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Three transients arrested and charged with killing a man at Santiago Park

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On Saturday, March 21, 2020, Santa Ana PD responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon at the entrance to Santiago Park at 2535 N. Main Street. Multiple suspects beat and stabbed the victim, Cesar Gamaliel Gonzalez (39), a transient residing in the City of Santa Ana, to death. Patrol Officers and Homicide Detectives collaborated through the night and into Sunday, March 22, 2020. The investigation resulted in the identification and arrest of three suspects:

1. Daniel Ruben Gallegos (M/H, 47 – Santa Ana transient)
2. Gustavo Nunez, Jr. (M/H, 32 – Santa Ana transient)
3. Lisa Marie Herrera (F/H, 41 – Santa Ana transient)

On Tuesday, March 24, 2020, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office filed the following charges:

1. Daniel Ruben Gallegos
– CPC 187(a) – Murder
– CPC 12022(b)(1) – Person use of a weapon (knife)

2. Gustavo Nunez, Jr.
– CPC 245(a)(1) – Assault with a Deadly Weapon

3. Lisa Marie Herrera
– CPC 245(a)(1) – Assault with a Deadly Weapon

Former Archdiocese of O.C. musician arrested on suspicion of lewd acts with a minor

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SANTA ANA, Ca. (March 13, 2020): Orange County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Detail investigators arrested a man suspected of committing multiple lewd acts on an underage girl beginning in 2018.

Michael Medeiros, 34, of Lake Forest, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of felony child molestation. Medeiros previously worked for the Archdiocese Orange County and was fired in February 2020 after the church was notified about the allegations.

Medeiros has worked full-time as a musician for the Archdiocese Orange County since 2006 at the following locations: Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano, Holy Trinity Catholic Church Ladera Ranch, San Francisco Solano Catholic Church Rancho Santa Margarita and Kid Row Rehearsals in Los Angeles. He also attended ministry retreats for Santa Margarita Catholic High School and Junipero Serra High School in San Juan Capistrano and gave private lessons.

Due to Medeiros having continued access and contact with children over the past 14 years, investigators believe there may additional victims.

Medeiros was known to the victim who was under the age of 14 when the molestation occurred.

Please contact the Special Victims Detail at (714) 647-7419 if you have any information. Anonymous information may be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.

Las Vegas man sentenced to 180 days in jail for attacking his own family at Disneyland

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 35-year-old man was sentenced on February 27, 2020 to 180 days in county jail and four years of formal probation during a brawl at Disneyland’s Toon Town in which he attacked several family members in front of several children, including his own. The melee was witnessed by other park guests and captured in a video that was widely shared on social media.

“The Orange County District Attorney’s Office does not tolerate domestic violence or child endangerment anywhere,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

Avery Desmond Edwinn Robinson, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to a court offer of one felony charge of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and thirteen misdemeanors relating to assault, criminal threats, battery, and child abuse and endangerment. The District Attorney’s Office objected to the court offer.

On July 6, 2019, Robinson attacked his sister, brother-in-law, and his girlfriend while at Disneyland with his family. Robinson endangered his child and three other children who accompanied the group. As the family was escorted out of the park by Disneyland security, Robinson assaulted a Disneyland employee with his vehicle while later threatening to kill members of his family as he drove out of a parking structure.

In addition to formal probation and a jail sentence, Robinson was also ordered to complete a 52-week Batterer’s Treatment Program containing a parenting component. Furthermore, Robinson was ordered to pay restitution and complete 8 hours of community service.

Robinson was originally charged with five felony charges and nine misdemeanors.

Robinson’s sister, Andrea Nicole Robinson is facing five misdemeanor charges, including four misdemeanor changes of battery for attacking her brother Avery, his girlfriend, and a Disneyland employee. She is also facing one count of misdemeanor assault for attacking her brother’s girlfriend.

Andrea Robinson, 40, of Compton, faces a maximum of 2 ½ years in jail if convicted on all counts.

Daman Petrie, 44, of Compton, is facing one misdemeanor count of battery. Petrie, who is married to Andrea Robinson, is accused of punching Avery Robinson’s girlfriend in the face during the melee.

Daman Petrie faces a maximum of six months in jail if convicted.

Several Disneyland guests repeatedly intervened in an attempt to stop the violence, including picking up at least one of the children in the group to get the child out of harm’s way and putting Avery Robinson in a chokehold.

