Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Three men accused of any elaborate gift card scam targeting older adults and other victims were found guilty Tuesday of one count each of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Bowen Hu, a 28-year-old Hacienda Heights man, Tiaran Shi, a 29-year-old Diamond Bar man, and Blade Bai, A 35-year-old El Monte man, schemed to launder the proceeds of the scams which involved Target gift cards to supposedly resolve various financial problems, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Bai was charged with a second count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which he committed after being released after his initial arrest, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors estimate that the trio of defendants laundered $2.5 million in Target gift cards from June 2019 to November 2020. Telephone scammers overseas lied to their victims, claiming that purchasing the gift cards would fix nonexistent problems, such as arrest warrants, identity theft, tech support issues and compromised financial accounts. The victims would buy one, or sometimes more, Target gift cards typically in increments of $500 and then were instructed to read the card numbers and access codes over the phone to the scammers, according to the US Attorney’s Office. “Bai, Hu and Shi obtained more than 5,000 gift cards from a group of unknown persons in China that called itself the “Magic Lamp” and sold gift card information via the online messaging application WeChat,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a written statement. WeChat was also used to coordinate the distribution of the gift cards to “runners” who then used the gift cards in Los Angeles and Orange counties to purchase electronics, other gift cards and more, working to conceal the fraud. Within days of his initial arrest in November 2020, Bai was back in money laundering, again using Target gift cards. “Bai offered to introduce an associate to someone who bought merchandise from him, and thereafter asked the associate to help him liquidate approximately $36,000 of Target gift cards. With Bai unwilling to be paid directly for the sale, two accomplices together arranged a deal in which they sold, to the customer, Bai’s gift cards for approximately 90 cents on the dollar,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a written statement. He was arrested February 2022 and has remained in custody ever since. Hu and Shi were taken into custody immediately after their guilty verdicts. A fourth co-conspirator, 60-year-old Yan Fu of Chino Hills, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in September 2022. He has also been ordered to pay $48,073 in restitution. Bai, Hu and Shi will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each money laundering conspiracy count. They are scheduled to be sentenced January 26, 2024. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Law enforcement and school authorities are extra vigilant Friday after students reported separate incidents of stalking.
A student of the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District was reportedly grabbed by a man while walking to school around 8:30 a.m. September 14. The student was able to break free and notify school and Sheriff’s deputies, according to school officials. The suspect, last seen near Hacienda Boulevard and Francisquito Avenue. He is a Latino man in his 40s, wearing a yellow shirt, blue hat and neck tattoo he drove a white van. West Covina Unified officials said a similar incident occurred in their area where a student appeared to be followed near Hollenbeck and Hollencrest. Authorities searched for, but did not locate the white van that was seen. “As this case undergoes investigation, HLPUSD school police, City of Industry deputies and the West Covina Police Department will be providing additional patrol officers in the surrounding areas,” according Alfonso Jiménez, superintendent of schools for the Hacienda La Puente School District. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor RANCHO CUCAMONGA - A high school teacher employed in the Monrovia Unified School District was arrested Wednesday after an investigation into sexual contact with an underage female.
Chad Robert Miller, a 38-year-old Altadena resident, was arrested in Rancho Cucamonga and booked on suspicion of contact with a minor to commit a sex offense, sexual penetration of a minor and oral copulation of a minor, according to the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department. Miller allegedly met with the 16-year-old girl on social media and corresponded with her over five months. He also allegedly met the girl and engaged in several illicit sex acts with her, according to the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department. Miller is a teacher at Canyon Oaks Middle School and Mountain Park Independent Study School in Monrovia. The girl is not a Monrovia Unified student, according to Monrovia Unified authorities. “The teacher was immediately placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation and is not allowed on a school campus at this time,” according to the Monrovia Unified School District in a written statement. Investigators believe there are more victims. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Rancho Cucamonga Police Detective Bureau at 909-477-2893. Miller is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail in the West Valley Detention. He is scheduled to appear in Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court September 8. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - CHP investigators arrested a man August 24 who they said shot at a motorist during a road rage incident in Glendora.
