Sacramento Metro News & Review

Elk Grove Citizen's Group Announce Petition Drive to Put Brakes on Growth

2012-01-28T21:03:00.000-08:00

Aim is to stop city's expansion via the SOI

A group of citizens headed by resident Lynn Wheat have announced the formation of a grassroots citizen’s group aimed at uniting Elk Grove residents to oppose the city’s pending application before the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) to ultimately expand the city boundaries by 8,000+/- acres.

Under the banner of “GRASP—A better Elk Grove is within our Grasp - by uniting neighborhoods together.” The group notes that the City’s history of rezones, unrestrained urban sprawl and record breaking residential foreclosures shows the lack of commitment to the approved General Plan.

Elk Grove GRASP is currently undertaking a petition drive to present to LAFCo showing that local residents are deeply concerned about: their continuing decline in home property values; lack of infill development; updated market data suggesting less demand for future growth; and the future costs to existing residents to provide water, sewer, fire, police, and other services to the new area. GRASP is opposed to the unnecessary city expansion to specifically accommodate more of the same type of development which has dominated the city during the past ten years—more rooftops and strip mall centers.

Elk Grove GRASP welcomes interested residents to view their web site, Facebook page, or e-mail them for further information on how they can participate in becoming more involved in planning the future of Elk Grove.

Galt Flea Market DVD Pirate Sentenced

2012-01-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Chief United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii sentenced Eleazar Ortiz Gomez, aka Eleazar Gomez Ortiz, 29, of Sacramento, today to three years and six months in federal prison for conspiring to commit criminal copyright infringement and traffic in counterfeit labels, illicit labels and counterfeit documentation and packaging, in connection with his sales and distribution of counterfeit music CDs and motion picture DVDs. He was also ordered to pay $265,066.58 in restitution to the victim copyright-holders.

Gomez pleaded guilty on November 7, 2011. He admitted that from January 2010 to November 2010, he procured several thousand counterfeit music CDs and motion picture DVDs on a regular basis from a warehouse operating in San Jose. Gomez and his co-conspirators sold the counterfeit CDs and DVDs to the public at the Galt Market, a flea market in Galt, and at other flea markets in the Sacramento area. Gomez further sold counterfeit CDs and DVDs from the garage of his residence and converted the garage to appear as a video and music store, complete with aisles and shelving to hold the counterfeit media. On November 16, 2010 more than 10,000 copyright-infringing DVDs and more than 24,000 copyright-infringing music CDs were seized from Gomez’s residence and vehicle.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Henry Z. Carbajal III and Brian W. Enos are prosecuting the case.

Charges against co-defendants Alfredo Colorado, Victor Puga Quiroz, of Modesto, Luis Coahuilas Puntos, of Merced, and Abel Fabela Zaragoza, of Sacramento, are pending. Puntos is scheduled for a hearing before Judge Ishii on February 6, 2012. The remaining three are scheduled for a hearing before Judge Ishii on February 21, 2012.

The Gang's All Here For Half Elk - Except Hume, Scherman

2012-01-18T18:57:00.000-08:00

Elk Grove Council Member Sophia Scherman
and her political protege, Council Member
Pat Hume.

Hume headed for internal exile?

While linking a recent post on Facebook, a sponsored link popped out - Elk Grove's inaugural Running of the Elk Half Marathon. The event, which could become a big deal for Elk Grove someday, is slated for April 1 and has an honorary host committee loaded with a who's who of local politicians with a couple of notable exceptions.

The committee includes four of the five Cosumnes Community Services District members, state senators, local assembly members, school district members, council members from nearby city's and three of the five Elk Grove City Council members.

Notably missing from the honorary committee are two Elk Grove City Council Members - Sophia Scherman and Pat Hume.

For Elk Grove City Council observers, the fact that Scherman and her political protege Pat Hume are not on the committee are probably not surprised. After a very acrimonious 2010, fissures and alliances on the council were evident for all to see.

One one side is Sherman and Hume and on the other Mayor Jim Cooper and council members Gary Davis and Steve Detrick. While 2011 saw the five tap down things during council meetings, the divisions were still there.

For Scherman, the exclusion from the committee, whether by her own choice or not, its not that big of a deal, not counting her ego. With her council seat drawn out of existence effective with this years election, the longtime Elk Grove politician has already set her sites on the Assembly.

For Scherman's protege Hume, this exclusion, whether voluntary or not, could be an indicator of his role on the city council over the next two years.

With Davis running to be Elk Grove's first popularly elected mayor and Cooper and Detrick running for reelection to their respective seats, all three thus far have no known opponents. While all three will undoubtedly be challenged, they are all well financed and baring some unforeseen campaign issue, should be able to secure their respective bids.

With Scherman gone and Davis elected mayor, Davis' seat will be vacant. Should the council decide to make an appointment to fill the seat rather than hold an expensive special election, who do you think Cooper, Davis and Detrick would support - someone loyal to them or on the same side as Hume?

If this plays out, Hume will undoubtedly be the one in several 4-1 votes. For Hume, that could spell trouble for his local political career.

Aside from his strong advocacy for inclusion of the Cosumnes River floodplain in the city's original sphere of influence application, which was stripped out, Hume has no substantial accomplishments during his tenure on the council. Fast forward to 2014 and Hume's scarce list of accomplishments will still be empty.

So while Scherman and Hume's exclusion from the Running of the Half Elk honorary committee is probably not a career killer per se, it is indicative of their respective political futures.

Buy hey, strange things can happen in politics. Maybe if Scherman wins her bid for the Assembly she can once again mentor Hume after being termed out and get him elected to the Assembly. Scherman has done it for Hume once, she can do it again.

The Health Care Leviathan: How to Stop Out-of-Control Health Care Cost

2012-01-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

by Michael Monasky
Special To EGN

The California Senate Appropriations Committee met yesterday to discuss Senate Bill 810, written by Senator Mark Leno of San Francisco. It's a continuation of nearly identical legislation shepherded by former Senator Sheila James Kuehl in 2006 and 2008. Both times it was passed by both houses, only to be vetoed by then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Leno noted that health care costs are way out of line. In 1960, health care costs constituted five percent of the Gross Domestic Product; today, it represents over 14 percent. If left to itself, costs will spiral upwards to 20 percent of GDP by 2015 and 30 percent by 2025.

Meanwhile, five million kids miss school each year due to dental problems. The US ranks 37th in health care delivery, behind Cuba, which has lower infant mortality. One-third of the California budget goes to health care costs, so something must be done to improve outcomes in public health.

SB 810 imposes two important controls on health care spending. First, simplicity: insurance policies are a convoluted maze of language and exceptions. Single-payer regulations eliminate this puzzle of exceptions. Second, orchestrated restraint: also known as cost control, SB 810 requires health care providers to eliminate unnecessary procedures and services, avoid duplication, reduce the cost of drugs, and minimize administrative interference. SB 810 emphasizes allocation of services through primary care providers and the practice of preventive medicine, Leno said.

A litany of organizations supports SB 810 including nearly one hundred individuals from labor, government, social services, small business and human rights advocacy groups crowded Room 4203 at the Capitol to give their names, affiliations, and reasons for supporting the bill.

A handful of opposition, from the California Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Health Plans, National Federation of Independent Businesses, the California Association of Insurance Companies, the California Farm Bureau Federation, and hotel, lodging, insurance agents, and Pharma came to make their case. Opponents claim that government cannot do what business does, that the Affordable Care Act destroys markets, and that SB 810 will drive small businesses to bankruptcy.

Because the bill will affect the $200-250 billion health care industry in California, the committee chair referred the bill to the suspense file for later consideration.

Skateboard Bandit Gets Eight Years in Prison for Bank Robbery

2012-01-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Jared Sung Yoon Herdt, 30, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to eight years in prison for his commission of a series of bank robberies. The sentence was imposed this morning by Senior United States District Judge William B. Shubb who also ordered that Herdt serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez prosecuted the case.

According to court documents, Herdt pleaded guilty to five bank robberies:

Wells Fargo Bank, 3424 Dale Road, Modesto on January 5, 2009.
Wells Fargo Bank, 2010 Goldfield Drive, Rancho Cordova on April 25, 2009.
Bank of America, 1821 Pioneer Parkway, Springfield, Ore. on January 16, 2009.
Wells Fargo Bank, 3195 Meridian Ave., San Jose on February 24, 2009.
Wells Fargo Bank, 65 North Winchester Blvd., Santa Clara on February 24, 2009.

For purposes of restitution, Herdt also admitted robbing a Wells Fargo Bank at 9407 Madison Avenue in Orangevale on April 25, 2009.

During the robberies, Herdt claimed he had a firearm. The task force dubbed the him the “Skateboard Bandit” because tellers in some robberies reported that the robber fled via skateboard to an unknown location where he had a getaway vehicle.

On April 27, 2010, a search of a stolen vehicle recovered in Sunnyvale resulted in the recovery of $4,900 in cash, a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, a skateboard, and a receipt for a dentist in Oregon. The dentist positively identified surveillance photos of the bank robber as Herdt.

Lincoln Man wanted by the FBI

2012-01-10T04:34:00.000-08:00

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking the public’s help in locating Gerardo Constantino Ramirez, 37, wanted for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution for the murder of Antonio Morales. Ramirez shot Morales during an altercation on the evening of October 10, 2011 at a residence in Lincoln, CA.

After a local arrest warrant was issued, a federal arrest warrant was issued on October 20, 2010. Ramirez is considered armed and dangerous.

Individuals with information about the whereabouts of Ramirez are asked to call the Sacramento Field Office at (916) 481-9110.

Aliases: Rudolfo Constant Ramirez, Gerardo Ramirez Constantino, Gerard Ramirez C.

Date of Birth: January 31, 1974
Hair: Brown
Height: 5’6”
Eyes: Brown
Weight: 180 pounds
Race: White (Hispanic)

Sacramento Men Penalized for Excessive Celebration

2012-01-09T14:44:00.001-08:00

In the NFL, players can be penalized for excessive celebration. In Elk Grove, two men received there own penalty of sorts after police officers caught their excessive celebration early Friday morning.

According to Elk Grove Police, 23-year old Najjee Woodlyn was observed standing outside of a vehicle near Laguna Blvd. and Laguna Springs Drive that was being driven by 21-year old Victor Perez. Woodlyn was observed yelling and then climbed on top of the car and started to dance.

After Woodlyn got off the car, the duo were observed driving away and officers initiated an enforcement stop. Upon contact, both suspects displayed objective signs of impairment.

Woodlyn was cited for public intoxication and Perez failed a field sobriety test. Both suspects were arrested.

Inked Suspect Arrested in Stabbing at Bar

2012-01-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

On January 5, 2012, Sheriff’s deputies arrested a suspect in a bar attack several days earlier that sent one man to the hospital with a stab wound and another with a head injury. David Kirkland, 32, was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and battery with serious bodily injury.

Kirkland is also being held on an abeyance hold, pursuant to his post-release community supervision status. He is currently being held on $245,000 bail.

On January 2, 2012, shortly before 11:30 p.m., Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Blues Club bar in the 6700 block of Rio Linda Boulevard regarding a man stabbed. Deputies found a 24 year-old male with a knife wound to his abdomen, and a 42 year-old male who had been assaulted with an unknown object. Both victims were transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Deputies obtained a description of the suspect, who had fled the scene prior to their arrival.

On January 5, 2012, shortly before 4:30 p.m., deputies responded to a call from security personnel at Mercy San Juan Hospital, regarding Kirkland being inside the building. Kirkland had also been observed at the hospital the day before, but left prior to deputies’ arrival.

Upon arriving at the hospital, deputies encountered Kirkland, who matched the description of the suspect in the attack at the bar. Kirkland was later positively identified by one of the victims as the individual who had assaulted him.
Investigation into this case remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Department’s Crimes Against Persons Bureau at (916) 874-5070.

Free job search programs offered at Sacramento Public Library branches

2012-01-04T16:06:00.001-08:00

The Sacramento Public Library is presenting free, job search programs to help community members find employment.

The Job Seeker programs are scheduled through June at the Rancho Cordova, Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven, North Highlands-Antelope, North Natomas, and Arcade library branches. Program listings can be found on the library website at www.saclibrary.org and clicking the Job Seeker box.

“With local unemployment nearing 12 percent, the Sacramento Public Library is providing our helpful resources as learning tools to search for jobs, improve interview skills, refine resumes, and more,” said Rivkah K. Sass, library director. “We care about our community residents, as many are our library card holders and others who frequent our 28 library locations. We are all in these tough economic times together.”

For more information, telephone the Sacramento Public Library at (916) 264-2920.

Sac DA Receives $1.37 million Grant to Combat Drugged Driving

2012-01-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully announced today the receipt of two grants totaling $1.37 million in funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The funding, which runs through September 30, 2012, includes:

$435,000 to purchase a Liquid Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer instrument for the District Attorney’s Crime Lab. This specialized equipment will test for sedative-hypnotic drugs such as Xanax, Valium, Ambien, and marijuana in drug impaired driving cases. This funding also includes a portable breath testing instrument and employee overtime costs for crime lab staff to provide on-site assistance at DUI checkpoints.

$935,000 to expand the current DUI Vertical Prosecution & Community Awareness Program, which is also funded by OTS through NHTSA. This specialized team prosecutes DUIs that result in death or serious injury. With the additional funding, the unit will expand to include drug impaired driving cases.

The program includes a DUI community awareness program Driving It Home to educate juvenile and adult drivers and potential passengers about the dangers of DUI drivers and a Real DUI Court in School program where an actual DUI sentencing is conducted in front of students at Sacramento high schools.
The goals of the DUI Vertical Prosecution & Community Awareness Program are to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities caused by DUI and drug impaired driving, and to decrease the overall rate of DUI and drug impaired driving in Sacramento County.

“Drunk driving has been an ongoing problem in Sacramento, and drugged driving is growing throughout the state,” said OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy. “The programs that these grants fund will give the District Attorney more of the resources needed to help combat both.”

In recent studies, 23 percent of all fatally injured drivers tested positive for drug involvement. In another study where drivers voluntarily allowed for testing, more tested positive for marijuana (8.4 percent) than for alcohol (7.6 percent).

DA Scully states, “OTS continues to be our most devoted ally in combating DUI and drug impaired driving in Sacramento County. These grants will enable us to prosecute drug related driving offenses with the same level of expertise and success as alcohol related DUI cases and increase the safety of our roads and highways.”

Suspect Arrested in Theft of Memorial Plaques

2011-12-30T14:14:00.000-08:00

Casey Alger

Sacramento County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a man yesterday in connection with the theft of memorial wall plaques from Patriot Park in Carmichael. Casey Alger, 37 , was taken into custody at a residence in Sacramento and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on charges of theft and possession of stolen property.

On December 19,members of the Carmichael Parks and Recreation District discovered that five memorial wall plaques had been removed from the Wall of Honor at Patriot Park. The brass plaques are in memory of former Carmichael residents who sacrificed their lives while working in law enforcement, medical professions or the United States military.

Detectives received information from a local recycling business regarding Alger, who had come in with brass to recycle. Further investigation led to the discovery that the metal brought in by Alger was, in fact, one of the stolen wall plaques. The other four individual plaques remain unaccounted for. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department at (916) 874-5115.

Sac Library Vendors Convicted of Grand Theft, Bribery

2011-12-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that a jury convicted 66-year-old James Earle Mayle and his wife 63-year-old Janie Rankins-Mayle of grand theft and bribery for their part in over billing the Sacramento Public Library Authority for maintenance services. The jury also convicted James Mayle, the former security supervisor of the library, of criminal conflict of interest.

Mayle and Rankins-Mayle formed two companies, All City Maintenance and Hagginwood Services, Inc. With the assistance of co-defendant Dennis Nilsson (65), the library’s facilities supervisor, independent contractors who did maintenance services for the library were directed to submit their bills to Rankins-Mayle under the All City and Hagginwood businesses. Rankins-Mayle then substantially inflated those billings and submitted them to the library for payment using her own letterheads.

Nilsson approved all of the invoices for payment. From 2004 to 2007, All City Maintenance and Hagginwood Services, Inc. were paid approximately $1.3 million, of which $780,000 had been inflated over what the contractors who actually performed the work originally billed. Dennis Nilsson was paid by Mayle and Rankins-Mayle over $100,000 in bribes for approving the invoices.

A separate jury had previously convicted Dennis Nilsson of 16 counts of grand theft, bribery, and conflict of interest. That jury heard additional evidence from several contractors who, at Nilsson’s direction, had previously over billed the library for maintenance services and paid bribes.

“This is a classic case of public corruption," said Deputy District Attorney Michael Blazina, who prosecuted the case. "These defendants substantially padded maintenance billings so they could misappropriate taxpayer funds for their own financial benefit.”

Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for January 20, 2012 before the Honorable Allen H. Sumner. Dennis Nilsson faces a potential maximum sentence of 21 years, 8 months in state prison. James Mayle faces a potential maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison. Janie Rankins-Mayle faces a potential maximum sentence of 11 years, 4 months in state prison. The defendants are not eligible for probation, absent unusual circumstances.

Accused Microwave Murderer's Attorney Speaks Out

2011-12-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

Linda Parisi and Ka Yang

Ka Yang, the Sacramento mother accused of microwaving her infant daughter generated worldwide interest when she was arrested last June.

In an exclusive interview, Yang's attorney Linda Parisi discusses the case.

See the interview below.

