By Miriam Raftery

May 10, 2020 (Lakeside) – Julia Gonzalez, 23, has been arrested and charged with murder of a man stabbed Friday shortly after midnight following a fight with neighbors at 8200 Jema Way in Lakeside, says Lt. Thomas Seiver with the Sheriff’s department.

Sheriff deputies were called to the scene and Lakeside Fire Department personnel treated the injured man. He was transported to a hospital but did not survive.

East County News Service 

Photos: Surveillance video

May 4, 2020 (El Cajon) -  El Cajon Police seek public help to find a vandal who damaged a church and car dealership, also breaking the windshield of a truck set to delivery donations of personal protective equipment to hospital workers, says Officer Sue Stoller.

East County News Service

Photo: Victim Tony Montantes

April 21, 2020 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating the suspect(s) responsible for the murder of 41-year-old Tony Montantes. On March 16^th at approximately 9:55 p.m., Tony Montantes was standing on the sidewalk in the area of E. Main St. and S. First St. in El Cajon when an unknown suspect fired several gunshots at him. As a result, Montantes was struck multiple times. Despite life saving measures by El Cajon Police officers, paramedics and hospital staff, Montantes was pronounced dead. The suspect(s) were last seen fleeing the area in a vehicle.

Update April 16, 2020:  The suspect has been identified as Dwayne Edward Groves Jr., 38.

By Miriam Raftery

April 15, 2020 (Lemon Grove) –A suspect has been arrested after shooting and killing twin 15-year-old girls and wounding their brother, 23. The mother of the victims was able to save her younger children by fleeing with them after the shooting began around noon today in her residence in the 7400 block of Central Avenue near Buena Vista in Lemon Grove.

The mother told a reporter with OnScene TV that the shooter is her former boyfriend, whom she recently broke up with.

Lt. Thomas Seiver with the San Diego Sheriff’s department confirmed that two female victims were shot and killed, but did not disclose their identities.  He indicated that the third victim was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.

By Miriam Raftery

View video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjF2UYCYNcw&feature=youtu.be . Warning: video contains graphic images and language, viewer discretion advised.  

March 23, 2020 (El Cajon)—El Cajon Police have released body camera footage from multiple officers of the non-  lethal shooting of a car theft suspect, Keith Crenshaw, 21, on February 12^th. The videos confirm that after waking up the suspect sleeping in the vehicle, officers repeatedly warned him to put his hands up, even after the suspect repeatedly said, “Shoot me!”

The incident began after Phoenix Police called to request that ECPD recover a stolen car identified via an auto-license reader.  Officer Stanley and his trainee, Officer Jabrael, arrived at 544 South Johnson and Officer Sandoval along with a civilian approached from the rear.

After verifying the license, Officer Jabrael approached the driver’s side but the door handle was missing. When the suspect awoke, Officer Stanley repeatedly ordered him to put his hands up and not to reach into his shirt. At one point he asked for a less-lethal weapon. But before he could obtain one, the suspect repeatedly stated, “Shoot me! Shoot me! Shoot me!”

Officer Stanley and another officer can be hear continuing to try and convince the suspect to put up his hands.  Officer Stanley stated, “No, I do not want to kill you. Let me see your hands.”

Sheriff also warns consumers about virus-related scams

By Miriam Raftery

March 18, 2020 (San Diego)—The San Diego Sheriff's department has arrested eight local people for selling hoarded toilet paper, cleaning supplies, hygiene products and protective equipment at price-gouging rates. The suspects, who posted the items for sale online, could be fined up to $10,000 and imprisoned.

It is illegal to price gouge during an emergency. After the state emergency declaration due to COVID-19, when consumers found store shelves emptied of much-needed supplies, deputies began checking out online websites. They found local residents offering items at up to 20 times higher than normal. 

Plain-clothes deputies from the Fallbrook station arranged to meet and buy the excessively priced goods, then arrested the suspects including individuals from unicorporated El Cajon, Escondido, Poway, San Diego, San Marcos, Rainbow, and Vista.

The eight people arrested, who were cited and released pending trial, are:

By Miriam Raftery

File photo at an earlier hearing, courtesy of Ken Stone, Times of San Diego

March 17, 2020 (San Diego) – Disgraced former Congressman Duncan D. Hunter was sentenced today in federal court after pleading guilty in December to a felony count of conspiracy to spend campaign funds for personal use. 

Hunter will have until May 29 to report to federal prison, where he will serve an 11-month term. Known for heavy partying in Washington D.C., Hunter must also undergo and alcohol and drug treatment program. In addition, after his release he will be on three years of supervised probation.

 The location where Hunter will serve his sentence has not yet been announced. Judge Thomas Whelan left open the possibility of a later start to Hunter’s imprisonment if warranted by the COVID-19 emergency.

Spiking Prices During a State of an Emergency is a Crime

East County News Service

Photo: Cc by ND via Bing

March 10, 2020 (San Diego) – After California and San Diego County each declared a state of emergency over the COVID-19 virus, The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office has issued a warning to businesses and scammers not to take advantage of consumers by price gouging.

During a declared state of emergency, it is illegal for a business to increase its prices for essential goods or services by more than 10 percent, unless they can show their own costs have been increased. "The statute would theoretically apply to online retailers as well as brick and mortar—as well as individuals who might be selling on an app like Offer Up,"  says Steve Walker, communications specialist at the District Attorney's office.

Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California on March 4 and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors extended its countywide state of emergency for an additional 30 days on February 19.

“We want county residents to know that we stand ready to protect their consumer rights under the law,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said. “We will strictly enforce violations related to price gouging.”