Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - Investigators are seeking additional victims of a man who they allege extorted illicit images and video from teen victims and threatened violence if they didn’t comply.
Joel Villegas, 34, allegedly posed as a 17-year-old on Instagram under the name Jay Gomez and username “jay_the_big_beast.” Villegas allegedly asked to exchange phone numbers and GPS locations with the teens and threatened them afterwards, according to the Covina Police Department. “Once Villegas obtains the minor’s home GPS location, he will demand explicit images and videos from the minor. If the minor refuses, Villegas sends the victim images of firearms, and threatens violence up to murder against his victims and their families,” according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement. A search warrant was served at Villegas’ home where he was arrested February 9. Villegas was booked on suspicion of possessing child porn, criminal threats and extortion, according to the Covina Police Department. Villegas posted $50,000 bond. If you or your child have been contacted by this Instagram account or have additional information, you are urged to call Covina Police Detective Seok Lee 626-384-5615. Reference incident #21-25484. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor 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 - Hours after keeping police at bay, a man believed to have gunned down a father of three just days before Christmas was subdued and arrested.
Trevor Howard Thompson, a 34-year-old Covina man, attempted to escape police after initially taking refuge in an apartment complex patio while armed with a handgun. Officers fired less-lethal rounds to subdue and arrest him. Thompson was spotted Wednesday by a UPS delivery driver in the 5100 block of North Bonnie Cove Avenue. The driver recognized Thompson 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 climbed out of the patio while armed with the handgun to make an escape, but was taken down. Thompson is accused of shooting and killing 38-year-old Joey Casias late Tuesday night in the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard. Casias and possibly one other person witnessed a vehicle burglary in progress in the 1100 block of North Charter Drive. The suspect, believed to be Thompson, was chased to the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard and confronted. The suspect then revealed a handgun and shot Casias, killing him at the scene. “Covina Police Department will continue to fully investigate this incident. The loss of Joey Casias was a tragedy and the Covina Police Department detectives will work together with the district attorney’s office to bring justice to his family,” the Covina Police Department said in a written statement. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - A suspect is still on the loose Wednesday, accused of gunning down a person who confronted him while allegedly in the act of burglarizing a vehicle, a police Lieutenant said.
At least two people from the vicinity of the 1100 block of North Charter Drive witnessed a suspect burglarizing a parked vehicle around 11:18 p.m. December 21. The suspect was chased to and confronted in the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard where the shooting occurred, according to Lt. Ryan Davis of the Covina Police Department. The victim, a male adult, died at the scene. The suspect was only described as a male possibly in his 20s. Davis declined to further describe the suspect. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - A Nissan Pathfinder stolen from San Dimas was recovered December 18 and two people were arrested, a Covina police sergeant said.
The male driver of the stolen Pathfinder fled the vehicle on foot and hid in a neighborhood. A yard-to-yard search by Covina Police officers helped to locate the hiding suspect inside of a shed, according to Sergeant Gonzalez of the Covina Police Department. Officers attempted to stop the driver at 8:45 a.m. The male suspect fled to the 18600 block of East Weather Road after officers identified the stolen vehicle nearby at Arrow Highway and Barranca Avenue. “He fled and attempted to evade officers. He then came to a cul de sac where he fled from the vehicle, leaving the passenger inside the vehicle,” Gonzalez told SGV CityWatch. The female passenger was detained after the driver ran from the vehicle. A search of the Nissan Pathfinder yielded drug paraphernalia and fraud-related items, Gonzalez told SGV CityWatch. Helping with a containment were officers with the Azusa Police Department and deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s San Dimas Station. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - Covina Police detectives, with help from Fontana Police, arrested a man accused of possessing child porn Wednesday.