Elk Grove Selects New Mayor in Messy Manner

2011-12-14T23:50:00.000-08:00

Mayor Jim Cooper

Cooper Mayor, Hume Vice Mayor

Although the mayoral position in Elk Grove is largely a ceremonial job that in the past has been filled in a relatively orderly manner, tonight’s selection of mayor can be best described as messy.

In what will be Elk Grove’s last mayor selected by the city council, members selected Jim Cooper to be the Mayor for 2012. Before selecting Cooper in a 3-2 vote, the council heard a pitch by Steve Detrick to continue in his position as Mayor for another year.

During a lengthy introduction of the city’s numerous department heads and discussing various successes the city has enjoyed during the last year, Detrick made a pitch for continuity through 2012.

“This is the best year this city has ever had,” Detrick opined. “So my recommendation is to keep the council the way it is. That is the position I take tonight.”

After Detrick’s suggestion Elk Grove resident and former city planning commissioner Paul Lindsay urged the council to select Pat Hume as the mayor because he is the only current council member not running for office next year. Lindsay, who is a member of the community group Elk Grove First, noted that he was speaking on his own behalf.

After Lindsay’s comments Hume acknowledged that he is not running for any office next year. “I would be willing to accept if nominated,” he said.

Detrick quickly noted that the filing deadline for next year’s election is August and that papers could still be filed up to that time. Hume won reelection to his second council term in 2010 and has been rumored to be interested in challenging fellow council member Gary Davis who is running to be Elk Grove’s first popularly elected mayor.

“I told you Steve, I am not running [for mayor],” Hume quickly retorted.

During deliberations council member Sophia Scherman made a motion nominating Hume as mayor but the motion died for a lack of second. Davis then reiterated a motion he made very early in the proceedings nominating Cooper.

Detrick, who was not nominated, seconded the motion. Hume and Scherman voted against Cooper.

Hume was subsequently nominated and elected vice mayor by a 4-1 vote with Cooper voting in opposition. Cooper and Hume assumed their new positions on the council after a brief recess.

Cooper, one of two original members still on the council served as the city's first mayor in 2000 and again in 2007.

Five Individuals Indicted for Bid Rigging and Fraud at Public Real Estate Foreclosure Auctions

2011-12-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

14 Individuals Charged in the Continuing Investigation

The U.S. District Court in Sacramento today unsealed an indictment against four real estate investors and an auctioneer for their participation in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions held in San Joaquin County, Calif., Sharis A. Pozen, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, and Benjamin B. Wagner, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, announced.

The indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury in Sacramento on Dec. 7, 2011, charges real estate investors Wiley C. Chandler, Andrew B. Katakis, Donald M. Parker and Anthony B. Joachim, and auctioneer W. Theodore Longley with conspiring with other unnamed co-conspirators to rig bids and commit mail fraud when purchasing selected properties at public real estate foreclosure auctions. The indictment also charges Longley with aiding and abetting the conspirators.

According to the indictment, Chandler, Katakis, Parker, Joachim, Longley and co-conspirators agreed to suppress and restrain competition by rigging bids to obtain selected properties offered at public auctions in San Joaquin County, Calif. The conspirators also devised a scheme to fraudulently acquire titles to selected properties sold at the public auctions and to divert money to co-conspirators that would have gone to the beneficiaries. The indictment alleges that the conspiracy lasted from at least September 2008 until at least October 2009.

“The ongoing investigation demonstrates the Antitrust Division’s resolve to stop conspiracies that suppress competition at real estate foreclosure auctions.” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Pozen. “The division will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate bid-rigging conspiracies in real estate foreclosure auctions in the Sacramento area and northern California.”

“The indictment unsealed today alleges that the defendants engaged in conspiracy, deceit, and heavy-handed tactics to take advantage of a depressed housing market,” said U.S. Attorney Wagner. “This indictment follows a lengthy investigation and a series of guilty pleas by other participants in this activity. But our work is not done. Anticompetitive practices in real estate foreclosure auctions not only harm financial institutions, but drive down home values for other homeowners throughout the region. My office will continue to investigate and prosecute such conduct.”

According to the court documents, after the conspirators’ designated bidder bought a property at a public auction, they would hold a second, private auction, at which each participating conspirator would bid the amount above the public auction price he or she was willing to pay. The conspirator who bid the highest amount at the end of the private auction won the property. The difference between the price at the public auction and that at the second auction was the group’s illicit profit, and it was divided among the conspirators in payoffs.

To date, eight individuals have pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in connection with the investigation: Anthony B. Ghio, John R. Vanzetti, Theodore B. Hutz, Richard W. Northcutt, Yama Marifat, Gregory L. Jackson, Walter Daniel Olmstead and Robert Rose. In addition to those who have pleaded guilty, on Nov. 22, 2011, Kenneth A. Swanger was charged with participating in bid-rigging conspiracies at public real estate foreclosure auctions.

Chandler, Katakis, Parker, Joachim and Longley are charged with bid rigging, a violation of the Sherman Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine. They are also charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Sacramento Task Force Makes Child Pornography Arrest

2011-11-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

Earlier Tuesday morning, detectives assigned to the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force arrested 29-year-old Robert Michael Broadfoot for the possession of child pornography.

In August of 2011, Broadfoot was identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Miami, Florida, as someone who had received child pornography over the internet. A federal search warrant for the suspect’s residence was later obtained and subsequently served on October 11, 2011.

Broadfoot’s computer was seized during the search of his residence. During the forensic examination of his computer, Broadfoot was found to have hundreds of photographs and videos depicting child pornography (some featuring girls as young as the age of eight).

Further investigation revealed Broadfoot provided private music instruction at children’s homes in the local area. Anyone with information in regards to Broadfoot is asked to contact the Internet Crimes Against Children task force at 916-874-3000.

Fisker Luxury Electric Cars to be Sold at Elk Grove Auto Mall

2011-11-18T10:35:00.001-08:00

More incentives?

It was announced this week that Elk Grove's ForAnyAuto group, owner of Elk Grove Nissan, Mazda and Infiniti will be the exclusive seller of the electric sports car Fisker in the Sacramento and Central Valley region.

Founded in 2007, Fisker Automotive produces luxury electric vehicles with extended range. The Fisker Karma Sedan is the world’s first premium electric plug-in hybrid.

“We’re very excited to be named one of only 40 Fisker Dealers in the USA” John Driebe, owner of ForAnyAuto Group and Fisker Sacramento Valley said. “We have the people, resources and the commitment to make Fisker a top-selling brand for environmentally conscious car enthusiasts."

At this time it is not known if ForAnyAuto will seek further economic incentives from the City of Elk Grove.

Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Large-Scale Conspiracy to Sell Counterfeit Music and Movies

2011-11-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Eleazar Gomez Ortiz, aka Eleazar Ortiz Gomez, 28, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today in Fresno to conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement and traffic in counterfeit labels, illicit labels, and counterfeit documentation and packaging.

According to the plea agreement, from January 2010 to November 2010, Gomez procured several thousand counterfeit music CDs and motion picture DVDs on a regular basis from a warehouse in San Jose. Gomez, along with co-conspirators, then sold the counterfeit music CDs and motion picture DVDs to the public at the Galt Market, a flea market in Galt, and at other flea markets in the Sacramento area. Gomez converted the garage of his house in Sacramento into a video and music store, complete with aisles and shelving and sold the counterfeit media from the garage. On November 16, 2010 more than 10,000 counterfeit DVDs and more than 24,000 counterfeit music CDs were seized from Gomez’s residence and vehicle.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Henry Z. Carbajal III and Brian W. Enos are prosecuting the case.

Gomez is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii on January 23, 2012. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

West Sacramento to Host Veterans Day Parade

2011-11-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

War veterans in the Sacramento region will be honored this Friday, November 11, with the first Veterans Day Parade in recent history in West Sacramento.

The public is invited to “salute veterans” and enjoy the unique compilation of numerous marching bands led by the nationally acclaimed Davis Aggies “Band-Uh”; several dozen military vehicles and an authentic 1966 Huey UH-1C gunship helicopter; grand marshals representing all military branches and eras; multiple scout troops; among others.

The West Sacramento Veterans Day Parade and festivities immediately following are being presented by Eskaton, the Northern California-based nonprofit aging services provider, as part of its Veterans Appreciation Initiative.

The Parade begins at 2 pm with participants following a route from Westmore Oaks Elementary School, to Clarendon Road, Meadow Road, Westacre Road, Park Boulevard, Stone Boulevard and finishing at Sam Combs Park for an official ceremony with dignitaries and honored guests.

Along with Eskaton, major event sponsors include the CalVet, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AmVets, Rotary International, Ramco Enterprises and media host CBS13/CW31.

Reedley Man Gets 37-Month Prison Sentence for Possessing Child Porn

2011-10-31T10:41:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that today United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Vincent Chavez, 33, of Reedley, to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors.

According to court documents, Chavez possessed child pornography on his computer, and some of the images Chavez possessed were of prepubescent minors. On August 5, 2011, Chavez pleaded guilty, and he has remained in custody since then.

This case is the result of Operation Direct Connect, an extensive series of investigations by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes the Fresno Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.

Movies with Maricor: 50/50

2011-10-28T09:39:00.001-07:00

After an absence, EGN is pleased to announce the return of film reviewer Maricor Capulong.

By Maricor Capulong

Directed by Jonathan Levine
Starring Joseph Gordon- Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick

I have to admit this movie has some funny moments. The bromance that two stars, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Seth Rogen had has great chemistry, yet aside from that, the movie was otherwise bland and lacked any real heart felt sensitivity to what a person with cancer would truly feel.

It was like watching a lit candle and just staring at the dancing light, when its blown out, your just left to wonder "Why in the hell did I stare at it for so long?"

The producers had a hard time titling this movie, and with good reason, anyone seeing this movie would have easily thought it was an instruction movie to pick up chicks. Use Cancer as a positive tool to get laid with hot women! -not. Sensitive? Heart warming? Not at all.

The story is plainly cut and dry. A healthy yuppy male finds the world shaken upside down with the discovery of a lower back tumor. The yuppy male takes it upon himself to re-asses his life and his goals for the future.

A notion that should have been the core of the movie, but often overshadowed by the ever annoying Seth Rogen. The movie is based on Will Reiser's own battle with cancer and how his friend, Seth Rogen (who is basically playing himself) helped him through the hard times. Now his is proof that, in fact, Seth Rogen is playing himself in all the movies he has been in. Pineapple express, 40 year old virgin, and Zack and Miri make a porno all have the same character. A pot smoking smart alec who has a heart of gold and a friendship to dream of.

The film does not lack heart, it does not fall short of some tear jerking scenes. Yet not really relatable in relation to the actual Joe in the real world who gets cancer and has no insurance. I don't feel for the main character whatsoever, I am lost at what the film really truly is. Is it a love story? Is it a bromance movie? Nothing stands out to make this film have a relatable stance.

This is a good movie that should not be taken seriously, but enough for giggles and laughs.

50/50 is not a movie that fits well with other hard hitting social issues drama. It may not be meant to be seen as a socially aware film, but it should have and could have been.

It deserves <3<3<3 3/5 hearts because of Joseph Gordon-Levitt brilliant performance.

Job-seeking and basic computer workshops slated at North Highlands-Antelope Library

2011-10-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Public Library encourages adults to hone their job-seeking and basic computer skills at free workshops at its North Highlands-Antelope branch, 4235 Antelope Road, Antelope.

Friday, November 18, at 10 a.m.: Your Resume

Learn the basics of professional resume writing and avoid the errors that are common on many resumes. Some knowledge of Microsoft Word and the Windows operating system are required.

Friday, December 16 at 10 a.m.: Getting Acquainted with the Computer

Never tried a computer before? Wondering what all the excitement is about? Take this class to learn a bit about computers. This is a hands-on class that will acquaint you with a computer for the first time.

Classes are offered through a partnership with the OASIS Institute Connections program. For more information, telephone the Sacramento Public Library at (916) 264-2920 or visit www.saclibrary.org.

Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charges

2011-10-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that Keshon Murry, 22, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm after a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Jill Thomas is prosecuting the case.

According to the plea agreement, on December 31, 2010, CHP officers saw Murry driving his car approximately 60 mph in a 25 mph zone. After a high speed chase in which Murry crashed his car into a parked car, officers discovered a Smith & Wesson 38-caliber handgun with five rounds in the cylinder.

Murry is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. on January 5, 2012. The maximum statutory penalty for each violation is 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Sacramento Man Sentenced to Five Years for Defrauding Investors

2011-10-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

Collins “Collie” Max Christensen

Nearly $1 Million stolen from marks

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that United States District Judge John A. Mendez sentenced Collins “Collie” Max Christensen, 53, of Sacramento, today to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud related to his misappropriation of investor funds.

This case was the product of an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Russell L. Carlberg prosecuted the case.

According to court documents, Christensen managed several companies, such as Equus 11 Inc., that were used for multipurpose land development projects located in California, Mississippi, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. From 2006 through 2008, Christensen raised more than $2.3 million from 14 investors for these projects. Christensen misappropriated approximately $985,994 of the $2.3 million, spending the money on unrelated business and personal expenses. Christensen also failed to disclose to investors the extent of financial difficulties his projects were facing.

“Mr. Christensen misappropriated his investors’ funds and then lied to them,” said U.S. Attorney Wagner. “Many of his victims suffered significant financial harm, losing retirement accounts and homes that had been refinanced in order to extract equity to invest with Christensen. Investment fraud schemes often result in financial devastation for victims, which is one reason this office will continue to emphasize the investigation and prosecution of such cases.”

Judge Mendez ordered Christensen to begin serving his prison sentence on December 5, 2011. By law, the defendant will be required to serve at least 85 percent of the prison time imposed.

A restitution hearing, at which the judge will determine how much Christensen should be ordered to pay the victims in restitution, is scheduled for January 10, 2012.

Well Decommissioning Workshop to be held in Elk Grove

2011-10-18T21:08:00.001-07:00

If you have an unused well on your property and want to know how to properly close it, a seminar will be held in Elk Grove to assist you.

Sponsored by the Sloughhouse Resource Conservation district, the wokshopw will proived an overview regarding proper methods to decommission a well in Sacramento County.

Among the issues to be cover include:

- Groundwater protection
- Proper techniques to decommission a well
- Lean about financial assistance
- Sacramento County protocols
- Discuss techniques with decommissioning professionals

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, October 12, from 5 - 7:00 p.m. at the Elk Grove Farm Bureau Office, 8970 Elk Grove Blvd., Suite A, Elk Grove.

For more information contact Amanda Platt at (916) 534-1435 or amanda-platt@carcd.org.

Suspect Arrested for Fatal Nightclub Shootout in April

2011-10-14T10:04:00.000-07:00

Allen Benzler

Earlier today, Sheriff’s detectives arrested 19 year-old Allen Benzler in connection with the shooting death of a man outside a south Sacramento nightclub last April. Detectives from the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau arrested Benzler at a residence in Modesto, and he was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on one count of murder. He is being held without bail.

On April 17, 2011, at approximately 1:20 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies responded to calls of shots fired outside the Warners Rendezvous Lounge in the 7100 block of Governors Circle. Upon arrival, deputies found 29 year-old Jesse Fowler with a gunshot wound to his head.

Fowler was transported to a hospital and later died of his injury. Additionally, two other victims showed up at area hospitals with gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening.

Two other individuals, 37 year-old Isreal Washington and 27 year-old Anthony Sanchez, were previously arrested in connection with this case and remain in custody at this time. Each of them is being held on $100,000 bail.

In spite of these arrests, this investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with further information regarding this case is asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (916) 874-5115.

Varrio Diamond Norteno Gang Member Gets Life Sentence

2011-10-12T11:39:00.000-07:00

Two other gang members get 30 years in murder of rival gang mameber

District Attorney Jan Scully announced that the Honorable Judge Lloyd Connelly sentenced James Riggins to two life terms in prison without the possibility of parole plus 135 years to life for the first degree murders of Rigoberto Aguirre and Isidro Cedillo, and for the premeditated and deliberated attempted murder of Victor Cedillo.

Co-defendants, Orlando Camacho and Christopher Hernandez, were each sentenced to 30 years, 8 months in prison for voluntary manslaughter in the deaths of Rigoberto Aguirre and Isidro Cedillo, and the attempted voluntary manslaughter of Victor Cedillo.

All three defendants were validated Varrio Diamond Norteno gang members. The victims were shot by Riggins because they had reported previous assaults, including a drive by shooting at their house by members of the Varrio Diamonds.

These reports resulted in the conviction of some gang members and an increased number of police contacts with other Varrio Diamond gang members, which led to probation and parole violation arrests. In addition, the victims were living in a neighborhood claimed by the Varrio Diamonds and were identified by that gang as Surenos, a rival gang.

Sacramento County Names New Ag Commissioner

2011-10-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow the Sacramento County Executive will recommend the appointment of Juli Jensen as Agricultural Commissioner and Director of Weights and Measures to the Board of Supervisors. If approved, the appointment will be effective on October 13, 2011.

“We think Julie will make a great addition to our team,” said Brad Hudson, County Executive. “After a statewide search, we’re confident she is the right combination of experience, leadership and advocacy.”

Jensen has more than 29 years of experience enforcing agricultural and/or weights and measures laws and regulations. During this past year, Jensen has served as the Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of El Dorado and Alpine counties. In addition, she worked under contract as Sacramento County’s Interim Agricultural Commissioner and Director of Weights and Measures since June 27, 2011.

