to be arraigned today for pimping and pandering a woman and attempting to traffic a 17-year-old girl on Facebook. Treyvon Lamar Daniels, 23, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count each of human trafficking of a minor, attempted pandering with a minor over 16 years old by procuring, attempted pimping of a minor, pandering, pimping, and prior prison convictions for committing robbery in Los Angeles County in 2009, and committing second degree burglary and second degree robbery in Los Angeles County in 2011. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 43 years to life in state prison. He is being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned today in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined. Continue reading→

Man who raped and stabbed his estranged wife to be charged with multiple felonies

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Fullerton, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF0911

Date: May 4, 2015

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED ON CHARGES OF FORCIBLY RAPING AND STABBING VICTIM IN HER HOME WHILE THEIR TWO CHILDREN SLEPT NEARBY

SANTA ANA – A man will be arraigned today on charges of forcibly raping and stabbing a female victim in her home while their two young children slept nearby. Luis Javier Cervantes, 24, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of forcible rape, one felony count of aggravated assault, and a sentencing enhancement allegation for raping the victim during the commission of a burglary. If convicted on all counts, he faces a maximum sentence of 29 years to life in state prison. Cervantes is in custody on $1 million bail and is scheduled for an arraignment today, Monday, May 4, 2015, at 1:30 p.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.

In the late evening hours on April 28, 2015, Cervantes is accused of entering the home of the victim, whom he previously had a romantic relationship with. Jane Doe had left her home with their 7-year-old and 6-year-old sons during that time. Cervantes is accused of hiding in the bathroom. Continue reading→

Bicyclist struck and killed by a car in Santa Ana, near an I-5 Freeway on-ramp

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Accidents, Bicycles, Santa Ana 2 Comments

A 62-year old named Robert Horton was killed while riding a bicycle, in Santa Ana, near the on-ramp to northbound I-5, on Monday night, at around 5:25 pm, according to the O.C. Register.

Horton’s residence was not revealed by the Orange County Coroner’s office, which identified his remains. Continue reading→

A Santa Ana Pedestrian was hit by a vehicle and ended up stuck in the windshield

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Accidents, Santa Ana 4 Comments

There was yet another accident involving a pedestrian and a vehicle in Santa Ana on Tuesday night this week, when a pedestrian crossing a major Santa Ana street was struck by a car before crashing through the windshield and into the driver, according to the O.C. Register.

A fellow was traveling northbound on South Bristol Street, in the middle lane, at around 8 p.m., when he ran into a man who was crossing the street near West Myrtle Street, outside of a marked crosswalk.

The impact was violent enough that the unfortunate pedestrian actually lost part of his right leg before the rest of his body became airborne. His body then flew right into the windshield of the vehicle in question, striking the driver. Continue reading→

Prostitutes say that Santa Ana Pastor Kevin Brown’s TV show was no help to them

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Churches and Religion, Crime, Santa Ana, Women 6 Comments

Pastor Kevin Brown and Council Member David Benavides

Santa Ana Pastor Kevin Brown is in some hot water after the popular Buzzfeed website revealed that a TV show he was participating in that had the goal of coaxing sex workers (prostitutes) out of their lifestyles. The TV show was featured on the A&E Network and was called “8 Minutes.” It has been canceled in the wake of the Buzzfeed article, “Sex Workers Say A&E Show Lied To Them About Providing Resources And Protecting Their Privacy.”

According to his website, “Pastor Kevin is the Senior Pastor of Side-By-Side Church International located in Orange County, California. He is a retired police officer with nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience including work with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, undercover narcotics, parolee apprehension, and thirteen years as a SWAT member. Kevin did not have a Christian background growing up but experienced a “Saul of Tarsus” conversion as a police sergeant in 1991.”

Here are a few excerpts from the Buzzfeed article: Continue reading→

Santa Ana mother arrested after evading arrest with her toddler in her car

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana, Tustin Leave a comment

Tustin Police Department

Press Release: Child Endangerment and Evading Arrest

On May 6, 2015, at approximately 12:15 a.m., officers from the Tustin Police Department stopped a vehicle for vehicle code violations. While the officers were speaking to the female driver, she drove off nearly dragging one of the officers. The driver had a small toddler in the vehicle.

