NORWALK — A Corona man accused of killing his girlfriend’s 17-month-old daughter while baby-sitting her in La Mirada pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of murder and child assault on a child causing death.

Mark Edward Vaughn, 21, appeared in Norwalk Superior Court for an arraignment, court officials said. After entering his plea, he was ordered back to court Sept. 24 for a pre-trial hearing.

He’s charged with the murder of Jayden Brianne Turner, who died at a hospital four days after suffering head injuries while Vaughn watched over her Jan. 20 at a home in the 15200 block of Valeda Drive in La Mirada, investigators said.

Vaughn told officials the toddler fell off a chair and hit her head, however Orange County coroner’s officials found the injuries to be inconsistent with Vaughn’s story, detectives said.

Coroner’s investigators ruled the death a homicide due to blunt force trauma to the head, and Vaughn was arrested on suspicion of the killing April 3. He has remained in custody in lieu of $1 million bail ever since.

NORWALK — A La Mirada man received a 7-year prison sentence Wednesday for striking and fatally injuring a 72-year-old La Mirada man, then fleeing the scene, authorities said.

Geoffrey Rocha, 28, was sentenced by Norwalk Superior Court Commissioner Michel Schurr after pleading no contest to a charge of vehicular manslaughter in July, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney’s officials. Rocha also admitted the special allegation of fleeing the scene.

Raul Quintanilla was out for his morning walk about 4:30 a.m. Sept. 20, 2011, when he was struck by a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Rocha at Santa Gertrudes Avenue and Lawnhill Drive, investigators said.

The though crash was severe and caused “horrific” injuries to Quintanilla, Rocha continued driving and abandoned his car about a mile-and-a-half away, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s traffic investigator Deputy Jeff Tibbets.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors Wednesday dismissed additional charges of driving on a suspended license and hit-and-run were dismissed, officials said.

Quintanilla was a La Mirada resident for more than 40 years, family members his said.

He’s survived by his wife, Elida, who read a victim impact statement at Wednesday sentencing, two sons, a granddaughter, three brothers and two sisters.

Rocha’s brother, 30-year-old Gregory Rocha of La Mirada, died in a crash six months earlier at the same intersection, officials said.

He was a passenger in a pickup truck that crashed March 5, 2011, killing both him and the driver. The cause of the crash was determined to have been caused by drunken driving.

LA MIRADA — Deputies are seeking a woman and man who pepper-sprayed and robbed a man in his apartment, then struck him with their car as he chased after them late Wednesday.

The victim, a 23-year-old man, had invited a female friend he knew only as “Audri” over for a visit to his home in the 15000 block of Leffingwell Road, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Craig Harmon said. She was described as white and between 23 and 25 years old.

While in the apartment about 11:30 p.m., the woman sprayed the man with pepper spray, snatched about $300 that was inside the apartment and fled, the sergeant said.

The woman got into a dark blue, four-door car with paper license plated, Harmon said. It was being driven by a white man between 23 and 27 years old.

The victim chased after the robbers, who sideswiped him with their car as they fled, Harmon said. He was treated for minor injuries.

The robbers had not been found Thursday.

LA MIRADA — Deputies hunted down and arrested a suspected gang member who brandished a handgun at them before fleeing and breaking into a house to hide early Friday, authorities said.

Robert McAfee, 28, of unincorporated Whittier, was booked on suspicion of possession of a loaded firearm and burglary, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Bill Evans said.

Deputies responded about 7:15 a.m. to a report of a “suspicious person” in the area of Rosecrans Avenue and Figueras Road, the lieutenant said.

The callers suspicions turned out to be founded, Evans said, as deputies arrived to find the man clutching a semi-automatic handgun.

“He basically challenged deputies, saying, ‘what are you gonna do? What are you gonna do?,’” Evans said.

“The deputies didn’t have a clear shot. There were people in the background,” he added.

McAfee then put the gun in his pocket and ran, officials said.

Deputies searched the area and ultimately found McAfee hiding inside a Figueras Road house he had broken into, Evans said.

STAFF photos by Keith Durflinger

DOWNEY — The initial court appearance for a 22-year-old La Mirada middle school substitute teacher accused of exchanging sexually graphic images with a 13-year-old student has been postponed until later this month, officials said.

Taylor Welch, who substituted at Arlie F. Hutchinson Middle School in the Norwalk-La Mirada School District was initially scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Downey Superior Court, according to county booking records.

After he posted $140,000 bail and was released from jail shortly after his arrest, the hearing was re-scheduled for May 22, court officials said.

At the arraignment, formal charges of lewd acts with a child and exchanging sexually graphic content are expected to be read, and Welch will have an opportunity to enter a plea.

According to sheriff’s investigators, Welch has taught at the school since September. He has taught at no other schools.

He met the alleged victim, a 13-year-old girl, in the classroom, officials said.

Welch and the girl contacted each other on Facebook in December, ultimately exchanging of sexually explicit material, sheriff’s investigators said in a written statement. The pair also was believed to have had inappropriate contact in the classroom after class.

Detectives allege that Welch exchanged sexually graphic photographs, live video feeds and “sexting” messages with the student.

LOS ANGELES — Two San Gabriel Valley residents are accused of leading a mortgage fraud ring that stole $2.3 million from CitiMortage and MetLife Bank, authorities announced Wednesday.

Gerard Bueno, 35, of La Habra Heights and Jesus Vega Jr., 28, of Hacienda Heights are accused of leading the fraud ring, which also included seven others, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Detective Christopher Derry said in a written statement.

One New York man and six other California residents were arrested in connection with the scheme, Derry said, including George Kent, 66, of La Mirada.

Between 2007 and 2009, Bueno ran an organization he called Pres Mex, Inc., while Vega ran a group called JVJ, Inc., authorities said.

The two are accused of fraudulently obtaining titles to six Los Angeles County homes through “various means,” the detective said.

“They then obtained loans against the properties in the names of straw buyers, two of which were identity theft victims, and in effect ‘sold’ the properties to themselves at inflated prices that they themselves set,” Derry said.

“Bueno and Vega Jr. recruited friends, family members and acquaintances to act as straw buyers, provided stolen identities, provided false bank account verifications, provided false employment information, and notarized documents when signers were not present,” he added. “Bueno and Vega Jr. split the profits from the fraudulent sales, and paid the other suspects for the aforementioned acts. All six fraudulently obtained loans that went into default.”

Investigators began rounding up the nine suspects April 12 and arrested the final suspect Wednesday, officials said. The suspect jailed in New York was awaiting extradition to California.

The nine suspects are charged with a variety of crimes including grand theft, identity theft, forgery and procuring or offering false or forged instruments, Derry said.

The investigation was handled by the sheriff’s Commercial Crimes Bureau Real Estate Fraud Team and the U.S. Department of Housing and Development.

PHOTO of Gerald Garcia-Barron courtesy of the Alhambra Police Department

LA MIRADA – A man walking on the street was robbed of his jewelry and cash Wednesday night.

Sheriff’s Lt. Frank Rivera said the man was in the 14100 block of De Alcala Drive around 8 p.m. when a gray Ford Taurus pulled up.

Three men got out of the car, walked up to the pedestrian and demanded his money, according to Rivera. He said at least one of the robbers was seen with a gun.

The robbers took the man’s money, watch and other jewelry then drove off. They were only described as Latinos.

- Ruby Gonzales