Tustin Man Escaped From Musick Facility Convicted in Absentia for Fraud Gets Four

Posted by CotoBlogzz 01-29-2010 08:00 PM

Defendant fled during trial and was arrested one week later in San Diego County

SANTA ANA, CA -Mark Thomas Georgantas was sentenced today to four years and four months in state prison after fleeing during his jury trial and being convicted in absentia of fraud for using stolen credit card information to further his fireplace-parts business.

Georgantas, 47, Tustin, was found guilty by a jury March 4, 2009, of one felony count each of the unlawful use of personal identifying information, acquiring access card account information, receiving stolen property, and grand theft. He was sentenced today, Jan. 29, 2010, to three years and eight months in state prison for the fraud case, plus an additional eight months for fleeing during his jury trial.

At the time of the crime, Georgantas was part-owner of a Santa Fe Springs company, Fire on Ice, which manufactures fireplace products. Between Dec. 16, 2005, and Jan. 10, 2006, Georgantas used stolen credit card information belonging to other people to sustain his business by purchasing parts to build products for his company and making payments on invoices for company answering services.

On Sept. 30, 2003, Georgantas escaped from James A. Musick Facility in Irvine while he was in custody for a 2001 grand theft conviction. The defendant tunneled out of the facility and escaped through a storm drain. He then led police officers on a dangerous high-speed car chase, which ended in Los Angeles County.

In January 2006, the defendant was arrested in a Costa Mesa hotel lobby on a warrant for violating probation on another criminal case related to the fraudulent sale of business franchises. At the time of his arrest, Georgantas was in possession of a briefcase full of stolen credit card information belonging to other people, which led to the investigation and charges in this case. The defendant struck the arresting officer, giving the officer a black eye. He was also in possession of a gun. Georgantas pleaded guilty on May 24, 2006, to possession of a firearm by a felon, resisting an officer, and battery on a peace officer (Case # 06HF0063). He was sentenced to 240 days in jail in that case.

The March 2009 trial against Georgantas for grand theft and use of stolen credit cards lasted 10 days. After lunch on March 3, 2009, the ninth day of trial, Georgantas asked the court to use the restroom prior to resuming the People's closing arguments. After leaving the courtroom, Georgantas fled the Central Justice Center and did not return for the conclusion of his trial. The Honorable John Conley issued a $1 million warrant for Georgantas' arrest and resumed closing arguments in the trial without the defendant being present. Georgantas was convicted March 4, 2009, in absentia. He was arrested March 11, 2009, in a San Diego County parking lot by the Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Motorcyclist Convicted in Premeditated High Speed Chase Resulting in Death

Posted By CotoBlogzz 01-20-2010  05:00 PM

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - Blaise Aaron Meadows riding on a suspended license over 100 mph was convicted today of killing a motorist by causing the victim's car to flip after a high-speed crash. 

Meadows, 21, Orange, pleaded guilty to one felony count of vehicular manslaughter by unlawful act with gross negligence and one misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license. He is expected to be sentenced to six years in state prison on July 30, 2010

Meadow's co-defendant, Daniel Cody Burkett, 25, Santa Ana,  is charged with one felony count of vehicular manslaughter by unlawful act and with gross negligence, one misdemeanor of reckless driving, and a sentencing enhancement for fleeing the scene of a crime. If convicted, Burkett faces a maximum sentence of 11 years in state prison. He is out of custody on $200,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 16, 2010

At approximately 12:30 a.m. on April 25, 2008, Meadows was recklessly riding his motorcycle at speeds over 100 mph on State Route 241 in Lake Forest. Burkett is accused of riding his motorcycle with Meadows and also riding at unsafe speeds over 100 mph. Burkett is accused of riding to the left of Meadows, who crashed his motorcycle into the back of an Alpha Romeo driven by 46-year-old Andrew Parker. The force of the impact caused the victim's car to veer off the road and crash into a light pole before flipping onto the roof and landing in a parking lot. Meadows was thrown from his motorcycle and landed on the shoulder of the freeway.

Burkett is accused of briefly talking to Meadows before fleeing the scene. He is accused of calling friends and family on his cell phone while riding home. Meadows was transported to the hospital to be treated for several fractures. Parker, who was trapped in his car and had to be cut free, was pronounced dead at the scene due to blunt force trauma.

Half an hour prior to the crash, Meadows was exchanging instant messages with friends discussing his intent to speed on his motorcycle and flee from police. The defendant was driving on a suspended license due to three prior speeding tickets and one ticket for running a red light. Prior to being issued a motorcycle license, the defendant attended and completed a motorcycle safety course in which he was advised of the danger of speeding and reckless driving.

The California Highway Patrol investigated this case. Deputy District Attorney Susan Price of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

Jesse Petrilla – Who is That Guy?

Posted By CotoBlogzz 01-29-2010 05:00 PM

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Jesse Petrilla is a self-described anti-tax, pro-business, community-oriented advocate against big government running for Rancho Santa Margarita City Council.

The CotoBuzz Journals Poldex© shows Mr. Petrilla as a relative unknown scoring less than one percentage point compared to incumbent Jim Thor. The Cotobuzz Journals’ Poldex is non-partisan, heuristics-based indicator associated with relative name-recognition. Over the years it has proven to be very reliable with few surprises, with the possible exception of the 2010 OC Sheriff Department campaign. We should note that this is the first time the Poldex© is being used in a relatively small local community.

Rancho Santa Margarita City (RSM) Council Poldex©

Jesse Petria    Neil Blais      Gary Thompson       Jim Thor
0.2%              1.8%            91.0%                     100.0%


As if confirmation is required - that the Poldex© is simply a tool the Jesse Petrilla campaign just announced that not only is it leading all incumbents in fundraising for the RSM City Council race, but the fund-racing totals seems to be the total opposite of the Poldex© as follows:

Candidate:                  Total 09 contributions             Cash on hand:
Jesse Petrilla               $23,809.00                              $19,399.99
Neil Blais                   $16,450.00                               $10,277.95
Gary Thompson         $16,368.00                               $5,671.63
Jim Thor                    $6,598.00                                 $5,759.44


At the same time, the Petrialla campaign unveiled a Who’s Who List of endorsements, including: Orange County Treasurer Chriss Street, Saddleback Valley Unified School District President Don Sedgwick, Capistrano Unified School District Trustee Anna Bryson, Irvine City Councilwoman & Former Mayor Christina Shea, Irvine City Councilman Dr. Steven Choi, Anaheim City Councilman Bob Hernandez, Costa Mesa Mayor Pro-Tem Wendy Leece, Orange Unified School District Trustee Dr. Alexia Deligianni, Former CAGOP Chair Shawn Steel, Claude Parrish, Nick Alivojvodic, Howard Klein, George & Eileen Riviere, and Tony Heindl.



In the OCSD’s race, the Poldex© surprisingly scores Sheriff Hutchens as 3% with a rapidly ascending Chief Hunter at 40%

The US Senate race shows: Boxer:100%, Carly: 65%, DeVore: 19% Campbell: 17%. Coupled with the Rassmussen Report showing Carly gained 6 points in 6 weeks and that in a head-to-head matchup, Boxer lead over Carly has shrunk to 3 points ( Boxer 46 percent to 43 percent), although too early to call, the races is starting to look like a Bay State Redux

Woman Convicted of Murdering 84-Year Old Great Grandmother - Insanity Trial Next

Posted By CotoBlogzz | 01-29-2009 02:30 PM


SANTA ANA, CA  - Christina Marie Munoz  was convicted today of murdering her 84-year-old great grandmother, who suffered from dementia, by stabbing the victim five times in the neck as she sat helpless in her wheelchair.

Christina Marie Munoz, 28, Garden Grove, was found guilty   of one felony count of second degree murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon and faces a maximum sentence of 16 years to life in state prison. Given that the defendant entered pleas of "not guilty" and "not guilty by reason of insanity," the sanity phase of the trial is shceduled to begin before a jury April 12, 2010

At approximately 11:00 a.m. on July 1, 2004, Munoz went to the Garden Grove home of her 84-year-old great grandmother, Lillian Patburg. Munoz's parents were Patburg's live-in caretakers, as she suffered from dementia and other illnesses, and Munoz went to help take care of the victim while her parents went to the dentist. While alone with her great grandmother, Munoz took a steak knife from the kitchen and stabbed the victim five times in the neck, murdering her in her wheelchair.

