A man in his 20’s was found shot to death on a Santa Ana sidewalk late Sunday in what police are investigating as a gang-related attack, according to the OC Register.
The shooting is thought to have taken place at around 8:45 p.m. in the 1400 block of South Center Street, near Diamond Elementary School.
Santa Ana police investigators indicated that the shooting might be gang-related. They also believe more than one person attacked the man and then fled on foot. Continue reading
Orange County District Attorney, Press Release
For Immediate Release: September 5, 2014
Case# 10CF2948
SANTA ANA – A father was sentenced today to 20 years to life in state prison for the murder of a Santa Ana man after becoming angry over a physical altercation that occurred at an earlier time between his daughter and the victim. Cesar Gerardo Marta, 43, Omaha, NE, was found guilty by a jury on July 2, 2013, of one felony count of second degree murder and a 1993 prior prison conviction for robbery.
At approximately 10:00 p.m. on May 26, 2010, 27-year-old Cesar “Danny” Gutierrez Hernandez left his Santa Ana home with his brother and a friend to give the friend a ride home. As the three men walked toward their car, Marta and an unknown accomplice approached the group and asked if one of them was Danny. The defendant sought out Hernandez with the intention of retaliating against him for a physical altercation between the victim and Marta’s daughter one month earlier. Continue reading
NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org
Orange County Sheriff’s Department Operation Aims At Improving Motorcycle Safety
SANTA ANA, California (September 5, 2014) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting specialized Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operations on both Saturday, September 6th and Sunday, September 7th in an effort to lower deaths and injuries.
Extra deputies will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle crashes are more likely to occur. They will be looking for violations made by drivers and riders alike that can lead to motorcycle accidents. Examples are driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speeding, or making illegal turns, which California collision data reveals are the primary causes of motorcycle-involved crashes. Continue reading
Santa Ana Police Department
Victim: Maria Rodriguez (56) Orange – No photo available
The passenger from Monday’s Hit and Run Collision intersection of North Broadway and West Santa Ana Boulevard, Maria Rodriguez (56) Orange passed away this morning. Investigators have contacted the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and requested that charges for suspect Guillermo Velasquez Flores (45) Santa Ana be amended. DDA Cornwell assigned to the case. Continue reading
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: September 3, 2014
Case# 08ZF0029
MAN CONVICTED OF STABBING TWO MOVIE THEATER PATRONS DURING THE SHOWING OF HORROR FILM
*Defendant was previously sentenced to 22 years in state prison but the sentence was vacated during appeals
FULLERTON – An Anaheim man was convicted today of stabbing two movie theater patrons, whom he did not know, during the showing of a horror movie at a theater in Fullerton. Steven Walter Robinson Jr., 30, was found guilty by a jury today of two felony counts of attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation and sentencing enhancements for the personal use of a deadly weapon and causing great bodily injury.
On Sept. 29, 2009, Robinson was convicted by a jury of the charges listed above and two felony counts of mayhem. On Dec. 11, 2009, Robinson was sentenced to 22 years to life in state prison in this case. On Jan. 14, 2011, the Court of Appeal vacated Robinson’s sentence and overturned his conviction on the attempted murder charges and sentencing enhancements based on an instructional error by the judge during juror deliberations. Robinson faces a maximum sentence of 22 years to life in state prison at his sentencing on Nov. 14, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. in Department N-13, North Justice Center, Fullerton. Continue reading
NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org
Suspect Arrested for Pimping and Pandering by Operating Brothels
SANTA ANA, Calif. – (September 3, 2014) – On Tuesday, September 2, 2014, Orange County Sheriff’s investigators served multi-location search warrants following a pimping and pandering investigation involving two locations. Nga “Sandra” Tran, 45, Lake Forest, was arrested following an investigation that identified her as the owner/operator of brothels in the cities of Stanton and Lake Forest.
Tran is suspected of exploiting two female adults, 19 and 20 years of age, who worked for her as prostitutes. Tran is believed to have operated/owned two brothels where the victims would receive money in exchange for sex acts. As operator/owner of the brothel, Tran collected a portion of the proceeds from sex services performed and provided condoms, lubricant and information on ways to avoid detection by law enforcement. Several items of evidence were obtained from each of the locations. Continue reading
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: September 3, 2014
SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) convicted five men in August 2014 of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution and/or 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. Some agreed to engage in commercial sex with a woman and were subsequently arrested by law enforcement.
The Santa Ana Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) investigated these cases. Deputy District Attorney Tina Patel of the HEAT Unit prosecuted these cases. Continue reading
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: September 2, 2014
Case # 14WF3294
DENTAL ASSISTANT TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR COMMITTING LEWD ACTS ON UNDERAGE MALE PATIENT
*OCDA is seeking additional potential victims in this case
WESTMINSTER – A dental assistant is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for committing lewd acts on an underage male patient. Luis David Hidalgovillalta, 20, Anaheim, was charged today with one felony count of committing a lewd act upon a child under the age of 14. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration. He is out of custody on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-2, West Justice Center, Westminster.
