Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Police wants the community to take part in a forum May 29 on the effects of AB109, Prop 47 and Prop 57 on law enforcement and neighborhood safety.
 
The forum takes place tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the Cameron Community Center, 1305 E. Cameron Ave. West Covina Police seek to raise the community’s awareness of the impact these laws are having across the state, to provide a consistent message on the facts of these three laws and to advocate the state legislature to improve law enforcement’s ability to respond to crime.
 
The above-mentioned California laws have put a strain on local law enforcement efforts since their enactment into law. 
 
Once called “a grave threat to public safety” by former Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley, AB109 shifts the responsibility of certain offenders by allowing non-violent, non-serious and non-sex offenders to serve their sentences in county jails as opposed to state prisons.
 
Criminals convicted under one or more of 500 felony crimes will serve their sentences in county jail in order to reduce prison overcrowding to comply with an order handed by a three-court judge in 2011.
 
Under AB109 (public safety realignment), high-profile crimes have come at the hands of certain criminals out on PRCS. 
 
AB 109 released 45,000 felons from the state prison system and overloaded local jails, resulting in the release of tens of thousands of lower-level criminals into the community, West Covina Police said.
 
In February 2017, Whittier Police Officer Keith Boyer was shot and killed by Michael Mejia, a 26-year-old criminal who was out on community supervision, paroled just 10 days prior.
 
AB 47 was responsible for reducing penalties for non-violent, non-serious crimes, reducing them to misdemeanors, including drug offenses. Not included are prior convictions for murder, rape, certain sex offenses and certain gun crimes.
 
While Prop 47 reduced the prison population by thousands in its first year, local law enforcement has had to keep up with repeat offenders who are able to break laws and suffer minimal consequences.
 
Many criminals note that committing crime is easier now because of Prop 47.
 
In a November 6, 2015 Los Angeles Times article, a 30-year-old Hacienda Heights man was perfectly honest in saying he was able to continue stealing from his neighborhood and was able to continue his meth addiction while flouting drug rehab because of Prop 47.
 
Prop 57 essentially provides incentives for criminals who undertake their own rehabilitation. Criminals earn credit for good behavior and in-prison program and activities participation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said.
 
Prop 57 also allows moves up parole consideration for non-violent offenders who served the full term of the sentence for their primary offense.
 
Up to 30,000 criminals convicted on non-violent felonies could be released under Prop 57, West Covina Polic said.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Two men accused of fatally stabbing an 18-year-old man at West Covina Plaza will see their day in court.
 
West Covina detectives developed leads recently that led them to identify two suspects responsible for the September 23, 2012 killing.
 
David Ernie Sanchez, Jr., 24, was arrested as he left his Hesperia home May 10. Eight days later, Joseph Andrew Quintero, 30, was taken into custody as he left his El Monte home, West Covina Police said.
 
The murder case was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and a murder charge was filed on both suspects.
 
Ibrahim Zepeda was fatally stabbed in the parking lot of Sears at West Covina Plaza, 1209 Plaza Drive nearly six years ago.
 
West Covina officers were informed of the stabbing as Zepeda was at Queen of the Valley Hospital. Zepeda died during surgery, West Covina Police said.
 
Sanchez is being held in lieu of $2.04 million bail. Quintero is being held in lieu of $3.06 million bail.
 
Both men are scheduled to appear at Pomona Superior Court June 14.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Police uncovered a huge cache of methamphetamine with the help of a drug detection K9 during a traffic stop May 19.

After an officer found a small portion of methamphetamine under the driver seat, the driver was detained and a drug detection K9 alerted officers to more drugs inside the 2010 Nissan Rogue. The car was impounded and the remainder of the drugs found in hidden compartments under the driver and passenger seat, West Covina Police said.

The driver was stopped in the area of the I-10 freeway and Vincent Avenue for a vehicle code violation around 7:20 p.m. Saturday.

Arrested was Pedro Lopez, a 28-year-old Paramount man. He was booked on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine for sale transporting narcotics in a hidden compartment. He is being held in lieu of $1 million.

