Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION – The Azusa transient accused of causing the brush fire still burning across the San Gabriel Mountains was charged Wednesday.
Osmin Palencia, 36, was charged with one felony count each of arson during a state of emergency and arson of a structure or forest, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney Public Information Officer Ricardo Santiago. The Ranch 2 Fire began burning near Highway 39 and Ranch Road in the Azusa foothills Thursday, August 13. The fire has since scorched 4,300 acres and is 19 percent contained as of the morning of August 19, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. After Azusa Police publicized Palencia as a suspect in the Ranch 2 Fire, he surrendered to officers Sunday, August 16. His bail is set at $435,000. If convicted as charged, Palencia faces a possible maximum of 23 years in state prison. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES – Arraignment for the man accused of raping and brutally beating a woman found dead in her Covina retirement home unit 24 years ago was continued to September 1. David Adolph Bernal, 46, was charged with one count of murder with the special circumstance allegations that the crime was committed during a rape, sodomy and burglary, according to Greg Risling, Assistant Media Chief with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Bernal was located and arrested at his El Monte home August 6, 2020. Investigators allege he is the suspect in the January 19, 1996 death of Mary Lindgren, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. Lindgren, 67, was found dead in her first-floor bedroom at Covina Villa Retirement Home. Her body was found by facility staff at 7:30 a.m. A break in the case came this July when DNA evidence submitted last year yielded a result, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.
Sheriff’s Homicide detectives assisted Covina Police in the investigation. Facility staff, residents, family members, outside vendors and neighbors living near the facility were interviewed and determined to have no involvement in the murder, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. DNA, as well as several other pieces of evidence, was collected at the scene. A suspect profile was generated from DNA collected at the scene, but matches with state and federal criminal justice databases could not be found, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. As years went by, state and national crime broadcasts were sent to participating agencies. Several leads were acquired, but led nowhere, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. It was last year when the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and homicide detectives with the Sheriff’s Unsolved Unit submitted suspect DNA evidence with the California State Department of Justice for a DNA search and identification process, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. Investigators focused their attention on the possible suspect, eventually jailing Bernal, who is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. He is scheduled for a court appearance August 7. If convicted as charged, Bernal faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty. A decision to seek capital punishment will be decided at a later date, Risling said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - Investigators working the cold case of a brutally beaten, raped and murdered woman in Covina used a statewide DNA technology to identify and arrest a suspect.
David Adolph Bernal, 46, was located and arrested at his El Monte home August 6. Investigators allege he is the suspect in the death of Mary Lindgren, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau. Lindgren, 67, was found dead in her first-floor bedroom at Covina Villa Retirement Home January 19, 1996. Her body was found by facility staff at 7:30 a.m. A break in the case came this July when DNA evidence submitted last year yielded a result, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. Sheriff’s Homicide detectives assisted Covina Police in the investigation. Facility staff, residents, family members, outside vendors and neighbors living near the facility were interviewed and determined to have no involvement in the murder, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. DNA, as well as several other pieces of evidence, were collected at the scene. A suspect profile was generated from DNA collected at the scene, but matches with state and federal criminal justice databases could not be found, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. As years went by, state and national crime broadcasts were sent to participating agencies. Several leads were acquired, but led nowhere, the Sheriffs Information Bureau said. It was last year when the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and homicide detectives with the Sheriff’s Unsolved Unit submitted suspect DNA evidence with the California State Department of Justice for a DNA search and identification process, the Sheriffs Information Bureau said. Investigators focused their attention on the possible suspect, eventually jailing Bernal, who is being held in lieu of $2 million bail. He is scheduled for a court appearance August 7. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office formally charged a Pomona city council member with possessing child pornography and taking photos of girls at two elementary schools. Rubio Ramiro Gonzalez was charged with one felony count of possessing child pornography and four misdemeanor counts of annoying or molesting a child. He allegedly took the illicit photos while as a teacher in the Pomona Unified School District, according to Greg Risling of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The illicit photos were taken at Cortez and Arroyo Elementary schools, but the DA’s office did not state when the photos were taken.
