Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Crime

Was the SAUSD prepared for the arrest of a Godinez teacher, on sex charges?

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Education, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Youth Activities 24 Comments

UPDATE: The OC Register’s online article about this has some interesting comments, here.

Joseph Manuel Orduna, an Irvine resident and wrestling coach/teacher at the Santa Ana Unified School District’s (SAUSD) Godinez Fundamental High School, has been arrested and charged with “making sexually suggestive comments and inappropriately touching two female students.”  The SAPD and the OCDA are seeking the public’s help in identifying additional victims.

A running back, Orduna starred at the University of Nebraska before going on to play for the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts in the 1970s, according to Fox News.

FYI, this one hits close to home, as I have a son who is a sophomore at Godinez and another son who graduated from Godinez and is now at UCLA.  Godinez is a great school with top administrators and teachers – as such this case is a real shocker.  Continue reading→

SAPD to conduct a DUI checkpoint tonight, at 3000 W. Edinger

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Advisory: The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, February 24th,

SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, February 24th, 2012. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 3000 W. Edinger Avenue, in the City of Santa Ana. Continue reading→

SAPD arrests suspect in felony hit and run collision with 13-year old girl

Posted on by Posted in Bicycles, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Youth Activities 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: Santa Ana Police arrest suspect in felony hit and run collision of a 13 year old female occurring 2-6-2012

On 2-06-12, at approximately 7:00 PM, a 13 year old girl riding her bicycle north on Greenville across Warner was hit by an unknown vehicle driving west on Warner Avenue. The girl was knocked to the ground and sustained severe injuries. The unknown driver fled, making no attempt to stop or check on the condition of the injured girl. Passing motorists stopped to render aid to the girl lying in the roadway. The cause of this collision has not yet been determined and is under investigation. Continue reading→

O.C. Supervisors appoint Frank Ospino to be the County Public Defender

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Lawyers, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 14, 2012
Contact: Howard Sutter, 714.834.6203 office, Howard.Sutter@ocgov.com

New Public Defender Appointed by the Board of Supervisors

(Santa Ana, CA) — The Orange County Board of Supervisors has appointed Frank Ospino to serve as the County’s Public Defender. His appointment to the positionwas effective January 27, 2012.Ospino has served the County as Interim Public Defender since August of 2011. Hehas held the progressive positions of Deputy Public Defender, Senior Deputy PublicDefender, Assistant Public Defender, and Senior Assistant Public Defender over the course of his 24-year career with the department. Continue reading→

SAPD arrests suspects in murder of Irvine resident in the Artists Village

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: SANTA ANA POLICE- HOMICIDE DETECTIVES ARREST TWO FOR THE 2010 MURDER OF JEFFREY LEE CHUNG

SANTA ANA POLICE- HOMICIDE DETECTIVES ARREST TWO FOR THE 2010 MURDER OF JEFFREY LEE CHUNG

On 10-2-2010, a robber shot and killed a 23-year-old man in a Santa Ana parking garage. Irvine resident Jeffrey Lee Chung was at a bar with some friends in downtown Santa Ana and walking to a parking garage, when he and a friend were confronted by two suspects, one of them armed with a handgun.

Chung was shot when he refused the suspects’ demand for money. Chung’s friend was unharmed. The suspects, described as male Hispanics, fled the scene on foot. Officers responding to a “shots fired, man down” call about 1:30 a.m., at 201 W. Third Street, found Chung shot in the upper torso. He was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man convicted of breaking, entering and masturbating

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Garden Grove, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana 5 Comments

MAN CONVICTED OF BREAKING INTO HOME AND MASTURBATING IN FRONT OF GRANDMOTHER AND TWO YOUNG GRANDDAUGHTERS

SANTA ANA – A man was convicted today of breaking into the home of a grandmother and her two grandchildren, masturbating in front of the three victims. Ozro Robert Lee, 46, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count each of first degree residential burglary of an inhabited dwelling, indecent exposure after unlawful entry, and two felony counts of child annoyance after trespass, and a sentencing enhancement allegation for non-accomplice present during a residential burglary was found true. He faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison at his sentencing April 6, 2012, at 8:30 a.m.in Department C-37, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

At approximately 8:00 p.m. on April 15, 2011, Lee broke into a Garden Grove home by prying at the front door using a screw driver or tool. Two little girls, ages 6 and 8 years old, were inside the home with their 59-year-old grandmother, Jane Doe. Continue reading→

O.C.D.A. to file additional murder charges against former Marine Ocampo

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Military, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) Office will file two additional counts of murder Monday against a former Marine for the stabbing-murder of a mother and her son in Yorba Linda. The defendant is also charged with murdering four homeless men in a serial thrill-kill spree. Itzcoatl Ocampo, 23, Yorba Linda, is charged with six felony counts of murder with special circumstances for multiple murders and lying in wait and sentencing enhancements for personal use of a deadly weapon, a knife, during the commission of a crime. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. The special circumstances in this case make Ocampo eligible for the death penalty, and the District Attorney will make this determination at a later date. Ocampo is being held without bail and will be arraigned on the new charges Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

SAPD arrests Muniz brothers for possessing high powered guns/ammo

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Gangs, Guns, Public Safety, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Advisory: Santa Ana Police Arrest two Brothers possessing High Powered Assault Rifles, ammunition, and heavy body armor.

