Gang Members Targeted in the North County
 More than two dozen gang members are the target of a new civil injunction designed to fight gang crime. San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis along with San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore and the Escondido Police Department announced the approval of the new gang injunction which prohibits 29 members of two street gangs from specific gang-related activities.
The key provisions of the injunction prohibit defendants from associating with other gang members, wearing any type of gang attire or using any gang hand signs. Violators of the injunction could be fined up to $1,000 and spend up to six months behind bars. "Previous gang injunctions in the North County have been successful in making neighborhoods safer for law-abiding citizens who are being harassed, intimidated and victimized by gang members on a regular basis," said DA Dumanis.
Further information on gang injunctions, including a map of the currently implemented "Safety Zones," can be found on the San Diego County District Attorney's website here. |
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Man Convicted for Kidnapping, Torturing Elderly Woman
 A 20-year-old man who is responsible for the terrifying abduction of a 76-year-old Mount Helix woman will spend time behind bars, a jury ruled in December. After deliberating just three hours, the jury found the Jeffrey Nelson guilty of attempted murder, torture and kidnapping.
On the night of December 8, 2008, victim Sandy Herbst-Vinge allowed Nelson into her home to use the telephone. After entering the home, the he choked the elderly woman from behind causing her to lose consciousness. The victim was then abducted in her own vehicle and assaulted. As a result, Vinge was badly injured and had to be hospitalized.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Paul Greenwood and his team, who is nationally-recognized as an expert in elder abuse. With the jury verdict, Nelson now faces life in prison at his sentencing on February 1. Nelson's co-defendant who played a role in the abduction, Luis Lomeli Osborne, 19, recently pled guilty to charges of cruelty to an elder and second degree burglary.
You can watch the victim's harrowing story here. |
DA Youth Board Member
Lives His Dream
 Two years ago, Lincoln High School student Enrique Garcia was thinking about dropping out of high school. He had lost interest and felt disconnected. As he put it, he was in a "sophomore slump."
But with some encouragement from his friends and family, he got more involved in his school-- first volleyball and then the school newspaper. By the end of his high school career, Enrique achieved the unimaginable, something he would be the first in his family to do. Today, Enrique is preparing to begin his fall semester at Stanford University. "I honestly doubted I actually got it at first. I thought they had made a mistake," said Enrique. "But when the admission officer called to congratulate me and I received my packet, reality set in. It was a major surprise." Enrique is considering a double major in Humanities and Engineering. "I also want to get involved at Stanford with activities in the same way I was here," said Enrique. One of those activities was the District Attorney's Youth Advisory Board, which he helped found. The board produced a youth outreach campaign titled " 4 or 40: The Choice Is Yours." The campaign promotes hard work and wise choices during the four years of high school in order to avoid 40 years of potential hardship.
"The Youth Advisory Board has been a launching pad for me - and I am thankful to have been a part of such a great program." It seems for Enrique, the lesson of "4 or 40" could not be more true. |
SCAM ALERT:
Forensic Loan Audits
 The Economic Crimes Division of the San Diego County District Attorney's Office is warning the public about an increasingly frequent scam involving "forensic home audits." Numerous complaints have come into the DA's Office from local homeowners who were scammed out of thousands of dollars.
The pitch usually suggests that the scammer will be able to use the audit to prove "predatory lending" by the lender and ultimately "void" the loan. In some cases, the scam-artists create very authentic-looking websites to convince victims. Additionally, these scammers may be operating out of post office boxes.
Be sure to explore your FREE loan modifications from non-profit sources such as the Housing Opportunities Collaborative. And if you believe you have been the victim of crime, report it to your local police department or Sheriff's office. |
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District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis spread some holiday cheer this holiday season as she teamed up with
Richard J. Donovan State Prison and other law enforcement agencies to present inmate-refurbished bikes to
100 local kids. |
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Check out the brand new link on the District Attorney's website!
DIRECT FROM
THE SOURCE !!!
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DA CRIMINAL CASE FILES
ALAN LESTER MABREY, 46, was sentenced to 20 years-to-life in state prison for killing a female pedestrian in an alcohol-related crash. The defendant had an alcohol level of .22 when he struck and killed the 24-year-old victim at a Pacific Beach intersection.
TOMMY LEE WILLIAMS, 46, was sentenced to life in prison for severely beating his estranged wife in their Escondido apartment. The defendant assaulted the victim with a barbecue fork and his fists while telling her it was "her day to die."
SIRRON BULLARD NORRIS and DOMINIQUE MOSS, both 22, were each sentenced to serve life terms in prison for their roles in three shootings in 2005 and 2006 that left three people dead. A jury found the pair guilty of committing these crimes at the order of a local street gang.
| LAWRENCE PHILLIPS, 34, was sentenced to serve 31 years in prison for attacking his girlfriend and, in a separate incident, driving his car into a group of three teenagers following a dispute. The defendant was convicted of charges including assault, false imprisonment and making a criminal threat.
AMON DYKES, 22, was sentenced to 16 years in state prison for a drive-by shooting that took the life of a local teenager. The defendant pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter charges and admitted playing a role in another recent fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy.
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