Mission Viejo Registered Sex Offender Convicted of Indecent Exposure in RSM Library

Posted By CotoBlogzz


Rancho Santa Margarita, CA  - Robert Bruce Engel, a registered sex offender was convicted today for indecent exposure in a public library.

Engel, 68, Mission Viejo, was found guilty in a court trial today, before the Honorable Craig Griffin of one felony count of indecent exposure with prior convictions for indecent exposure in 1999 and 2002. Engel faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison at his sentencing, Nov 15, 2012

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA), Aat approximately 7:00 p.m. on May 9, 2011, Engel went to the Rancho Santa Margarita Public Library and sat at a table inside across from two teenage girls and began masturbating.

The victims reported Engel to the librarian, but the defendant left the library before police arrived.

On the evening of May 16, 2011, Engel returned to the same library. The librarian recognized him and contacted the Orange County Sheriff's Department, who investigated this case. Engel was arrested at the library.

Engel's lifetime sex offender registration bars him from entering County recreational areas and City parks, which have passed the Sex Offender Ordinance. including Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Lake Forest, La Habra, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Westminster, and Yorba Linda.

Deputy District Attorney Bobby Taghavi of the Felony Panel is prosecuting this case.

Mission Viejo Man Convicted of Assaulting an OCSD deputy

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA  - Mission Viejo man was convicted and sentenced to four years in state prison today for assaulting an Orange County Sheriff's (OCSD)  deputy by trying to take her firearm and physically struggling when she attempted to arrest him. Thomas Andrew Spence, 28, Mission Viejo, pleaded guilty to one felony count each of assault with a firearm on a peace officer, removing a firearm from a peace officer, and battery on a peace officer with injury.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) office, at approximately 9:40 p.m. on Oct. 6, 2010, Spence was lying outside between two bushes near Armstrong Garden Center in Laguna Niguel with his hands down his pants, which were undone. Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Michelle Rodriguez observed the defendant and attempted to contact him. When Spence saw the deputy, he removed his hands from his pants and began to run away.  

When Deputy Rodriguez caught Spence, the defendant became aggressive. Deputy Rodriguez deployed her Taser at the defendant's chest, but the strike hit the defendant's tie and was ineffective. Spence continued to approach the deputy, who removed her baton and struck him one time in the knee. Spence was unfazed and grabbed the deputy's flashlight. 

Deputy Rodriguez drew her firearm and ordered the defendant to put down the flashlight, fearing that he may use it as a weapon against her.  As Spence put the flashlight down, he advanced toward the deputy and grabbed her firearm with both hands. 

The defendant struggled with the deputy to take her firearm. Deputy Rodriguez fired the weapon twice before it jammed. Spence was not hit. Spence finally let go of the firearm and attempted to flee the scene. Responding back-up deputies arrived and arrested the defendant with Deputy Rodriguez.

The deputy suffered scratches and abrasions to her temple, hands, elbow, knees, and hip.

Senior Deputy District Attorney John Christl of the Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted this case.

Mission Viejo’s Edward Justin LaPorte sentenced for impersonating a police officer and demanding a massage

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA  - Edward Justin LaPorte was convicted and sentenced today for impersonating a police officer and demanding a massage and $200 while pretending to perform a business inspection of a massage parlor.

in LaPorte, 48, Mission Viejo, pleaded guilty to one felony count of second degree commercial burglary, two misdemeanor counts of misrepresenting oneself as a peace officer, and one felony count each of having a concealed firearm, and carrying a loaded firearm in public. LaPorte was sentenced to six months in jail and three years formal probation over the objection of the Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) office, which advocated a one year in jail.

According to the OCDA’s office, LaPorte was a police officer with the Arlington Heights Police Department in Illinois from 1997 to 2001 and had worked as an officer with the North Chicago Police Department for several years prior to that time. LaPorte moved to California after leaving the police force. 

At approximately 12:00 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2011, LaPorte entered Golden Spa massage parlor in Lake Forest wearing a silver police badge on his belt and carrying a firearm in a shoulder holster. He told the manager that he was investigating the parlor due to a recent complaint.

LaPorte walked around the massage parlor carrying and writing notes on a clipboard before demanding a massage because his firearm holster was hurting his back. While the manager was sending a masseuse into a room to give LaPorte a massage, he undressed and laid naked on the massage table. LaPorte received a 30-minute back massage and told the masseuse that he was a police officer inspecting the business.

During the massage, the Golden Spa manager called the City of Lake Forest business licensing department to describe the situation. After the back massage, the masseuse left the room and LaPorte asked the manager to send her back in to massage his front, but the manager refused. LaPorte got dressed, failed to pay for his massage, and demanded that the manager pay him $200 for the inspection. The manager again refused. 

A legitimate business licensing inspector from the City of Lake Forest responding to the manager's phone call arrived and identified himself to the defendant as LaPorte was leaving Golden Spa. LaPorte became belligerent and yelled that he didn't have to answer to the inspector when asked about LaPorte's inspection. LaPorte then left the massage parlor.  The licensing inspector and manager wrote down LaPorte's license plate number and contacted the police. 

The Orange County Sheriff's Department investigated this case.