RANCHO CUCAMONGA – Nearly two years after an armed robbery at an Ontario restaurant, a Fontana gang member found guilty of the crime was sentenced to 52 years.

Daniel Ruben Chavira, 23, of Fontana, was handed the sentence by Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court Judge Gregory Tavill earlier this week, having been found guilty of a 10 felony counts on March 14.

Jurors convicted Chavira, who goes by the gang name “Demon,” of robbery, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, false imprisonment and a felon in possession of a firearm.
San Bernardino County District Attorney spokesman Chris Lee said on Wednesday, who issued a statement about the sentencing, said Chavira also had gang allegations connected to the counts, adding to Tavill’s sentencing. Chavira will serve the time in state prison, said Lee.
At the time of their arrest, the trio was believed to have committed 12 similar takeover robberies.

Chavira orders a restaurant employee to the ground

They were arrested immediately after the Sept. 6, 2012 robbery when two Ontario policemen observed the crime, pursuing them until they were in custody.
Two other defendants, Julio Vega, 19, of Fontana, and Ronnie Buzenes, of Riverside, 24, had already pleaded guilty. Reports are that they entered Farmer Boys restaurant just before 10 p.m. that night. Chavira and Vega wore ski masks to cover their faces.

Chavira, who had used a stolen .380-caliber handgun, took control of employees and customers at the restaurant. Vega forced the restaurant manager to open the safe, according to investigators’ reports. Both men fled in a Toyota that was driven by Buzenes, said the reports.

Ontario police officers who had observed the robbery via a stakeout caught the three men after they robbed the restaurant at Francis St. and Grove Ave.
Officers chased the robbers into Riverside County where they got onto the eastbound 60 freeway, exiting at Country Village Rd. in Glen Avon before stopping. Officers recovered the weapon and the stolen cash. More evidence was found at the home of the three men, said investigators.

Vega received a 10-year sentence while Buzenes was sentenced to four years and eight months.

Read More:

Daily Bulletin News: Trio arrested in Inland Empire fast-food robberies

REDLANDS – A task force, investigating series of burglaries and thefts in an unincorporated area between Riverside and San Bernardino counties, made four arrests and recovered thousands of dollars in stolen property last week.

The four men, who police said have been operating since January, were all residents of Yucaipa.

Edward Todd Champ, 47, and Ahmad Jamal McAlister, 38, were arrested when patrolling officers stopped a white Ford Ranger truck at Live Oak Canyon Rd. in the early morning hours. Champ was also wanted on a parole violation.

Police discovered construction equipment and parts, plus mail that had been stolen from four different locations, in the pickup. Police said two mountain bikes were discovered, “which may possibly be unreported stolen property.”

Lt. Travis Martinez, a Redlands Police spokesman who was leading the investigative detail, said the belief was that the “thefts were being committed by the same suspects.”
Martinez said police recovered over $70,000 in stolen property to 11 different victims that lived in four cities. He said a special unit with various tactics and resources was designed to investigate.

That arrest, said Martinez, led detectives to serve a search warrant at a residence in neighboring Yucaipa at the 12000 block of 14th St. Detectives located over $45,000 in stolen property, including a trailer, construction equipment, power tools, hand tools, appliances, air compressors and tractor parts.

At the 14th St. residence, Richard Blair Whitling, 48, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. Cecil Hunter, 43, was arrested for outstanding warrants.
Further investigation, said Martinez, led detectives to a storage facility in Yucaipa where a stolen motorcycle, four firearms, furniture, dirt bike riding gear, antiques and mountain bikes were discovered. A stolen ATV was also discovered at a residence in San Bernardino.

Police obtained a $100,000 bail enhancement on Champ.

Read More:

Press Enterprise: $70,000 worth of stolen property recovered

ONTARIO – A man died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, ending a SWAT team standoff on Sunday night.

He was discovered by SWAT team robot, which ended a six-hour standoff.

Ontario police evacuated neighbors from nearby residences when a 30-year-old unidentified man, reportedly using methamphetamine, fired a single gunshot. Thirty seconds later, said an Ontario Police spokesman, another gunshot went off inside the home.

A woman and child were inside the home at the 2900 block of East Dunlin Way, which is about two blocks from the Ontario Police Department.

