Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA – Police are seeking any other victims of a man who police allege broke into a woman’s apartment naked November 11.
Brayan Castellanos-Matute, a 20-year-old Artesia man, was allegedly found naked in the victim’s bed after he broke in. The suspect fled before police arrived, but after collecting evidence and following investigative leads, police identified and cuffed him, according to the West Covina Police Department. Matute was booked on suspicion of residential burglary, and assault to commit rape. The incident unfolded around 3 a.m. in the 100 block of South Barranca Avenue. “The victim was awoken by the suspect, who was found to be naked in her bed. The victim was able to flee and contact the West Covina Police Department. Officers arrived, however, the suspect had fled. The suspect was unknown to the victim,” the West Covina Police Department said in a written statement. A search warrant was executed at 3 p.m. November 11 and Matute was arrested. He remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina courthouse Monday, November 15, according to Los Angeles County booking records. Anyone with information that can help this investigation, or anyone who may possibly be a victim of Matute is urged to call the West Covina Police Department at 626-939-8500. Information can be provided anonymously 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 WEST COVINA - A stabbing suspect was caught after fleeing the scene of a stabbing that left two injured Tuesday.
The stabbing was reported just before 9 a.m. at Gold’s Gym, 502 Plaza Dr., March 30. Witnesses said the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle, according to the West Covina Police Department. Both victims wound up at a local hospital. One was released and the other was last listed in stable condition, West Covina Police said. “Officers patrolling the area were able to locate the suspect in the vehicle in the area of West Covina Parkway and West Garvey Avenue,” according to the West Covina Police Department in a written statement. “The suspect was arrested.” Suspect Paul Quintero, 32, was booked on suspicion of attempted murder and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. He is being held at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles ahead of a scheduled appearance in the West Covina Courthouse April 2. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - A plea deal was negotiated after a mistrial was declared in the case of a Glendora man accused of sexual battery and child molestation. Patrick Adam Nelson, 41, pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor lewd acts. Nelson was immediately sentenced to 30 days in jail, three years of summary probation, 30 days of community labor, 52 sex compulsion classes and he was ordered to move from his residence within 90 days, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. A no contest plea is treated as a guilty plea. Nelson was originally accused of one misdemeanor count each of child molestation and sexual battery against his then 17-year-old neighbor in 2018.
Jurors deliberated for about two and a half days and could not reach a unanimous decision on either charge, ultimately splitting the decision 9-3 on the child molestation charge and 11-1 on the sexual battery charge. After jurors were excused May 17, Nelson’s defense attorneys briefly expressed to Judge Robert Serna their intentions to strike a plea deal. Nelson was initially offered a plea deal before trial began which he never accepted. During pre-trial, the defense briefly mentioned a 50-foot stay-away protective order as an issue preventing the acceptance of the plea deal. In a secret recording the victim’s father made of Nelson recounting the molestation and sexual battery incidents from 2018, the father expressed desire for Nelson to move away from the neighborhood. Nelson lives across the street from the victim and her family. Appearing in the audience Friday were Nelson’s parents, Byron Nelson and Judy Nelson — the latter is mayor of Glendora. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - Two full days of deliberation have left jurors with no unanimous decision on the fate of a Glendora man accused of two misdemeanor counts each of child molestation and sexual battery. Unanimous decisions must be reached for the greater and lesser crimes charged against Glendora man Patrick Adam Nelson, accused of the listed crimes against his then 17-year-old neighbor. Tuesday afternoon, jurors asked Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Serna for access to transcripts of the closing arguments from both the defense and prosecution, but were denied. The closing arguments are not considered evidence, Serna said.
