Santa Ana's top news & views blog

New Santa Ana

Call us if you have a question

Category Archives: Irvine

Suspect arrested after a fatal DUI crash and a police pursuit near the Costco at the District in Tustin

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Irvine, Tustin Leave a comment

Pedro Pantoja Jr., a 29-year-old, was arrested by the Irvine Police on Sunday, April 18, after he was involved in a fatal car crash which he fled from eventually causing a second crash in Irvine.

The first crash happened at about 8:45 a.m. at the 2800 block of Park Ave., near the Costco at the District at Tustin.

David Kawashima, a 62-year-old man from Orange, was killed in the first crash. He died at the scene.

As the Tustin police were responding to that accident the suspect fled. A police pursuit began and it ended with another crash when the suspect north in the southbound lanes of Jamboree Road and collided with another vehicle north of Warner Avenue.

Pantoja Jr. was arrested by the Irvine police on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, causing injury to his passenger while driving under the influence, vehicle theft, a parole violation and evading a police officer.

The Irvine police responded to the second crash scene after their help was requested by the Tustin police as the incident happened on the border of Irvine and Tustin.

Pantoja was hospitalized after he was arrested. A female passenger in the car he was driving was also hospitalized. There were no details given by the Irvine police regarding their injuries.

The Irvine police are requesting that anyone with information on the fatal crash please call Detective Roberto Solis at 949-724-7024. Anonymous tips can also be called in to the O.C. Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227.

The Irvine police arrested three mail theft suspects in two separate cases

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Irvine 1 Comment

IRVINE, Calif. (April 13, 2021) – Yesterday afternoon, IPD officers arrested 35-year-old Joshua Thompson for stealing mail in the area of Portola and Arrowhead. This morning, 27-year-old Oscar Cruz-Guzman and 29-year-old Emily Hernandez were arrested for mail theft in the area of Montanas Este and San Joaquin.

Yesterday, shortly after 3:00 p.m., witnesses observed an adult male in a white Toyota Scion stealing mail from unsecured mailboxes in the area of Portola and Arrowhead. A witness on a bicycle gave chase while another witness called IPD. The bicyclist saw an officer in the area and was able to point out the suspect vehicle as it drove away. The officer stopped the suspect and located piles of mail on the front passenger seat. It was determined Thompson stole mail from 39 different victims in Irvine and Mission Viejo. He was arrested and booked at the Orange County Jail for mail theft with a prior conviction.

At approximately 5:00 a.m. this morning, an officer was patrolling a neighborhood near Montanas Este and San Joaquin when he noticed a vehicle leaving the area. He stopped the vehicle driven by Oscar Cruz-Guzman, and learned he had active warrants for drug related offenses. A search of the vehicle revealed several pieces of stolen mail from two victims in Irvine. A female passenger in the vehicle, Emily Hernandez, had several master mailbox keys in her possession. Hernandez was arrested for mail theft, possession of burglary tools and possession of narcotics. Cruz-Guzman was arrested for outstanding warrants, mail theft, possession of burglary tools and drug paraphernalia.

Mail thieves typically seek credit cards or mail containing personal identifying information to be used for fraud related crimes. Please retrieve your mail regularly to help avoid becoming a victim.

Irvine man faces hate crime charges after attacking a woman in Tustin

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Hate, Irvine, Tustin Leave a comment

On April 11, 2021 at approximately 10:42 am, Tustin Police officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of Valencia Avenue regarding a possible assault and battery. Officers contacted the victim and confirmed she had been assaulted by the suspect.

The victim informed officers the suspect made racial comments and punched her in the stomach. During the altercation, the victim pepper sprayed the suspect. The suspect fled the scene prior to the officers arrival.

The suspect was later located by officers and taken into custody without incident. The suspect has been identified as Jauhar Tajuddin Shuaib, a 42-year old resident of Irvine, California.

