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Hall of Justice Fun Fact

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Myth: Ventura County Superior Court judges use pocket calculators during the sentencing of defendants.

Fact:  False.  Many just use their fingers.


"If I were given the opportunity to present a gift to the next generation, it would be the ability for each individual to learn to laugh at himself." - Charles M. Schulz 



New Date Set on Alex Medina Murder Trial

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A new date was set today in the murder trial of Alex Medina who is accused in the gang-related killing Seth Scarminach at a party on April 16, 2009.

The District Attorney's Office appointed a  new prosecutor, Thomas Dunlevy, to the case.

Medina, 19, is now scheduled to go to trial on June 24.

Dunley replaces prosecutor Chrystina Jenson who replaced prosecutor Bill Haney. Haney left the District Attorney's Office to go into private practice.

Before the judge took the bench, Jenson described Dunley to Medina's lawyer Scott Wippert as a "quiet, ferocious type" of prosecutor.

Former Wells Fargo Official Sentence to Prison for Wire Fraud

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LOS ANGELES - A former managing director at the Westwood Village branch of Wells Fargo and formerly a licensed broker was sentenced today to two years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

            Philip D. Horn, 51, of Tarzana pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, federal officials stated.

            Horn specifically admitted that he engaged in a scheme in which he obtained more than $730,000 through a series of trades that were initially executed in the accounts of clients that he managed and, if the trades proved to be profitable, were fraudulently "corrected" to remove the trades from the clients' accounts and "re-billed" to Horn's own accounts, according to federal authorities.

 Horn's activities showed other types of fraudulent "correction" orders, including transferring unprofitable trades in his own account to the accounts of WFA customers. Horn executed the fraudulent orders between April 2009 and October 2011, when he was terminated by Wells Fargo Advisors.

        Wells Fargo Advisors undertook a forensic analysis of all accounts impacted by Horn's scheme and, according to court filings, has repaid money improperly taken from customer accounts, federal authorities stated.

 

Today's Quote

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"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile--hoping it will eat him last." - Winston Churchill

Two San Gabriel Valley Men Indicted for Illegally Moving Money Out of U.S.

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LOS ANGELES - Two men and the import-export company they allegedly used to move millions of dollars linked to illegal activity from the United States to Mexico are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

            The federal indictments allege charges of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and structuring cash transactions.

        According to an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on February 13, the three defendants received large sums of cash and worked with "peso brokers" in Mexico to illegally convert the dollars to pesos.

             The three defendants named in the 93-count indictment are:

·         Peace & Rich Import, Inc., a wholesale distributor of silk flowers and other goods, located on Weaver Avenue in South El Monte;

·         Chaur Hwan "Kenny" Lin, 66, of San Marino, the president and co-owner of Peace & Rich; and

·         Antonio Pareja, 53, of San Gabriel, the manager of Peace & Rich.

               The cash - tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes, hundreds of thousands of dollars - was typically delivered by couriers working in conjunction with a peso broker in Mexico, federal authorities allege.

 

    In a Black Market Peso Exchange scheme, a peso broker works with an individual engaged in illegal activity, such as a drug trafficker, who has United States currency in the United States that he needs to bring to Mexico and convert to pesos, according to the indictment.

    The peso broker finds business owners in Mexico who buy goods from vendors in the United States, such as Peace & Rich, and need dollars to pay for those goods. The peso broker arranges for the illegally obtained dollars in the United States to be delivered to the United States-based vendors, such as Peace & Rich, where they are used to pay for the goods purchased by the Mexico-based customers, federal officials stated.

Once the goods are shipped to Mexico and sold by the Mexico-based business owner for pesos, the pesos are turned over to the peso broker, who then pays the drug trafficker in Mexico.