For the safety of the public and there being a toddler in the vehicle, the pursuit was terminated by the Tustin Police Department within approximately one minute. Continue reading→

O.C. Streetcar Project to celebrates milestones on May 11 in Santa Ana

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Entertainment, OCTA, Orange County, Santa Ana, Transportation Leave a comment

Simulation of the Santa Ana Streetcar

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 6, 2015

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Joel Zlotnik (714) 560-5713, Eric Carpenter (714) 560-5697

NEWS ADVISORY: OC Streetcar Project Celebrates Milestones

WHAT: Officials from the Orange County Transportation Authority, Santa Ana and Garden Grove will mark important milestones leading toward the construction of the OC Streetcar. Elected leaders and stakeholders will be recognized for their ongoing support of the project and updates will be provided.

The four-mile long streetcar is planned to run from the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center through Downtown Santa Ana and the Civic Center, operating through important employment, restaurant and retail centers along Fourth Street and Santa Ana Boulevard. It will also travel to a new multimodal transit hub at Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue in Garden Grove. The project is planned to be operational by the end of 2019. Continue reading→

John Wayne Airport celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week and unveils a trading card

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Airplanes, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 4, 2015
Contact: Jenny Wedge, (949) 252-5182, jwedge@ocair.com

JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT CELEBRATES NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK; UNVEILS COLLECTIBLE TRADING CARD

SANTA ANA, Calif. – As part of National Travel and Tourism Week and in conjunction with U.S. Travel Rally Day, John Wayne Airport (JWA) will debut its first ever trading card. The “SNA” card reflects JWA’s official airport code and is part of the North American Airport Collectors Series™, which was created to offer aviation enthusiasts a unique collectible to commemorate their travels through U.S. and Canadian airports.

On Tuesday, May 5, JWA employees will distribute the new SNA trading card to passengers on selected flights. Two airports, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Salt Lake City, will hand out their own trading cards to passengers arriving from Orange County. JWA is encouraging passengers to take pictures of themselves with their SNA trading card and share them on social media using #AirportCards. Continue reading→

Former Santa Ana High School teacher arrested for child molestation and pornography

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Education, Orange County, Santa Ana 9 Comments

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

Dana Hills High School Teacher Arrested for Child Molestation and Pornography

DANA POINT, Calif. – (May 4, 2015) – On Monday, May 04, 2015, Ezequiel Barragan, 48, Aliso Viejo, was arrested following allegations of child molestation and possession of child pornography. (Editor’s Note – Barragan reportedly was a teacher at Santa Ana High School where he also was a varsity baseball coach).

On Monday, May 04, 2015, the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force (OCCETF) was notified by a United States Postal Service (USPS) agent regarding an ongoing child pornography investigation. Barragan has been the target of a USPS investigation resulting in discovery of information that he also engaged in sexual relations with a male juvenile over the last two years. Today’s investigation has included interviews, search warrants and review of evidence obtained by investigators. Continue reading→

Pulido to honor the director of the OC Alliance for Children and Families

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Civic Affairs, Miguel Pulido, Santa Ana Leave a comment

City of Santa Ana, Downtown Orange County

Community: Mayor Pulido Honors Gene Howard, Executive Director of the Orange County Alliance for Children and Families

Mayor Miguel Pulido will present Gene Howard, Executive Director of the Orange County Alliance for Children and Families, with the Exceptional Citizen Award for his outstanding service to the City of Santa Ana at Tuesday’s City Council Meeting. Continue reading→

Off-duty O.C. Sheriff’s Deputy charged with using fraud to obtain prescription pills

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Orange County 2 Comments

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF0925

Date: May 1, 2015

OFF-DUTY OCSD DEPUTY ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF ILLEGALLY OBTAINING PRESCRIPTION PILLS BY FRAUD

SANTA ANA – An off-duty Orange County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested today on charges of illegally obtaining prescription pills by lying to doctors about what prescription pills he was already taking. Mark Wayne Hewlett, 35, Yorba Linda, is charged with five felony counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, subterfuge, and/or concealment. If convicted, he faces a sentence ranging from probation to a maximum sentence of five years and eight months in jail. Hewlett is in custody on $20,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday, May 5, 2015, at 10:00 a.m., in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. If the defendant bails out, the arraignment date and time is subject to change.

On five occasions between Sept. 9, 2013, and Nov. 15, 2013, Hewlett is accused of going to four different doctors to obtain a prescription for the controlled substance hydrocodone, more commonly known as Norco or Vicodin. When at a doctor’s office, Hewlett is accused of fraudulently omitting that he was recently prescribed and currently taking hydrocodone in order to illegally obtain an additional prescription of the same drug. Continue reading→