The suspect was arrested and booked into Orange County Jail for the following charges:

  • CPC 422.6(a): Hate Crime/Assault Based in Whole or In Part of the Victim’s Race;
  • CPC 245(a)(4): Assault with Force likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury;
  • CPC 647.6(a)(2): Sexually Motivated Annoyance;
  • CPC 241.2(a): Assault in a Public Park;
  • CPC 653b(a): Loitering about a Place Where Children Congregate;
  • CPC 415(1): Disturbing the Peace;
  • TMC 7112(h): Abusive or Profane Language Prohibited.

If anyone has any information or video regarding this incident or any unreported crimes that may be related to Shuaib, please contact Detective Eric Haug at 714-573-3246.

Irvine man tried to avenge crimes against Asians by kidnapping and trying to sexually assault a woman

Posted on by Posted in Asians, Crime, Hate, Irvine, OCDA Leave a comment

Irvine, Calif. (April 9, 2021) – Last night, Irvine Police arrested 37-year-old Michael Sangbong Rhee for kidnapping with the intent to commit a sexual assault against a woman at an apartment complex.

Yesterday afternoon, at approximately 1:30 p.m., an adult female of Asian descent was sitting in the driver’s seat of her vehicle near her apartment in the area of Harvard and Coronado. Her driver side door was open and she looked up to see Rhee standing at the driver’s side door holding a handgun. She did not recognize Rhee and he told her if she wanted to live, she needed to get in the back of her car. The victim offered Rhee her wallet and money and he said they would “do that later.” He then opened the rear passenger door and pushed her onto the backseat. The victim believed she was going to be sexually assaulted or killed and began to look for an opportunity to escape. As she struggled with Rhee, he committed a sexual battery against her. The victim yelled to a maintenance worker nearby that Rhee had a gun. Rhee then exited the vehicle, ran through the apartment community, and got into his vehicle. Surveillance cameras captured his license plate as he was leaving the complex.

The Irvine Police Department (IPD) and the City of Irvine do not tolerate violent crimes against women or hate-related crimes in our community. IPD detectives immediately followed up on the license plate information, which led them to Rhee’s residence in Lake Forest. Rhee was contacted at his home and he was detained. Detectives obtained and served a search warrant and several items were recovered from his home and vehicle linking him to the assault. One of the items collected from the vehicle was a BB gun similar to the weapon described by the victim.

Rhee was arrested late last night and booked at Orange County Jail for kidnapping with the intent to commit a sexual assault. He is being held on $1,000,000 bail.

Based on the totality of the investigation and statements made by Rhee, detectives believe he targeted the victim because he thought she was White. Detectives also believe the assault was retaliation for hate crimes committed against the Asian community. IPD detectives will be adding hate crime charges to the complaint filed with the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

If anyone has any information regarding this case, please contact Detective Haldor Larum at (949) 724-7194 or email hlarum@cityofirvine.org.

Traffic stop leads to a large drug bust in Irvine

Posted on by Posted in Drugs, Irvine, OC Sheriff Leave a comment

O.C. Sheriff narcotics investigators seized thousands of illicit pills, drugs, guns and cash after a traffic stop in South Orange County.  

At about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the city of Irvine, which resulted in the discovery of illicit pills stamped as known prescription medication. Investigators collected 40,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine and 10,000 counterfeit Xanax pills containing fentanyl.

The roadside seizure led to the issuance of a warrant to search the suspect’s Irvine residence where investigators collected additional substances including two pounds of the hallucinogenic psilocybin, 29 grams of cocaine, and 800 THC vape cartridges. An additional 6,515 pills of illicit Adderall containing methamphetamine and 10,100 illicit Xanax pills containing fentanyl also were found at the residence, along with two handguns, one assault rifle, and about $124,000 in cash.

The 24-year-old man was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of felony possession of narcotics for sale, felony transport of narcotics for sale, and felony possession of controlled substances for sale.

Twin YouTube stars plead guilty to charges involving fake Irvine bank robberies

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Irvine, OCDA 1 Comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Twin brothers who star in YouTube videos featuring pranks on unsuspecting people pleaded guilty to misdemeanor false imprisonment and reporting false emergencies in connection with a pair of fake bank robberies in Irvine that resulted in their Uber driver being held at gunpoint by police. The Uber driver was not involved in the prank.

