Best Defender Bytes:

A Ventura County man was charged today with stealing a police vehicle and leading officers on a chase from Hollywood to the San Fernando Valley, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Ethan Rutland (dob 9/19/89) faces one felony count each of fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle while driving recklessly and driving or taking a law enforcement or fire department vehicle without consent.

Rutland is expected to be arraigned today in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center in case BA467024. Prosecutors requested that bail be set at $150,000.

According to prosecutors, two Los Angeles Police Department officers were responding to a call of an unrelated suspect running from other officers on Vine Street toward Hollywood Boulevard just past 1 a.m. Friday. After they joined the foot pursuit, Rutland allegedly entered the patrol SUV and drove away, leading to a police chase.

The defendant allegedly drove the vehicle onto the northbound 101 Freeway and then exited in Woodland Hills, where officers stopped the SUV and arrested him, prosecutors said. (more…)

SACRAMENTO – Today, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced that the world’s largest online brothel, Backpage.com, and affiliated websites have been seized and shut down. The website’s closure follows a joint law enforcement effort involving the California Department of Justice (CA DOJ), United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, United States Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the office of the Texas Attorney General.

In August 2017, the CA DOJ commenced a criminal prosecution against the operators of Backpage.com in People of the State of California v. Carl Ferrer, Michael Lacey, & James Larkin. This case is being prosecuted in Sacramento County Superior Court.

“Last Friday, the world’s largest online brothel was taken down,” said Attorney General Becerra. “We welcome and salute the action of our federal partners to ensure that those who traffic young women and men online are held accountable, not just for their crimes in California but throughout the world. Our office will continue to work in partnership with federal and state law enforcement agencies to protect those who are exploited and sold for sex.

”For additional background information on People of the State of California v. Carl Ferrer, Michael Lacey, & James Larkin visit: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-court-allows-prosecution-sex-trafficking-backpagecom.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra  Monday, April 9, 2018

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department today announced the seizure of Backpage.com(link is external), the Internet’s leading forum for prostitution ads, including ads depicting the prostitution of children. Additionally, seven individuals have been charged in a 93-count federal indictment with the crimes of conspiracy to facilitate prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce, facilitating prostitution using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce, conspiracy to commit money laundering, concealment money laundering, international promotional money laundering, and transactional money laundering.

The seven defendants charged in the indictment are Michael Lacey, 69, of Paradise Valley, Arizona; James Larkin, 68, of Paradise Valley, Arizona; Scott Spear, 67, of Scottsdale, Arizona; John E. “Jed” Brunst, 66, of Phoenix, Arizona; Daniel Hyer, 49, of Dallas, Texas; Andrew Padilla, 45, of Plano, Texas and Jaala Joye Vaught, 37, of Addison, Texas.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange for the District of Arizona, U.S. Attorney Nicola T. Hanna of the Central District of California, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chief Postal Inspector Guy Cottrell and Chief Don Fort of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) made the announcement.

“For far too long, Backpage.com(link is external) existed as the dominant marketplace for illicit commercial sex, a place where sex traffickers frequently advertised children and adults alike,” said Attorney General Sessions. “But this illegality stops right now. Last Friday, the Department of Justice seized Backpage, and it can no longer be used by criminals to promote and facilitate human trafficking. I want to thank everyone who made this important seizure possible: all of our dedicated and committed professionals in the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and our U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Arizona, the FBI, our partners with the IRS Criminal Investigation, our Postal Inspectors, and the Texas and California Attorney Generals’ offices. With their help, we have put an end to the violence, abuse, and heartache that has been perpetrated using this site, and we have taken a major step toward keeping women and children across America safe.” (more…)

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – A man who sodomized a toddler was sentenced today to 25 years to life in state prison after the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One reversed a trial judge’s illegal 10-year sentence.

“Sodomizing a 4 year old is obviously a heinous crime. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office rightfully pursued the life sentence to make sure this defendant received the mandatory 25 years to life,” stated District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

Circumstances of the Case

• On June 4, 2014, Rojano-Nieto was in a garage detached from a Santa Ana house playing video games when 3-year-old Jane Doe walked in.
• Rojano-Nieto became sexually aroused upon seeing her, locked the garage door, then sexually assaulted Jane Doe by sodomizing her.
• When Jane Doe’s mother went to look for the victim and approached the garage door, the defendant covered Jane Doe’s mouth. (more…)
  

  

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A serial arsonist was charged today with setting six fires in Mission Viejo.

