Police Investigate Stabbing Death At Marie Widman Park
July 25, 2010, San Diego Ca, at approximately 9:31 pm, Southeastern Division patrol officers were flagged down by a motorist who reported seeing a bloodied male lying in the eastbound lanes of 6800 Imperial Avenue.
The officers went to that location and found the victim, a white male approximately 18-20 years old lying in the street and suffering from stab wounds. The male was transported by paramedics to a local trauma center where he died at 2229 hours.
The preliminary investigation revealed the victim was stabbed in a restroom at Marie Widman Park located in the 6800 block of Imperial Avenue and afterwards made his way to the street where the motorist found him. The suspect in this case is described as a black male approximately 18 years old.
The identity of the victim is not known at this time.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293.
San Diego Police Press Release
At 8:43AM, this morning, officers responded to a call of a domestic violence at 6935 Jamacha Road. A neighbor reported that a male was breaking windows with a hammer and that children were running around screaming.
When officers arrived at the scene, the subject's wife advised them that her husband had trouble sleeping last night. The subject woke her at 8:30 AM and told her they were "loosing everything" and began acting very irrational. The subject took a medium sized sledge hammer and began smashing windows in the house and windows on all three vehicles in the driveway.
As one officer went to a rear corner of the house, he could see the subject inside the residence, armed with the sledge hammer and a knife. That officer confronted the subject and gave him commands to drop the weapons and come towards him. The subject refused to comply with the officer's orders to drop the weapons.
The suspect threw the knife at the officer and disappeared inside the house. When the suspect re-appeared a second time, he was armed with another knife and raised it to throw it at the officers. Both officers fired their weapons
The subject wounded in the chest and leg. He was transported to a local trauma center were he is in surgery at this time. His injuries are considered to be non-life threatening. The subject is a 40 year old Vietnameese male.
The wife and children were not injured.
The officers are 2.5 and 2 year veterans, assigned to the Southeastern Division. Per Department policy, they have been placed on administrative assignment until the investigation is concluded.
San Diego Police Press Release
7-23-10 SAN DIEGO, CA—Forty-Three Defendants with Ties to a Drug Cartel in Mexico Charged with Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Conspiracy Individuals Allegedly Responsible for State and Federal Crimes, Including Murder, Kidnapping, Firearms, and Drug Trafficking Violations.
A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging 43 defendants with participating in a federal racketeering (RICO) conspiracy.
The RICO conspiracy alleged in the complaint involves the commission of both state and federal crimes, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. As set forth in the complaint, the defendants are members and associates of the Fernando Sanchez Organization (FSO), an offshoot of the Arellano-Felix drug-trafficking cartel.
The complaint also alleges that Jesus Quiñones Marques, the Director of International Liaison for the Baja California Attorney General’s Office, was aware of the FSO’s illegal activities and used his position to obtain confidential law enforcement information for the use of the FSO.
According to the complaint, he was involved in making arrangements to have various rivals of the FSO arrested and detained by Mexican law enforcement officials.
The charges stem from a long-term investigation, entitled “Operation Luz Verde” (green light), conducted by the multi-agency San Diego Cross Border Violence Task Force (CBVTF), which was formulated to target those individuals involved in organized crime-related violent activities affecting both the United States and Mexico.
Law enforcement personnel assigned to the CBVTF made extensive use of court-authorized wiretaps and other sophisticated investigative techniques to develop the body of evidence that led to the charges in this case.
“The presence of foreign-based drug-trafficking organization members and associates in San Diego will not be tolerated. The San Diego law enforcement community leverages every asset to ensure that this fine city never becomes the safe haven from which drug-trafficking organizations stage their operations as drug wars and law enforcement scrutiny disrupt narco-business. These traffickers will simply not be allowed to walk our streets and live among our neighborhoods, and we will certainly not tolerate the seepage of drug-related violence in our communities. We are committed to disrupting their operations and will concentrate our efforts to stop them from committing their day-to-day criminal activities here,” said United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Keith Slotter commented, “Today's arrests are the result of a long term multi-agency investigation. Dedicated personnel from agencies at all levels of government worked in unison to combat this dangerous and violent criminal enterprise. Today we are rewarded with dozens of arrests that truly have an impact on safety and well-being within our local communities.”
“The arrests made at the conclusion of this investigation illustrate the commitment of DEA and our law enforcement partners to dismantling these drug trafficking organizations at every level,” said DEA San Diego Special Agent in Charge Ralph W. Partridge. “The citizens of San Diego can feel safer today knowing that these violent offenders are off of our streets.”A complaint is not evidence that the defendants committed the crimes charged. The defendants are presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
“The San Diego Police Department is proud to have participated in such a successful operation. The message that San Diego law enforcement is sending to organized crime is clear: cross border violence and cartel activities will NOT be tolerated in the City of San Diego,” said San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne. “Any portion of a criminal enterprise that is planned, coordinated, or conducted in San Diego will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, maintaining San Diego as one of America’s safest cities for our citizens and visitors. Cartels should make no mistake: our business is to end their business.”
“ATF has participated in disrupting a violent criminal organization that was supplying the tools for Mexican cartels to kill law enforcement and innocent citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge John A. Torres of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “ATF’s mission is to prevent violent crime in this country and prevent illegal firearms from crossing into Mexico.”
United States Attorney Duffy praised the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) for the coordinated team effort in the culmination of this investigation.
Agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Diego Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, Chula Vista Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, California Department of Justice and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office participated in this OCDETF investigation.
The OCDETF program was created to consolidate and utilize all law enforcement resources in this country’s battle against organized crime and major drug trafficking organizations.
The case is being prosecuted in San Diego federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd W. Robinson and James P. Melendres.
FBI Press Releases
Domestic Violence leads to Shooting
July 23, 2010 Cardiff-by-the-Sea, at about 6:05 P.M., deputies responded to a call of a shooting in the 2300 block of Oxford Avenue. Upon arrival, deputies located a 40-year-old female gunshot victim.
The victim was air-lifted to a local hospital and her injuries are not considered to be life-threatening. Deputies located the suspect, a 44-year-old male, near the scene and took him into custody.
The suspect was found to have a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries, which are not considered to be life-threatening.
The suspect, Mark Coordt (D.O.B. 09/28/65), has been arrested for Attempt Murder. This incident appears to be domestic violence related.
Encinitas Sheriff's Station Detectives are conducting the on-going investigation.
Sheriff’s Press Release
Arrest of burglary suspects
The groups would enter these establishments with the sole purpose of stealing cosmetics, skin care, high end shampoo and over the counter medications. The groups would
then re-sell the merchandise to illegal buyers who would sell the product to Mom & Pop locations, on-line or on street corners.Detectives from the Vista Sheriff’s Station started working these cases in conjunction with surrounding law enforcement agencies as well as CVS' Organized Crime Suppression Investigators. Recently a lead was developed in the case which lead to the identification of four of these suspects.