      

 

Santa Barbara CPA Going to Prison for Tax Fraud By Setting Up Bogus Charity Work

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LOS ANGELES - A Santa Barbara-based certified public accountant has been sentenced Monday to three years in federal prison for failing to report more than $1 million on federal tax returns by pretending that money earned through his accounting business came from a charitable foundation he called the Foundation for Harmony and Happiness, according to U.S. Attorney's Office.

        Steven Mark Pybrum, 61, who resided in Montecito and claimed on his website that he appeared as a tax and financial expert on national television shows, was sentenced late yesterday afternoon following his conviction last year on four counts of subscribing to false income tax returns.

        Pybrum fraudulently used money from his non-profit organization to pay personal expenses, including renting a Montecito mansion and buying a plane, a fishing boat and an SUV, state federal authorities.

       Pybrum, who operated his accounting practice under the names of Pybrum & Company and Family Business Center, was convicted by a jury last October.

        The evidence presented at trial showed that between 1999 and 2002, Pybrum brought in as much as $380,000 per year from accounting work. But instead of reporting that income on his own tax return, he claimed that money had been earned from doing charity work at his marital counseling. Prosecutors stated at trial that there was no evidence that any charitable work or earned any money for charitable activities during these four years, and that it was all set up to avoid paying taxes.

       

 

 

 

DA Greg Totten Names His New Second-in-Command

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Janice L. Maurizi has been named as the new Chief Assistant District Attorney effective April 2, according to the district attorney.

Maurizi, is a 28-year veteran of the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office who served as top manager and key adviser to former District Attorney Steve Cooley, stated District Attorney Greg Totten in a press release.

"She brings immense prosecutorial experience, management 'know how,' and a statewide reputation for her excellence to the role of chief assistant," stated Totten in press release.

Totten's second-in-command replaces former Chief Assistant Jim Ellison who retired.

Maurizi has tried many high-profile cases, special circumstance murders, crimes against women and children and other violent offenses, Totten stated.

As director in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, she previously managed the Bureau of Branch and Area Operations, supervising more than 300 deputy district attorneys and support staff in offices in 30 separate courthouses located throughout Los Angeles County, according to Totten.

More recently, she served as the director of the Bureau of Fraud and Corruption Prosecution that involved oversight of 115 prosecutors in highly specialized units, including public integrity, justice system integrity, high technology crimes, organized crime, hate crime, consumer and environmental protection,  major fraud and real estate fraud, Totten stated.
 

Hey, shut up! We're Trying to Have Court Here

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There is a brand new, black-and-white sign that is about two feet high and 18 inches wide that is on the bars of a detention cell inside Courtroom 12, which is usually packed with dozens of people.

The boldly lettered black-and-white sign states:  "Attorneys -Keep Your Voices Down While Court is in Session."

Sometimes, lawyers line up against the wall waiting for their turns to go up to the lectern and talk to Judge Kevin McGee.

While waiting, many of them chat with one another.

This sign is between two large, red-and-white signs that are permanently fastened that warn  the public not to communicate with the inmates or risk going to jail: "Do Not Talk or Communicate with Prisoners in Any Way...."



Mexican Mafia Member Sent to Prison for Life for Racketeering

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LOS ANGELES - A member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang and leader of the Puente-13 criminal street gang was sentenced to life in prison today, the U.S. Attorney's Office stated.

Rafael "Cisco" Munoz-Gonzalez, 43, of La Puente, was convicted last year of federal racketeering charges that included a brutal stabbing designed to deter victims from cooperating with law enforcement and plotting to murder members of a rival gang, according to federal officials.

Munoz-Gonzalez's brother,  Caesar, 38, of Rowland Heights was sentenced late yesterday to life in prison.

There is no parole in the federal prison system, according to authorities.

Rafael Munoz-Gonzalez ordered an attack on a witness who was cooperating with federal investigators in this case. The man was attacked at the federal jail in downtown Los Angeles where he was stabbed 22 times and beat over the head, suffering a punctured lung and fractured skull, state federal prosecutors.

