Stolen car, drugs, gun recovered from gang members in Covina

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COVINA >> Police jailed three gang members late Friday after finding them driving through Covina in stolen car, with two ounces of methamphetamine and a loaded handgun, officials said.
Officers were on a special patrol due to increased crime in the area when they spotted a suspicious car with no license plates driving in the 1000 block of West Cypress Street, Covina city officials said in a written statement.
The officers pulled over the car, which contained driver Ricardo Castillo, 35, of Baldwin Park, as well as passengers Mary Magalena Leos, 26, of Baldwin Park and Marco Antonio Villaneda, 35, of West Covina, according to city officials and Los Angeles County booking records. All three are documented gang members.
0410_NWS_SGT-L-GANG2Police soon found the car had been reported stolen in Las Vegas, and noticed a bullet hole in the driver-side door, officials said. Castillo admitted the car had been shot in Baldwin Park last week.
Police found Villaneda in possession of two ounces of methamphetamine, and Leos had property not belonging to her.
“A loaded hand gun was also located concealed in the engine compartment of the vehicle,” according to the statement.
Castillo was booked on suspicion of auto theft, being a felon in possession of a gun and driving on a suspended license. Villaneda was booked on suspicion of auto theft, possession of a controlled substance for sales and being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm. Leos was booked for misappropriation of found property and two outstanding warrants.
According to county booking records, Castillo and Villaneda had both been released from jail Saturday afternoon pending their initial court appearances after posting $25,000 and $30,000 bail, respectively. Leos was being held without bail.

PHOTOS:
[TOP] Ricardo Castillo, 35, of Baldinn Park, Marco Villaneda, 35, of West Covina and Mary Leos, 26, of Baldwin Park.
[BELOW] Police recovered stolen car, two ounces of methamphetamine and a loaded handgun after pulling over a car containing three gang members in the 1000 block of West Cypress Street in Covina on Friday, April 8, 2016. (Courtesy)

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Traffic stop in San Marino nets stolen car, drugs, gun, two arrests

SAN MARINO >> Police jailed a wanted Alhambra man and his girlfriend after the man fled from a stolen car, which contained drugs and a gun, in San Marino early Sunday, police said.
The series of events began when police in San Marino pulled over a car in their city, according to Alhambra police officials, who assisted San Marino police.
“The male driver fled on foot, leaving his girlfriend behind inside the car,” Alhambra police officials said in a written statement. “Unfortunately for the fleeing suspect, he left his driver license in the car.”
Officers detained the female suspect and discovered a gun and drugs inside the car, which had been reported stolen, officials said. It was also determined that the fleeing man had several outstanding warrants for his arrest.
Police began keeping watch over the male suspect’s home in Alhambra, suspecting he may be trying to make his way there. An officer spotted the man walking down the street.
“The officer was able to sneak up on the subject and detain him,” according to the Alhambra police statement. “The subject was identified as the same person who fled from the San Marino officer.”
The suspects identities were not available Sunday. San Marino police, who are handling the investigation, could not be reached for comment.

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Monterey Park doctor sentenced for diet pill distribution, insurance fraud

LOS ANGELES >> A Monterey Park doctor received a four-year jail sentence Friday for prescribing diet pills without a legitimate medical purpose and insurance fraud, authorities said.
Dr. Thomas Lin, 46, was scheduled to surrender Friday evening after pleading “no contest” in December to two felony counts, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s officials said in a written statement.
“Lin provided diet pills known as phentermine, a controlled substance, through his pediatrics clinic known as “Kid’s M.D.” on Atlantic Boulevard in Monterey Park,” according to the statement.
He also fraudulently billed Medi-Cal and other insurers for services never rendered, prosecutors said.
“Over the course of several months in 2012, investigators from the California Medical Board posed as new patients and were able to secure phentermine with little or no physical examination by Dr. Lin,” according to the district attorney’s office statement. “Investigators received the drug either by paying his front office staff or receiving the drug for free.”
After serving two years in custody, Lin is to remain on mandatory supervision for another two years, officials said.
Prior to pleading “no contest” to the two felony charges, Lin was initially named in a 55-count indictment. If convicted on all original charges, he could have faced up to 34 years in state prison.