Officers saw the man in a window, then heard a gunshot from inside the home. Sgt. Jeff Higbee, the police spokesman, said another gunshot followed.

The ordeal began shortly after 3 p.m. Higbee said police received a call from the home which ended with a hang-up. When officers responded, speaking with a woman and child at the front door, they were evacuated.

Unable to negotiate a peaceful surrender through family members, police were unable to communicate with the suspect by phone or loudspeaker. By 8:35 p.m., a SWAT team member launched a tear gas capsule into the home. One hour later, the SWAT robot entered the residence. It was determined the suspect had died by a self-inflicted gunshot. A shotgun was found nearby.

The crime scene included two incident command trucks, armored vehicles along with marked and unmarked police cars.

During the ordeal, officers evacuated neighbors from their homes by pulling them out of windows in order to keep them out of firing range from the barricaded home.

Read More:

Daily Bulletin: Man found dead after 6-hour standoff

SAN BERNARDINO – Three men accused of murderer were found guilty in the killings of two teenagers, plus three counts of attempted murder in a 2011 Redlands shooting that had apparent revenge motives.

Anthony Legaspi, 20, who was thought to be the shooter, was convicted, along with Jose Lara, 30, and John David Salazar, 25, in San Bernardino County Superior Court in verdicts that were read on Tuesday afternoon.

On a Monday night shooting rampage that left teenagers Quinn McCaleb and Andrew Jackson dead, the suspects were also convicted in the attempted murders of Jordan Howard and Tequan Thomas.
During the evening hours on Jan. 5, 2011, five teenagers had congregated at a playground near an apartment complex, located on Oxford Dr., near Colton Ave. Gunfire rang out as the teenage victims were making plans for the night.

McCaleb, 17, was shot three times, tried to escape but collapsed and died on the scene. Jackson died a short time later at an area hospital.
Investigators dug into the case for over a year until, in March 2012, arrests were made in the case dubbed the Cinnamon Creek Apartment shootings.

Prosecutors presented evidence that the three suspects were members of the Varrio gang, a Redlands-based group that claimed that portion of the city as their territory. A fourth defendant, Adrian Powers, took a plea bargain to voluntary manslaughter and wound up testifying against the other suspects at the trail.

Claiming that Legaspi was the sole shooter, evidence was presented that Salazar drove the car the fled the area and that Lara had provided the gun.
Legaspi, who faces 220 years to life, had claimed that a group of black people tried to jump him earlier in the day. His shooting rampage was in retaliation. The two dead teens were black.
A fifth teenager, Antonio Puente, 16, was not injured.

Lara and Salazar, who face 176 years to life, were also convicted of street terrorism and Lara was convicted for being an accessory after the fact.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 20.

Read More:

Press Enterprise: 3 men guilty on all counts in teens’ slaying

Redlands Daily Facts: Cinnamon Creek trial nears end

YUCAIPA – A Yucaipa man who attacked a 26-year-old woman, chased down by a city resident who was stabbed to death, was arraigned on Tuesday.

Vincent Alex DeLeon, 26, tied to rob Krystina Hanrahan in the parking lot of a Stater Bros. grocery store on Sunday night. While her two-year-old daughter sat in a shopping cart, police said DeLeon stabbed Hanrahan five times and stole her purse and car keys.

Police reported that a Good Samaritan, Troy Cansler, 47, chased after DeLeon, tracked him down near Fourth St., struggled with him near a fast-food restaurant and was stabbed to death by the suspect.

On Wednesday, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s officials released more information about the attack.

DeLeon was quickly arrested at a nearby bar by sheriff’s deputies after the 9:30 p.m. attack. The store, which is located on a busy Yucaipa Blvd., is only a few blocks from the Yucaipa substation.

DeLeon, who pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder and robbery, was arraigned on Tuesday morning by video conference in San Bernardino.

Cansler left a wife and 12-year-old daughter.

Reports stated that Hanrahan bought about $60 of groceries and with her daughter in the shopping cart, she was standing behind her car when DeLeon slammed her head onto the car. Her purse had been placed on the car when he attacked.

She tried to defend herself against the attack and eventually realized that the suspect’s punches were stabbings. When DeLeon tried to flee, Cansler came up behind her, inquired as to her condition and proceeded to chase the suspect.