Gonzalez also allegedly had child pornography stored in his email accounts, Risling said. Gonzalez, the 45-year-old who has served the city as District 1 council member since his election in 2016, was arrested at 11 a.m. May 21. He was booked at the San Dimas Sheriff’s Station and held in lieu of $100,000 bail until posting bond, according to Los Angeles County booking records. The County DA was the arresting agency, according to Los Angeles County booking records. According to Gonzalez’s city council bio, he is completing a teacher credential program and Master’s in Education at the University of La Verne. While earning his Bachelor of Arts in English at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Gonzalez worked as a Pomona Unified School District tutor. He reportedly was still employed at Pomona Unified at the time of his arrest. Gonzalez has also worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District, Chaffey Joint Unified School District, Montebello Unified School District, El Monte Union High School District, School of Arts and Enterprise in Pomona and districts in Texas. Gonzalez has also served community organizations, such as the Pony United Baseball League, Ganesha High School Site Council and Arroyo Elementary School Site Council. If convicted as charged, Gonzalez face as a possible maximum of seven years in custody. His arraignment is scheduled for August 28 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Rubio Gonzalez Was Arrested May 21. CLICK TO READ MORE Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - The County DA announced Wednesday that 61 people were charged with a variety of crimes committed during the recent George Floyd protests in the Los Angeles area. The majority of charges filed over the past two days have been for looting, according to Greg Risling, assistant media chief with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Other charges include assault and/or battery upon a peace officer, robbery, burglary, possession of a destructive device, identity theft and receiving stolen property. Some cases have yet to be presented after some suspects were issued citations and released by various law enforcement agencies, Risling said. Additional cases are expected to be presented for filing consideration. Some cases qualified for the COVID-19 “zero-bail policy” established by the Judicial Council of California, Risling said, while others may require bail due to the crimes being committed during a declared emergency.
In downtown Los Angeles, 11 people were charged with felonies, including looting, robbery and assault upon a peace officer, Risling said. Seventeen people were charged at the Airport Branch Court, which covers some of the western portions of Los Angeles County, including Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. The charges include felony looting, burglary and identity theft as well as misdemeanor looting and burglary, Risling said. Fifteen people were charged with felony looting, fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s vehicle or attempted looting in Compton, while three people were charged with felony looting in Long Beach, Risling said. In Van Nuys, five people were charged with felony looting. Six people were charged with felony looting or attempted looting in Norwalk and three people were charged with attempted looting in Torrance, Risling said. A 15-year-old youth has been charged in juvenile court with assault upon a peace officer, Risling said. In total, 11 cases were declined due to insufficient evidence, 19 referred back to law enforcement agencies for further investigation and 31 were referred to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for misdemeanor filing consideration, Risling said. Felony looting carries a possible maximum sentence of three years in county jail. “I support the peaceful organized protests that already have brought needed attention to racial inequality throughout our society, including in the criminal justice system,” District Attorney Lacey said. “I also have a constitutional and ethical duty to protect the public and prosecute people who loot and vandalize our community.” Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor POMONA - City councilmember Rubio Ramiro Gonzalez was arrested Thursday on accusations of child annoyance or molestation and possession of child porn, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Gonzalez, the 45-year-old who has served the city as District 1 councilmember since his election in 2016, was arrested at 11 a.m. May 21. He was booked at the San Dimas Sheriff’s Station and held in lieu of $100,000 bail until posting bond, according to Los Angeles County booking records. The County DA was the arresting agency, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Charges have yet to be filed against Gonzalez, according to DA spokesman Greg Risling in a Los Angeles Times interview. According to Gonzalez’s city council bio, he is completing a teacher credential program and Master’s in Education at the University of La Verne. While earning his Bachelor of Arts in English at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Gonzalez worked as a Pomona Unified School District tutor. He reportedly was still employed at Pomona Unified at the time of his arrest. Gonzalez has also worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District, Chaffey Joint Unified School District, Montebello Unified School District, El Monte Union High School District, School of Arts and Enterprise in Pomona and districts in Texas. Gonzalez has also served community organizations, such as the Pony United Baseball League, Ganesha High School Site Council and Arroyo Elementary School Site Council. Gonzalez is scheduled to appear in Los Angeles Municipal Court May 26. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A Monterey Park man was official charged May 7 with one count of murder in the stabbing death of his mother. 34-year-old Alexander Joshua Escobar is accused of stabbing to death 65-year-old Josephine Reyes, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The murder count includes an allegation of using a knife, according to Deputy District Attorney Melanie Buccat. Escobar is accused of stabbing his mother multiple times in the home they shared in the 1700 block of Alisar Avenue May 5.