The suspects were surveilled from their residence in Los Angeles to the Oceanside area. Once the suspects arrived in Oceanside, they entered a CVS store in the 1700 block of Oceanside Boulevard.
Once inside of the store the suspects committed another theft of high end beauty products valued at over five hundred dollars. The suspects were apprehended by detectives from the Vista Station and the Oceanside Police Department as they left the store.
These suspects are responsible for approximately one hundred thousand dollars worth of merchandise being stolen from various stores. The four suspects were booked into VDF on several counts of burglary, conspiracy and petty theft with a prior.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.Sheriff’s Press Release
U.S. Border Patrol Agents Seize $426K Meth
Stash Near I-5 Checkpoint
July 22, 2010 San Clemente, Calif. — Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered 10 wrapped packages of methamphetamine inside a Nissan Frontier pick-up truck approximately one mile south of the I-5 checkpoint.
At approximately 1 p.m., a 25-year-old male U.S citizen was arrested in connection with the seizure after agents encountered him with the Nissan parked on the interstate median.
After questioning the driver, a Border Patrol K-9 team conducted an external check of the vehicle. The K-9 team alerted to the rear seat area of the pick-up, prompting agents to conduct an inspection of the truck’s interior.
Agents detected seven bundles of methamphetamine hidden inside of a speaker box atop the rear seat. An additional three bundles of methamphetamine were found behind the rear seat. The bundles had a total weight of 23.72 pounds with an estimated street value of $426,960.
Agents later turned custody of the suspected smuggler and narcotics over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
CBP News Release
FBI Seeks Public’s Assistance to Identify Inland
Federal Credit Union Robber
On Friday, July 16, 2010, at approximately 9:30 a.m., an unknown person robbed the Inland Federal Credit Union, located at 570 Broadway, El Cajon, California.
At approximately 9:30 a.m., the robber confronted a bank employee outside of the branch and threatened to have a weapon. The robber entered the bank and forced his way into the vault area of the bank.
The bank employee provided the robber with a sum of money and was then directed to escort the robber out of the bank. The robber was last seen driving away in a silver or white Saturn SUV.
The robber is described as follows:
- Sex: Male (believed to be dressed as a female)
- Race: White
- Age: Mid 50’s
- Height: 5’8” tall
- Weight: 180 lbs.
- Hair: Blonde wig
- Clothing: Black blazer, black sunglasses, blue jeans, purple or blue top, black boots, and a brown cloth bag
FBI Press Releases
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Arrest Made In June 8, 2010 Murder
On June 8, 2010, at approximately 6:20 p.m., John Watson was discovered deceased inside his Camino Del Oro apartment. The medical examiner’s office, determining the death to be suspicious, called on the San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit to conduct a death investigation.
During the initial stages of the death investigation, homicide detectives discovered Watson was a victim of financial fraud, where Watson’s identity was stolen and $7.5 million had been transferred from one of his investment accounts.
Information learned during the investigation led them to identify 59 year-old, Keigwin, as the suspect of the financial crime. Keigwin was arrested for the financial crimes, in the early morning hours of June 11, 2010, when he arrived unexpectedly at the death scene, where homicide detectives were still gathering evidence inside the apartment. Keigwin was booked into San Diego County Jail for the financial crimes, and held on $2.5 million bail.
Homicide investigators continued their investigation into the death of Watson. The Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on Watson, determining Watson died of suffocation, due to strangulation. Further investigation, which included physical evidence found at the scene of the crime, led them to Keigwin as the suspect in the murder. The San Diego County District Attorney’s office has charged Keigwin, who remains in jail on fraud charges, for the murder of John G. Watson.
San Diego Police Press Release
San Diego Police Investigate Murder In Oak Park
On July 19, 2010, at 9:32 p.m., officers responded to a report of gunshots heard in the area of 5400 Bay View Heights Place. Additional calls were received from the 1900 block of Champion Street.
Officers arrived in the area and checked the footpath leading from Champion Street to Bay View Heights Place and found the victim, a 25 year-old male, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics also responded, but the victim died at the scene. The motive for the crime is not known.
The victim has been positively identified, but his name is being withheld pending family notification.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
San Diego Police Press Release
At about 12:30 p.m. Saturday, CBP officers conducting inspections along the I-5 freeway heading into Mexico stopped a 19-year-old male U.S. citizen driving a silver Nissan 350ZX and pulled him aside for further inspection.
When officers looked inside a speaker box in the rear of the vehicle, they discovered a weapons cache with guns, ammunition, magazines and tactical gear.
The cache contained: five automatic weapons (three P90 standard machine guns, one M-4 machine gun, and one AK 47 machine gun); two handguns (one 5.7 semi automatic handgun and one 10 mm Colt semi-automatic handgun); 30 rounds of 6.8 ammunition; 44 rounds of 5.7X28 caliber ammunition; five rounds of 10mm ammunition; 23 magazines of ammunition (11 6.8 caliber ammunition magazines; one AK-47 magazine; two 10mm magazines; three 5.7 caliber magazines; and six 6.8 caliber magazines); ten rifle slings; and various tactical web gear.CBP officers seized the weapons, ammunition, and other items as well as the vehicle, and turned custody of the driver over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The suspect is currently being held at the Metropolitan Correction Center while he waits to face federal criminal charges.
“Our shared border with Mexico is a shared responsibility,” said Chris Maston, port director for the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa passenger facilities. “Performing these outbound inspections keeps guns and money that fuel violence in the border region out of the hands of drug trafficking organizations.”This interception comes one week after an interception July 10 at the Andrade port of entry, when CBP officers stopped two machine guns and numerous rounds of ammunition from entering Mexico. The driver, a 20-year-old male U.S. citizen, was arrested.
CBP News Release
Mid-City patrol officers went to the complex and learned the deceased male victim had not been seen for at least two weeks. Neighbors became worried about his welfare and contacted the property manager and told him of their concerns.
A couple of residents along with the property manager went to the apartment and after gaining entry discovered the victim deceased in a bathroom. During the preliminary investigation a Pathologist from the San Diego County Medical Examiner was called to the scene and determined that based on the evidence available, the circumstances of the man’s death were suspicious.
A Homicide team was called out to conduct an investigation.The victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. An autopsy is pending.
San Diego Police Press Release
Involved Shooting
This morning, at 7:38 a.m., a citizen reported that a man had shot his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend inside 4339 Winona Avenue.
Officers established phone contact with the female occupant of the residence and learned there were four people inside, including a person who had been shot.
As officers evacuated adjoining residences and requested the SWAT Unit, they heard more gunshots inside. Before the SWAT team arrived, officers formulated an entry plan and approached the residence.
The female came outside, still holding the telephone. The suspect stood in the doorway, holding a handgun at his side, and ignored officers’ commands to drop the weapon and exit the residence.
The suspect backed into the residence, and officers heard several gunshots. Believing the suspect was firing at them (later confirmed by a bullet hole in a window next to the front door and a projectile recovered from a home just north of the front door), an officer returned fire.