DeLeon dropped the the purse and car keys as he fled.

The two men fought, falling to the ground, according to reports, and in the struggle Cansler was stabbed. Paramedics took him to a nearby hospital emergency room where he died from his wounds.

Hanrahan, who lives in nearby Cherry Valley, was released from the hospital the day after the attack. Reports say that she was visiting with family in Yucaipa and stopped at the market on her way home. She did not know Cansler before the attack.

During the attack, Hanrahan had been stabbed in her chest and arms.

Read More:

ABC: Good Samaritan slain chasing robbery suspect

Yahoo News: Hero dies from knife injuries after fighting off attacker

SAN BERNARDINO – Authorities targeting a major gang that has spread across the United States made over 100 arrests in Southern California last week, more than 600 nationally that include at least 100 total gangs.

Investigators from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement team led the raids, which took prisoners into custody on either criminal charges or immigration violations, information released this week. The “Project Southbound” netted 131 arrests across five Southern California counties – Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura – though breakdowns for each city and county were not yet available. There were 638 arrests made nationally, according to a release.

The massive state and national sweep included the Mexican Mafia gang, Los Sureños. A total of 19 firearms were also seized during the month-long local operation that that took place from March 12 through April 13.

Authorities said membership and cliques associated with Sureños have grown quickly, faster than any other national-level gang in the U.S., numbers that were released by the Department of Justice’s National Gang Intelligence Center’s 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment.

The gang has been linked to murder, extortion, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking and prostitution, according to San Bernardino County officials. Estimates link Sureños members to over 30,000 people across the U.S. Also known as Sur 13, the gang was originally formed in Southern California. Nationwide affiliates pay tribute to the Mexican Mafia and the number “13” is considered the symbol that signifies “M” in the alphabet for Mexican Mafia.

Los Angeles County is considered the hub of the gang’s activities, according to authorities. Special agent Claude Arnold, who heads up the Homeland Security Investigations in Southern California, released a statement calling the operation a success.  But he noted there was still plenty more work, stating, “These are ruthless people whose criminal activities and turf wars menace our communities and place innocent members of the public in harm’s way.”

Arnold said there are more than 150,000 documented gang members in the L.A. area. During the month-long sweep, special agents with Homeland Security combined with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

According to a release, 106 suspects are facing state prosecution for violations that range from weapons offenses to drug charges. Some may be facing removal from the country.

Read More:

Press Telegram: Massive Gang sweep nets 130 arrests

OC Register: Seven O.C. arrests part of national gang sweep

MENTONE – Shots fired at an area high school campus late Sunday night brought San Bernardino County deputies.

No arrests were made at the event which had not been sanctioned by the school, a campus official told law enforcement officers.  They responded to a call at 10:38 p.m. to reports that three gunshots apparently had been fired.

Some 200 students were camping in the quad area at Redlands East Valley High School, which is located in the 31000 block at East Colton Ave. They were taking part in an overnight campout, an event that Principal John Maloney said was not authorized by school officials.

Deputies from nearby Yucaipa Sheriff’s substation and Redlands city police responded, locked down the enclosed campus, eventually searching the school for the shooters. No injuries were reported and deputies began releasing students to their families just after midnight.

Investigators said students were camping in the enclosed quad area when several people that were not REV students entered the area. When the non-students were told to leave, an argument developed.

Eventually, they got into their car – described as a dark gray or black Lexus sedan – and one fired three shots into the air, according to deputies. Those non-students were not yet identified by authorities.
Due to the prank mentality of the unauthorized campout, there were no school officials present, according to authorities.

Authorities are continuing their investigation.

Read More:

Redlands Daily Facts: Redlands East Valley High School prank turns into shooting

MENTONE – Shots fired at an area high school campus late Sunday night brought San Bernardino County deputies, but the reported shots may have been a prank.

No arrests were made at the event, which had not been sanctioned by the school, a campus official told law enforcement officers that had responded to three gunshots apparently fired into the air.
No one saw a gun, according to reports and there were no bullet casings found at the scene by law enforcement.

Students camping in the quad area at Redlands East Valley High School, an event that was unknown to school officials, called San Bernardino County deputies at 10:38 p.m. when those shots were fired.
Some 200 students were at the school, which is located in the 31000 block at East Colton Ave. They were taking part in an overnight campout, an event that Principal John Maloney said was not authorized by school officials.