Escobar allegedly called police and admitted to dealing the fatal blows. Monterey Park Police officers found the suspect with his hands up. He was detained without incident, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau. “When officers entered the residence, they found a female Hispanic in her 60’s with multiple stab wounds to the upper torso. She was pronounced dead at the scene,” Sheriff’s investigators said. Two knives were recovered at the scene. Bail is set at more than $2 million. If convicted as charged, the defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of 26 years to life in state prison, the county DA said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor REGION - A man accused of setting arson fires in around Azusa and Covina pleaded not guilty Thursday. Jose Javier Salgado, 39, faces 12 counts of arson during a state of emergency, nine counts of arson of property and three counts of arson of a structure or forest, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Santiago was arraigned Thursday. Prosecutor Arthur Leahy of the DA’s Arson Explosives Section said Santiago set nine fires April 4 and set three more April 15 near mini-malls in and around the border between Azusa and Covina. Three fires burned roughly within an hour of each other late April 15, a Los Angeles County Fire Department dispatch supervisor said.
A particularly large fire was set behind the Covina Walmart Supercenter, 1275 N. Azusa Ave., at 10:36 p.m. April 15. Firefighters finally knocked down the blaze at 11 p.m., according to Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Michael Pittman. The fire destroyed pallets, a forklift and forced people to evacuate the store. Bail is set at $4.87 million. Salgado faces a possible maximum sentence of 27 years in state prison if convicted as charged, Santiago said. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Detectives seek more victims of a man accused of molesting three boys in the Puente Hills - Rowland Heights Little League. A boy came forward March 19 and accused Carlton Harris, 47, of molesting him over the course of a year. Harris was the vice president of the little league organization, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The boy and his family became close with Harris. “During visits to the suspect’s home, the victim states the suspect would sexually assault him,” according to the Los Angeles County. Two other boys came forward to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau detectives.
Harris was arrested March 30 and was formally charged April 2 by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office with one count of lewd acts on a child under 14 years old, one count of continuous sexual abuse of a minor and five counts of lewd acts on a child 14 or 15 years old. His bail is set at $530,000.00. Harris’ next court date is unknown at this time. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau toll free tip line at 877-710-5273, or trough email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. Information can be provided anonymously by calling LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the “P3 Tips” Mobile app, or online at lacrimestoppers.org. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - The suspect who hid away in Mexico until federal and Mexican authorities took him into custody faced arraignment on multiple murder charges Tuesday. Octavio Curiel Martinez, 38, was charged with one count each of murder, murder of a human fetus, attempted murder, shooting at an inhabited structure, assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, three misdemeanor counts each of cruelty to a child by endangering health, two counts each of assault with a firearm, injuring a spouse and child abuse, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Martinez also faced the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders and allegations of using a handgun, Santiago said. Martinez is accused of shooting and killing estranged wife Ana Nuñez, 37, and their unborn child August 29, 2018 in their El Monte home. Martinez was extradited from Mexico to the U.S. January 3 and arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies. Martinez, a Mexican national, was originally arrested by Mexican police on unrelated charges May 17, 2019 in Bolanos, Jalisco, Mexico -- right where investigators believed he fled. Nuñez’s family went to her El Monte home to check on her hours after Martinez allegedly fired upon, but failed to injure a family member. She was found with multiple gunshot wounds, investigators said. Nunez and her unborn child later died at a hospital. The coroner listed her cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds of the torso. The estranged couple share additional children who were not home when the shooting took place, investigators said. A state warrant was issued for Curiel-Martinez’s arrest September 5, 2018. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued a federal arrest warrant March 15, 2019 and he was federally charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, the FBI said.
The arrest and extradition was the work of the Policía Federal Ministerial, Fiscalia General de la Republica, Instituto Nacional de Migracion, the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Mexico City, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives, the El Monte Police Department and the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. The extradition was handled by prosecutors with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs. “Curiel-Martinez’s extradition was sponsored by the U.S. government’s “Project Welcome Home,” which provides funding for the transportation of FBI fugitives to the United States, where the repatriation by the host country occurs through deportation or extradition,” the FBI said. A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of Curiel-Martinez, but it is unclear if anyone will claim the reward. If convicted as charged, Martinez faces a possible maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. |
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