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Recent Blog Posts
Watsonville mother sentenced in fight video case
Allegations of gang crimes can bring serious consequences under state law. A recent case in Santa Cruz County highlights how thin the evidence of gang involvement can be to lead to a gang crimes charge. A Watsonville mother recently faced a charge of gang participation after a video was posted on YouTube. A schoolyard fight that reportedly occurred in September apparently was the focus of the video.
The fight reportedly involved the Watsonville Mother's child. The woman reportedly heard that her daughter was being jumped and she went to the Harkins Slough area to find her daughter. Apparently, she saw the fight and tried to scare off the girl who was fighting with her daughter. The mother shouted, and the shouts reportedly were captured on the YouTube video.
Law enforcement reportedly got wind that the video was posted on YouTube and after viewing it, the woman was charged with parental neglect and gang participation. The gang crime apparently was based upon the woman's language. Police claimed the language made references to an alleged Watsonville gang.
LAPD says no hoodies allowed in effort to reduce robberies
It certainly is common to see signs posted in stores proclaiming "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service," across the country. However, now law enforcement agencies in some California communities seem to be chiming in to create a new policy. The Los Angeles Police Department has reportedly proclaimed that consumers will be required to remove their hats and hoodies when entering stores.
Officials with the LAPD reportedly met with community leaders and officials in Studio City and North Hollywood last week to announce the new initiative aimed at reducing the number of thefts and robberies at area businesses.
LAPD officials claim that people attempting to steal from businesses often use hats and hoodies to shield their features from video surveillance and potential witnesses during alleged crimes. The California law enforcement officials cited what the Los Angeles Times characterized as a rash of recent jewelry heists, where hoodie-wearing men allegedly used the hoods on their sweatshirts to hide from security video.
Santa Cruz deputies raid Aptos home, man arrested on drug charges
Santa Cruz County deputies announced this week that they have arrested an Aptos man on suspicion of drug charges. Sheriff's deputies reportedly raided the 47-year-old man's home Tuesday. Law enforcement claims they received a number of tips regarding a possible marijuana cultivation operation and sought a search warrant, apparently based upon the tips.
Deputies say the Aptos man was arrested during the police search. Authorities admit the man had a marijuana prescription. The man's medicinal medical marijuana card entitles him to grow a limited amount of medical marijuana for his personal use. Deputies, however claim the man rarely used marijuana personally.
Law enforcement says they found 500 marijuana plants and 4 pounds of processed marijuana in the Aptos home during the Sheriff's Office raid. Deputies further claim they found a scale and packaging material during the search. Authorities believe the alleged operation was capable of generating more than $150,000 annually. Law enforcement claims the man used the marijuana grow operation as his main source of income.
Tone Loc pleads no contest to California domestic and weapons charges
Rapper Tone Loc appeared in court last week and pled no contest to weapons and domestic violence charges. The actor/singer, whose real name is Anthony Smith apparently chose not to try to negotiate a plea agreement with prosecutors in the criminal case. He pled no contest to possession of an assault weapon and corporal injury to a spouse charges.
The charges involve allegations of a domestic incident that occurred June 18. News reports do not provide details of the facts of what police believe occurred. However, during an investigation of the alleged California domestic violence incident, police claim they found an unregistered Colt AR-15 Sporter. The assault weapon was not used in the alleged domestic violence incident.
The rapper left it to the court as to what the sentence would be in the no contest plea. The judge pronounced sentence at the same hearing. The rapper was sentenced to 1 day in jail, with three years of formal probation. The rapper is required to perform 30 days of community service under the sentence. He will also have to participate in 52 weeks of anger management counseling.
Man faces theft and DUI charges after allegedly taking police car
A multi-agency police chase took place on Oct. 2 when a man allegedly stole a police cruiser from the annual "Tour de Poway" cycling event and drove it -- possibly while under the influence -- to the Carmel Valley area of northwest San Diego. Law enforcement booked the 30-year-old man into the San Diego County Jail after the 38-minute chase on suspicion of felony theft and felony evading, drunk driving, and driving under the influence of a controlled substance.
Authorities claim the man stole a police cruiser that was being used by volunteer officers assisting with traffic control during the annual cycling event. Police claim the man took the vehicle while two volunteer officers were standing nearby. A Sheriff's deputy spotted the vehicle moments later and began the police chase. The SDPD and the California Highway Patrol also joined in the ground pursuit.
