Orange County Vows to Fight Plan for Expanded Needle Exchange
Santa Ana, California – After removing 14,000 dirty needles from the Santa Ana Riverbed, Orange County is fighting a proposal to give away more needles to addicts.
On Tuesday, a unanimous Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution to oppose a pending application with the California Department of Public Health for a mobile needle giveaway program in Orange County. Continue reading
Costa Mesa Police Department
Advisory: Ongoing gang investigation results in three arrests and seizure of drugs and weapons
Costa Mesa, Calif. – The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) arrested three on Friday, May 25, 2018, and seized drugs and weapons in connection to a continued enforcement stemming from an ongoing gang investigation.
On May 18, 2018, CMPD posted the following on social media about an enforcement by Gang Investigators: Continue reading
Yesterday, May 16, 2018, at about 1:54 p.m., Costa Mesa police officers executed a search warrant at the 400 block of Hamilton Street, based on multiple calls for service, stops, and narcotics arrests previously made.
Over the course of several months, it became apparent that heavy foot traffic was coming to and from the location. Neighbors expressed concerns regarding the drug activity in the neighborhood stemming from this location. Continue reading
Santa Ana Police Department
SANTA ANA POLICE STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT
The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI / Driver’s License checkpoint on Friday May 18th, 2018. It will begin at 8:30 PM and is scheduled to conclude at 2:00AM. It will be conducted in the area of 2700 N Main Street, in the City of Santa Ana.
The primary purpose of a DUI Checkpoint is to deter impaired driving, not to increase arrests. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI / Driver’s License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver’s license. The DMV reports that unlicensed drivers are 4.9 times more likely to cause a fatal crash than a licensed driver.
The checkpoint will be staffed by officers trained in the detection of alcohol and drug impairment to provide on-the-spot assessments of drivers suspected of alcohol or drug impairment. All checkpoints are conducted in accordance with the guidelines for DUI checkpoint operations outlined in the California Supreme Court decision, Ingersoll v. Palmer.
All vehicles may be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and / or drugs will be arrested. Our objective is to send a clear message to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and / or drugs – Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest. The public is encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 911 if they see a suspected impaired driver. Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
SANTA ANA – Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens today announced the arrest of 85 individuals; seizure of 36 firearms, including assault weapons; seizure of 14 pounds of methamphetamine and three pounds of heroin; and the recovery of two stolen vehicles, as part of an investigation of Mexican Mafia members and associates operating in Orange County.
“Apprehending dangerous criminals is my number-one priority. We will hold accountable those who terrorize our communities and jeopardize public safety,” said Attorney General Becerra. “The California Department of Justice will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to successfully disrupt and dismantle gang activity in the Golden State. I especially want to applaud the bravery and outstanding performance of the men and women involved in this operation. Thanks to them, Orange County neighborhoods are safer.” Continue reading
Remember the nonprofit Orange County Needle Exchange Program , the weekly needle exchange program that made such a mess at Santa Ana’s Civic Center? Well the same nonprofit that got booted before is back – seeking state approval to bring needles back to our Downtown to give to homeless drug addicts, according to the O.C. Register.
These folks want to bring a van or some other type of vehicle to the area bounded by (N) East 4th Street, (E) North Standard Ave, (S) South Grand Avenue, and (W) East Chestnut Avenue, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at least once a week, with more frequent service as needed. Continue reading
Jose Rigoberto Silva
Santa Ana Police Department
Advisory: SAPD Currently Looking for a Critical Missing Adult – Requesting Public’s Assistance
On April 12, 2018, at approximately 12:00 pm, the missing person, Jose Rigoberto Silva, and his father came to the State Tax Building at 600 W. Santa Ana Blvd. Silva used the restroom in the building and then went missing a few minutes later. Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 5, 2018
SANTA ANA, California – Three Orange County men have been charged in a scheme to use the synthetic opioid fentanyl and a similar drug to manufacture and distribute counterfeit pharmaceutical pills designed to look like brand-name oxycodone pills.
A criminal complaint filed Wednesday in United States District Court alleges that the men obtained fentanyl and an analogue called cyclopropyl fentanyl through internet suppliers, used a pill press to make counterfeit pills, and distributed the narcotics through the mails, often arranging sales through a darknet marketplace. Continue reading
SANTA ANA, Ca. (March 23, 2018) – Two male suspects are in custody and 140 kilograms of cocaine has been seized from an Inland Empire residence as part of an investigation by a multi-agency operation to intercept and find narcotics, and hold drug traffickers accountable.
Investigators with the 12-agency joint operation at about 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, initiated a vehicle stop of an older-model Nissan Versa on the 60 Freeway. Two suspects –a 24-year-old man and a 38-year-old man – were arrested after investigators found a substantial amount of narcotics in the vehicle. The discovery led to further investigation, and prompted law enforcement to obtain a search warrant for the suspects’ residence. Continue reading
Santa Ana Police Department
Suspect Arrested: Gregorio Rojas (44) Santa Ana
On 3/19/18, at approximately 8:00 PM, Gang Detectives conducted a traffic stop of an occupied vehicle in the area of 2900 W. 1st Street. When officers asked the driver if he had anything illegal the driver advised he had a hand grenade in the vehicle. The detectives observed an item, which appeared to be a modified pineapple grenade, on the front passenger seat. Continue reading
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) is conducting a public hearing with invited presenters regarding the issue of rehabilitation exploitation and health care trafficking in Orange County, on Monday, March 12, 2018, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Continue reading
Should Santa Ana allow the Needle Exchange to operate again in the Civic Center?
Once again, people who do not live in Santa Ana are trying to tell our city what to do. After operating in the Civic Center for 2 years, the Orange County Needle Exchange Program (OCNEP) was denied a permit to continue giving out free needles in the Civic Center every Saturday. In January, the city decided that finding needles in our Civic Center, library, parks, and neighborhoods was a public safety issue, and could no longer allow the program to put resident’s and city worker’s safety at risk. Continue reading
Hector Maldonado Ibarra, a 30-year-old Santa Ana man, plead guilty on Monday to five theft cases involving stealing from stores – including the pistol whipping of one victim, according to the O.C. Register.
Ibarra was sentenced to only six years in prison for two felony cases and several misdemeanors. Continue reading
Homeless Response: In 24 months, Orange County will open $26 million mental health facility
O.C.’s first publicly-owned mental health treatment facility
Santa Ana, Calif. (February 28, 2018) — With its largest homeless encampment now dismantled, Orange County is moving forward with a $26 million investment in the county’s first publicly-owned mental health treatment facility, to be located at 265 S. Anita Drive, in Orange, CA.
On Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of an office building in Orange that will be renovated into a treatment center for people with mental health and substance abuse problems. Continue reading
Rehab Center Owner Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Seven Female Patients
The founder of a Los Angeles drug and alcohol treatment facility was convicted today of sexually assaulting seven women, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.
A jury deliberated for about a day before finding 56-year-old Christopher Bathum guilty of 31 counts, including forcible rape, sexual penetration by foreign object, forcible oral copulation and sexual exploitation. Continue reading