Rafael Munoz-Gonzalez was in custody, his brother Cesar whose nickname is "Blanco," trafficked large amounts of methamphetamine with other gang members, spoke on his brother's behalf, directed other members of Puente-13 to collect a so-called "tax" payments from area drug dealers on Rafael's behalf and warded off rival drug traffickers by announcing that certain Puente-13 drug stash houses were untouchable because they were "protected by Cisco," officials stated.

The brothers trafficking brought them substantial amounts of cash, custom boats and luxury cars, officials stated.

 

Today's Quote

Court Reporter's Notebook

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Threats and Hate Messages Sent to Attorney Involved in Animal Cruelty Case.

The attorney who represented Andrew Delgado, who was convicted of animal cruelty, said she received hate emails and threats for representing Delgado.

Some of these people left hate-filled messages on her message machine, said Attorney Rebekah Mathis of the Public Defender's Office, 

After a court hearing, Mathis said one woman, who was confrontational, and followed her down the hallway and waited until she got inside the elevator.

She said she's never received so many threats and hate messages for representing a criminal case.

Ms. Mathis said she got about 30 of these hateful messages.

Similar threats were made to prosecutor Richard Simon, according to an employee who works there.

Delgado poured lighter fluid on Buddy, a 3-year-old basset hound, then set the dog on fire. A neighbor saw the fire and called the fire department. The dog had suffered severe burns when found by emergency personnel and several days later, died.

During Delgado's sentencing, Judge Bruce Young noted that a lot of the "anger and outrage"  spilled out at people who have no personal involvement in what the judge described as a vicious crime.

"I wish that would stop," said the judge.

Ms. Melissa Ruthenbeck-Chiaramonte, the president of Basset Hound Rescue of Southern California, along with about 20 members of the group have shown up to these court proceedings. hearings.

Those who I interviewed, including Ms. Ruthenbeck-Chiaramonte, were always thoughtful, articulate and passionate when talking about this case, Buddy the blood hound, and protecting the rights of animals.

Bella Finds a New Home, Thanks to Buddy

I bumped into District Attorney employee Paula Miller in hallway at the Hall of Justice. She said this animal cruelty case nudged at her heart, adding that she read some of the documents pertaining to this  case.

She said  the Buddy the blood hound story inspired her to go to the Camarillo Animal Shelter and rescue a dog.  Just before Christmas, Ms. Miller adopted a mutt named Bella who she described as being part Chihuahua and Labrador.

Grinning, Ms. Miller said she tells Bella: "You're lucky because of Buddy. If it wasn't for Buddy, you wouldn't be here."

Ms. Miller said Bella was terrified of her new environment at first but the animal is now thriving. She said her other female dog, Bingo, died in June, and Bella is now keeping her company.

"She's sweet, super sweet," Ms. Miller said. "She's happy, very happy."

Ms. Miller said there are many dogs waiting to be rescued at the Animal Shelter.

"The place is just full of Chihuahuas and pit bulls," she said.

 

Decision on Whether to File Criminal Charges Against a Ventura School Bus Driver to Be Made Soon

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The District Attorney's Office will soon determine whether criminal charges will be filed against a Ventura school bus driver suspected of killing a 75-year-old pedestrian while under the influence

Joanne Madaule was turning left from Brookshire Avenue onto Woodland Street in Ventura when her bus struck Marguerita McIntosh on Sept. 26, the California Highway Patrol said. McIntosh, of Ventura, was legally crossing Woodland, according to Officer Steve Reid, the patrol spokesman in Ventura.

Thursday, Deputy District Attorney Jessica Giguere, who is reviewing the case, said the case was sent back to the California Highway Patrol for more information.

She said a decision on whether to file charges will be made soon.

Madaule's attorney, Ronald Richards, of Beverly Hills, had said Madaule takes prescription drugs for a back injury and that what happened was an accident. Richards said Madaule was on prescription medicine for a work-related back injury that occurred when a motorist rear-ended the school bus she was driving.