A Sheriff's helicopter was called in to assist in tracking the vehicle, allowing law enforcement on the ground to back-off in their pursuit. Authorities say that after roughly 38 minutes, the man found himself blocked into a cul de sac in the Carmel Valley area and attempted to drive through a fence in order to reach an adjacent street.
Sting after DUI arraignments leads to 12 arrests
A number of Californians appearing for arraignment in DUI cases were recently the focus of a so-called police sting operation in Walnut Creek. News reports indicate that roughly 97 people appeared in Superior Court for arraignment on DUI charges on Sept. 26. Nearly all of the accused reportedly had suspended licenses.
Police say the judge warned each of the accused not to drive with a suspended license. News reports say most of the defendants did not drive, but police claim a number of people leaving the courthouse did drive away from their arraignments. Undercover officers reportedly watched as the defendants left the courthouse in Walnut Creek after the arraignment.
Law enforcement arrested 12 people leaving the courthouse. The undercover officers at the courthouse apparently radioed information to motorcycle officers waiting nearby. The motorcycle officers reportedly conducted traffic stops based upon the undercover officer's observations.
California man avoids prison in plea to drug charges
A 35-year-old man that police once compared to the fictional character Jason Bourne pled guilty Friday to multiple felonies in a plea deal that will allow the man to avoid prison time. The accused entered guilty pleas to two counts of felony drug charges alleging possession with intent to sell, and one count each of possession of concentrated cannabis, forgery and possession for sale of a controlled substance while armed. The judge imposed a suspended 7-year prison term and released the man on probation.
The case stems from a tip police claim a neighbor called in, reporting a suspicious smell emanating from the man's penthouse apartment. Police and firefighters reportedly responded to the location, but reportedly did not detect any suspicious smells.
Nonetheless, police requested to enter the apartment and the man refused the request. Police claim they remained concerned about potential danger inside the apartment based upon the neighbor's phoned-in tip. While outside the door, one officer says the apartment grew quiet, further raising police concerns. Law enforcement says the broke in the door, even though they apparently did not have a warrant to conduct a search.
Police raid four Southern California clinics, three arrested on drug charges
Three people were arrested earlier this month after a multi-agency task force conducted raids at four San Fernando Valley clinics. Police claim the clinics conducted Medicaid fraud and acted as so-called "prescription mills." Authorities claim the clinics were issuing fake prescriptions for the pain killer OxyContin.
In addition to the allegations of the fraudulent prescriptions, authorities claim the clinics were involved in drug crimes related to sales and an alleged drug trafficking operation through the four clinics.
The raids at clinics were conducted and involved a task force of local, state and federal agencies. The raids followed an investigation where authorities say undercover officers purchased prescription drugs, such as OxyContin, by presenting fake IDs at the clinics.
Two people were arrested after a raid at a clinic in Northridge. Police say one of the two people arrested had 23 vials containing a total of 2,000 pills. A third person was arrested at her home in Encino after the raids in relation to the police investigation.
Two arrested in south Monterey County after police raid
Police say that an investigation into a string of alleged burglaries in Soledad led them to a location in south Monterey County. Officers from Soledad, Greenfield, King City and the Gonzales police departments converged to execute a search warrant Saturday at the location.
Law enforcement personnel seized a variety of items during the search, according to the Salinas Californian. Law enforcement claims they found roughly a pound of crystal methamphetamine, a small amount of cocaine and other prescription medications during the search. Police further claim the seized weapons, jewelry and stones police believe may be diamonds during the raid.
Police arrested two people after the search. A 25-year-old man police claim is a gang member and a 25-year-old woman police claim is a gang associate were taken into custody after the Saturday raid.
The two reportedly may face charges of possessing drugs for sale, stolen property charges and weapons violations, all of which may also carry gang enhancements.
Police attempt search warrant raid on wrong house
Police apparently were looking for a man suspected of running an indoor marijuana cultivation operation. When the man who was pulled from his home mentioned his wife, a CBS News contributor was upstairs in the home nursing the couple's 7-month-old child, officers apparently were slightly taken aback. The police apparently were relying on old information when they obtained a search warrant for the home. The man they were reportedly looking for had sold the home roughly three months earlier.
The police apparently were looking for a 43-year-old man who moved across the street into a rental property after selling the home. The newswoman says she is surprised law enforcement did not do "more of a background check" before seeking to execute a warrant at her home. Her husband says "I made it 44 years without having guns pointed at my face, and then all of a sudden having a whole bunch all at once."
Law enforcement apparently applied for a new warrant after the failed raid and arrested the man they were reportedly looking for at his home across the street. Law enforcement claims they seized guns during the second raid.
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