The family was asked to leave Disneyland and escorted by Disneyland security back to a parking structure to retrieve their vehicles.

While in the structure, Avery Robinson is accused of attempting to hit a Disneyland employee with his vehicle and threatening to kill his sister Andrea and her husband Daman while simulating a gun with his hand and pointing at the couple.

Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Nevers of the Family Protection Unit prosecuted this case.

Previous OCDA allegedly prosecuted a doctor and his girlfriend in order to promote his campaign

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced today that all criminal charges will be dropped against a 39-year-old Newport Beach orthopedic surgeon and reality television star Grant Robicheaux and his 33-year-old girlfriend Cerissa Riley who were accused of drugging and sexually assaulting seven women.

On September 11, 2018, former District Attorney Tony Rackauckas filed initial charges in People v. Robicheaux and Riley, eight months after a search warrant was executed on Robicheaux’s Newport Beach home. At the time the charges included assaults on two women.

Robicheaux was charged with nine felonies, including rape by use of drugs, oral copulation by use of anesthesia or a controlled substance, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense, four counts of possession of a controlled substance for sale, and two counts of possession of an assault weapon. He was also charged with sentencing enhancements of personal use of a firearm during a health and safety code violation.

Riley was charged with seven felonies, including rape by use of drugs, oral copulation by use of anesthesia or a controlled substance, assault with intent to commit a sexual offense, and four counts of possession of a controlled substance for sale. She was also charged with knowingly vicariously armed with a firearm.

Robicheaux faced a maximum of 40 years in state prison if convicted of all charges. Riley faced a maximum of 30 years and eight months in state prison.

Over the next several weeks, Rackauckas held two press conferences in which he told members of the media investigators had recovered videos depicting up to 1,000 incapacitated women being sexually assaulted by Robicheaux and Riley. He urged additional victims to come forward and explained that women who had contact with the couple may not realize they were in fact victims.

The case received international media attention based on the revelation that up to a thousand women had been victimized.

On October 17, 2018, Rackauckas filed additional charges involving five additional women who came forward as a result of the intense media coverage on the case.

Robicheaux was charged with an additional eight felonies, including three counts of kidnapping with the intent to commit a sexual offense, three additional counts of rape by the use of drugs, one additional count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, and one count of forcible rape.

Riley was charged with an additional six felonies, including three counts of kidnapping with the intent to commit a sexual offense, two additional counts of rape by the use of drugs, one additional count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense.

Robicheaux and Riley both faced a maximum of life in state prison if convicted on all charges.

After Rackauackas admitted in a sworn deposition on June 19, 2019 that he had used the case to garner media attention to help his re-election campaign, Spitzer ordered a complete reevaluation of the case.

Two veteran sexual assault prosecutors were assigned to the top to bottom review of the case. Over three months, the two prosecutors reviewed every piece of evidence in the case.

The De Novo review included:

  • Thousands of photographs, videos, and chats from computers.
  • Hundreds of hours of audio recordings.
  • Thousands of pages of documents
  • Tens of thousands of text messages between the defendants over four years.
  • Thousands of text messages between defendants and others, including alleged victims.
  • Thousands of conversations on Bumble, Tinder, Facebook, and other social media services.
  • Hundreds of emails including from alleged victims, defendants, police, and potential leads.
  • Thousands of pages of transcripts of alleged victim interviews, witness interviews, and depositions.

Today, Spitzer announced that this exhaustive review revealed there was not a single video or photograph depicting an incapacitated woman being sexually assaulted by Robicheaux or Riley. In fact, the review revealed that there was not a single independent witness who came forward to say they saw the defendants sexually assault an unconscious woman.

A team of prosecutors with a combined 175 years of experience determined there is no provable evidence that Robicheaux and Riley committed any sexual offense.

“My sworn duty as the elected district attorney is not to secure convictions,” said Spitzer. “My sworn duty is to pursue justice and ensure that the rights of victims and defendants are protected.

The prior District Attorney and his chief of staff manufactured this case and repeatedly misstated the evidence to lead the public and vulnerable women to believe that these two individuals plied up to 1,000 women with drugs and alcohol in order to sexually assault them – and videotape the assaults.

