Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SANTA ANA - A certified nursing assistant was sentenced to life in prison January 13 for committing sex acts on several severely disabled children while filming them.
Steve Jackson Rodriguez, 38, a Pomona resident, previously pleaded guilty September 2022 to two counts of obtaining custody of a minor for purposes of producing child pornography, five counts of production of child pornography and one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, according to the Justice Department. Rodriguez was arrested August 21, 2021. Rodriguez committed what US District Judge John Holcomb called “unspeakable acts” from January 2016 to May 2020, producing images and videos with four children at an Inland Empire group home where he was employed at the time. Three of the children are severely disabled, according to the Justice Department. One of his victims was just 6 years old when he started the abuse. He began recording the acts two years later. A restitution hearing is scheduled for March 10. Rodriguez sent the explicit images and video to two of his co-workers. In a separate trial, Azusa man Cyr Dino Banguguilan, 36, and 23-year-old Baldwin Park man Miguel Bocardo were found guilty of one count each of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography, according to the Justice Departmentl Both co-workers are scheduled for a February 24 sentencing and face anywhere from five to 20 years in federal prison, according to the Justice Department. The investigation was spearheaded by the Homeland Security Investigations as part of the Los Angeles Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assisting were the United States Postal Inspection Service, FBI, Baldwin Park Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Pomona Police Department and Burbank Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Scott M. Lara and Catharine A. Richmond of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced the November 8 arrest of a man accused of rape, extortion and more after reportedly luring his victims through Instagram.
Michael Watson Jr, 21, pleaded not guilty to 16 felony counts, including rape by force or fear, robbery, assault with a firearm, unlawful sex with a minor, attempted extortion and grand theft, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records. Four of his alleged victims are minors. The alleged crimes date back to as far as February 2021 when Watson was invited to a home in Walnut by two women he met through Instagram. He allegedly raped one woman and took their cellphones, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Watson allegedly attempted to extort money from one of the women by posting nude images he found on a cellphone. Investigators used DNA evidence to tie Watson to 12 other incidents in other cities, including Los Angeles, Inglewood, Hollywood and East Los Angeles, using Instagram to lure his other victims, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau and the Inglewood Police Department will discuss more details of this investigation in a November 30 press conference at 2 p.m. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor NORWALK - The suspect caught by employees as he assaulted a girl in a supermarket restroom pleaded no contest October 17.
Steven Magdaleno, 39, entered his plea, which is the same as a guilty plea, to one count of assault with further intent to commit a serious sex crime, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Magdaleno also faced one count of false imprisonment, escape from home detention and providing false identification to police, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Magdaleno faces eight years in state prison if convicted as charged. The incident unfolded inside a Stater Bros., 14212 Mullberry Dr., around 2 p.m. Sunday, September 18. The suspect followed the girl into a bathroom, locked the door and attempted to sexually assault her. The girl screamed, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “Store employees accessed the bathroom and subsequently detained the suspect pending the arrival of deputies. The victim was medically treated at a local hospital. The suspect was arrested and booked at Norwalk Sheriff’s Station,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “Based on the nature of the offense, detectives believe there may be additional unidentified victims. Detectives are seeking the public’s help in identifying any such victims,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Special Victims Bureau toll free tip line at 877-710-5273 or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222 TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org. Magdaleno is scheduled to appear in court October 28 for sentencing. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WHITTIER - Stater Bros. employees and customers rushed to save a 16-year-old girl after a man locked himself inside a bathroom with her and tried to assault her.
The incident unfolded inside a Stater Bros., 14212 Mullberry Dr., around 2 p.m. Sunday, September 18. The suspect followed the girl into a bathroom, locked the door and attempted to sexually assault her. The girl screamed, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “Store employees accessed the bathroom and subsequently detained the suspect pending the arrival of deputies. The victim was medically treated at a local hospital. The suspect was arrested and booked at Norwalk Sheriff’s Station,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Steven Daniel Magdaleno, 39, is being held without bail, according to Los Angeles County booking records. He is facing one felony count each of assault to commit rape, attempting to escape custody and false imprisonment by violence, as well as a misdemeanor count of providing false identification to a peace officer, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. “Based on the nature of the offense, detectives believe there may be additional unidentified victims. Detectives are seeking the public’s help in identifying any such victims,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Special Victims Bureau toll free tip line at 877-710-5273 or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. Remain anonymous by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222 TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor CHINO – A man accused of shooting at a fellow motorist on the 60 freeway August 10 was identified and arrested at his Chino residence, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Abel Rodriguez, 20, was booked at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Walnut/Diamond Bar Station on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and shooting at an inhabited vehicle. CHP officers were called to the 60 freeway near Reservoir Street around 5:08 p.m. to a report of gunfire and later spoke with the victims at their Chino residence. Neither victim was wounded, according to the California Highway Patrol. Investigators were told the suspect fled in a 2021 Toyota Corolla and with help from the Chino Police Department, the suspect was found in his home in the 5200 block of Washington Avenue. Rodriguez was held in lieu of $250,000 bail, but posted bond and was released the day of his arrest, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES – A 69-year-old man was jailed April 26, accused by at least two victims of sexual abuse that occurred between 2011 and 2012.
