Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: sex offenders

There are 626 registered sex offenders currently living in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in california, Cochino Alert, Crime, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Did you know that there are currently 626 registered sex offenders listed in Santa Ana, according to the California Megan’s Law website? This list includes transient offenders.

At the federal level, Megan’s Law requires persons convicted of sex crimes against children to notify local law enforcement of any change of address or employment after release from custody (prison or psychiatric facility). The notification requirement may be imposed for a fixed period of time—usually at least ten years—or permanently. Continue reading→

Sexual registrant arrested while he was hanging out nude on a porch

Posted on by Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime 1 Comment
Jeffrey Smith

Jeffrey Smith

Costa Mesa Police Department

Community Alert: Sexual Registrant Arrested

Shortly after 6 a.m. this morning, Costa Mesa Police Officers were dispatched to an apartment complex on the 2100 block of Orange Avenue regarding the report of a naked male found by residents on their porch. Officers located and arrested the nude male, 43-year old Jeffrey Smith. Costa Mesa Police Detectives had been investigating Smith, since May of 2015, for several cases involving sexual battery, burglary, indecent exposure, peeping, prowling and trespassing. Those earlier cases all occurred during early morning hours on the east side of Costa Mesa.

In late April, Smith had been arrested for failing to register as a sex offender with Costa Mesa, and he was sentenced to 60 days in jail. Approximately one month later, in May, Smith was arrested in Costa Mesa for battery and trespassing charges. In early July, Smith was arrested for failing to register as a sex offender with Costa Mesa, however, upon formal review of the case by court staff, he was subsequently released from custody. Continue reading→

Group sues the City of Orange over sex offender Halloween sign ordinance

Posted on by Posted in Civil Rights, Courts, Crime, Orange, Santa Ana Leave a comment

California Reform Sex Offender Laws, an advocacy group, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging a Halloween ordinance in Orange that requires sex offenders to post a sign on the front door of their residence notifying trick-or-treaters that no candy is available, according to the O.C. Register.

The signs, which are mandated by the city, read “no candy or treats at this  residence,” and must be no smaller than 12 inches by 24 inches. The ordinance, passed in 2010, also bans sex offenders from putting out  holiday decorations, leaving outdoor lights on, and answering the door for  children on Oct. 31, according to KTLA. Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council expands law to keep sex offenders out of public parks

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Youth Activities 18 Comments

Man lurking at Santiago Park

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: May 22, 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

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY APPLAUDS SANTA ANA FOR EXPANDING LAW TO KEEP REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS
OUT OF CITY PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS

SANTA ANA – The City of Santa Ana enacted a law yesterday to expand child safety zones to protect children from registered sex offenders in city parks, playgrounds, and other children’s facilities after a first reading of the ordinance. The Santa Ana City Council voted unanimously to pass the ordinance yesterday, May 21, 2012. There will be a second reading of the Ordinance June 4, 2012. The Ordinance becomes effective 30 days after the second reading. The ordinance incorporated many of the County’s Sex Offender Ordinance to their existing Child Safety Ordinance. The City Council includes Mayor Miguel Pulido, Mayor pro tem Claudia Alvarez, Council Members David Benavides, Carlos Bustamante, Michele Martinez, Vincent Sarmiento, and Sal Tinajero. Continue reading→

Santa Ana child counselor/molester convicted

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Santa Ana 2 Comments

A counselor for a Fullerton children’s home was convicted this week of molesting three boys in his office while they used his phone to call their families living in other countries. Victor Salazar, 30, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury of four felony counts of lewd acts on a child between the ages of 14 and 15 and two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery. He faces a maximum sentence of seven years and eight months in state prison and lifetime sex offender registration, according to a press release from the Orange County District Attorney.

Between May 25, 2007, and Feb. 5, 2008, Salazar molested three boys between the ages of 15 and 16 and from South or Central America. While the boys were on the phone in his office, Salazar put his hands down their pants and fondled their penises, according to the OC Weekly. Continue reading→

City of Santa Ana to consider an ordinance to ban sex offenders from parks?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Courts, Crime, Paul Walters, Politics, Santa Ana 9 Comments

Men lurking at Santiago Park

The City of Santa Ana may act to keep sex offenders out of our parks!

I got a press release today from the O.C. District Attorney’s office, announcing that the City of Laguna Hills has become the latest city to consider an ordinance banning registered sex offenders from their city parks.