As a result of the complete case review I ordered beginning in July, we now know that there was not a single video or photograph depicting an unconscious or incapacitated woman being sexually assaulted.

What the prior District Attorney and his chief of staff did to these defendants and to the women involved in this case is a travesty.

While I cannot undo the injustice that has already been done in this case, I can – and I will – continue to fulfill my legal and ethical obligations as the elected District Attorney of Orange County and dismiss all criminal charges against Dr. Grant William Robicheaux and Cerissa Laura Riley.”

Former Jamaican police officer, two others charged with murder of Irvine man

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – A former Jamaican police officer and two other men have been charged with murdering an Irvine man and seriously injuring another during a home invasion robbery in October.

Devon Quinland, 33, of Westminster, Andre Andrews, 34, of Miramar, Fla., and Omar Miller, 41, of Lauderdale, Fla., have each been charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of conspiracy to commit a crime, and one felony count of assault with a firearm.

The three men are also charged with the special circumstances of murder committed during the commission of a robbery and murder committed during the commission of a burglary. Additionally, Andrew and Miller are charged with three felony enhancements for personal use of a firearm and inflicting great bodily injury.

Miller is a former Jamaican police officer.

All three men could be eligible for the death penalty if convicted on all charges.

On Saturday, Oct. 26, at approximately 5:45 a.m., the Irvine Police Department and Orange County Fire Authority were dispatched to a call of an injured man in a residential neighborhood in Irvine.

A man told officers that he and his roommate had been assaulted inside a home onBayleaf Lane. Officers entered the residence on Bayleaf Lane and found a second man who was suffering several gunshot wounds. Both victims were taken to a local hospital and the gunshot victim, later identified as Raymond Alcala, 20, of Irvine, was pronounced dead. The second victim survived.

Quinland was arrested by Irvine police in the City of Westminster on December 17, 2019. Irvine police, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, arrested Andrews and Miller in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on the same day. Andrews and Miller were extradited back to California on January 22, 2020.

All three defendants are being held without bail in the Orange County Jail. Quinland is scheduled to be arraigned on February 28, 2020 at the Central Justice in Department C55.

“The men and women of the Irvine Police Department worked diligently to identify the individuals responsible for committing this horrible crime and we thank our law enforcement partners in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including the FBI Orange County Violent Crime Task Force and the FBI South Florida Violent Crime and Fugitive Task Force, for their assistance in this case,” said Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel.

“The arrest and prosecution of these three individuals is a testament to the close working relationship the Irvine Police Department has across multiple jurisdictions and across state lines,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “It is this commitment to justice that is allowing the Orange County District Attorney’s Office to prosecute these murderers to the fullest extent of the law.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Janine Madera of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

Santa Ana man and four others charged with multiple felonies for preying on vulnerable substance abuse patients

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SANTA ANA, Calif. — A joint effort by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the California Department of Insurance has shut down an alleged $3.2 million healthcare fraud ring which preyed on vulnerable substance abuse patients in order to bilk an insurance company out of millions.

Mahyar “Christian” Mohases

Steven Lomonaco, 61, of Laguna Beach, Mahyar “Christian” Mohases, 37, of Santa Ana, Robert Williams, 41, of Murrieta, Nicholas Reeves, 42, of Aliso Viejo, and James Frageau, 29, of Temecula have been charged with multiple felony counts including insurance fraud and money laundering in connection with the scheme.

Mohases, Williams, Reeves, and Frageau have each been charged with two counts of committing medical insurance fraud, one count of fraudulent written claim to an insurance company, two counts of money laundering in excess of $150,000, four counts of money laundering, and one enhancement for aggravated white collar crime over $200,000. They each face a maximum sentence of 14 years if convicted on all charges.

Lomonaco has been charged with two counts of committing medical insurance fraud, one count of fraudulent written claim to an insurance company, one count of medical insurance fraud, and one enhancement for aggravated white collar crime over $200,000. He faces a maximum sentence of 8 years 4 months if convicted on all charges.

“Th heartless nature of these crimes are appaling,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “These suspects trafficked vulnerable substance abuse patients to California just to make a quick buck from the insurance company, with no regard for their lives, health or recovery. Thanks to the efforts of Department of Insurance investigators, and our close work with District Attorney Todd Spitzer’s office, there is one less fraud ring preying on unsuspecting patients.”