Alan and Alex Stokes, 23 of Irvine, had been each charged with one felony count of false imprisonment effected by violence, menace, fraud, or deceit and two misdemeanor counts of falsely reporting an emergency in connection with the October 15, 2019 pranks.

They each faced a maximum sentence of five years in jail if convicted on all counts.

The guilty pleas were in exchange for a judge reducing the felony false imprisonment charge to a misdemeanor. Prosecutors objected on the record and in a trial brief to the court’s offer to reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor.

The Stokes brothers were each sentenced to 160 hours of community service, one year formal probation, and ordered to pay restitution. The judge also ordered the brothers to stay away from the University of Irvine – the location of one of the crimes – and to stop making videos that mimic criminal behavior.

On October 15, 2019, at about 2:30 p.m., the Stokes brothers are accused of being dressed all in black, wearing ski masks, and carrying duffle bags full of cash as they pretended they had just robbed a bank while their videographer filmed it.

They ordered an Uber and when they got in the vehicle the Uber driver, who was unaware of the prank, refused to drive them. A bystander witnessed this, believing the two men had just robbed a bank and were attempting to carjack the Uber driver.

Irvine police arrived and ordered the Uber driver out at gunpoint. He was released after police determined he was not involved.

Police issued a warning to the Stokes brothers about the dangerousness of their conduct and let them go.

Four hours later the Stokes brothers performed the same kind of prank on the campus of the University of California, Irvine. Police again received emergency calls regarding a potential bank robbery.

“These crimes could have easily resulted in someone being seriously hurt or killed,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “An active bank robbery is not a casual police response and these police officers were literally risking their lives to help people they believed were in danger. It is irresponsible and reckless that these two individuals cared more about increasing their number of followers on the internet than the safety of those police officers or the safety of the innocent Uber driver who was ordered out of his car at gunpoint.”

Deputy District Attorney Laila Nikaien of Special Prosecutions prosecuted this case.

The Irvine police arrested a suspect in the beating of an elderly man

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Irvine 1 Comment

Update: Irvine, Calif. (March 25, 2021) – The Irvine Police Department (IPD) has arrested Keven Quiroz, 23, for the assault of an elderly male that occurred last Friday evening.

On Friday, March 19, 2021, at 7:00 p.m., a 69-year-old male was assaulted at Sierra Vista Middle School while walking his dog.

IPD released photographs and surveillance video of the suspect on Monday, March 22, which resulted in multiple tips from the public over the last several days. One of those tips, from an anonymous source, lead to the identification of Quiroz as a possible suspect in this case.

This morning, IPD detectives located Quiroz at his apartment in the City of Tustin. Evidence linking him to the assault was recovered at his residence. Detectives also located an unloaded rifle in Quiroz’s vehicle, which is unrelated to this case.

Based on the totality of the investigation, IPD detectives believe the assault followed a dispute over the suspect’s dog being off leash. It does not appear the ethnicity of the victim was a factor in the assault.

Quiroz was booked at Orange County Jail on charges of Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Elder Abuse. Detectives are conducting follow-up on the rifle to determine if Quiroz was in lawful possession of the rifle at the time of his arrest. Additional weapons charges will be requested if appropriate.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Gavin Hudson at 949-724- 7168 or GHudson@cityofirvine.org.

The Irvine Police are searching for an assault suspect and his vicious dog

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Irvine 4 Comments

Irvine, Calif. (March 22, 2021) – The Irvine Police Department (IPD) is seeking assistance from the public to identify the suspect who assaulted an elderly male.

On Friday, March 19, 2021, at 7:00 p.m., a 69-year-old male was walking his dog at Sierra Vista Middle School in the City of Irvine. The victim observed a larger black and white dog, described as a Husky breed, which was off-leash and appeared to be connected to a young male that was jogging and kicking a soccer ball in the area. The larger dog approached the victim aggressively and the victim picked up his own dog to avoid conflict.

