Drugs, guns, fraud, murder ... state DOJ's significant cases

DNA EXCLUDES POTENTIAL SUSPECT, CONFIRMS PAROLEE AS RAPIST

When a masked man raped a 69-year-old woman on April 3, 2008, Sonoma County sheriff's deputies secured a reference sample from a possible suspect. Deputies believed the victim's pajama top could reveal DNA evidence because the victim said she felt something wet on her back after the rape. But the sheriff's evidence technician said the evidence didn't "glow," which meant it wasn't semen. Bureau of Forensic Services Acting Chief Jill Spriggs, who was in Riverside on business, heard about the case, contacted the sheriff's office and explained that not all semen glows and recommended the lab still look at it. Believing the public lab had a huge backlog, the sheriff's office had called a private lab in Riverside to perform a rush on the case and put it into CODIS, but Spriggs explained that the law prevents a private lab from inputing profiles into CODIS
unless they are first technically reviewed by a CODIS public lab. After BFS confirmed the presence of semen, a DNA analysis excluded the suspect but hit on a parolee through CODIS. A reference sample was secured from the parolee and on May 5, 2008, the Richmond lab confirmed the match.

FOOD SUPPLIER MISTAKENLY DELIVERS MARIJUANA AND MONEY TO LOCAL BUSINESS

After a local business contacted the St. Helena Police Department to report they had mistakenly received a box full of money and marijuana in their normal shipment of food and beverage supplies, police requested assistance from the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) Napa Special Investigations Bureau. Officer responded and interviewed a suspect, Donald Garrett, who claimed the marijuana was medicinal but refused to reveal for whom it was intended or where it came from. Garrett was later arrested on charges of possession of marijuana for sale, possession of hashish, and being armed in the commission of a felony. Following a search warrant, agents seized over 6 pounds of high-grade marijuana, a semi-automatic handgun, $40,562 in U.S. currency and a 2002 Toyota Highlander.

MONEY LAUNDERING INVESTIGATION NETS MAJOR MARIJUANA DEALER

Hollywood Park Casino management notified BGC that a subject named Eric Angel, whom Hermosa Beach police already suspected of being a large scale marijuana dealer, was attempting to launder $10,000 in cash through casino gaming. Angel would sit at a low-limit poker table exchanging over $3,000 while making minimal bets. Surveillance of Angel lead to agents executing search warrants at his residence and a nearby warehouse. When agents discovered indoor marijuana plants growing at both locations they seized numerous live plants and more than 50 pounds of dried marijuana with a street value of $250,000. The recently remodeled warehouse was ready to begin large-scale indoor marijuana growing. Angel was arrested for possession of marijuana for sale and cultivation of marijuana.

$250,000 DISCOVERED DURING "ROUTINE" TRAFFIC STOP

On May 22, 2008, special agents from the BNE San Diego office conducted surveillance on Pedro Arce Serrano, a suspected methamphetamine and cocaine distributor who obtained narcotics in California and distributed them to Ohio, Nebraska and North Carolina. From one of Serrano's residences in Colton, Calif., agents followed him as he drove a VW Jetta to several locations, meeting up with other suspects and ultimately entering a house in La Puente while carrying an apparently empty brown duffle bag. Approximately one hour later, a white Ford pickup pulled out of the driveway and agents began following it believing Serrano could be inside. Agents observed Serrano exit the pickup, open the trunk of his VW Jetta and place a small bag inside before driving away in the Jetta. Agents asked the CHP to conduct a traffic stop on the VW Jetta, and when they did Serrano consented to a search of his car. Officers discovered a small camera-type carrying case containing $250,000 in cash and $10,000 in money orders, which Serrano claimed was not his.

TWO VEHICLES, THREE GUNS AND MORE THAN $270,000 SEIZED; 3 SUSPECTS ARRESTED

Through use of a confidential informant who was placed under surveillance, methamphetamine and cocaine were purchased from a drug dealer who was being supplied by a mid-level trafficker identified as Teofilo Morales. Morales was laundering money through a San Luis Obispo restaurant he owned with his girlfriend, Litzy Aviles. On May 1, 2008, BNE agents executed search warrants for three residences and the business, La Palapa Mexican Restaurant, resulted in the seizure 426.6 grams of methamphetamine, 168 grams of cocaine, three handguns, $270,775 cash, a 2006 Chevy Avalanche and a 2008 Mercedes-Benz SUV. A search of the Avalanche revealed a mechanized activated (hidden) compartment which contained approximately 1/4-pound of meth and 1/4-pound of cocaine. A financial investigation of the business is ongoing and additional charges on Aviles and Morales are pending for money laundering and structuring. A third suspect was also arrested on numerous charges.

DOCTOR ARRESTED FOR 2ND DEGREE MURDER

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department contacted BNE regarding an Encinitas woman who was in possession of excessive amounts of prescription narcotics. Agents discovered the Encinitas woman was obtaining the prescriptions from a Dr. Wesley Albert. Undercover officers purchased prescriptions for cash out of the Lake Elsinore Casino and Hotel where Dr. Albert was living at the time. Dr. Albert wrote prescriptions from his motel room and never performed physical exams. During the investigation, a 28-year-old male subject died of heart failure due to Soma intoxication. Soma is a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant prescribed for the treatment of acute, musculoskeletal pain. Dr. Albert had been prescribing up to five times the normal dosage of Soma to the victim. On May 6, 2008, agents arrested Dr. Albert for 2nd Degree Murder.