The suspect fell to the ground, but the suspect continued pointing the gun towards officers as he tried to raise himself. Two officers fired additional rounds at the suspect until he no longer posed a threat to them or the other occupants of the residence. A handgun was recovered near the suspect’s body.
Paramedics transported the victim and suspect to local trauma centers, but suspect and the victim died at 9:22 a.m. and 10:02 a.m. respectively.
The victim has been tentatively identified as a 64-year-old white male, and the suspect has been tentatively identified as a 68-year-old white male.
Their names will not be released until family members have been notified.
The officers involved in the shooting are 28 and 21-year veterans of the department.
San Diego Police Press Release
Detectives have no information about the assault and hope citizens will come forward to pinpoint when and where it occurred.
On Friday evening, June 11, Raul Rojas showed up at a friend’s house in the Shelltown neighborhood. Rojas said he had been in a fight, but did not say where or with whom.
Rojas spent the night at his friend’s house, but by Saturday afternoon showed the symptoms of someone with a traumatic head injury. Paramedics transported him to a local hospital, but his condition deteriorated, and he is currently on life support.
Anyone with information about Rojas or his whereabouts on Friday evening is encouraged to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
San Diego Police Press Release
June 15th, 2010 Chula Vista Ca, Just before 7 a.m. Chula Vista Police arrested 28-year old Brian Rolstad for attempted murder of his wife.
The victim was stabbed numerous times. The attack happened about 7:50 p.m. in her home in the 1300 block of Granite Springs Drive in the community of Eastlake.Officers found the woman with multiple stab wounds, most of them in the upper part of her body. She was taken to a hospital where she was treated for her wounds. At this time she is in stable condition and expected to survive.
Two of the woman's three children were home at the time of the attack. They have been taken into protective custody
Rolstad was arrested on Center Street in Chula Vista, directly next to the police department. A Chula Vista Police Officer spotted Rolstad sitting in his vehicle and made the arrest.
Rolstad was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of a possible overdose of narcotics. The suspect is also expected to survive.
Chula Vista Police Press Release
Imperial Counties
A Magnitude 5.7 aftershock to the Magnitude 7.2 April, 4th 2010 Easter Sunday mainshock, called El Mayor-Cucapah earthquake, occurred at 9:27 pm (Western Standard Time) on June 14th, about 5 miles southeast of the Imperial County community of Ocotillo, at the US Mexico border.
This aftershock was the largest so far of the Magnitude 7.2 El Mayor-Cucapah sequence. This aftershock was located within the large cluster of aftershocks at the northwest end of the ongoing aftershock sequence. The Magnitude 5.7 event was followed by its own vigorous aftershock sequence, with four Magnitude 4 plus aftershocks and, 35 Magnitude 3.0 to 4.0 events, during the first 12 hours.
The Magnitude 5.7 June 14th event probably occurred on a northwest striking fault that follows the trend of the Elsinore fault in this region. The Elsinore fault is more than 110 miles long, and extends into the Orange County and Los Angeles area as the Whittier fault.
The Elsinore fault is capable of a major earthquake that would significantly affect the large metropolitan areas of southern California. The Elsinore fault has not hosted a major earthquake in more than 100 years.
The occurrence of this aftershock and its own aftershock sequence, and the Magnitude 4.9 earthquake that occurred along the San Jacinto fault on June 12th 2010 demonstrate that the earthquake activity in the region remains at an elevated level.
The San Jacinto fault is known as the most active earthquake fault in southern California. Caltech and USGS seismologist continue to monitor the on going earthquake activity using the Caltech/USGS Southern California Seismic Network and a GPS network of more than 100 stations.
U.S. Geological Survey Tectonic Summary
Bank of America
On Saturday, June 12, 2010, at approximately 10:45 p.m., Thomas Michael Ballard was arrested near the 1000 block of Sea Coast Drive, Imperial Beach California. Ballard was taken into custody by San Diego Police Officers and FBI Agents, without incident.
Ballard was arrested as a result of the investigation conducted following the robbery of the Bank of America, 645 Beyer Way, San Diego, CA.
On Saturday, June 12, 2010, at approximately 1:41 p.m., the Bank of America, 645 Beyer Way, San Diego, California, was robbed by an unknown male using a demand note. After receiving a sum of money, the robber walked out of the bank. The robber was last seen driving away in a silver Volvo.
Following the bank robbery, two San Diego Police Officers reviewed the bank surveillance photographs and identified Ballard as the bank robber. Ballard was subsequently taken into custody without incident.
Ballard has been booked into the San Diego County Jail. The suspect is expected to appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on Monday, June 14, 2010.
FBI Press Release
Incident Of 14 Year Old Female
At about 9:35 p.m. the victim was walking north on the west sidewalk of 4400 41st Street. At mid block the victim noticed a Hispanic male walking about ten feet behind her.
As the victim approached the end of the block the Hispanic male ran up behind her, grabbed her by the shirt and pushed her to the ground.
The victim screamed loudly drawing the attention of several residents. When residents came out of their homes, the suspect stopped his assault and ran south from the scene.
A composite of the suspect is being developed and will be released when completed.
Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit at (619) 531-2210 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
Date: June 5, 2010
Name: Unknown
Height: 5’3 to 5’4
Weight: 170 to 180 lbs. (Thick muscular build)
Age: 30
Sex: Male
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black, short, thick, and shiny
Race: Hispanic
Facial: Mustache and goatee
Clothing: Black & blue base ball cap, dark shirt, dark basketball
shorts with darker strip down the side (baggie to the knees).
San Diego Police Department News Release
FBI
Seeks Public’s Assistance to Identify the
“Geezer
Bandit” Believed to be Responsible
for Ten Bank Robberies
The tenth bank robbery in the “Geezer Bandit” series is believed to have occurred today with the robbery of the US Bank, 14837 Pomerado Road, Poway, California, inside of the Albertsons Grocery Store.At approximately 2:53 p.m. today, the unknown male dubbed the “Geezer Bandit” used a demand note to rob one of the tellers at the US Bank, located inside of the Albertsons Grocery Store, 14837 Pomerado Road, Poway, California.
In addition to presenting the demand note, he pointed a small caliber revolver at the teller and threatened to use the weapon against her. After receiving a sum of money he walked out of the north exit door of the grocery store.
Witnesses have described the “Geezer Bandit” as follows:
Sex: Male
Race: White
Age: 60 – 70 years old
Height: Approximately 6’0” tall
Weight: Approximately 190 lbs.
Build: Average
Clothing: Navy colored blazer, navy or black colored baseball cap, and dark colored pants
Weapon: Revolver pistol
Partnership Station
6-5-2010 SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- USS New Orleans (LPD 18) and embarked units will depart San Diego for a three-month deployment in support of Southern Partnership Station (SPS), June 10.
SPS is an annual deployment of U.S. military training teams to the U.S. Southern Command area of focus in the Caribbean and Latin America. The primary goal is to provide training to regional civil and maritime services, sharing information with navies, coast guards, and civilian services throughout the region.
