June 2011 Archives
RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A preliminary hearing setting was postponed once again Tuesday for a former Long Beach Police Department detective charged with having sex with an underage relative.
Erik Alvarez, 42, of Upland is charged with three felony counts: specifically lewd or lascivious acts with a child 14 or 15 years old and two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor under the age of 18.
Alvarez was immediately placed on unpaid administrative leave from his job in the Youth Services Department of the Long Beach Police Department at the time of his arrest last month.
He has since resigned his position with the police department, city officials said.
If convicted on all counts, Alvarez faces up to four years and four months in state prison, according to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office.
He is scheduled to return to the Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court on July 12 when his preliminary hearing is to be set.
Erik Alvarez, 42, of Upland is charged with three felony counts: specifically lewd or lascivious acts with a child 14 or 15 years old and two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor under the age of 18.
Alvarez was immediately placed on unpaid administrative leave from his job in the Youth Services Department of the Long Beach Police Department at the time of his arrest last month.
He has since resigned his position with the police department, city officials said.
If convicted on all counts, Alvarez faces up to four years and four months in state prison, according to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office.
He is scheduled to return to the Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court on July 12 when his preliminary hearing is to be set.
If you think social media has raged out of control, read no further.Or read on if you're looking for evidence to support your argument against the Internet age.
That's because a Utah man is making national headlines for taking a woman hostage in a motel in a 16-hour stand off with police last weekend and documenting the entire effort through status updates on his Facebook account.
The suspect is Jason Valdez. He's not a local man, though his antics had police and Sheriff's deputies in Long Beach buzzing early Thursday.
Valdez, 36, kept friends and family in the loop and even got a tip from a friend who posted on his Facebook wall that a SWAT officer was hiding in the bushes outside the Odgen motel where Valdez was holed up.
"Thank you homie (sic)," Valdez wrote Saturday. "Good looking out."
Valdez also posted photos of his alleged hostage, Veronica, with a tag "Got a cute 'hostage' huh?"
Authorities eventually raided the room, at which point Valdez shot himself in the chest with a handgun, police said. He is in critical condition.
His hostage was unharmed.
And the friend who sent him the tip about the SWAT officer is now under investigation as well.
Long Beach Police have arrested a 49-year-old Lakewood parolee, out of jail only a month before he allegedly began burglarizing storage facilities in North Long Beach three months ago.
LBPD detectives assigned to the North Division began their investigation three-months ago, when police began tracking a rash of burglaries at two different public storage facilities, one located at 4140 Cherry Ave. and the other at 3207 South St., said Sgt. Rico Fernandez.
Using surveillance videos from the business, investigators identified an adult male on the property that they recognized from a burglary arrest at the same location in late 2010, the sergeant said.
"In the video, the male can be seen entering the property with an empty truck and dolly and leave the location with the truck loaded with property," Fernandez said Tuesday. "Police detectives identified (him as) parolee Joseph Fordyce."
Fordyce is on parole for commercial burglary and was released from prison in February of 2011, one month before the burglary series began, Fernandez said.
The suspect served only 7 months of a 16-month prison term for commiting numerous commercial burglaries at storage units at the same businesses, he said.
Armed with a search warrant, detectives arrested Fordyce at his home on June 9.
The 49-year-old was scheduled to appear for arraignment at the Long Beach Superior Court Tuesday and was being held in without bail because he was on parole at the time of the alleged crimes.
Police also recovered numerous stolen items at Fordyce's home and are still looking for the rightful owners of most of the property, Fernandez said.
If you have been the victim of a burglary from either of the storage facilities please contact LBPD Detectives Dave Fritz or Dave DeMasi at 562-570-9818.
Police also urged those with property stored at either of these facilities and who have not checked on their property in some time to do so immediately.
For those missing items, photographs of the recovered stolen property can be viewed at www.facebook.com/LongBeachPD.CA. Just click on "photos" in the left column.
tracy.manzer@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1261.
LBPD detectives assigned to the North Division began their investigation three-months ago, when police began tracking a rash of burglaries at two different public storage facilities, one located at 4140 Cherry Ave. and the other at 3207 South St., said Sgt. Rico Fernandez.
Using surveillance videos from the business, investigators identified an adult male on the property that they recognized from a burglary arrest at the same location in late 2010, the sergeant said.
