Monthly Archives: February 2012

Officials: Whittier parolee wounded in gunfight with deputies in Pico Rivera

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PICO RIVERA — Sheriff’s deputies shot and wounded a Whittier man who opened fire on them outside a motel late Wednesday, officials said.
Eddie Albert Luna, 28, was booked on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer as was being treated for his wounds at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Robert Smith said.
The incident began just before 10 p.m. when a man called 9-1-1 from the Knights Inn, 6540 Rosemead Blvd., “to report that he was drunk and he had a gun,” according to Deputy Peter Gomez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau.
A sheriff’s helicopter first arrived on-scene and deputies on board spotted the suspect — later identified as Luna — standing in front of the motel with a handgun tucked into his waistband, Gomez said.
“As numerous patrol units arrived, the suspect raised the handgun towards the deputies and fired his weapon at the deputies, missing them,” Gomez said. “Deputies returned fire, striking the suspect numerous times.”
Luna was hospitalized in stable condition, officials said. He was already on parole for a robbery at the time of his arrest.
No deputies were hurt, officials added, and the suspect’s handgun was recovered at the scene.
As with any Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy-involved shooting, the incident is under investigation by sheriff’s investigators, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the County of Los Angeles Office of Independent Review.
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High court appears split over Stolen Valor Act

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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appeared sharply divided Wednesday over a law that makes it a crime to lie about having been awarded top military honors.
The justices engaged in spirited debate over the constitutionality of a 2006 law aimed at curbing false claims about military exploits.
Some justices said they worried that upholding the Stolen Valor Act could lead to other limits on speech, including laws that might make it illegal to lie about an extramarital affair or a college degree, or to impress a date.
“Where do you stop?” Chief Justice John Roberts asked at one point.
But Roberts later joined other justices in indicating that the court could make clear that, if it upheld the law, it would only be endorsing an effort to prevent people from demeaning the system of military honors that was established by Gen. George Washington in 1782.
The Obama administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr., defended the law as targeted to “protect the integrity of the honors system.”
Justice Sonia Sotomayor seemed the least willing member of the court to accept the administration’s argument. She disputed that the value of the highest award, the Medal of Honor, or any others has been diminished because some people lie about having received them.
Sotomayor said the issue provokes a justifiable emotional reaction, but said previous Supreme
Court cases make clear that taking offense by itself is not enough to justify limiting speech.
“So outside of the emotional reaction, where’s the harm? And I’m not minimizing it. I, too, take offense when people make these kinds of claims, but I take offense when someone I’m dating makes a claim that’s not true,” said Sotomayor, who is divorced.
On the other side was Justice Antonin Scalia. “When Congress passed this legislation, I assume it did so because it thought that the value of the awards that these courageous members of the armed forces were receiving was being demeaned and diminished by charlatans. That’s what Congress thought,” Scalia said.
Jonathan Libby, the federal public defender arguing against the law, said Congress’ intent is hard to discern because it passed the legislation without any hearings.
Libby’s client, Xavier Alvarez, was one of the first people prosecuted for violating the Stolen Valor Act. Alvarez told a meeting of the Three Valleys Municipal Water District in Pomona, to which he had been elected, that he was a wounded war veteran who has received the Medal of Honor.
He never served in the armed forces.
– From the Associated Press. FULL STORY.
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Montebello doctor now accused of molesting eight patients

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LOS ANGELES — A doctor initially arrested by Montebello police earlier this year on suspicion of molesting one patient last year appeared in court Tuesday to answer allegations that he molested eight patients over the past five years, authorities said.
Arturo Vargas, 41, pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of molestation stemming from the allegations of eight women, according to court officials and an amended felony complaint filed against Vargas Feb. 6.
Montebello police initially arrested Vargas Jan. 4 at the end of a six-month investigation into a woman’s allegations that he sexually assaulted her during a July, 2011 medical exam at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Offices, 1550 Town Center Drive.
Information released to the public about the case against Vargas helped generate new leads in the case, which was expanded to include seven additional women who allege sexual assault by the doctor dating back as far as 2007, according to court documents.
“The police department put out a press release announcing the arrest,” Deputy District Attorney Martha Carrillo said. “It got disseminated, and potential victims came forward.”
Vargas was ordered to return to Los Angeles Superior Court March 15 for a preliminary hearing, court officials said.
Several of the alleged molestations occurred at the same Montebello medical office involved in the initial allegation against Vargas, however others took place at other Los Angeles County facilities, Carrillo said.
Vargas, who has no prior criminal history, has been employed with Kaiser Permanente since 2005, Montebello police officials said. Details on his career before Kaiser were not available.
He was placed on leave from his position with Kaiser at the beginning of the investigation, according to police and Kaiser officials.
 Further details were not immediately available.
Vargas was released after posting $200,000 bail within hours of his Jan. 4 arrest, according to county booking records.
He was re-arrested Feb. 6 after the amended complaint was filed in court and released the following day after posting $925,000 bail, records show.
According the the felony complaint filed against Vargas, he is charged with multiple counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object, sexual battery by fraud and sexual exploitation by a physician.
If convicted as charged, Vargas could face up to 104 years in state prison.
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Help sought finding La Mirada armed robber