Prior to her current position, Jensen worked for the Sacramento County Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer’s Office for twenty-nine years, including 17 years as the Deputy Agricultural Commissioner. Her responsibilities included pesticide use enforcement, the agricultural burn program, the agricultural and urban pesticide hazardous materials program, the automated point of sale program (known as the scanner program), Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter treatments, wine grape testing, and detection trapping. Jensen has also served on various state committees including the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Department of Pesticide Regulation and the California Air Resources Board.

Ms. Jensen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy from the University of California, Davis and has an Agricultural Commissioner license and a Sealer of Weights and Measures license. She currently resides in Sacramento.

Sac Sheriff's Arrest Suspected Child Killer

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Suspect Arrested in Cold Case Homicide

Shortly before 9:00 a.m. today, Sheriff’s detectives arrested 27 year-old Donald Ortez-Lucero in connection with a 2007 homicide in south Sacramento. Ortez-Lucero was arrested at his residence in Oakland, and booked into the Alameda County Jail on two counts of murder. He is ineligible for bail at this time.

On September 14, 2007, at 1:57 p.m., Sheriff’s deputies responded to the call of an injured baby at the corner of Country Greens Court and First Draw Way in south Sacramento. Deputies discovered an eight-month old baby who had sustained a gunshot wound to his head. The baby, later identified as Sean Aquitania, Jr., was transported to a local hospital and died of his injury.

Further investigation led deputies to a residence in the 8400 block of Country Greens Court, where they found twenty-one year old Sean Aquitania, the baby’s father. Aquitania had suffered two gunshot wounds to his upper body, and died at the scene. Preliminary information was that Aquitania and his baby had happened upon the scene of a home-invasion robbery, at which time the shootings took place.

At this time, detectives are still looking for at least two other suspects in connection to this incident. Recently developed information ultimately led to the identification and arrest of Ortez-Lucero as a third person involved. His exact role is still under investigation, but his participation is believed to be in addition to that of the two other suspects.

The first suspect (see attached composite sketches from two separate witnesses) was described as a light-skinned, possibly Hispanic male. He was approximately 5’9” tall, and weighed between 180 and 200 pounds. He wore an Oakland A’s baseball cap and jersey, and was clean-shaven with the exception of a thin moustache.

The other suspect involved has been described as a dark-skinned, possibly African-American male with a round face and stocky build. He wore a hooded sweatshirt and had a bandana or some other covering over his face. Investigators believe that this individual may have sustained an injury (possibly a gunshot wound) to his lower body during the commission of this crime, and may have sought treatment for his injury following the incident.

Since Ortez-Lucero was residing in the Bay Area, detectives believe that the two other suspects in this case may have ties to that area, as well.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Brian Meux of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (916) 874-5115, Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP or send a text message tip to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

The Moon: Ushering in Autumn

2011-10-08T13:02:00.001-07:00

Autumn in Northern Michigan

By
Suzanne Gougherty
Special to EGN

Ed. note: With The Detroit Tigers in the ALCS, The Detroit Lions 4-0 and the Maize and Blue of The University of Michigan football resurrected as of this posting, what better way to celebrate your home state - not to mention a bit of nepotism mixed in.

There are certain things that happen during the change of seasons that stay with you for your whole life time, especially if you live in the north country. Those subtle things that we look forward to as we pass from one season to the next.

That is one of the reasons that I headed back from California to the Midwest - to return to the experience of the transformation from one season to the next.

Let me tell you a little about my experience living in southern Cal… yeah it was cool thing to do, but after four years of small subtle changes from season to season that happen are just that-- SUBTLE. The only way I could truly tell it was winter was the view from my bedroom window, which was to look at the snow cap peak of Mt. Baldy. Only then would I realized it was, oh yeah, that’s right its winter, and I’m in Southern California.

That scene would remind me of the first snow fall back in the Midwest and the quietness of snow falling on what was still green grass. It was a magical moment that earliest snow of the season. I never regret moving back to the Midwest.

As we transition from late summer to early fall here in Michigan it’s an almost perfect time of the year. The reason I feel this way is not the cold, grey days of winter that we all have to deal with, but rather to me it’s the harvest moon and my early memories from childhood being told about this special time of year.

I remember, walking down the street where I grew up and seeing the sun setting at just the right angle, which changed the whole look of the shadows the trees cast on our street. And the amazing angle of the September sun light hitting our front porch, both being so soft and subdue and giving the first hint that things are changing. It was also about casting an eye to the sky as the moon starts to rise, so close to the sun going down, and taking it all in, just sitting on the curb stuck in the moment of all the wonder of movement and light.

The harvest moon is a term I learned when I was a very young and actually at that time I had no idea that it was a blessing for our hard working farmers. Perhaps in today’s age of daylight saving time, maybe it has less meaning. Personally, its all about the beauty of being almost able to reach out and touch the harvest moon.

As I am writing this story, even though the Harvest Moon happened on September 12 this year, I’m still in awe.

There is still time to see the next full moon in all its beauty for days to come before that first snow of late Autumn. As you can probably sense, to me it’s a feeling of an amazing magical sensation with any full moon. The next one is October 12, and as native Americans call it in October - the Hunters moon. So be sure to take in the dazzling beauty as the moon turns full again in a few weeks. The night sky with a full moon and with our view from the north its always beautiful sight. Enjoy!

This story originally appeared in the October 2, 2011 edition of the Border Bulletin.

RT Launches "Ride Transit October"

2011-10-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

During the month of October, the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) is conducting outreach activities and promotions to show appreciation for its current riders and to encourage new riders to discover the benefits of taking transit. The month-long campaign is called “Ride Transit October.”

RT activities will feature "Fun Fridays" at the Customer Service and Sales Center located at 1225 R Street, where customers can take a spin on the prize wheel with purchase; "Ride with the GM" promotion, when Mike Wiley, RT General Manager/CEO, who regularly rides the system, will ride buses and light rail trains to interact personally with passengers; and "Customer Appreciation Days" when RT staff will greet customers at the locations listed below to show appreciation for riding:

List of activities below:

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Watt/I-80 and Arden/Del Paso light rail stations

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Glenn and Florin light rail stations

Thursday, October 20, 2011

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – 8th & O and 16th Street light rail stations

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Arden Fair Transit Center

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Watt/Manlove light rail station

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Florin Mall Transit Center

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Mather Field/Mills light rail station

Thursday, October 27, 2011

1 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Sunrise Mall Transit Center

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – University/65th Street light rail station

"Although RT has experienced unprecedented fiscal challenges the last couple of years, we want to thank the public for their continued support as we continue the quest for comprehensive and quality service that makes public transit a real transportation choice for residents of the Sacramento region," Wiley said.

Check the RT website at www.sacrt.com throughout October for a complete calendar of events.

Eight Defendants Charged in Mortgage Fraud Scheme

2011-09-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Sept. 28, 2011, charging Valeri Mysin, 31, of Citrus Heights, Calif.; Angela Shavlovsky, 52, of Sacramento, Calif.; Nikolay Katinskiy, 28, of Lynwood, Wash.; Michael Kennedy, 44, of Miami Beach, Fla.; Alexander Kokhanets, 34, of Roseville, Calif.; Boris Murzak, 38, and Zinaida Murzak, 40, both of Sacramento; and Vitaliy Tuzman, 31, of West Sacramento, Calif., with conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme involving the purchase of seven homes.

Katinsky and Kennedy were also charged with money laundering in connection with the scheme, announced U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California Benjamin B. Wagner. Shavlovsky, Katinskiy, and Kennedy were arrested by FBI agents yesterday afternoon, and Kokhanets, Boris Murzak, and Zinaida Murzak were issued a summons. They are expected to be arraigned before the U.S. Magistrate judge today at 2:00 p.m.

How the scheme worked

According to court records, the mortgage fraud scheme involved purchasing homes at prices substantially higher than the homes were worth in order for the defendants to receive cash at the close of escrow. The indictment alleges that Shavlovsky recruited Katinsky and Kennedy to act as straw buyers and finance 100 percent of the artificially inflated purchase price of homes by submitting fraudulent loan applications to lenders, which falsely represented Katinsky’s and Kennedy’s employment, income, and intent to occupy the homes as their primary residence.

According to the indictment, Mysin, a licensed California real estate agent, prepared the phony applications and attempted to disguise his involvement with these fraudulent loans by making it appear that another loan officer in his office had handled them. Kokhanets, Boris Murzak, Zinaida Murzak, and Tuzman were homeowners who allegedly sold their properties as part of this scheme. In order to artificially inflate the sales price of their homes, Kokhanets, Tuzman, and the Murzaks are alleged to have signed fake invoices falsely claiming that repairs or improvements had been completed on their properties. After the lenders funded the fraudulent loans, the defendants diverted a portion of the proceeds from the inflated sales price directly to themselves and to businesses controlled by the defendants and others. All seven properties were foreclosed, resulting in more than $1.8 million in losses for mortgage lenders.

Marijuana Thieves Thwarted by Residents

2011-09-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Last shortly before 11:00 p.m., a Sacramento Sheriff’s deputy on patrol in Rancho Cordova heard gunshots fired in the area of Coloma Road and Ranchito Court. While he and other officers were attempting to locate the scene of the shooting, they were waved down by a resident in the area.

The man, who was bleeding from his hand, informed officers that he had been injured while trying to prevent a robbery at his residence.

The victim directed officers to his home in the 2200 block of Bota Court. He said that while away from his residence, he had been told by other people in the home that someone had attempted to steal medical marijuana plants from the backyard of the home.

The suspect(s) had apparently been scared away by residents inside the house. The victim had returned home, and was proceeding to secure a chain-link fenced area that contained marijuana plants, as it had been cut open in an apparent attempt to access the plants.

While in the backyard, the victim was confronted by a man who jumped over the fence and confronted him while armed with a handgun. The victim began to struggle with the gunman, and attempted to grab the firearm away from him.

According to the victim, at least two other male suspects appeared in the backyard – one armed with another gun and one with a knife. The victim yelled for help from other residents inside the home.

During the altercation, numerous gunshots were fired. The residence was struck by bullets, but neither the victim nor anyone else inside the house was hit by the gunfire. The victim believed that he injured his hand while struggling with one of the gunman.

Officers from the Sheriff’s East Division and the Rancho Cordova Police Department searched the area for the suspects, who ran from the victim’s residence after the gunshots were fired. Officers were unable to locate any of the suspects, but did recover a knife that was believed to have been used by one of them during the attempted robbery.

The suspects were described as black males in their twenties, all wearing dark clothing. It is unknown whether they fled on foot, or may have had a vehicle that was used to assist in their escape from the area.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Rancho Cordova Police Department / Sheriff’s East Division at (916) 874-5115.

Sacramento Woman Sentenced to Two Years for Embezzlement

2011-09-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

District Attorney Jan Scully announced that 50-year-old Linda Marie Wells of Sacramento was sentenced by the Honorable Gary Ransom to 2 years in prison after pleading no contest to grand theft charges.

Wells was employed as an office manager by Norwood and Associates, a lobbying firm. From 2004 through August 2010, Wells increased her salary by more than $95,000. Wells used the company credit card and made close to $40,000 in personal charges and transferred close to $75,000 from Norwood and Associates bank accounts into her own account and to one of her friend’s account. The total amount taken by Wells was $219,771.

John Norwood, the owner, hired an auditor to check his firms’ finances. The auditor made a comment to Norwood about how well he paid his office manager. This led to the discovery of Well’s embezzlement.

Elk Grove Moves to Limit Medical Marijuana Cultivation

2011-09-29T13:09:00.001-07:00

Following complaints from several residents about medical marijuana cultivation, the Elk Grove City Council last night instructed the police department and city attorney to craft an ordinance that would strictly limit the activity.

The issue was originally brought to the city council's attention at the August 11 meeting when several residents of an eastside rural neighborhood complained about a two-acre operation. According to those residents, there were about 55 plants being cultivated.

At last night's meeting Elk Grove resident Kathy Kokkos returned to thank the council for taking the matter into considerations and to reiterate her concern about the growing operation on her neighborhood.

"I firmly believe we need to be safe," she said. "It has definitely affected us."

Elk Grove Police Capt. Bryan Noblett explained how a several Northern California municipalities regulate medical marijuana growing within their jurisdictions. During their deliberations, council members expressed their desires to tightly regulate growing operations.

Council member Jim Copper said that while he supports medical marijuana use for legitimate medical purposes, he said almost anyone can get a medical card and that has negative affects on communities.

Cooper joked that he "could get a card just to cope with council meetings."

The council directed Police Chief Robert Lehner and interim City Attorney Jonathon Hobbs to prepare an ordinance modeled on the City of Corning's model that tightly regulates the manner and method of how plants can be grown and prohibits outdoor cultivation. The ordinance is expected to be presented at the October 12 meeting.

Roseville Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding City of Sacramento of Stimulus Funds

2011-09-23T09:12:00.000-07:00


Peter Scott

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that Peter Scott, president of Advantage Demolition and Engineering (ADE), 47, of Roseville, pleaded guilty today to two counts of submitting false contractor bonds.

On February 19, 2009, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which provided $787 billion in stimulus funds to state and local agencies for infrastructure projects through federal agencies. These monies were provided through Executive Branch agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In 2009, the City of Sacramento received a grant from the EPA of federal stimulus funds to retrofit water meters on city homes. The retrofit contract was broken into 10 separate phases with each phase being separately bid upon. Bidders for the water meter retrofit contracts were required to have “surety bonds,” that is, insurance to cover any losses that may result during the project.

According to court documents, in August and September 2009, Scott, through his company ADE, bid on eight of the water meter retrofit phases, submitting surety bonds that were purportedly issued by Merchants Bonding Company. The bonds were for $5 million and contained a raised seal and signature of a California Notary Public, as well as the signature of an attorney purportedly representing Merchants, Jeremy Daniel Phillips.

In fact, as Scott well knew, these bonds were counterfeit and contained discrepancies when compared with legitimate Merchants’ bonds. The form upon which the bonds were printed was a 2006 form no longer in use by Merchants in 2009, the bonds did not contain a Merchants bond number, the Notary Public did not sign, and the date on the Notary Public’s signature line was incorrect.

According to the plea agreement, Scott admitted that the Merchants’ attorney who purportedly signed the bonds, Jeremy Daniel Phillips, was not a representative of Merchants, but was a fictional person. In support of his fraudulent presentation of the bonds, Scott purchased a cell phone and included the cell phone’s number with the submission, representing it as the phone number for the Merchants’ attorney, Jeremy Daniel Phillips.

As a result, the City of Sacramento awarded two of the contracts to ADE. The first contract was for $1.235 million (Phase 4); the second was for $2.230 million (Phase 10). The total value of federal stimulus money awarded to ADE in the two contracts was $3.465 million.

Liposuction ID Thief Sentenced to 12 Years

2011-09-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

Mia Garza

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that 31 year-old Mia Garza was sentenced by the Honorable Gary Ransom to 12 years, 4 months in prison to run consecutive to a 2 year, 8 month prison sentence for charges in Contra Costa County. A hearing will be held in January to determine restitution, which is expected to exceed $1 million.

Last month, Garza pled no contest to multiple felony counts of identity theft, and admitted an aggravated white collar crime enhancement. At the time she committed these crimes, Garza was out on bail for identity theft charges in both Contra Costa and Sacramento counties. Garza worked as a benefits clerk with the SEIU/UHW-West in Oakland, California.

In July 2007, Garza unlawfully accessed an electronic file containing names, addresses and personal identifying information for more than 29,000 Kaiser Permanente employees. With the stolen Kaiser personnel data, Garza ran background checks and credit reports to obtain additional personal information and locate the victims’ commercial credit accounts. Investigators located more than 300 actual victims of identity theft in 14 counties that are attributable to Garza.

The case led to an investigation by the Sacramento Valley High Tech Task Force, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and Kaiser Permanente investigators that lasted nearly two years. Charges were filed against Garza in numerous counties throughout California.

The resolution in the Sacramento case takes jurisdiction over cases in those other counties. Garza’s most notable arrest occurred in Sacramento in 2009. When arrested, she was wearing a preoperative surgical gown and was about to undergo a $12,000 liposuction procedure that she had arranged while posing as a victim, and using a victim’s credit card information.

A number of Garza’s victims attended today’s hearing and voiced impassioned pleas for the maximum sentence.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Clancey states, “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and the California Highway Patrol, we were able to hold this defendant accountable for her crimes and prevent future victims.”

Rancho Cordova Mayor Receives Mather Cleanup Award

2011-09-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

Rancho Cordova Mayor Robert McGarvey

Rancho Cordova’s Mayor Robert McGarvey has been given a special award by the U.S. Air Force Real Property Agency for his role in the environmental cleanup of the former Mather Air Force Base

McGarvey served on the Mather Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) since its inception in 1994. Once a key Air Force Base, the property is now an airport that is run by Sacramento County, the site of the Sacramento VA Medical Center, and the location of many businesses, offices buildings, and the Mather Community Transitional Housing and Employment Services.

“Because it was on one of the first base closure lists, the Air Force began cleaning up Mather in the 1980s. As of 2009, all cleanup systems were in place and working to remove all contamination,” said McGarvey.

He continued that “citizens were appointed to the RAB to make sure that cleanup was done correctly.” Hundred of wells were installed to test ground water as well as soil vapors.

The original RAB had 24 members but that number had dwindled to four when the Board disbanded. And of those four, only McGarvey and Sandra Lunceford of Folsom were members of the original RAB.

