New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Crime

21-year old man arrested for attempted kidnapping and assault of a Valley H.S. student

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Education, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

Santa Ana School Police Department
School Police Dispatch 714-558-5535.

Advisory: Crimes Against Children. Arrest of 21 year old male for attempt kidnapping and sexual battery of high school student

SUMMARY: On Monday, 02/23/15, the female victim and her friend (another female high school student) were walking home from Valley High School together. As they neared the intersection of Center and McFadden, the suspect (Jesus Edu Bahena) pulled up next to both girls, rolled down his window and yelled at the victim, demanding that she get into his car. The victim and her friend could see that there were two other male occupants in the vehicle. The suspect continued to yell profanities at both girls, trying to convince the victim to get in his car. Both girls refused and they continued walking home. At that time, the suspect vehicle drove away. Continue reading→

High school coach arrested for sexual misconduct with students

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Fullerton, Villa Park Leave a comment

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Villa Park High School Coach Arrested for Sexual Misconduct with Students

SANTA ANA, Calif. – (February 26, 2015) – On Wednesday, February 25, 2015, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Unit (SVU) investigators arrested Dwayne Jordan Richardson, 19, Fullerton, following allegations he engaged in sexual misconduct with two female minor high school students. Richardson is a “walk-on” girls’ basketball coach at Villa Park High School and does not teach at the school.

On Thursday, February 25, 2015, the Villa Park High School Resource Officer obtained information about the alleged sexual misconduct. The Sheriff’s Department’s SVU responded and assumed responsibility for the investigation. Following the preliminary investigation, it is believed Richardson engaged in sexual misconduct with a female minor student who attends Villa Park High School and a student at El Dorado High School in the city of Placentia. Based on information obtained during the investigation, investigators suspect Richardson has engaged in sexual misconduct with at least one of the minor students since June 2014. Continue reading→

T.V. bounty hunter charged with embezzling over $18K in bail bond money

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Orange County Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF0025

February 25, 2015

BOUNTY HUNTER FEATURED ON REALITY SHOW CHARGED WITH EMBEZZLING OVER $18,000 IN CONNECTION WITH BAIL BOND TRANSACTION

SANTA ANA – A bounty hunter who was featured on a reality show was arrested today and will be arraigned for embezzling over $18,000 in connection with a bail bond transaction. Arturo Alfred Torres, 52, Winnetka, is charged with one felony count of grand theft by embezzlement. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of three years in Orange County jail and is expected to be arraigned this week, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time and date are to be determined.

Torres had previously appeared on the television reality show “Bounty Wars” on the Discovery Channel as a bounty hunter. Continue reading→

Man charged with neglecting a dog that chewed off part of his own leg

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OC Animal Care, Orange County, Pets, Westminster Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15WM01698

Date: February 25, 2015

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR NEGLECTING TO CARE FOR DOG’S ENTANGLED LEG CAUSING DOG TO CHEW PART OF HIS OWN LEG OFF

WESTMINSTER – A man is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow on animal abuse charges for allowing his dog to become entangled in the backyard, causing the dog to chew a part of his own leg off. Samer Samir Ibrahim, 23, Westminster, is charged with one misdemeanor count of keeping an animal without proper care and one misdemeanor count of animal abuse by a caretaker. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail. He is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Feb. 26, 2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-4, West Justice Center, Westminster.

Ibrahim is accused of owning and caring for an 11-month-old German Shepherd named Rocky. He is accused of only allowing the dog to remain in the backyard in conditions where the dog caught fleas and was significantly thinner than an average healthy German Shepherd. Continue reading→

Man robs a Santa Ana 96 Cent Store and steals the employee’s car too

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at the 96 Cents Up Store in the 1500 block of West First Street, on Tuesday morning, at around 9:35 a.m., according to the O.C. Register.

A man with a knife not only took the money from the store’s cash register – he also grabbed the keys to the store employee’s 2007 Toyota Highlander, and used it to get away, on West First St. Continue reading→

Poll – Should the SAPD put video cameras on their police officers?

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment

The SAPD is considering requiring police to wear cameras that record video and audio of interactions with the public, according to the O.C. Register.

In Santa Ana, there was one officer-involved shooting in 2014 that did not result in a fatality. In 2013, there were seven officer-involved shootings, five of which were fatal, said Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

The City of Santa Ana will have to come up with about $1 million dollars to pay for the cameras and there is some debate at the SAPD about privacy issues and whether the cameras might discourage residents from talking to police for fear of being tape recorded. Continue reading→

Woman charged with embezzling money from Holy Family’s fundraising program

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Charities, Churches and Religion, Crime, Education, Orange, Orange County 1 Comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 15CF0347

Date: February 24, 2015

FORMER OFFICE MANAGER TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR EMBEZZLING MONEY FROM CATHOLIC SCHOOL FUNDRAISING PROGRAM

SANTA ANA – A former office manager is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for embezzling money from a Catholic school’s fundraising program. Adela Maria Tapia, 40, Tustin, is charged with two felony counts of grand theft by embezzlement, 13 felony counts of money laundering with sentencing enhancement allegations for aggravated white collar crime over $100,000, and property loss of over $200,000. If convicted, Tapia faces a maximum sentence of 14 years and four months in state prison. The People will request that she be held on over $438,000 bail and must prove that the money comes from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond at her arraignment tomorrow, Feb. 25, 2015, at 10:00 a.m., in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.