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LA MIRADA — Sheriff’s detectives asked the public’s help Wednesday in tracking down a man who carried out an armed robbery at a pharmacy earlier this week.
The crime was reported Monday at CVS Pharmacy, 13525 Beach Blvd., Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.
The robber entered the store and placed some beer on the counter, according to the statement. He then allowed another customer to check out before him.
“The suspect paid for his items and then removed a small-caliber black handgun from his back pocket and pointed it at the (clerk),” the statement said. “He demanded that she open the register and then he removed the cash and fled on foot. No vehicle was seen.”
Deputies described the robber as a black man between 40 and 45 years old, about 6 feet tall, 200 pounds with dark-colored eyes. He wore a gray long-sleeved shirt, gray cotton pants and a red baseball cap with a “Nike” logo on it.
Stolen in the robbery was about $200 in cash, a 12-pack of Miller Lite beer and some beef jerky, officials added.
Anyone who recognized the robber is asked to call Detective Sierra at 562-902-2979, or the sheriff’s Norwalk Station at 562-863-8711. Tips may also be submitted anonymously by calling L.A. Crimestoppers at 800-222-8477.
PHOTO courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
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Man tackles attempted car theft suspect, holds him for police in Pasadena

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PASADENA — A 61-year-old man chased down and tackled a would-be car thief Tuesday, restraining him with the help of a good Samaritan until police arrived, authorities said.
Cole Decosta, 22, of Pasadena was booked on suspicion of attempted auto theft in connection with the 5:30 a.m. incident at the Ramada Inn, 2156 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena police Lt. Rick Aversano said.
The victim went to his work truck parked at the hotel when he spotted a man — later identified as Decosta — inside of it, the lieutenant said.
The man confronted the thief, who ran, Aversano said. The 61-year-old chased down and tacked the much-younger man and held him down with the help of a bystander until police officers arrived and arrested him.
According to county booking records, Decosta was being held in lieu of $35,000 bail pending arraignment Thursday in Pasadena Superior Court.
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If the shoe fits… West Covina robber leaves behind footwear

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WEST COVINA — West Covina police are looking for the man whose foot will fit the size 13 Nike rubber shoe left behind after a Tuesday night robbery.
A female police officer found the shoe that fell off the crooked Cinderfella’s foot as he fled with a bag containing an undisclosed amount.
The robber stole the bag from a woman at Westfield West Covina, 112 Plaza Drive just after 10 p.m., according to Lt. Marty Sevilla.
He said the woman went to a bank drop box on the first floor to deposit the day’s receipts from a kiosk at the mall.
The robber approached from behind and grabbed the woman’s wrist. Sevilla said the victim was knocked to the floor, the suspect took the bag and ran to a waiting light blue or gray minivan.
But the culprit left a clue.
“Apparently he lost one of his shoes,” Sevilla said, adding that the shoe was discovered in the parking lot after a review of the surveillance video.
The victim wasn’t taken to a hospital.
The robber was described as a black man in his late 20s to early 30s with a thin build and standing 5 feet 9 inches tall. He wore a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark-colored pants.
There was no description for the getaway driver.
– Ruby Gonzales
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Official: 44 dead in Mexico prison riot

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MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — A fight among inmates led to a prison riot in northern Mexico that killed 44 people Sunday, a security official said.

Nuevo Leon state public security spokesman Jorge Domene Zambrano said the riot broke out at about 2 a.m. in a high-security section of a prison in the city of Apodaca outside the northern industrial city of Monterrey.

Several inmates attacked others, and the fighting then spread and blew up into a riot, Domene said. Forty-four people died before authorities regained control of the prison a couple of hours later, he said.

Families of the prisoners gathered outside the prison pushing at the fences and shouting at police to demand word of the victims. READ MORE.

