Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

BALDWIN PARK - A man accused of defacing property at multiple churches in Baldwin Park is facing two felony counts of vandalism classified as a hate crime, police said.

Luis Armando Garcia, 24, was arrested February 22. Police seized items believed to have been used in the destruction at the churches, while video surveillance links Garcia to the crimes, according to the Baldwin Park Police Department.

The alleged crimes occurred February 21.

One of the targeted churches, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 3883 Baldwin Park Blvd, suffered damage estimated at $19,000, according to the Baldwin Park Police Department.

Proceedings were held at El Monte Superior Court February 25. A future date of March 13 has been set to determine Garcia’s Mental competency, according to Los Angeles Superior Court records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

BALDWIN PARK - The 23-year-old suspect accused of stabbing to death family members the day after Christmas was officially charged with three counts of murder.

Kyle Chester De Los Reyes Also faces special allegations of using a deadly weapon and committing multiple murders, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Mia Chantelle Narvaez, 8, Paul Sebastian Manangan, 16, and Rona Nate, 44, were named by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner.

Manangan died from multiple sharp force injuries. Exams have yet to be scheduled for Narvaez and Nate.

According to a gofundme fundraiser, Nate was the mother to Narvaez and Manangan.

The deaths were discovered in the 4700 block of Bogart Avenue around 6:48 p.m. December 26.

De Los Reyes is not only related to all three murder victims, but also resided at the location. He was detained after he crashed while allegedly fleeing the scene.

De Los Reyes is being held without bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Pomona Superior Court January 15, 2025.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

BALDWIN PARK - A suspect accused of attacking teen girls in Baldwin Park was arrested, the Baldwin Park Police Department announced.

Moses Saul Vallecillo, 18, was charged with one count of attempted second-degree robbery, two counts of touching a person intimately against their will for sexual arousal, two counts of using a deadly weapon, and assault with a deadly weapon by force causing great bodily injury, according to Los Angeles Superior Court records.

Vallecillo was arrested December 14 and arraigned in Pomona Superior Court four days later.

Vallecillo allegedly grabbed his first victim from behind in an attempt to take her cellphone around 9 a.m. December 8. Four days later, he allegedly attacked a teen in the afternoon hours in the areas of the 3600 block of Vineland Avenue and the 3500 block of Ahern Drive. No other details about the second attack are publicly known.

Baldwin Park Police Detectives, working with the department’s gang detectives and Baldwin Park Unified School District staff, arrested the suspect. A search warrant served at his home led to the seizure of evidence related the the attacks, according to the Baldwin Park Police Department.

Vallecillo is scheduled for an court appearance January 17, 2023.

Anyone with information, or who may be a victim is urged to call Detective I. Rodas at 626-960-1955 ext. 425 or Detective S. Trinidad at 626-960-1955 ext. 457.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

BALDWIN PARK - An attack was caught on camera June 28 when a pedestrian was sucker-punched without provocation.

The victim, an older man, was walking in the area of Lubican Street and Merced Avenue when the suspect, Manuel Alejandro Valenzuela, exited a parked vehicle and punched him.

The man was knocked to the ground. He was struck again once he got back up.

If anyone may have also been attacked by Valenzuela, or who may have information that can help this case, you are urged to call the Baldwin Park Police Department at 626-960-1955, ext. 414.

Valenzuela was arrested the day after the attack and was booked on suspicion of elder abuse. He is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in El Monte’s Rio Hondo Municipal Court July 5.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

BALDWIN PARK - A man wanted for a shooting and attempted murder June 11 was apprehended.

Antonio Rosas, 26, was arrested June 28 at 12:23 p.m. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail in the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

A black handgun was used during the shooting, according to the Baldwin Park Police Department.

It is unclear if the weapon has been recovered.

Assisting with the arrest was the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Community Violence Reduction Team.

Rosas is scheduled for an appearance in Rio Hondo Courthouse June 30.

BALDWIN PARK – No one was injured after a man opened fire on his sister’s ex boyfriend May 2.

