Crime

More than $1 million worth of cocaine was found hidden in an SUV at the U.S. Border Patrol Highway 86 immigration checkpoint. The incident started when a white SUV approached the U.S. Border Patrol Highway 86 immigration checkpoint last Monday at around 2:50 p.m. According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, during the primary

A convicted felon who killed a Desert Hot Springs man while vandalizing his property in a feud connected to a business transaction was sentenced today to 50 years to life in state prison. A Banning jury in May convicted James John Angle, 48, of Indio of first-degree murder for the 2018 death of Joseph Gimino.

A Colton man pleaded guilty Wednesday to his involvement in a Palm Desert jewelry store robbery more than two years ago and was immediately sentenced to three years in prison.    Demetrius Thornton, 25, entered the guilty plea to a felony robbery charge at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. A related charge of assault

A convicted felon who gunned down a Riverside motel guest after the victim punched him was convicted today of first-degree murder. A Riverside jury deliberated less than a day before finding Robert Donald Intong, 48, of Desert Hot Springs guilty of the 2021 slaying of 31-year-old Cole William Birchard of Riverside. Along with the murder

An Arizona man pleaded guilty to multiple charges today and was immediately sentenced to jail time and probation for illegally smuggling firearms and ammunition across a state border. Alexis Ayala Molina, 22, of Phoenix, pleaded guilty at the Larson Justice Center in Indio to one of 29 original counts of assault weapon possession and two

A GoFundMe page has launched in connection with the killing of a Desert Hot Springs man on Friday night. Christian Salas, 31, tragically died in a homicide shooting and is survived by his wife, Rachel Salas, and their six children. Salas organized the GoFundMe to put her husband to rest. Salas wrote, “I’m asking for help

Five Riverside County men and a Las Vegas resident are facing a federal charge of taking part in a series of burglaries and attempted burglaries at firearms stores across Southern California, pilfering more than 300 weapons, prosecutors said today.    Lake Elsinore residents Cross Arjay Goree, 18, Caine Aiden Goree, 22, Brendan Markel Hawkins, 19,

At 1:59 P.M. today, deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a shooting in the area of Vista Del Norte and Dillon Road in Coachella. When deputies arrived to the gated community of Villas at the Vineyards, they were able to locate evidence that a shooting had taken place, however, no

A 35-year-old man accused of killing a man and burning his body inside a vehicle in Thermal in July 2020 must stand trial for murder and other charges, a judge ruled today. Ruben Corria Esquivel Jr. of Coachella was held to answer for one felony count each of murder, arson on a property, having a

The sentencing was delayed again for a man convicted for the second time in the financially motivated killing of a Palm Springs retiree in 2008. Daniel Carlos Garcia, 41, was scheduled to be sentenced on Friday at the Larson Justice Center, but it was delayed as his new attorney requested more time to catch up

One of three men accused of stealing from a Palm Springs pool supply business pleaded guilty today to a felony burglary charge.    Riverside resident Robert Firman, 44, entered his guilty plea at a felony settlement conference Thursday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. Misdemeanor charges of possession of burglary tools and possession of

A jury has recommended the death penalty for an Indio man who gunned down an 18-year-old crime witness. Alexis Daniel Rosas, 28, was convicted last month of first-degree murder for the 2019 slaying of Makayla Jean Massey, also known as Anita Garcia, of Victorville. Along with murder, the panel convicted Rosas of attempted murder and found