"Southern Partnership Station provides the Navy a perfect opportunity to maintain and strengthen relationships with our partner nations in the region" said Commodore, Amphibious Squadron 5 (CPR-5) Capt. Peter J. Brennan, SPS mission commander. "Our planned military exchanges, exercises, and potential for humanitarian assistance will benefit not only our partner nations and navies, but I know that our Sailors and Marines will gain a lot through these professional and personal interactions."
Embarked military training teams and subject matter experts will provide partner nations with classroom and hands-on training in a variety of subjects. In addition to the CPR-5 staff and the New Orleans crew, the 24th Marines and Fleet Surgical Team 5 will also be interacting and sharing information. Subject matter experts will provide training in numerous professional areas including: ship handling, leadership, and shipboard helicopter operations, as well as other topics.
Service members from Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay will board New Orleans in San Diego and ride the ship throughout the deployment to facilitate one-on-one interaction with the crew while underway.
USS New Orleans, under the command of Cmdr. Jeff Oakey, is scheduled to visit Manzanillo, Mexico; Callao, Peru; Bahia Malaga, Colombia; and Balboa, Panama.
New Orleans helps provide deterrence, promote peace and security, preserve freedom of the sea and humanitarian/disaster response within Third Fleet's 50-million square mile area of responsibility in the Eastern Pacific, as well as supporting the Navy's Maritime Strategy when forward deployed.
By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Robert Winkler, Southern Partnership Station Public Affairs
For more news from Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/c3f/
smugglers, 1,400 pounds of drugs
06-05-10 SAN DIEGO – The Coast Guard apprehended two smuggglers and recovered approximately 1,400 pounds of marijuana near Point Loma early Saturday morning.
The Joint Harbor Operations Center (JHOC) received a call at 6:40 a.m., from a concerned citizen who spotted a boat that had been beached in the Sunset Cliffs area, and the occupants appeared to be unloading something from the boat to another location.
The Coast Guard Cutter Sea Otter was sent to the scene to investigate. Upon arrival, the crew took two suspected smugglers into custody and the panga into tow to transport them to San Diego to turn over to Border Patrol.
The person who originally reported the beached panga also told authorities the location of the cave where the contraband was being offloaded from the panga.
San Diego Police Department, Coastal Border Enforcement Team and the San Diego Lifeguards were all on scene, and the lifeguards removed the bales of marijuana from the cave to a Coast Guard 33-foot patrol boat. The drugs were then transported to San Diego and turned over to Maritime Task Force.The interdiction was part of a coordinated effort by member agencies of the San Diego Maritime Unified Command; the U.S. Coast Guard, Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, and San Diego Police Department.
San Diego Maritime Unified Command, comprised of CPB, ICE, the Coast Guard, and other law enforcement partners, is an all-threats multi-agency approach to maritime law enforcement operating in the San Diego and Orange County maritime region.
Coast Guard News Release
a Deadly Weapon
Upon arrival, deputies observed a truck matching the description of the suspects’ vehicle leaving the area.
Deputies attempted to stop the truck, but the driver failed to yield and a traffic pursuit ensued. The truck headed southbound on I-5 and exited at Carmel Valley Road in the city of San Diego.At about 1:06 A.M., the driver lost control of the truck in the 2100 block of Carmel Valley Road. The vehicle left the roadway, struck a tree, and collided with a townhome cement patio wall. None of the occupants of the townhome were injured.
The truck was occupied by six adults and two juveniles. One of the adult occupants resisted arrest and a deputy deployed his canine partner, who bit the suspect. All eight occupants were treated at local hospitals for various injuries.
Six of the suspects were released from the hospital and arrested for Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Two remain hospitalized with serious injuries, which are not considered to be life-threatening.
An 18-year-old male victim arrived at a local hospital with multiple stab wounds. He had sustained his injuries on Clark Avenue, and are not considered to be life-threatening.
The Encinitas Sheriff’s Detective Unit is handling the on-going investigation.
Sheriff’s Press Release
Chase Bank Robber
At the time of the robbery, the robber entered the bank and approached an open teller station. The robber presented a demand note for cash and verbally affirmed to the teller that he was there to rob her. After receiving a sum of money from the teller, the robber walked out of the bank.
Investigators believe that today’s robbery was committed by the same person who robbed the same bank on September 23, 2009.
Witnesses describe the robber as follows:
Sex: Male
Race: Asian
Age: Late 30’s
Height: 5’10” tall
Weight: 190 lbs.
Clothing: Dressed in green/beige camouflage pants, camouflage jacket, boonie hat, black tennis shoes, black sunglasses, and face paint.Anyone with information concerning this robbery is asked to contact the FBI at telephone number (858) 565-1255 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. You may remain anonymous by calling the FBI or Crime Stoppers.
FBI Press Release
Connection with Medical Fraud
Margie L. Milisitz and John Milisitz were both arrested pursuant to a federal arrest warrant charging them with mail fraud and interstate transportation of stolen property. Both were arrested at approximately 7:00 a.m., in the 600 block of Saltgrass Avenue, Carlsbad, California.The Milisitzs were taken into custody without incident by FBI Agents, with assistance from the Carlsbad Police Department, and California Department of Justice.
According to court documents filed in this case, it is alleged that as an employee of the Baltimore Washington Medical Center (BWMC), Glen Burnie, Maryland, Margie L. Milisitz submitted false invoices to BWMC in excess of $380,000.
The false invoices were in favor of Global 1 Telecommunications and U.S. Cellular Engineers LLC, both fictitious companies established by John Milisitz. Margie L. Milisitz caused BWMC to issue checks payable to both companies purportedly for various telecommunications services and equipment that had never been provided to BWMC.The checks were subsequently deposited into the companies’ respective bank accounts and converted to the Milisitzs’ personal use.
Both are currently being held at the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), and expected to have their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate on Friday, June 4, 2010.
An arrest itself is not evidence that the defendant committed crimes charged. The defendant is presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
FBI Press Release
Near Gillespie Field
06-02-10 El Cajon Ca, At about 10:40 this morning rescue personnel from the El Cajon and Santee Fire Departments responded to a report of a downed aircraft on Cuyamaca Street, between El Cajon and Santee.
Emergency crews arriving on scene found a light plane, which had come to rest upside down in the northbound lanes of Cuyamaca Street just south of Prospect Avenue.
Deputies from the San Diego Sheriff’s Office in Santee and Officers from the El Cajon Police Department worked together to close a small section of Cuyamaca between North Marshall and Prospect Avenues. The aircraft struck overhead electrical cables for the San Diego Trolley, which created a potentially dangerous situation for rescue workers.
The small aircraft came to rest on a portion of Cuyamaca near the west end of Gillespie Field. The downed trolley wires ignited a small vegetation fire along the fence bordering the airport.
Fire Department personnel quickly extinguished the fire, as rescue crews extricated the pilot from the aircraft. San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG & E) together with Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) staff shut down power to the Santee portion of the trolley, allowing rescue personnel to remove the pilot.
The 79-year old pilot from Del Mar was the only occupant of the airplane. He suffered non-life threatening injuries to both arms and was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital.