McGarvey, who was stationed at Mather AFB in the 60’s said that “when we used solvents while doing our work in the field maintenance squadron on the mobile ground power equipment, we disposed of the solvents differently than people do now.”

“Because I played a role in the contamination, I was pleased that I could oversee the cleanup,” he concluded.

After McGarvey retired from the Air Force in 1965, he worked for Pacific Bell for 33 years. He has been a member of the Rancho Cordova City Council since the City incorporated in 2003.

Mother, Daughter Sentenced For Fraud Home assisitance Fraud

2011-09-13T16:20:00.000-07:00

Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully announced that Aquilla Parrish and her daughter, Quilla Parrish, were sentenced after pleading no contest to committing grand theft against the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program. The Honorable Lawrence Brown sentenced Aquilla Parrish to 2 years in prison and Quilla Parrish to 3 years in prison.

Both defendants were ordered to pay restitution to the IHSS program, as well as to the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance, and agreed to pay restitution on other counts which were dismissed as part of the negotiated disposition.

IHSS is a statewide program to provide services to income-eligible blind, elderly and disabled persons who are unable to remain in their own homes without assistance. To qualify, recipients must be at risk for out-of-home placement due to functional disabilities. Authorized services include food shopping & preparation, cleaning, personal care needs and accompaniment to medical appointments. Protective supervision is the highest category of service hours for confused, mentally impaired or mentally ill persons, and is only available if a need exists for 24 hour-a-day supervision.

Quilla Parrish gained admission to the IHSS program by false claims she and her mother made that she needed assistance with almost all aspects of her daily life (getting in and out of bed, using the bathroom, bathing, dressing, etc.). They claimed Quilla was so mentally impaired that she required 24-hour protective supervision in order to remain safely in her own home. In truth, Quilla was easily able to care for herself and do the things she and her mother claimed she could not.
In a separate scheme, Quilla Parrish defrauded the Cal Works paid child care program by falsely claiming she was attending school full time for over five years, when she was not enrolled at all. Quilla submitted over a dozen manufactured documents as false proof of her schooling.

The loss to the IHSS program from the Parishes’ theft totaled $49,612. The loss to the Cal Works paid child care program totaled $128,608.

Deputy District Attorney Laura West said, “By faking a need, the defendants stole precious money from a taxpayer funded program that serves some of the most vulnerable citizens in our community. The District Attorney’s IHSS Fraud Task Force is dedicated to preventing and detecting IHSS fraud, and to prosecuting those who steal from IHSS. We also aggressively pursue theft from any other program we discover while investigating allegations of IHSS fraud.”

Seven Indicted for Extensive Counterfeit Media Operation

2011-09-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that today a federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment charging Leonel Martinez Caballero, 28; Vicenta Munoz-Peralta, 38; Mariano Vega Hernandez, 24; Roman Santana, 28; and Edgar Alonso Bautista Arazate, 30; all of Modesto; Martin Munoz Peralta, 39, of San Jose; and Antonio Hernandez Sanchez, 27, of Stockton, with criminal copyright infringement, trafficking in counterfeit labels, and conspiracy to commit those offenses.

According to the indictment, Caballero managed a warehouse in Modesto that served as a distribution point for counterfeit music CDs and counterfeit movie DVDs. On July 25, 2011, the warehouse was found to contain over 100,000 counterfeit CDs and DVDs. Caballero was assisted at the warehouse by Vicenta Munoz-Peralta. The indictment also alleges that Vicenta Munoz-Peralta, Mariano Vega Hernandez, and Martin Munoz Peralta assisted Caballero in a counterfeit DVD manufacturing operation run out of Caballero’s rented residence in Modesto. Roman Santana, Edgar Alonso Bautista Arazate and Martin Munoz Peralta purchased large amounts of counterfeit media from the warehouse or Vicenta Munoz-Peralta for resale to the public. Six of the seven defendants, including Antonio Hernandez Sanchez, also sold counterfeit music CDs at a flea market in Modesto.

This case is the product of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, with assistance from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Henry Z. Carbajal III is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison for each offense. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Two Plead Guilty In Multi-Million-Dollar Sacramento Mortgage Fraud Scam

2011-09-08T12:22:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Nicole Dawson, 41, of Oakland, and Ronald Burris, Jr., 38, of Elk Grove, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit mail fraud and making false statements in a loan application.

Dawson and Burris were charged in June 2010 along with eight other defendants in a conspiracy that centered around Liberty Real Estate and Investment Company and Liberty Mortgage Company, two companies owned by co-defendant Hoda Samuel. The companies were instrumental in the purchase of at least 30 homes in the Sacramento area in 2006 and 2007. The purchases were typically accomplished through 100 percent financing, obtained as the result of false information regarding the buyers’ employment, income, and intent to live in the properties. At the close of the transactions, and unbeknownst to the lenders, cash payments were made back to the buyers out of the loan proceeds. Of the 30 transactions, at least 28 have gone into foreclosure, resulting in a loss to lenders in excess of $5 million.

According to his guilty plea, Burris admitted purchasing three homes in a two-month period, submitting false loan applications to finance the purchases, and receiving approximately $75,000 at the close of these transactions. According to her plea, Dawson admitted purchasing two homes over a two-month period, submitting false loan applications, and receiving approximately $64,000 at the close of the transactions.

The defendants are scheduled to sentenced by United States District Judge John A. Mendez on November 15, 2011. They face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison.

Thoughts and Musings

2011-09-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how dental benefits came in to being? Read about it below.

Remember this man on your next dental visit.

Does the name Leonard Woodcock mean anything to you? Well it should the next time you slide into your dentist chair for your semi-annual free cleaning, gulp, the dreaded root canal.

Woodcock was the the first president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) following the tragic death of UAW founder Walter Ruether. When Woodcock and his team negotiated new contracts with the Big Three (remember them?) in the early 70 their big benefit enhancement was the initiation of dental benefits for their members.

Previous to this, dental benefits in the U.S. were practically non-existent. I remember my Dad -a Ford Motor honk for 40-plus years - wryly noting that a picture of Woodcock would be hanging in every dentist office some day. He was wrong on that account but Woodcock had the honor of placing number nine on Richard Nixon's enemy list.

So the next time someone starts bashing unions, ask them two questions: a. Do you know who Leonard Woodcock is, and b. Do you enjoy dental benefits?

Once they answer, I am pretty sure you will know how to proceed.

Ninth's loss is California's gain

Earlier this week Goodwin Liu was installed as the State of California's newest member of the Supreme Court. Liu was previously nominated By President Obama for the U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth District but his name was withdrawn after several conservative Senators promised a fight.

Politics aside, Liu's nomination is interesting in that it will be the first time that a majority of the State Supreme Court seven justice's will be of Asian decent and Liu is the only Democratic appointment currently on the state's highest bench. Gray Davis did not make any appointments and the last Democratic Governor before Davis was - Jerry Brown.

In any case, it is good to see Liu appointed to the State Supreme Court. At only 40 years of age, one must guess that given time and a Democratic president sometime in the next 10 to 15 years, Liu's name will surely be on a short list for any vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Strange bedfellows, or perhaps not

Recently I read that the ACLU joined forces with member of the Tea Party to fight a local protest ordinance in Redding, Calif. that sought to limit Tea Party members right to assembly and speech.

While some may find this strange, it is actually consistent with the ACLU's mission of protecting free speech, privacy rights and right of assembly for any person or group.

The ACLU has famously filed an amicus brief in support of one of their numerous detractors - Rush Limabaugh - when the radio host was being threatened with seizure of his private medical records. They have also supported Neo Nazi's right to protest and a host of other causes that causes conservatives to normally cringe.

If nothing else can be said, the ACLU is consistent - they will defend free speech and rights of assembly no matter who the case involves. I just wonder if the Tea Party will remember this in the years to come?

Sac Gangbanger Convicted of Murder With Special Circumstances

2011-09-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

Two co-defendants also convicted of manslaughter

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that James Riggins was convicted by jury of two counts of first degree murder for the killing of Rigoberto Aguirre and Isidro Cedillo, and the premeditated and deliberated attempted murder of Victor Cedillo.

The jury also found true the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, the personal and intentional discharge of a firearm, and the allegation that the crimes were committed for the benefit of the Varrio Diamonds Norteno Street Gang.

The jury found the co-defendants, Orlando Camacho and Christopher Hernandez, guilty of two counts of voluntary manslaughter and one count of attempted voluntary manslaughter. They also found that these crimes were committed for the benefit of the Varrio Diamonds Norteno Street Gang.

The victims were shot by Riggins because they had reported previous assaults, including a drive by shooting at their house by members of the Varrio Diamonds. These reports resulted in the conviction of some gang members and an increased number of police contacts with other Varrio Diamond gang members, which led to probation and parole violation arrests. In addition, the victims were living in a neighborhood claimed by the Varrio Diamonds and were identified by that gang as Surenos, a rival gang.

Sentencing is set for October 7, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. in Department 33 in front of the Honorable Judge Lloyd Connelly.

Zang Her Get Life Without Parolde for 2004 Murder

2011-09-02T21:11:00.000-07:00

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that the Honorable Steve White sentenced Zang Her to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Zang was convicted by jury of murder and burglary in connection with the 2004 strangulation death of John Lone Eagle in his home. The crime was solved by the Sacramento County Sheriff Department’s “Cold Hit” Unit and DNA evidence that was analyzed by the District Attorney’s Crime Lab.

Adult Male’s Identity Still a Mystery for Sacramento Coroner

2011-09-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

Public encouraged to call Coroner’s Office with information

The Sacramento Coroner’s Office has been unable to identify an elderly white male who passed away on May 9, 2011 of natural causes in a nursing facility in Sacramento.

The Coroner was informed that the elderly man was under investigation by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) prior to his death for receiving health care under false declaration, grand theft and identity theft. DHCS began their investigation in February 2010 when it was discovered that the elderly man had assumed the identity of Manuel Calderon of Texas.

Interviews with the elderly and debilitated man conducted in 2010 produced minimal information which investigators were not able to confirm. Subsequent fingerprint comparisons revealed that the man had assumed the name of Manuel Calderon sometime prior to 1989. The combined investigations of the DHCS and the Sacramento Coroner have produced the following information about the elderly man:

1989 – Known to have already assumed the name Manuel Calderon
1998 through 2011 – Resided in various care facilities in Sacramento
Interview information:
• His true first name may sound similar to “Carlos”
• His true last name may sound similar to “Flotte”
• Father’s first name is Luis
• Mother’s first name may be Maria de Jesus
• A brother or other family may reside in Yuba City, CA

Physical characteristics:
•70+ years (estimated)
• Caucasian
• Height - 5’7”; Weight - 154 lbs.
• Brown eyes; gray hair
• No teeth; no dentures
• Scars on chest and both upper legs
• Left hip replacement with metal orthopedic implants
• Tattoo of vintage era (circa 1940’s) naked pin-up girl on right lower leg
• See attached 1998 police booking photographs
Anyone having information about this unidentified man or his family is urged to call the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office at (916) 874-9320 and refer to case #11-02359.

EGPD Seeks Help Locating At-Risk Person

2011-09-01T10:32:00.003-07:00

Elk Grove Police is seeking assistance locating 79-year-old Nellie Bell who is suffering from early stage dementia.

Ms. Bell is described as African-American, 5' 0" 130 lbs. gray hair and was last seen wearing a blue dress (see photo below). Ms. Bell was last seen driving away from her residence in a silver Mercedes C230 plate number 6FVY938.

Anyone with information about Ms. Bell is asked to call the Elk Grove Police Dispatch Center at (916) 691-5246.

Folsom Man Sentenced for Ponzi Scheme

2011-08-26T16:09:00.001-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner, FBI Special Agent in Charge Herbert M. Brown, and IRS Special Agent in Charge Scott O’Briant announced that today Senior United States District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton sentenced Luis Fernandez, 37, of Folsom, to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for running a Ponzi scheme that resulted in losses to approximately 50 victims and their families. Fernandez was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a subsequent hearing.

This case was the product of an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney R. Steven Lapham prosecuted the case.

According to court documents, Fernandez was the owner and president of Fernandez Financial Inc. (FFI) in Folsom. Between September 2004 and March 2009, Fernandez collected approximately $7.4 million from investors by promising them a three percent monthly return on their money. Fernandez actually invested only about half the money he received, reserving the rest for Ponzi payments to the investors and withdrawals to himself. Of the money that Fernandez did invest he sustained losses in five of the six calendar years that the scheme operated. After subtracting monthly payments to investors totaling approximately $5.3 million, Fernandez caused a total loss to investors of approximately $2.1 million.

According to court documents, Fernandez and most of the victims of the fraud were natives of the Dominican Republic. To lure investors into the scheme, Fernandez falsely represented to investors that FFI was profitable in both good markets and bad, and that it was consistently generating a return that was sufficient to pay the promised 3 percent rate of return. To lull existing investors into keeping their money with FFI, Fernandez, and others, acting at Fernandez’s direction, concealed the losses and falsely represented that FFI continued to do well, going so far as to provide investors with false documentation purporting to show stock market gains.

Despite sustaining losses in the market, Fernandez paid himself nearly $1 million. This included a home in Folsom and a late model Corvette, both of which were purchased with investor money.

Three Sacramento area suspects indicted for mortgage faud

2011-08-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment charging Sean McClendon, 45, of West Sacramento; Anthony Salcedo, 30, of El Dorado Hills; and Anthony Williams, 44, of Carmichael, in a mortgage fraud conspiracy. Williams is also charged with two counts of identity theft.

According to the indictment, between December 2005 and September 2006, McClendon and Williams bought four residential properties from Salcedo or his associates using straw buyers. The properties were in Rocklin, Folsom, Sacramento, and El Dorado Hills. Salcedo paid McClendon and Williams a kickback for finding buyers. McClendon was a loan officer and facilitated the loans for each of the properties and in each instance, the buyer’s income and assets were falsified in order to qualify for the loans. Generally, the true purchase price of the homes was overstated on the loan documents and payments to the straw buyers and the kickbacks were not disclosed to the lenders as part of the purchase or sales agreements.

For two of the properties, the buyer of record was a resident of Milwaukee, Wis., who was unaware that her personal information was being used to purchase homes in the Sacramento area. Williams is charged with two counts of identity theft in relation to these transactions.

McClendon is separately charged with mail fraud in connection with another residential property by one of the same buyers involved in purchasing one of Salcedo’s properties. All properties involved were foreclosed by the lenders, resulting in losses of more than $1 million.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jean M. Hobler is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty for mail fraud and the related conspiracy of 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine, or both. The penalty for identity theft is two years in prison served concurrent to any sentence for the related mail fraud charges. The actual sentence for each defendant, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Elk Grove Soccer Coach Pleas on Sex Charges

2011-08-25T19:11:00.001-07:00

Temblador will serve over four years.

Elk Grove soccer coach Arthur Temblador entered a guilty plea to four felony charges involving sexual misconduct.

Temblador, 36, was a coach for the Everton Soccer Club in Elk Grove and was accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with one of his players from the summer of 2010 through spring 2011. The victim was between the ages of 15-16 years old at the time and the conduct occurred in four different counties.

Under the plea agreement, Temblador will serve four years, four months in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender for life. Sentencing is set for October 27, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. in Department 8 in front of the Judge Gary Ransom.

Benefit Show

2011-08-23T19:46:00.001-07:00

Sacramento 'Skateboard Bandit' Pleads Guilty to Serial Bank Robbery

2011-08-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Robbed five banks

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that today Jared Sung Yoon Herdt, 30, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to a series of bank robberies. Herdt has agreed to pay restitution for all of his bank robberies. He is in federal custody pending sentencing.

This case is the product of an investigation of the Sacramento Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.

According to court documents, Herdt pleaded guilty to five bank robberies:

Wells Fargo Bank, 3424 Dale Road, Modesto on January 5, 2009.
Wells Fargo Bank, 2010 Goldfield Drive, Rancho Cordova on April 25, 2009.
Bank of America, 1821Pioneer Parkway, Springfield, Oregon on January 16, 2009.
Wells Fargo Bank, 3195 Meridian Ave., San Jose on February 24, 2009.
Wells Fargo Bank, 65 North Winchester Blvd., Santa Clara on February 24, 2009.

For purposes of restitution, he additionally admitted robbing a Wells Fargo Bank at 9407 Madison Avenue in Orangevale on April 25, 2009.

During the robberies, Herdt claimed he had a firearm. The task force dubbed the perpetrator the “Skateboard Bandit” because tellers in some robberies indicated the robber fled via skateboard to an unknown location where he had a getaway vehicle.

On April 27, 2010, a search of a stolen vehicle recovered in Sunnyvale resulted in the recovery of $4,900 in cash, a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a skateboard, and a receipt for a dentist in Oregon. The dentist positively identified surveillance photos of the bank robber as Herdt.

Herdt is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2011 by United States District Judge William B. Shubb. He faces up to 100 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1.25 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables and any applicable statutory sentencing factors.

FBI Task Force Arrests Fugitive After 36 Years on the Run

2011-08-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

After 36 years of looking over his shoulder, William Walter Asher III, now 66 years old, is finally back where he belongs—in prison. FBI agents and task force officers assigned to the Sacramento FBI Safe Streets Violent Crime Task Force arrested him without incident on Friday morning at his residence in Salida, California. The arrest team was comprised of FBI agents, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputies, and a parole agent from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

After participating with three accomplices in the 1966 robbery of a San Francisco bar during which the bartender was shot and subsequently beaten to death, Asher, 20 years old at the time, fled to Chicago, Illinois. Following the issuance of a UFAP (unlawful flight to avoid prosecution) warrant, Asher was captured in 1967 by the FBI and returned to California where he was tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison.

