Crime

A former member of the United States military who lived in Corona was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for conspiring to unlawfully export to Russia thermal imaging riflescopes, night vision goggles and other defense items without a license in violation of federal law.    Igor Panchernikov, 41, who once served in the U.S.

A 59-year-old self-employed pool serviceman accused of killing of a 93-year-old woman in Palm Desert must stand trial on murder, a judge ruled today. Benjamin Briones of Thousand Palms was charged with one felony count each of murder, burglary and forging a signature, according to court records. He additionally faces a special-circumstance allegation of committing

A 36-year-old man pleaded guilty today to carrying out multiple residential burglaries in Palm Desert last year and was immediately sentenced to five years in state prison. Adan Abel Holguin pleaded guilty Thursday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio to two felony counts of burglary and one felony count each of receiving stolen property,

A 19-year-old man suspected of being one of three men involved in a car-to-car shooting in the parking lot of The Shops in Palm Desert earlier this year pleaded not guilty to felony charges today. Daniel Joseph Santacroce of Desert Hot Springs was charged with four felony counts of attempted murder and one felony count

Two women suspected of operating a brothel at a spa business in Palm Desert were free from jail today. The women, a 54-year-old from El Monte and a 41-year-old Los Angeles resident, were arrested Wednesday afternoon on suspicion operating a brothel, according to Sgt. Travis Mountz of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.   Mountz said that

An arrest has been made in a deadly shooting in Indio’s Penn West neighborhood back in February. Ramon Manuel Romo-Tirado, 21, was arrested on Friday. He pled not guilty to first-degree murder on Wednesday. The shooting happened on the 83600 block of Cardinal Ave on February 19, 2023. Police responded to reports of shots fired

A Desert Hot Springs man is now the third person arrested in connection with a shooting at the parking lot of the Palm Desert mall in February. Authorities said the man, a 19-year-old, was arrested on Tuesday for his alleged involvement with the shooting A search warrant was served on Tuesday on the 66000 block

Felony charges were filed today against a 20-year-old man suspected of throwing bottles at a woman, then firing his gun into an occupied vehicle in an unincorporated area of Riverside County near North Shore.    David Lemus of North Shore was charged with one felony count of shooting at a vehicle and three felony counts

A 60-year-old woman suspected of killing her 85-year-old mother in La Quinta was ordered today to stand trial on a murder charge.    Sally Martha Webster of La Quinta is charged with one felony count each of murder and cruelty on an elder, according to court records. She additionally faces special circumstance allegations of inflicting

Police have arrested a man accused of pistol-whipping and shooting another man outside the Dollar Tree store in Cathedral City earlier this month. David Anthony William Garcia, 22, was arrested Thursday morning at a residence in Beaumont, police announced. Cathedral City Police detectives with the Riverside County Gang Impact Team to conduct surveillance in the

A 37-year-old man suspected of supplying a lethal dose of fentanyl to a 30-year-old man in Palm Desert pleaded not guilty to murder today. Gregory Michael Gauto of Palm Desert was charged June 6 and pleaded not guilty Thursday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.    Deputies from the Palm Desert sheriff’s station responded

Two people who allegedly broke into a Palm Desert business and stole approximately $40,000 of merchandise pleaded not guilty to burglary and are due back in court next week. Michael James Graham, 53, of Lakewood in Los Angeles County, and Ali Danielle Castillo, 27, of Orange County, were charged with one felony count of burglary,