The aircraft was based out of Gillespie Field and used for training and rentals. The FAA responded to the scene to conduct the investigation.
El Cajon Police News Release
In Valencia Park
This afternoon, at 4:12 p.m., officers were dispatched to a report of a violent disturbance inside a house in the 5100 block of a La Paz Drive. On arrival, officers found a stabbing victim on the living room floor. The victim, a 69-year old male, was transported to a local hospital, but died at 5:24 p.m.
The preliminary investigation has revealed that both the victim and suspect reside at the residence. The victim and suspect had an argument, which led to a physical confrontation. During the altercation, the suspect stabbed the victim.
The victim has been identified, but his name will not be released at this time pending family notification. At this time, detectives are conducting interviews with witnesses and processing the scene for evidence. The suspect, a 57 year-old female, has been arrested and is currently being interviewed by detectives.
San Diego Police News Release
MAN IN CRITICAL CONDITION
The subject and his brother were arrested by Border Patrol Agents on Friday, May 28, 2010, at about 1920 hours for entering the United States illegally. The men were transported to a Border Patrol station in San Ysidro for processing.
The subject signed a Voluntary Return Order and was transported to a Border Patrol facility at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, to be turned over to Mexican Immigration officials. His brother was scheduled to be returned to Mexico at a later time.
At the Port of Entry, the subject became violent when the agents removed the handcuffs. The agents and the subject all fell to the ground during the fight and the agents radioed for assistance.
Customs and Border Protection agents came to the assistance of the Border Patrol agents and also struggled with the subject. Due to the combative behavior of the subject, an agent from Customs and Border Protection use a Taser to subdue him.
Shortly after the deployment of the Taser, the subject stopped breathing. The agents immediately administered CPR and requested paramedics. The subject was transported to a local hospital where he is in extremely critical condition and not expected to survive.
The name of the subject and his brother are not being released at this time, pending notification of their family.
San Diego Police News Release
One of the men was the current boyfriend and the other man was the estranged husband of the same female.
During the argument, the boyfriend shot the estranged husband in the face with a handgun.The victim was taken to a local trauma center with a non-life threatening wound to his left cheek. Police are looking for the suspect. The Domestic Violence Unit is handling the investigation.
If you have information about this incident please call the San Diego Police Department,
San Diego Police News Release
At the time of the murder, police detectives worked on the case until running out of leads.
After a periodic review of the case, detectives from the San Diego Police Department Cold Case Unit, and an agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration reactivated the case and continued the investigation.
As a result of the lengthy investigation, which took several years to complete, Richard Moye was identified as the primary suspect.
U.S. Marshals from the San Diego Fugitive Task Force, working with U.S. Marshals and the local task force in Phoenix, Arizona, located Moye on May 14, 2010.Moye was arrested and transported to San Diego, where he was arraigned in Superior Court this afternoon, charged with Ford’s murder.
San Diego Police News Release
Child Lure Suspect
A 12-year old girl was walking to school, standing at the intersection, waiting for the light to change when she heard a vehicle honking. She looked across the intersection at a vehicle parked at a gas station and noticed the male driver was motioning and calling for her to come to him.
The suspect then drove his car from the parking lot of the gas station on the Northeast corner to the Northwest corner and stopped next to the girl and told her, in Spanish, "come here". When the girl refused the suspect got out of his vehicle, laving the dorr open and moved quickly toward the girl. She became frightened and immediately ran across the street.
The child saw an adult female at the bus stop who was watching events unfold. The child ran to that witness and at that point the suspect froze, staring at the child and witness. The witness asked the child if she knew the man and she said, "no." And at that point the child and the witness were both frightened and walked straight to the school without looking back. They reported the incident to school authorities’ and to police.
Suspect description - Hispanic Male Adult, 5'10," 200+ lbs, heavy build, large belly, no facial hair, wearing a tan baseball cap with no markings, tan or green longsleeved polo shirt, tan shorts, and sandles with socks, approximately 50 years old.
Suspect vehicle: a 4-door greenish/blue sedan, an 80's model 4-door import, possibly a Honda, very dirty.
Chula Vista Police News Release
Witnesses directed officers to an apartment, in the 800 blk. of Scranton, where the suspects were believed to be.
With assistance from the San Diego County Sheriffs Department and ASTREA, a perimeter was secured around the apartment complex and the occupants of the apartment came out as directed by officers.They were taken to the El Cajon Police Department and interviewed. Based on additional information Barba-Hinojosa and Cordova Sander were arrested and booked into San Diego County Jail on charges of attempted murder.
The injured parties’ conditions are: 1– 18 yr old male critical/stable condition, 1- 18 yr old male minor injuries and 1- 17 yr old female minor injuries.
The incident is possibly gang related and the investigation is continuing.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or may have any information is asked to call the El Cajon Police Department at (619)579-3311.
El Cajon PD Press Releases
Identify Union Bank Robber
On Tuesday, May 25, 2010, at approximately 3:00 p.m., the Union Bank, 4225 Genesee Avenue, San Diego, California, was robbed by an unknown male using a demand note. After receiving money from the teller the robber walked quickly out of the bank.
Witnesses described the robber as a Hispanic male, 5’5” tall, 160 lbs., goatee beard, blue long sleeve shirt, baby blue chargers ball cap with yellow bolt on front, and sunglasses.
Construction
Begins on Clairemont High School's
New Automotive Facility
SAN DIEGO-Construction has begun on the Auto Technology Building at Clairemont High School. It is expected to be complete by Spring 2011.
The $2.6 million College, Career & Technical Education facility (CCTE) is funded by Proposition S and a California Proposition 1D grant. Project features include:
* A new 3,475-square-foot masonry building with six auto bays that are to be used by students as labs
* A 32-student-classroom that will be housed in an existing 3,420-square-foot auto shop area
* The buildings will provide an industry-standard facility that supports certification by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation.* These professional facilities will help prepare students for work in the commercial automotive industry, enabling instruction and practice in such areas as engine performance, steering and suspension, electrical and mechanical components and brakes.
This is one of 19 construction projects awarded by San Diego Unified School District Board of Education since Proposition S was passed in November 2008.
Those construction projects represent a more than $55 million investment into the students, teachers and communities within San Diego Unified School District. During the first year of implementing the previous school bond measure, Prop. MM, the district only awarded $7 million in construction contracts.
The CCTE projects are funded by Prop. S (local) and Prop 1D (state) bond programs. Construction Tech Academy at Kearny High School and the "Buc Café" (student store) for the Mission Bay High Entrepreneurship Program are complete.
Garfield HS Culinary Arts Program is nearly complete. Besides Clairemont HS Auto Technology Program facility, other CCTE facilities that are currently under construction include:
Madison HS Automotive Technology, Morse HS Auto Body Program, San Diego HS Multimedia Arts Program, San Diego HS Finance and Business, San Diego HS Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation; Morse Culinary Arts Program, and Madison HS Multimedia Production Program.