"In the video, the male can be seen entering the property with an empty truck and dolly and leave the location with the truck loaded with property," Fernandez said Tuesday. "Police detectives identified (him as) parolee Joseph Fordyce."
Fordyce is on parole for commercial burglary and was released from prison in February of 2011, one month before the burglary series began, Fernandez said.
The suspect served only 7 months of a 16-month prison term for commiting numerous commercial burglaries at storage units at the same businesses, he said.
Armed with a search warrant, detectives arrested Fordyce at his home on June 9.
The 49-year-old was scheduled to appear for arraignment at the Long Beach Superior Court Tuesday and was being held in without bail because he was on parole at the time of the alleged crimes.
Police also recovered numerous stolen items at Fordyce's home and are still looking for the rightful owners of most of the property, Fernandez said.
If you have been the victim of a burglary from either of the storage facilities please contact LBPD Detectives Dave Fritz or Dave DeMasi at 562-570-9818.
Police also urged those with property stored at either of these facilities and who have not checked on their property in some time to do so immediately.
For those missing items, photographs of the recovered stolen property can be viewed at www.facebook.com/LongBeachPD.CA. Just click on "photos" in the left column.
tracy.manzer@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1261.
LONG BEACH -- Police arrested a man following a brief fight after he allegedly stabbed a woman in downtown Long Beach Monday afternoon.
Officers were called to the area of 10th Street and Long Beach Boulevard at about 1:50 p.m., said Lisa Massacani, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
The victim was stabbed in the upper body during some sort of dispute with the suspect, Massacani said.
She was rushed to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect was found a few blocks away and arrested, though he put up a bit of a fight.
Neither the suspect nor any of the officers appeared seriously hurt.
The suspect's name and age were not immediately available Monday, Massacani said.
The motive for the stabbing was also still under investigation, she said.
Officers were called to the area of 10th Street and Long Beach Boulevard at about 1:50 p.m., said Lisa Massacani, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
The victim was stabbed in the upper body during some sort of dispute with the suspect, Massacani said.
She was rushed to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect was found a few blocks away and arrested, though he put up a bit of a fight.
Neither the suspect nor any of the officers appeared seriously hurt.
The suspect's name and age were not immediately available Monday, Massacani said.
The motive for the stabbing was also still under investigation, she said.
SANTA ANA -- A preliminary hearing date was set Friday for a Long Beach Fire Department captain accused of severely injuring a bicyclist in a drunk driving and hit-and-run crash.
John Hines -- who was immediately suspended from duty pending the criminal matter -- was arrested April 1, after he allegedly hit a cyclist while driving drunk on Westminster Avenue in Seal Beach at about 1:30 p.m.
The 38-year-old allegedly fled the scene and was chased by witnesses to his Huntington Beach home, where he was arrested by Seal Beach police, authorities said.
Hines has been charged with one felony count each of driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury, driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or more causing injury, hit and run with injury, and sentencing enhancements and allegations of causing great bodily injury and having a blood alcohol level over .20 percent.
Deputy District Attorney Andrew Katz said Hines' blood alcohol level measured a staggering .24 percent more than two hours after the crash.
According to the felony complaint, Hines is accused of losing control of his vehicle and suddenly swerving into the bike lane and dirt shoulder. Without slowing or hitting his brakes, he allegedly crashed into 47-year-old bicyclist Jeffrey Gordon.
The victim was thrown from his bike more than 70 feet and landed on the shoulder of the road. Hines is accused of failing to slow or hit his brakes after crashing into the victim and fleeing the scene, Katz said.
Gordon suffered head trauma, severe lacerations, internal injuries and spinal injuries and continues to suffered limited mobility and speech and memory loss, authorities said.
Hines appeared Friday at the Central Courthouse in Santa Ana for a pre-trial hearing. A preliminary hearing date was scheduled for July 29, according to court documents.
Preliminary hearings are held to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to try a defendant.
Hines remains out of custody on bail pending trial.
John Hines -- who was immediately suspended from duty pending the criminal matter -- was arrested April 1, after he allegedly hit a cyclist while driving drunk on Westminster Avenue in Seal Beach at about 1:30 p.m.