Minutes later, the larger dog approached again and the victim lost control of his dog’s leash. The two dogs began fighting and the victim rushed to separate them. While attempting to defend his dog, the victim was struck in the head from behind by the male that was seen jogging.

The suspect left the area with the dog and the victim was ultimately taken to the hospital for treatment. IPD was notified that day and the investigation commenced.

The victim was able to take a photo of the suspect as he left the area with the other dog. Detectives have also recovered surveillance video from the area. The suspect is described as a male in his late teens with a darker complexion. He was last seen wearing a dark t-shirt over a white long sleeve shirt, dark shorts over white leggings or shin guards, black athletic shoes, and carrying a white backpack. The suspect may also be associated with a white sedan or coupe style vehicle.

Although the motive in this case is unclear, IPD has not ruled out the possibility that this could be a hate crime.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Gavin Hudson at 949-724-7168 or GHudson@cityofirvine.org.

The ex-husband of a Santa Ana woman beat her to death and now could get the death penalty

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Domestic Violence, Irvine, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A Lake Forest man has been charged with murder for beating his ex-wife to death with a tire iron after she arrived at her job as a nanny in Irvine. The woman died three weeks after the attack.

Omar Velazquezhuar, 45, of Lake Forest, has been charged with one felony count of murder and one felony enhancement of lying in wait to commit murder. The charges make Velazquezhuar eligible for the death penalty.

On February 26, 2021, Velazquezhuar is accused of attacking Dora Maria Rosas Moreno, 48, of Santa Ana, repeatedly in the head with a tire iron after she parked her car to go to her job as a nanny. Velazquezhuar fled the scene, leaving Moreno in critical condition.

Irvine police captured and arrested Velazquezhuar in the attack. On March 1, 2021, prosecutors charged Velazquezhuar with attempted murder.

Moreno died from her injuries on March 17, 2021 and charges were upgraded to murder. Velazquezhuar and Moreno have two adult children together.

Velazquezhuar is scheduled to be arraigned on April 16, 2021 in CJ1. He is currently being held without bail. 

“Our hearts go out to the loved ones of Ms. Moreno as they grapple with the loss of a mother, friend, and caregiver,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “This is an unspeakable act of violence that cost an innocent woman her life. While the heartbreak and pain caused by this depraved act will never go away, we will ensure justice is carried out.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Mark Geller of the Family Protection Unit is prosecuting this case.

GoFundMe for the family of the victim.

Cell phone robbery suspect from Irvine gets 9½ Years in Federal Prison

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Irvine, Justice 1 Comment

IVERSIDE, California – An Orange County man who was part of a crew that committed a series of armed robberies at Southern California cell phone stores has been sentenced to 114 months in federal prison, the Justice Department announced today.

Anthony Wimbley, 28, of Irvine, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal. Wimbley pleaded guilty in September 2020 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Wimbley’s sentencing was announced today after a federal jury in Fort Worth, Texas late Wednesday convicted another member of Wimbley’s crew – Edward Eugene Robinson, 49, of Long Beach – of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, two counts of interfering with commerce by robbery, and two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Robinson also faces criminal charges in Wimbley’s federal case in Riverside.

According to the evidence presented at trial, on May 21, 2019, Wimbley, brandishing a handgun and accompanied by three co-conspirators, robbed an AT&T Wireless store in Fullerton, stealing $23,339 worth of electronic devices and cell phones. During the robbery, one of the conspirators pointed a gun at employee’s abdomen and forced her to go to the back of the store after she said she was scared, according to court documents. Law enforcement later found the robbers in a parked car and found nearby the handgun and stolen goods.

A federal grand jury in October 2019 charged Wimbley, Robinson and four other men in an indictment that alleged a conspiracy to rob cellular phone stores in Chino, Fullerton, Long Beach, Victorville, and Beaumont. The defendants targeted cell phones that did not contain tracking devices, and, in total, stole approximately $191,053 worth of cell phones and electronic devices, and approximately $2,434 in cash, according to the indictment.