In January 1975 Asher, with the help of a non-incarcerated female accomplice, escaped from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Growlersburg Conservation Camp #33 located in El Dorado County, California. The FBI again filed a UFAP warrant and subsequently tracked Asher to the Northwest Territories of Canada and the area in and around Hyder, Alaska. Investigators later determined Asher had assumed the name David Donald Mcfee, worked as a long-haul truck driver, married, and raised a family. He eventually separated from his wife, who was later interviewed by Canadian authorities as well as the FBI, but she was unable to provide information on the whereabouts of Asher. Interestingly enough, several years ago, one of Asher’s daughters contacted the FBI for information on the location of her father.

Although the trail went cold over the years, investigators never gave up their hunt for Asher and recently got the break they needed. Asher’s mother, Mable Welch, passed away on July 1, 2005, and, according to source information, shortly before her death she asked various family members to assist her in using the “secret” number to call “Billy.”

With this information, FBI Sacramento collected toll records for associates of Mable Welch who were believed to have assisted her in contacting Asher. A review of multiple cell phone subscriber records revealed that two days prior to Mabel’s death, on June 29, 2005, two calls were made to a residential telephone located in Salida, California. An investigative search for persons associated with that residence revealed a Garry Donald Webb (DOB: 01/15/1946). Webb’s California driver’s license (CDL) photo was reviewed and appeared to resemble an older, thinner Asher. A certified copy of the CDL was obtained in order to compare the right thumb print to Asher’s fingerprint card and an informal examination appeared to reveal a match.

On August 19, 2011, agents and officers established surveillance on the residence in Salida, California, as well as a trucking business where “Webb” supposedly worked. At approximately 8:15 a.m., a subject resembling Welch/Asher exited the residence and was contacted by investigators. After some initial discussion, Asher admitted his true identity. It appeared to investigators that the female residing at the residence with Asher, who has been with him for 10 or more years, was unaware of his criminal history and/or fugitive status.

Asher was transported and booked into the Deuel Vocational Institute (DVI) in Tracy, California. DVI is a reception center to process inmates newly committed to state prison and also houses general population inmates.

Aerial Spraying May Start Next Week in South Sac, Wilton

2011-08-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

West Nile Virus intensifies in South Sac County

Locations of positive findings

The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District continues to closely monitor the Wilton and Elk Grove areas of South Sacramento and announced today that 34 new mosquito samples and 4 dead birds have tested positive.

“We continue to see extremely high levels of West Nile Virus activity in both of these areas and the risk of transmission is very real,” said David Brown. “We are evaluating our response and are strongly considering aerial treatments in addition to the on going ground treatments to reduce the populations of adult infected mosquitoes by early next week.”

As a response to these new positive mosquito samples and dead birds, the District is planning additional surveillance over the weekend and will receive test results on Monday. If a decision is made to proceed with aerial treatments, the media will be notified immediately so information can promptly be disseminated to the public.

The District continues to urge the public to inspect their homes for any stagnant water and asks for public cooperation in identifying any mosquito breeding sources.

For current information about any treatments planned, please visit www.FIGHTtheBITE.net Residents may also subscribe to mailing lists to receive email notifications for mosquito treatments by zip code. To sign up go to Spray Notifications.

2011 West Nile virus activity update:

Level 2--Sacramento County: 40 dead birds, 0 sentinel chickens, 129 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus to date.

Yolo County: No activity has been registered to date.

Rancho Cordova Police to conduct sobriety check this weekend

2011-08-18T10:37:00.001-07:00

DUI & Driver's License Checkpoint

The Rancho Cordova Police Department will be holding a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Sobriety and Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday August 19th, in the City of Rancho Cordova. The checkpoint will be operational that day from 8:00 pm to 2:00 am.

Officers will be checking drivers for signs of impairment, providing educational materials outlining the dangers of driving while impaired, and checking for driver’s licenses. This checkpoint operation will be conducted utilizing funds from a grant provided to the Rancho Cordova Police Department by the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).

SAC PAL’s 2nd Annual Fitness Boot Camp Award Ceremony

2011-08-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Police Department and the Sacramento Police Activities League (PAL) is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Fitness Boot Camp Award Ceremony.

The ceremony will take place on Thursday, August 18, 2011, at 10 a.m., at Jedediah Smith Elementary School (in the multi-purpose room). The school is located at 401 McClatchy Way, Sacramento, CA 95818.

The 2011 Fitness Boot Camp was a six-week long program in which SAC PAL kids attended two days per week, three hours a day. The program focused on physical fitness as well as developing the "PAL Pillars of Character" which included self esteem, honesty, integrity, fairness and justice. The kids participated in a variety of athletic games, drills, and ceremony practice. The camp instructors consisted of Sacramento police officers and physical fitness trainers who volunteered their time for this program.

The Sacramento Police Activities League is a community-based program providing healthy activities for kids, building self-esteem and promoting teamwork with police officers. SAC PAL offers educational and enrichment programs for local youths.

Please join the SAC PAL kids as they receive various awards for their achievements and participation in our Fitness Boot Camp.

Sac Police Release ID of Man Who Shot at Officer

2011-08-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Police Department has positively iden

tified the man who shot at a Police Officer Tuesday afternoon as, 20-year-old Devonte Fields. Fields is on felony probation and is a validated gang member.

On August 16, 2011, at approximately 3:02 p.m., a Sacramento Police Officer was in the area of Valley Hi Drive/Bamford Drive when he observed a male subject who matched the description of a wanted robbery suspect. The officer followed the subject and contacted him near a business.

The suspect ran from the officer who chased after him. The suspect ran into a nearby apartment complex. As the suspect was running, he turned around, pointed a gun at the officer and fired a gun at him. The officer was not hit and did not return fire.

The suspect continued to run through the complex and eventually out of sight of the officer. Officers believed the suspect was hiding somewhere in the apartment complex and immediately established a perimeter around it. Officers from throughout the city, as well as law enforcement agencies from surrounding jurisdictions, responded to assist. The Sacramento Police Department SWAT Team and Hostage Negotiators also responded to assist with the search for the suspect.

As the SWAT team entered the apartment complex and prepared to begin their search, the suspect, another adult male and two children walked out of an apartment. The suspect was taken into custody without incident. It was determined he was the man who shot at the officer. The suspect was identified as 20-year-old Devonte Fields. He was arrested for attempted murder and booked into the Sacramento County Jail. A gun was recovered at the scene and it is believed to be the gun used by Fields to shoot at the officer.

Further investigation revealed that Devonte Fields was not the robbery suspect for which the officer initiated the contact.

The Sacramento Police Department urges anyone with information pertaining to this crime to contact Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP (4357) or text in a tip to 274637 (CRIMES). Enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

Matt Damon - Bourne to Run?

2011-08-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

100/1 odds to be President?

Paddy Power have today inserted Matt Damon at 100/1 to be the next US president after he received a glittering endorsement for the role from fellow Hollywood star Michael Moore!

Damon has proven far more articulate on Liberal issues than his Team America puppet would suggest and is also available at 66/1 to receive the Democratic nomination for the race.

Obama remains the strong favorite at 4/6 in the race for the White House followed by Texan Rick Perry and former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney who are at 7/2 and 5/1 respectively while Tea Party darling Michelle Bachman is available at 16/1.

Elsewhere in the betting the Republicans 2008 presidential candidate John McCain remains at an unlikely 150/1 to occupy the Oval Office while Paris Hilton and Will Smith are at an even more unlikely 500/1.

Paddy Power said “There’s been a strong tradition of Hollywood stars making the transition into politics since Ronald Reagan, Matt Damon has never been afraid to express his political views and would surely garner some high profile supporters if he chose to run.”

Sheen's odds; How about Paris Hilton?

Meanwhile former on screen US President Martin Sheen is available at 250/1 to be the next Irish President! Sheen who is an Irish citizen through his Irish mother has been subject to a Facebook campaign pushing for him to enter the race.

Matt Damon Specials
100/1 To be the next US President
66/1 To receive the Democrat nomination

Next US President
4/6 Barack Obama
7/2 Rick Perry
5/1 Mitt Romney
16/1 Michele Bachman
20/1 Jon Huntsman
25/1 Hilary Clinton
33/1 Herman Cain
40/1 John Boehner
40/1 Paul Ryan
50/1 Ron Paul
66/1 Rudolph Giuliani
80/1 Rand Paul
80/1 Thaddeus McCotter
80/1 Marco Rubio
80/1 Rick Santorum
80/1 Michael Bloomberg
80/1 Gary Johnson
80/1 Joe Biden
80/1 Newt Gingrich
100/1 Matt Damon
150/1 John McCain
500/1 Laura Bush
500/1 Paris Hilton
500/1 Jimmy McMilan
500/1 Will Smith

Paddy Power is Ireland’s largest bookmaker and a leading provider of gaming services in the UK, Australia and Ireland. Founded in 1988 Paddy Power is a publicly quoted company and is listed on both the Irish and London Stock Exchanges (www.paddypowerplc.com)

Elk Grove woman arrested for abuse trifecta - elder, child and animal cruelty

2011-08-14T14:23:00.001-07:00

An Elk Grove Women was arrested Friday afternoon for elder abuse, child abuse and cruelty to animals after officers found the victims in horrid living conditions.

According to Elk Grove Police Department reports, officers discovered that the residents residing in the house on the 4600 block of Stuben Ct. that was covered with garbage and debris along with cat, dog and rat feces. Responding officers arrested 32-year-old Charlotte Permenter of Elk Grove.

The 53-year-old female victim was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment and a 14-year old boy and 12-year-old girl were turned over to child protective services. The pets inside the residence were taken to the SPCA and city code enforcement red-tagged the residence due to the living conditions.

Endangered Missing 2-Year Old: Urgent Alert

2011-08-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

Mourad "Moni" Samaan

Madeline Samaan-Fay, age 2, was abducted by her father in Sacramento, California on Sunday, August 7, 2011.

Madeline is a 2-year-old female, 2’8” tall, about 28 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.

The father is Mourad “Moni” Samaan, age 49, male, U.S. citizen born in Egypt, 5’6” tall, weighing about 160 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes. Samaan is believed to be an accomplished Spanish speaker.

Mourad Samaan is known to drive a Green Toyota 4Runner with California license 3XRM11.

Madeline Samaan-Faye

The circumstances of the abduction are particularly concerning and FBI officials believe the child’s life may be in jeopardy.

“In spite of extraordinary efforts by our field agents and local law enforcement, we have been unable to develop any leads on the whereabouts of the child or her father since this Saturday,” said Special Agent in Charge Herbert M. Brown, “We request the public call us at (916) 481-9110 if they see the car, Mr. Samaan, or have any information to assist us.”

“The FBI is aggressively working this in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, including the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff, the California Highway Patrol and the California Department of Justice,” added Mr. Brown.

Gang banger sentenced to 83 to life for killing, drive-by shootings

2011-08-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

Shooting in South Sacramento by Norteno gang member
District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that the Honorable Cheryl Meegan sentenced Juan Carranco to 83 years to life in prison for the murder of Carlos Cervantes and two separate drive-by shootings.
On October 31, 2009, Cervantes was attending a party at the home of a cousin on Clover Manor Way in South Sacramento. One of his friends became involved in a fight with Norteno gang members. Cervantes tried to break up the fight before Carranco walked up to Cervantes and shot him in the head, killing him. In a separate trial, Carranco was convicted for the attempted murder of Jesse Mena stemming from two drive-by shootings. On December 10, 2009, Carranco and several gang associates fired multiple shots at Mena's car. They then drove to the home of a rival gang member and fired several shots into the house. Nobody was injured in either incident.

Property owner pleas to public nuisance charges

2011-08-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that property owner and general partner of the E/H First Family Limited Partnership, Emily Chen, pled no contest to allowing a public nuisance to exist at the Villa Capri and Arden Villa Apartments.

With the lack of adequate security and no on-site manager as required by the California Code of Regulations, the Villa Capri and Arden Villa apartments attracted frequent loiterers who intimidated neighbors and committed crime. The apartments had long been plagued by disproportionately high calls to the Sheriff’s Department due to violence committed by tenants and visitors. In January 2010, two innocent bystanders were shot and killed while standing on the grounds of the Villa Capri Apartments.

As part of the plea agreement, Chen is required to continue implementing property management practices deemed necessary by the D.A.’s Office for a period of three years. These practices include proper tenant screening, creating and enforcing codes of conduct for tenants and guests, and hiring professional security. There will be periodic site inspections and progress reports made to the court. If Chen is in compliance for the three year period, the charges will be dismissed.

Deputy D.A. Susan Nelsen said, “It is the responsibility of property owners to provide a safe living environment for residents and neighbors. This is a case where had there been proper supervision and safety measures in place, the violence that occurred at the property may have been prevented.”

The first progress report hearing is set for December 6, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 3 of the Sacramento Superior Court.

RT hosts public meeting to discuss Blue Line Project

2011-08-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

Design Changes Proposed for Blue Line to Cosumnes River College Light Rail Extension

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) will host a public meeting to discuss the Blue Line to Cosumnes River College light rail extension project at 6 p.m. on Monday, August 15, in the multi-purpose room of the Susan B. Anthony Elementary School located at 7864 Detroit Boulevard.

RT staff will discuss design revisions to the Blue Line to Cosumnes River College (also referred to as South Line Phase 2), which are the subject of an Environmental Assessment that is currently under review. RT is seeking community input regarding the proposed revisions, which include:

The draft IS/EA and public review process

Updated right-of-way information

Updated design information that intends to keep the 20-inch PG&E natural gas pipeline in its current location

The meeting will begin with an open house at 6 p.m., followed by a brief presentation at 6:30 p.m. The open house will resume following the presentation.

Once complete, the Blue Line to Cosumnes River College will expand RT’s light rail system 4.3 miles from the existing terminus at Meadowview Road to Cosumnes River College. The extension will include four new light rail stations: Morrison Creek, Franklin, Center Parkway and Cosumnes River College.

For more information about the Blue Line to Cosumnes River College, visit www.slp2.org

Wells Fargo sued in reverse mortgage case

2011-08-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

Elk Grove resident lead plaintiff in class action suit; Wells Fargo 'wrongful and irrational'

Synopsis: AARP and two law firms filed a class action suit against Wells Fargo and Fannie Mae on behalf of reverse mortgage heirs for illegally foreclosing on their homes.

A California resident has become yet another victim of the reverse mortgage program that is making it difficult for him to stay in the home he grew up in.

Elk Grove man takes lead

When Robert Chandler's mother died last year, Chandler got saddled with a reverse mortgage loan that his mother had taken out five years earlier on the Elk Grove, Calif. home he inherited. When he was unable to pay the full loan balance, Wells Fargo initiated foreclosure proceedings on his home.

The bank didn't tell him that he could have purchased his home for the current market value, as per the contract.

On Aug. 3, AARP Foundation Litigation, along with two law firms, filed a class action suit against both Wells Fargo and Fannie Mae on behalf of Chandler and other reverse mortgage heirs for foreclosing on their homes without giving them notice of the right to purchase their homes for the market value.

Chandler, who is in his 60s, believes that he should not have been told by Wells Fargo that he had to pay the approximately $338,000 outstanding balance on his mother's reverse mortgage loan. His lawyers say he should have been allowed to pay just the $194,000 market value at the time of her death, and get clear title to it.

"What Wells Fargo did doesn't make sense," asserted Kelly Corcoran of the San Francisco-based law firm Kerr and Wagstaff, which co-filed the lawsuit. In fact, "it was wrongful and irrational."

Teri Schrettenbrunner, senior vice president of the San Francisco-based office of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Communications, declined to comment on the Chandler case, citing pending litigation. She would only say that the bank had operated in accordance with the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines.

"We are bound to operate within the rules set by HUD," Schrettenbrunner said.

The Chandler case is yet another dispute stemming from the nation's housing collapse, much of which can be blamed on steering people of color toward subprime loans by some of the country's top banks.

But the complexities of reverse mortgage rules seem to be creating problems for the borrowers and their heirs.

"Historically, there have been widespread abuses in the marketing of reverse mortgages that are not in the best interest of seniors," said Caryn Becker, policy counsel with the Center for Responsible Lending.

Reverse mortgages allow homeowners 62 or over to borrow against the equity of their home so that they can receive a lump sum or monthly payments from the lender.

Authorized by Congress some 25 years ago, the Home Equity Conversions Mortgages (HECM) program, the most popular reverse mortgage program, which is insured and regulated by HUD, was intended to protect borrowers from financial upheavals they may face in their later years.

The borrowers pay high upfront costs when they sign the contract, as well as monthly insurance premiums to cover any decline in value of their property. After their death, the house is sold and the mortgage is paid off.

In 2008, HUD changed its policies on reverse loans, forcing scores of spouses and heirs of borrowers into foreclosures. One of the changes HUD made was to a rule that allowed the heir to sell a property for 95 percent to 100 percent of its appraised value at the time of the borrower's death. The new rule stated that only "arm's-length transactions" would be allowed under that range of prices. That effectively meant that a surviving spouse or heir could retire a reverse mortgage only by repaying the full loan balance, but that a third-party buyer could purchase the property for as little as 95 percent of the appraised market value.

