Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A now ex-seasonal coach from Covina High School was arrested Thursday, accused of attempting to solicit sex with a teen boy.

Covina Police detectives were called to Superior Grocers, 1375 N. Citrus Ave., at 4:45 p.m. June 20 about a man intending to meet a 14-year-old boy for a sexual encounter … except that teen does not exist: the whole ordeal was a sting, according to the Covina Police Department.

Stephen Cristopher Garcia, 34, a Baldwin Park man, was contacted by Creep Catching Unit, a group started to expose online predators, with the use of a fake social media profile.

Garcia was booked on suspicion of arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Sgt. Keith Sutherland of the Covina Police Department.

A meeting was arranged through text messaging and upon contact the encounter was reportedly streamed live on YouTube, according to the Covina Police Department.

Garcia is described as a former seasonal walk-on coach in the Covina-Valley Unified and is no longer employed by the district.

Garcia was arrested at 6:26 p.m., according to Los Angeles County booking records. He is being held without bail at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles.

Covina detectives are attempting to locate any other potential victims.

Any one with information or questions regarding this crime is urged to call Covina Police Sgt. Colburn at 626-384-5612, refer to Covina PD case # 24-13802. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or Crime Stoppers.org.

A court appearance is scheduled for Monday, June 24 at West Covina Superior Court.

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The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A deputies suspicions were spot on August 31 after detaining a man seen acting suspiciously inside of a vehicle, parked outside a Starbucks in unincorporated Covina.

The vehicle was spotted at the Starbucks at Citrus Avenue and Arrow Highway. During a check of the vehicle license plate, the deputy discovered the driver was wanted on suspicion of murder, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

After the deputy and made a request for additional assistance, the driver was taken into custody without incident.

Sidney Clarke, a 28-year-old Brea resident, is accused of gunning down 21-year-old Logan Kahmar August 30. The shooting took place in a residence at 650 N. Tamarack Ave. Evidence led investigators to pin Clarke as a suspect, according to the Brea Police Department.

Brea police detectives reportedly found additional evidence linking Clarke to the murder.

Clarke is being held in lieu of $1 million bail in the Orange County Jail.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - Investigators announced that one of the suspects and a previously unidentified third suspect in the double murder at a Halloween party near Covina are in custody.

Suspects Brian Ramos, 19, and Adrian Robles, 18, turned themselves in after their attorneys coordinated with investigators for their surrender. Joel Garcia, 19, remains at large, according to the Los Angeles County sheriffs information bureau.

Ramos and Robles were taken into custody November 5.

Robles was arrested at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Industry Station at 10:15 a.m. Saturday. Ramos was arrested at 4:35 p.m.

​Both men are being held in lieu of $2 million bail ahead of a scheduled appearance at Pomona Superior Court November 8, according to Los Angeles county booking information.

Booking information from Romas was not yet available.

POMONA – The alleged gunman in a June 3 murder and the man accused of hiding him from justice are due back in court June 30.

Luis Alberto Gonzalez-Frausto, 38, was charged June 7 with one count of murder in the death of Adrian Gonzalez-Frausto. Edgar Martinez, 28, was charged June 7 with one count of being an accessory after the fact for allegedly knowingly harboring, concealing, or aiding a felon, according to Los Angeles Superior Court documents.

Adrian, 38, died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Investigators determined the shooting happened at La Tiendita JNK Market, 1459 N. Hollenbeck Ave. after a person detained for questioning allegedly lied that the shooting occurred at a public park, according to the Covina Police Department.

Adrian was driven to Kindred Hospital, 845 N. Lark Ellen Ave., in West Covina shortly after the shooting. Officers responded to the scene around 4:40 p.m. Adrian died soon after.

One day after the murder, Luis was arrested at the Covina Police Department and booked on suspicion of murder.

Luis is being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic in lieu of $3 million bail. Martinez is also being held in the same facility in lieu of $2 million bail. Both men await arraignment in Pomona Superior Court, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A driver described as a felon was arrested Wednesday afternoon after he fled from a traffic stop, took refuge in a home and escaped to a roof before being taken into custody, the Covina Police Department said.

Police stopped the driver of a green Geo Prism for expired registration and Azusa Avenue and Covina Boulevard around 3:15 p.m. May 18. As officers approached the stopped vehicle, the driver sped away. The chase ended at the dead end of the 1200 block of West Masline Street where the suspect decided to flee on foot, according to Lt. Robison of the Covina Police Department.

A P80 Glock ghost gun was recovered from the vehicle, Robison told SGV CityWatch.

A search of the neighborhood did not turn off the suspect.

As a resident was returning to her home, the suspect fled the residence and took refuge on the roof, Robison told SGV CityWatch.

“He ran and jumped on the roof and then finally got down,” Robison told SGV CityWatch.

James Richard Gutierrez, 27, was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition and burglary, Robison told SGV CityWatch.

Gutierrez is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse May 20.

POMONA – A Glendora man arrested in the shooting death of a Good Samaritan who intervened in an alleged vehicle burglary in Covina was hit with a deluge of charges Monday.

Trevor Howard Thompson, 34, was charged with one felony count each of murder, attempted murder, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, attempted carjacking, second-degree burglary of a vehicle, resisting an executive officer, vandalism and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Thompson, a Glendora man, is accused of shooting and killing 38-year-old Joey Casias December 21 in the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard. Casias and possibly one other person confronted a suspect, believed to be Thompson, in the 1100 block of North Charter Drive around 11:18 p.m.

