Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - A former pizza delivery worker was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison in the stabbing death of his supervisor in La Puente

32-year-old Rafael Sanchez of Baldwin Park was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison. He was found guilty November 19, 2019 of first degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Daniel Anthony Sanchez, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The stabbing occurred inside Domino’s, 1073 N. Hacienda Blvd., March 10, 2018. Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Industry Station responded at 5:59 p.m.

Rafael objected to Daniel Sanchez telling him to do his job. Rafael snuck up behind his supervisor and stabbed him in the neck and back.

The knife reportedly used in the stabbing was recovered.

Daniel Sanchez was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead, according to detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

LOS ANGELES - Detectives are asking additional victims to come forward after the arrest and arraignment of a high school track and field coach accused of carrying on a years-long relationship with a student.

Fidel Camarena Dominguez, 37, pleaded not guilty to six counts of lewd acts on a child 14 or 15 years old, two counts each of oral copulation of a person under 16, dissuading a witness from prosecuting a crime and one count each of unlawful sexual intercourse and oral copulation of a person under 18, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

LA PUENTE, HACIENDA HEIGHTS -  One man was hospitalized after being shot, an event that led deputies on reports of gun violence across La Puente and Hacienda Heights early Saturday.

Deputies responded to three separate calls within a 50-minute span, according to Lt. James Long of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Industry Station.

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

REGION - Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man January 18 after he allegedly robbed five 7-Eleven convenience stores across the San Gabriel Valley.

Julian Larsuel, 19, was arrested early Friday morning after a deputy anticipated his next target, a 7-Eleven in Hacienda Heights. Larsuel is accused of robbing at gunpoint stores in Baldwin Park, West Covina, Covina, City of Industry and La Puente, authorities said.

Larsuel allegedly robbed a Covina 7-Eleven, 105 N. Vincent Ave., at 1:10 a.m., where he stole several hundred dollars.

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:

• Victor Ponce De Leon, a convicted felon also known as “Dopey,” 26, of La Puente
• James W. Butcher, 54, of Covina
• Ricky Lee Thornburg, also known as “Shorty,” 39, of Glendora
• Beatris Gomez, 39, of Glendora
• Patricia Marie Jimenez, 32, of La Puente
• Melody Basye, 38, of San Bernardino
• Joseph Anthony Castro, 37, of Azusa
• Matthew Burciaga, also known as “Porky,” 32, of La Puente
• Yvonne Marie Estrada, 35, of Covina
• Maribel Gomez, 25, of Azusa
• Elizabeth Joyce McDowell, also known as “Lilly,” 23, of West Covina
• Priscilla Telles, also known as “Babydoll,” 31, of La Puente
• David Ortega, also known as “No-No,” 23, of Hacienda Heights
• Ulices Ramon Soto, also known as “Uli,” 36, of Whittier
• Thomas Arroyave, 34, of Azusa
• Edward Padilla, also known as “Spunks,” 24, of Chino Hills
• Ruby Escarcega, 22, of Chino Hills

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

LA PUENTE - A victim shot in the face by an unknown assailant died last week of his injuries exactly two weeks after being injured, authorities said.
 
Francisco Lopez, 30, was shot in the face outside QQ Bargain Dollar Mart, 401 S. Azusa Ave., around 9 p.m. Friday, June 22. Lopez was identified by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
 
Lopez died Friday, July 6.
 
The suspect fled with two female accomplices in a black, older-model car with collision damage to the passenger side, according to Sheriff’s deputies during the initial incident.

The gunman was described as a Hispanic man between 20 to 30 years old. The two female accomplices, the driver and rear passenger, are Hispanic and between 20 to 25 years old.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - A 31-year-old La Puente man died at the scene of a collision May 10, the Department of the Coroner said.
 
Adam John Escobedo died from multiple traumatic injuries when his motorcycle struck a vehicle at Temple Avenue and Willow Avenue, according to Assistant Chief Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

​The crash happened just before 6 a.m.
 
Escobedo reportedly was travelling at high speed when he hit the rear of a vehicle stopped at the intersection, according to Sgt. Ramirez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Industry Station.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - The transient man sought for distribution and possession of child porn turned himself in to the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.

Paul Erwin Black, Jr. surrendered to authorities at 1:30 p.m. He was arraigned in court for possession and distribution of child pornography and was released on his own recognizance, according to Armando Viera, Jr. of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Sheriff’s Human Trafficking detectives sought Black for above charges. He was known to frequent the West Covina and La Puente areas.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - A man who frequents the West Covina and La Puente area is wanted by Sheriff’s detectives.
 
A warrant was issued for Paul Erwin Black, Jr., a 49-year-old transient man. He is accused of downloading and distributing child porn on the Internet, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
 
Black is white, 5 feet 9 inches tall, 210 pounds, has short blond hair and blue eyes.
 
Anyone with information on Black’s whereabouts is urged to call Deputy French at the Sheriff’s Human Trafficking Bureau, 323-526-5156.