Feds’ Investigation in Drugs, Fraud, Identity Theft Leads to Arrests Across San Gabriel Valley8/17/2018 Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor REGION - Federal authorities arrested 12 people tied to a local street gang in a widespread investigation into narcotics, fraud and identity theft. A total of 17 tied to the Puente 13 gang were named in a series of indictments returned by a federal grand jury. The investigation was a collaboration between the United States Secret Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation involved wiretaps that revealed to investigators criminal activity by gang members, gang associates and others, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The 12 arrests were made over Tuesday, August 14 and Wednesday, August 15. Crimes allegedly committed include possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, felon in possession of a firearm, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, illegal possession of access devices (credit cards), possession of access device making equipment, and possession of stolen mail, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The investigation is five months in the making, having begun when authorities learned that Puente 13 gang member Victor Ponce De Leon, 26, was involved in drug trafficking after communications were intercepted, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. In an indictment, Ponce De Leon, also known as “Dopey,” alleged he was involved in selling an ounce of methamphetamine while armed with a 9-millimeter handgun. A scheme to smuggle narcotics into the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic was also uncovered, according to an indictment naming 39-year-old Glendora man Ricky Lee Thornburg, also known as “Shorty.” Thornburg is currently incarcerated at Pitchess. Thornburg planned to receive the methamphetamine and heroin, hidden in plastic drinking straws, from a woman who was to visit, but the shipment was intercepted in May, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. An identity theft ring was also uncovered during the investigation, with stolen credit cards and personal identifying information from numerous common victims were found in the possession of multiple defendants, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Arrested were:
>>CLICK TO READ THE CHARGES AGAINST EACH DEFENDANT
Most of the defendants were arraigned in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Thornburg, Basye, Arroyave, Maribel Gomez and Jimenezare expected to soon be brought into court. The Glendora Police Department and Culver City Police Department assisted in the investigation. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Coroner officials identified the 69-year-old man who died on a hiking trail in the San Gabriel Mountains.
Thomas Feher died of a probable myocardial infarction and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Feher has had two prior myocardial infarctions. Firefighters were dispatched to a medical emergency involving a patient in full arrest near Mt. Wilson Toll Road at the Little Santa Anita Firebreak August 5, according to Dispatch Supervisor Bernard Peters of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Firefighters were dispatched to the call at 9:49 a.m. The patient was pronounced deceased by medics at 10:30 a.m., Peters said. It is unclear if Feher was hiking when he suffered a medical emergency. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor COVINA - The cause of death for a transient woman found dead near Arrow Highway and Azusa Avenue July 31.
Joann Saunders, 54, was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. Addition investigation may help determine her cause of death. Firefighters responded to the flood control channel near El Pollo Loco, 1405 N. Azusa Ave., for a medical call. Firefighters informed Covina Police of Saunders’ death around 5:45 p.m. Investigators with Covina Police believe Saunders initially died of natural causes, according to Sgt. Mike Robison of the Covina Police Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A 44-year-old Pasadena man was identified Friday as the person found dead in a car in Duarte.
Todd Strithongkham was found dead inside a vehicle Thursday night, according to Sarah Ardalani of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. An autopsy has not been scheduled. Strithongkham may have died of natural causes. Deputies were called to the parking lot around 9:16 p.m. August 9, according to Lt. Frank Ruiz of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Temple Station. The vehicle was located in the eastern portion of the Target lot, 1050 Huntington Dr., closer to the Sonic Drive-In. A passerby approached the man who was initially described as unresponsive and cold to the touch, according to Sheriff’s radio traffic. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor POMONA - The woman who pleaded no contest to sending threatening letters to a Glendora Catholic school was sentenced in court Thursday.
Magaly Esmeralda Alvarenga, 39, was sentenced to three months and eight years in state prison after pleading no contest previously to two counts of criminal threats and one count of stalking, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. From December 2017 and May 2018 Alvarenga mailed several threatening letters to the all-girls St. Lucy’s Priory and Catholic High School. The first letter contained threats to burn down the school and shoot people, Glendora Police said in a previously-published statement. Glendora detectives believed the letter was written by a student initially, since it also specified the stress of school work and strict rules at St. Lucy’s. The letters were even signed with a student’s initials. The two letters sent in May of 2018 also contained a white powder and drugs, according to evidence presented at a preliminary hearing, Santiago said. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has charged two men Thursday accused of setting a brush fire in the San Gabriel Mountains.
