New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: Crime

Garden Grove man arrested in shooting of man and two women in parked car

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 14 Comments

Dustin Sean Ross McDonald

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory Update: arrest made in homicide investigation

Arrested : Dustin Sean Ross McDonald, 23 years old from Garden Grove

Charges will be murder (187), two count of attempt murder (664/187) and special circumstances enhancement (190.2) and weapons enhancements (12022.5)

SAPD detectives arrest 23-year-old Dustin Sean Ross McDonald yesterday evening in a car stop near his residence in Garden Grove. Charges are pending, case has been submitted to the District Attorney’s office for filing. Continue reading→

Updated: Man killed and two women wounded when shot in a parked car in DTSA

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 18 Comments

Aaron Johnathan Chavez

UPDATED: SAPD detectives arrest 23-year-old Dustin Sean Ross McDonald yesterday evening in a car stop near his residence in Garden Grove. Charges are pending, case has been submitted to the District Attorney’s office for filing. Charges will be murder (187), two count of attempt murder (664/187) and special circumstances enhancement (190.2) and weapons enhancements (12022.5)

Aaron Johnathan Chavez, a 23-year-old from Anaheim, was killed and two women were injured late Tuesday when another man came up to a parked car they were sitting in and fired 10 to 12 shots at them, according to Santa Ana Police, according to the OC Weekly. Continue reading→

Robbery suspects caught as they fled the scene

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Victor Esteves

SAPD Advisory: Santa Ana patrol officers apprehend suspects as they flee scene of robbery

Grand Gas Mini Mart
2231 North Grand Friday, 8/8/14, 11:50PM

Summary: Two patrol officers were responding to a call for service when they encountered, what initially appeared to be, two suspects running toward an awaiting vehicle after a beer run. The officers soon realized the two suspects committed an armed robbery. As the officers ordered the suspects to stop one of the suspects dropped a replica firearm and the other a kitchen knife.

The two suspects and a female driver were taken into custody without incident. Officers recovered several hundred dollars from the suspects. Continue reading→

Former Disneyland machinist convicted of sexually assaulting four girls

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Crime, OCDA Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: August 11, 2014

Case # 13WF1859

FORMER AMUSEMENT PARK WORKER CONVICTED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING FOUR MINOR FEMALE VICTIMS

WESTMINSTER – A man was convicted today of sexually assaulting four young girls between the ages of 7 and 11 years old. Bryan William Anast, 46, Corona, pleaded guilty to one felony count of continuous sexual conduct, six felony counts of lewd acts by duress on a child under 14, one felony count of possession of child pornography, and one felony count of using a minor for sex acts. In addition to his prison sentence, Anast is scheduled to be sentenced to 55 years and four months in state prison and lifetime sex offender registration at his sentencing Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, at 1:30 p.m. in Department W-9, West Justice Center, Westminster.

The sex crimes against all of the victims involved rubbing of the vaginal area. Continue reading→

Woman charged with running massage parlors that were really brothels

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Garden Grove, OCDA Leave a comment

OCDA Seal

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: August 8, 2014

Case # 14WF2986

WOMAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR OPERATING TWO MASSAGE PARLORS AS BROTHELS AND PANDERING VICTIMS

WESTMINSTER – A woman is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday for operating two massage parlors as brothels and pandering female victims. Sujin Kim, 55, Los Angeles, is charged with six felony counts of pandering. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 12 years and eight months in state prison. Kim is being held on $250,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday, Aug. 11, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. in Department W-2, West Justice Center, Westminster.

Between May 1, 2014, and Aug. 6, 2014, Kim is accused of operating illegal brothels disguised as massage parlors. Kim is accused of collecting money from sex purchasers who entered the massage parlors for commercial sex services. The defendant is accused of having female victims perform massages on the patrons, and then negotiate money in exchange for a sexual act. The Garden Grove Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF) and arrested Kim on Aug. 6, 2014. Continue reading→

Lake Forest Piano teacher arrested for lewd acts with a child

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Orange County Leave a comment

John Mordecai Scott

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

OC Child Exploitation Task Force Arrests Piano Teacher for Lewd Acts with a Child

LAKE FOREST, Calif. – (August 8, 2014) – On Friday, August 8, investigators from the Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force (OCCETF) arrested John Mordecai SCOTT, 58, Lake Forest, following an investigation involving lewd acts with a child. Scott is suspected of showing and taking lewd photographs of a minor female victim at his residence and place of employment.