The 38-year-old allegedly fled the scene and was chased by witnesses to his Huntington Beach home, where he was arrested by Seal Beach police, authorities said.
Hines has been charged with one felony count each of driving under the influence of alcohol causing bodily injury, driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or more causing injury, hit and run with injury, and sentencing enhancements and allegations of causing great bodily injury and having a blood alcohol level over .20 percent.
Deputy District Attorney Andrew Katz said Hines' blood alcohol level measured a staggering .24 percent more than two hours after the crash.
According to the felony complaint, Hines is accused of losing control of his vehicle and suddenly swerving into the bike lane and dirt shoulder. Without slowing or hitting his brakes, he allegedly crashed into 47-year-old bicyclist Jeffrey Gordon.
The victim was thrown from his bike more than 70 feet and landed on the shoulder of the road. Hines is accused of failing to slow or hit his brakes after crashing into the victim and fleeing the scene, Katz said.
Gordon suffered head trauma, severe lacerations, internal injuries and spinal injuries and continues to suffered limited mobility and speech and memory loss, authorities said.
Hines appeared Friday at the Central Courthouse in Santa Ana for a pre-trial hearing. A preliminary hearing date was scheduled for July 29, according to court documents.
Preliminary hearings are held to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to try a defendant.
Hines remains out of custody on bail pending trial.
LONG BEACH -- The Long Beach Sirens will take on the Santa Ana Hogs in a charity flag football match this Saturday.
The public is invited to attend the game, which features two all female teams made up of officers from the Santa Ana and Long Beach police departments.
Proceeds from the event, which is scheduled for 1-8 p.m. at Santa Ana Stadium, will be benefit Costa Mesa Police Officer Dennis Dickens.
Dickens was seriously injured when he was finishing up his shift as a motor patrol officer and was hit by a drunk driver on the San Diego (405) Freeway in May of 2004.
Tickets, in the form of a $5 donation, can be purchased at the gate, 602 N. Flower St., Santa Ana.
Barbecue will be provided by the Long Beach and Santa Ana police unions.
The public is invited to attend the game, which features two all female teams made up of officers from the Santa Ana and Long Beach police departments.
Proceeds from the event, which is scheduled for 1-8 p.m. at Santa Ana Stadium, will be benefit Costa Mesa Police Officer Dennis Dickens.
Dickens was seriously injured when he was finishing up his shift as a motor patrol officer and was hit by a drunk driver on the San Diego (405) Freeway in May of 2004.
Tickets, in the form of a $5 donation, can be purchased at the gate, 602 N. Flower St., Santa Ana.
Barbecue will be provided by the Long Beach and Santa Ana police unions.
LONG BEACH -- Police on Thursday announced the arrest of a local mother, the first time a parent has been arrested for failing to keep her child in school since the city beefed up its truancy law earlier this year.
Ermila Zamora, 43, was arrested Monday after several attempts by school and city officials to address her son's frequency truancy at Washington Middle School failed, said Sgt. Rico Fernandez, a Long Beach Police Department spokesman.
Long Beach Police began working with City Prosecutor Doug Haubert earlier this year after Haubert launched the new law, called the Parent Accountability and Chronic Truancy (PACT) Program, which aims to reduce chronic truancy among local students.
The new law effect on Jan. 1 of this year and identifies any student who misses 10 percent or more of class time as chronically truant.
Not long after the new law took effect, Zamora's son and his lack of attendance quickly caught the eye of police, prosecutors and school officials, the sergeant said.
As of January, the student had already missed more than 20 days of school and had been through the the Long Beach Unified School District's Attendance Review Board (SARB), which works with parents to address truancy problems, Fernandez said.
With no improvement seen the case was transfered to the City Prosecutor's Office, which held five meetings that included police department and school district staff and the student's mother, Fernandez said.
The student's attendance still failed to improve and the arrest of Zamora was ordered by the City Prosecutor, the sergeant said.
"By the time of her arrest, the student had over 50 days of unexcused absences from school," the sergeant said Thursday.
"Investigators also learned that in 2007, Zamora was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for failing to ensure the attendance in school of her older son as well," he added.
Zamora was arrested on the misdemeanor charge Monday and booked into the Long Beach City Jail. Jail records show she was released Tuesday in lieu of $10,000 bail.
If convicted, she faces the possibility of a year in county jail and a $2,000 fine, Fernandez said.