The City of Huntington Beach also just passed a similar ordinance.  “City Council members at their meeting Monday approved the ordinance in a 4-3 vote with council members Connie Boardman, Joe Shaw and Keith Bohr dissenting,” according to the O.C. Register.

I have written a few posts asking why the City of Santa Ana hasn’t considered a similar ordinance, given that we have over 200 registered sex offenders living in our city.  This time I sent an email to the City Council and to SAPD Chief and Acting City Manager Paul Walters.  Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez quickly responded: Continue reading→

When will Santa Ana act to keep sex offenders out of our local parks?

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Youth Activities 9 Comments

Men lurking at dusk at Santa Ana’s Santiago Park

UPDATE: The City of Mission Viejo is also considering a new ordinance banning registered sex offenders from their parks, at their City Council meeting tonight.  Click here to read the press release, from the O.C. District Attorney’s office.

The City of Los Alamitos enacted tonight a law to create child safety zones to protect children from registered sex offenders in city parks and playgrounds, according to an O.C. District Attorney press release.  The O.C. Board of Supervisors passed a similar measure in April of this year.  Click here to read about that.

When is the City of Santa Ana going to pass a similar motion?  It is a well known fact that perverts congregate nightly at Santa Ana’s Santiago Park.  Continue reading→

County of Orange bans perverts in parks, should Santa Ana do so too?

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Orange County, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

Orange County supervisors have approved a law significantly restricting the movements of registered sex offenders, banning them from entering some beaches, parks and harbor areas, according to the L.A. Times.

Under the proposal, registered sex offenders caught in designated county recreational areas where children regularly gather would be subject to misdemeanor charges. Violators could be punished with up to six months in jail and/or a $500 fine, according to the OC Weekly.

Kudos to O.C. District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and O.C. Supervisor Shawn Nelson for drafting this ordinance.  Now we need to pass a similar law here in Santa Ana.

As my readers might recall, I spent a lot of time researching the problem of men lurking at Santiago Park, after I personally observed these men and found spent condoms and vinyl gloves on the park’s trail.

I found a report by the Santa Ana Police Department, dated 2001, indicating that the City of Santa Ana has known about this problem – for over 25 years.

The SAPD ended up arresting a bunch of these perverts after I wrote a few posts about this problem.  Click here to read about their sting operation.

Is this a problem in Santa Ana?  You bet.  In fact, we have over 200 registered sex offenders in our city, according to another of my investigative reports.

It is time for our City Council to pass a law, like the new County law, banning sexual predators from all of our city parks.

If you would like to communicate your feelings about this to the SAPD, click here. Click here to contact the Santa Ana City Council.  You can contact City Manager Dave Ream’s assistant, Mark Lawrence, at MLawrence@santa-ana.org.

State Senator Lou Correa to host a forum on sex offender housing issues on Friday, May 14

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Housing, Lou Correa, Public Safety, Santa Ana, Women, Youth Activities 3 Comments

Do your neighbors look like these guys?

State Senator Lou Correa is hosting a Public Forum on Sex Offender Housing Issues, on Friday, May 14, from  3 pm – 5 pm, at the Rancho Santiago Community College District Building, which is located at 2323 N. Broadway, in Santa Ana.

This discussion is an opportunity for Senator Correa to hear from concerned residents about sex offenders living in their communities.

Resident’s are encouraged to bring their specific concerns to the forum in order to facilitate possible solutions. This dialogue will help Senator Correa better address community concerns legislatively, as well as create a discourse among concerned residents. Continue reading→

Did you know that there are 220 registered sex offenders living in Santa Ana?

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

There are 220 registered sex offenders living in Santa Ana!

I have never looked at the Megan’s Law website until tonight, and I was shocked to find out that 220 registered sex offenders live here in Santa Ana, according to this link.  In fact, 31 of them live in my zip code (92706).

The good news is that it could be worse.  Anaheim has 270 registered sex offenders.  Long Beach has 672 registered sex offenders.   Oakland has 593 registered sex offenders.  And San Diego has 933 registered sex offenders.  All of those cities are comparable in population with Santa Ana.

Nevertheless, this explains at least partially why we have had such a problem with perverts lurking at Santiago Park!  You may recall that a recent undercover operation by the Santa Ana Police Department resulted in the arrest of nine men who were lurking at Santiago Park. Continue reading→