Kids and Crime

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

A 43-year-old felon from Morongo Valley who had a sexual relationship with an underage girl will be sentenced next month on two felony charges. Elogio Elias Arredondo pleaded guilty at the Larson Justice Center in Indio on Monday to one felony count each of committing a lewd act on a girl under the age of

A 26-year-old woman who attempted to abduct two children from an elementary school in Desert Hot Springs has been sentenced to eight years and eight months in state prison after pleading guilty to felony charges.    Yessica Chavez Mercado was charged with one felony count each of kidnapping and attempted kidnapping, along with one misdemeanor

Editor’s Note: A story that ran on the CNS wire Monday stated that Riverside County prosecutors had requested that a judge dismiss all counts against the defendant for unspecified reasons. The story stemmed from basic notations in the court minutes and emails from the D.A.’s communications director, who was going by the same minutes. The

Desert Springs Middle School was placed on a brief lock out Tuesday afternoon due to police activity nearby. Parents/guardians were notified by the Palm Springs Unified School District at around 3:40 p.m., a text to parents showed. The lock out was lifted by 3:53 p.m. School officials said there was no threat to any students

A man from Oregon was charged with arranging to meet a Banning minor after inappropriate online communication, police said. The crime was reported on Feb. 14. Police said mother of a teen girl arrived at the station to report inappropriate online communication between her minor child and a male adult, who was identified as Devon

A 21-year-old man was arrested for allegedly being in possession of 26 grams of cocaine and a Coachella teen was arrested on suspicion of being armed with a loaded ghost gun, authorities said today. During a robbery investigation Thursday, the Thermal sheriff’s station Special Investigations Unit and the Fugitives and Warrants Enforcement Team were in

A woman was arrested after authorities said she attempted to scale the fence of Oasis Elementary School in Twentynine Palms Tuesday morning. Officials with the Morongo Unified School District said the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department was quickly notified and responded immediately. The school was also placed on lockdown. Deputies arrested the woman. She remains

A Palm Desert man who arranged over the internet to meet what he thought would be a 13-year-old girl for sex was sentenced to four years of state prison today. Marino Aaron Lopez, 31, faced six felony counts — two of oral copulation with a person 10 to 14 years old, and one each of