The shooting occurred July 28 on the east 210 freeway at Sunflower Avenue. Investigators believe 46-year-old Hector Belmonte Cuevas fired one shot at his victim, striking the driver-side door, according to the California Highway Patrol. Cuevas shattered his front passenger window during the shooting. He reportedly exited the freeway and drove in an unknown direction, according to the California Highway Patrol. “On Thursday, August 24, intelligence regarding the location of Belmonte Cuevas was obtained. At approximately 5:40 pm, CHP Southern Division ISU detectives, accompanied by a CHP canine team, arrested Belmonte Cuevas at a residence in Hesperia, CA,” according to the California Highway Patrol in a written statement. Cuevas was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, discharging a firearm at an occupied vehicle, assault with a firearm and other charges, according to the California Highway Patrol. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Authorities announced Friday the arrest of two suspects in a highly-publicized and violent robbery in Hacienda Heights.
Russell Hardy Jr. and Cameron DeShawne Perry, both 19 years old, were located through a multi-jurisdictional investigation. Russell was arrested August 16 and is being held without bail. Perry is being held in lieu of $400,000 bail, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Both men were officially charged each with two counts of second-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree automated teller machine robbery and one count of attempted second-degree robbery. Perry also is charged with two counts of elder or dependent adult abuse, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Hardy was named as the getaway driver of a blue vehicle, Perry as the suspect who violently took the woman’s purse during the August 14 robbery in Hacienda Heights, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Both suspects are believed to have operated as a criminal crew the last several months and targeted Asian victims in Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights and City of Industry, committing similar robberies. A meeting between the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau-Burglary Robbery Task Force and the Orange County Violent Crimes ATF Task Force was held to investigate the robberies when they were notified of the highly-publicized robbery. Both suspects are believed to be involved in a robbery May 30 near 1457 Nogales St. in Rowland Heights where a purse containing $150,000 in jewelry was taken. June 9, a woman who withdrew money from a bank at 17801 Colima Rd. in Industry had her wallet stolen. June 14, a woman was in a parking lot at 1611 N. Azusa Ave. when someone approached from behind, stolen the purse and fled. July 2, a man exiting a bank at 18958 Daisetta St. in Rowland Heights fought back after being pistol-whipped, leaving the robber empty-handed, according to the DA’s office. in all but one of the robberies a blue vehicle was seen fleeing. Both suspects are scheduled for an appearance in the Pomona Courthouse Monday, August 21. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A $20,000 reward will go to the person who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the hit and run driver who killed an Azusa father nearly seven years ago.
Dwayne Armenta, 36, was struck and killed by a motorist in the early-morning hours of November 23, 2016 on the east I-10 freeway near Kellogg Drive. It was Thanksgiving and Armenta’s Ford F-150 ran out of gas, so he began walking to find the nearest gas station. Armenta, an Azusa man, attempted to cross traffic lanes and was struck. The suspect driver in a dark-colored SUV stopped, but fled when another driver stopped to help. Construction contractors were taken to court over conditions on the freeway during a project. A judge agreed that poor lighting conditions created by construction contractors Guy F. Atkinson Construction LLC and High-Light Electric Inc. contributed to Armenta’s death. Each of Armenta’s children, who were 4 and 14 years old at the time, received a settlement. Anyone who can help identify the driver is urged to call the California Highway Patrol Baldwin Park Office at 626-338-1164. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The ex-LAPD cop Sheriff’s investigators accused of molesting children for more than a decade died while in custody and the cause of his death was revealed.