The heir "could sell the property to anyone off the street for 95 percent of the appraised value and that would have satisfied the bank," Chandler's attorney, Corcoran, said. "Because Chandler wanted to purchase it himself, the bank wouldn't allow it." That, she said, was illegal.

AARP sued HUD in April, saying that as a result of the rule change, many spouses and heirs who want to purchase the property have been unable to do so because they can't get financing that exceeds the current value of the property.

That lawsuit argued that the rule violates existing contracts between reverse mortgage borrowers and lenders, and that it negates a key purpose for which borrowers had been paying insurance premiums.

Two months after AARP sued HUD, the federal agency reversed that rule.

Called for a comment, HUD declined to discuss the issue.

According to Jean Constantine-Davis, a senior attorney with AARP Foundation Litigation, Chandler's mother, Rosemarie, got a reverse mortgage loan in 2005 on a home the family has owned and lived in since the 1940s.

Rosemarie's contract with Wells Fargo allowed her, and by extension her heir, to sell off the property at 95 percent of the fair market value at the time of her death.

Soon after his mother died, Chandler said he spoke to a Wells Fargo home mortgage consultant in Elk Grove on three occasions about purchasing the property for the appraised value, according to the lawsuit. The consultant allegedly told him that he wouldn't be allowed, and that he would have to pay off the full loan balance if he wanted to keep the house.

This past January, Wells Fargo, acting as a servicer for Fannie Mae, issued a "notice of default" to the property, and told Chandler he could "cure the default" by paying off the $338,000 balance as of January 6, 2011.

"Wells Fargo did not inform him of the 95 percent rule," asserted Constantine-Davis, noting that Chandler's case is not an "isolated one."

In the wake of HUD's reversal of its rule on the rights of surviving spouses and heirs earlier this year, "we have been contacted by many, many others facing the same problem."

And, she noted: "It is difficult to understand why reverse mortgage lenders continue to deny (heirs) their contractual and legal rights."

Vehicle Vandalism Spree in Antelope

2011-08-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Sheriff's seek assistance

Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a series of vandalism incidents to vehicles throughout the Antelope area.

Shortly after 4:40a.m. today, deputies responded to a call in the 3900 block of Diane Drive, regarding a vehicle’s windows that had been smashed. Throughout the next hour, additional calls came in from residents living on surroundings streets in the area. Deputies discovered vehicles that had windows broken in the 3400 block of Davidson Drive, 8300 block of Northam Drive, and the 8000 block of Citron Court.

Further investigation in the area resulted in the discovery of dozens of additional victims of this same type of vandalism. It appears that the possible means to commit these vandalisms might have been with the use of BB or pellet guns.

While investigation into these incidents continues, deputies believe that the crimes were likely committed by the same individual(s). At this time, no suspect information is available.

Anyone with information regarding these vandalism incidents is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Department at (916) 874-5115, Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP, or send a text message tip to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

Governor Brown Announces Appointments to Parole Board

2011-08-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Several from Sacramento region

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following six appointments to the Board of Parole Hearings.

Dan Figueroa, 60, of Blythe, has been appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. Figueroa worked at Chuckawalla Valley State Prison as a correctional counselor from 1996 to 2010 and as a business services supervisor from 1992 to 1996. He served as a property controller with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 1988 to 1992. Figueroa worked at the Board of Equalization from 1982 to 1988, serving as a statewide recruitment coordinator and a business tax representative. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $111,845. Figueroa is a Democrat.

Jack Garner, 67, of Gold River, has been appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. Garner has served as a commissioner on the Board since 2005. He was a senior law enforcement consultant to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training from 1990 to 2005. Garner served as the city manager of Martinez from 1985 to 1990. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $111,845. Garner is registered decline-to-state.

Howard Moseley, 44, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. Moseley has served as an adjunct professor at the University of the Pacific, School of International Studies since 2005. He served in several postions at the Office of the Inspector General from 2004 to 2011, most recently as chief assistant inspector general of the Bureau of Independent Review. Moseley was a deputy attorney general in the Criminal Law Division of the California Department of Justice from 1996 to 2004. This position requires Senate confirmation and the annual compensation is $111,845. Moseley is a Democrat.

John Peck, 54, of Sutter Creek, has been appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. Peck has served as a commissioner on the Board since 2009. He also served as a retired annuitant deputy commissioner with the Board from 2007 to 2009 and as a correctional officer in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 1983 to 2007. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $111,845. Peck is a Democrat.

Michael Prizmich, 66, of Plymouth, has been appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. Prizmich has served as a commissioner on the Board since 2007. He served Amador County in multiple positions from 1976 to 2006, including sheriff-coroner from 1995 to 2006. This position requires Senate confirmation and the annual compensation is $111,845. Prizmich is a Republican.

Terri Turner, 56, of West Sacramento, has been appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. Turner has served as a retired annuitant deputy commissioner with the Board since 2008. She retired as a regional adult parole administrator in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in 2007 after serving there since 1980. This position requires Senate confirmation and the annual compensation is $111,845. Turner is a Democrat.

Sacramento DVD Pirate Sentenced to One-and-a-Half Years in Prison

2011-08-11T05:01:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that Yan Akhumov, 46, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for felony copyright infringement.

This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crime Task Force. The U.S. Attorney’s Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (CHIP) Assistant United States Attorney Matthew D. Segal prosecuted the case.

According to court documents, Akhumov owned Music Land stores in West Sacramento, Citrus Heights, and North Highlands. His rental and for sale inventory included unauthorized copies of Hollywood movies such as “The Godfather” and “Indiana Jones.” In 2007, the FBI warned Akhumov not to distribute pirated works. On July 6, 2009, agents searched Akhumov’s businesses and seized over 80,000 CDs and DVDs. In his plea agreement, Akhumov admitted that among those disks there were copyright-infringing materials worth between $70,000 and $120,000.

Sacramento County Supervisors to Pursue Legislation for Parks Funding Options

2011-08-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted 4 -1 yesterday to seek state legislation that would give the County the option of pursuing a 0.1 percent sales tax increase to generate revenue for regional parks.

“It is important to keep all our options on the table as we study long term funding for the valuable economic engine that is our regional parks system,” said Interim County Executive Steve Szalay. “Having the option of bringing this sales tax item to the voters is just one of the many ideas we are developing as we work towards the best solution for our parks. There are many variables to be studied and this is merely one step in the process.”

Though the governor recently signed a bill that would allow cities and counties to pursue a one‐eighth cent, or .125 percent sales tax increase, this legislation would provide the option of pursuing a lower tax rate. The idea was brought forth by the Grass Roots Working Group who studied parks funding and governance options and brought their recommendation to the Board earlier this year. If approved by two thirds of voters, the tax could raise an estimated $17M annually and could be used to support all of the parks within the County, including the American River Parkway.

"With the most recent Board action we've preserved as one option giving Sacramento County voters the opportunity to consider a 110th cent sales tax for parks maintenance and operation,” said Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna. “The Board of Supervisors did not vote to institute a sales tax increase."

Yesterday’s Board vote gave staff the direction to pursue legislation so that the option is available if the Board decides to pursue bringing the tax to the voters. An advisory committee to the County Executive is being formed to continue studying ideas and options. Further reports and recommendations will be scheduled at the Board as the process continues.

Fitch boosts SMUD’s bond rating

2011-08-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Fitch, one of the nation’s leading credit-rating agencies, is upgrading its opinion of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s (SMUD) credit worthiness, raising the utility’s rating from ‘A’ to ‘A+’. The upgrade is particularly noteworthy considering the current economy and the falling ratings of other entities.

The rating upgrade, as detailed by Fitch, reflects operational improvement and financial improvement achieved over the past two years. Fitch noted that SMUD has increased its debt service coverage, boosted liquidity and placed itself on a much sounder financial footing to face the renewable and green house gas mandates in California.

The boost in SMUD’s credit rating should give investors added confidence when they consider buying SMUD bonds, and as a result SMUD could pay lower interest rates, which directly benefits SMUD customers. SMUD currently has an ‘A+’ rating from Standard & Poor’s and an ‘A1’ rating from Moody’s.

As the nation’s sixth largest publicly owned utility, SMUD has been providing low-cost, reliable electricity for 65 years to Sacramento County and a small portion of Placer County. SMUD is a recognized industry leader and award winner for its innovative energy efficiency programs, renewable power technologies, and for its sustainable solutions for a healthier environment. For more information, visit smud.org.

Baby-Selling Ring Busted

2011-08-10T10:17:00.001-07:00

United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced today that Theresa Erickson entered a guilty plea before United States Magistrate Judge William McCurine, Jr., in which she admitted to being part of a baby-selling ring that deceived the Superior Court of California and prospective parents for unborn babies. According to court records, Erickson (an internationally renowned California attorney specializing in reproductive law) fraudulently submitted false declarations and pleadings to the California Superior Court in San Diego, in order to obtain pre-birth judgments establishing parental rights for Intended Parents (“IPs”).

California law forbids the sale of parental rights to babies and children but permits surrogacy arrangements if the women expecting to carry the babies, Gestational Carriers (“GCs”), and the IPs enter into an agreement prior to an embryonic transfer. If the GC and IPs do not reach an agreement before the GC receives the embryonic transfer, the GC cannot transfer parental rights except through a formal adoption procedure.

In her guilty plea, Erickson admitted that she and her conspirators used GCs to create an inventory of unborn babies that they would sell for over $100,000 each. They accomplished this by paying women to become implanted with embryos in overseas clinics. If the women (now GCs) sustained their pregnancies into the second trimester, the conspirators offered the babies to prospective parents by falsely representing that the unborn babies were the result of legitimate surrogacy arrangements, but that the original IPs had backed out. In pleading guilty, Erickson also admitted that she prepared and filed with the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, declarations and pleadings that falsely represented that the unborn babies were the products of legitimate surrogacy agreements, that is, ones that involved agreements between the IPs and the GCs prior to embryonic transfer.

With these fraudulently obtained pre-birth orders, the IPs’ names would be placed on the babies’ birth certificates and the conspirators would be able to profit from their sale of parental rights. Erickson also admitted that she caused applications containing materially false representations to be submitted to the State of California’s Access for Infants and Mothers program to subsidize the medical expenses for delivering the babies. Erickson is the third member of the conspiracy to plead guilty. Hilary Neiman, a Maryland attorney specializing in reproductive law, pled guilty on July 28, 2011 before Judge McCurine, Jr.

FACES Nightclub Celebrates 26th Anniversary

2011-08-10T01:47:00.000-07:00

Friday, August 19th thru Sunday, August 21st

It was a cold Christmas Eve morning in the early 1970's when a young Terry Sidie first stepped foot in Sacramento on a four-year assignment at Mather Air Force Base. Coming from the hustle & bustle of life in the Los Angeles area, Sacramento's "gay scene" left much to be desired for the young serviceman.

Sidie quickly sought out the designated gay hot spot in Sacramento. When he entered the bar about midnight, there were two people sitting at the bar. "I looked around...

& I thought, what did I get myself into? These are going to be the longest four years of my life." But at the end of those four years he would not only stay in Sacramento, but while still in the service he would realize his dream of opening a bar of his own: Bojangles, an 18 & up dance club for gays.

It would be almost a decade later Sidie would take his dream a step further and bring FACES Nightclub into existence. Where else would he do this but in the area Chuck Thornley and the Fairy Godfathers had already dubbed "Lavender Heights". Twenty-five years later FACES has undergone a massive, several million dollar expansion and Bojangles now resides at Club21 on Wednesday & Sunday evenings. The original Bojangles was sold after a fire tore through the building.

Sidie had a dream when opening FACES Nightclub. That dream was to see Lavender Heights - more specifically 20th & K Streets grow in Sacramento's own Castro-type area. Just five years ago the area still consisted of three main bars: FACES, The Western Pacific Depot & the Mercantile, with the nearby Lambda Community center. During the expansion of FACES remodeling was underway at both the Depot & Mercantile. Headhunters & Hot Rods restaurants quickly sprang to life and the completion of Badlands Dance Bar would soon fill in the gaps. Sidie is elated at the growth, which he said has already surpassed what he hoped for when he began years ago. Sidies restaurant Headhunters located at 1930 K Street across from FACES has one of the best mixed-crowd brunches in Sacramento. Sidie still has a desire to make his resort on the river a gay destination… So keep watching, it may happen!

Sidie has never been one to discriminate against the heterosexual community - a move that has often made him & FACES the center of controversy as over the years many have been vocal about the "open-door" policy bringing in too many heterosexual customers. "Were asking them not to discriminate against us, and yet we're expected to discriminate against them?" He shakes his head, "I won't do that, anyone who is respectful of our gay clientele has always been welcome. Lesbians, drag queens, gay, straight - whoever. I believe we've finally reached a point in the gay community - in our gay metamorphosis - that we can extend the olive branch to straight people. Some gay people don't care for that.

After twenty-six years, FACES still continues to be a hot spot with 3 dance floors each with their own music, 15 bar stations multiple smoking patios, an upstairs mezzanine for VIP Parties & bottle service and even a pool in the back! It is very easy to say that FACES will be here for many more years to come, and our dedicated staff is on hand to keep that party going in a clean and safe environment. So as a thank you to our patrons on Friday, August 19th we will have no cover charge for the entire night. That’s right everyone gets in absolutely free with Drink specials of $ .99 well drinks, $1.99 Domestic Bottles & $2.99 back bar! We have Guest Dj Justin Ryan (New York) on Saturday night with $1 cover from 6pm to 10pm, more drink specials & Balloon Drop at Midnight with $1000 in cash

Elk Grove lands 1,500 state jobs

2011-08-10T01:33:00.001-07:00

In an email release issued this afternoon, Elk Grove Council Member Gary Davis announced that a California state agency will locate facilities in the city.

According to Davis' announcement, Elk Grove will be the new headquarters for the California Correctional Health Care Services administrative headquarters.

"Today, our hard work has paid off. I am pleased to announce that Elk Grove has just landed their first major state agency – over 1500 jobs, Davis' press release said. "And not just any jobs. These are high wage, high quality jobs. Many of which are physicians and supportive medical positions."

According the Sacramento Business Journal, the agency will be located at the Laguna Corporate Center at 9260 Laguna Springs Drive. It also reports the agency seeks a total of 265,000 square feet which could mean the construction of three additional structures.

The Business Journal also reports that the 10 year lease is valued at $98 million and beat out another facility located at Near Interstate 5 that would have cost $103 million. The move into Elk Grove could start as early as 2012.

Text mesage shooter convicted of attempted murder after shooting wife and her daughter

2011-08-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

Could face life

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that Jakari Wilson was convicted by jury of two counts of premeditated attempted murder. The jury also found true the allegation of intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury.

Wilson had two 1994 convictions of aggravated assault in the state of Georgia that are strike offenses.

In October 2010, Wilson hosted a barbeque at his residence where he lived with his wife and her 16 year-old daughter. During the barbeque, Wilson and his wife got into an argument over a text message he exchanged with another woman. Wilson grabbed his wife, threw her to the ground, aimed a gun at her head and fired.

The victim was struck in her right upper arm, sustaining a through and through gunshot wound. Her daughter screamed at Wilson to stop. Wilson then turned and shot the daughter in the face, striking her right cheek bone.

Both victims were transported to the hospital and treated for their injuries. A bullet fragment still remains in the daughter’s right cheekbone.

Wilson faces a sentence of 110 years to life in prison. Sentencing is set for October 7, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. in Department 20 before the Honorable Michael Sweet.

Deandre Rooks gets life for cigarette murder

2011-08-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that Deandre Rooks was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Helena Gweon to 50 years to life in prison for the November 2009 first degree murder of Juan Carlos Sanchez.

Rooks and Sanchez had argued over a cigarette while on the light rail train.

Witnesses testified that Rooks and Sanchez agreed to fight behind the Ross store when they exited the train. The two walked behind the store where Rooks shot Sanchez six times, including at least once when Sanchez was lying face down on the pavement.

Tracy Man Indicted for Possession of More Than 90 Pounds of Meth

2011-08-05T10:27:00.001-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that today a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment charging Arturo Antonio Campa, 32, of Tracy, with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

According to court documents, on July 22, 2011, law enforcement officers stopped Campa on Highway 99 in Stanislaus County. A search of his pickup truck revealed 91.75 pounds of methamphetamine in a hidden compartment.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento’s Safe Streets Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, and the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, the Merced County Sheriff’s Department, and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin P. Rooney is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Campa faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Identity theft suspect cops plea; was getting liposuction with stolen i.d. when arrested

2011-08-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that 31 year-old Mia Garza pled no contest to multiple felony counts of identity theft, and admitted an aggravated white collar crime enhancement. At the time she committed these crimes, Garza was out on bail for identity theft charges in both Contra Costa and Sacramento counties.

Garza worked as a benefits clerk with the United Health Workers/SEIU in Oakland, California. In July 2007, Garza unlawfully accessed an electronic file containing names, addresses and personal identifying information for more than 29,000 Kaiser Permanente employees.

With the stolen Kaiser personnel data, Garza ran background checks and credit reports to obtain additional personal information and locate the victims’ commercial credit accounts. Investigators located more than 400 actual victims of identity theft in 14 counties that are attributable to Garza.

The case led to an investigation by the Sacramento Valley High Tech Task Force, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and Kaiser Permanente investigators that lasted nearly two years. Charges were filed against Garza in numerous counties throughout California. The resolution in the Sacramento case takes jurisdiction over cases in those other counties.