Roman Gutierrez, a 23-year-old Covina man, was booked on suspicion of possessing/controlling child pornography. The allegations were investigated by detectives as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to the Covina Police Department. Detectives arrested Gutierrez at a residence in the 100 block of West Tudor Street around 7 a.m. December 8 after serving a search warrant. It was not stated if any evidence was obtained during the search. Members of the Fontana Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force assisted the Covina investigation. Gutierrez is being held in lieu of $40,000 bail in the Covina Police Department jail ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse December 10. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA – Officers found an apartment unit empty Wednesday after believing a domestic violence suspect was barricaded inside, but their quarry later surrendered at the Covina Police Department.
Officers responded to an apartment complex in the 300 block of East Navilla Place November 3 to a reported domestic violence incident. The victim suffered minor injuries. Officers believed the suspect was inside the apartment and he refused to exit, according to Lt. Tony Zavala of the Covina Police Department. After about an hour and 30 minutes police entered and found the suspect gone, Zavala told SGV CityWatch. It is not clear if the suspect was initially in the apartment and escaped after police arrived, of if he fled prior to their arrival. The suspect, 33-year-old Joseph Gonzalez, later surrendered himself at the Covina Police Department and faces felony domestic violence charges, Zavala told SGV CityWatch. Gonzalez was arrested at 4:17 p.m. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance at the West Covina courthouse November 5, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA - Complaints and concerns from nearby residents and business owners led Covina police to discover and eventually dismantle an illegal gaming parlor October 27.
Detectives spent a few weeks conducting surveillance and gathering intelligence before having enough evidence to author a search warrant and performing a “surround and call-out” operation on the location at 669 S. Second Ave., according to Sgt. Joshua Turner of the Covina Police Department. Part of the complaints from nearby business owners and residents was that vehicles were coming and going at all hours of the night. Officers arrested 16 people. Among the charges to be filed include illegal gambling for those who took part in the games and bookmaking. Police also seized a little more than $7,000, a mix of 11 single and multi-player gaming machines, methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, Turner told SGV CityWatch. Officers also located two weapons that were being concealed in the false ceiling at the location. The search warrant was served around 9 p.m. by the Covina Police Special Response Team, with assistance from the Azusa Police SWAT team, Turner told SGV CityWatch. The location is a two-story commercial business that can house up to four units. Walls can be added or taken away to accommodate space, Turner told SGV CityWatch. The owner of the building is reportedly cooperating with investigators and is proactively working to get the tenants out, Turner told SGV CityWatch. The Covina Police Department investigated and dismantled an illegal gambling parlor in May that apparently operated out of what Turner described as an Obama phone store on Hollenbeck Avenue south of Arrow Highway. All 16 people arrested have been cited out of custody. Cases will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration, Turner told SGV CityWatch. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA – A bar patron is facing attempted murder after shooting at his adversary and wounding another when a fight erupted early Monday morning, police said.
Paul Timothy Rosales, 24, was arrested without further incident, accused of wounding two at Chatterbox, 943 N. Citrus Ave., September 6. Police responded to a gunfire call around 1:29 a.m., according to the Covina Police Department. A fight erupted inside the bar. Rosales is accused of retrieving a handgun from his vehicle and returned to the bar and opened fire. Rosales is accused of wounding his adversary in an ankle. Surveillance footage helped officers locate a female gunshot victim who was not involved in the initial fight, according to the Covina Police Department. Rosales fled the scene, but was stopped and taken into custody. Rosales is being held in lieu of $2 million bail at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina Courthouse Wednesday, September 8. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor COVINA – A man and woman are dead, the victims of a stabbing Thursday afternoon, a Covina Police sergeant said.
A 33-year-old man is in custody, connected to the stabbing at a residence in the 700 block of North Grand Avenue September 2. Police first responded at 2:22 p.m., according to Sgt. Joshua Turner of the Covina Police Department. The suspect called 9-1-1 and told police dispatchers that he stabbed two people. Officers met the suspect outside the residence and was taken into custody without incident, according to the Covina Police Department in a written statement. Turner was unaware of a possible motive. Detectives are on scene and continue to investigate. |
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