At approximately 2:00 p.m. officers from the Garden Grove Police Department (GGPD) responded to a call from the victim's residence. Munoz was standing in the front yard when officers arrived, screaming that someone had broken into the home while she was sleeping and killed her great grandmother. Officers found the victim inside the home, slumped over in her wheelchair, and paramedics were unable to resuscitate her.

Munoz went to the GGPD station to provide a voluntary interview. During the course of her interview, Munoz repeatedly changed her story. She first stated that the victim was murdered by a stranger who broke into the home. Munoz then claimed that she hid the knife in the garage because she panicked after watching her great grandmother commit suicide. The defendant eventually told officers that she had murdered the victim because her family was struggling to care for her as a result of her dementia.

OC Sheriff's Deputy Convicted in Illegal Lobster Cache

Posted by CotoBlogzz 01-28-2010 05:30 PM

SANTA ANA, CA  - Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) deputy  William Robb III, pleaded guilty today to illegally possessing too many lobsters.   William Robb III, 39, the off-duty deputy, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count each of possessing an excessive number of spiny lobsters and possessing undersized spiny lobsters. Robb was placed on one year of informal probation and was ordered to pay $800 plus penalties and assessments and a $500 donation to the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) among other terms and conditions.

Co-defendant then-Deputy Phillip Glenn Romero, 39, pleaded guilty Dec. 2, 2009, to one misdemeanor count of obstructing an officer for falsely claiming that his friend Robb, who was off-duty at the time of the incident, was a confidential informant to protect him from being cited by the CDFG for illegal lobster poaching. He was sentenced to 100 hours of community service, 18 months of probation, was ordered to pay $1,700 in restitution, fines, and donations to victim and witness services and the CDFG Preservation Fund. He was also ordered to write a letter of apology to CDFG.

On Nov. 18, 2008, Robb, who was off-duty and not in uniform, pulled up to a launch ramp on a fishing vessel in Dana Point Harbor after illegally fishing for lobsters with two other deputies, who were also off-duty and not in uniform. Robb had in his possession a bucket containing 13 undersized, illegal lobsters.  As CDFG Warden Justin Sandvig spoke with Robb, on-duty OCSD Deputy Romero arrived in uniform in the parking lot and requested to speak with the Warden alone. After learning that Sandvig had not yet identified Robb, Romero made up a story that Robb was a confidential informant for OCSD and Romero did not want him identified in front of the other two men. Believing this was a legitimate request by a law enforcement officer, Sandvig allowed Romero to handle the situation with Robb.

After confirming that the other two deputies on the vessel were not in possession of any illegal lobsters, Sandvig allowed them to leave. In the following days, Sandvig was in contact with Romero and attempted to obtain Robb's name for his report and in order to issue a citation. Romero continued to claim Robb was a confidential informant and refused to provide his name.

On Dec. 8, 2008, after learning the identity of Robb and the circumstances surrounding Romero's attempt to unlawfully interfere in the investigation, Sandvig submitted a report to the Orange County District Attorney's Office (OCDA) requesting investigation and criminal charges against the defendants in this case. The OCDA investigated this case.

Laguna Hills' Kahram Zamani Faces 113 years in loan modification scam

Posted by CotoBlogzz 01-28-2010 3:30 PM


SANTA ANA, CA- Kahram Zamani, ppresident of an Irvine loan modification company was arraigned today for defrauding and victimizing 165 distressed homeowners out of $177,000 by fraudulently promising to save their homes in exchange for an up-front fee.

Zamani, 37, Laguna Hills, is charged with 165 felony counts of grand theft with sentencing enhancements for aggravated white collar crime for taking more than $100,000. If convicted, Zamani faces a maximum sentence of 113 years in state prison. The defendant is out of custody on $100,000 bond and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing March 18, 2010

Between February 2008 and December 2009, Zamani, a licensed real estate broker, is accused of owning and running Infinity Group Services (Infinity), a loan modification company that targeted distraught homeowners. The company was formerly known as Hope to Homeowners, named to mislead victims into believing it was part of the 2008 program launched by the Bush Administration, "Hope to Homeowners," which aided struggling families with mortgage payments by refinancing their existing home loan.

Zamani is accused of soliciting clients through radio ads. He is accused instructing his employees to make promises to consumers, knowing the promises were false, that the company could obtain a home loan modification or loan forgiveness in exchange for an up-front fee of $995. The defendant is accused of also instructing his employees to make false promises that they could secure low-interest rates on a modified mortgage loan, offer full refunds if a loan could not be modified, and stating that Infinity had a 98 percent success rate in obtaining loan modifications.

After the consumer paid the up-front fee, they were rarely able to contact the Infinity employee handling their case. When the consumer made contact with the Infinity sales representative handling their case, the Infinity employees are accused of giving misleading information about the progress of their modification request, charging an additional fee in order to secure the promised interest rate, and telling homeowners that the new rate would not be honored without payment of the additional fee.

This case has been a collaborative effort between the Orange County District Attorney's Office (OCDA), California Department of Real Estate (CDRE), and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In August 2009, the FTC filed a civil complaint in federal court seeking a temporary restraining order, the freezing of assets, and a preliminary injunction. In November 2009, CDRE filed a formal accusation charging the defendant with violations of real estate law, and today filed an order against Zamani to desist and refrain from further fraudulent practices.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Ron Frazier at (714) 347-8691. Victims may also download a complaint form from the OCDA's website at www.orangecountyda.com.

Deputy District Attorney George McFetridge of the White Collar Crime Team is prosecuting this case.  

RELATED STORIES

Ladera Ranch Lawyer and Partners Face 70 Years for Fraud Charges in Loan Modification Scam
SANTA ANA, CA  - Christopher Lee Diener and  his business partner have been arrested on charges of defrauding over 400 victims in a $1.25 million loan modification scam that targeted distressed homeowners. A warrant has been issued for another business partner in this case. Former attorney Christopher Lee Diener, 42, and business partners Stefano Joseph Marrero, 40, and Terrence Green Sr., 43, all neighbors in Ladera Ranch, are each charged with one felony count of conspiracy to commit grand theft and 97 felony counts of grand theft by false pretense with sentencing enhancements for white collar crime and excessive taking. If convicted, the defendants face a sentence ranging from probation up to 70 years in state prison.

Suspected Ladera Ranch International Serial Rapist Captured in Australia after DNA hit through INTERPOL

Tustin Police Department (TPD) is the lead investigating Agency

Posted By CotoBlogzz  01-28-2010

SANTA ANA, CA  - Ali Achekzai, suspected of being an international serial rapist who was featured on the Orange County District Attorney's (OCDA) Ten Most Wanted list has been arrested in Austria following a DNA match through INTERPOL.

Achekzai, 32, formerly of Ladera Ranch, is charged with multiple felony counts including one felony count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, and sentencing enhancements and allegations for committing sexual crimes against more than one victim and causing great bodily injury to a victim. The OCDA is prosecuting the defendant for the charges that occurred in Orange and San Diego Counties. If convicted, Achekzai faces a maximum sentence of 53 years and four months to life in state prison.

A $500,000 arrest warrant was issued for the defendant Oct. 19, 2004, and he was subsequently listed on the OCDA Ten Most Wanted list. The warrant was later increased to $1 million and Achekzai was arrested in Salzburg, Austria, at 1:00 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2010 (or 4:00 a.m. PST) and will face extradition proceedings in Austria.

Circumstances of the Rape of Jane Doe #1
On Jan. 31, 2004, Achekzai is accused of meeting 21-year-old Jane Doe #1 at a nightclub in Laguna Beach. Shortly after 2:00 a.m., Jane Doe #1 observed the defendant following her in his car as she was driving on Jamboree Road toward Tustin. The defendant is accused of following Jane Doe #1 as she drove around and attempted to lose him. Achekzai is accused of pulling up near Jane Doe in his car and yelling for her to pull over because he wanted to talk to her about something important.

Jane Doe #1 parked in a fast food restaurant lot and Achekzai is accused of getting into her car under the pretense of talking to her to warn her about another man she had met at the nightclub. The victim became scared, got out of her car, and attempted to run away. Achekzai is accused of getting out of the victim's car, chasing Jane Doe #1, catching her, and leading her back to the car as she cried and struggled to get away.