Once deputies and U.S. Forest Service personnel arrived on scene, they contacted the Sheriff’s Homicide Detail, who responded with Crime Lab investigators.
The preliminary investigation into this matter suggests that the decedent was burned where the body was found. Neither the identity of the victim, nor the circumstances surrounding his/her death are known at this time.
Anyone with information about this incident should contact the Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321, after hours at (858)-565-5200 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-TIPS(8477).
San Diego Sheriffs Press Release
The suspect was given an undisclosed amount of cash and placed it inside the paper bag. The suspect ran out of the bank and was last seen running northbound toward the Ralph's store.
The suspect dropped his hat, but stopped to pick it up. Units responded to the area, but were unable to locate the suspect. Some of the cash was recovered in the Horton Plaza Shopping Center parking lot a short time later. Nobody was injured.
The suspect was described as being a black male, early 30's-late 40's, 5'8" to 6', 160 lbs to 180 lbs, unshaven, wearing a red, yellow, and green beanie with fake dreadlocks attached to it, short sleeved polo shirt with wide horizontal black and white stripes, light blue jeans, and white tennis shoes.
The San Diego Police Robbery Unit is investigating.
San Diego Police Press Release
Mortgage Fraud Scheme
05-20-10 SAN DIEGO—A 10-count indictment has been unsealed charging six individuals with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Karen P. Hewitt.
The defendants are charged with submitting false and fraudulent mortgage loan applications and related documents to banks and other lending institutions, thereby inducing the institutions to make approximately 36 loans totaling approximately $20,800,000.
The defendants charged with participating in the conspiracy are: Brian Andrew La Porte; Daniel John Schuetz; Michael Wayne Wickware; Roxanne Yvette Hempstead; Darryl Anthony Wallace, aka Darryl Anthony White; and Terrence Smith, aka Terry Lee Smith.The indictment alleges that the defendants devised a scheme to defraud mortgage lenders and to obtain money and property by false and fraudulent means and diverted the proceeds for their personal use and benefit.
According to the indictment, from May 2008, the defendants agreed to submit false loan applications to mortgage lenders to obtain financing to purchase residential properties. The defendants recruited “straw buyers” who had sound credit histories but who otherwise would not have qualified to purchase the residential properties selected by the defendants.
The indictment further alleges that, as part of the conspiracy, Brian Andrew La Porte and Daniel John Schuetz prepared fraudulent loan applications on behalf of the straw purchasers, falsely stating the employment and monthly salaries of the straw purchasers.
The indictment further alleges that the defendants submitted fraudulent loan applications on behalf of the straw purchasers to mortgage lenders, including OwnIt Mortgage Solutions Inc., WMC Mortgage Corp., Argent Mortgage Company, Countrywide Home Loans, First Franklin, Finance America LLC, and other mortgage lenders.
The defendants then caused escrow agents to disburse the funds to the defendants and others so that the defendants could divert to themselves and others the proceeds of the fraud.
President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who working together to launch a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources.
The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes. The Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program co-chairs the task force’s Rescue Fraud Working Group.
The case is the product of an investigation by agents of the FBI and is being prosecuted in San Diego federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan I. Shapiro.
An indictment itself is not evidence that the defendants committed the crimes charged. The defendants are presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The defendants are next scheduled to be in court on June 28, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. before United States District Court Judge Larry A. Burns.
Department of Justice Press Release
On June 23, 2007, at approximately 2:15 a.m., 25-year-old Renteria was standing outside a residence in the 700 block of 41st Street when a sports utility vehicle stopped near him.
Four males got out of the vehicle, and Jose “Chubbs” Torres shot Renteria to death. Torres and his companions fled the scene, and detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging Torres with murder.
Last night, at 10:00 p.m., Mexican law enforcement officers arrested Torres in the Colonia Herrera neighborhood of Tijuana. Earlier this afternoon, they turned Torres -- a United States citizen -- over to the United States Marshals’ San Diego Fugitive Task Force. Torres was booked into County Jail for one count of murder.
San Diego Police News Release
Witnesses say he claimed to have a weapon, though none was seen. The suspect left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the area in a gold Toyota Camry. Witnesses were able to describe the getaway vehicle to police.
A short time later a Chula Vista Police Officer spotted the car within a few blocks of the robbery and initiated a traffic stop. The suspect cooperated by pulling over. When the suspect was approached by the officer the suspect was covered in ink that was emitted from dye packs hidden in the money he had stolen.
The suspect was taken into custody and evidence recovered from the car. The suspect, a 48 year old male, a resident of San Diego, is currently being held at the Chula Vista Police Department jail.
Chula Vista Police News Release
Sexual Assault
At about 4:00 a.m. the victim was asleep in her home when she was confronted by the suspect. He broke into her residence through an unlocked, rear bedroom window. The victim was asleep on her couch in the living room when she was awakened and sexually assaulted. The suspect took several items of the victim’s property and fled.
The suspect is described as a White male, 20 to 30 years old, 5’ 7”, 140 pounds, with a shaved head and goatee. The suspect was wearing a black “hoodie”, gloves and smelled like fuel. The victim called a relative told them about the assault and they called the Police to report the crime.
The Police Department’s Crime Lab, including forensic specialists, along with Sex Crimes Unit detectives, are currently processing the scene. If a composite of the suspect is developed it will be released to the media.
The victim was treated at the scene by paramedics and released. Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit at (619) 531-2210 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
San Diego Police News Release
for Role in Kidnapping
Vagan Adzhemyan, 41, of Costa Mesa, Calif.; Suren Garibyan, 32, of North Hollywood, Calif.; and Galvin Shaun Gibson, 30, of Mira Loma, Calif., were charged in August 2009 with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping. In addition, Gibson was charged with manufacturing marijuana and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Adzhemyan and Gibson were found guilty yesterday of conspiring to commit kidnapping and kidnapping. Gibson was also found guilty of manufacturing marijuana at the house in Mira Loma where he was holding the victim at the time he was rescued. Adzhemyan and Gibson were initially tried in federal court in January 2010, but a mistrial was declared when the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
According to evidence presented during this two-week trial, Adzhemyan and Garibyan abducted the victim in the parking garage of the victim’s mother’s house in Van Nuys in the early morning hours of July 29, 2009.
During the abduction, the victim was shot and shocked with a taser before he was forced into a waiting vehicle, while an associate of the victim’s was violently assaulted by the kidnappers.
In the process of abducting him, the victim was accidentally shot by his friend – a gunshot wound that caused extensive bleeding and ripped through the victim’s intestines. According to the evidence presented at trial, the kidnapping victim was bound and forced to wear a blindfold as he was held at various locations in southern California during the next five days.
During the time that the victim was held captive, the kidnappers directed him to use cellular telephones to make calls to family members and close associates in the Los Angeles area and in Russia in order to secure a $1 million ransom in exchange for the victim’s safe release.
According to evidence presented at trial, the captors withheld necessary medical treatment for the victim’s life-threatening gunshot wound. In addition, the kidnappers repeatedly beat the victim during the course of his captivity and focused their beatings on the victim’s stomach area, which was most affected by his gunshot wound.