The suspect was chased to the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard where Casias was shot and killed.

In a written statement, the DA’s office further stated that Thompson allegedly broke into a parked BMW, attempted to carjack one of the Good Samaritans and attacked another. Casias was shot when he tried to stop the attack.

A suspect was spotted December 22 by a UPS delivery driver in the 5100 block of North Bonnie Cove Avenue. The driver recognized the suspect from news reports, according to the Covina Police Department.

Officers located Thompson in an outdoor patio to an apartment.

“Thompson initially refused to surrender to officers and fired a round inside the patio area,” the Covina Police Department said in a written statement.

Thompson also allegedly disabled a camera on a police robot sent to conduct surveillance on Thompson.

Thompson climbed out of the patio while armed with the handgun to make an escape, but was taken down with less-lethal rounds.

Arraignment was scheduled December 27 in Pomona Superior Court, but has been continued to December 28.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - Crashing into a fence and disabling his vehicle did not stop a hit and run suspect from fleeing police until officers had to stop him July 8.

The suspect, a parolee-at-large, crashed into a fence at East Italia Street and Prospero Drive around 6:22 p.m. Officers located him and pursued the driver when he refused to stop, according to Lt. Tony Zavala of the Covina Police Department.

During the chase, the driver got into multiple crashes, Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

During the slow-speed chase, the driver, identified as Covina man Raymundo Duran circled the area of Ruddock Street, North Prospero Drive, Vecino Drive and San Bernardino Road.

The above-mentioned roads encompass Duran’s home where family members also went out to greet him, Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

Covina officers further disabled Duran’s vehicle with spike strips. A PIT maneuver caused Duran to crash onto a sidewalk at East San Bernardino Road and North Grand Avenue.

Duran fled on foot before being tackled by Covina officers.

“He also had some narcotics paraphernalia in the car and he admitted to using heroin prior to the pursuit,” Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

Duran was booked on misdemeanor hit and run, felony evading, resisting arrest and for a no-bail parole warrant, Zavala told SGV CityWatch.

Duran is being held at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse Tuesday, July 13.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

COVINA - A man and two women in a stolen vehicle were arrested March 18, their cache of burglary tools, drugs and a gun seized after an officer suspected their intentions for crime.

An officer on patrol saw the suspicious trio in the 500 block of South Rancho Simi Drive. A license plate check revealed the rear plate was stolen, as well as the vehicle itself, according to the Covina Police Department.

“While searching the vehicle, the officer located a loaded P80 “ghost gun,” a pry bar, black latex gloves, rope, a small amount of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia,” according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement.

All three were arrested and charged accordingly, Covina Police said.

The male suspect, 29-year-old Christopher Severson, admitted responsibility for the stolen vehicle and handgun. He is wanted in connection to crimes in surrounding cities, the Covina Police Department said.

“During his interview, he admitted to Law Enforcement personnel that he was in Covina to commit another burglary, or home invasion robbery,” according to the Covina Police Department.

The names of the female accomplices were not revealed.

Severson was arrested at 11:15 a.m. March 19. He was booked at 12:26 p.m. On March 26, a DCLR parole release was applied, according to Los Angeles County booking records.

It appears Severson was then arrested March 30 by deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station for a felony-level crime allegedly committed March 17. He is being held without bail on a California Department of Corrections hold.

In the alleged March 17 crimes, Severson and a female accomplice are accused of robbery, burglary and assault with a firearm, according to county booking records.

POMONA – A Long Beach man pleaded guilty to killing a random woman in the vengeful search for his 
estranged wife, whom he also shot to death nearly three years ago.

Miguel Angel Prieto, 46, pleaded guilty to one count each of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder, crimes that spanned three months.

“Given the senseless and brazen crimes committed by Miguel Angel Prieto, he will be sentenced to two consecutive life sentences,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.

Prieto shot a man and woman inside a vehicle parked on an industrial side street in the 1500 block of West McKinley Avenue in Azusa February 9, 2018. Prieto apparently believed the woman to be his estranged wife, Maria Perez. The man survived his wounds, the woman did not, prosecutors previously said.

The woman was identified as Rocio Sandoval, 38.

>>READ THE FULL STORY: Man Charged in Ex-Wife’s Slaying Likely Connected to Attempted Double Murder in Azusa

April 7, 2018, Prieto ventured to the restaurant of Perez’s uncle in Long Beach and shot at a woman inside the restaurant he believed to be Perez’s aunt.

Prieto went to Perez’s Covina apartment April 11 and it was there that she was shot multiple times and killed, prosecutors previously said.

Witnesses and neighbors were able to identify Prieto as the gunman. He was located in Long Beach hours after his estranged wife’s slaying and arrested.

>>READ THE FULL STORY: Long Beach man Arrested, Accused of Murdering Ex-Wife in Covina Apt.

Sentencing is scheduled on March 3 in Department T of Pomona Superior Court.

POMONA - The woman accused of stabbing her two-year-old son to death more than a year ago has pleaded not guilty in her son’s killing.

Xa Dinh Ngo, 39, also referred to as “Michelle” Ngo, Entered her plea Monday, April 27, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Ngo faces one count of murder with a special allegation of using a dangerous and deadly weapon, a knife, in the death of her son, Elvis Puente. Ngo allegedly stabbed her son to death multiple times, prosecutors said.