Once they were back in the car, the defendant is accused of grabbing Jane Doe #1 by the neck, holding her down and forcibly raping her. He is accused of then getting back into his car and driving away. Jane Doe #1 reported the rape to police and DNA was collected from her clothing. TPD investigated this case.

Circumstances of the Rape of Jane Doe #2
On May 3, 2004, Achekzai is accused of meeting two women while at a nightclub with his male cousin in San Diego. Late that night, the defendant is accused of going with his cousin and the two women to Mount Soledad in San Diego County. Achekzai is accused of isolating 21-year-old Jane Doe #2 from the other two friends by inviting her to take a walk through a dark park. Once the defendant was alone with the victim, he is accused of grabbing her and pulling her to the ground as she struggled to get away.

Achekzai is accused of repeatedly hitting and punching the victim and telling her that he would kill her if she screamed. He is accused of covering the victim's mouth to keep her quiet and forcibly raping her. The defendant is accused of telling Jane Doe #2 that he would kill her if she told anyone about the rape.

When the defendant and victim returned to the car, Jane Doe #2 immediately told her friend that she had been raped. Achekzai is accused of becoming angry and punching her in the mouth, knocking out her front tooth. Jane Doe #2 reported the rape to police and DNA was collected from her clothing. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) investigated this case.

In July 2004, DNA linked both rapes to the same defendant. Charges were filed against Achekzai for the rape of Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 in October 2004.

Circumstances of Assault Against Jane Doe #3
On Oct. 26, 2002, Achekzai is accused of getting into a limousine with four other people including 24-year-old Jane Doe #3, her friend, and two friends of the defendant.  The group had been at a nightclub in Laguna Beach and drove to Costa Mesa to drop one of the men off at home. While still in the limousine, Achekzai is accused of asssaulting Jane Doe #3's.  Achekzai is accused of swearing at the victim and telling Jane Doe #3 to shut up as she screamed. Jane Doe #3's friend was also asleep in the limousine.

Circumstances of the Flight and Arrest
Achekzai is accused of fleeing the country prior to being charged for the rapes. The defendant is accused of fleeing illegally into Canada. He is accused of changing his name several times and obtaining identification under the identities of Ali Achekzai, Ali Achekza, Ali Achelczia, Waleed Nawabi, Walid Nawabi, David Azizi, and Wali Ahmed Shoja. He is suspected to have lived in Afghanistan, Germany, San Francisco, Canada, Austria, and England.

Based on the fact that Achekzai had multiple California victims, and knowing that he fled internationally, TPD worked with the Orange County Sheriff's Department Crime Lab in December 2009 to coordinate the submission of Achekzai's DNA to the international police agency, INTERPOL.

On April 24, 2009, Achekzai was arrested in Austria for rape under the name Wali Ahmed Shoja.  His DNA was taken at that time, but the case in Austria was later dismissed. As a result of this case, INTERPOL matched the defendant from the Austria rape to the rapes in Orange and San Diego Counties and determined that Achekzai was living in Salzburg, Austria.

He was arrested Jan. 26, 2010, at the Hotel Unterbrunn in the Austrian town of Neukirchen am Grossvenediger. He was arrested by the Salzburg Criminal Investigative Division (CID) in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The case against and arrest of Achekzai has been a coordinated effort between TPD, OCDA, the Orange County Sheriff's Department, FBI, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Marshals Service, Toronto Police Services Fugitive Squad, INTERPOL, Salzburg CID, Austrian Federal Police, SDPD and San Diego District Attorney's Office.

Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is encouraged to contact TPD Detective Ryan Coe at (714) 573-3249 or Supervising District Attorney Investigator Clint McCall at (714) 347-8521.

To see the full list of the OCDA's 10 most wanted fugitives, as well as former "most wanted" fugitives who have been captured, visit www.orangecountyda.com and select the "10 Most Wanted" icon on the homepage.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Mestman of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.

Men Face 35 Years for rape of underage girl

Posted By CotoBlogzz 01-26-2010 6:00 PM

SANTA ANA, CA - Two cousins were convicted yesterday of raping an intoxicated 13-year-old girl at a house party. Diego Ramirez, 19, and Daniel Ramirez, 24, pleaded guilty Jan. 25, 2010, to one felony count of rape by intoxication and each was sentenced to six years in state prison.

Co-defendants Mario Santibanez, 23, and Gustavo Gomez, 19, are both charged with ofive felony counts. Gomez is also charged with one felony count of unlawful sex. If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of 35 years in state prison. Santibanez and Gomez are being held on $200,000 bail each and are scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010

On Feb. 27, 2009, 13-year-old Jane Doe #1 and 14-year-old Jane Doe #2 met after school with Gomez and Santibanez. Gomez and Santibanez are accused of going with the victims to a party at the Orange home of the Ramirez cousins. Prior to going to the party, the victims consumed alcoholic beverages and were intoxicated when they arrived at Ramirez's house.

Once at the party, Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 continued to consume alcoholic beverages. After Jane Doe #1 was intoxicated and unable to resist, Ramirez and Ramirez took turns raping the victim.

On March 2, 2009, Jane Doe #1 was taken to the Orange Police Department by her mother, who reported that her daughter had been raped the previous weekend.

Deputy District Attorney Mark Birney of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.

State of the Union Preview

Posted By CotoBlogzz 01-26-2010 05:00 PM

For those interested in listening to the President deliver his first State of the Union tomorrow, but may be unable to, we are providing the following preview:

Jobs: Jobs is my first priority. We have made a lot of progress, saved millions of jobs (if you are employed, I saved your job, for instance) but need to spend more, increase taxes, provide tax breaks to the middle class, blah, blah,blah, blah,blah, blah, blame GWB, blah, blah,blah, blah.

Health Care is my second first priority. The Bay State special election sent me and the nation a strong message- I hear you. You will continue to get more of the same. Blah, blah,blah, blah,blah, blah, blame GWB, blah, blah,blah, blah.

Out of Control spending is my third first priority. Budget deficit will reach $1.35 trillion this year. Blame GWB Blah, blah,blah, blah,blah, blah. To fix we need to spend where no big spender has gone before, blame GWB blah, blah,blah, blah,blah, blah. I propose to "freeze" spending: (Waits to hear anyone yell Liar!....). Blame GWB blah, blah,blah, blah,blah, blah


Two Wars are my fourth first priority:
Ft Hood Massacre - Report validates what I said before. Do not rush to judgment, is not radical Islam, the Army's Peter Principle has nothing to do with PC and Nidal Hassan is not a a terrorist. Blame GWB Blah, blah,blah, blah,blah, blah, blame.

Mirandizing Christmas Day bomber is Holders's fault, but blame GWB Blah, blah,blah, blah,blah, blah, blame.

Intelligence is a systemic failure, regardless of what Secretary Napolitano has said. We need to spend more to fix, but you should note that is it GWB's fault Blah, blah,blah, blah,blah, blah, blame.

Failed OCSD Experiment & the OSCD Scott

>Chief Hunter wants to be the Scott that is heard around Orange County in the 2010 campaign for Orange County Sheriff, so-tospeak.  “ Our campaign is confident that Craig will impress Orange County voters with his fiscally conservative approach to the budget, support for 2^nd Amendment rights, and his proven track record of executive leadership in the Anaheim police department,” says Alex Avetoom, Craig Hunter for Orange County Sheriff 2010 Campaign Manager.

Can You Hear Us Now - In Mass?