Adzhemyan, Garibyan and Gibson were taken into custody on Aug. 3, 2009, when the victim was rescued from Gibson’s Mira Loma residence by a team of Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officers. The victim was found lying on an air mattress, unable to move on his own, while one of Gibson’s pit bull dogs kept watch over him.
According to testimony at trial, officers were able to locate both the kidnappers and the place where the kidnappers were hiding the victim following an extensive undercover surveillance operation conducted by the LAPD. According to evidence presented at trial, the victim was hospitalized for more than one month after he was rescued and underwent three surgeries during his hospitalization.
Trial evidence also showed that Adzhemyan and Garibyan used the victim’s ATM card to withdraw the maximum amount of cash from the victim’s bank account on three separate occasions while he was being held in captivity.
At sentencing, scheduled for Aug. 2, 2010, Adzhemyan and Gibson each face a maximum penalty of life in prison. Garibyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit kidnapping on Dec. 30, 2009. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 24, 2010.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Cristina Moreno of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Racketeering Section, Chief Robert Dugdale of the Violent and Organized Crime Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.
The investigation was conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division and the FBI’s Violent Crimes Squad.
Los Angeles FBI Press Releases
Federal Prison for Cocaine Distribution
MAY 11 -- DENVER – Miguel Arriola, age 42, of Mexico, was sentenced late Friday afternoon, May 7, 2010, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn to serve 240 months (20 years) in federal prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, conspiracy to import 5 kilograms or more of cocaine into the United States, and money laundering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney David Gaouette and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Sweetin announced today. Judge Blackburn also ordered the defendant to pay a $250,000 fine.
The investigation into the Arriola drug trafficking organization, operated by Miguel Arriola and brother Oscar Arriola, led to the seizure of over 2300 kilograms of cocaine, and more than $10,000,000 in cash. The case against Oscar Arriola is pending, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Miguel Arriola was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on December 16, 2003. He was extradited from Mexico in January of 2007. Miguel Arriola pled guilty on November 16, 2009.
He was sentenced on May 7, 2010. According to the stipulated facts contained in Miguel Arriola’s plea agreement, in January 2002, Arriola knowingly and intentionally joined and participated in a conspiracy to import cocaine from Mexico in multi-kilogram to hundred kilogram quantities, working in conjunction with his brother, Oscar Arriola, and others in the conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the United States, including but not limited to the locations of: Colorado Springs, Colorado, Denver, Colorado, El Paso, Texas, Chicago, Illinois, New York City, New York, Burlington, North Carolina, St. Louis, Missouri, and Atlanta, Georgia, as well as other cities. Miguel Arriola was a manager of the criminal narcotics distribution and money laundering operation, with his brother, Oscar Arriola, as a higher ranking manager.
In early 2002, DEA and local law enforcement initiated an investigation of a major cocaine trafficking organization operation in the Colorado Springs, Colorado area. Agents had been receiving information that a large scale cocaine smuggling and distribution organization was centered at a ranch located in Peyton, Colorado.Additional and independent information related to the narcotics trafficking activities that later became associated with the Arriola brothers was received on January 24, 2003, when 265 kilograms of cocaine was seized in Pennsylvania in a random assist rendered by the Pennsylvania State Patrol during a blizzard. The investigation revealed that the driver of the truck picked up the cocaine from a large blue barn located in Peyton, Colorado. That shipment was headed to New York.
During the course of the investigation, a total of over 2,300 kilograms was seized, including, but not limited to, the 265 kilograms from Pennsylvania, 14 kilograms seized in Chicago on August 18, 2003, and 538 kilograms of cocaine seized in Chicago on September 15, 2003. Amounts of cocaine arriving at the barn in Peyton, Colorado, from Mexico ranged from 25 kilograms to over 100 kilograms per shipment, which came either bi-monthly or monthly, depending on the supply and need.
Agents and officers also seized money proceeds from the sale of cocaine. A total of over $10,377,471 in cash was seized during the investigation. Those seizures include but are not limited to the February 3, 2003, seizure of $1,656,587.00 in New York, a May 25, 2003, seizure of $1,937,667.00 in Pueblo, Colorado, a July 30, 2003 seizure of $692,543.00 in El Paso, Texas, a October 20, 2003, $1,396,085 seizure, as was $830,000 between November 9th through the 12 th, 2003.A vast majority of the proceeds were delivered to Miguel and Oscar Arriola, and the Arriola drug trafficking organization. Money shipments were made to Mexico first hidden in heavy equipment transports. Later co-conspirators began driving cars with proceeds stored in suitcases, with amounts transported reaching up to $2,500,000 per trip.
“DEA’s investigation of Miguel Arriola was a long-term, highly complex effort,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Sweetin. “His sentence to federal prison is another example of our success in the fight against major Mexican drug cartels operating in the United States.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with substantial assistance from the Colorado Springs Police Department, the Pueblo Police Department, the Weld County Drug Task Force, and the Colorado State Patrol.
Miguel Arriola was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys M.J. Menendez and Susan “Zeke” Knox. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance in this matter.
This sentencing is part of the Department’s Southwest Border Strategy, announce in March 2009, which uses federal prosecutor-led task forces that bring together federal, state and local law enforcement components to identify, disrupt and dismantle the Mexican drug cartels through investigation, prosecution and extradition of their key leaders and facilitators, and seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Through continued joint cooperation at all levels of the Obama and Calderon administrations, the Department of Justice and its partners are actively working to stem the flow of illegal narcotics, weapons and bulk cash moving across the U.S./Mexico border.
DEA News Release
At approximately 3:05 p.m., San Diego Police Department patrol officers responded to the report of a death, inside an apartment, located in the 1400 block of 4th Avenue. When they arrived, the apartment complex manager directed them to a specific apartment.
The apartment manager checked on the resident this afternoon, after the resident had not been seen for the past few days.
Officers entering the apartment confirmed the male's death. Personnel from the Medical Examiner's Office responded and examined the decedent, discovering trauma to the body. Based on the injuries, a homicide team responded to the scene to conduct an investigation.
An autopsy will be performed tomorrow to determine the cause and manner of the male's death. The decedent has been identified, but his name will not be released pending family notification.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293
San Diego Police Department Press Release
Against Pension Board Members
05-05-10 San Diego Ca, San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis announced today that as a result of a California Supreme Court ruling, conflict of interest charges against six former members of San Diego’s pension board have been dismissed.
In 2005, the members were charged with violating the state conflict of interest law after the trustees improperly allowed the city to under fund the pension system in return for boosted retirement benefits.
In January of this year, the California Supreme Court reversed a unanimous appellate court’s ruling on five defendants, stopping the case against them from proceeding forward and substantially undermining the case against a sixth defendant.
"When we filed this case five years ago, we believed it was important to stand up for the common sense position that its wrong for a pension board trustee to agree to an illegal under funding of the pension system in return for the promise of increased retirement benefits for all active employees, including themselves,” said DA Dumanis.
