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 – Four men are slated to appear in court this month on a one-count indictment in which they are accused of conspiring to launder proceeds of wire fraud that were stored on Target gift cards.

Chinese nationals Bowen Hu, a 26-year-old Hacienda Heights man, and Tairan Shi, a 27-year-old Diamond Bar man, were arrested September 28, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

U.S. citizen and 33-year-old El Monte man Blade Bai and Chinese national Yan Fu, a 58-year-old Chino Hills man, were previously issued a summons to appear in federal court after having been arrested November 17, 2020. Bai pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering having been named in a criminal information filing.

All four men are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

“The indictment alleges that Bai, Hu and Shi obtained more than 5,000 gift cards from a group that called itself the “Magic Lamp” and sold gift card information via an online messenger application,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in a written statement.

Investigators estimate the four men laundered more than $2.5 million in gift cards from June 2019 to November 2020.

The four men often targeted, no pun intended, older adults across the U.S. and induced them to purchase the gift cards based on various fraud schemes, including posing as government officials demanding the purchase of gift cards to resolve an issue; and tech support scams, in which victims pay a substantial amount through gift cards to fix a computer issue, or be granted account access, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Bai, Hu and Shi oversaw the distribution of the gift cards to “runners,” whom included Fu. The cards were used primarily on Los Angeles and Orange counties to buy electronics, more gift cards and other items, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Bai, Hu and Shi obtained gift card numbers from the Magic Lamp, often the same day the victims purchased the cards, and Fu travelled to up to 17 Target stores in a single day to buy the merchandise. Bai resold the merchandise and used some of the cash to pay the Magic Lamp, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

“This case offers an important reminder to consumers that gift cards are for presents to friends and loved ones – they should never be used for payments to any government or corporate entity,” said Acting United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison in a written statement.

“Don’t be fooled by callers claiming to be with a government agency, a bank or any other institution demanding that you purchase gift cards. There is no reason to purchase a gift card to resolve a problem with an account, your Social Security number or a supposed criminal case,” Wilkison added.

All four men face a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison if convicted as charged.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. Countless other local agencies across the U.S. assisted with the investigation, including the Brea Police Department, Fontana Police Department and Gardena Police Department.

REGION - The suspect accused of molesting a girl from the ages of 12 to 18 years old was sentenced to nearly 11 years in state prison Tuesday.

Chin Lee Chook, 56, pleaded no contest to one felony count of oral copulation of a person under 18 and two felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 years old, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

REGION - The driver of a 2018 Honda Civic died after his car veered across the southbound 57 freeway near Diamond and crashed over a dirt embankment Friday.

The California Highway Patrol identified Carlos Silva Cabrera, a 36-year-old Riverside man, as the driver who died at the scene south of Brea Canyon Road December 27.

LOS ANGELES - The suspect accused of killing a father and his 1-year-old child in an alleged DUI crash two years ago was ordered to stand trial.

26-year-old Hans T. Guloy, also known as Hans Timothy Cruz Guloy, pleaded not guilty July 17 after being order to stand trial for for a double fatal crash on the 60 freeway near Diamond Bar Boulevard November 26, 2017.

Guloy faces two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated as well as one count each of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury, driving with a .08% blood alcohol content causing injury, hit-and-run driving resulting in death or serious injury to another person and perjury by declaration, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

LOS ANGELES - A church volunteer jailed on accusations of sexually assaulting a girl and molesting her sister was officially charged Tuesday.

Chee Lim Chook, also known as Desmond Chook, faces two felony counts each of oral copulation of a person under 18, sexual penetration of a person under 18 and distributing or showing pornography to a minor as well as one count of unlawful sexual intercourse, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Chook also faces a misdemeanor count of child molesting. He is scheduled to be arraigned May 8.

LOS ANGELES - A church volunteer was jailed March 4, accused by a now 18-year-old girl of abusing her inside the church he worked at as well as showing her pornography.

Rosemead man Chee Lim Chook, 55, was officially charged March 6 with seven felony counts: two charges of oral copulation with a minor, two charges of digital penetration of a minor, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, two charges of sending harmful matter to a minor and annoying or molesting a minor.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - The county coroner named a 24-year-old man killed in a crash after he fled a vehicle and ran across freeway lanes.
 
Edwin Contreras Interiano, a Pomona man, died at the scene of the collision, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
 
The fatal crash occurred at 9:28 p.m. November 23, minutes after an occupant of the stopped silver Chevrolet Cruze called authorities and said their son fled the vehicle with the car keys, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A white pickup truck may have struck the victim, the CHP said.

The victim’s family was reportedly in the vehicle and stopped on the right shoulder for an unknown reason before the victim fled.

The victim’s mother was apparently behind the wheel of the Cruze, according to the CHP.

Authorities had all lanes shut down at 9:39 p.m. The No. 1 and 2 lanes were opened at 10:07 p.m. and all lanes were cleared by 11:37 p.m.
 

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - Originally wanted only for questioning, the son of a husband and wife found dead and badly burned November 2 was booked on suspicion of murder.
 
Ryan Michael Venti, 33, was taken into custody at 7:55 p.m. November 5. He is being held in lieu of $2 million bail, according to Los Angeles County booking records.
 
Deputies responded with a helicopter to the residence, 3643 Crooked Creek Dr., in Diamond Bar around 7:50 p.m. after receiving a call from a neighbor. Venti was seen in a white hoodie in the backyard of the home where parents John Venti and Linda Venti died.
 
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s radio traffic, the resident was speaking to Venti over a fence and kept him talking until deputies arrived.
 
After repeatedly stating Ryan Venti was merely wanted for questioning, he was later sought for the killing of his parents and the arson of their home.

​A dog also perished in the fire.
 
Ryan Venti was taken into custody without incident, according to Deputy Kim Alexander of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
 
“From the condition of the suspect, it appears that he has been hiding in the surrounding hills and brush in an attempt to avoid capture,” Alexander said.
 
A motive for the killings has yet to be determined.
 
Venti is scheduled to appear in Pomona Municipal Court Wednesday, November 7.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - The 33-year-old son of a deceased couple found badly burned in a Diamond Bar home has yet to be found days after the destructive house fire took his parents’ lives.

Homicide detectives want to speak with Ryan Venti who was a resident of the home in the 3600 block of Crooked Creek Drive. Ryan Venti is not a suspect in the deadly fire, according to detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

While still trying to determine the fire’s origin, detectives believe the fire was intentionally set.

A family dog also perished in the fire.

Linda Venti, 66, and husband John Venti, 75, were identified as the dead couple.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Ryan Venti is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Information can be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).