Catholic Reliefe Services Haiti Emeregency Page

THE MASSACHUSETTS MESSAGE

By Frances Rice
From the voters of Massachusetts came a stunning rebuke of President Barack Obama and his Democrat cohorts in Congress.  Unmistakable was the clear and concise message shouted by Bay State voters across the political spectrum – WE DO NOT WANT SOCIALISM.
The repudiation of Obama’s socialist agenda began as a murmur of protest in the spring of 2009.  During town hall meetings over that summer, the voices of citizens grew louder.  For months, Tea Party protests drew millions of average Americans across the country, with over 2 million descending on Washington DC in September, according to National Park Service estimates.  Obama and his Democrat congressional minions mocked the protesting citizenry.  They expressed a lack of concern when in November the voters in Virginia and liberal New Jersey sent an anti-socialism shock wave throughout our body politic by electing Republicans as their governors.
Ignoring outraged citizens, Democrats on Christmas Eve passed the Senate version of their disastrous health care legislation, egregiously bribing senators for their votes, including the multi-million dollar payoffs to Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson and Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu.  Blatantly dismissing Obama’s promise of transparency, Democrats proceeded to reconcile the Senate and House bills behind closed doors.  Gleefully, Democrats sent a chilling message to the American public that there was nothing we could do to stop them.
Then came Scott Brown.  A witty, down-to-earth guy from a small town, he traveled his state in a pickup truck, clearly articulating the dissatisfaction of Americans across the country.  Seeking to capture the seat that Senator Ted Kennedy held for nearly a half century and that had not been held by a Republican in over three and a half decades, Brown boldly proclaimed that he would be the 41st vote against ObamaCare.  He stated plainly that he would vote to halt the Democrats’ spending our nation into bankruptcy, giving billions of bailout dollars to corporations, and providing terrorists the same rights and privileges afforded American citizens.  His message resonated well with the freedom-loving people of Massachusetts, the home of the Boston Tea Party of 1773 and the 1775 Concord shot that was heard around the world, the genesis of our nation’s blood-soaked journey to independence.
So, how did Obama and the Democrats respond to the Massachusetts earth-shattering vote that reverberated around our nation?  They resolved to double down and cram down ObamaCare, gambling that Americans love entitlements more than they love freedom.  A lesson Democrats learned from black Americans who consistently vote for Democrats in exchange for government handouts, even though the Democrats’ socialist policies have turned black communities into economic and social cesspools.  A video posted on the Internet “Detroit in RUINS! (Crowder goes Ghetto)” provides a look at the type of devastation all of America will face, unless the voters in around the country rebel as urged in the video “America Rising: An Open Letter To The Democrats” and repeat in November the Massachusetts Miracle of January.
Frances Rice is a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel, a lawyer and chairman of the National Black Republican Association.  She may be contacted at:  www.NBRA.Info

Marine Gets 15-to-Life for High Speed DUI-related Death

Posted by CotoBlogzz 01-22-2010 09-00PM


SANTA ANA, CA  - Elijah Leigh Ferguson was sentenced today to 15 years to life in state prison for killing a radiologist and injuring the doctor's wife in a high-speed crash after leaving Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (Camp Pendleton), where he was stationed. Lance Corporal Elijah Leigh Ferguson, 22, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury Dec. 9, 2009, of one felony count of second degree murder, one felony count of driving under the influence causing injury, and one felony count of driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or more causing injury.

Prior to being released from duty for the weekend on Feb. 22, 2008, Ferguson participated in a mandatory standard safety briefing at camp Pendleton. The briefing covered the dangers of drinking alcohol and driving, and the instructors told the attending Marines that they would likely kill another person if they were to crash while driving intoxicated.

Sometime between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., Ferguson drank alcoholic beverages at Camp Pendleton after being released for the weekend. The defendant consumed alcohol for several hours and insisted that he was going to drive home to Santa Ana before passing out at approximately 7:00 p.m. in the barracks of another Marine due to intoxication. Fellow Marines, who recognized that Ferguson was intoxicated, went to get another lance corporal for fear that the defendant would attempt to drive when he woke up. While the defendant was passed out, the other lance corporal removed the car keys from the defendant's pants pocket.

When Ferguson woke up, he demanded his keys and became belligerent including throwing trash on the ground from outside trash cans and breaking his cell phone against a wall. Several other Marines planned to drive Ferguson home to Santa Ana, but later arranged for the defendant to stay in the Camp Pendleton barracks.

At approximately 11:00 p.m., Ferguson asked a lower ranking Marine, a private first class, to get his keys and drive him home. When the private first class returned with Ferguson's keys, the defendant pulled rank and ordered the lower ranking Marine to give him the car keys.

At 11:53 p.m., Ferguson was driving approximately 75 mph in a 50 mph zone heading eastbound on MacArthur Boulevard in Newport Beach. As he approached the intersection at Jamboree Road, Ferguson failed to hit his breaks or slow down and crashed his Dodge Caliber into the back of an Aston Martin, driven by 63-year-old Michael Sein, who was waiting at a red light. The victim's car spun out before coming to a stop. Michael Sein, a radiologist who lived with his wife, Grace Sein, in Newport Coast, was transported to Hoag Hospital, where he died approximately 30 minutes later due to severe blunt trauma to the head.  Grace Sein, who was riding in the passenger seat, was transported to Western Medical Center and treated for bleeding in her brain and back injuries.

Ferguson was also transported to Western Medical Center to be treated for a broken ankle. Approximately one hour after being admitted into the hospital, Ferguson was contacted by officers from the Newport Beach Police Department, who observed objective signs of intoxication. The defendant omitted an odor of alcoholic beverage, slurred his speech, and had red and watery eyes. Approximately three hours after the crash, Ferguson had a blood alcohol level of .12 percent.


Deputy District Attorney Susan Price of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case.

Youth Crisis Secretary Sentenced to Four Years for Embezzlement

Posted by CotoBlogzz 01-22-2010

SANTA ANA, CA  -  Lydia Kathleen Fitzgerald was sentenced today to four years in state prison for embezzling more than $435,000 from the shelter and spending it on a lavish personal lifestyle.   Fitzgerald, 48,  pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2009,  to one felony count each of grand theft, fraudulently using an access card, second-degree commercial burglary, and willfully failing to file a tax return, 23 felony counts of forgery, 16 felony counts of falsifying a book of records, three felony counts computer access fraud, and three felony counts of filing false tax returns.  Fitzgerald has been ordered to pay over $390,000 in restitution to the shelter and over $93,000 in restitution to the State of California Franchise Tax Board, plus ten percent interest from the date of loss.

Between April 2004 and November 2007, Fitzgerald embezzled more than $435,000 from the Casa Youth Shelter in Los Alamitos, a charitable organization that provides temporary shelter and counseling for runaways and youth in crisis.  While employed as an executive assistant, Fitzgerald forged numerous checks to herself and charged personal expenses for herself and her family on a company credit card. She used the money to remodel her home and purchase vacations, meals, clothes, a car, a boat, and numerous other luxury items.

Fitzgerald attempted to hide the theft by altering the shelter's books and records to show untrue payees or payment amounts.  When the bank account used for payroll began to deplete from Fitzgerald's theft, she opened a line of credit in the shelter's name and used that line of credit to transfer money into the payroll account. The defendant failed to report or pay taxes on the income from the stolen money. Fitzgerald also put $45,000 in stolen money back in the shelter's accounts to attempt to hide her theft.

The Director at Casa Youth Shelter discovered Fitzgerald's theft after the bank alerted her to the discrepancies in their accounts.

Deputy District Attorney Brian Mulherin of the White Collar Crime Team prosecuted this case.

Ladera Ranch Lawyer and Partners Face 70 Years for Fraud Charges in Loan Modification Scam

Posted by CotoBlogzz 1-22-2010 11:00 AM

SANTA ANA, CA  - Christopher Lee Diener and  his business partner have been arrested on charges of defrauding over 400 victims in a $1.25 million loan modification scam that targeted distressed homeowners. A warrant has been issued for another business partner in this case. Former attorney Christopher Lee Diener, 42, and business partners Stefano Joseph Marrero, 40, and Terrence Green Sr., 43, all neighbors in Ladera Ranch, are each charged with one felony count of conspiracy to commit grand theft and 97 felony counts of grand theft by false pretense with sentencing enhancements for white collar crime and excessive taking. If convicted, the defendants face a sentence ranging from probation up to 70 years in state prison.

Diener and Green were arrested this morning and are being held on $1.5 million bail each. They must prove the money is from a legal and legitimate source before posting bond. They are expected to be arraigned Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. A $1.5 million warrant has been issued for Marrero.

Beginning in March 2008, the defendants are accused of defrauding hundreds of victims by targeting distressed homeowners and offering loan modification services in exchange for advance payment. Marrero and Green were business partners and Diener acted as attorney for their businesses. The three defendants are neighbors in Ladera Ranch and are accused of operating loan modification businesses under the names Home Relief Services, LLC, US Loan Mod Processing, HRS Communications, The Diener Law Firm, and Diener Law Group.

The defendants are accused of making false statements to entice customers to use their loan modification services by stating that they could guarantee loan modifications, negotiate lower interest rates with lenders and reduce the principal owed on a customer's mortgage, have second mortgages eliminated or forgiven, and have late fees forgiven by the lenders. They are accused of falsely stating that they could complete the loan modification process in less than 90 days, claiming to have a 90 percent success rate in modifying loans, and offering a 100 percent money-back guarantee if the loan could not be modified.