Deputies from nearby Yucaipa Sheriff’s substation and Redlands City police responded, locked down the enclosed campus, eventually searching the school for the shooters. No injuries were reported and deputies began releasing students to their families just after midnight.

Investigators said students were camping in the enclosed quad area when three people not associated with REV students entered the area. When the non-students were told to leave, an argument developed.
Eventually, they got into their car – described as a dark gray or black Lexus sedan – and one fired three shots into the air, according to reports made to deputies. Those non-students were not yet identified by authorities. Students, it was reported, were cooperative.

Due to the prank mentality of the unauthorized campout, there were no school officials present, according to authorities. According to school officials, there was no evidence that shots were fired despite what has come out in media reports.

Read More:

SAN BERNARDINO – Two toy guns were found by police after a SWAT standoff ended a carjacking that started with a suspect’s threats.

An area around Highland and Del Rosa avenues were evacuated by police early Tuesday night when police spotted two carjacking suspects in a stolen Honda Accord. A short chase that reached speeds up to 100-miles an hour ended when the driver crashed the stolen car on Highland Ave.

Lt. Rich Lawhead, spokesman for San Bernardino Police, said the driver, Leslie Eugene Johnson, 34, of Yucaipa, lost control of the car while swerving around “to lose the officers.”
The passenger, Dustin Robert Woertink, 22, of San Bernardino, was arrested at gunpoint. Johnson ran away from the wreck, barricading himself in a garage in the 2200 block of Cedar St.
Lawhead said Johnson told officers he had a gun, threatening to shoot officers. Police evacuated nearby homes, sealing off the neighborhood until the SWAT team could arrive.

Shortly after 9 p.m., SWAT team members shot tear gas into the garage, leading to Johnson’s surrender. He was arrested on charges of carjacking, evading police, threatening police officers and resisting arrest.

No gun was found, but the suspect was armed with a knife.
The Honda Accord had been reported stolen one day earlier, said Lawhead.

Woertink suffered moderate injuries from the crash in which the Honda Accord bounced off the street curb.
No officers were injured during the siege, said Lawhead.

The car had been stolen in the Devore section of San Bernardino, which is the northern point of the city. The suspect and his description were dispatched to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, said Lawhead.
Read More:

Highland Community News: Carjacking, felony evading alleged

SAN BERNARDINO – A two-year-old girl, struck by a car on Sunday, died two days later. Police, who may have a description of the vehicle being sought, are still searching for a suspect in the hit-and-run death.

The accident, which occurred at 5:30 p.m. in the 2400 block of Mountain View Ave., sent the child to a nearby hospital in grave condition. San Bernardino Police spokesman Rich Lawhead said officers arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the call. “The vehicle had fled the scene prior to the officer’s arrival.”

The two-year-old victim, Asianae Thomas

The child, Asianae Thomas, entered the roadway and was struck by the vehicle. Lawhead said she was taken by family members to a nearby hospital. Lawhead said the officers had arrived “within minutes of receiving the original call. Officers arrived to discover very little physical evidence and several witnesses with varying descriptions of the suspected vehicle.”

Paramedics initially took her to St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino but she was later transferred to Loma Linda, a neighboring city. On Wednesday, police released a surveillance image of a vehicle officers suspect was involved in the crash, but no arrests have been made. The vehicle in a photo was taken off a video system at a local convenience store just south of the collision location. The vehicle turned northbound just one minute before police started receiving 911 calls.

“There appears to be some distinctive characteristics about the vehicle,” said Lawhead, adding that it appears to be a flatbed of some sort or it has a unique service bed. The truck appears dark in color and is in line with the original description. Lawhead is seeking the public’s assistance. “So far,” he said, “police have been unable to locate anyone who can provide the necessary information needed to identify a suspect or a vehicle in this tragic event. The police are asking for the public’s assistance.”

Read More:

CBSLA: Toddler dies after being struck in hit-and-run

SBSUN: SB police seek help identifying truck suspected in hit-and-run

SAN BERNARDINO – Police are still investigating three separate shootings that led to two deaths and one injury within a two-hour span on Sunday.

