California Criminal Attorney Blog

A man selling his laptop on Craigslist was the victim of a robbery in Irvine. Xavier Parnell, 24 and Matthew Davis, 22 contacted a seller of a laptop on Craigslist. The pair set up a meeting with the victim at an Irvine park to purchase the computer. When the victim showed the laptop, Parnell reached into his coat and pulled out what appeared to be a handgun. Parnell demanded the seller handover his computer and when the victim complied, the men fled in a car driven by Davis.

Detectives from Irvine tracked the pair down in Dana Point and conducted a traffic stop pulling the men over. A black replica handgun was found in the car but the laptop had already been sold to a 3rd party. Officers were able to retrieve the laptop and arrested the pair for robbery, conspiracy and petty theft.

It is unknown at this time if either man has an Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney and when they are to be arraigned in court.

A woman Anaheim was arrested for allegedly stealing another woman’s identity and using her credit card to purchase luxury items. Detectives say Judy Nguyen ordered luxury items online using stolen credit cards and then waited at the victims home for the delivery driver to drop them off.

Irvine detectives received a report from the victim that someone tried to use her credit card to purchase a Louis Vuitton purse online. Detectives waited at the victim’s home on delivery day and saw Nguyen waiting for the package to be delivered. When the package was delivered they saw Nguyen retrieve the package. Detectives arrested Nguyen after she retrieved the package.

When Irvine detectives searched Nguyen’s home they found more than $6,000 of stolen merchandise. Nguyen is being charged with grand theft, identity theft and unauthorized use of a credit card. If convicted, Nguyen faces over 4 years in state prison.

Robert Vincent Peace, a soccer coach for the Irvine Blades was arrested and charged with multiple counts of child pornography and coercing a 13-year-old to send pornographic videos of herself. Peace is being accused of possessing over 2,000 images of child pornography on his computer and his vehicle.

Peace is charges with 3 counts of lewd act on a child under 14, 6 counts of lewd act on a child, 3 counts of using a minor for sex acts and 1 count of distribution of obscene material and possession and control of child pornography. Additional sentencing enhancements have also been charged for substantial sexual conduct with a child. If convicted, Peace faces 25 years in state prison as well as registrations as a sex offender under PC 290. Pearce is in custody on $500,000 bail.

Peace is accused of meeting the minor on line on stickam.com. The minor, from Endicott, N.Y. and the defendant exchanged messages online and instructing her to send him sexually explicit videos of herself masturbating over a two year period. Once Peace received the videos, he allegedly threatened the victim that if she didn’t continue to send sexually explicit videos of herself, he would publish the one he had over the internet.

A male bicyclist was critically injured when he was struck by a pickup in Santa Ana. The driver of the pickup fled the scene after striking the bicyclist and Santa Ana Police Department are seeking the public’s help in locating the hit and run driver.

Authorities described the vehicle as a white pickup with a ladder and rack in the back. It may have a missing hubcap, which could be unrelated to the accident.

Long Beach Fire Captain John David Hines, 38, of Huntington Beach faces possible prison time for a violation of his terms and conditions of probation. Hines pleaded guilty in September to felony Driving Under the Influence Causing Injury charges. In exchange for his guilty plea, Hines was sentenced to serve 1 year in county jail with four years and four months in prison stayed upon successful completion of probation. Hines was told by Orange County Superior Court Judge Erik Larsh, that if he violated his probation he would serve his prison sentence.

Hines was convicted of DUI for an accident that occurred in April of 2011. Hines left a bar in Long Beach and started to drive home to Huntington Beach when his reckless driving caused his pickup to swerve into a bike lane and strike a bicyclist, Jeffrey Gordon, 47. Hines fled the scene but was followed by other witnesses to the accident.

In September 2011, Hines pleaded guilty to felony driving under the influence, hit and run and sentencing enhancements for causing great bodily injury. Judge Larsh has scheduled his probation violation hearing to March 16, 2012

The murder trial of William McLaughlin has come to a close and now we await the jury verdict in this well publicized case. William McLaughlin was murdered in his Newport Beach home on December 15, 1994. Eric Naposki, Johnston’s “other” boyfriend has already been convicted of being the shooter in McLaughlin’s murder. Now, Nanette awaits her verdict for conspiring with Naposki to Kill McLaughlin for a $1 Million life insurance policy that was in her name.