Police and prosecutors said Thursday the new law aims to get kids in school and for parents to understand they are accountable if they fail to do so.
"We are taking school truancy seriously," Haubert said Thursday. "Police officers and school officials are doing everything they can to keep kids in school out of trouble, and if parents are unwilling to take responsibility themselves, then we will take action against the parents."
Ermila Zamora, 43, was arrested Monday after several attempts by school and city officials to address her son's frequency truancy at Washington Middle School failed, said Sgt. Rico Fernandez, a Long Beach Police Department spokesman.
Long Beach Police began working with City Prosecutor Doug Haubert earlier this year after Haubert launched the new law, called the Parent Accountability and Chronic Truancy (PACT) Program, which aims to reduce chronic truancy among local students.
The new law effect on Jan. 1 of this year and identifies any student who misses 10 percent or more of class time as chronically truant.
Not long after the new law took effect, Zamora's son and his lack of attendance quickly caught the eye of police, prosecutors and school officials, the sergeant said.
As of January, the student had already missed more than 20 days of school and had been through the the Long Beach Unified School District's Attendance Review Board (SARB), which works with parents to address truancy problems, Fernandez said.
With no improvement seen the case was transfered to the City Prosecutor's Office, which held five meetings that included police department and school district staff and the student's mother, Fernandez said.
The student's attendance still failed to improve and the arrest of Zamora was ordered by the City Prosecutor, the sergeant said.
"By the time of her arrest, the student had over 50 days of unexcused absences from school," the sergeant said Thursday.
"Investigators also learned that in 2007, Zamora was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for failing to ensure the attendance in school of her older son as well," he added.
Zamora was arrested on the misdemeanor charge Monday and booked into the Long Beach City Jail. Jail records show she was released Tuesday in lieu of $10,000 bail.
If convicted, she faces the possibility of a year in county jail and a $2,000 fine, Fernandez said.
Police and prosecutors said Thursday the new law aims to get kids in school and for parents to understand they are accountable if they fail to do so.
"We are taking school truancy seriously," Haubert said Thursday. "Police officers and school officials are doing everything they can to keep kids in school out of trouble, and if parents are unwilling to take responsibility themselves, then we will take action against the parents."
A Norwalk man who allegedly took his 1-year-old child from his estranged spouse and was barricaded inside a building with a gun has surrendered, authorities said Thursday morning.
The incident began shortly after 11 a.m. and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputies from throughout the region rushed to the scene of the crime, located near Alondra and Norwalk boulevards.
Initial reports claimed the suspect took the child, was armed with a gun and threatened to use the weapon.
Deputies were able to contact the suspect via phone and talked him into surrendering, authorities said at noon.
The suspect and the child appeared unharmed, deputies at the scene said.
The investigation is on-going.
The incident began shortly after 11 a.m. and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputies from throughout the region rushed to the scene of the crime, located near Alondra and Norwalk boulevards.
Initial reports claimed the suspect took the child, was armed with a gun and threatened to use the weapon.
Deputies were able to contact the suspect via phone and talked him into surrendering, authorities said at noon.
The suspect and the child appeared unharmed, deputies at the scene said.
The investigation is on-going.
Long Beach Police Cmdr. Josef Levy issued a warning Wednesday that all fireworks, even the so-called "Safe and Sane" variety, are illegal in Long Beach.
The commander said any fireworks, even "sparklers," have proved dangerous and caused numerous injuries, many inflicted on children, in recent years.
The commander cited the following federal statistics:
-- U.S. hospitals treated more than 9,500 fireworks-related injuries in 2004.
-- Half those injuries happened to children under the age of 15.
-- "Sparklers accounted for the most injuries (1,500) and for half the injuries to children under five years old.
-- Firecrackers accounted for 1,000 injuries that year.
-- The most common injuries were to hands (1,800), eyes, (1,200) and the head/face/ear area (1,000).
The National Council on Fireworks Safety cites a decrease in fireworks injury rates for the past several years and says the main reason for the decrease is the increased popularity of professional fireworks shows.
Levy encouraged Long Beach residents to check their local newspapers for times and locations of local shows noting they are "both safe and amazing."
The commander said any fireworks, even "sparklers," have proved dangerous and caused numerous injuries, many inflicted on children, in recent years.