Noah Hernandez, 28, was found at the corner of Wall St. and 13th Ave. at 11:39 p.m., having been shot multiple times. He died after paramedics took him to Loma Linda University Medical Center. Twenty minutes earlier, Arutro Calderilla, 26, was discovered at the intersection at Highland Ave. and Sierra Way. He was taken to nearby St. Bernardino Medical Center where he died 20 minutes after his arrival.

Nearly two hours earlier, an unidentified man was shot multiple times in the 1500 block of Date St. Police are expecting him to survive the attack. Lt. Richard Lawhead, police spokesman, said there are no witnesses to any of the three shootings, other than residents hearing the gunshots.

Lawhead said the investigators are checking into the prospect that all three shootings were related, but there is only a minor connection. “The weapons in each case,” he said, “were small-caliber handguns.” Hernandez, who had stepped outside to have a cigarette, was found in the back yard of his residence when police arrived. Police reported that witnesses saw a motorist in a small pickup truck drive past Hernandez’s residence when an occupant fired at him.

Five shots were fired, said police. There were reports that Hernandez had been shot at in the Riverside Rubidoux area a little over one month earlier. No arrests were made in connection with that shooting. Lawhead said the officer who first discovered Calderilla thought the victim had suffered injuries in a traffic accident, but then saw multiple shooting wounds in his upper torso.

Police reports said Calderilla, who lived about a mile away from where he was discovered, had tried to flag down passing motorists before he collapsed. There are no known motives to any of the three shootings, said Lawhead, who added, “we need the public’s help if they heard or saw something.”

Read More:

SB Sun: 3 San Bernardino shootings leave 2 dead, 1 wounded

SAN BERNARDINO – Police have located a truck that was suspected in the eventual hit-and-run death of a two-year-old earlier this month.

San Bernardino Police said that Tuesday investigators are also looking for a dark colored sedan, “which followed the possible suspect vehicle northbound on the street which the hit-and-run had occurred,” said Lt. Richard Lawhead, police spokesman. They could be witnesses to the hit-and-run, he said.

On May 8, officers responded to tips that led them to an apartment complex regarding the truck that possibly matched the description of the May 4 incident in which a truck struck Asianae Thomas, who had entered the roadway.

The accident, which occurred at 5:30 p.m. in the 2400 block of Mountain View Ave., sent the child to a nearby hospital in grave condition. She died two days later. Lawhead said officers arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the call. “The vehicle had fled the scene prior to the officer’s arrival,” he said.

The child entered the roadway and was struck by the vehicle. Lawhead said she was taken by family members to a nearby hospital. Four days later, officers seized the truck at the apartment complex. It matched a description of the vehicle that was possibly involved in the crime, said Lawhead. He said the truck is being processed, which includes DNA samplings.

“Detectives have interviewed several people associated with the vehicle,” said Lawhead, “and the investigation is ongoing.”

Police had updated a photo of the suspect vehicle, one that had originally been taken from a store video a short distance from the hit-and-run site.

Asianae Thomas, 2-year-old victim

Lawhead said the occupants of the dark colored sedan can likely shed light on the suspect driver.

“It is believed that the occupants of this vehicle witnessed the collision but were unavailable for interview by the time officers arrived,” said Lawhead. “We believe that they may be able to provide crucial information and are being asked to come forward to speak with police regarding the incident.”

Read More:

KTLA: Possible witnesses in second car sought

CBSLA: Toddler dies after hit-and-run

VICTORVILLE – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s investigators were seeking the mother of three young children on Wednesday, May 14. One day later, law enforcement officers found them in Las Vegas. Original reports had Hannah Elisa Parks, 23, leaving a restaurant in a silver Toyota with faded paint.

Parks, according to reports, left a McDonald’s Restaurant on Palmdale Rd. with her three children, including Connor Parks, 5, Ariyana Tafoya, 3, and Derek Parks, 2, with an unidentified male. Reported to deputies at 5:25 p.m., Hannah Parks was having a court-allowed supervised visitation with her three children at the restaurant. She removed the children from the restaurant without permission, according to reports.

Parks was last seen leaving the restaurant in a red, four-day Pontiac sedan, an updated report from authorities. At the time, Victorville police reported a concern for the safety and welfare for the children. Parks had been known to frequent the areas in the high desert communities of Trona, Barstow, along with Bullhead City, Ariz.