The defendants are accused of requiring their customers to pay in advance prior to rendering any service and failing to provide the services offered. In total, they are accused of fraudulently taking $1.25 million, including over $350,000 to credit card companies who had to refund cardholders to compensate for the fraud.

The defendants are also accused of soliciting the referral of clients in exchange for payment by approaching local and national real estate brokers and professionals and promising to pay them referral fees for each customer referred. They are accused of traveling to a mortgage bankers' convention in Las Vegas to solicit referrals from industry professionals with the promise of payment.

As a result of the loan modification scam, the California Department of Real Estate took action against Marrero and Green in February 2009, issuing a desist and refrain order related to soliciting clients.  In October 2009, Diener was involuntarily enrolled as an inactive member of the State Bar of California after the state bar found that his conduct posed "a substantial threat of harm to his clients or the public" stemming from this loan modification scam. The California Attorney General filed for civil penalties against the three defendants related to this scam, seeking restitution and an injunction from further illegal practices.

This case has been a collaborative effort between the Orange County District Attorney's Office, the State Bar of California, the Department of Real Estate, and the California Attorney General's Office.

Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Ron Frazier at (714) 347-8691. Deputy District Attorney George McFetridge of the White Collar Crime Team is prosecuting this case.

Former San Diego congressional candidate Delecia Holt sentenced for grand theft -

Former San Diego congressional candidate Delecia Holt sentenced for grand theft - Illness made me do it

Posted by CotoBlogzz 1-21-2010  11:00 AM

SANTA ANA, CA - Delecia Hol was sentenced today to pay over $40,700 in restitution for defrauding Orange County hotels and stealing a Mercedes Benz from a local car dealership. Holt, 48, Aliso Viejo, was found guilty by a jury Dec. 22, 2009, of seven felony counts of writing non-sufficient fund checks, one felony count each of grand theft and defrauding an innkeeper by non-payment. In addition to paying over $40,700 in restitution, Holt has been placed on five years of formal probation and was sentenced to 708 days in jail. She will be released today.

In July 2005, Holt went to a Mercedes Benz dealership in Orange County and wrote a bad check for just under $13,000 as a down payment for a $32,000 car. She left the dealer lot in the car and never made any legitimate payments for the vehicle. Holt's account, from which the $13,000 down payment check was written, had insufficient funds and the dealership never received any monthly payments.

Between July 2007 and September 2007, Holt defrauded the Comfort Suites in Lake Forest out of $5,000. She lived at the Comfort Suites and wrote two separate checks with insufficient funds over the course of three months. She then fled the hotel after failing to make any legitimate payments for her bill.

In October 2007, Holt hosted a comedy night fundraiser at a Dana Point hotel under the pretense of raising money for Habitat for Humanity. The failed event did not raise any money. Holt wrote a check for $15,000 to the hotel from a personal account to cover the cost of the event. She wrote another check to the four comedians totaling $2,000. She intentionally wrote the checks knowing her account had insufficient funds. The checks were declined when the victims attempted to deposit them.

In 2005, Holt ran as a write-in candidate for the 47th Congressional District in Orange County. In 2006, Holt was a candidate for the 53rd Congressional District in San Diego.

During the trial, Holt testified that she was unable to cover her checks due to costs associated with deaths and illnesses in her family, despite having never mentioned any hardship to investigators when initially interviewed about this case. The Orange County District Attroney presented evidence that Holt bounced 90 checks in an 18-month period from one bank account. From a separate account, Holt bounced all 18 checks she wrote and never wrote one legitimate check from the account.

Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche of the Major Fraud Unit prosecuted this case

Secession is not bad, according to CAI attorney: HB2153

By George K. Staropoli Author: Establishing the New HOA-land America

HOA attorney Scott Carpenter, a long-time CAI member, lobbyist and Chair of its Legislative Action Committee, states on his new blog that these are his personal views, yet the blog contains his firm's imprimatur, "Carpenter, Hazlewood, Delgado & Wood blog", and Carpenter still remains the CAI LAC chair. Can a public figure make such a declaration and in all honesty expect the people to believe it? That would be like a member of a campaign staff claiming to make personal comments, so the candidate can disclaim any responsibility as to shared beliefs. Must we now ask CHDW and CAI whether or not they agree? "Could you clarify any differences of view?"

Last year, Rep. Nancy Barto attempted to get her bill that public roads belong to the public, and are not under the control of a private HOA regime, into law. This session, she re-introduced this very important bill that has constitutional ramifications: can we allow secessionist private HOA governments, not subject to the 14th Amendment restrictions and protections of individual rights, to control public streets and set the equivalent of municipal ordinances?

Attorney Carpenter seems to thinks so. Not being able to find applicable justification under the law, he must find a reason under "an extension of law" to resort to philosophical beliefs, beliefs amounting to serious political and social changes, that a privatization of government functions, not services, is not bad. He writes in "Authority over the Roads", "There is no philosophical reason or justification for why the ability of a planned community to exert “authority” over an area “dedicated to a governmental entity” is bad after the developer is done but is acceptable before." Don't be confused by the concern for the developer's role. Carpenter is just mucking up the issue.

The answer to his concern about developer privileges is a resounding, Yes, it is an undemocratic grant of special privileges and immunities to the developer! But, that's not the real issue. The real issue is that there are fundamental philosophical reasons against this granting of governemnt powers, and Carpenter's implied "innocence" of constitutional law is disgraceful! (Attorneys are bound by the Supreme Court rules of conduct, and ethical rules 7.1 and 8.4, see below). He then makes a carefully crafted statement, posing it as a conditional statement, but in reality is a false statement of fact, "If a planned community has a contract with a governmental entity that provides for the planned community to maintain landscaping on government property, why should that agreement be voided? Why is that bad?" He well knows that the legislature has not delegated authority or has permitted the grant of a franchise to HOAs.

In his argument, he bypasses the issue of constitutionality of a statute that grants the delegation of legislative powers to a private entity. Article II,Declaration of Rights, Section 13, Equal Privileges and Immunities, of the Arizona Constitution is quite clear on the matter: "No law shall be enacted granting to any citizen, class of citizens, or corporation other than municipal, privileges or immunities which, upon the same terms, shall not equally belong to all citizens or corporations. "

HB 2153 puts a small stop, but nevertheless an important stop, to the unconstitutional encroachment of the Arizona Constitution by these private governments, who, by the very nature of not being subject to the 14th Amendment, have seceded from the Union.

Ethical Rules:

ER 8.4. It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to:

(c) engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation;

(d) engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice;

ER 7.1. A lawyer shall not make . . . a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer's services. A communication is false or misleading if it contains a material misrepresentation of fact or law, or omits a fact necessary to make the statement considered as a whole not materially misleading. . . . A truthful statement is also misleading if there is a substantial likelihood that it will lead a reasonable person to formulate a specific conclusion about the lawyer or the lawyer's services for which there is no reasonable factual foundation.

American Musical Arts Roots with Award-Winner Liebman at Saddleback College

Posted By CotoBlogzz 01-15-2009 06:00 PM

Mission Viejo, CA.  Join the Saddleback College Jazz Studies Department for a day of commemorating the roots of an original American musical art form on Saturday, February 6th at 7pm in the McKinney Theatre.  Performances by the aspiring and inspiring during this day-long event leads up to a must-see performance by the Saddleback Big Band and award-winning saxophonist/composer David Liebman.

Born in Brooklyn , New York , David Liebman began classical piano lessons at the age of nine and saxophone by twelve. His interest in jazz was sparked by seeing John Coltrane perform live in New York City clubs such as Birdland, the Village Vanguard and the Half Note. Throughout high school and college, Liebman pursued his jazz interest by studying with Joe Allard, Lennie Tristano and Charles Lloyd. Upon graduation from New York University (with a degree in American History), he began to seriously devote himself to the full time pursuit of being a jazz artist.