Mohases, Frageau, Williams and Reeves are accused of finding patients across the country who were seeking help for substance use recovery and flying them to California to enter treatment at Casa Bella International Inc., which was owned and operated by Lomonaco. In order to obtain payment from the insurance company for these patients, Mohases, Frageau, Williams and Reeves directed employees to fill out policies for the patients using false information.

They are accused of lying on the insurance applications, stating that patients lived in California, when in actuality the addresses were for employees or businesses related to the co-conspirators. Lomonaco paid the other co-conspirators upwards of $10,000 per patient who stayed enrolled in treatment for more than 30 days.

“Sober living homes are valuable resources designed to facilitate recovery and healing for patients battling potentially life-threating addiction issues,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Instead of helping these patients, these individuals preyed on extremely susceptible people and exploited their addictions for profit. Working closely with the California Department of Insurance, we are cracking down on these criminals and their predatory operations in order to protect substance abuse patients from unknowingly being trafficked, as protect their loved ones and insurance companies from these unscrupulous operators.”

In order to pay the insurance premiums, the defendants are accused of developing a massive money laundering scheme in which they filtered money through non-profit, StopB4UStart, by providing “donations” from Mohases, Frageau, Williams and Reeves under their corporation, Nationwide Recovery. These “donations” would be cashed out, and the owner of StopB4UStart would receive cashier’s checks in specified amounts based on the information he received from one of the other co-conspirators. More than 800 checks in total were used to pay the insurance premiums on the fraudulent policies.

Mohases was arrested on January 13, 2020 and arraigned on January 14, 2020, he has pled not guilty. He is out on $250,000 bail and is scheduled for a pre-trial on February 5, 2020 in Department C-57.

Reeves was arrested on January 14, 2020 and arraigned on January 15, 2020, he has pled not guilty. He is out on $100,000 bail and is scheduled for a pre-trial on January 22, 2020 in Department C-55. A preliminary hearing for this suspect is scheduled for February 13, 2020 in Department C-55.

Frageau appeared in Court on warrant on January 15, 2020, he was arraigned on January 15, 2020. He is out on $250,000 bail and is scheduled for a continued arraignment on February 7, 2020.

Williams turned himself into Huntington Beach Police Department on January 15, 2020. No arraignment date has been scheduled for him yet.

Lomonaco was arrested on January 16, 2020. He is scheduled to be arraigned January 17, 2020.

Deputy District Attorney James Bilek of the Insurance Fraud Unit at The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case.

Former SAUSD afterschool instructor pleads guilty to molesting four little girls at Greenville Elementary

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Eddy Bustamante Infante of Santa Ana , a 25-year-old former SAUSD after-school instructor, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Dec. 10, to molesting four girls at Greenville Elementary School, in Santa Ana, according to the O.C. Register.

Infante accepted charges including four counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor younger than 14. Unfortunately a fifth count of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor younger than 14 and a count of oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child 10 years or younger were dismissed.

We do not know yet how much prison time Infante will serve as he is not scheduled to be sentenced until Feb. 7, at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.

Infante began to work as a n SAUSD after-school teacher in 2015. He victimized students who he was in charge of.

The SAPD arrested Infante back on Oct. 5, 2018, as a suspect in the sexual assault of three girls. He got out on a $1 million bail but went right back to jail when a fourth victim stepped up and spoke with the police investigators. She told them that Infante molested her when she was only 6 years old!

Infante also admitted that he sexually assaulted both an 8-year-old girl and a 10-year-old girl between August 2016 and June 2017 and a 9-year-old girl between August 2015 and June 2017, according to the OCDA.

One has to wonder how exactly the SAUSD is vetting their hires.

The OCDA received a $1.47 M grant to combat DUIs

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) is proud to announce that it has been chosen by the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to continue serving as the statewide traffic safety training agency in an ongoing effort to combat drugged and drunk driving across California.

OTS has awarded the OCDA two grants totaling $1.47 million in order to fund the office’s Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program, which dedicates eight prosecutors to prosecuting drugged and drunk driving cases, as well as continue the California Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Training Network, which trains California law enforcement and prosecutors on how to effectively prosecute driving under the influence cases.

Unfortunately, the number of drug-impaired driving cases investigated and prosecuted across California has increased in the wake of the state’s 2016 decriminalization of marijuana.

