December 2010 Archives
Long Beach Police were sent to the 1300 block of Raymond Avenue at about 5:30 a.m. Saturday on a call that a man had been shot. Officers arrived to find the victim, 28-year-old Julio Hernandez of Compton, was shot inside a residence, said Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman Lisa Massacani.
Long Beach Fire Department paramedics rushed the victim, who was shot in the torso, to a local hospital where he died several hours later, Massacani said.
The preliminary investigation found two men went to the residence and were allowed inside by the victim.
An argument broke out and one of the men pulled out a gun and shot Hernandez before both suspects fled, Massacani said.
Long Beach Homicide detectives obtained arrest warrants for the alleged suspects early Wednesday and arrested 30-year-old Juan Francisco Moreno of San Pedro and 34-year-old Paul James Moore of Long Beach.
Both men were taken into custody without incident and booked on a charge of murder, Massacani said.
Although the motive for the shooting is still under investigation the incident is believed to be gang-related, she said.
Both Moreno and Moore were being held at the Long Beach City Jail Wednesday in lieu of $1 million bail. Both are scheduled to be arraigned at the Long Beach Superior Court Friday.
Anyone with information regarding the slaying is asked to call Homicide Detectives David Rios or Roger Zottneck at 562-570-7244.
Anonymous tips can be sent via text or e-mail by logging onto the police department's website -- www.longbeach.gov/police -- or calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Yet another delay came Wednesday in case of a Long Beach Police officer charged with stealing guns meant for the evidence locker.
Officer Damian Ramos, a five-year
employee with the department, was arrested on Aug. 5 and pleaded not guilty on Aug. 9 to four counts each of grand theft of personal property, grand
theft firearm and embezzlement by a police officer, along with one
count of possession of an assault weapon.
The charge involves four firearms that were not booked into evidence
after a call to a scrap yard to pick up 11 firearms, said Deputy District
Attorney Alfred Coletta. One of the four firearms was recovered, but the other three have not been found, according to the prosecutor. Defense attorney Darold M. Shirwo told a judge at Ramos' arraignment that the officer is "innocent until proven guilty." "This is a man that has been entrusted to protect society and he has," Shirwo said. As the investigation continued one more Long Beach Police officer and a former LBPD officer were arrested in October in connection with the case. Benjamin De Los Santos, a six-year LBPD employee, was arrested and booked for receiving stolen property,
conspiracy, grand theft of firearms, embezzlement, and circulation of a
false document. Derrick Dinsmore, a former
four-year employee of the police department,was arrested in the city of Walnut and was booked for receiving stolen property, accessory after the fact,
and preparing false documentary evidence. At the time of Ramos' arrest, detectives believed he acted
alone. As the investigation progressed, however, additional evidence was discovered that led detectives to determine that
the two additional suspects were also involved. "This is an
unfortunate situation, but we are committed to ensuring that every
investigation of misconduct involving any of our employees is thorough
and complete," Chief Jim McDonnell stated in a prepared statement Both Ramos and De Los Santos were suspended from duty pending the outcome of the case, police department officials said. Ramos is scheduled to return to the Downtown Los Angeles court on Jan. 31 for a preliminary hearing setting. De Los Santos and Dinsmore are scheduled to appear at the Downtown courthouse on Jan. 20 for their preliminary hearing setting.
A preliminary hearing date was scheduled Tuesday for a Port of Long Beach security officer charged with felony child molestation for alleged
incidents involving two girls.
Defendant Justiniano Espanio was arrested Dec. 5 at his home in Wilmington, the same day the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office alleges Espanio committed lewd and lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14.
In the felony complaint, the District Attorney's Office charged Espanio with committing the same alleged crime with another girl, then 15 years old, on or between June 1 and Sept. 1 of 2007.
No details regarding either of the alleged crimes were released.
Espanio could not be reached for a comment. A woman who answered the
phone at the address where Espanio was arrested said he no longer lives
there. She declined any further comment.
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department jail records Espanio was in the custody of the Sheriff's Department until his bond was posted Dec. 9.
He appeared at the Compton Superior Court Tuesday to schedule a date for his preliminary hearing, which is held to determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a criminal charge. The hearing date was set for Feb. 3 in Department 2 of the Compton courthouse.
If the 38-year-old is held to answer on the charge and if he is convicted on both counts he could face more than eight years in prison and would have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, according to the criminal complaint.
Port of Long Beach officials confirmed last week Espanio is an employee in the Port Security Division's Harbor Patrol unit. Though port officials said they could not comment on Espanio's job status or provide his rank, an internet search found Espanio is listed as a sergeant and supervisor in the port's harbor patrol division and he is or was a member of the advisory board to the Global Safety and Security Academy at Banning High School in Wilmington.
The academy that lists Espanio as an adviser is described on its website as "part of the Small Learning Community initiative at Banning High School. ... The GSS career pathway includes academic courses that are coordinated with postsecondary institutions. Both the academic and vocational courses, offered by GSS, are structured in a progressive manner so as to provide students the necessary skills to succeed in the current and future workforce."
The two Akitas -- Trace and Didi -- were turned in by a woman and the van was found by police in Compton.
Two Pembroke Welsh Corgis -- Peter and Bunny -- remain missing.
The owners of the Akitas brought all four dogs from Redding, Calif. to compete in the dog show in Downtown Long Beach, the second largest competition of its kind in the nation.
The Corgis belong to a client of the couple.
The search for the Peter and Bunny continues and the investigation into the stolen van and dogs is still active, Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies said.