In the early 1970s, Liebman took the leading role (as President) in organizing several dozen musicians into a cooperative, Free Life Communication which became an integral part of the fertile New York “loft” jazz scene in the early 1970s and was funded by The New York State Council of the Arts and the Space for Innovative Development. After one year spent with Ten Wheel Drive , one of the early jazz fusion groups, Liebman secured the saxophone/flute position with the group of John Coltrane’s drummer, Elvin Jones. Within two years, Liebman reached the zenith of his apprenticeship period when Miles Davis hired him. These years, 1970-74, were filled with tours, recordings and the incredible experience gained by being on the band stand with two masters of jazz. At the same time, Liebman began exploring his own music-first in the Open Sky Trio with Bob Moses and then with pianist Richie Beirach in the group Lookout Farm. This group recorded for the German based ECM label as well as A&M Records while touring the U.S. , Canada , India , Japan and Europe . Lookout Farm was awarded the number one position in the category “Group Deserving of Wider Recognition” in the 1976 Downbeat Magazine’s International Critics' Poll.

In 1977, Liebman did a world tour with pianist Chick Corea followed up the next year by the formation of the David Liebman Quintet with John Scofield, Kenny Kirkland and Terumasa Hino as featured sidemen. After several world tours and recordings by the quintet over three years, he reunited with Richard Beirach. They began performing and recording as a duo, as well as creating the group Quest in 1981. Beginning with bassist George Mraz and drummer Al Foster, the group solidified when Ron McClure and Billy Hart joined in 1984. Through 1991, Quest recorded seven CDs, toured extensively and did many workshops with students worldwide.

Liebman’s present group formed in 1991 includes guitarist Vic Juris, bassist Tony Marino and drummer Marko Marcinko. With these musicians he has pursued an eclectic direction in recording projects that has ranged from jazz standards to Puccini arias, original adaptations from the John Coltrane and Miles Davis repertoires, original compositions in styles ranging from world music to fusion, always maintaining a repertoire that balances the past, present and future.

His teaching activities at universities and in clinic settings have taken him literally around the world as a result of his varied musical directions and expertise on several instruments, along with an ability to articulate the intricacies of the jazz language, aesthetic and technique. Over the years, he has regularly received grantees to study with him funded by the NEA (U.S.), the Canadian Arts Council, as well as Arts Councils of numerous European countries. In 1989 he founded the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ), an organization dedicated to networking educators and students from international jazz schools through periodic meetings, exchange programs and newsletters. Liebman presently serves as the Artistic Director of the IASJ.

Liebman has received several distinguished awards including two NEA grants for composition and performance; an Honorary Doctorate from the Sibelius Academy of Helsinki ; Finland ; a Grammy nomination for Best Solo Performance in 1998; induction into the International Association of Jazz Educator's Hall of Fame in 2000; Artist Grant from the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts in 2005.

Tickets ate $10 general; $7 students/seniors.  Call the ticket office at 949-582-4656 (noon-4, Tues-Fri) or order your tickets online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.

     
Jazz Studies at Saddleback College emphasizes creativity through improvisation and ensemble performance. Focusing on the historical, theoretical and intuitive aspects of this American music, Director Joey Sellers and an outstanding cadre of nationally recognized musicians comprise the jazz faculty. Curricula include Improvisation, Jazz Composition and Arranging, Jazz History Syllabus, Jazz History Audio, Jazz History Podcast, Jazz Piano, Saddleback Big Band, Jazz Lab Ensemble, and Combos.  Students in Jazz Studies at Saddleback College have transferred to prestigious institutions including University of Southern California , Eastman School of Music, Berkeley School of Music, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, University of California at San Diego , and other regional institutions.  Some of our alumni have gone on to play professionally with Frank Zappa, Diana Ross, and other high-profile artists and organizations.

          
Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo , just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit.  Complimentary parking is available in Lot 12 with overflow parking in Lot 10..  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to “ Theatre Circle ,” turning right into Lot 12.



Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts. 

Saddleback Kicks Off Jazz Faculty Spring Season

Posted By CotoBlogzz 01-15-2009 06:00 PM



Mission Viejo, CA.  Saddleback College is schedued to kick off the Jazz Faculty spring season on Monday, January 25th at 7:00 p.m. in the McKinney Theatre.  This nationally renowned ensemble performs a mix of original compositions and unique treatments of the American Song Book. The faculty is comprised of Jerry Pinter on saxophone, Jamie Rosenn on guitar, Ron Stout on trumpet, Gerard Hagen on piano, Luther Hughes on bass, Paul Johnson on drums and Director of Jazz Studies, Joey Sellers , on trombone.

Tickets are $10 general; $7 students/seniors.  Call the ticket office at 949-582-4656 (Noon-4, Tues-Fri) or order your tickets online at www.saddleback.edu/arts.

Jazz Studies at Saddleback College emphasizes creativity through improvisation and ensemble performance. Focusing on the historical, theoretical and intuitive aspects of this American music, Director Joey Sellers and an outstanding cadre of nationally recognized musicians comprise the jazz faculty. Curricula include Improvisation, Jazz Composition and Arranging, Jazz History Syllabus, Jazz History Audio, Jazz History Podcast, Jazz Piano, Saddleback Big Band, Jazz Lab Ensemble, and Combos.  Students in Jazz Studies at Saddleback College have transferred to prestigious institutions including University of Southern California , Eastman School of Music, Berkeley School of Music, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, University of California at San Diego , and other regional institutions.  Some of our alumni have gone on to play professionally with Frank Zappa, Diana Ross, and other high-profile artists and organizations.

         
Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo , just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit.  Complimentary parking is available in Lot 12 with over-flow parking in Lot 10..  Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to “ Theatre Circle ,” turning right into Lot 12.


Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community.  Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals.  For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information, please visit www.saddleback.edu/arts.

Kenyan Man Gets 25 For Murder of 4-Year Old Son Over Child Support

Posted by CotoBlogzz 1-15-2009 10:30 AM

SANTA ANA, CA  - Gideon Walter Omondi was sentenced today to 25 years to life in state prison for murdering his 4-year-old son by drowning him in a bathtub after discovering that his wages would be garnished to support his son and ex-wife.  Gideon Walter Omondi, 38, Fullerton, was found guilty by a jury on Sept. 8, 2009, of one felony count of first degree murder and one felony count of attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation. The defendant, who had pleaded "no guilty" and "not guilty by reason of insanity" was found by the jury to be legally sane at the time of the murder on Sept. 17, 2009.

Omondi moved to the United States in 2002 from Kenya to attend the California State University, Fullerton. In 2004, his wife and young son, Richie Omondi, also moved to California to join him.  The defendant, who was working several jobs while on a student visa, wanted to send his wife and son back to Kenya because it was too expensive to support a family in Orange County. When his wife refused, Omondi filed for divorce. After the divorce, Omondi and his ex-wife were granted joint custody, and the defendant became angry that his wages would be garnished to support his ex-wife and son.

On Jan. 6, 2006, Omondi became angry following a family court hearing. He drove with his son to a desolate stretch of highway near Bakersfield with the intention of murdering Richie and killing himself. Omondi parked the car on the side of the road, doused the trunk of his BMW sedan with gasoline, and closed himself and his son in the trunk with matches in his pocket with the intention of setting the trunk on fire.

A passing California Highway Patrol officer noticed the car and stopped to check on it, believing it had been abandoned. The officer observed shoes outside of the trunk of the car and opened the trunk, finding the defendant and his son inside. Omondi claimed that the pair had been sleeping and the officer allowed the defendant to leave, but documented the contact.

On Sept. 8, 2006, Omondi picked up 4-year-old Richie from day care. The defendant had custody of the child for the weekend. At approximately 7:00 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2006, Omondi filled up his bathtub in his Fullerton apartment and intentionally drowned Richie. He then removed his son's lifeless body and left him on the bed for two hours.

At approximately 9:30 p.m., Omondi drove to the Fullerton Police Department (FPD) and told police that he had murdered his son. The defendant told officers that he felt his son was being used by his ex-wife and the court system to make his life difficult, and that killing Richie was better than being separated from him. Officers from FPD went to Omondi's home and found Richie dead in the bed, under the covers, with his head on the pillow. The pillow was still wet from the victim being placed there after being drowned.


Senior Deputy District Attorney Steve McGreevy of the Homicide Unit prosecuted this case

Man Convicted of Killing Bar Patron on St. Patrick's Day Over Beer Argument

SANTA ANA, CA- Richard Lee Thompson was convicted today of killing another customer in a bar by hitting him in the head with a pool cue.