Scott worked as a piano teacher out of his residence at 20702 El Toro Road #34 in the city of Lake Forest. In addition to teaching at his home, Scott teaches at Coast Band Music on Via Fabricante in the city of Mission Viejo and OC Music located on Aventura in the city of Rancho Santa Margarita. During the course of the investigation, evidence has been obtained that leads investigators to believe there may be additional victims. Continue reading→

Judge approves Santa Ana’s second gang injunction

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Santa Ana Gangs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 8, 2014

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: JUDGE ENJOINS 13TH ORANGE COUNTY VIOLENT STREET GANG FROM TERRORIZING NEIGHBORHOOD IN SANTA ANA

*This is the second gang injunction in the City of Santa Ana

SANTA ANA – A violent Santa Ana criminal street gang have been preliminarily enjoined from terrorizing the community and acting as a public nuisance, marking the 13th injunction to be brought against Orange County gangs and the second in the City of Santa Ana. This injunction is in response to decades of violent crime by this gang and numerous residents pleading with law enforcement to eliminate the gang presence so that they no longer have to live in fear.

Deputy District Attorney Susan Eckermann prepared the injunction on behalf of the Gang Unit of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Continue reading→

Man who molested a pre-teen extradited from Guatemala

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

José Sian

SAPD Advisory: Santa Ana PD Sexual Abuse suspect arrested and extradited from Guatemala to the United States

In June of 2009, a 12-year-old Santa Ana female disclosed that for about two years she had been sexually assaulted by Jose Sian (1-18-72), her mother’s live-in boyfriend. The victim became pregnant as a result of the continuous sexual assault.

Immediately after the disclosure, Sian fled to Guatemala, presumably to avoid prosecution. Continue reading→

Two men suffer electrical burns after allegedly trying to steal from a power box

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana dumb thieves

Two pretty stupid guys in their early 30’s suffered electrical burns throughout their bodies when they allegedly tried to steal something from an electrical power box at Edinger Avenue and Auto Mall Drive, at 1:25 p.m. Thursday, according to the O.C. Register.

Apparently one of the thieves had burns over half of his body, and the other man appeared to have suffered mild to moderate burns. Continue reading→

SAPD DUI checkpoint set for Friday night, August 8, at 800 E. First St.

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Alcohol, Bars, Crime, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Friday, August 8th, 2014. It will begin at 9:00PM and is scheduled to conclude at 3:00AM. It will be conducted in the area of 800 E First Street, Santa Ana, CA.

For some unknown reason the SAPD did not release notice of this DUI Checkpoint via the City of Santa Ana’s Nixle service. Instead the press release was announced on the SAPD’s Facebook Page.

The SAPD barely catches any drunks at these checkpoints. The truth is that select police officers are chosen to work the checkpoints where they earn a huge overtime bonus. The money for this comes from the State of California. Think of this as a gift to the police unions. It is not however effective policing. Continue reading→

Husband and wife convicted of locking up two starving girls in a mobile home

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Crime, OCDA Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: August 6, 2014

Case # 13NF1694

MAN AND WOMAN CONVICTED OF KEEPING TWO YOUNG FEMALE RELATIVES MALNOURISHED AND LOCKED INSIDE UNSANITARY MOBILE HOME

FULLERTON – A man and woman were convicted yesterday of keeping two young female relatives malnourished and locked inside an unsanitary mobile home without letting them go outside. Lester Louis Huffmire and his wife Petra Huffmire, both 41 from Anaheim, pleaded guilty yesterday, Aug. 5, 2014, to two felony counts of child abuse, two misdemeanor counts of false imprisonment, one misdemeanor count of contributing to delinquency of a minor, and sentencing enhancements for great bodily injury. Lester Huffmire was sentenced to five years in state prison. Petra Huffmire was sentenced to three years and four months in state prison.