 

Today's Quote

How Many Editors.....

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I first heard  this joke from a frustrated reporter at the El Paso Herald Post newsroom,  about year before the newspaper permanently closed its doors.


How many editors does it take to change a light bulb?

One

But first he's got to rewire the whole GD building.

 

Lawyers at the Library Series to Begin Next Month

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How does Small Claims Court work?

What Should You Know About Estate Planning?

What happens after you are arrested?

Rent property? What Do You Need to Know?

Starting next Month the Ventura County Law Library at 800 S. Victoria in Ventura will feature "Lawyers at the Library," which is begins next month but will be an ongoing  bi-month presentation by lawyers about these subjects and many others.

And it's free to the public.

Attorneys will share information and insights on common legal matters.

The first presentation on April 10 will be about  "Understanding Small Claims Court" and will be presented by Gretchen Lichtenberger.

On April 24, "Estate Planning and More" will be presented by Michael Williams of Greylaw.

The presentation "Arrested? What now? Criminal Law Basics" will be given on May 8 by Attorney Michael Ford with the law firm of Ford and Ford.

On May 22, "Renters' Rights:  What You Need to Know" will be discussed by Attorney Alfred Vargas of the Law Office of Alfred Vargas.

All the presentations are from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

For more information call the Ventura County Law Library at 642-8982 or visit vencolawlib.org

 


German Hedge Fund Manager Arrested In Italy, Accused of a $200 million scam

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    LOS ANGELES - Florian Wilhelm Jürgen Homm, a German hedge fund manager who was on the run for more than five years, has been arrested in Italy on federal fraud charges that accuse him of orchestrating a market manipulation scheme designed to artificially improve the performance of his funds, a fraud that led to at least $200 million in losses to investors around the world, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.


            Homm, 53, was arrested today at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, federal officials stated.

 

Homm was arrested by Italian authorities after the United States submitted a request for a provisional arrest with officials in Rome, according to federal authorities.

           

Homm was the founder and chief investment officer of Absolute Capital Management Holdings Limited, a Cayman Islands-based investment advisor that managed nine hedge funds from 2004 until September 2007.

 

Homm directed the hedge funds to buy billions of shares of thinly traded, United States-based "penny stocks," federal official stated.

 

 Homm caused many of the purchases of penny stocks to be made through Hunter World Markets, Inc., a broker-dealer in Los Angeles that Homm co-owned. Homm also allegedly obtained shares of the penny stock companies through various businesses he controlled.

         

        Folllowing allegations made by a "whistleblower" in 2006, federal officials stated that Homm also dumped tens of millions of dollars worth of his own shares in Absolute Capital prior to resigning from the firm in the middle of the night on September 18, 2007.

 

The allegedly fraudulent conduct caused at least $200 million in losses to investors in the hedge funds. The scheme allegedly netted Homm and his co-schemers more than $53 million via trades made through Hunter World Markets alone.

 

 

Pennsylvania Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Beating a Handcuffed Prisoner

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WASHINGTON--  A Pennsylvania police officer pleaded guilty today to using excessive force on a victim who was handcuffed and not posing a threat to the officer, violating the prisoner's civil rights, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Mark E. Thom Jr., 31, a Springdale Borough, Pennsylvania Police officer, is facing up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 when he is sentenced in July, federal official stated.

According to documents, on December 17, 2011, Thom used excessive force on the victim during the course of making an arrest by assaulting the male suspect with his fists and deploying a Taser, all while the victim was handcuffed and not posing a threat to Thom or others.

 "Police officers who abuse their power to assault citizens undermine the system of constitutional government they are sworn to uphold," said Assistant Attorney General  Thomas Perez. "As the plea in this case shows, the Civil Rights Division will work closely with our United States Attorneys to aggressively enforce the laws that prohibit police misconduct."