Paul Jack Razo, 46, died May 20 from sequelae of B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. As many as four boys ranging in age from 9 to 13 were abused from 2006 to 2017 in Razo’s Covina home in the 4800 block of Brightview Drive, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff’s investigators are searching for additional victims. Razo was arrested May 10 and booked at the San Dimas Sheriff’s Station. Five days prior, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed eight counts of lewd acts with a child. “Based on the nature of the allegations and Mr. Razo’s access to children, detectives believe there may be additional unidentified victims,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in a written statement. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau toll-free 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 LOS ANGELES - Sheriff’s investigators are searching for additional victims of an ex-LAPD officer accused of abusing children over nearly a decade.
Paul Jack Razo, 46, is accused of child sex abuse from 2006 to 2017 while Razo lived in unincorporated Covina in the 4800 block of Brightview Drive, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Razo was arrested May 10 and booked at the San Dimas Sheriff’s Station. Five days prior, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed eight counts of lewd acts with a child. Razo is being held in lieu of $2.5 million bail, according to Los Angeles County booking records. “Based on the nature of the allegations and Mr. Razo’s access to children, detectives believe there may be additional unidentified victims,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in a written statement. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau toll-free 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 LOS ANGELES - A Pomona man was found guilty May 9 of one count of abusive sexual contact during a flight from Cleveland to Los Angeles.
Mohammad Jawad Ansari, 49, committed the sexual abuse during the February 17, 2020 flight. “Ansari occupied a 10th-row window seat while the victim occupied the middle seat next to him. The victim, who was wearing a dress, fell asleep shortly after takeoff and the armrest separating Ansari from the victim was down,” according to the US Attorney’s Office in a written statement. Ansari Intentionally, and without the victim’s consent, touched her right knee as she slept. Ansari eventually moved his hand to her inner thigh. Ansari placed his left hand on the victim’s right knee and knowingly, intentionally, and without the victim’s consent, moved his hand to her inner thigh. The person sitting in the 10th-row aisle seat next to the victim witnessed Ansari’s hand touching the victim’s inner thigh. A passenger seated next to the victim witnessed the abuse, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “The victim woke up, pushed Ansari’s hand away, left her seat, and informed a flight attendant about what had happened. The flight’s attendants observed Ansari during the remainder of the flight and believed he was pretending to sleep,” according to the US Attorney’s Office in a written statement. Ansari faces a September 29 and faces a statutory maximum of two years in federal prison. The FBI investigated this case. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor SANTA FE SPRINGS - A man and woman were found and arrested in Arcadia April 3 after detectives identified them as suspects in a fatal hit and run crash.
Priscilla Michelle Cornejo, 39, and Johnathon David Cornejo, 33, were booked on suspicion of murder and other charges in the March 22 crash. Priscilla is accused of causing a head-on crash while driving in opposing lanes of the 60 freeway at Crossroads Parkway, killing an 11-year-old girl and severely wounding the girl’s father, according to the California Highway Patrol. Priscilla was driving a black Hyundai Sonata west on the 60 freeway east of the 605 freeway around 4:06 a.m. March 22, her husband following in a black Ford Taurus. Priscilla clipped a tractor trailer, causing it and the semi it was hauling to jackknife. Her Sonata flipped around, according to the CHP. Priscilla allegedly fled the scene by going eastbound in westbound lanes without headlights on. Johnathon U-turned and began following his wife Priscilla who crashed head on into a gray Toyota Corolla occupied by the 11-year-old girl who was killed at the scene. “After the collision, Priscilla Cornejo, abandoned the Hyundai and entered the Ford, being driven by her husband, and fled the scene westbound on State Route 60,” according to the CHP in a written statement. CHP Santa Fe Springs Area investigators took the husband and wife into custody with the help of the CHP Southern Division Warrant Service Team. Priscilla was charged murder, felony hit and run, two counts of driving on the wrong side of the road, reckless driving, filing a false auto theft report and misdemeanor hit and run, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Johnathon was charged with murder and being an accessory after the fact, according to Los Angeles County booking records. The husband and wife are being held in lieu $2 million bail and appeared in the Pomona Courthouse April 5. Both are scheduled back in court April 18. |
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