Circumstances of the Case

• At the time of the crime, the defendant was a former student of Mission Viejo High School (MVHS).
• Between March 28, 2018, and April 4, 2018, Frye is accused of lighting multiple fires at MVHS and one fire at the Kaleidoscope shopping center in Mission Viejo.
• On March 30, 2018, the defendant is accused of unlawfully attempting to enter MVHS and attempting to set fire to a structure on campus. (more…)
  

  

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was convicted today of trafficking, pimping, and pandering a 16-year-old girl in Santa Ana.

Circumstances of the Case

• Harris a being human trafficker/pimp who exploits women and/or children for financial gain. The victims are required to turn over all payment they receive for sex acts from sex purchasers to their pimp. (more…)
  

  

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A police officer pleaded guilty today to stealing money from fellow officers out of a collection of donations intended to purchase a gift for a retiring colleague.

Circumstances of the Case

• At the time of the crime, Ricci was a detective with the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD).
• Between Dec. 8, 2016, and Dec. 15, 2016, Ricci stole donations from other HBPD employees intended to go toward a gift for a retiring colleague from an envelope at HBPD headquarters. (more…)
  

  

The Justice Department today announced that three East Los Angeles men have agreed to plead guilty to federal civil rights and racketeering charges for participating in the 2014 firebombing of African-American residences inside the Ramona Gardens Housing Development.

On the night of May 11, 2014, eight members of the Big Hazard street gang, which claims Ramona Gardens as its territory, assembled, prepared Molotov cocktails, drove outside of Ramona Gardens, then reentered the housing development on foot to avoid its security cameras. Once the gang members located their pre-selected targets, they smashed the windows of four apartments and threw lit Molotov cocktails into the residences, according to the plea agreements. Three of the four targeted apartments were occupied by African-American families, including women and children, who were sleeping at the time of the unprovoked attack.

In plea agreements filed today in the Central District of California, the three defendants – Jose Saucedo, aka “Lil’ Moe,” 24, Edwin Felix, aka “Boogie,” 26, and Jonathan Portillo, aka “Pelon,” 23, all members of the Big Hazard street gang – admitted that they targeted the apartments because of the occupants’ race and color, and with the intent to force the victims to move away from the federally funded housing complex in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles.

“The defendants’ racially motivated and unprovoked attack on families sleeping peacefully in their homes caused fear and destruction,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute violent acts of hate.” (more…)

SANTA ANA, California – Three Orange County men have been charged in a scheme to use the synthetic opioid fentanyl and a similar drug to manufacture and distribute counterfeit pharmaceutical pills designed to look like brand-name oxycodone pills.

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday in United States District Court alleges that the men obtained fentanyl and an analogue called cyclopropyl fentanyl through internet suppliers, used a pill press to make counterfeit pills, and distributed the narcotics through the mails, often arranging sales through a darknet marketplace.

The complaint alleges one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The three defendants named in the complaint are:

·         Wyatt Pasek, 21, of Santa Ana;

·         Isaiah Suarez, 22, of Newport Beach; and

·         Duc Cao, 20, of Orange.

All three men were taken into custody Tuesday afternoon in conjunction with the execution of federal search warrants across Orange County. They were charged in federal court on Wednesday and made their initial court appearances on Wednesday afternoon. All three defendants remain in custody at this time. (more…)

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Law enforcement is seeking potential additional victims of a water polo coach who was arraigned today for sexually assaulting underage female players during practice sessions in Los Alamitos.

Circumstances of the Case

• At the time of the crime, Hojreh was employed at the International Water Polo Club in Los Alamitos as a club water polo coach.
• Between September 2014 and January 2018, the defendant is accused of sexually assaulting seven underage female water polo players during one-on-one coaching sessions, including touching their breasts and genitals, digitally penetrating victims, and coerced them to touch his genital area. Four of the victims were 15 years old or younger. (more…)