“I have committed my public safety career to stopping drunk and drugged driving.” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The unnecessary loss of life is why I, as a member of the State Assembly, authored the Steve Ambriz Act to require every Californian who wants a driver’s license to sign a form that states he or she has been advised that being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, impairs the ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, and if they do so anyway and someone is killed, they can be charged with murder.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has taken the statewide lead in providing police officers and prosecutors with cutting edge training to hold drugged and drunk drivers accountable and make California streets safer.”

OCDA was awarded $754,563 for the Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program and $722,513 for the California Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Training Network.

In 2011, OCDA developed a multi-agency collaborative driving under the influence of drugs prosecution, investigation and toxicology model which has served as the innovative foundation to develop a statewide program.

In October 2016, OCDA expanded its traffic safety training role to the Southern California region, serving as the lead agency in prosecution and law enforcement training. This includes the delivery of live trainings, roundtables, training videos, and legal updates. In 2017, OCDA began to develop a statewide training program through its administration of the Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor (TSRP) Training Network. As part of this process, OCDA has begun to align law enforcement and prosecution agencies throughout the state to create a massive statewide training, resource and education network. This responsibility offers agencies throughout the state the opportunity to share expertise in the area of traffic safety as the OCDA works in partnership to proactively investigate and prosecute traffic related crimes, increasing public safety in all jurisdictions throughoutCalifornia.

During the 2019 grant year, our TSRP team conducted more than 50 trainings to prosecutors, peace officers, toxicologists, community members, and policymakers about the dangers, investigation, and prosecution of driving under the influence of drugs

As part of these OTS grants, OCDA maintains eight vertical DUI-Drug prosecutors assigned throughout Orange County.

These deputy district attorneys review, file and prosecute nearly all drug-impaired driving cases filed in Orange County.

Collectively in the 2019 grant year, OCDA prosecutors filed charges on more than 1,000 Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) and combination cases submitted by police agencies and secured more than 400 convictions in DUID and combination cases.

This year, the eight prosecutors assigned to the program are Deputy District Attorneys Matthew Bradbury and Jessica Le of Central Justice Center, Alex Brown and Andrea Schug of West Justice Center, Charles Henninger and Katheryn Fernandez of Harbor Justice Center, and Ben Atienza and Christina Cornejo of North Justice Center.

The Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program grant is overseen by Assistant District Attorneys Suzie Price and Brock Zimmon. The TSRP Training Network grant is under the supervision of Senior Assistant District Attorney Keith Bogardus and Assistant District Attorney Brock Zimmon. The TSRP team consists of Deputy District Attorneys Hoon Chang and Dalia Wahab and OCDA Investigator Eric Franke.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Costa Mesa male nanny charged with molesting 17 young boys in his care

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man who served as a male nanny for families across Southern California was charged with additional felony child molestation charges today for victimizing 17 young boys under his care. The boys ranged in age from two to 12 years old.

Matthew Antonio Zakrzewski, 30, of Costa Mesa, was arrested on May 17, 2019 by Laguna Beach Police Department detectives at a local airport after deplaning an international flight. Zakrzewski was originally charged with three felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14, and one felony count of oral copulation of a child under the age of 10. He was also charged with one felony count of possession of child pornography.

Zakrzewski pleaded not guilty to the original charges in May. He is currently being held at the Orange County Jail on $1.25 million bail.

Zakrzewski now faces a total of 33 felony counts, including 27 felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14, one felony count of oral copulation of a child under the age of 10, and one felony count of possession of child pornography. He also faces one felony count of using a minor for sex acts, two felony counts of distributing pornography to a minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct, and one felony count of an attempted lewd or lascivious act with a minor under the age of 14.

Prosecutors allege the crimes were committed between January 1, 2014 and May 17, 2019. He faces 690 years to life plus eight years if convicted on all charges.

Investigators asked for the public‘s help in locating any other potential victims. As the investigation progressed, additional victims were identified through video evidence and tips from the public, resulting in additional charges being filed against Zakrzewski.

In early May 2019, a Laguna Beach couple had reported to Laguna Beach Police that their babysitter, Zakrzewski, had touched their eight-year-old son inappropriately and was concerned for the safety of their son and potentially other children.