Three other defendants in this case – Wimbley’s cousin, Robert Wimbley, 28, of Pomona; Wimbley’s brother, Darron Wimbley, 29, of Fontana; and Djovonte Lewis, 23, of Pomona – each pleaded guilty in August 2020 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using a firearm during a violent crime. Robert Wimbley was sentenced to 114 months in federal prison, and Darron Wimbley is serving a 100-month federal prison sentence for his crimes. Lewis is expected to be sentenced on April 19.

The indictment’s lead defendant, Aaron Tremmell Hardrick, 33, of Fort Worth, Texas, also was transferred to the Northern District of Texas, where some of crewmembers committed additional robberies. Hardrick pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and a firearms offense, admitted to committing the robberies in Southern California, and was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison.

This matter was investigated by the FBI, the Redlands Police Department, the Rialto Police Department, the Glendora Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the Chino Police Department, the Fullerton Police Department, the Long Beach Police Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the Beaumont Police Department, and the Pomona Police Department.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jerry C. Yang, Chief of the Riverside Branch Office, and Peter H. Dahlquist, also of the Riverside Branch Office. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas is providing substantial assistance by prosecuting the cases against Hardrick and Robinson, which were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Weybrecht and Nancy Larson.

The Irvine police arrested a couple who had a stolen gun and drugs

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Guns, Irvine, Tustin Leave a comment

On Friday night, an Irvine Police Department officer was patrolling the parking lot of an Irvine business and observed a suspicious vehicle.

As the officer got closer, an adult male exited the vehicle and ran. A female remained in the vehicle and was ultimately arrested for drug related offenses.

In addition to finding narcotics in the vehicle, the officer located a handgun that was determined to be left behind by the male.

Officers searched the area and located the male a short distance away. He was arrested for being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.

After conducting follow up, the officer determined the handgun had been stolen from a vehicle in the City of Tustin an hour prior.

Probably not a great idea to leave any valuables in your cars – including guns!

New O.C. Soccer Club t-shirt sale will benefit the O.C. Educational Arts Academy in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Irvine, Non-Profits, Soccer Leave a comment

Irvine, CA (February 4, 2021) – The Orange County Soccer Club announced today a new initiative to support communities in Orange County to stay strong together during these trying times. OCSC along with the club’s Hispanic Advisory Board is kicking off the OCSC #JuntosMásFuertes campaign, an initiative targeting diverse Non-profits to support through philanthropic engagement. This campaign ties in the love for soccer and the arts through a #JuntosMásFuertes custom t-shirt sale campaign, the OCSC Hispanic Advisory Board activated local artist, Hugo Cesar Chavarria, to curate a design that captures the strength of the Orange County Soccer Club’s community. Sales of the shirt will benefit the Orange County Educational Arts Academy in Santa Ana.

“The goal was simple. We wanted to connect the OCSC brand to the rich art history in Downtown Santa Ana and use this project as an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of local artist.”, said Jeff Garner, President of Business Relations.

The Non-profit they have decided to support in 2021 is the Orange County Education Arts Academy (“OCEAA”). OCEAA was founded in 2005 by a group of dedicated educators, parents and community partners who wanted to provide a well-rounded education to diverse students. OCEAA is a dual immersion public charter school serving approximately 630 students in grades TK-8 in Santa Ana. Their mission is to nurture all learners to become creative, critical thinkers by providing high quality standards-based instruction through the arts, technology, language and culture.

OCEAA’s Executive Director, Mike Limon, said, “We are beyond excited about this partnership and we’re looking forward to inspiring our community to stay strong and fuerte together during these challenging times.”

Hugo, a self-taught artist from Southern California, has been creating art for seven years and specializes in portraiture. Working with oil paint and charcoal, his work is known for capturing the feeling and gaze of his subjects making him highly sought after. The result is a beautiful piece that not only incorporates the #JuntosMásFuertes message, but also intertwines the OCSC Crest in a mosaic border alongside one of the more iconic landmarks in North OC – the Santa Ana Water Tower.