Thompson, 48, Lakewood, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of involuntary manslaughter by unlawful act and faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison at his sentencing, Feb. 19, 2010

On March 17, 2008, Thompson started an argument over a beer with 44-year-old Steven Toole at Breaker's Bar in Cypress. The victim pushed the defendant, who fell to the floor. When Thompson stood up, he grabbed a nearby pool cue and swung it at the victim, striking him one time in the head with the fat end of the cue. The victim immediately collapsed and was taken to the hospital. Toole was placed on life support and died the next day.

Deputy District Attorney Jason Baez of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

Woman Faces Trial for Murder, District Attorney Seeks Death Penalty

Posted By CotoBlogzz 1-13-2009 11:00 AM


SANTA ANA, CA - Tanya Jaime Nelson, faces trial tomorrow for stabbing and murdering an Orange County fortune teller and her daughter with the intention of robbing the victim, including stealing her expensive jewelry.

Nelson, 45, Roanoke Rapids, NC, is charged with two felony counts of special circumstances murder, and one felony count each of conspiracy, first degree residential burglary, and first degree robbery. The special circumstances include murder of multiple victims, murder for financial gain, murder during the commission of a burglary, murder during the commission of robbery, and murder by lying in wait. The District Attorney is seeking the death penalty in this case. Opening statements are expected to begin tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010

Nelson's co-defendant, Phillipe Zamora, 55, also of Roanoke Rapids, NC, pleaded guilty April 14, 2009, to two felony counts of first degree murder. He faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in state prison at his sentencing Feb. 26, 2010.   Zamora is expected to testify during the trial against Nelson.

Victim Ha Smith, 52, was a fortune teller who worked from her home in Westminster. The victim had clients throughout the country. Smith's 23-year-old daughter, Anita Vo, was a college student. In April 2005, Nelson is accused of flying from North Carolina with Zamora to Orange County with the intent to rob the victim, who was known to wear expensive jewelry. Nelson knew the victim because Nelson and Zamora's wife had been clients.

On April 21, 2005, Nelson is accused of going to Smith's home with Zamora under the pretense of visiting and having Nelson's fortune told. Nelson is accused of formulating a plan to murder Smith and Vo in order to rob the victim. Using knives from the kitchen, Nelson is accused of stabbing and murdering Vo as Zamora stabbed and murdered Smith. The defendants are accused of leaving Smith face down on the kitchen floor. Smith bled to death after being stabbed in the head, face, neck, shoulders, and hands. The defendants are accused of leaving Vo on the floor of the laundry room with her head jutting out into the hallway that led to the kitchen. Vo bled to death due to multiple stab wounds to her head, face, and neck.

After murdering the victims, the defendants are accused of attempting to wash bloody kitchen knives and wrapping them in plastic bags. Nelson is accused of ransacking the victims' home with Zamora and stealing personal items including cell phones, purses, jewelry, and credit cards.

Nelson is accused of then driving with Zamora to Walmart to purchase paint, returning to the victims' home, and pouring white paint on Smith and Vo's heads and hands. Zamora covered Vo's face with a black shirt.

On April 22, 2005, the defendants are accused of returning to North Carolina. That day, officers from the Westminster Police Department (WPD) discovered the victims after receiving a call requesting a welfare check from a concerned friend, who became alarmed when he did not hear from Vo.  WPD began investigating the case.

The defendant is accused of returning to Orange County in May 2005 after purchasing plane tickets with the victims' credit cards to go on a shopping spree at South Coast Plaza.  On May 30, 2005, Nelson was arrested by detectives from WPD at a Holiday Inn in Santa Ana. At the time of her arrest, Nelson is accused of being in possession of the victims' stolen credit cards, identification cards, and designer luggage. Zamora was arrested June 1, 2005, at his home in North Carolina.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Sonia Balleste of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

The Army Ground Forces Band Brass Brigade at Saddleback College - Free!

Posted By CotoBlogzz 1-12-2010 05:00 PM

Mission Viejo , CA – The Jazz Studies at Saddleback College are scheduled to present a free concert featuring The Army Ground Forces Band Brass Brigade on Tuesday, January 19th at 7:00 pm in the McKinney Theatre. The band is devoting a full day at Saddleback College giving a clinic to the music students during the day and then performing in the McKinney Theatre in the evening.

The Brass Brigade is an innovative ensemble that pushes performance styles with a broad repertoire of music from traditional Dixie to funk, rap and even a little soul. This unique 11-piece progressive group consisting of 2 trumpets, 2 saxophones, 2 trombones, 1 drummer, 2 tuba players, 1 aux percussion/trumpet and 1 keyboard, will make the audience move to the groove. This ensemble is capable of performing in many different venues, from high school and college auditoriums, state and local fairs and varied types of festivals. Energetic and high spirited, The Brass Brigade represents American Combat Soldiers deployed around the globe and here at home while supporting community activities both locally and abroad.

Jazz Studies at Saddleback College emphasizes creativity through improvisation and ensemble performance. Focusing on the historical, theoretical and intuitive aspects of this American music, Director Joey Sellers and an outstanding cadre of nationally recognized musicians comprise the jazz faculty. Curricula include Improvisation, Jazz Composition and Arranging, Jazz History Syllabus, Jazz History Audio, Jazz History Podcast, Jazz Piano, Saddleback Big Band, Jazz Lab Ensemble, and Combos.


Saddleback College is located at 28000 Marguerite Pkwy in Mission Viejo , just east of Interstate 5 at the Avery Parkway exit. Parking is available in Lot 12. Take Avery Parkway to Marguerite Parkway turn left to the third traffic light, which is Saddleback’s Marguerite entrance. Turn right into the campus and take the second left to “ Theatre Circle ,” turning right into Lot 12. Complimentary parking is provided in Lot 12 with overflow parking in Lot 10.

Brass Brigade, Courtesy Saddleback College

Located in Mission Viejo, Saddleback College provides quality higher education and training to the greater south Orange County community. Having served more than 500,000 students since 1968, Saddleback College offers over 300 degree and certificate programs to help students reach their personal, career, and educational goals. For more information, please visit www.saddleback.edu and for Fine Arts information,  Click Here

Unlicensed DUI Driver to be arraigned for Killing Passenger

Unlicensed DUI Driver to be arraigned for Killing Passenger

Posted by CotoBlogzz 1-12-2010 9:00 AM

WESTMINSTER, CA - Vincente Garcia Ramirez is scheduled to be arraigned today on charges of killing his female passenger after losing control of his car and crashing into a tree.

Ramirez, 23, Huntington Beach, is charged with one felony count of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence and one misdemeanor count of driving a motor vehicle without a valid license. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison. TheOrange County Dsitrict Attorney's office has announced it will be requesting $100,000 bail at Ramirez's arraignment later today, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010.

At approximately 2:00 a.m. on Jan. 9, 2010, Ramirez was driving in Garden Grove with a female friend in the passenger seat, 22-year-old Joyce Lopez. The defendant is accused of driving under the influence of alcohol without a driver's license after spending the evening at a bar and a house party, where he consumed several alcoholic beverages.

Ramirez is accused of losing control of his Nissan Altima after driving at an unsafe speed on Magnolia Street. He is accused of driving up the center divider of the road and crashing into a tree. Ramirez is accused of killing Lopez, who was transported to University of California, Irvine Medical Center and pronounced dead at 6:30 a.m. due to blunt force trauma.

DUI Female Driver Arraigned for Hit-and-run and Subsequent Death

Posted By CotoBlogzz 01-11-2009 06:00 PM

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - Shana Lynne Calderon was arraigned today for hitting a pedestrian and fleeing the scene while driving under the influence of alcohol, which resulted in the victim's death one week later.

Calderon, 21, Newport Beach, is charged with one felony count of hit and run causing death, one misdemeanor count each of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or more, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, and driving without a valid license. If convicted, Calderon faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison and is out on $100,000 bail. She is expected to be in court for a pre-trial hearing Feb. 25, 2010

At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 12, 2009, Calderon is accused of driving a white 1995 Ford Explorer southbound on the California State Route 55 as it turned into Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa. She is accused of moving into the right hand turn lane at the intersection of Newport Boulevard and 19th Street. While the victim, 29-year-old Michael McLaughlin, stepped into the street, Calderon is accused of striking McLaughlin with the car, causing him to hit the windshield and fly into the street. She is accused of parking her vehicle nearby, walking to the scene, and speaking to a witness that had congregated. Calderon and her passenger then fled the scene. The victim was transported to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he succumbed to his injuries a week later due to blunt force trauma to the head.

