SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was charged today with soliciting another to commit rape after attempting to purchase a 4-year-old girl for sex through an online escort. Defendant Charges Maximum Sentence Court Date Nicolas Ryan Castillo, 29, Yorba Linda Charged on Ap...

The U.S. Department of Justice today filed a civil action in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California against the State of California, Governor of California Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown Jr., and the California State Lands Commission, seeking a declaration that California Senate ...

LOS ANGELES – The owner of a Canadian telemarketing operation was convicted yesterday by a federal jury of mail and wire fraud for having orchestrated a bogus telemarketing scheme that defrauded at least 60,000 victims of over $18 million dollars. After fighting extradition for over 10 years, M...

LOS ANGELES – The lead defendant in a federal case against a sophisticated identity-theft ring that defrauded several victim financial institutions out of millions of dollars was sentenced on Monday to over six years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Lei Chen, 51, of Pasad...

A Mountain House, California man pleaded guilty today in Sacramento for trafficking in counterfeit sports apparel. Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI's Sacramento Field Office and Sheriff S...

RIVERSIDE – A Twentynine Palms man appeared in federal court yesterday afternoon on a federal charge alleging that he illegally started the Oasis of Mara/Joshua Tree Fire, which damaged historic trees and other National Park resources in a 2.5-acre area behind the Oasis Visitor Center in Joshua ...

A Bryant Street gang member was sentenced today to 300 years to life in state prison for the murder of a man hit by a stray bullet during a 2015 shooting in Canoga Park, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. Ariel Baker Paniagua Jr., 25, of Canoga Park was convicted on Sept...

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A disbarred attorney was charged with grand theft and unauthorized practice of law after stealing over $200,000 in client funds for personal use. The defendant was extradited to Orange County yesterday after moving to Idaho. Defendant Charg...

LOS ANGELES – The Palm Springs Art Museum has entered into a voluntary agreement with the United States to resolve allegations that the museum violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide scripts for audio programs or properly functioning assistive-listening devices, ...

A 28-year-old man was sentenced today to 31 years to life in state prison for sexually abusing two Palmdale sisters ages 9 and 11, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. Deputy District Attorney Lyle Riggs said Jerardo Garcia Sierra (dob 4/23/89) pleaded no contest on Feb. 2...

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit in the Central District of California against California Auto Finance, alleging that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by repossessing protected servicemembers' motor vehicles without obtaining the necessary court orders. The Justi...

A Utah man pleaded guilty today to repeatedly sexually abusing a young girl over the span of seven years, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. At today's court appearance, Timothy John Bennett (dob 4/29/72) pleaded guilty to a felony count of continuous sexual abuse in cas...

The co-owner of a Newhall barbecue restaurant was sentenced today to 90 days in jail for sexually assaulting a former employee, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. Deputy District Attorney Taylor Carr said Sam Albert Gardian (dob 8/12/67) also was sentenced to three years...

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was sentenced to 23 years in state prison today for attempting to murder a woman by paying undercover Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) officers posing as hitmen. Defendant Charges Sentence Joseph Jordan Taylor, 32, Huntington Beach ...

LOS ANGELES – Two members of the Gardena Police Department were charged by a federal grand jury with participating in a scheme in which they purchased “off-roster” firearms not available to the general public and illegally operated businesses that resold the weapons. The two police officers wer...

An Orange County public adjuster was sentenced to 10 years in state prison today for pocketing more than $1.2 million from fire victims' insurance payouts, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. Jose Villa (dob 3/8/56) of San Clemente pleaded no contest to eight felony count...

LOS ANGELES – A Pasadena man was sentenced today for the commission of a series of bank robberies culminating in an armed robbery at a Pasadena bank where he brandished a shotgun and placed it to the side of a bank employee's head while demanding money. Shownee Shon Smith, 41, was sentenced tod...

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A hitman is scheduled to face trial on Monday for the 2004 special circumstances murder of a woman whose killing was solicited by her estranged husband. Defendant Charges Maximum Sentence Court Date ...

Edward N. Levine, 67, a resident of Novato, California, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison and followed by three years of supervised release for the sale of two black rhinoceros horns in Las Vegas. Levine will also be prohibited from wildlife and antique sales as a result of today's sente...

LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced the arrest and filing of criminal charges against Edgardo Guerrero of “Oficina Guerrero” in Inglewood. Guerrero, who is not an attorney, defrauded undocumented immigrants and their families seeking lawful permanent residence...

A 26-year-old man was sentenced today to 25 years to life in state prison for fatally beating his 6- month-old daughter in 2013, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. On Feb. 8, jurors found Eduardo Orozco of Whittier guilty of two felony counts in case VA130104: second-deg...

A Sunland man is facing charges for allegedly impersonating an FBI agent and attempting to take a weapon into a county jail, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. Greg Nickol Baghoomian (dob 1/26/90) is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow in Department 30 of the Foltz Crimin...

SANTA ANA, California – A jury has convicted an Irvine man of federal charges for running an investment scam that defrauded a businessman who believed he was investing in products related to stem cell research. Aiman Alexander Ataba, 52, was found guilty late Tuesday of eight counts of mail fra...

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was convicted today of stabbing and murdering a man he met on Craigslist. Defendant Charges Maximum Sentence Court Date Adam Anthony Ingala-Whiting, 24, Oceanside Found guilty by a jury today of: One felony count of seco...

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was charged with verbally threatening an Orange County Superior Court (OCSC) judge during the defendant's arraignment and committing battery on a peace officer for throwing milk on an Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) deputy. Defendant Charges Ma...