Hugo stated, “I am very honored to be able to create with OCSC, to give back to the community and its young creatives. Community is very important, it inspires, it creates culture and unity. I hope that my art inspires, just like the community of Santa Ana has inspired me with its unity and heritage.”

Since the 1980’s, Santa Ana has been the art destination for Orange County, attracting artists, art lovers and art professionals to the area and the Orange County Soccer Club plans to continue their support in preserving this culture with future projects.

The limited-edition shirts are $20 and will be on-sale through the month of February with Orange County Soccer Club donating the net proceeds to the Orange County Educational Arts Academy in Santa Ana.

They are available for purchase at https://bit.ly/OCSCDASH

There are 3 delivery options.

Option 1) Pick up from OCEAA (no additional cost, at a date forthcoming)
Option 2) Ship to your home ($8)
Option 3) Donate the t-shirt to OCEAA (no additional cost)

Please email lisa@orangecountysoccer.com if you have any questions.

ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY SOCCER CLUB:

Orange County Soccer Club (OCSC) is Orange County’s only professional soccer team and is part of the United Soccer League (USL), the fastest-growing Division II professional soccer league in the world. The USL is comprised of 35 teams across the United States. The team plays its home games at the 5,500-seat Orange County Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium, located in Irvine, CA. OCSC’s strategic partner is Rangers Football Club of Glasgow in the Scottish Premier League. OCSC signed the youngest male in United States soccer history to a professional contract, Francis Jacobs, in 2019 at the age of 14. The team executed a number of player transfers from the USL to major European clubs in 2020, including to the German Bundesliga (Wolfsburg) and to the Scottish Premier League (Rangers FC). OCSC’s preceding club, Orange County Blues, was one of 12 founding members of the USL during its inaugural 2011 season. Team owner and Chief Investment Officer of LARO Properties, James Keston, purchased and re-branded the team in 2017. Keston, who actively oversees all operations of the team, is dedicated to providing a pathway to professional soccer and a world-class soccer organization that focuses on the fans, players, and youth clubs of Orange County.

For more information about Orange County Soccer Club, and to experience professional soccer in the OC, visit: http://www.orangecountysoccer.com. For more information about the United Soccer League, visit: http://www.uslsoccer.com.

ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY EDUCATIONAL ARTS ACADEMY:

OCEAA was founded in 2005 by a group of dedicated educators, parents and community partners who wanted to provide a well-rounded education to the students of Orange County. OCEAA is a public charter school serving approximately 630 students grades TK-8, is funded directly from the state based on student attendance and is subject to the same accountability measures as other public schools. Our mission is to nurture all learners to become creative, critical thinkers by providing high quality standards-based instruction through the arts, technology, language and culture.

Santa Ana man and two others arrested for selling drugs

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Fountain Valley, Irvine, Santa Ana, Tustin Leave a comment

During the months of December 2020 and January 2021, the Fountain Valley Police Department Crime Suppression Unit (CSU) investigated an individual that was known to sell narcotics and firearms throughout Orange County. CSU learned this seller was staying at the Fairfield Inn in Tustin.

On January 14, 2021, surveillance was established at the hotel. Arnoldo Meraz, a 20-year-old resident of Santa Ana, Alexander Almaraz, a 21-year-old resident of Irvine, and a juvenile were contacted at Meraz’s vehicle in the parking lot of this hotel.

A search of the vehicle yielded a loaded .22 caliber revolver in the passenger door, 31 Oxycodone, 244 Adderall, 94 Xanax pills and approximately $4,900 in cash.

Search warrants were obtained for Meraz’s two hotel rooms as well as his residence in Santa Ana. 351 Oxycodone, 82 Xanax pills, 41 Suboxone strips and approximately one ounce of cocaine were located in one of the hotel rooms. Ammunition, firearm parts and 11 grams of cocaine were located at Meraz’s residence.

Meraz was already out on bail for weapons and narcotics trafficking violations.

Meraz and Almaraz were booked into OCJ for various weapons and narcotics trafficking violations as well as child endangerment.