San Bernardino County investigators released a statement on Friday that Parks had taken her children to a relative’s house in Las Vegas. The Metro Police Department located the children at 7:45 p.m. in the 1600 block of Palm St. Parks was taken into custody and the children were placed into protective custody. The children were not injured.

Victorville detectives traveled to Las Vegas to pick up the three children to return them to the custody of Child and Family Services in San Bernardino County. Hannah Parks will remain in the custody of Las Vegas Metro Police pending extradition.

Read More:

Daily Press: Taken children found in Vegas

The Sun: Woman suspected of stealing her kids nabbed

SAN BERNARDINO – A triple shooting that led to three men dying brought the death total to 18 in San Bernardino this year.

Police arrested Trayvon Stokes, 32, who had been positively identified in shooting three San Bernardino men in the hospitality section of San Bernardino early Friday morning.
Kavin Johnson, 26, of Colton, David Lawler, 21, and Terry Freeman, 20, both of San Bernardino, were shot to death in what police were saying may be a gang-related shooting. Investigators, according to San Bernardino spokesman Gary Robertson, are saying Stokes and at least one victim had gang ties.

The Ahalena Hookah Lounge, which is the only business open at that time of day, was the scene of the shooting. Some 60 to 100 were congregating outside the lounge, located on the 1900 block of South Diners Court, which is open 24 hours a day.  Police received the call about a shooting at 4:17 a.m.

“Just prior to the shooting,” said Robertson, “there was a verbal exchange between the victims and the suspect, and gang affiliation was verbally acknowledged.”

Johnson was found dead at the scene while Lawler and Freeman died at nearly Loma Linda University Medical Center, said police. Lawler and Freeman were half brothers, said police, and the three men were cousins.
Freeman, who took a bullet in his neck, walked away from the parking lot and eventually returned to the crime scene on foot before collapsing. Witnesses saw all three victims inside the lounge before the shooting.

Stokes, who had been positively identified as the shooter, was tracked down to a motel room in the Riverside County city of Moreno Valley, located about 20 miles from the crime scene. Police brought him back to San Bernardino for questioning where he was positively identified by witnesses as the shooter.

Robertson said Stokes began firing multiple shots that struck the three victims, got into a red or burgundy four-door car and fleeing the scene. Police did not say any other suspects were taken into custody.
Three shootings earlier in the week led to two other deaths, leaving 18 dead in 2014 in San Bernardino, according to police reports.

Read More:

KTLA: Man arrested in triple-fatal shooting

Press Enterprise: Suspect indentified in fatal shooting

VICTORVILLE – The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office must review reports that led to the arrest of three suspects on Monday for the sale of synthetic cannabinoids at a local smoke shop.

Charges have yet to be filed against Ali Hasan Alsaqqa, 59, the manager of My Generation Smoke Shop, along with Sossik Bedrosian-Nayman, 53, and Sara Mae Hale, 39. They were arrested at 3 p.m. when the Sheriff’s Narcotics Division Marijuana Enforcement Team determined that banned substances were being sold.

Detectives made contact with Bedrosian-Nayman and Hale, having received reports that the smoke shop was selling the substances, which are referred to as a spice. After serving a search warrant, detectives located a large quantity of spice, plus documents and currency consistent with the sales of the illicit substance. While all other tobacco products and merchandise were on display in the store, the spice was reportedly discovered hidden throughout the store in an obvious attempt to keep it concealed.

According to reports, detectives discovered that numerous individual sales transactions of spice were being conducted daily. Investigators seized 205 individual packages of spice, weighing 575 grams and one package of bath salts. The spice was sold in two, three and five gram packages ranging in price from $5 to $40 per package.

Alsaqqa told investigators that he had been advised in October 2013 by Sheriff’s Narcotics personnel that it was illegal to sell spice. At that time, area stores were given the opportunity to voluntarily surrender spice and bath salts to Sheriff’s personnel for destruction. Alsaqqa, according to a release, surrendered a substantial quantity of spice on that date and assured sheriff’s personnel that the business would no longer sell it.

Investigators learned that Alsaqqa purchased Spice after October 2013.

