New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Crime

Bustamante almost ended up on the state civil rights commission…

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Editor Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Courts, Crime, Democratic Party, Republican Party, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Twin devils of deception

Everyone in Santa Ana is talking about the arrest of Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante, on multiple felony counts of various sex crimes, but most folks have forgotten that former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger once appointed Bustamante to the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission, back in January of 2008.

When I found out about the appointment I could not believe it. Even then we knew Bustamante had some issues with women, but when I first wrote about the appointment, over at my old Orange Juice blog, I tackled the issue from a different standpoint – pointing out the fact that Santa Ana was a leader in home foreclosures – and Bustamante had done nothing at all about that. Continue reading→

Supervisor Moorlach addresses Bustamante arrest in email update

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Courts, Crime, John Moorlach, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Subject: MOORLACH UPDATE — Carlos Bustamante — July 3, 2012
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2012 21:45:01 +0000
From: Moorlach, John

To refresh your memory, you may want to reread MOORLACH UPDATE — Closed Sessions — March 14, 2012, which I am providing below. The reason I refer to this UPDATE is that I was unable to comment publicly on this issue until a thorough investigation had been concluded. The District Attorney, Tony Rackauckas, and his staff completed their investigation and arrested Santa Ana Councilman and former Orange County employee Carlos Bustamante yesterday evening. Continue reading→

Remarks by District Attorney Tony Rackauckas regarding Bustamante charges

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Courts, Crime, Orange County, Republican Party, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Remarks by District Attorney Tony Rackauckas
Charges Against Carlos Bustamante

July 3, 2012

When a person is elected to public office, or accepts a taxpayer-funded high-ranking executive position, that person owes a duty of trust to the public to protect the powers of that position.

One holds such a position not as an owner, but as a steward for a limited time. Holding such a position is a privilege bestowed by the public, and we must do all we can to safeguard the public’s trust. Continue reading→

Councilman Bustamante charged with sexual assaults and theft of public funds

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Courts, Crime, Orange County, Republican Party, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Orange County District Attorney
Press Release, For Immediate Release: July 3, 2012
Contacts: Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

SANTA ANA CITY COUNCILMAN AND FORMER HIGH-RANKING EXECUTIVE FOR COUNTY OF ORANGE CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND THEFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS

SANTA ANA – A Santa Ana City Councilman who was a former high-ranking executive for the County of Orange until recent allegations related to this case surfaced has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting seven subordinates and committing grand theft of public funds. Continue reading→

SAPD arrests biological mother for the murder of her 2 month old infant

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: Detectives arrest biological mother for the murder of her 2 month old infant

Arrested: Lucero Diaz Carrera (Biological Mother), Age:27

On June 29, 2012, at approximately 1620 hours, officers responded to 518 South Sullivan reference a two month-old baby girl that was possibly drowned by her mother, Lucero Diaz Carrero, age 27. When officers and medics arrived, the baby was unconscious and not breathing. Orange County Fire Medics pronounced her dead at 1633 hours. Initial statements given to officers were the mother threw the baby in the pool. Additionally, the mother had taken a bottle of prescription medication. The mother was displaying symptoms of overdosing so medics transported her to Coastal Community Hospital intensive care unit where she was treated. Family Crimes Detectives responded and conducted a homicide investigation. Continue reading→

Alvarez gets the last laugh as Bustamante gets arrested

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Courts, Crime, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 15 Comments

Alvarez couldn’t help but smile at tonight’s City Council meeting…

Remember when Santa Ana Council Member Carlos Bustamante went after his colleague, Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez, after she compared landlord and developer Irv Chases’s business practices to Adolf Hitler’s ethnic cleansing? Well, last week the Orange County Grand Jury found that Alvarez was right about Chase and his friends at Downtown, Inc. – in a report that slammed the Santa Ana PBID tax. And Bustamante? Well he is now rotting in jail after being arrested today on multiple felony and misdemeanor counts.

When Bustamante raises bail he will have quite a few decisions to make – like hiring a lawyer, but eventually he will also have to write his formal letter of resignation. His time on the Santa Ana City Council is done.

I expect that one of our City Commissioners will be named to replace him – perhaps one of the many Planning Commissioners who live in Ward 3. Bustamante’s seat will be available this November in the General Election and his replacement will have a leg up on the rest of the competition. Continue reading→

Councilman Carlos Bustamante arrested on multiple felony counts

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Carlos Bustamante, Civic Affairs, Courts, Crime, Republican Party, Santa Ana 10 Comments

For Immediate Release: July 2, 2012
Case # 12CF1964
Contacts: Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas

WHAT: Will hold a press conference to discuss the criminal charges against Santa Ana City Councilman and former administration manager for Orange County Public Works Carlos Bustamante. Continue reading→

City Council to honor Jimenez for stopping alleged DUI hit and run driver

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Editor Posted in Alcohol, Crime, Latinos, Public Safety, Santa Ana 2 Comments

When Santa Ana resident Beatriz Jimenez saw alleged DUI driver Jessica Louise Cowan plow through the Meza family, last Saturday morning, killing 5-year-old Osmara Meza, she had to make a quick decision. She wanted to stop to help, but she saw that Cowan wasn’t stopping, so she pursued her and ended up using her car to block Cowan’s escape, over at Main and 17th.