Approximately two hours later, Calderon turned herself in to the Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD). Calderon is accused of displaying objective signs of intoxication including bloodshot and watery eyes, flushed face, slurred speech, and a strong odor of alcohol on her breath. She is accused of possessing two hollowed-out pen containers used to ingest prescription drugs. Calderon is accused of driving without a valid driver's license.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Ed Berakovich at (714) 347-8492 or CMPD Investigator Rick Cummings at (714) 754-5264.

25-Year Old Charged with Murder of 84-year old after rape and torture

Posted By CotoBlogzz 01-11-2009 5:30 PM


SANTA ANA, CA - Anthony Darnell Wade has been charged with murdering an 84-year-old woman with the intention of stealing her car after breaking into her home, raping, torturing, and stabbing her.

Wade, Los Angeles, is charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder and one felony count of elder abuse. The special circumstances include murder during the commission of rape, torture, robbery, and burglary. These charges make the defendant eligible for the death penalty. Wade is being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Jan. 12, 2010

At approximately 12:00 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2010, Wade is accused of walking through an Anaheim neighborhood on Paradise Road and looking in windows with the intention of finding a vulnerable victim from whom he could steal a car. The defendant is accused of breaking into the home of 84-year-old widow Bessie Whyman through a broken window after seeing the victim sleeping in a bedroom.

Wade is accused of raping Whyman, tying her up by her hands and feet, and punching and kicking the victim. He is accused of torturing and murdering her by repeatedly stabbing her with a kitchen knife. Wade is accused of then taking a blanket and covering the victim, leaving her body in the living room. He is accused of ransacking the victim's home and stealing her purse and car before fleeing the scene and driving to San Bernardino.

Once in San Bernardino, the defendant is accused of being in possession of Whyman's stolen credit cards at a Food 4 Less store. Wade is accused of getting into a physical altercation with an employee after becoming angry that the staff would not accept the card with the name "Bessie Whyman" on it. Staff pepper-sprayed the defendant and called the police.

Police officers in San Bernardino determined that Whyman was from Anaheim and contacted the Anaheim Police Department (APD) for a welfare check. At approximately 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010, APD officers discovered the victim after entering Whyman's home through an unlocked back door.

APD is investigating this case. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact APD Detective Rodriguez at (714) 765-1944 or Supervising District Attorney Investigator Ed Berakovich at (714) 347-8492. Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Gundy of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

An Argument for Harry Reid's Resignation By Frances Rice

Harry Reid Must Resign

By Frances Rice

Wielding a sharp racial sword, Democrats ruthlessly destroy the careers of Republicans on racial matters, accepting no apologies. Yet, using a glaring double standard, those same Democrats quickly give a pass to any Democrat, such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who again displayed egregious racism.

Hardly a ripple of protest was made in 2004 when Reid shamelessly slurred Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as an incompetent Negro who could not write good English. "Slap at Thomas stinks of racism," was the headline of the New York Daily News' December 7, 2004 editorial.
Now, Reid has described then-Senator Barack Obama as "light skinned" and "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." With this racial slur, Reid denigrates not only Obama, but also the entire population of black Americans as being uneducated Negroes who cannot speak standard English, the same type of disgusting remark he made over five years ago about Justice Thomas, a graduate of Yale Law School.  A tribute to Justice Thomas that includes details about his stellar career is posted on the NBRA website.

Any American with an ounce of decency would not tolerate the type of disgusting racial epithets hurled by Reid at black Americans. If Reid had a scrap of politesse or common decency, he would apologize immediately to all black Americans, not just President Obama, and resign. It says a lot about his character and his innate disdain for blacks that he has refused to do so.

Obama's readiness to give Reid a pass is in sharp contrast to how Obama reacted in 2002, wasting no time issuing a challenge to the Republican Party to repudiate Republican Senator Trent Lott's remarks about Senator Strom Thurmond and seek his resignation as the Republican senate majority leader. The article "Obama in '02: 'The Republican Party itself has to drive out Trent Lott'" by John McCormack uncovers the following quote from Obama that was printed in the December 12, 2002 issue of the "Chicago Defender".

"It seems to be that we can forgive a 100-year-old senator for some of the indiscretion of his youth, but, what is more difficult to forgive is the current president of the U.S. Senate (Lott) suggesting we had been better off if we had followed a segregationist path in this country after all of the battles and fights for civil rights and all the work that we still have to do," said Obama.

He said: "The Republican Party itself has to drive out Trent Lott. If they have to stand for something, they have to stand up and say this is not the person we want representing our party."
In the arsenal of excuses for Reid not resigning, as did Lott, is the claim that Reid's racist comments were not of the same caliber as Lott's remarks made on the occasion of Thurmond's 100th birthday. Lott was criticized and later apologized for his favorable comments about Thurmond's life's work that encompassed his ill-fated 1948 presidential bid when Thurmond was a racist Democrat, and Lott was only seven years old. Thurmond died in 2003.

The fine line of racial calibration afforded Reid is never permitted any Republican under any circumstances. Resign! That's the universal cry from Democrats to Republicans, regardless of the nature of the charge of racism, and even when the charges are false. Further, Democrats are not shy about embracing or speaking well of their aging leaders who have engaged in horrendous acts of racism.

Democrats who called for Lott's resignation were silent when Democrat Senator Christopher Dodd praised former Klansman Democrat Senator Robert Byrd as someone who would have been "a great senator for any moment". Unlike Byrd, Thurmond was never in the Ku Klux Klan that was the terrorist arm of the Democratic Party. After he reformed on racial issues and joined the Republican Party - the party of freedom and equality for blacks - Thurmond defended blacks against lynching and the discriminatory poll taxes imposed on blacks by Democrats.

Egregiously Byrd, in March of 1968, while referring to the fact that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. left Memphis, Tennessee after riots broke out where a teenager was killed, called Dr. King a "trouble-maker" who starts trouble, but runs like a coward after trouble is ignited. This motivated Dr. King to return to Memphis a few weeks later where he was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

Byrd was also a fierce opponent of desegregating the military and complained in one letter: "I would rather die a thousand times and see old glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again than see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen of the wilds." 

In the early 1970's, Byrd pushed to have the senate's main office building named after a former "Dixiecrat," Democrat Senator Richard Russell who was Senator Byrd's mentor and leading opponent of anti-lynching legislation and other civil rights laws of the 1950's and 1960's that were championed by Republicans. Recently, in 2001 Byrd was forced to apologize for using the N-word on television. During Byrd's last bid for re-election to the senate, Obama wrote a letter of support for the racist Byrd, and not one murmur of indignation was uttered about the fact that Obama was honoring a former Klansman.  Democrats showed no shame when they heralded Byrd as "the conscience of the senate."  Can we say hypocrisy?
Why is there omitted from most discussions about racism all the racists words and deeds of numerous other Democratic Party leaders, including President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton and former President Jimmy Carter? Instances or racism on the part of these and other Democrats are detailed in articles posted on the NBRA website.
The new book by Wayne Perryman "Whites, Blacks & Racist Democrats" provides details about the origin and depth of the contempt Democrats have always had for black Americans, starting in 1792. In his book on page 184, Perryman reports what Democrat President Lyndon Johnson said to his closest friend, Democrat Senator Richard B. Russell of Georgia. Historical documents show that Johnson told Russell the following:
"These Negroes, they're getting pretty uppity these days and that's a problem for us since they got something now that they never had before, the political pull to back up their uppityness. Now we've got to do something about this, we got to give them a little something, just enough to quiet them down, but not enough to make a difference. For if we don't move at all, then their allies will line up against us and there'll be no way of stopping them.... It will be Reconstruction all over again..."
Until and unless we hold Democrats to the same standard of racial purity imposed on their political opponents, we will never end the Democrats' use of racial tactics designed to keep our nation divided along hyphenated lines.
The resignation of Senator Harry Reid would signal an end to the Democrats' era of race mongering for partisan political gain. However, all signs show that Reid will not resign, and the Democrats will never loosen their race-baiting grip around the throat of America.

So, it is up to the people of Nevada to vote Reid out of office during the November 2010 election, and the rest of us to kick the Democrats out of Congress, since they are determined to tax and spend our nation into a long socialist winter.

Frances Rice is a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel, a lawyer and chairman of the National Black Republican Association.  She may be contacted at:  www.NBRA.Info