Lester Huffmire and Petra Huffmire were living in an unsanitary mobile park home with the victims, 10-year-old Jane Doe #1 and 5-year-old Jane Doe #2. The defendants had a duty of care to the victims. Continue reading→

Arizona man to be charged with attempted murder after shooting on 91 Fwy.

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Fullerton, OCDA Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: August 6, 2014

Case # TBA

MAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER DRIVE-BY SHOOTING ON 91 FREEWAY

SANTA ANA – A man is scheduled to be arraigned today for attempted murder after a drive-by shooting on the 91 Freeway. Jerry Valentin, 32, Scottsdale, Ariz., was charged today with one felony count each of attempted murder, shooting at an occupied vehicle, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm inside a vehicle, with sentencing enhancements for personal discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, personal use of a firearm, and great bodily injury. If convicted, Valentin faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison. The People will be requesting he be held on $1 million bail at his arraignment today in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

At approximately 4:20 p.m. on Aug. 4, 2014, Valentin is accused of driving eastbound on the 91 Freeway near the Interstate 5 interchange in Fullerton. The defendant is accused of swerving his vehicle toward a sports utility vehicle (SUV) being driven by Kenneth Baker. Continue reading→

Two gang members arrested for attempted murder by the SAPD

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Homicide and Gang Detectives arrest two Gang Members for Attempt Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder Arrested:

• Joel Aguilar (26), Santa Ana
• Alberto Santana (22) Santa Ana

Charges: Attempt Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder

Summary: On Wednesday, 7/23/14 at 1130 PM Officers responded to a shooting call in the 1900 block of West Myrtle Street and found a 19 year old male who had been shot four times in the upper torso. The Victim is an identified gang member who was uncooperative and told officers he was shot as he was walking westbound on the north sidewalk of 1900 block of West Myrtle Street. The victim was transported to UCI Medical Center where he was treated for his injuries.

SAPD Homicide detectives were assigned the case. Based on information obtained during their investigations detectives identified two suspects, both identified gang members believed to be involved in the 7/23/14 shooting. Detectives secured search warrants for two separate residences in the 800 block of South Townsend Street. Continue reading→

Victims of SAPD attack on marijuana colectives to speak out at the City Council meeting tonight

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Entertainment, Police Brutality, Politics 1 Comment

OC NORML is asking their supporters to attend tonight’s Santa Ana City Council meeting so that they may speak out against the “outrageous treatment that the medicinal marijuana collective operators, volunteers and patients endured during the most recent series of raids.”

Over 75 people associated with local medicinal marijuana collectives were arrested by the SAPD on July 31, as we previously reported.

Those arrested were locked up in a paddy wagon for hours and were not allowed to use the restroom, get anything to drink, and one patient was even denied the right to take his heart medication. All of them were eventually booked and released with a code enforcement ticket for $500 each. Continue reading→

Man suspected of murdering a man on the 91 Freeway arrested

Posted on August 1, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Crime Leave a comment

Anaheim Police Department

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 1, 2014

Released by: Lt. Bob Dunn, (714) 497-6330

Subject: **UPDATE 91 Freeway Homicide – ARREST OF SUSPECT**

Initial Information

On July 14, 2014 at 8:09 PM, Anaheim Police, the California Highway Patrol, and Anaheim Fire & Rescue were called to investigate a possible shooting westbound the 91 freeway east of the 57 freeway. When emergency service personnel arrived, they found four (4) people in a white Ford F-150 in the gore point of the westbound 91 freeway at the 57 freeway interchange. Two of the people in the Ford were found to have suffered injuries consistent with a gunshot. Agustin Villegas, 32, of Anaheim was the front passenger in the Ford and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The driver of the Ford, a 42 year-old male, was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive. In the backseat of the Ford were two males, 13 and 15 years-old. These young men were uninjured and were taken to the Anaheim Police Department for interviews. Continue reading→