“We continue to believe such behavior constitutes a conflict of interest that undermines the faith the public places in its officials. However, after years of litigation in the appellate courts, and eight years after the alleged conduct, it is time for this case to conclude.
Although the Supreme Court disagreed with our position, we respect their decision and hope that the public awareness raised by this case lessens the likelihood that these types of events will occur again."
Former San Diego pension board members Cathy Lexin, Ron Saathoff, John Torres, Mary Vattimo, Terri Webster and Sharon Wilkinson were charged in May of 2005 with three felony counts each of violating a conflict of interest statute that is part of the government code.
After a preliminary hearing, a San Diego County Superior Court ruled that there was sufficient evidence to permit the case to proceed to trial. That decision was upheld twice by the Fourth District Court of Appeal before the Supreme Court intervened. The California Supreme Court released its opinion on January 25, 2009 and modified it on April 22, 2010.
San Diego District Attorney Press Release
for Environmental Violations
It is one of the largest environmental settlements of this type brought by a prosecuting agency in U.S. history. “This should serve as a warning to all companies doing business in the state and in San Diego County that they will not be allowed to flaunt environmental laws in place to keep our communities clean and safe—no matter how large or small the corporation,” said DA Dumanis.
The settlement was signed today by San Diego Superior Court Judge Linda B. Quinn. In it, Walmart agreed to pay $20 million in penalties to the 20 prosecutors and 32 environmental health agencies throughout California involved in the investigation; more than $1.6 million in costs for the investigation; and $3 million for Supplemental Environmental Projects benefiting prosecutors, investigators and regulators.Walmart also agreed to spend at least an additional $3 million toward keeping its stores in compliance with environmental laws and regulations. The San Diego District Attorney’s Office and Attorney General’s Office filed a civil complaint on April 2, 2010, alleging that each of the 236 Walmart stores, Sam’s Club stores, distribution centers and storage facilities in California were in violation of environmental laws and regulations.
Walmart employees and management were improperly storing, handling, transporting and dumping hazardous waste, including pesticides, chemicals, paint, aerosols, acid, fertilizer and motor oil. “Safety should always be the No. 1 priority for the hundreds of thousands of people who travel California’s freeways every day,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said. “This settlement ensures that Walmart obeys the laws when shipping potentially hazardous materials on our streets and highways.”
Federal, state and local investigators spent thousands of hours documenting the violations. The investigation began after an off-duty regulator from the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health noticed a Walmart employee dumping bleach down a sink drain in April 2005.
The regulator returned to the San Diego County store while on duty and asked about hazardous waste disposal policies. That’s when it was discovered that Walmart was in violation. Another example of a violation involved a Walmart Store in Solano County where a child was found playing in a mound of fertilizer left near its garden department.
The yellowish-colored powder contained ammonium sulfate, a chemical compound used in fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides which causes irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. As a result of this settlement, Walmart was required to make substantial upgrades to its environmental compliance system to prevent any future violations.
District Attorney’s Office Press Release
Initial reports indicate An off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent was at the Circle K store, outside of his vehicle, in the process of putting gasoline in his car, when he was approached by a lone male, who made threatening and challenging statements to the agent.
The agent, who was dressed in civilian attire, verbally identified himself to the subject as a Border Patrol agent, as he displayed his badge and pointed a handgun at the still approaching subject. Feeling threatened and fearing for his safety, the agent fired one round, striking the subject.
The wounded subject fled the scene on foot. He was discovered shortly thereafter a short distance from the scene. He was transported to a local hospital, where his condition and his identity are unknown at this time.
Anyone with information about this incident should contact the Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321, after hours at (858)-565-5200 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-TIPS
(8477).
Sheriff’s Press Release
Colvin was trapped in a narrow passageway, about 200 feet from the cave entrance. Due the location, extremely rugged terrain, and the specialized nature of the rescue, several allied agencies responded to assist with the rescue.
They included: USCBP Borstar Unit, San Bernardino Sheriff's Cave Rescue Team, San Diego Sheriff's Search and Rescue - Mountain Rescue Team, BLM Park Rangers, Sheriff's Wireless Unit, Sheriff's Astrea helicopters and San Diego Fire's Copter 1.
Colvin was subsequently freed early Monday morning, at about 3:45 AM. A second subject, Jim Ness (about age 60 of San Diego), also required rescue assistance to exit the cave.
Both subjects were airlifted from the scene and received treatment from Campo Reservation Paramedics for hypothermia.
Sheriff’s Press Release
of Border Patrol Agent Robert W. Rosas
04-29-10 SAN DIEGO—Christian Daniel Castro-Alvarez, 17, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge M. James Lorenz to serve 480 months in federal prison based on his guilty plea in the death of Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Agent Robert W. Rosas, Jr., U.S. Attorney Karen P. Hewitt for the Southern District of California announced today.
Agent Rosas was shot and killed on July 23, 2009, while he was on a routine patrol near San Diego. The defendant previously pleaded guilty to the murder of a federal officer committed in perpetration of a robbery.
U.S. Attorney Hewitt said, “Agent Rosas was tragically murdered in the line of duty as he protected the border and our nation. His proud career as a federal law enforcement officer stood for seeking justice and upholding the rule of law. Because of today’s sentence of imprisonment, the next 40 years the defendant serves in prison shall also echo those important principles—justice and the rule of law—for which Agent Rosas paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
According to the plea agreement, Castro-Alvarez admitted that during the evening of July 23, 2009, he illegally entered the United States for the purpose of robbing a Border Patrol agent of government property. While Agent Rosas was engaged in the performance of his duties, Castro-Alvarez and his co-conspirators lured Agent Rosas out of his vehicle for the purpose of robbing him.
During the course of the robbery, Agent Rosas and the defendant struggled over a firearm and Agent Rosas was shot multiple times by the defendant and one or more of the co-conspirators. Agent Rosas died as a result of the shots fired.
According to court documents, Castro-Alvarez was a minor at the time the offense was committed, and he voluntarily surrendered to the United States to face criminal charges. The defendant also agreed to transfer proceedings from juvenile disposition to adult criminal prosecution.
“This brutal act of violence on a U.S. Border Patrol agent cannot and will not be tolerated,” Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard A. Barlow of the U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector said. “Although Mr. Castro-Alvarez has well earned this long custodial sentence, his punishment will never repay the debt he owes to those he has affected and who grieve the murder of Agent Rosas.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Keith Slotter commented, “Agent Rosas was a brave man who gave his life defending our nation's borders. Without thoughtful investigative work and cooperation of law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border, today’s sentencing would not have come. Though the death of Agent Rosas was tragic, I am pleased to see this individual brought to justice.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. U.S. Attorney Hewitt noted that the agents of the FBI San Diego Field Division deserve special thanks for their swift, professional, and comprehensive action in investigating Agent Rosas’ death.
The investigation was assisted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection - U.S. Border Patrol, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted in San Diego federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Pettit and Seth Askins.
Department of Justice Press Release
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