More than 140 suspects charged with O.C. home invasions, smash & grab robberies and burglaries

SANTA ANA, Calif. – More than 140 defendants have been charged in the last year with committing Orange County home invasion robberies and burglaries, commercial burglaries, and smash and grab robberies, including 24 defendants in five different burglary crews charged by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in just the last two weeks, District Attorney Todd Spitzer and Orange County law enforcement officials announced today.

Seven newly charged defendants have been charged with hate crimes enhancements for specifically targeting Asian homeowners, charges that recognize the targeting of a specific group of people for financial gain.

Many of the crimes filed over the last year have involved defendants with multiple strikes under California’s Three Strikes law, including defendants with five, six, and nine prior strikes, as well as numerous other felony convictions, including multiple home invasion robberies, attempted murder, and assault.

The latest case to be filed – Beed et. all Case #23NF0915, 23NF0917, 23NF0918 – involves 12 adult defendants charged in 13 Orange County home invasion robberies and burglaries in Brea, Irvine, Yorba Linda, and Orange. Seven of the defendants are facing hate crimes charges; five are facing possible life sentences for kidnapping to commit robbery. The crew, which has ties to Riverside and Los Angeles Counties, is suspected in numerous other crimes across Southern California.

Following a more than 9-month investigation by the Brea Police Department, multiple defendants were taken into custody beginning last week, including a suspect who livestreamed part of his arrest on Facebook. An 11th suspect was taken into custody yesterday.

Among the crimes being charged include a May 31, 2022 burglary in which defendant Darrell Hollowayne broke into a Brea home and rolled a large safe down the stairs, but it became stuck on the landing. When the son of the homeowner returned, he saw the stuck safe and called Brea police.

Later that evening, Hollowayne is accused of having five additional defendants return to the home that same night with guns to break into the home and steal the safe. A friend of the victim ran out of the house during the break-in, but the victim was captured and hit multiple times. The defendants are accused of threatening to kill him if he cannot open the safe, which he could not because his mom is out of the country and he didn’t know the code. During the attack the victim’s friend returned to the home. He ran outside but was captured and dragged back in the house and robbed. The defendants are accused of taking the safe and later photographing themselves sitting on top of it.

“These are not crimes of opportunity. These are carefully calculated and planned attacks on what should be our safe place – our homes,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “These crews are waiting, they are watching our every move, and when they think the timing is just right, they are smashing their way into our lives – and carrying out whatever cash, jewelry, and other expensive items they can find. And when they get it wrong – and someone is home – they do whatever it takes to terrorize their victims into telling them where the money is. Our judges and our Legislature has failed us by ensuring that there are no consequences for committing crimes – and that’s exactly why there are people with five, six, and nine strikes breaking into our homes instead of serving time behind bars. The criminals are getting a strong message – the reward is far greater than the risk – and crime literally pays in California. I’m here to tell you it doesn’t pay in Orange County. If you come here to commit crimes, we’re going to arrest you and we are going to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law and we’re going to keep our county the safest large County in California.”

“These arrests have not only disrupted their criminal activities but also sent a strong message to other criminal elements that we will not rest until justice is served,” said Brea Police Chief Adam Hawley. “Our department remains resolute in our mission to maintain law and order and hold those accountable who seek to disrupt the peace and security of our community. I want to reiterate my sincere gratitude to the members of our police department, our allied law enforcement agency partners, the OCDA’s office, as well as our community partners, for their unwavering support. It is through this collaboration that we are able to bring this investigation to a successful conclusion.”

“I am incredibly grateful for the dedication and tenacity of the Brea Police Department, our assisting agencies, and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for continuing to do whatever it takes to keep our residents safe,” said Orange County Fourth District Supervisor Doug Chaffee. “These are terrifying crimes and Orange County residents can sleep better at night knowing we have some of the best law enforcement professionals and prosecutors working around the clock to protect them.”

Thirteen of the defendants charged by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in connection with home invasion robberies and burglaries, commercial burglaries, and smash and grab robberies in the last year have already been convicted of three or more serious or violent felonies known as strikes. California law allows judges to exercise judicial discretion to strike strikes, resulting in convicted felons to rack up strikes without ever being sentenced to 25-to-life as allowed under the state’s Three Strikes law.