Jimenez is still having nightmares about what happened. And she is coming to terms with the fact that she is now a hero. Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez posted today on her Facebook page that she and Santa Ana Council Member Vincent Sarmiento will be honoring Jimenez at the next Santa Ana City Council meeting. Continue reading→

DUI driver charged with murdering 5-year-old girl and injuring her family

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Editor Posted in Alcohol, Courts, Crime, Latinos, Marijuana, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Jessicah Louise Cowan, Booking Photo

Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: June 26, 2012
Contacts: Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

DRUNKEN DRIVER CHARGED WITH MURDERING 5-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND INJURING SISTER AND MOTHER BY DRIVING THROUGH RED LIGHT AND CRASHING IN CROSSWALK

SANTA ANA – A drunken driver was charged today with murdering a 5-year-old girl and severely injuring the child’s sister and mother by crashing into them in a crosswalk after driving through a red light. Jessicah Louise Cowan, 33, Lake Hughes, is charged with one felony count each of murder, driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury, driving with a blood alcohol level over .08 percent causing bodily injury, hit and run causing injury, an infraction for possession of marijuana while driving, and sentencing enhancements and allegations for having a blood alcohol level over .20 percent and causing bodily injury. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison. The People will be requesting Cowan be held on $1 million bail at her arraignment today, Tuesday, June 26, 2012, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined. Continue reading→

Mother and sister of 5 yr. old hit and run victim remain critical

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Charities, Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Santa Ana 10 Comments

UPDATE: The mother and sister of 5 year old hit and run victim Osmara Meza remain hospitalized, in critical condition, according to KTLA News.

UPDATE: The Santa Ana Police Foundation has set up a page on our website so that donations can be taken for the family. http://www.sapdf.org/tragedy/ We are a 501(c)3 so your donations are likely tax deductible.

Police have identified a child killed in a hit-and-run collision in Santa Ana this weekend as five-year-old Osmara Meza, according to NBC News. Continue reading→

SAPD and CHP to conduct a DUI checkpoint this Friday, 6/22

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Advisory: California Highway Patrol and Santa Ana Police Department conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint Friday, June 22nd

SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

In a cooperative effort with the California Highway Patrol, the Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, June 22nd, 2012. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 2300 W. 5th Street, in the City of Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Bail bond agent convicted of illegally soliciting inmates from O.C. Jail

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney
Press Release, For Immediate Release: June 14, 2012
Contacts:
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

BAIL BOND AGENT CONVICTED OF ILLEGALLY SOLICITING INMATE CLIENTS FROM
ORANGE COUNTY JAIL

*Six co-defendant have been convicted and a seventh is pending resolution in this case

SANTA ANA – A bail bond agent was convicted today in an 8-co-defendant scheme to illegally solicit inmates as bail clients from Orange County Jail. Cynthia Cheryl Shirey, 43, pleaded guilty to one felony count each of violating bail license regulations by permitting an unlicensed person to solicit and negotiate bail bonds on her behalf, violating bail license regulations by using a fictitious name to conduct bail bonds business, violating bail license regulations by failing to keep complete records of all business done under the authority of her license, and violating bail license regulations by transmitting to another person a fictitious communication authorizing the solicitation or negotiation of bail. Shirey was sentenced to nine months in jail and will have her bail bonds license revoked by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) as a result of the conviction. Continue reading→

SAPD seeks public’s assistance in locating murder suspect

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Editor Posted in Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SAPD Advisory: SANTA ANA POLICE DEPARTMENT REQUESTS PUBLIC’S ASSISTANCE IN LOCATING SUSPECT WANTED IN ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE

SUSPECT NAME: David Lupercio Luna DOB: 04-24-70
DESCRIPTION: Male, Hispanic, 5’10, 230lbs, Blk/Brn, last seen without the thick mustache.
TATTOOS/MARKS: “Mexicano”- chest, snake/woman-left bicep, woman-right bicep, unknown writing and a devil on back. Continue reading→

SAPD DUI Checkpoint set for Friday, June 8, at 2100 N. Main St.

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Editor Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SAPD Advisory: The Santa Ana Police will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint 2100 N. Main Street, Friday, June 8th, 2012

SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, June 8th, 2012. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 2100 N. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Walk for Peace set for Friday, June 1, at Sasscer Park

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Entertainment, Health and Medical, Parks and Recreation, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Latino Health Access will be hosting a “Walk for Peace” on Friday, June 1st, from 5PM – 7PM, at Sasscer Park, located at 502 W. Santa Ana Blvd., in Santa Ana.

The event flyer states: We Are One Community Walking Together To Build A Safer Santa Ana…Walk With Us! March will begin at Santa Ana High School and the closing program will begin at 6:30 PM. United in Love for our youth…we have the power to help them grow successfully! Continue reading→