Spice is considered a synthetic narcotic similar to marijuana. The effects of spice include agitation, extreme nervousness, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia – a fast, racing heartbeat – elevated blood pressure, tremors and seizures, hallucinations, and dilated pupils.

The labeling, which includes the packaging and product names associated with spice are commonly marketed to appeal to teenage customers. Cartoon characters, colorful graphics and names familiar to adolescents are regularly used, according to investigators. The store is located on the 14600 block of Seventh St.

VICTORVILLE – Months after being alerted that selling “spice” was illegal and surrendering inventory, My Generation Smoke Shop was caught with a substantial quantity of spice on the premises and evidence of sales.

In October of 2013, San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department alerted businesses that the sale of “spice” and “bath salts,” as well as other synthetic narcotics was illegal. Store owners were given the opportunity to surrender any stock of the drugs that they might have without penalty. At this time, Ali Hasan Alsaqqa, 59, of Victorville, the owner of My Generation Smoke Shop surrendered a large quantity of spice and agreed that the business would no longer sell the drug.

After receiving information that the store was once again selling spice, detectives made contact with two store employees, Sossik Bedrosian Nayman, 53 and Sara Mae Hale, 39. This encounter led the detectives to come to the conclusion that spice was being sold.

After preparing a warrant, the detectives found a large amount of spice hidden throughout the store as well as documents and currency consistent with its sale. In total, detectives discovered 575 grams of spice and one package of bath salts. Investigators concluded that numerous individual sales transactions of spice were being conducted daily. Deputies have turned over the investigation to the District Attorney for the filing of criminal charges.

The Sheriff’s Department is currently working to get spice out of circulation and educate the community on the dangers of this and other synthetic narcotics. Spice, which is similar to marijuana, in particular is packaged with graphics and product names that appeal to teenagers. In a press release the department reports that, “The effects of spice include agitation, extreme nervousness, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, elevated blood pressure, tremors and seizures, hallucinations, and dilated pupils.” The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has designated the five active chemicals most frequently found in spice as Schedule I controlled substances, making it illegal to sell, buy, or possess them.

Read More:

The Sun: Victorville smoke shop suspected of selling spice

SAN BERNARDINO – Police have said they are pleased with the conviction of a former vice cop who was found guilty on two felony charges on Wednesday.

Jose Perez, 46, was convicted in Federal Court on two counts of deprivation of rights under the color of law and a civil rights offense that connected him with having sex with prostitutes three years ago.
“This case involved an extensive investigation conducted by our own detectives,” said Lt. Rich Lawhead, a spokesman for San Bernardino PD, also stating that law enforcement is often criticized about investigations “that involve our own personnel.”

Lawhead said San Bernardino police “is pleased with the outcome of the week long federal trial …”
It had been proven that Perez forced prostitutes to have sex with him while he was still in uniform. Prosecutors said Perez also guided fellow officers on how to properly conduct vice investigations.
But two unidentified prostitutes told investigators that they “engaged in the sex acts demanded by Perez only because they feared for their well-being because he was a police officer,” a statement read.

Parts of the evidence against Perez is that statements from two prostitutes alleging sexual conduct had been traced to the exact areas they reported via department GPS records.

During interviews, Perez admitted to having sex with one of the women, but both agreed that he had never paid for the services.
Lawhead said cases like these tends to tarnish the image of police, the ultimate outcome might lift the measure of “our department’s legitimacy.”

When Perez, who resides in the Riverside County community of Menifee, returns to court for sentencing on Aug. 18, he faces life in prison. Perez, who once worked as a Los Angeles city police officer, was fired from the San Bernardino force in Dec. 2012 after investigating the charges.

In a statement released by U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr., he said, “the charges in this case describe disgraceful abuses of police authority that simply cannot be tolerated in our society.”

Read More:

RawStory: Former California cop arrested for raping prostitutes

REDLANDS – Police conducted a specialized investigation over a string of gravesite thefts at a local cemetery, netting a suspect who was found with a stolen solar light last weekend.

On Wednesday, Lt. Travis Martinez said Kristen Janelle Unkelbach, 38, of neighboring Mentone, was arrested on Saturday morning.

The increase in thefts, said Martinez, resulted in the recovery of another solar light.