Jesus Ramirez-Ramirez allegedly abused the girls while he was a resident of South El Monte. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed three felony counts of lewd acts with a child against Ramirez April 28, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Ramirez reportedly had access to children and based on the allegations there may be additional victims, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Anyone who may be a victim of Ramirez and who can provide information to aid the investigation is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau toll-free tip line at 877-710-5273, or email specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. Information can be provided anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the P3Tips mobile app, or lacrimestoppers.org. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - A federal grand jury indicted a 56-year-old Diamond Bar man who faces two counts of bias-motivated interference with federal protected activities.
Steve Lee Dominguez is accused of shouting racial epithets, driving through a crosswalk against a red light as protesters were crossing and allegedly performed an illegal U-turn to cut off the route of several protesters lawfully crossing the street, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The incident unfolded March 2021 at a Stop Asian Hate rally at Diamond Bar Boulevard and Grand Avenue. The demonstrators were carrying American flags and large signs in support of their cause and were crossing legally in a marked crosswalk, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “Dominguez allegedly yelled, “Go back to China!” and other racial slurs at the demonstrators,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a written statement. “One of the victims was an Asian woman carrying a sign that read, “Stop Asian Hate.” Another victim was a minor Black female rally participant who carried a sign that read, “End the Violence Against Asians.” Another person who was cut off in the crosswalk was a 9-year-old child, and Dominguez’s car narrowly missed coming into contact with her and other victims, according to the indictment. No injuries were reported,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. After the confrontation, Dominguez allegedly stopped his vehicle down the road, exited and continue yelling racial epithets and called law enforcement on the protestors. He identified himself as “John Doe” and claimed protestors were blocking the street and he needed to run a red light because protestors were going to trample his car, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Dominguez was scheduled for arraignment May 12 at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Dominguez faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison if convicted on the two counts, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a written statement. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will formally announce The arrest of the suspect accused of robbing and assaulting a rideshare driver in South El Monte.
Deputies will announce the arrest and provide the name of the suspect and a press conference scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, May 20 at the Sheriff’s Temple Station, 8838 E. Las Tunas Dr., in Temple City. The brutal assault and armed robbery of a rideshare driver in South El Monte May 10 was caught on the driver’s dash camera and shared far and wide. The assault and robbery occurred near Rosemead Boulevard and Rush Street around 9:20 p.m. The driver, an older Asian man, was left multiple facial trauma, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES – A San Marino man who was recorded while accelerating towards a crowd of protestors in Old Town Pasadena May 31 last year pleaded guilty to 11 felony weapons charges, prosecutors said Thursday.
Benjamin Jong Ren Hung, 28, entered into a plea agreement filed April 29 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy, transporting and receiving firearms across state lines, making false statements during purchases of firearms, possession of unregistered firearms and illegally transporting firearms across state lines to California, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Hung admitted to making false statements to gun dealers in the state of Washington when purchasing four rifles and a shotgun in March 2020, falsely claiming he was a Washington resident. “The firearms dealers were not legally permitted to sell firearms to California residents,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Hung also admitted to taking part in a multi-year conspiracy in making false statements to arms dealers in Oregon to illegally transport weapons to California. He paid a co-conspirator to purchase handguns for him and had the co-conspirator claim he was Hung. The weapons were then delivered by the co-conspirator to Hung. This elaborate scheme was concocted to elude California’s strict gun laws, Hung stated in the plea agreement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Hung also admitted to illegally possessing three unregistered short-barreled semiautomatic rifles, which were seized from his Lodi home in September 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. In his plea agreement, Hung admitted to taking a Glock 26 9mm handgun to a George Floyd protest May 31, 2020, where he used his customized Dodge pickup truck to antagonize protesters. Hung accelerated towards the intersection, sounded the truck’s train horn he had installed, briefly stopped, then continued through the intersection, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. As Hung fled, his truck left a large cloud of exhaust, an act sometimes referred to as “coal rolling,” Hung was found and arrested by Pasadena Police. A date for Hung to appear in court to formally enter the guilty pleas has not yet been set. This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force, FBI civil rights squads and the Pasadena Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A man who pleaded no contest after being charged with molesting three boys was sentenced to nearly 10 years in state prison recently. Carlton Murray Harris Jr. was charged with one count of a lewd act upon a child under 14 and two counts of lewd acts upon a child under age 14 to 15, according to Pamela Johnson, public information officer with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Harris was sentenced to nine years and four months in state prison. The victims were on Harris' team in the Puente Hills-Rowland Heights Little League.
Harris, 48, pleaded no contest to the charges in October. A no contest plea is the same as a guilty plea. He must also register for life as a sex offender. The acts occurred between 2014 and 2017 at Harris' home with victims ranging from 11 to 15 years old, Johnson said. |
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