The couple had hired Zakrzewski to care for their eight-year-old child through one of his several babysitting websites. The Laguna Beach Police Department’s Major Crimes & Intelligence Unit immediately opened an investigation, which led to the identification of a second seven-year-old victim in the City of Los Angeles, and ten more boys from across Southern California.

“These parents were led to believe that they could trust this man with the most precious thing in their entire world – their children,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “Instead, he preyed on these innocent boys and violated that trust in a vile and sadistic way.”

Anyone who has information related to this investigation or any other unreported incidents involving Zakrzewski is urged to call the Laguna Beach Investigations Division line at (949) 715-1300.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Heidi Garrel of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.

Garden Grove man going to prison for over 19 years after a carjacking and high speed chase that cost an SAPD police dog his teeth

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – A Garden Grove man who carjacked a woman and led police on a televised high-speed pursuit that ended with the suspect being bitten by a police K-9, causing the dog to lose its front teeth has pleaded guilty.

Antonio Padilla Jr., 38, was sentenced to 19 years and four months in state prison.

Padilla pleaded guilty today to one felony count of carjacking, one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon on an officer, one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon, one felony count of assault on a police animal and one count of felony evasion.

Padilla was arrested on February 26, 2018, a week after he attempted to run over a Garden Grove Police motor officer who had pulled him over for speeding and was writing him a ticket. The officer managed to jump out of the way and was not harmed.

Garden Grove police tracked Padilla’s vehicle to Santa Ana on February 26, 2018, and asked Santa Ana police to assist in stopping the defendant.

Padilla refused to stop for police, and began driving more than 60 miles an hour on surface streets while running stop signs and traffic lights.

The high speed pursuit continued into the City of Irvine, where he dragged a 22-year-old woman out of the SUV she was driving and carjacked her. The woman’s brother witnessed the carjacking and began struggling with Padilla. While the two men struggled, Padilla accelerated the vehicle, narrowly missing hitting the carjacking victim’s brother.

Padilla continued the pursuit in the carjacked vehicle, hitting several other vehicles until he hit a raised curb, disabling the vehicle.

Padilla got out of the SUV and ran from the pursuing police officers. Sana Ana Police deployed K9 Puskas, who brought Padilla down.

SAPD Police Dog Puskas in recovery

While being held by Puskas, Padilla continued to hit the K9. The chase and arrest was covered live by multiple television stations.

Puskas suffered multiple injuries, including the loss of most of the dog’s upper and lower teeth, and had to undergo surgery. Puskas recovered from his injuries and returned to work patrolling the streets of Santa Ana.

SAPD Police Dog Puskas

“Our K-9s are invaluable assets to our law enforcement family, and it is due to the training and dedication of Puskas and his human partners that a dangerous criminal is off the streets and behind bars,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

Two 18-year-olds facing felony charges after pimping an underage girl in Santa Ana

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Carlos Guadalupe Garcia and Leilani Celeste Parker, a pair of 18-year-olds, are facing charges of pimping a teenage girl in Santa Ana and Pomona, according to the O.C. Register.

The suspects were arrested last Friday for allegedly pimping the 15-year-old victim, according to the SAPD.

Garcia and Parker pleaded not guilty on Tuesday and will be returning to the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Sept. 5.

Both of the suspects face multiple felony charges including human trafficking of an underage victim, pimping for a prostitute younger than 16, and pandering with a minor younger than 16. Garcia is also charged with pimping and pandering of another victim, who is an adult woman.

SAPD police officers who were working an operation in Santa Ana last Friday saw Parker and the teen in a high-prostitution area of the city, where the suspect was allegedly training the girl to be a prostitute.

Garden Grove man charged with killing his mother

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SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 28-year-old Garden Grove man has been charged with beating and stabbing his mother to death, according to the OCDA.

Jonathan Michael Warner, 28, of Garden Grove was charged today with one felony count of murder. He faces a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison if convicted.

Warner is scheduled to be arraigned in CJ1 today. He is currently being held at the Orange County Jail without bail.

Jonathan Warner’s DMV Photo

Warner is alleged to have beat, bludgeoned, and stabbed 62-year-old Vivian Wolff to death, leaving her body under a comforter in her bedroom. Wolff was discovered on Tuesday, August 6, 2019 by friends who came to check on her after she stopped returning phone calls.