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Covina doctor agrees to plead guilty to federal drug distribution, money laundering charges

LOS ANGELES >> A Covina doctor accused of prescribing a powerful painkiller to an undercover investigator, then laundering the proceeds, agreed to plead guilty Thursday to two federal charges, officials said.
Dr. Daniel Cham, 48, of Covina — who operated medical offices in La Puente and Artesia — agreed to enter guilty pleas to one count of distribution of oxycodone and one count of money laundering, US Department of Justice spokesman Thom Mrozek said in a written statement.
“Painkillers like oxycodone can be life-threatening to those who abuse them,” US Attorney Eileen M. Decker said. “Many of the prescription drugs that find their way to the street come from doctors who prescribe them without medical justification. This defendant put lives at risk for money, making him no different than street-level drug dealer.”
Cham admitted that he wrote prescriptions for oxycodone for an undercover agent at his La Puente office three times in 2014, Mrozek said.
Each time, he accepted $200 to $300 in money orders in exchange, officials said. On at least one occasion, Cham then deposited the funds into a bank account in the name of another business.
The deposits were made in order to “conceal and disguise the nature and source of the money order,” according to the plea agreement.
Cham wrote prescriptions for oxycodone for an undercover agent at his La Puente office three times in 2014, Mrozek said. Each time, he accepted $200 to $300 in money orders in exchange.
“As discussed in the affidavit, Cham issued a prescription for oxycodone even though the undercover operative said he ‘had been high and drunk while receiving controlled substance prescriptions’ previously from Cham.” Mrozek said. “On another occasion, Cham prescribed oxycodone even though the undercover law enforcement officer presented, in lieu of photo identification, a written notice that his license had been suspended for driving under the influence.”
Cham often saw patients between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. on weekends, but post-dated prescriptions to they would appear to have been issued on weekdays, officials said.
The doctor wrote more than 5,500 prescriptions for powerful drugs such as oxycodone and hydrocodone over a one-year period ending in March of 2014, Mrozek said. “And he issued more than 42,000 such prescriptions since July 2010.”
Cham is expected to formally enter his guilty plea April 4 in federal court in Los Angeles.
He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each of the two felony counts he had admitted to, according to Mrozek. He also agreed to forfeit more than $60,000 in admitted proceeds from his crimes.
A federal grand jury returned a 31-count indictment against Cham in October of 2014. If convicted as originally charged, he could have faced more than 300 years in federal prison.

Dr. Daniel Cham Plea Agreement

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Marijuana, LSD and cash seized during Diamond Bar ‘honey oil’ lab raid

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DIAMOND BAR >> Deputies made five arrests Wednesday as they raided a concentrated cannabis “honey oil” lab at a Diamond Bar home, seizing about $85,000 worth of concentrated an unprocessed marijuana, $15,000 worth of liquid LSD and $6,000 in cash, authorities said.
Narcotics investigators from the sheriff’s Walnut-Diamond Bar Station carried out the raid about 1:30 p.m. at a house in the 200 block of South River Rock Road, deputies from the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau said in a written statement.
0324_NWS_SGT-L-HONEYOIL2“LASD narcotics detectives discovered an active honey oil marijuana extraction lab, where approximately one pound total of concentrated cannabis and unfinished cannabis product were seized,” according to the statement, “ The street value for the concentrated cannabis was estimated at approximately $15,000 and $70,000 for the unfinished cannabis product.:
Deputies also found and seized two one-ounce vials of a liquid form of the psychedelic drug LSD, valued at about $15,000, the deputies added. “Approximately $6,000 in currency was also seized.”
0324_NWS_SGT-L-HONEYOIL3Three men and two women between 18 and 23 years old were arrested during the raid, officials said. Four of them live at the home.
Sheriff’s officials withheld the suspect’s names as the investigation continued Wednesday night.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s Walnut-Diamond Bar Station at 909-595-2264. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

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PHOTOS courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

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Alleged heroin dealer from San Bernardino jailed in Alhambra


ALHAMBRA >> Police arrested an alleged heroin dealer from San Bernardino early Wednesday after he was found driving through Alhambra with 25 small bindles of heroin in his pocket, officials said
Alejandro Fuentes, 31, was booked on suspicion of possession of heroin with intent to distribute following his 2:55 a.m. arrest in the area of Valley Boulevard and Marguerita Avenue, Alhambra police Sgt. Jerry Johnson said.
An officer noticed Fuentes at the wheel of car parked behind a closed medical office, the sergeant said.
As the officer approached the vehicle, it drove off, Johnson said. The officer pulled it over nearby. There were three passengers in the car with Fuentes.
Police soon determined Fuentes was unlicensed and discovered 25 small packages of heroin wrapped in clear plastic in his pocket.
The car was searched and Fuentes’ three passengers were not arrested.
Fuentes was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail pending his initial court appearance, Johnson said.