At the time of the crime, Hidalgovillalta worked as a dental assistant at Healthy Smiles dental facility in Garden Grove. Continue reading
NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org
SUMMER/LABOR DAY AVOID DUI CAMPIGN – FINAL REPORT
SANTA ANA, Calif. (September 2, 2014) – The Summer/Labor Day Holiday DUI Campaign crackdown on drunk and/or drugged drivers has ended and resulted in a significant number of DUI arrests countywide over the past 18 days. The enforcement was part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, to save lives and make our roadways safer.
From 12:01 AM Friday, August 15, 2014 through Midnight Monday, September 1, 2014 officers representing 38 county law enforcement agencies have arrested 775 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. In 2013, 793 DUI arrests occurred during the same time period. Tragically, there was a death attributed to an impaired driver on Labor Day in Huntington Beach. Last year there were 4 alcohol and/or drug impaired related deaths during this same time. (**NOTE: These numbers are only provisional with same agencies yet to report**) Continue reading
NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org
Suspect Arrested for Possession of Substances Identified as Precursors to Homemade Explosives
LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. – (September 2, 2014) – On Tuesday, September 2, 2014 at approximately 12:45 a.m., Orange County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence incident at a residence in the 100 block of Fairlane Drive, Laguna Niguel. During the course of the domestic violence investigation, deputies observed numerous weapons, military ordinances and potentially explosive substances. The Sheriff’s Department’s Hazardous Device Squad (HDS) responded to evaluate and collect the items. Continue reading
Santa Ana Police Department
Advisory: Arrest made in Investigation of hit and run vehicle
SAPD Traffic Investigators locate vehicle and suspect in Felony Hit and run case
On 9-2-2014 at approximately 1200 PM Traffic Investigators located the vehicle and suspect in the area of Willits and Raitt in the City of Santa Ana. Suspect was taken into custody without incident.
Guillermo Velasquez Flores was taken to SAPD and questioned about the traffic collision. Based on their investigation, Traffic Investigators arrested suspect Guillermo Velasquez Flores, for CVC 20001 Felony Hit and Run, the suspect was booked into the SAPD jail. The case will be submitted to the Orange County District Attorney for formal charges. Continue reading
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: September 2, 2014
Case# 14WF3283
DAUGHTER TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR SHOOTING-MURDER OF 96-YEAR-OLD MOTHER
WESTMINSTER – A daughter is scheduled to be arraigned today for shooting and murdering her 96-year-old mother. Christine Marie Reynolds, 71, Rossmoor, was charged today with one felony count of murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal discharge of a firearm causing death. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison. The People will be requesting she be held on $1 million bail at her arraignment this afternoon in Department W-1, West Justice Center, Westminster. The time is to be determined.
At approximately 4:15 p.m. on Aug. 28, 2014, Reynolds is accused of using a firearm to murder her mother Gretchen DeStefano by shooting her in the head in their Rossmoor home. Continue reading
Santa Ana Police Department
Advisory: Investigation looking for information on hit and run vehicle
On 9/01/2014, officers responded to the scene of a traffic collision involving a sport utility vehicle and a passenger car at the intersection of North Broadway and West Santa Ana Boulevard.
At about 1852 hours, a 2000 Nissan Xterra driven by the registered owner was traveling north on Broadway with his wife riding as passenger. As the Nissan drove through the intersection at Santa Ana Boulevard, it was struck by a passenger car traveling west on Santa Ana Boulevard. Continue reading
Orange County District Attorney Press Release
For Immediate Release: August 29, 2014
Case# 10CF3188
TWO MEN TO FACE TRIAL FOR SHOOTING-MURDER OF VICTIM IN BAKERY WHILE VICTIM WAS PREPARING COFFEE
SANTA ANA – Two men are scheduled to face trial Tuesday for the shooting-murder of a victim in a Santa Ana bakery while the victim was preparing a cup of coffee. Israel Pena Lopez, 38, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count each of murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm causing death. If convicted, Lopez faces a maximum sentence of 75 years to life in state prison.
Co-defendant Frankie Esteban Giraldo, 32, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count of murder. If convicted, Giraldo faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison. Opening statements are expected to begin Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. in Department C-30, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading
Santa Ana Police Department
Location: Auto Zone, 810 S. Harbor Boulevard
Suspect: Male, Hispanic, 28-38 yrs. old, 5’6”-5’8” tall, 150-170 lbs., black mustache, tattoos on arms and legs; wearing black baseball hat with white logo, sunglasses, white/brown checkered shirt, black sleeve on left arm, beige shorts, white sneakers; and carrying small dark blue-colored bag
Suspect Vehicle: Silver 2002-2007 Mitsubishi SUV 4-door
Weapon: Black semi-automatic handgun Continue reading