Vivian Wolff

Warner was arrested by officers the Garden Grove Police Department on August 8, 2019 near police headquarters.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Heather Brown of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

Westminster mother and daughter charged in the largest Section 8 housing fraud case in O.C. history

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SANTA ANA, Calif.- A mother and daughter from Westminster have been charged with felony welfare fraud charges for bilking Orange County’s Housing Authority (Section 8) and the County’s In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program out of more than $190,000. The pair is accused of engaging in the largest housing fraud scheme in Orange County history.

Errica Madkins Mickens 55, of Westminster and Brittany Monet Mickens, 29, of Westminster, were arrested Thursday by investigators from the Orange County District Attorney’s Public Assistance Division.

They are currently being held at the Orange County Jail on $190,000 bail each.

Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens are each facing one felony count of grand theft public housing fraud, one felony count of grand theft of housing funds, one felony count of medical insurance fraud of IHSS, and one felony count of grand theft of IHSS funds. They are also facing four enhancements of aggravated white collar crime over $100,000 and under $500,000.

They face a maximum of eight years in state prison if convicted on all charges.

“The County’s In Home Supportive Services program provides the ability for relatives to provide the compassionate care to loved ones in need,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The brazen way this program was exploited by these two individuals to steal taxpayer dollars is beyond disturbing. If you’re going to cheat the system, we will find out and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”

Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens used multiple birth certificates and identification cards in order to gain eligibility for public programs while concealing their true identities.

Errica Mickens is a current IHSS client who receives the maximum benefit, which is reserved for the most severely disabled clients who require 285 hours of assistance per month. Brittany Mickens was serving as her in-home care provider under the guise that her mother was unable to speak or walk.

While under surveillance by the District Attorney’s Public Assistance Division, Errica Mickens was observed moving trash cans, carrying vehicle tires, driving a vehicle, shopping in grocery stores and handling large suitcases without assistance.

The pair did not disclose their familial relationship when applying for public assistance. The investigation revealed that Brittany Mickens was the owner of the house for which her mother was illegally receiving a housing voucher.

Applicants are not eligible to receive housing vouchers while they are living in a home owned by a relative.

Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens also recently flew to France, Belize, and Italy, posting pictures on their Facebook profiles of riding around Italy and touring Belize. Errica Mickens also posted a photo of her and her daughter on a rollercoaster at Disneyland Paris despite claiming to be bedridden.

The investigation revealed more than $600,000 in bank accounts held by Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens as well as a 2019 Land Rover that the pair recently purchased.

The District Attorney’s Public Assistance Division launched an investigation into Errica Mickens and Brittany Mickens after being notified of discrepancies by the Orange County Housing Authority. The Orange County Housing Authority administers federal funding allocated to the County to provide monthly rental assistance to more than 12,000 very low-income households.

The investigation was assisted by the Westminster Police Department, the Orange County Probation Department, Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and the California Department Health Care Service, which is the investigative arm of Medi-Cal.

Deputy District Attorney Demetra Lewis of the Major Fraud Unit is prosecuting this case.

Pastor who volunteered at the Fountain Valley police and fire departments charged with 11 counts of child molestation

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Victims Ranged in Age from Five to 15 Years Old

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man who served as a head pastor at several Southern California churches faces 11 child molestation charges for victimizing seven children ranging in age from five to 15 years old.

John Rodgers McFarland, 67, of Fullerton was arrested on May 9, 2019. He is charged with seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14, and four felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor between the ages of 14 and 15.

Prosecutors allege the molestations for the current offenses occurred between 2003 and 2017.

McFarland is currently being held on $2 million bail at the Orange County Jail. He faces a maximum sentence of 179 years to life if convicted on all counts.

McFarland has been the head pastor at Orangethorpe United Methodist Church in Fullerton since 2016. He also served as a volunteer chaplain for the Fountain Valley Police Department and Fountain Valley Fire Department.

McFarland was a pastor at Surf City Church in Huntington Beach between 2011 and 2016, and served as senior pastor at Fountain Valley United Methodist Church for 26 years from 1988 to 2016. He served as a youth pastor at the San Dieguito Methodist Church in Encinitas from 1978 to 1981 and attended Christian Youth Camps during his ministry there. McFarland’s first appointment as senior pastor was at Calexico United Methodist Church in Calexico, where he served from 1981 to 1988.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on May 13, 2019 in Department CJ-1.

Deputy District Attorney Ann Fawaz of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.