Garza’s most notable arrest occurred in Sacramento in 2009. When arrested, she was wearing a pre-operative surgical gown and was about to undergo a $12,000 liposuction procedure that she had arranged while posing as the victim, and using the victim’s credit card information.

Garza faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing is set for September 22, 2011 before the Honorable Gary E. Ransom, in Department 8 of the Sacramento Superior Court.

Free whooping cough vaccinations in Sacramento county

2011-08-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services Immunization Assistance Program is offering free whooping cough vaccination clinics in August.

State law requires that all 7th-12th graders be immunized against pertussis (whooping cough) within 30 days of starting school.

Individuals age 10 and older can receive a whooping cough booster shot (called a Tdap) at the following locations:

11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12
Cordova Community Center
2197 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, August 13
11th Annual Healthy Kids Day
Inderkum High School
2500 New Market Drive, Sacramento

Noon-4 p.m. Thursday, August　25
Sam Pannell Community Center, Conf. Room A
2450 Meadowview Road, Sacramento

Lungren to conduct townhall meetings during recess

2011-08-03T11:52:00.001-07:00

Following the historic debt ceiling battle, Congressman Dan Lungren will conduct three in-district meeting during the congressional recess. The meetings are as follows:

Thursday August 18, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Barbara Morse Wackford Community and Aquatic Complex
9014 Bruceville Road
Elk Grove

Saturday August 20, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Jackson Civic Center
33 Broadway
Jackson

Wednesday, August 24, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
La Sierra Community Center
5325 Engle Road
Carmichael

Four Men arrested for trafficking in child porn

2011-08-03T10:41:00.001-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that four men were indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday, July 27, 2011 and charged with child pornography offenses.

Michael Hill, 60, Sacramento, 2:11-cr-321-WBS. Hill was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that between August 1, 2005 and October 15, 2010, Hill received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to court documents, when law enforcement officers searched Hill’s residence on October 20, 2010, they found child pornography in his possession, some of which were digital pictures with titles describing the molestation of children.

Oliver P. Kim, 36, Sacramento, 2:11-cr-325-WBS. Kim was charged with receipt and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that between July 16, 2007 and February 15, 2011, Kim received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to court documents, when law enforcement officers searched Kim’s residence on March 23, 2010, they found child pornography in his possession, some of which were digital movies with titles describing the molestation of children by adults.

Sean C. Howard, 34, Sacramento, 2:11-cr-326-KJM. Howard was charged with receipt and sharing of child pornography. The indictment alleges that between January 26, 2011 and March 22, 2011, Howard received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment also alleges that on February 8, 2011, Howard shared files of child pornography, some of which were digital pictures with titles describing sex with children.

Hill, Kim, and Howard were arrested this morning and are scheduled for arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kendall J. Newman at 2:00 p.m. today.

Daniel Otake, 27, Stockton, 2:11-cr-322-KJM. Otake was charged with receipt, sharing, and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that between January 16, 2008 and March 11, 2011, Otake received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to court documents, on February 6, 2011, Otake shared files of child pornography and when law enforcement officers searched Otake’s residence on April 19, 2011, among the files that Otake received, shared, and possessed were images and movies with file names that described sex between adults and children.

Otake is scheduled for arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kendall J. Newman on August 12, 2011.

These cases are the product of extensive investigations by the California Department of Justice and the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The Sacramento ICAC is a federally and state-funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department made up of agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The purpose of the Sacramento ICAC is to investigate online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon is prosecuting the cases.

The statutory penalty for receipt or sharing of child pornography is no less than five years and up to 20 years in prison. The maximum statutory penalty for possession of child pornography is 10 years in prison. Both crimes carry potential fines of $250,00 and lifetime terms of supervised release. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Five Family Members Charged with Sex Trafficking of Minors

2011-08-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that yesterday a federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment charging Tynisha Marie Hornbuckle, 22; Tamrell Rena Hornbuckle, 25; Latrelle Alicia Hornbuckle, 23; Cherrelle Elizabeth Hornbuckle, 24; Tammy Rena Brown, 43; and Jacquelin Lanoise Radisha Wade, 24; all of Sacramento, with conspiring to commit sex trafficking of minors by force, fraud, or coercion and with various other charges including the sex trafficking of minors, tampering with witnesses, and making false statements relating to their sex trafficking of minors. The four Hornbuckles are sisters. Tammy Rena Brown is their mother. The defendants were arrested today.

According to the indictment, between July 31, 2008 and May 5, 2011, all of the defendants conspired to force and coerce minors to engage in commercial sex acts. During this time, the indictment alleges that all of the members of the conspiracy directed the activities of prostitutes; provided transportation to minors in furtherance of the sex trafficking activity; purchased motel rooms and allowed their residences to be used for prostitution; purchased clothing for the girls to use while they were working; and used force, the threat of force, fraud, and coercion to control the girls who worked for them.

The Hornbuckles and Brown are also charged with sex trafficking three different minor females, and using force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion to cause the three females to engage in commercial sex acts. In addition, these defendants are charged with participating in a venture that profited from the sex trafficking of minors.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Innocence Lost Task Force, a task force made up of the FBI, the Sacramento Police Department, and the Sacramento County Sheriff. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of the conspiracy, the defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The sentence for sex trafficking of children is no less than 10 years and up to life in prison. The maximum statutory penalty for tampering with witnesses is 20 years in prison. The maximum statutory penalty for making a false statement is eight years in prison. Each offense carries a fine of up to $250,000. In addition, a lifetime terms of supervised release could be ordered upon a conviction for sex trafficking. The remaining convictions carry terms of supervised release of up to three years. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Ongoing Nuestra Familia Gang Prosecution

2011-07-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb sentenced Gabriel Caracheo, 38, of Salinas, today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the FBI’s Stockton Violent Crime Task Force, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force (METRO), the Stockton Police Department, the Salinas Police Department, the Watsonville Police Department, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) that was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Hitt and William S. Wong prosecuted the case.

According to evidence introduced in a related trial, the Nuestra Familia (NF) is a violent Hispanic prison gang based in the California prison system, which exerts control over street-level Norteño gang members engaged in drug trafficking and violent crime. NF members and associates were responsible for distributing large amounts of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and ecstasy in the Eastern and Northern Districts of California with supply lines from Mexico and distribution channels throughout the United States.

According to court documents, between April 2004 and June 2007, more than 20 individuals were operating outside of prison to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana on behalf of the NF. In April 2007, Caracheo was given authority over the NF’s drug trafficking operations in the East Bay Area, which included Oakland. Caracheo obtained and distributed pound quantities of methamphetamine from Mario Diaz and others while Diaz lived in Los Banos. The methamphetamine was obtained from Southern California and transported through the Eastern District of California over Interstate 5 into the Salinas area.

Between March 22, 2007 and May 26, 2007, the FBI intercepted Caracheo in multiple drug-related phone calls with Diaz. As part of his plea agreement, Caracheo admitted that the intercepted calls involved him talking to Diaz about pound quantities of methamphetamine and the differing quality of methamphetamine available. Caracheo further admitted that on May 26, 2007, he was planning to get 1½ pounds of methamphetamine from Diaz, but law enforcement officers arrested Diaz.

Brown Nominates Goodwin Liu for California Supreme Court

2011-07-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. nominated Goodwin Liu, Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley Law School, to the state Supreme Court today.

Liu, 40, previously was nominated by President Obama to serve on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which is based in San Francisco, but Liu withdrew his nomination two months ago after a Republican filibuster prevented senators from voting on his confirmation.

“Professor Liu is an extraordinary man and a distinguished legal scholar and teacher,” Brown said. “He is a nationally-recognized expert on constitutional law and has experience in private practice, government service and in the academic community. I know that he will be an outstanding addition to our state supreme court.”

Prior to joining the Berkeley faculty in 2003, Liu was an appellate litigator in the Washington, D.C. office of Los Angeles-based law firm O’Melveny & Myers. He previously clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and was special assistant to the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education.

Liu was born in Georgia to parents who had emigrated from Taiwan, and in 1977 he moved with his family to Sacramento, where he attended public schools. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Stanford University and a master’s from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Liu received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Yale Law School, where he was a member of the Yale Law Journal.

Two years ago he won the UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award, the university's most prestigious honor for excellence in teaching. Liu currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Stanford University and is former Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Constitution Society. He was elected to the American Law Institute and he is also on the boards of the National Women's Law Center, the Public Welfare Foundation and the Alliance for Excellent Education. He and his wife, Ann O’Leary, have a daughter and a son.

In response to his selection, Liu said: “I’m deeply honored by Governor Brown’s nomination and look forward to the opportunity to serve the people of California on our state’s highest court.”

Although U.S. Senate Republicans blocked his appointment to the federal bench, his nomination was supported by noted legal conservatives, including former Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr; Richard Painter, who was legal counsel to President George W. Bush, and former Rep. Tom Campbell, now dean of Chapman University’s law school. Liu received a strong endorsement from the American Bar Association, and others supporting his nomination included the California Correctional Police Officers Association, the California Labor Federation, the Hispanic National Bar Association, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the three most recent Presidents of Stanford University.

Brown has forwarded Liu’s name to the State Bar’s Commission of Judicial Nominees Evaluation. Following the Bar committee’s review, the Commission on Judicial Appointments, consisting of State Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Attorney General Kamala Harris and Justice Joan Dempsey Klein, senior presiding justice of the state Court of Appeal, will hold one or more public hearings to review Liu’s nomination. Although the bar committee’s recommendation is not binding, the Governor’s appointment will not become final until the Commission on Judicial Appointments confirms the nomination.

Liu will replace Associate Justice Carlos Moreno, who retired from the court earlier this year

Colonial Heights Library temporarily closed for renovation

2011-07-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

July 25 through September 23

Sacramento Public Library’s Colonial Heights branch (4799 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento) will be temporarily closed for renovation Monday, July 25 through Friday, September 23, 2011.

This is the second phase of the branch’s refresh project, and includes a reconfiguration of the main public floor to provide much needed capacity for additional computers, increased workspace for laptop computer users, and an open landscape layout to promote and enhance customer service.

Project priorities focus on creating a welcoming and inviting new book and browsing area, an expansion of the TEENS@ space, and two new glass-enclosed study rooms.

During the temporary closure, library patrons’ holds will be sent to Southgate Library, 6132 66th Avenue, Sacramento. Patrons are encouraged to visit other nearby branches for programs and events:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, 7340 24th Street Bypass, Sacramento

Belle Cooledge Library, 5600 South Land Park Drive, Sacramento

For details, please telephone the Sacramento Public Library at (916) 264-2920 or visit www.saclibrary.org.

Changes around Raley Field bring improved traffic flow

2011-07-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

Tower Bridge Gateway Open for Motorists

Raley Field patrons will notice traffic flow improvements around the ballpark as the River Cats return to Sacramento for a four-game home stand beginning Friday, July 22 against the Reno Aces (Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks).

Tower Bridge Gateway, which has been closed since the beginning of the season, is now completely open for both east and west bound traffic to and from the Tower Bridge. Fans using this route are encouraged to park in Lots G and H and take the pedestrian walkway on 5th Street. On all remaining Saturday games, and for the Sugarland concert on August 25, Lots R1 and R2 are also open for easy access to the ballpark via the 5th Street pedestrian walkway.

Additionally 3rd Street is now accessible to Tower Bridge Gateway traffic in both directions.

Fans should also note Lot B2 will continue to allow for both entry and exit and Lot B1, B3, C1, C2, D1 and D2 can be accessed from Riske Lane.

Seven Real Estate Professionals Indicted for Mortgage Fraud

2011-07-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Scheme Allegedly Caused Losses Exceeding $4 Million

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging seven real estate professionals with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme. The indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on July 14, 2011.

Charged in the case are Moctezuma Tovar, 42; Manuel Herrera, 31; Ruben Rodriguez, 34; and Jaime Mayorga, 32, all licensed real estate agents residing in Sacramento; Sandra Hermosillo, 49, of Woodland, formerly a loan officer; Jun Michael Dirain, 38, of Antelope, formerly a loan processor; and Christian Parada Renteria, 35, of Sacramento, formerly a loan officer.

The indictment alleges that Tovar owned and operated Delta Homes and Lending Inc, a real estate and mortgage lending company where he and the other defendants were employed. Between October 2004 and May 2007, the defendants are alleged to have conspired to obtain home loans from mortgage lenders based upon false and fraudulent loan applications and supporting documents that falsely represented the borrowers’ assets and income, liabilities and debts, employment status, and citizenship status. The indictment alleges that, as part of the scheme, the defendants provided money to borrowers in order to fraudulently inflate the borrowers’ assets and bank account balances.

Once the defendants had secured approved loans based upon their fraudulent representations to lenders, the borrowers returned the money the defendants had provided for the scheme. The indictment alleges that mortgage lenders and others suffered losses of at least $4 million, and that the aggregate sales prices of the homes involved in the conspiracy exceeded $10 million.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Dominique N. Thomas is prosecuting the case.

U.S. Attorney Wagner said: “Fraud schemes such as the one alleged in this case, in which real estate professionals submitted false information and phony documents to obtain mortgage loans, are one of the major reasons why this part of California was hit with a foreclosure crisis that negatively impacted home values for many, many homeowners. This office will continue to root out and prosecute fraudsters in the residential real estate industry.”

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Mortgage fraud is a priority area for the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. 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, bring to bear 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. For more information on the task force, visit www.StopFraud.gov.

Stockton Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Serial Bank Robbery

2011-07-19T09:13:00.001-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Michael Minjarez, 40, of Stockton, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Oliver W. Wanger to life in prison without the possibility of parole for armed bank robbery.

On April 22, 2011, a jury found Minjarez guilty of three counts of armed bank robbery, one count of armed credit union robbery, and one count of credit union robbery. Due to prior state convictions for manslaughter and robbery, Minjarez received the life sentence pursuant to the federal “three strikes” law.

The evidence at trial showed that Minjarez was responsible for five robberies that occurred at four locations throughout the Central Valley. On August 28, 2009, Minjarez robbed two tellers at the Central State Credit Union in Stockton. On September 3, 2009, Minjarez entered the Guaranty Bank in Stockton and robbed a teller there. He robbed the United Security Bank in Fresno at gunpoint on two separate occasions: September 25, 2009 and September 28, 2009. Finally, the evidence showed that Minjarez was responsible for the armed robbery of the Valley First Credit Union in Madera on October 5, 2009.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Stockton Police Department, the Madera Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Elana S. Landau and Yasin Mohammad prosecuted the case.

Woodland Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges

2011-07-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that United States District Judge Frank C. Damrell, Jr. sentenced Christopher Tomsett, 44, of Woodland, to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for receiving child pornography. After his release from prison, Tomsett will be required to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, Tomsett came to the attention of law enforcement officials in March of 2010 when agents conducting peer-to-peer file-sharing investigations noticed his computer as one that had a large number of child pornography files. When agents executed a search warrant on Tomsett’s house in May 2010, Tomsett admitted that he had downloaded images of child pornography and had been doing so for approximately one year.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn K. Delaney prosecuted the case.

The Case of Ka Yang

2011-07-19T00:46:00.000-07:00

Suspect comforted by Bible, Book of Mormon

By D. A. Gougherty

Four weeks ago, Sacramento and much of the world was horrified to hear of the arrest of a Sacramento mother who allegedly killed her baby daughter by microwaving the child.

On June 22, 29-year old Ka Yang was arrested for the March 17 death of her six week old baby girl, Mirabelle Thao-Lo. Based on an autopsy and a reported extensive forensic review, investigators alleged that the burns found on the child were consistent with just a few other cases of microwave burning deaths.

As news broke of Yang’s arrest, the story quickly made its way through local and international media. Because of the horrendous alleged nature of the child’s death, Yang was quickly castigated in online news forums and over water cooler chatter.

As often is the case, the public only heard the prosecutor’s version and several key factors were not included in the initial reports. But then again, are they ever?

After the story broke I spoke to a colleague who, like Yang, is Hmong. I inquired if she heard of the case or knew her in Sacramento’s tight-knit Hmong community. My colleague said she did not know her but did make one very accurate description of Yang - “She suffers from epilepsy,” she said.

How could she be so sure I asked. My colleague explained that from Yang’s booking picture she had a “look” just like her daughter who had passed away three years ago from epilepsy. “I just know,” she stated.

Sure enough, within a day of Yang’s arrest a story made the round that Yang was indeed epileptic.

Following her June 23 arraignment, my colleague and I visited Yang at the Sacramento County Jail on Saturday, June 25 where we learned more about the case – this time from the suspect.

As indeed has been reported, Yang confirmed (and later verified by medical records) that she had suffered from epilepsy since the age of 15 and had regularly had seizures. Yang also told us that when she was arrested and booked she told jail authorities that she was about three month pregnant. This fact was not publicly revealed until last week.

Yang said that she told jail officials she was pregnant upon booking but they did not believe her and it wasn’t until a medical examination three days later that confirmed what she told them.

Although many of the facts surrounding this case have yet to be revealed, when I spoke with Yang she didn’t seem like the monstrous person most people had already painted her as.

It was evident that Yang was a slightly confused, scared, contrite and tearful person who spoke in a very soft gentle voice. While these behaviors obviously do not prove guilt or innocence, she did not fit the typecast of a child murderer that had been on portrayed days earlier and bought en masse by the public.

On our most recent visit on Saturday, July 16, among other thing discussed Yang was asked if she had access to any reading material and she said the psychiatric professional she spoke with provided her with two books. When asked what books, she said the Bible and the Book of Mormon.