West Covina Police’s K9, Rye, was field certified in K9 detection in April 2018. This is Rye’s first narcotic detection since his field certification.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Mayor Mike Spence, found unconscious in a Costa Mesa hotel room and likely suffering from a drug overdose, will vacate the position of mayor June 1.
 
Spence made the announcement at the Thursday, May 17 West Covina City Council meeting. None of the four remaining council members voted for a replacement of the largely ceremonial post, holding off a vote until the city’s June 5 regular meeting.
 
Spence intends to remain a member of the city council until his term is up in November.
 
Spence announced his intention to vacate his position June 1 to allow proper public notice and to conduct the mayoral rotation during a regularly scheduled meeting.
 
“I want to apologize to the distraction that my personal failings have had on the city. I want to apologize mostly to my family,” Spence added. “There are people in the community that are mean and bigoted towards people that have addiction and those people have taken it out on my kids. That is what I’m most sad about.”
 
After Spence excused himself from the meeting, the remaining council members voted to remove Spence as mayor immediately and stripped the embattled city leader of his duties.
 
Spence was found unconscious in a Costa Mesa hotel room May 4, found with “controlled substance items,” Costa Mesa Police said.
 
Spence was found with a second person inside the hotel room in the 2000 block of Newport Boulevard just after midnight by Costa Mesa officers responding to a medical call. 
 
Spence has yet to be charged with a crime or arrested.
 
Spence was later hospitalized and released.
 
The second person found in the hotel room with Spence identified herself as a friend and told Costa Mesa Police Spence exhibited signs of a possible heroin overdose.
 
Spence was reportedly revived with the nasal overdose medication naloxone, otherwise known by the name brand Narcan, said West Covina City Attorney Kimberly Barlow.
Nalaxone is used to treat opioid overdose victims.
 
The case regarding the incident has been turned over to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
 
Spence is no stranger to controversy, having pleaded guilty to crashing his vehicle into a power pole in July 2016. He was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and pleaded guilty to being under the influence of methamphetamine when he crashed.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - Police arrested a man May 7, found with what officers are calling one of the largest cache of weapons seized during a traffic stop.
 
Andrew Jose Solis, a 28-year-old La Puente man and convicted felon, was booked on suspicion of possession of assault rifles, possession of ammunition/criminal street gang activity, illegal possession of firearms and convicted felon in possession of firearms, West Covina Polcie said.
 
Solis was found with ammunition, nine handguns and five assault rifles, including AR-15s and an AK-47.
 
Solis posted $75,000 bond May 8.
 
Solis was pulled over for a vehicle code violation Monday, May 7 at 9:49 p.m. at Lark Ellen Avenue and Rowland Avenue. The officer who stopped Solis saw a rifle placed in the backseat of Solis’ 2017 Jeep Liberty, West Covina Police said.
 
Detectives believe Solis, an admitted gang member and convicted felon, transported the weapons across state lines.
 
The West Covina Police Department will reveal more details of the arrest, as well as Solis’ booking photo, during a 10 a.m. press conference May 17.

Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor

WEST COVINA - The driver of a stolen rental truck continues to evade capture after fleeing a traffic stop Monday afternoon.
 
The two passengers, one of whom is the actual truck renter, were arrested near Dubesor Street and Season Avenue just after 4 p.m. The woman who rented and failed to return the truck was found with personal information and checks belonging to at least one theft victim, said Cpl. Rudy Lopez of the West Covina Police Department.
 
The driver failed to stop initially for a West Covina officer after reportedly committing a traffic violation. Once the truck stopped, the driver fled, Lopez said.
 
A lengthy search failed to produce the outstanding suspect.
 
Around 7:41 p.m., a caller reported seeing a suspicious man at Big League Dreams, 2100 S. Azusa Ave. The man matched the description of the outstanding driver, Lopez said.
 
The suspect was seen on a hillside at the baseball complex and was reportedly seen in and around a snack bar and the Tiger Stadium replica field, Lopez said.
 
Police, aided by a helicopter, searched the area, but could not locate the suspect.
 
Arrested was Sabrina Evangeline Sena, 36, and Ralph Mario Hernandez, 39.

​Hernandez was arrested for outstanding warrants, Lopez said.