Kids and Crime

 A 25-year-old Corona man suspected of leaving a La Quinta Middle School with a 12-year-old girl he had allegedly been communicating with via social media pleaded not guilty to felony charges today. Joshua Meza was charged with six felony counts of committing a lewd act with a child under 14 and one felony count each

A 24-year-old man who stole a cell phone from a 17-year-old boy at gunpoint in Coachella pleaded guilty to robbery today and was immediately sentenced to 12 years in prison. Miguel Martinez Navarro of Coachella pleaded guilty to the charge and admitted to a sentence-enhancement of using a firearm Tuesday at the Larson Justice Center

A jury was seated today for the trial of a convicted felon accused of killing his infant daughter in a high-speed crash on the south end of Palm Desert. Marcus Novell Green, 58, of Thermal is charged with second-degree murder, child cruelty and a sentence-enhancing great bodily injury allegation for the June 2016 death of

Jury selection began today in the trial of a felon accused of killing his infant daughter in a high-speed crash on the south end of Palm Desert. Marcus Novell Green, 58, of Thermal, is charged with second-degree murder, child cruelty and a sentence-enhancing great bodily injury allegation for the June 2016 death of 5-month-old Armani

A 34-year-old man who allegedly shot at multiple victims, including a 7-year-old child, in an unincorporated area of Riverside County near Sky Valley pleaded not guilty to felony charges today. Ryan David Sargent of Cathedral City was charged with one felony count each of assault with a gun, willful child cruelty, being a convicted felon

A 34-year-old man from Cathedral City was arrested for allegedly shooting at multiple victims, including a 7-year-old child, in an unincorporated of Riverside County near Sky Valley, authorities said today. The suspect was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, child endangerment, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and

A 15-year-old boy who is suspected of shooting at a parked vehicle in a North Palm Springs residence mid-April was arrested, authorities said today. On the night of April 16, deputies from the Cabazon sheriff’s station responded to the 22800 block of Sterling Avenue to reports of gunshots, according to Sgt. Jaime A. Hernandez of

A 40-year-old man suspected of sending sexually motivated messages to someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy in Palm Desert pleaded not guilty to felony charges today. Brandon Devon Bourgeois of Hemet was charged with one felony count each of contacting a minor with intent to commit a crime and possessing matter depicting a minor

Four Coachella teens were arrested for fleeing from pursuing deputies and being in possession of multiple firearms, authorities said today. The Thermal Sheriff’s Station Special Investigations Unit conducted a surveillance operation around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday in Coachella in response to recent criminal activity, according to Sgt. David Aldrich of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Aldrich

A 40-year-old man was behind bars today for allegedly sending sexually motivated messages to someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy in Palm Desert. The Hemet man was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of contacting a minor to commit a felony and attempting oral copulation with a person under 16 years of age, according to

Two 18-year-old men have been arrested in an armed carjacking in La Quinta, along with two 16-year-old boys who also were allegedly involved in a second armed carjacking in Palm Desert the same day.   The 18-year-olds, residents of Coachella and Palm Desert, were arrested Tuesday morning on suspicion of carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon

A 43-year-old felon from Morongo Valley who sexually assaulted an underage girl was sentenced today to eight years in state prison. Elogio Elias Arredondo pleaded guilty March 20 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio to one felony count each of committing a lewd act on a girl under the age of 14 and sexual

A former Banning police officer who molested a girl on several occasions and showed her pornographic material was sentenced today to three years’ felony probation. Christopher John Sayeski, 40, pleaded guilty in October to two counts each of oral copulation of a minor and furnishing explicit images to an underage victim, as well as one

A 19-year-old man suspected of shooting at two Coachella teenagers pleaded not guilty today to attempted murder. Salomon “Bookie” Cruz-Rodriguez Jr. is accused with 24-year-old David “Real Shooter” Rodriguez of attempted murder in connection with the parking lot shooting on Feb. 17, according to a declaration in support of arrest warrant filed by Riverside County