Johnston’s criminal defense attorney argued that while Johnston may be a thief and manipulator of men, she is no murderer. He argued she has more to gain financially with McLaughlin being alive and there was no evidence of any discord between McLaughlin or Johnston at the time of McLaughlin’s death.

Orange County prosecutors disagree with Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney Mick Hill and say Johnston is greedy and now a murderer. If convicted, Johnston faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The man accused of killing eight people in a Seal Beach hair salon pleaded not guilty at his arraignment today. Scott Dekraai appeared in chains and an orange jumpsuit along with his public defender in Orange County Superior Court.

If convicted, Dekraai can face death in the multiple count felony indictment. OCDA Rackauckas hopes to get this case to trial within a year to help achieve closure for the family of the victims.

Itzcoatl Ocampo, 23 of Yorba Linda was arrested after allegedly stabbing a homeless man to death last week. Witnesses saw a man being stabbed behind a fast-food restaurant in Anaheim Hills and chased after him. The bravery of those witnesses is what led police to Ocampo.

Police have alleged, Ocampo is a serial killer who committed similar acts against three other homeless me in Orange County. Orange County Prosecutor Tony Rackauckas is expected to charge Ocampo with four counts of murder with special circumstances. If convicted, Ocampo could be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Ocampo is a former Marine who attended Estancia High School in Orange County prior to enlisting in the armed forces. His family say he enrolled in the military following the footsteps of his best friend. Unfortunately, his best friend was killed in Afghanistan which had a devastating impact on him.

Ocampo is likely to be arraigned tomorrow in C-5 and his orange county criminal defense attorney has yet to be identified.

An Irvine father pleaded guilty today to child abuse and resisting a police officer. Sloane Briles, 35, was accused and now convicted of throwing his son from a Newport Beach harbor boat last summer. Prosecutors argued that Briles should serve actual jail time in that he failed to assist his son or jump into the water to save him. Rather, angry passengers of the harbor beach cruise is what caused Briles to finally jump into the water.

Briles who was out on bail received three years of probation, 180 days county jail, restitution and is ordered to attend and complete a child abuse treatment program. Instead of serving actual jail time, Briles was ordered to enroll in a residential alcohol rehabilitation treatment center run by the Department of Veteran Affairs.
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A transient was sentenced to six years and four months in prison for setting fires on three separate occasions in Santa Ana. Tommy Burke, 49 pleaded guilty in Orange County Superior Court to five felony counts plus a sentencing enhancement for having a prior strike.

Burke admitted setting two fires in trash bins behind a Ross store in Santa Ana and two weeks later set another behind a KFC also in Santa Ana.

An Orange County Grand Jury indicted Catherine Kieu, 48 of torture and mayhem charges stemming from a July 11th incident with her husband. If convicted, Kieu faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

On July 11, 2011, Kieu and her male companion argued over whether a friend could stay at the residence overnight. After the companion went to bed, Kieu is alleged to have tied the man’s arms and legs and severed his penis with a kitchen knife. Kieu is then alleged to have taken the penis and placed it in the garbage disposal which she subsequently turned on.

The man was transported to UCI Medical Center in Irvine where he survived but it is not believed medical staff could reattach is penis.

Kieu is in custody on $1 million bail and is expected to be arraigned Monday, January 9, 2012 before Judge Craig Robison.

The inmate who escaped from an Orange County jail was apprehended in Lake Forest. William Woodin, 39 formerly of Newport Beach was caught after a short foot pursuit by officers, 24 hours after escaping.

Woodin was first arrested by Irvine Police on October 23, 2011 for attempted theft from Nordstrom. Woodin pleaded guilty to petty theft and giving a false name to a police officer.

Due to the low level crime, Woodin was allowed to be on a kitchen work crew which is how he ultimately made his escape after breaking the kitchen window. Orange County Sheriff spokesman Jim Amormino said the capture was the result of “good old-fashioned detective work.” This was the first escape from Theo Lacy Jail in 20 years.

As a result of Woodin’s escape, he is subject to additional criminal charges. He could be charged with escaping from a correctional facility, felony vandalism as well as a probation violation. All said, he now could face several years in prison. Hopefully, he had time to consult with an Orange County Criminal Defense Attorney while on the lam.