Many of the crimes involve violence, including a Fountain Valley home invasion robbery in which four masked men broke into a home, pistol whipped a man, punched his wife after forcing open a locked bedroom door and holding her at gunpoint while the couple’s 12-year-old and 14-year-old are in the house. The suspects were arrested after a high-speed pursuit in one of the two vehicles they stole from the home. Three of the four defendants charged in this case had previously been to state prison for prior residential burglaries, including 28-year-old Dreonte York who is a three-striker.

Numerous defendants charged in the Orange County crimes have also been charged in crimes in other Southern California counties or are being investigated in connection with crimes committed in those jurisdictions. The overwhelming majority of defendants live outside of Orange County, including Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino Counties and South America.

Recognizing the onslaught of home invasion burglaries and robberies, commercial burglaries, and smash and grab robberies, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer created a vertical prosecution unit in June 2022 to prosecute these cases from filing to conviction. H.E.I.S.T (Home Invasion. Eradication. Interdiction. Strike. Team.) consists of four veteran prosecutors and four district attorney investigators dedicated to prosecuting these cases while working with our law enforcement partners across Southern California to identify, arrest, and successfully prosecute these burglary crews.

Orange County prosecutors have fought to have 1275.1 motions that were suspended by the presiding judge of the Orange County Superior Court during COVID reinstated to ensure defendants must prove that bail money comes legitimate sources before they can be released from custody on bond.

Defendants from Chile have posed a uniquely frustrating challenge because the Chilean government has refused to provide us with the criminal history of Chilean citizens utilizing the ESTA VISA Program to enter the United States. ESTA –Electronic System for Travel Authorization – requires criminal histories be provided before residents can enter the United States for 90 days at a time – unlimited times.

Without criminal histories, prosecutors have been largely handcuffed in trying to prove why these defendants pose a greater public safety risk beyond a single burglary charge.

As a result, 14 Chilean nationals have pled to a range from probation to credit time served to two years in state prison over the ardent objection of Orange County prosecutors. Another seven defendants have bailed out of custody with no criminal history available to argue for increased bail.

In recent months, prosecutors have successfully dispelled the notion that PC 462 which governs punishment for property crimes should allow judges the discretion to grant probation in residential burglary cases, arguing it fails to meet the law’s requirement that probation be granted only in “unusual circumstances and in the interest of justice” to ensure defendants are held accountable for these crimes.

Over the last year, Orange County law enforcement representatives have met regularly to exchange information about these residential and commercial burglary crews to increase cross-jurisdictional awareness and to ensure suspects are being charged with every incident that can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Agencies assisting in these efforts include: Anaheim Police Department, Brea Police Department, Buena Park Police Department, Cypress, Fountain Valley Police Department, FBI, Las Vegas Criminal Apprehension Team, Garden Grove Police Department, Irvine Police Department, Las Vegas Police Department, Long Beach Police Department (Career Criminal Apprehension Team and Homicide Unit), Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Orange County District Attorney’s Office (Organized Crime Unit and AB 109 Team), Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Riverside Police Department, Tustin Police Department, San Diego Police Department, U. S. Marshal’s Service, and the Westminster Police Department.

“We are seeing sophisticated burglary crews working to take as much property as possible in as little time as possible,” said Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes. “Then, when our deputies catch them and take them to jail, they are released by the courts back into our community and often go right back to committing the same crimes. This is unacceptable. We know that one of the biggest deterrents to crime is an engaged community, and we are committed to partnering with you to keep our communities safe.”