Yang said that she is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints and that both books, along with prayer, were providing her with comfort.

Although the forensic facts of the very sad death of Mirabelle will only be learned when, and if, this case goes to trial, there is more that will be learned about the circumstances of the life of Ka Yang and the death of Mirabelle in the months and years to come.

Matsui to Obama: Protect our Seniors

2011-07-15T10:18:00.001-07:00

Congresswoman Doris Matsui

Today, Members of the House Democratic Caucus Seniors Task Force, led by co-chairs Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), sent a letter to President Obama uring protection of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security as he continues to work on a deal to raise the debt ceiling.

The Task Force stressed that cuts to benefits in these programs would have a profoundly negative affect on the lives and health of older Americans.

“Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are vitally important programs in our country, especially for our nation’s seniors – they should in no way be used as a playing card in the political game that is the debt deal," Matsui said. "While we are ready and willing to work to improve these programs and shore up their solvency, a cut to benefits is simply out of the question.”

See complete letter below.

Dear Mr. President,

The Congressional Task Force on Seniors is committed to protecting the financial security, health, and well-being of America’s seniors. As members of the Task Force, we want to thank you for your leadership in fighting for those priorities and urge you to continue to oppose harmful cuts, or reductions in benefits, to programs that benefit older Americans, specifically in Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. At a time when older Americans are less secure in their retirement and less able to afford quality health services, now is not the time to cut their benefits.

America’s seniors are facing increasing financial hardships, exacerbated by the loss of defined benefit pensions, the erosion of retirement savings, and two years without any cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits. The average senior citizen in America lives on a fixed income of slightly more than $19,000 a year. Two-thirds of retirees rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, one-third for 90 percent or more – yet Social Security retiree benefits average $14,000 a year, $2,000 less for women.

Although over 90 percent of seniors saved for retirement, less than half have been able to save more than $50,000. With the cost of daily basic necessities such as groceries, gas, and medical care on the rise, many of America’s senior citizens are simply unable to afford further financial strains.

As older Americans rely on Social Security, they also rely on Medicare and Medicaid for their health and long-term care needs. Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, we took measures to lower health care costs without cutting benefits or increasing cost-sharing requirement. While we can make more improvements, we must not abandon that commitment. Proposals to raise out-of-pocket costs, cut benefits, or reduce federal Medicaid spending would have a negative impact on current enrollees, their families, and our economy as a whole.

We fully understand the fiscal crisis our nation faces. We stand ready to work with you, our colleagues across the aisle, and the Senate to develop and implement a package that both ensures that the United States does not default on its loans and responsibly reduces the federal debt. As we approach the 46th Anniversary of the passage of Medicare and Medicaid, and the 76th Anniversary of the passage of Social Security, we are confident that, through your leadership and commitment to the wellbeing of older Americans, a deal can be struck that does not negatively impact the lives of America’s seniors.

The letter was co-signed by Rep. Joe Baca, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Rep. Leonard Boswell, Rep. Kathy Castor, Rep. Donna Christensen, Rep. Gerald Connolly, Rep. John Conyers, Rep. Joe Courtney, Rep. Mark Critz, Rep. Peter DeFazio, Rep. Ted Deutch, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, Rep. Bob Filner, Rep. Raul Grijalva, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, Rep. Maurice Hinchey, Rep. Mazie Hirono, Rep. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Hank Johnson, Rep. John Larson, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, Rep. Michael Michaud, Rep. Bill Pascrell, Rep. Nick Rahall, Rep. Laura Richardson, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, Rep. Linda Sanchez, Rep. John Sarbanes, Rep. Bobby Scott, Rep. Albio Sires, Rep. Jackie Speier, Rep. Betty Sutton, Rep. Paul Tonko, and Rep. Henry Waxman.

Home Invasion in North Highlands

2011-07-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Four children escaped injury during a home invasion in North Highlands earlier today.

Just after 12:30 p.m. yesterday, Sacramento Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence in the 3700 block of Bolivar Avenue, after a twelve year-old girl called to say that two suspects had broken into her home. One of the suspects pointed a gun at the children, before fleeing the residence on foot.

Shortly before this incident, one of the suspects, described as a Hispanic male adult, and a dark-skinned female adult knocked on the front door of the home. The four children inside neglected to answer the door, or make it known that they were inside. A few moments later, the children discovered that the Hispanic male adult and a black male adult had entered the home through the garage, and were ransacking one of the bedrooms.

The children, ranging from seven to twelve years of age, confronted the suspects and yelled at them to leave. The children then ran and sequestered themselves in other bedrooms within the home. One of the suspects reportedly pointed a firearm at one of the children, before forcing open the door of another bedroom where other children were hiding. At that point, one of the children obtained a phone and called for help. The suspects ran from the residence and fled in opposite directions.

The children ran to the home of a neighbor, who immediately called for assistance. Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene and established a perimeter, in an attempt to locate the suspects. A search of the neighborhood was conducted with negative results. This incident remains under investigation at this time. Anyone having information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Department at (916) 874-5115.

Ka Yang's court apperance draws several supporters

2011-07-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

Suspected microwave murderer makes brief court appearance, family reveals suspect's pregnancy

Choua Kue (r), mother of suspect consoled after today's hearing.

Although the court appearance of the suspected microwave murderer Ka Yang lasted less than five minutes earlier this morning, the hearing drew a bevy of media and family to Department 61 of the Sacramento Superior Court.

The June 21 arrest of the 29-year old Sacramento mother has drawn international attention after she allegedly killed her six week old daughter Mirabelle last March by placing the infant in a microwave oven.

Representing Yang is Sacramento criminal defense attorney Linda Parisi who asked for a continuance. No plea was entered and the request was granted with the next hearing scheduled for August 3.

Prior to the proceedings, several member of Vang’s family and dozens members of the local Hmong-American community (Yang is Hmong) crowded the hall outside the courtroom in the county jail in support of the suspect. Among them was Yang’s mother, Choua Kue of Banning, Calif.

Speaking through an interpreter, Kue said her daughter has a long documented medical history of epilepsy and revealed that her daughter is in her first trimester of pregnancy. Kue said her daughter has suffered from epilepsy since she was 15.

“My daughter has been sick for a long time,” Kue said through her interpreter. “I am hurting because they said she is not sick.”

Kue said that her daughter has suffered numerous seizures since her incarceration and expressed concern she is not getting adequate medical and prenatal attention. Kue said her daughter’s epilepsy requires a special diet and is worried her condition may worsen without proper care.

After the hearing Parisi stressed her client has numerous medical and psychological that need to be addressed.

“This is clearly a sad, sad case,” Parisi said. “There are a lot of circumstances around this case.”

Sacramento Resident Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Music and Movies

2011-07-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Carlos Benavidez Tejeda, 32, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to criminal copyright infringement.

According to the plea agreement, between June 2010 and November 2010 Tejeda sold counterfeit music CDs and motion picture DVDs to the public at the Galt Market, a flea market and at other flea market locations in the Eastern District of California. On November 16, 2010 more than 1,000 copyright-infringing DVDs and CDs were seized from Tejeda’s minivan. On December 13, 2010, several hundred copyright-infringing CDs were seized from a storage unit rented by Tejeda.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Henry Z. Carbajal III and Brian W. Enos prosecuted the case.

Tejeda is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii on October 3, 2011. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Placer County Man Indicted for Defrauding Real Estate Investment Group

2011-07-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging John George Coulter Jr., 79, of Colorado Springs, Colo., formerly of Placer County, Calif., with 12 counts of mail fraud and four counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.

The indictment alleges that Coulter was the operational manager for a group of investors who owned property in Elverta. Coulter was to prepare 66 acres of approximately 1800 acres to sell to residential and commercial builders.

Coulter made “capital calls” for payment of the real estate loans, property taxes, and other legitimate expenses and is alleged to have defrauded the investors of nearly $2 million by inflating the amounts due. According to the indictment, Coulter routed these funds through the investment’s savings and checking accounts for payment of the legitimate expenses, and ultimately to accounts he personally controlled. He used the excess funds to make personal expenditures and purchase personal investments.

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Samantha S. Spangler is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Coulter faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud and 10 years in prison for each count of engaging in monetary transactions. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Coulter has been summoned to appear for arraignment before a United States Magistrate Judge.

Child Murderer Convicted by Sacramento Jury

2011-07-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that Thomas Jerome Martin was convicted by a jury for the murder of a 3 year-old girl. Martin was also convicted of assaulting the child, causing her death, as well as selling marijuana.

Martin was the live-in boyfriend of the girl’s mother, Mia Holmes. Holmes often left the child in Martin’s care when she was away from the residence. Martin was responsible for taking care of the little girl, including feeding her and transporting her to and from day care.

At times, Martin got angry with her and over a period of time inflicted numerous injuries, including broken ribs.

Both Martin and Holmes hid the girl’s injuries from everyone, including her teachers, doctors and a CPS caseworker. In February 2008 after Martin assaulted the girl for the last time, she died in her home.

It was only then that Martin sought medical attention for her, but it was too late and emergency room personnel could not revive her. An autopsy revealed a multitude of life-threatening internal injuries, contusions to her brain and several broken ribs, some of which were in the healing stages.

Immediately after the murder, the girl’s six year-old brother was removed from the home and told authorities about Martin’s abuse. Other witnesses to the abuse eventually came forward during the investigation by sheriff’s child abuse detectives.

Martin faces 25 years to life in prison. Sentencing is set for August 19, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. in Department 26 in front of the Honorable Michael Savage.

Denny's in Foothill Farms Robbed at Gunpoint

2011-06-30T20:01:00.001-07:00

Earlier today, at 7:47a.m., Sheriff’s deputies responded to a robbery call at the Denny’s restaurant on Interstate Boulevard at Madison Avenue. The caller stated that two males entered the establishment, pointed a shotgun at employees, and stole money before fleeing the business on foot. No one was hurt during this incident.

The suspects were described as two black males in their 20’s, one wearing a dark T-shirt and denim jeans, and the other wearing a camouflage sweatshirt and denim jeans. Anyone having information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Robbery Bureau at (916) 874-5051.

Three Arrested After Home Invasion Robbery

2011-06-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

Richard Kohls

Earlier this morning, at approximately 4:20a.m., Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of a robbery at the Town and Country Garden Apartments, located in the 2900 block of Marconi Avenue. A man reported that his neighbor had been robbed at gunpoint in his apartment, and that the suspects, a male and female, had left the scene in a white Chevrolet SUV. The victim was not injured during the incident.

Lorie Voorhies

At 4:41a.m., a deputy observed a white Chevy Tahoe, which matched the description of the suspects’ vehicle, traveling southbound on Howe Avenue near Hurley Way. Deputies conducted an enforcement stop on the vehicle and detained two males and a female, who were identified as 22-year old Robert Wynne, 30-year old Richard Kohls, and 44-year old Lori Voorhies.

The victim and witness of the robbery were transported to the location of the vehicle stop, where they positively identified Wynne and Voorhies as the suspects who had committed the robbery. Kohls, the driver of the vehicle, was believed to be the getaway driver at the time the crime occurred.

A search of the vehicle, incident to the suspects’ arrests, yielded a loaded handgun that was concealed in the center console.

In addition, deputies found methamphetamine in the vehicle, as well as in Voorhies’ possession. All three suspects were booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail, and face charges including robbery, conspiracy, unlawful possession of a concealed, loaded firearm, possession of a firearm by an ex-felon, and possession of methamphetamine.

Robert Wynn

Suspects Wynne, Voorhies and Kohls are being held on bail amounts of $210,000, $115,000 and $130,000, respectively.

Microwave Murder Suspect Makes Court Appearance

2011-06-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

Ka Vang confers with
her attorney

The Sacramento mother accused of murdering her three-month old daughter made her first court appearance this afternoon in Sacramento Superior Court.

Today 29-year old Ka Yang was arraigned in Department 61 before Judge Marjorie Koller following her arrest on Tuesday. Yang is facing assault and murder charges with special circumstances after she allegedly murdered her daughter Mirabelle Thao-Lo by placing the infant in a microwave oven earlier this year.

During the proceedings Yang gave yes and no answers when asked by Koller if she understood the charges against her. No plea was entered.

Linda Parisi

Yang was assigned attorney Linda Parisi of the Conflict Defenders office.

In comments outside the courtroom Parisi said she has met with her client but did not offer any further insight.

“Clealry there are some psychological issues that will have to be dealt with,” she said.

The next hearing is scheduled for July 14.

Vacaville Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling fom Sacramento Real Estate Developer

2011-06-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Shalena P. Leggett, 37, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty today to two counts of wire fraud arising out of her embezzlement from her former employer, a local Sacramento real estate developer.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Lee S. Bickley is prosecuting the case.

According to court documents, Leggett was a bookkeeper for a Sacramento-based real estate developer. From March 2008 through October 2009, Leggett used her position to embezzle more than $382,000 from her employer. In addition, she stole her employer’s credit card and made ATM cash withdrawals of more than $86,000 between September 2008 and October 2009 when she abandoned her job.

Leggett is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton on September 7, 2011. The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of wire fraud is 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or twice Ms. Leggett’s gain, and a three year period of supervised release. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Loaves and Fishes Hit and Run Suspect Convicted Today

2011-06-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

Victim was Loaves and Fishes volunteer

District Attorney Jan Scully announced today that Jeffrey Crayton Yelverton was convicted by jury of voluntary manslaughter and felony hit and run.

Yelverton had been seen driving repeatedly at excessive speeds in front of the Loaves and Fishes homeless shelter. In March 2010, Yelverton sped by several patrons of the shelter when three Loaves and Fishes workers attempted to stop him.

Instead of stopping, Yelverton drove directly toward volunteer worker Thomas William Deollos and struck him with his car.Deollos was severely injured and died two months later.

Yelverton then drove to the Arden Fair mall, where he attempted to report the incident as an attempted robbery in which he used self-defense.

Sentencing is set for July 15, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. in Department 18 of the Sacramento Superior Court.

Hours of service at Sacramento Public Library’s Central Library to change effective July 1

2011-06-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Public Library will be changing the hours Central Library is open to the public beginning July 1, 2011. Hours for the Sacramento Room and the Library’s Telephone Information Service (TELIS), both of which are housed at the Central Library, will also be changing. The new public hours are:

Central Library, 828 I Street, Sacramento: Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.

The downtown Sacramento library location will remain closed on Monday. These changes reflect an overall reduction in service of four hours per week.

Hours for the Sacramento Room, which is located on the second floor of the Central Library and houses historical books, maps, photographs and ephemera of the greater Sacramento region, will change slightly but will not be reduced. The Sacramento Room’s new schedule will be: Tuesday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The room will remain closed on Mondays and Fridays.

Hours of operation for TELIS, which the public may call for library information and research questions will change to: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This service will no longer be available on Sunday.

For more information, telephone the Sacramento Public Library at (916) 264-2920 or visit www.saclibrary.org.

Davis Man, Three Others Sentenced for Defrauding Government Agency

2011-06-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

A federal judge last week sentenced four defendants to prison terms for defrauding a federal agency of millions of dollars in connection with a loan to fund a business project in Estonia, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

Donald Daniels, 46, of Morgan Hill, and Tapani Koivunen, 54, of Davis, were sentenced to two years in prison, and Martin William Washburn, 79, of Morgan Hill, was sentenced to one year in prison and one year of home detention, for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Sergei Shkurkin, 57, of Davis, was sentenced to one year in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. All defendants were ordered to pay $2,054,698 in restitution.

According to the plea agreements and other court documents, the defendants admitted that from 2003 to 2005, they agreed to agreed to participate in a fraudulent scheme to defraud the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (“OPIC”) and to obtain a loan of approximately $9.4 million from OPIC to fund a milling and bakery project in Estonia. OPIC is a United States governmental agency, located in Washington, D.C., whose mission is to encourage U.S.-based companies to invest in overseas business projects.

As part of the defendants’ fraudulent scheme, they submitted documents that contained materially false and fraudulent representations to OPIC, including, among others, that: (1) what was represented to be cash equity in the project was actually a loan from Daniels; (2) the amount spent by the project on equipment was far less than what was reported; and (3) what was to be an arms-length transaction to purchase equipment was in fact a transaction between related parties designed to conceal that the money Daniels had allegedly invested in the project was, in fact, returned to him.

Once the loan was approved, the defendants made the following material misrepresentations and omissions, among others, to obtain the loan disbursements from OPIC: (1) provided to OPIC falsified invoices that contained inflated equipment prices and that concealed the close relationship of the companies involved in the underlying transactions; (2) withheld bank statements from OPIC that would have demonstrated that the cash equity was immediately returned to Daniels; (3) made false assurances to OPIC regarding the progress of the project; and (4) affirmed and reaffirmed the accuracy of the completeness and truthfulness of their disclosures to OPIC. The loan disbursements totaled approximately $7.9 million.

Daniels, Washburn, and Koivunen also admitted in their plea agreements that they agreed to have money transferred by wire from an account located in San Francisco, California, to a bank account located in Estonia, for the purpose of executing the scheme described above.

The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn H. Patel. For Daniels, Washburn and Koivunen, the sentencing followed a May 2011 guilty plea on two counts of violations of 18 U.S.C. Section 1349, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and 18 U.S.C. Section 1956, conspiracy to commit money laundering. Mr. Shkurkin pleaded guilty in May 2011 to one count of a violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 1349, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

Christine Y. Wong and Andrew P. Caputo are the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Ponly Tu. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.