Santa Ana Police Arrest two Brothers possessing High Powered Assault Rifles, ammunition, and heavy body armor.

Arrested:

Muniz, Esteban 32, from Anaheim
Muniz, Jose 24, from Anaheim

On Tuesday January 31, 2012 Santa Ana Police Gang investigators arrested two brothers suspected of keeping high-powered weaponry and ammunition, including a loaded assault rifle, in their Anaheim home also inhabited by juveniles ranging from ages 10 to16. Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana to host a community graffiti clean-up day on Saturday

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Entertainment, Neighborhood Associations, Santa Ana, Volunteer Leave a comment

Community: City of Santa Ana Scheduled to Host a Community Graffiti Clean-up Day

SANTA ANA, CA (January 11, 2012) – In promoting the City’s graffiti abatement efforts, Santa Ana Public Works in collaboration with residents, community volunteers/ organizations, and city contracted graffiti removal crews will host a Community Graffiti Clean-up Day, this Saturday, Jan. 28.

Frazee Paint / The Comex Group will provide “Take-Away” materials and supplies for the graffiti abatement efforts. The City contractor, Graffiti Protective Coatings, will provide five additional trucks at no additional cost to accomplish removal of graffiti from utility poles citywide. 7-Eleven is donating coffee and donuts along with water to keep the volunteers hydrated. The graffiti clean-up day will begin at the Memorial Park stage area and will proceed throughout the various surrounding neighborhoods. Continue reading→

SAPD to conduct a DUI checkpoint on Saturday, near 17th & Tustin

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 4 Comments

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, January 28th, 2012

SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, January 28th, 2012. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 2000 E. 17th Street, in the City of Santa Ana (Editor’s Note: this is not too far from The Quill Lounge). Continue reading→

SAPD seeks public assistance in finding more victims of alleged rapist

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Public Safety, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Request Media and publice assistance an identifying additinal victims in serial rape case. Suspect in custody.

Arrestee: Jose Luis Capacete, Age 39, 5’7”, 145, thin build, blk/brn, short hair
Vehicle(s): Chrysler, Town and Country, 2001, dark green mini van, license plate #5KSM113. Honda Accord, black, 4-Door, 1997, license plate #6GMX802

SYNOPSIS: On 12-24-11, Capacete picked up a female on Harbor Blvd, in the City of Santa Ana. Once the victim was inside Capacete’s vehicle, Capacete produced a handgun and a taser. The victim’s hands were tied behind her back and she was sexually assaulted in the van. Evidence left at the scene led detectives to investigate suspect Capacete. A search warrant was performed at the suspects residence in the city of Baldwin Park where items were recovered as evidence leading detectives to believe that there are additional victims. To date two of the additional victims have been identified and detectives are following up. Continue reading→

Itzcoatl Ocampo charges and O.C. District Attorney’s remarks

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Contacts: Laura Eimiller, Spokesperson, FBI, LA Office, Office:310-996-3343
Susan Schroeder, Chief of Staff, OCDA, 714-347-8408, Cell:714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, OCDA, 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 17, 2012

OCDA FILES MULTIPLE MURDER CHARGES AGAINST FORMER MARINEFOR SERIAL THRILL-KILL SPREE OF FOUR HOMELESS MEN IN ONE MONTH

*Defendant was apprehended after mass multi-agency manhunt

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) Office has filed charges against a former Marine for murdering four homeless men in a serial thrill-kill spree. Itzcoatl Ocampo, 23, Yorba Linda, is charged with four felony counts of murderwith special circumstances for multiple murders and lying in wait and sentencing enhancements for personal use of a deadlyweapon, a knife, during commission of a crime. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of life in state prison without thepossibility of parole. The special circumstances in this case make Ocampo eligible for the death penalty, and the DistrictAttorney will make this determination at a later date as is customary. Ocampo is being held without bail and is expected to bearraigned tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Press conference regarding alleged homeless killer, Itzcoatl Ocampo, on 1/17

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, homeless, Lawyers, Orange County, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: January 16, 2012
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

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY TONY RACKAUCKAS: MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas, and representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Anaheim Police Department, Placentia Police Department, and Brea/Yorba Linda Police Department.

Continue reading→

Reward offered by the SAPD for wanted gang homicide suspects

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Paul Walters, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: WANTED HOMICIDE SUSPECT & UNSOLVED 2011 GANG HOMICIDES

The Santa Ana Police Department Gang Unit investigated six gang related homicides in 2011. Four of the six homicides were solved with a total of seventeen suspects arrested. Two cases remain unsolved and one suspect remains at large. The Santa Ana Police Department offers up to $50,000 for information on gang-related homicides and assaults resulting in the arrest of the suspects. Continue reading→

SAPD to be featured in Friday night’s episode of “America’s Most Wanted”

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Entertainment, Paul Walters, Public Safety 1 Comment

The Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) will be featured in this Friday night’s episode of “America’s Most Wanted,” hosted by John Walsh, on the Lifetime Network.

SAPD Chief Paul Walters said in an email that there will be two separate incidents involving the SAPD, in episode 6 of America’s Most Wanted. Continue reading→