In September 2006, Tapia was hired as the scrip card coordinator at the Holy Family Cathedral School (HFCS) in Orange. The scrip card program is utilized by HFCS to raise funds for the operating costs of the school by selling scrip cards, which act similarly to gift cards, to school families or parishioners at face value. HFCS purchases scrip cards at a discount and their profit is based on the difference between the purchase value and sale value of the scrip cards sold. The scrip card program raises approximately $200,000 for the school each year. Continue reading→

Santa Ana couple sentenced for attempted murder and Facebook threats

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 12HF1198

Date: February 24, 2015

BOYFRIEND SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ATTEMPTING TO MURDER MAN AND POSTING THREATS ON VICTIM’S FACEBOOK

*Defendant’s girlfriend was sentenced to nine years in state prison in this case

SANTA ANA – A man was sentenced today for attempting to murder the friend of the female defendant and posting threats on the victim’s Facebook page. Fernando Sanchez, 20, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty today to one felony count each of attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, criminal threats, and shooting at an inhabited dwelling house with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a firearm. Sanchez was sentenced to 20 years in state prison.

Co-defendant Jessica Gascon, 21, Santa Ana, pleaded guilty to one felony count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and was sentenced to nine years in state prison. Continue reading→

Investigators seeking additional victims after arrest of sexual assault suspect

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Orange County Leave a comment

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Investigators Seeking Additional Victims Following Arrest

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. – (February 24, 2015) – On Thursday, February 19, 2015, Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigators arrested Raymond Newton Baker, 72, Laguna Niguel, following a three week investigation into allegations he sexually assaulted a victim under the guise he was training her to use a medical device. Continue reading→

Three men arrested after fleeing in a stolen car in Santa Ana’s Ward 4

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Three unidentified men were caught by the SAPD today after they tried to get away in a stolen car.

Police first tried to pull the men over at Sullivan St. and McFadden Ave., in Santa Ana’s Ward 4, which is represented by Councilman David Benavides, according to the O.C Register. Continue reading→

Girlfriend to be charged with stabbing her boyfriend to death

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, OCDA, Orange County Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # TBA

Date: February 23, 2015

GIRLFRIEND TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR STABBING-MURDER OF BOYFRIEND IN THEIR HOME

SANTA ANA – A girlfriend is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for stabbing and murdering her boyfriend in their home. Michele Lynn Green, 50, Laguna Niguel, was charged today with one felony count of murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a knife. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life in state prison. The People will be requesting Green be held on $1 million bail at her arraignment tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1. Central Jail, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Police chase and catch a reckless driver who hit several cars in DTSA

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 3 Comments

An SAPD police officer tried to stop a fellow who was driving recklessly this evening at around 5:15 pm near North Main Street and West Washington Ave, which is just over one mile from the SAPD headquarters. The incident happened in Santa Ana’s Ward 2, which is represented by Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez.

The driver took off, going south on North Main Street – hitting several cars that were stopped near the 5th Street intersection, according to the O.C. Register.

The reckless driver, who was not identified by the SAPD, continued fleeing down North Main St., crashing into yet another car, near 4th St., which totaled the car and set off a fire. Continue reading→

Man convicted of killing a 14-year old in Jerome Park

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Armando Carachure

Armando Carachure, 27, a member of the Townsend Street gang in Santa Ana was sentenced Friday by Orange County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Menninger, to life in prison for stabbing a 14-year-old rival, Fidel Armando Guajardo, to death during a confrontation at Jerome Park on June 21, 2013, according to the O.C. Register.

Guajardo was a member of a street gang that was allied with another gang that had a “loose rivalry” with Carachure’s gang.

Armando Carachure and a 12-year-old boy in his gang approached Guajardo and asked what gang he was affiliated with, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, as reporetd by My News LA. Continue reading→

SAPD police officer shoots a man who stabbed a 21-year old woman

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Santa Ana Police Department & OCDA Investigating Officer Involved Shooting and Stabbing

Suspect: Francisco Alvarez (50) Santa Ana – In Custody (2) Counts of Attempt Murder

Victim: Female (21) Santa Ana

At approximately 12:20 p.m., the Santa Ana Police Department received multiple 911 calls of a stabbing in progress in the area of 1900 South Susan Street.

As officers were responding to the location, callers continued to state the male suspect was repeatedly stabbing the female victim. Witnesses intervened to assist the victim and followed the suspect who fled on foot southbound on Susan then eastbound on Harvard. Continue reading→

SAPD DUI checkpoint set for tonight at 400 S. Fairview

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, February 20th, 2015. It will begin at 9:00PM and is scheduled to conclude at 3:00AM. It will be conducted in the area of 400 S. Fairview Street, in the City of Santa Ana. Continue reading→