In Other Courtrooms Throughout the Nation

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TRENTON, NJ--An inmate in the Pennsylvania State Prison system who mailed a threatening letter from his prison cell to a federal judge that was filled with curse words and smeared with fecal matter was sentenced today to 30 month, stated federal prosecutors.

William Brown, 22, is currently serving a sentence of life in prison after he was convicted of first-degree murder and aggravated assault in 2011, officials stated.

He was transferred to federal custody in June 2012 after the grand jury returned the indictment in this case, according to federal authorities.

 

LUBBOCK, TX --- A 69-year-old man  who shot his rife at a crop duster to frighten the pilot away from his crops was sentenced Friday in federal court to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $297,179, stated the U.S. Attorney's Office.

On Feb. 12, 2012, James R. Cate, who resides near Talpa, Texas shot the aircraft as it flew over a field neighboring Cate's land near Talpa. Cate fired three  rounds from the rifle into the air, according to federal officials.

The last round that Cate fired hit the propeller of the aircraft, penetrated the engine cowling traveling toward the rear of the plane, passed through the firewall and the spray hopper (which contained nearly 500 gallons of chemical used for the crop spraying), and entered the cockpit where it fragmented into multiple pieces (at least one of which tore through the leg of the jeans the pilot was wearing), then into the rear fuselage, all of which caused damage to the aircraft, federal officials stated.

 

DAYTON--Kevin D. Todd, 41, of Ludlow Falls, Ohio, pleaded guilty last week in U.S. District Court to one count of sexual exploitation of children for producing sexually explicit videos of pre-pubescent children he babysat and offering online to trade the videos, according to federal officials.

Terms of the plea agreement call for Todd to spend at least 20 years and up to 25 years in prison.

According to court documents, an undercover investigator with the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) responded to an ad Todd posted on the Internet in November 2012 seeking people looking for "taboo."

Through a series of e-mails, federal officials stated that Todd asked the undercover investigator to meet and trade videos and pictures of child pornography. They arranged a meeting and officers arrested Todd on November 24, 2012, when he showed up for the meeting. Investigators found DVDs and other storage media containing pornographic videos and photos in Todd's car.

Forensic examination found that Todd had produced the videos of the minor females between August 2010 and November 2012 in the bathroom of his residence.

Today's Quote

The Taxman is Going to Federal Prison For Tax Fraud

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 CONNECTICUT  --  A 62-year-old tax preparer whose clients received more than $1 million in tax refunds that they weren't entitled is going to prison six years for tax fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Thomas Thorndike, 62, a Woodbury-based tax preparer, was sentenced today in federal court.

He was the founder and owner of Cornerstone Financial Services of Woodbury, a tax preparation and financial services business, authorities stated.

Thorndike improperly reduced the amount of tax due in a variety of ways, including falsely claiming deductions for charitable contributions and falsely claiming deductions for job expenses, federal officials stated.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Thorndike was the founder and owner of Cornerstone Financial Services of Woodbury LLC ("CFS"), a tax preparation and financial services business.

As the owner of CFS, Thorndike prepared federal tax returns for individuals and businesses in exchange for payment of a fee. In the course of preparing many of his clients' tax returns,

Thorndike improperly reduced the amount of tax due in a variety of ways, including falsely claiming deductions for charitable contributions and falsely claiming deductions for job expenses.

Thorndike also offered clients an opportunity to purchase audit insurance.

If clients were audited by the IRS, Thorndike would provide them blank Goodwill donations that would correspond with the donation value Thorndike had entered on their returns, federal officials stated.

He also would direct his clients to create mileage logs that would support deductions he had entered for employment-related travel.

In addition, Thorndike prepared tax returns for his two sons that improperly identified cash payments from him to his children as wages, federal prosecutors stated.

Thorndike claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in improper business deductions, including more than $8,000 in personal carpentry work; a $27,983 "sale of business property" stemming from Thorndike's selling of an engagement ring after his marriage engagement had broken off, according to authorities.

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