The commander cited the following federal statistics:
-- U.S. hospitals treated more than 9,500 fireworks-related injuries in 2004.
-- Half those injuries happened to children under the age of 15.
-- "Sparklers accounted for the most injuries (1,500) and for half the injuries to children under five years old.
-- Firecrackers accounted for 1,000 injuries that year.
-- The most common injuries were to hands (1,800), eyes, (1,200) and the head/face/ear area (1,000).
The National Council on Fireworks Safety cites a decrease in fireworks injury rates for the past several years and says the main reason for the decrease is the increased popularity of professional fireworks shows.
Levy encouraged Long Beach residents to check their local newspapers for times and locations of local shows noting they are "both safe and amazing."
More than 100 people are expected to take part this weekend in a massive missing person search drill in Seal Beach.
The drill, scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, was organized by the West Orange County Community Emergency Response Team (West County CERT), along with the Volunteers In Police Services (VIPS) and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES).
While the drill is intended to simulate a missing person search it will also prove as a test case for sending crucial information throughout the city, event organizers said
Participants will deliver informational materials to residents and businesses about disaster preparedness, animal licenses and more.
Infomration on parking permits will only be delivered to the Old Town area.
An AlertOC message will be conducted in conjunction with the
exercise.
For more information please contact the volunteer office at 562-799-4100 Ext.1121 or e-
mail westcountycert@yahoo.com
The drill, scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, was organized by the West Orange County Community Emergency Response Team (West County CERT), along with the Volunteers In Police Services (VIPS) and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services (RACES).
While the drill is intended to simulate a missing person search it will also prove as a test case for sending crucial information throughout the city, event organizers said
Participants will deliver informational materials to residents and businesses about disaster preparedness, animal licenses and more.
Infomration on parking permits will only be delivered to the Old Town area.
An AlertOC message will be conducted in conjunction with the
exercise.
For more information please contact the volunteer office at 562-799-4100 Ext.1121 or e-
mail westcountycert@yahoo.com
LONG BEACH -- Deputy Police Chief J.J. Craig may be leaving Long Beach for Victoria, Texas.
Craig was chosen as the top candidate Tuesday for job of Chief of Police in the Victoria Police Department, according to the city officials there.
Craig bested two other candidates who interviewed with city officials last week in the town of roughly 60,000 people and located about 30 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico.
He currently serves as deputy chief of the LBPD's Support Bureau and is second in command to Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell.
Craig, a Long Beach native, started his 29 year career at the LBPD in 1982 as a patrol officer.
His experience includes community policing, investigations, budget development and management, counter-terrorism and homeland security, federal and state Homeland Security grant programs, information technology, policy development, employee recruitment and training, labor management and conflict resolution.
In his role as Support Bureau manager he oversees LBPD operations at the Port of Long Beach and Long Beach Airport and day-to-day operations of the Emergency Operations, Jail and Custody and Training divisions.
"His face-to-face interview was impressive but the committee still has some work to do, said Victoria City Manager Charmelle Garrett. "We will conduct an in-depth background review, contact his references, and study Deputy Chief Craig's professional accomplishments."
Garrett said the final decision should be made by late June or early July.
Craig was chosen as the top candidate Tuesday for job of Chief of Police in the Victoria Police Department, according to the city officials there.
Craig bested two other candidates who interviewed with city officials last week in the town of roughly 60,000 people and located about 30 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico.
He currently serves as deputy chief of the LBPD's Support Bureau and is second in command to Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell.
Craig, a Long Beach native, started his 29 year career at the LBPD in 1982 as a patrol officer.
His experience includes community policing, investigations, budget development and management, counter-terrorism and homeland security, federal and state Homeland Security grant programs, information technology, policy development, employee recruitment and training, labor management and conflict resolution.
In his role as Support Bureau manager he oversees LBPD operations at the Port of Long Beach and Long Beach Airport and day-to-day operations of the Emergency Operations, Jail and Custody and Training divisions.
"His face-to-face interview was impressive but the committee still has some work to do, said Victoria City Manager Charmelle Garrett. "We will conduct an in-depth background review, contact his references, and study Deputy Chief Craig's professional accomplishments."
Garrett said the final decision should be made by late June or early July.