“The thefts may not seem like much in terms of dollar value,” said Martinez. “But the losses were very personal for the victims.”

The investigation on Saturday led police into conducting a traffic stop of the car being driven by Unkelbach. They located the first stolen light in her car, then accompanied the woman to her home where they located another stolen light that was taken from the cemetery, said Martinez.
Unkelbach was arrested for petty theft

Martinez said police are working with cemetery staff in trying to find the owner of the second stolen solar light.
In March, Redlands police arrested two women that were caught stealing from a grave at Hillside Memorial Park, located in the hills on Alessandro Rd., surrounded by Sunset Rd.

Police set up a sting operation that netted the arrests of Esha Sumaya Khondoker, 26, of Redlands, and Kulreet Nakai, 22, of Rancho Cucamonga. Police said the two women, who were stopped in the 1200 block of Olive Ave. in Redlands, admitted taking the items.

Martinez said they were caught stealing from a grave, eventually recovering additional items taken over several months from graves at the same cemetery. The items taken included flower arrangements, decorative solar lights and metal art.

Martinez said the investigation was important for the “peace of mind” with loved ones who were interred at the cemetery.

Read More:

Redlands Daily Facts: Woman arrested in theft at cemetary

RIALTO – One day after being shot by police during an early morning exchange of gunfire, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man who is accused of shooting at two girlfriends on May 21.

Darnell White III, 32, a parolee with an extensive criminal history, appeared in court on Wednesday, facing charges for attempted murder of a police officer. One day after the shootings, White was arrested at a home in the 200 block of West Nicolet St. in the Riverside County city of Banning. His bail was set at $1 million.

Police said White drove by his ex-girlfriend’s house with an assault rifle and opened fire in the Rubidoux section of Jurupa Valley in Riverside County. He then drove to his current girlfriend’s house Rialto, which is located in San Bernardino County, and shot at her. Both incidents occurred on Tuesday night, May 20.

Neither woman was injured.

At about 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday, May 21, a Rialto police officer observed two vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed on Pepper Ave. near Etiwanda Ave. The officer initiated a traffic stop, said police.

Reports stated that White, who is married, had been chasing his current girlfriend when the officer, initially thinking it was a road rage incident, made the stop.

A driver, identified as White, got out of a red Nissan with an assault rifle in the 900 block of East Mesa Dr., said police. When an officer opened fire, believing White had been struck, he was able to disappear into a nearby residence. After searching that residence, police discovered White had escaped, but his fully loaded assault rifle was recovered at the scene.

White had been struck in the lower abdomen, said police, but managed to run away and remain free for just over 24 hours. Banning is located about 40 miles east of Rialto. The extent of White’s injuries was not released by police.

No officers were injured.

Along with being charged with the attempted murder of a police officer, White also faces charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a gun.

Read More:

CBSLA: Police searching for parolee who pulled rifle

KPCC: Police search for driver who pulled assault rifle

 

 

 

SAN BERNARDINO – Police arrived at an apartment complex to discover a man had been stabbed, watched the suspect flee and then chased him down to take him into custody early Sunday morning. It was the suspect who had called police.  Robert Rosser, Jr., 23, was arrested at 1:57 a.m. after San Bernardino police responded to a call over a fight that had taken place at an apartment at 1390 North Sierra Way.

Sgt. Gary Robertson, San Bernardino Police spokesman, said that it was the suspect, Rosser, who had initially called to report a fight that he had been in with his stepfather, Freddie Bell, 64. “The suspect had called the police,” said Robertson, “to report that he had been involved in a fight with his stepfather and then stabbed him.”

Police arrived at the scene, watched Rosser leave in a car, then followed him on city streets. Police then stopped the vehicle and took Rosser into custody, said Robertson, “without incident.”

The apartment complex is located close to downtown San Bernardino, north of West Baseline St., a major artery that could have created a difficult task for law enforcement to quickly track down the suspect if they had arrived later at the scene. When police returned to the apartment, Bell was discovered dead from multiple stab wounds, said Robertson. Rosser was booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on charges of murder.

While the current investigation is continuing, detective Josh Cunningham reported that Bell and Rosser had a strained relationship. “The reason for the stabbing,” said Robertson, “has not been determined.”

Read More:

The Sun: Sunday violence in SB end with two deaths