– From the Associated Press

PHOTO: Police hold back the relatives of inmates outside Apodaca correctional state facility as they try to get past the gates in Apodaca on the outskirts of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday Feb. 19, 2012. A fight among inmates at the prison led to a riot that killed dozens on Sunday, according to a security official. (AP Photo/Hand Maximo Musielik)

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Stabbing reported at West Covina mall

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WEST COVINA — An 18-year-old man suffered a stab wound to his arm Saturday during a fight between two groups of teenagers at the Westfield West Covina mall, police said.
A group of four teenagers, who were described as members of a “tagging crew,” became involved in an altercation with three other young men in the 1000 block of West Covina Parkway, at the southeast end of the mall, about 6:20 p.m., West Covina police Lt. Jerry Pearman said.
During a fistfight between the two groups, one of the taggers pulled a knife, the lieutenant said, stabbing one of the other combatants in the arm.
The injured teen was taken to a hospital for treatment, Pearman said.
Police searched the area, but the suspects were not found, he said.
The stabber was described as a Latino boy of about 17 years, of thin build and with a shaved head.
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Tragedy to triumph: Teen center hosts grand opening in Covina

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COVINA — A nonprofit athletic and academic training center for San Gabriel Valley teens threw open its doors Saturday with an emotional ceremony and a joyful celebration.
The Man-E Moreno Foundation’s “212 Training Center” is a dream four years in the making. And though the grand opening ceremony was a cheerful event for all in attendance, the origin of the center was a tragedy — the 2007 murder of 26-year-old Manuel Joseph Moreno.
The young graphic artist was gunned down on Nov. 10, 2007, in his hometown of Covina by a gunman who remains unidentified.
In the wake of Manuel’s death, family members including brother Robert Moreno and parents Charlie and Evelyn Moreno forged their devastation into determination and founded the Man-E Moreno Foundation, dedicated to keeping young people on a positive path and away from gang, drugs and violence.
Since then, the foundation has worked with local youths and comforted families of other murder victims as it worked toward the goal of establishing a permanent street address in the San Gabriel Valley.
The culmination of that dream came Saturday, as Robert Moreno cut the ribbon in front of the 212 Training Center in the midst of an accompanying block party.
“I’m not here to dwell on my brother’s murder, but that event birthed a vision,” he said. “I’d rather turn this tragedy into a triumph.”
Through the center, Robert Moreno said, he hoped to help ensure other young people do not stray down the path of violence and crime.
Officials including Covina Police Chief Kim Raney and Mayor John King welcomed the center to town and commended the Moreno family for their work, and their resilience in the face of tragedy.

“From that tragedy, God still had a plan for this family. And this family has taken hold of that calling,” the mayor said.
“This is the kind of place where kids can come and see a different path,” King said. “A place to go to train both their minds and their bodies.”
The 3,700-square-foot 212 Training Center, 542 N. Second Avenue, offers a synthetic turf covered sports training facility, complete with a batting cage, weight training system and other equipment, and professional athletic trainers have volunteered to staff the gym.
The center also houses a classroom-style study lab, complete with computers and white boards.
Each center member is required to complete one hour of study for every hour of athletic training, Robert Moreno explained.
The center, which espouses Christian principals, is also designed to provide positive mentoring and encouragement to young people, he added.
The name of the center, “212,” is taken from the center’s motivational philosophy, Moreno family members said.
At 211 degrees Fahrenheit, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils, Moreno said. 212 is a symbol for putting in “that extra degree” of effort, whether it’s in sports, academics or daily life.
Many family members of other homicide victims attended the grand opening to support the center.
“We’re behind them 100 percent,” said Tina Yamashiro, aunt to 16-year-old Sammantha Salas, who was fatally shot on Jan., 26, 2008, near her father’s home in an unincorporated county area near Monrovia.
She attended the event with her husband, Ernie.
“They do a really fantastic job for the young generation,” she said.
Moreno thanked the city, Covina police and sponsors such as Home Depot, Pregra Artificial Grass and and TRX Suspension Training for their support.
“We’re not going to live in the past, we’re going to go after our future,” Robert Moreno said. “This is just the beginning. We look forward to expanding the facility and reaching more kids.”
For more information on the 212 Training Center, call 626-407-3989, or e-mail info@man-efoundation.org.

PHOTO: Man-E Moreno Foundation President Robert Moreno, right, speaks at the

grand opening of the 212 Training Center in Covina along with Covina
Mayor John King, center, and Covina Police Chief Kim Raney. (Brian Day)

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$100 million worth of PCP seized in L.A. bust

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LOS ANGELES — Authorities say $100 million worth of PCP and nearly $400,000 in cash has been seized at multiple locations in Los Angeles and Culver City.
The seizure is reportedly being described as a major bust of a national drug-trafficking organization that was distributing to Texas, New York, Washington D.C. and other cities.
The huge cache of PCP totals roughly 10 million individual doses, which in the Los Angeles area sell for between $10 and $20 each
The drug was found at two storage facilities and several other locations. Two assault weapons were also seized.
Two suspects were arrested Wednesday at a UPS store in Culver City where they were allegedly trying to ship narcotics.
The bust was announced by the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force.
– From the Associated Press
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