The juvenile was booked into OC Juvenile Hall for various weapons and narcotics trafficking violations. Incident 21-01314

Former financial advisor from Irvine heading to prison after scamming pro athletes

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Federal Government, Irvine, Justice, Santa Ana, Sports Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, California – A former Orange County financial advisor and lawyer was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison for stealing millions of dollars of his pro athlete clients’ money and investing it in a cash-losing ticket company on which he was a board member.

Ash Narayan, 55, of Irvine, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered him to pay $18,811,231 in restitution. Narayan pleaded guilty in June 2019 to a two-count information charging him with wire fraud and subscribing to a false tax return.

Narayan worked as an investment advisor at RGT Capital Management Ltd.’s Irvine office and also was a licensed California lawyer until his disbarment earlier this year. At RGT, Narayan’s clients were high-net-worth individuals who were current and former professional athletes.

In addition to his job at RGT, Narayan served on the board of directors for The Ticket Reserve Inc. (TTR), an Illinois-based technology company that allowed customers to buy an option on a ticket to future sporting events, such as playoff games, which they could cash in if their team made the postseason. TTR never was profitable and carried millions of dollars in debt.

From December 2009 to early 2016, Narayan advised his clients to invest in TTR, but failed to disclose to them his role in the company as well as the fact that it was a high-risk investment and an unprofitable business. At times, Narayan directed RGT employees to forge his clients’ signatures on wire authorizations to direct significant amounts of his clients’ money into TTR without their knowledge or consent.

Narayan left RGT in 2016 and The Ticket Reserve was put into receivership later that year.

Narayan also knowingly subscribed to a materially false federal income tax return when he reported that his total income for 2012 was $543,072, when in truth it was $1,138,072.

In a related case brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission in federal court in Dallas, Narayan was ordered to repay $1,498,000 in ill-gotten gains as well as a $350,000 civil penalty.

This matter was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Waier of the Santa Ana Branch Office.

Santa Ana man arrested for auto theft and multiple burglaries

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Fountain Valley, Irvine, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

On 10-14-20 at 11:50 p.m., Irvine PD investigated the theft of a white 2017 Toyota Camry from the area of Culver and the I-405.

Fountain Valley Police Department (FVPD) Officers investigated a theft from a vehicle and an interrupted residential burglary on the 11000 block of Mayflower Avenue in the City of Fountain Valley. Prior to Officers arriving on scene, the suspect fled in the above-referenced vehicle that was stolen in Irvine.

The Santa Ana Police Department arrested a 25 year old resident of Santa Ana, Miguel Angel Yerena, for PC 459-Residential Burglary, PC 69-Obstructing Arrest, HS 11375(b)(1)-Possession of Narcotics for Sales, and PC 242-Assault and the SAPD booked him into Orange County Jail.

Yerena is on active Orange County Formal Probation. He was released on bond from Orange County Jail on 10-21-20 at 7:48 p.m.

On 10-21-20 at 11:41 p.m., FVPD Officers investigated an interrupted residential burglary at the 16000 block of San Jacinto Street in the City of Fountain Valley.

On 10-22-20 at 12:12 a.m., FVPD Officers investigated a second interrupted residential burglary on the 11000 block of Mayflower Avenue in the City of Fountain Valley.

Yerena exited the victim’s house with stolen property and was arrested without incident. The above-referenced stolen vehicle was located and a search of it revealed additional stolen property which connected Yerena to these crimes.

Yerena was booked into Orange County Jail on 10-22-20 at 7:30 a.m.

Burglaries of occupied dwellings, such as these, are especially dangerous. FVPD is thankful to the victim’s for immediately reporting these crimes to 9-1-1 and relaying pertinent information to Dispatchers.

FVPD Nightshift Officers were on scene approximately 3 minutes after being dispatched. Not only was this recidivist offender captured without incident, but Officers completed a thorough investigation which lead to the District Attorney’s Office filing numerous felony charges.

At the time of this post, Yerena remains in Orange County Jail where he is being held without bail.