Wednesday, Serna asked jurors if additional deliberation would be beneficial to help solidify a decision. About three jurors desired additional deliberation. Jurors were called out of deliberation just before 4 p.m. Wednesday to determine if progress was made, but the 12 jurors still could not agree on a verdict. Considering the circumstances, Nelson’s defense team desired a decision to be made on a deadlocked jury Wednesday. The prosecution, Deputy District Attorney Mari Henderson, agreed with Serna that further deliberation should be granted. Jurors return to Department 10 of the West Covina Courthouse at 9 a.m. Thursday. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - The defense came out with both barrels blazing Monday during closing arguments in a molestation and sexual battery case against a Glendora man. The suspect, Patrick Adam Nelson, 41, is accused of two misdemeanor counts each of sexual battery and child molestation against a then 17-year-old neighbor July 8, 2018. He faces a possible maximum sentence of one year in jail. Nelson’s defense team of Stephanie Johnson and Robert Ernenwein took a less vocal approach during days one through three of the trial as the prosecution, which has the burden of proof, called witness after witness and painted a picture that Nelson allegedly groomed the girl for years and desired her sexually. Ernenwein emphasized before the trial started that this was an unfair proceeding and during closing arguments stated the district attorney’s office overreacted and overcharged in this case. Monday, Ernenwein spoke about discovery introduced late in the trial. Some of the late discovery was learned just before testimony was set to take place with certain witnesses and some was learned on the stand with little opportunity for the defense to digest it. Allegations by the girl’s parents of Nelson slapping her buttocks while she wore a bikini and an awkward touching of her thigh during a family dinner, allegedly taking place before the 2018 incidents, weren’t included in any police reports and only came out during testimony, Ernenwein said. The parents’ accounts of who witnessed the slap apparently didn’t match, with both parents stating they individually witnessed the incident, Ernenwein said. Nelson is accused of touching the girl on her breasts and buttocks last year, the reason why Nelson was charged and facing jail time. Just before her testimony May 9, the girl said Nelson also allegedly touched her vaginal area after she awoke to him touching her buttocks -- information not disclosed during discovery. Some of the girl’s testimony focused on alcohol and marijuana edibles allegedly offered by Nelson. The defense emphasized that the items were only offered to her after the girl and her sister Cori spoke openly in Nelson's presence about consuming alcohol and marijuana. The use of the wax pen wasn’t even disclosed until last week, Ernenwein said. During her testimony, the girl stated she only remembered Nelson offering marijuana after a therapy session and on cross examination, she said she initially didn’t include it during a police interview to keep Nelson from being in more trouble than he already was in. Ernenwein also questioned why the prosecution didn’t put Nelson’s parents, Glendora Mayor Judy Nelson and her husband Byron Nelson, on the stand as percipient witnesses.
The cornerstone of the defense’s closing argument is that Nelson had no ill intent during the 2018 incidents, that touching the girl the way he did was done out of awkwardness and the prosecution did not prove criminal intent required for a sex offense. The girl’s father, Brian, on a secret recording, asked Nelson if he was aroused by touching her, which Nelson always denied. Regardless of the alcohol and marijuana consumption, Ernenwein emphasized Nelson is only being charged with child molestation and sexual battery, not contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The defense conceded that Nelson did make terrible decisions throughout his relationship with the girl and her family. Ernenwein acknowledged that Nelson’s texting of explicit messages to a teen girl is, in his words, totally inappropriate and that allowing a teen access to alcohol and marijuana is illegal under the law and he is likely guilty of battery, but a child molester he is not. “His conscience led him to speak to Brian [the girl’s father] ... Pat Nelson is a lot of things --some good, some bad -- but he has a conscience. His disclosure was complete and it was gut-wrenching,” Ernenwein said. The prosecution’s rebuttal to the defense's closing argument is scheduled for May 14 at 9 a.m. at the West Covina Courthouse before deliberation is set to begin. Prosecution: Suspect Accused of Molestation, Battery of Glendora Girl Groomed Her for Years5/12/2019 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - Days two and three of the trial against a Glendora man accused of molestation and battery of his then 17-year-old neighbor revealed more details of what the prosecution believes is the suspect’s obsession with the girl. The prosecution led by Deputy District Attorney Mari Henderson alleges that suspect Patrick Adam Nelson, 41, groomed the victim for years in a variety of ways. The girl’s parents, a friend of the girl and two of the mother’s coworkers took the stand Thursday and Friday. In their testimony, the parents, identified as Brian and Maggie, and the girl said Nelson would give more expensive gifts to her, such as a necklace for her 17th birthday, and pay more attention to her than her sister. Maggie, said that when she first met Nelson about 11 years ago, she warned him not to harm her girls in anyway, which Nelson apparently assured her the girls would never be hurt. The girl and her friend alleged in their testimony that Nelson freely offered alcohol and marijuana edibles from his home, which was accessed through a rear unlocked door. The girl also would allegedly ask Nelson for Vodka through Snapchat messages. On Wednesday, the jury listened to 58 minutes of a secret recording Brian made of Nelson re-telling the accounts of July 8 when the alleged incidents occurred. Glendora Police Detective Michael Howell gave a recording device to Brian to get Nelson’s account. On cross-examination, defense attorney Stephanie Johnson believed Howell told Brian what questions to ask in order to force specific answers, but Brian denied the claim, stating he was only told how to operate the device and to get Nelson to recount the incidents in his own words. On Thursday, the girl said she was home with some friends and was tasked to watch her ailing grandmother July 7, 2018. The girl and friends had been drinking and Nelson allegedly did as well. The victim and her friends became ill and began throwing up. In the wee hours of July 8, the girl called Nelson to keep her company, because she felt physically sick and didn’t want to be alone -- she needed him there as a father figure and to help tend to her grandmother’s wound, the girl said. Nelson helped her as she threw up, talked with her for about two hours and allowed her use of his wax vaporizer pen to feel better, the girl said.