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Convicted felons charged with ID theft, drug, gun crimes following arrest in Montebello

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MONTEBELLO >>MONTEBELLO >> Prosecutors Tuesday charged two convicted felons who were released previously released early from jail as a result of Proposition 47 with new charges including drug-, gun- and identity theft-related crimes after a traffic stop in Montebello last week led to their arrests, authorities said.
David Castaneda, 33, faces charges of unauthorized use of another person’s identifying information, fraudulent possession of another persons identifying information, two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a gun, possession of drugs for sales and possession of a firearm with drugs, according to Montebello police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
Jonathan Gonzales, 29, is accused of unauthorized use of another person’s identifying information and fraudulent possession of another person’s identifying information, Montebello police officials said in a written statement.
Castaneda was already on parole for robbery and was being sought as an parolee-at-large, police said. Gonzales was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon.
“Both suspects were early release parolees as a result of Proposition 47,” according to the statement.
Montebello police pulled over a car containing the two men about 12:30 a.m. on March 3 in their city, officials said.
“Castaneda was found in possession of several credit cards not in his name. Several stolen and altered checks were also located inside the vehicle in the names of different victims,” according tot he statement.”
“Gonzalez was found in possession of approximately 20 credit cards, drivers’ licenses, health insurance cards and credit receipts not in his name,” the statement continued.
Both men were arrested on suspicion of identity theft-related crimes.
A search of Castaneda’s South Gat home the follow day yielded two handguns, 12 ounces of methamphetamine, marijuana and property believed to have been obtained “through fraudulent means,” according to the statement.
Castaneda and Gonzales were each being held without bail, records show. Castaneda was scheduled to appear in Los Angeles Superior Court March 10, while Gonzalez was scheduled to appear in the same court March 18.

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Police: Felon found in possession of assault rifle, sawed off shotgun, handgun, ammo, drugs in Whittier

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WHITTIER >> What began as a routine traffic accident investigation earlier this week ended with police arresting of the involved drivers, a convicted felon, after finding an AK-47-style rifle, a sawed-off shotgun, a handgun and drugs in his car, authorities said.
Joshua David Fink, 38, was booked on suspicion of being convicted felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of illegal weapons, possession of drugs while armed and existing warrants following his Wednesday morning arrest, according to Whittier police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
Police responded to a two-car crash shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday in the 15400 block of Whittier Boulevard, Whittier police Lt. Mike Przybyl said. Further details were not available regarding the collision itself, but it was not believed to involved any major injuries.
“As paramedics were treating one of the drivers, they noticed a handgun hidden in the car,” police said in a written statement. “Officers conducted a field investigation and recovered a handgun, assault rifle, sawed-off shotgun, ammunition and drugs from the vehicle.”
Fink appeared in Bellflower Superior Court Friday, where he was charged with seven gun- and drug-related crimes, court documents show. His arraignment hearing was postponed until Monday, officials said.

PHOTO courtesy of the Whittier Police Department.

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Whittier woman arrested during drug bust


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WHITTIER >> Police arrested a 50-year-old woman on suspicion of selling methamphetamine out of her Whittier apartment during an early-morning raid Thursday, officials said.
Sylvia Diane Garcia was arrested about 6 a.m. when Whittier police Special Enforcement Team members served a search warrant at her apartment in the 7700 block of Bright Avenue, according to police and Los Angeles County booking records.
Officers recovered methamphetamine and “items consistent with narcotics sales” at the home, Whittier police Lt. Aaron Ruiz said. It was unclear how much of the drug was seized.
Garcia was being held in lieu of $60,000 bail pending her initial court appearance, records show.

PHOTO courtesy of the Whittier Police Department

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Early-morning raid in Whittier targets alleged meth dealer


WHITTIER >> Police arrested an alleged drug dealer, seizing methamphetamine and cash, while serving a search warrant at a Whittier apartment early Wednesday, officials said.
A police SWAT team served the warrant about 7 a.m. in the 7200 block of Milton Avenue and arrested 54-year-old Larry Paul Salazar of Whittier, according to Whittier police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
In addition to methamphetamine and cash, police also seized scales and other drug paraphernalia, Whittier police officials said in a written statement.
He was booked on suspicion of possession of drugs for sale and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.
It was unclear Wednesday how much methamphetamine was seized. Police seized about $1,000 in suspected drug proceeds, Lt. Mike Przybyl said.
Salazar was being held in lieu of $90,000 bail pending his initial court appearance, records show.

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