One of two former Riverside County Superior Court clerks indicted for mishandling privileged information connected to a criminal case pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit a crime. Michelle Valdez, 59, of Thousand Palms admitted the felony count in a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. No charges were dismissed. The admission
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The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is continuing a financial crimes investigation involving a teacher’s alleged misuse of Coachella Valley Unified School District funds. The investigation began on Oct. 15, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said there is no threat to staff or students. There was no word on whether any arrests have been made.
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A 17-year-old and 18-year-old were arrested for the murder of a Coachella man in August, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. 18-year-old Isaac Gonzalez was found dead on August 28, 2024 when Thermal Sheriff’s located him in the area of Calle Rojo and Calle Camachothe suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities say they arrested
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Palm Springs police are investigating an attempted murder following a shooting early Saturday morning in downtown Palm Springs according to the department. Officers responded to reports of gunfire in the 200 block of N. Palm Canyon Drive at approximately 1:44 a.m. and located two victims involved in the incident. One individual sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot
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A man who killed a 16-year-old Moreno Valley girl because she got him expelled from school, hiding her body somewhere in the San Bernardino Mountains, was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole.  A Riverside jury in August deliberated barely a day before convicting 23-year-old Owen Skyler Shover of Hesperia of
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A suspect accused of taking part in a robbery with five others at a Palm Desert business last year pleaded guilty to multiple charges today. Mason Barron, 22 — a Southern Californian, whose city of residence was not provided — entered guilty pleas to four felony counts of robbery, two felony counts of burglary, and
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A woman suspected along with a man and two juveniles of robbing a jewelry store at the Palm Desert mall was convicted today, while the man was found not guilty of the same charge. Cleopatra Tredai Jones, 26, of Los Angeles was found guilty of a felony count of robbery Friday at the Larson Justice
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Two women federally indicted for allegedly ripping off a financial assistance program intended to provide support for businesses suffering amid the COVID lockdowns, joining with others in stealing an estimated $3.5 million, were taken into custody today in Riverside County. Â Â Denise Mata, 34, of Moreno Valley and Vanessa M. Williams, 35, of Corona were
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A Thermal man accused of molesting a young girl several times and then trying to intimidate her and her mother into changing their stories to spare him from criminal prosecution was convicted of multiple charges today. Elit Barroso Miranda, 41, was found guilty of two counts of lewd acts on a child, 11 counts of violating
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A 44-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting a man in Desert Hot Springs must stand trial for murder, a judge ruled today. Â Â In addition to murder, case records indicated that Oscar Ernesto Canas was also held to answer for a felony count of assault with a gun on Thursday at the Larson Justice Center
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Jacob Rostovsky, the CEO of the local non-profit Queer Works, has been indicted on 53 felony counts in a fraud scheme surrounding a universal basic income pilot program in Palm Springs, the Riverside County District Attorney’s office announced. District Attorney Mike Hestrin said a jury returned a 53-count indictment against Rostovsky on Tuesday. Rostovsky, 33,
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The last of four suspects in a stabbing at a Desert Hot Springs hotel more than three years ago was sentenced today after pleading guilty to multiple charges. Jaime Eduardo Reynaga, 39, entered guilty pleas to felony counts of assault causing great bodily injury and first-degree burglary in July. Â Â John Hall of the Riverside
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A 36-year-old man was convicted of murder and attempted murder after stabbing his family members, one fatally, following a dispute in Indio. Anthony William Piña-German of Indio was convicted of second-degree murder, the District Attorney’s Office confirmed. He was also found guilty of one count of attempted murder with premeditation and deliberation and the use
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A gang member was convicted today for the killing of a 22-year-old Indio man more than eight years ago, following previous convictions for four co-defendants. Miguel Cavazos, 44, of Indio, was found guilty of first-degree murder. He was identified as a potential participant in the killing of Adrian Valdez following an Indio police investigation that
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A judge ruled that a 19-year-old Indio resident suspected of fatally shooting a man in an apartment in his hometown must stand trial for murder. Jacob Matthew Alvin Vargas was also held to answer on Tuesday for one felony count each of burglary and being a convicted felon and narcotic addict in possession of a
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The suspect in a fatal officer involved shooting in Banning has been identified by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s confirmed to KESQ 39-year-old Fernando Guerrero Esparza of Banning died Thursday. Esparza was shot and killed by an officer after police received calls for a suspect armed with a knife in the 300 block of
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A Perris man, his wife and their adult daughter who perpetrated sexual, psychological and other abuse on six children placed in their care after being rescued from a home where their natural parents imprisoned them and inflicted trauma that gained international notoriety were sentenced Friday. “Today’s sentencing marks a significant step in delivering justice to
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A man suspected of running over and killing a person at a gas station in Beaumont was later involved in a rollover collision nearly half an hour later in Cabazon. The incident started at around 10:50 p.m. at an Arco gas station on the 400 block of E. 1st Street. Beaumont police officers responded to
Continue Reading Jury selection was scheduled to begin today in the trial of a 36-year-old man suspected of stabbing three of his family members, one fatally, following a dispute in Indio. In addition to a murder charge, Anthony William Piña-German of Indio was charged in November 2022 with two felony counts of attempted murder, according to case
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Border Patrol agents discovered approximately 122 pounds of blue fentanyl pills hidden throughout a vehicle at the Calexico West Port of Entry last week. The discovery took place last Wednesday. At around 10:05 p.m., CBP officers encountered a 47-year-old man driving a gray sedan who was applying for admission into the United States from Mexico.
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