Arturo Angel Duran, 23, was charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or occupied vehicle, one count of negligent discharge of a firearm, three counts of child endangerment, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court information.

The shooting occurred in the 14200 block of Cloverside Street.

“During the investigation, officers learned the suspect, Arturo Duran (23 years), shot at his sister’s ex-boyfriend while his three daughters were seated in the back seat of the vehicle,” according to the Baldwin Park Police Department in a written statement.

May 12, Baldwin Park Police located Duran with the help of the U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force. Duran was residing in an area motel.

Two women were staying with Duran at the time of the arrest. Stephanie Mendez, 25, was on probation and arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a handgun. Vanessa Funston, 25 years, was arrested for an outstanding warrant, according to the Baldwin Park Police Department.

Duran was arraigned on the charges May 16. He is being held in lieu of nearly $1.1 million bail at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic ahead of a scheduled appearance at Rio Hondo Municipal Court June 2.

BALDWIN PARK – A 20-year-old athletic coach at Sierra Vista High School was arrested May 6, accused of misconduct.

Jase Puga, a Baldwin Park man, was booked on suspicion of meeting with a minor for lewd purpose, oral copulation with a minor, contacting a minor with intent to commit certain felonies and statutory rape, according to the Baldwin Park Police Department.

It is not quite clear in what capacity Puga served under as a coach.

Staff at Sierra Vista High School, 3600 Frazier St., contacted police after being made aware of misconduct by an athletic coach, later identified as Puga.

“An individual has been arrested, is no longer allowed on or near Baldwin Park Unified campuses and their employment has been terminated,” according to the Baldwin Park Police Department in a written statement.

District protocols were reportedly followed prior to Puga’s hiring as a coach, according to the Baldwin Park Police Department.

Puga was arrested at 9:20 a.m. May 6. He posted $175,000 bail and was released May 6 at 11:06 p.m., according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

BALDWIN PARK - Two suspected gang members sought in connection with a Monrovia robbery were jailed last week after fleeing from Baldwin Park police.

Officers with the department’s Gang Activity Prevention unit attempted a traffic stop March 18 in the 3700 block of Baldwin Park Boulevard around 5 p.m. A passenger in the vehicle fled on foot, box in hand, and the driver sped away, according to the Baldwin Park Police Department.

The passenger who fled on foot, 20-year-old Alfonso Maya, was caught and found in possession of two firearms. The brief vehicle pursuit ended in a solo crash at Live Oak Avenue and Baldwin Park Boulevard when the suspect struck a traffic light, according to Sgt. Mike Hemenway of the Baldwin Park Police Department.

​A gun clip and ammunition were reportedly recovered from the crashed vehicle.

The driver, 20-year-old Izaac Velasco, and another passenger were taken to County/USC Medical Center for treatment.

Velasco was eventually taken into custody and booked on suspicion of felony evading causing injury and evading in opposing lanes of traffic, Hemenway told SGV CityWatch.

Maya was booked on suspicion of felony possession of a firearm, Hemenway told SGV CityWatch.

Maya is being held without bail at the Men’s Central Jail ahead of a scheduled appearance in Rio Hondo Municipal Court March 22.

Velasco apparently remains hospitalized. His bail is set at $75,000, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

LOS ANGELES - The man who orchestrated a series of attacks six years ago that left two dead and four wounded was sentenced recently.

Ulises Jose Gutierrez, 26, was sentenced to life without parole. Gutierrez was convicted in September on two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder, according to Paul Eakins, public information officer for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Jurors found true special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and that he was an active participant in a criminal street gang as well as allegations that he used a firearm and a knife, caused great bodily injury and committed the crimes for the benefit of a gang, Eakins said.

Three other men have already been sentenced and two others are awaiting sentencing in a series of attacks that terrorized Baldwin Park from May until October 2013.

Under Gutierrez’s direction, Francisco Moran, Gustavo Cruz, Arturo Mendoza, Johnny Balbuena and Elton Bennett targeted people they believed to be associated with a rival gang or otherwise opposed to them, according to court testimony.