Glendora man Christopher Paul Ortega, 20, and Covina man Santino Francisco Gnaulati, 21, each face one felony count of arson of a structure or forest. Both men pleaded not guilty, according to Ricardo Santiago of the DA’s Office. Good Samaritans followed Ortega and Gnaulati from the scene as they fled in a white GMC pickup Just before 3 a.m. August 7 near Morris Dam along Highway 39. The Good Samaritans followed the suspects as they drove down San Gabriel Canyon Road until they got cell phone service to call authorities. Ortega and Gnaulati were taken into custody by San Dimas Sheriff’s deputies after they were detained by Azusa Police officers on Sierra Madre Avenue west of Azusa Avenue, according to Sgt. Pete Shupe of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s San Dimas Station. “Azusa PD received a phone call from people who said they were following a vehicle in which they saw two males start a fire,” Shupe said. The fire burned about one-quarter of an acre near Morris Dam in the 9500 block of North San Gabriel Canyon Road. Los Angeles County firefighters were dispatched to assist the U.S. Forest Service at 2:53 a.m. August 7. Ortega and Gnaulati allegedly set the fire in a turnout along San Gabriel Canyon Road. Firefighting helicopters from both county fire and the U.S. Forest service assisted ground crews. “Thanks to the quick thinking and vigilance of the passerby, the fire was extinguished and suspects arrested,” said the U.S. Forest Service in a written statement. “Although small, left unchecked, this fire had the potential to threaten life, property and resources in the forest and nearby cities.” Ortega and Gnaulati are scheduled to return to West Covina Superior Court August 29. If convicted as charged, Ortega and Gnaulati face a possible maximum sentence of six years in state prison, Santiago said. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Homicide detectives are awaiting autopsy results on a man found dead in the San Gabriel Mountains Monday.
Detectives will proceed based on the cause of death, according to Lt. Joe Mendoza of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. The body of a man was found in the mountains near the Glendora Ridge Motorway west of Glendora Mountain Road Monday night. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were called around 8 p.m. by a hiker who found the body. San Dimas Mountain Rescue Team personnel drove and hiked into the location, finally finding the body about one hour later. The body may have been on the mountainside for several days. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - U.S. Forest Service firefighters and Los Angeles County Firefighters are still on scene of a small brush fire that ignited in the San Gabriel Mountains Tuesday.
The fire burned near Morris Dam in the 9500 block of North San Gabriel Canyon Road. Los Angeles County firefighters were dispatched to assist the U.S. Forest Service at 2:53 a.m. The California Highway Patrol has traffic blocked on San Gabriel Canyon Road. While firefighters are trying to determine the fire’s origin, a suspect white truck was seen in the area at the time the fire ignited. Power lines were compromised near the fire and inhibited the firefight, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said. About 104 customers are without power, according to Southern California Edison. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - Sheriff’s Homicide detectives are en route to investigate how a man died in the San Gabriel Mountains near Azusa and Glendora.
Deputies were dispatched to the scene around 8 p.m. The man’s body was discovered and the investigation will now be in the hands of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, according to Lt. Elisabeth Sachs of the San Dimas Sheriff’s Station. The body was found around 9 p.m. and may have been there for a couple days, according to Sheriff’s radio traffic. Los Angeles County firefighters and U.S. Forest Service firefighters were initially dispatched to Glendora Ridge Motorway and Glendora Mountain Road at 8:11 p.m. County firefighters were initially responding to a medical call, according to Dispatch Supervisor Michael Pittman of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The location of the body may be along the Glendora Ridge Motorway north of the Azusa “A”, according to Sheriff’s radio traffic. Glendora Ridge Motorway is a dirt trail running along the ridge of the mountains and connects Azusa Peak to Glendora Peak. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor MOUNTAINS - A red flag warning has forced certain areas of the San Gabriel Mountains to close this week.
Claremont Wilderness Park will be closed until Wednesday, August 8 when it is scheduled to reopen, Claremont officials said. Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road will remain closed until August 8 when the roads are scheduled to reopen, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works. The mountain roads will be closed only to vehicular traffic. Bicycle and pedestrian traffic will still be allowed. An extended heat wave will bake SoCal through Friday, with triple-digit temperatures peaking Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. |
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