Cases filed by the Orange County District Attorney in just the last two weeks:

Beed et. all – Case #23NF0915, 23NF0917, 23NF0918 – Brea, Yorba Linda, Irvine and Orange

• Dmari Josiah Beed, 21, of Murrietta – 4 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 2 felony counts of first-degree robbery, 1 felony count of conspiracy to commit burglary, 1 misdemeanor crime of false imprisonment, and 5 felony hate crime enhancements
• Mahmoud Fathi Salah, 21, of Hemet – 3 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 2 felony counts of first-degree robbery, 1 felony count of conspiracy to commit burglary, 1 misdemeanor count of false imprisonment, and 4 felony hate crime enhancements
• Darrell Skakhan Hollawayne, 22, of Hemet – 12 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 4 felony counts of first-degree robbery, 1 felony count of kidnapping to commit robbery, 1 felony count of conspiracy to commit burglary, 1 misdemeanor count of false imprisonment, and 8 felony hate crime enhancements
• Kim Claudia Vuong Nguyen, 21, of Ontario – 4 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 2 felony counts of first-degree robbery, 1 felony count of kidnapping to commit robbery, and 1 felony count to commit burglary
• Hernando Jones, 19, of Hemet – 2 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 1 felony count of conspiracy to commit burglary, and 2 felony hate crime enhancements
• Menes Khari Carter, 20, of San Jacinto – 3 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 1 felony count of conspiracy to commit burglary, and 3 felony hate crime enhancements
• Justin Martel Huggins, 21, of Los Angeles – 2 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 1 felony count of conspiracy to commit burglary, and 2 felony hate crime enhancements
• Alyssa Ayala, 22, of Perris – 2 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary and 1 felony count of conspiracy to commit burglary
• Bryce Shamar Jackson, 21, of San Jacinto – 2 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary and 1 felony hate crime enhancement
• Frank Avila, 23, of San Jacinto – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary, 2 felony counts of first-degree robbery, and 1 felony count of kidnapping to commit robbery
• Christopher Williams, 21, of Hemet – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary, 2 felony counts of robbery, and 1 felony count of kidnapping to commit robbery
• Rico Mason, 23, of Perris – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary, 2 felony counts of robbery, and 1 felony count of kidnapping to commit robbery
• Cooper et. all – Case #23NF1061 – Caught in the act of breaking into a Yorba Linda home
  • Isaiah Lyle Cooper, 23, Compton – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary
  • Troy Dwayne Hickman, 23, Los Angeles – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary
  • Bryan Galvan, 21, Los Angeles – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary
  • John Ive Williams, 20, Long Beach – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary
    Newton et. all – Case #23NF1120 – Yorba Linda, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Mission Viejo
• Ohage Newton, 26, Compton – 4 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 1 felony count of attempted first-degree burglary of inhabited dwelling, 1 felony count of prohibited person owning ammunition, 1 felony count of manufacture, sale or receipt of large capacity magazine
• Dell Atrell Craft, 31, Compton – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary and 1 felony count of attempted first-degree burglary of inhabited dwelling
• Dominick Deshawn Martin, 30, Bellflower – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary
• Shawn Keith Castilow, 32, Compton – 1 felony count of first-degree residential burglary
• Rendichhuentecol et. all – Case #23NF1053 – Caught breaking into Anaheim home
  • Diego Rendichhuentecol, 29, Chile – 2 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 1 misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools, 1 misdemeanor count of resisting a public or peace officer, 1 misdemeanor count of falsely representing self to officer
  • Miguel Fernando Marchantavila, 31, Chile – 2 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 1 misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools, 1 misdemeanor count of resisting a public or peace officer
  • Manuel Rodrigo Venegasburgos, 31, Chile – 2 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 1 misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools, 1 misdemeanor count of resisting a public or peace officer
• Belvin et. all – Case #23NF1054 – Crew connected to Norco convenience store robbery that resulted in defendant being shot by store owner
  • Rasheed Dashawn Lee Belvin, 24, Los Angeles – 8 felony counts of first-degree robbery, 4 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 2 felony counts of carjacking, 14 felony enhancements for being armed with a firearm in the commission of a felony
  • Jamar Elijah Williams, 26, Los Angeles – 4 felony counts of first-degree robbery, 2 felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 2 felony counts of carjacking, 8 felony enhancements for being armed with a firearm in the commission of a felony
  • Davon Broadus, 24, Las Vegas – 4 felony counts of first-degree robbery, 2 felony counts of first-degree burglary, 6 felony enhancements for being armed with a firearm in the commission of a felony

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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