A vaporizer pen allows the user to inhale cannabis concentrate or wax. After the girl showered, Nelson allegedly offered her a back rub, which she agreed to. The girl said she heard nervous breathing from Nelson during the back rub and that he soon rubbed across her stomach and moved his hand across her breasts twice. She flinched, panicked and elbowed him to stop him. The girl said she fell asleep, but woke to Nelson allegedly rubbing her butt for several seconds. In the moments, hours and days after the alleged battery and molestation took place, the girl felt confused, sad and dirty about what happened. A series of Snapchat messages were shown by both the prosecution and defense between the girl and Nelson. The prosecution said the messages showed how Nelson would compliment the girl’s physical appearance, that if she were older he would marry her, how much he wanted to hug and kiss her and that he is so in love with her and everything she is. The girl would respond with platonic default emojis of two bears hugging, a heart and sometimes used an emoji stating “I love you,” the girl said. The girl once offered to kiss Nelson if he fixed his spa, which she wanted to use, although she said she never meant to follow through. Nelson, however, allegedly believed she would and in person, as well as Snapchat, would ask for kisses from her. On cross examination, the defense questioned the usage of the emojis in response to Nelson’s messages, possibly to emphasize a possibly misleading nature. Day three of the trial ended earlier than anticipated. The trial itself may possibly end six days ahead of schedule Monday, May 13. The girl’s sister may be called to testify, after which the jury may go inter deliberation and render a verdict. If convicted as charged, Nelson faces a possible maximum of one year in jail. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - A man accused of one felony count of criminal threats against South Hills High School was sentenced to three years formal probation Wednesday. Dereck Peña, 22, was also ordered to stay away from South Hills High School, to stay away from his ex-girlfriend for five years and to participate in mental health counseling, according to Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Peña threatened to shoot up his former high school November 7, 2018. He communicated the threats to his ex-girlfriend in a social media video.
Peña was found in his residence and arrested without incident after West Covina detectives determined the source of the threat and video regarding South Hills High School, West Covina Police said. Real machetes, replica body armor, replica handguns and replica rifles were found while searching Peña’s home. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor WEST COVINA - The jury trial against a Glendora man accused of inappropriately touching a then 17-year-old girl began Wednesday. Patrick Adam Nelson, 41, is accused of one misdemeanor count each of child molestation and sexual battery, both allegedly occurring July 8, 2018. Deputy District Attorney Mari Henderson attempted to paint the picture that Nelson groomed the girl for years. The girl’s father took the stand Wednesday. The alleged molestation and battery took place in the girl’s home while her parents were away on vacation. Nelson visited the girl, which her father said was unusual when the father was not home. The girl was sick after allegedly drinking. Nelson offered the girl a back rub and during the back rub grabbed her butt and cupped her breast, the girl’s father said. Nelson and the girl’s family have known each other for 11 years. The father and Nelson met 11 years ago when the girl was 7 or 8 years old. Nelson had virtually become family and was referred to as “Uncle Pat.” The girl and her family also became acquainted with Nelson’s parents Byron and Judy Nelson: the latter is mayor of Glendora. The jury was shown a series of photos of the girl, her family and Nelson taken during those 11 years at get-togethers, day trips and holidays: each photo showed Nelson at varying degrees of physical closeness to the girl. The girl’s father claimed that the alleged acts were not the first by Nelson. When the girl was 15, Nelson allegedly placed his hand on her thigh. Nelson also allegedly slapped the girl’s butt playfully during her freshman year: both actions illicited enough concern from the father to warn Nelson, who pledged he would never hurt the victim.
A week after the alleged July 2018 incidents took place, Nelson asked the girl’s father over to his home where Nelson apparently confessed. Nelson also apparently admitted to what he did in front of his parents Byron and Judy during a subsequent meeting between the two families. The jury listened to 58 minutes of a recording made by the girl’s father who was given a recorder by Glendora Police Detective Mike Howell to capture a confession on tape. In the recording, Nelson repeatedly said what happened was a “horrible lapse in judgement” and that he had no bad intentions as both the girl and her father worked to get Nelson to state why he allegedly did what he did, sometimes going so far as to ask if he was aroused by touching her. In the recording, the girl claimed that friends would notice Nelson always looked at her differently and would always give her gifts. The trial resumes Thursday. 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. |
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