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Published 03/12/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

After only serving just over three years in state prison, George Joseph England, 65, who spent 29 years as a fugitive after being found guilty of sexually assaulting three female children, also for 11 years molested Jackie Zudis, whom he purchased from her mother in Vietnam in the 1970s and claimed was his adopted daughter, was scheduled for release today.
After only serving just over three years in state prison, George Joseph England, 65, who spent 29 years as a fugitive after being found guilty of sexually assaulting three female children, also for 11 years molested Jackie Zudis, whom he purchased from her mother in Vietnam in the 1970s and claimed was his adopted daughter, was scheduled for release today. (Photo: Courtesy Orange County District Attorney’s Office.)

The scheduled release of yet another sexually violent predator raises the question of why this keeps happening. The Orange County District Attorney held a press conference to warn the community about a pending release, only to be interrupted to announce that the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida was going to issue an arrest warrant which would prevent the release. But, if it was not for pending charges from an out of state jurisdiction, another convicted serial child molester would be released from prison today.

Published 03/10/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

David Walker Bryan, 40, Anaheim, is charged in a police internet sting with two felony counts of attempted lewd acts on a child under 14, one felony count of contacting a child with the intent to commit lewd acts, and one felony count of meeting a minor with the intent to commit lewd acts.
David Walker Bryan, 40, Anaheim, is charged in a police internet sting with two felony counts of attempted lewd acts on a child under 14, one felony count of contacting a child with the intent to commit lewd acts, and one felony count of meeting a minor with the intent to commit lewd acts. (Photo: Courtesy Orange County District Attorney’s Office.)

When 40 year old Anaheim registered sex offender David Walker Bryan, arrived at the location where he thought he was going to meet a 13 year old girl for sex, instead, he met the officers of the Huntington Beach Police Department, HBPD. Rather than acting upon pedophilic tendencies, Bryan now is in jail facing charges which could land him in state prison for up to 5 years. He pleaded not guilty.

Published 03/03/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Brent Wilcox, 35, Cypress, arrested for shooting a business associate in the head
Brent Wilcox, 35, Cypress, arrested for shooting a business associate in the head (Photo: Courtesy Cypress Police Department)

A houseguest visiting a business acquaintance in Cypress was shot in the head Monday evening. Police said it was not an accident and not suicide. Cypress Police arrested Brent Christopher Wilcox, 35, who resided at residence.

Published 02/18/2010 - 2:06 p.m. Pacific Time

The Seal Beach Police Department reported that last night, at around 8:20 pm, a Hispanic man held up the Starbucks at Seal Beach Blvd. and Westminster Ave. The lone suspect was brandishing a firearm, but there were no customers in the shop at the time and none of the employees were injured. The robber probably is not a Starbucks customer, because if he was, he would know they keep very little cash in the register.

Published 02/12/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Law enforcement teams will be out in force this Saturday night watching for drunk drivers and more. The CHP, Seal Beach Police Department, SBPD, the Los Alamitos Police Department, LAPD, and the Orange County Sherriff Department, OCSD, will all participate in DUI enforcement. In West Orange County alone, there will be two checkpoints on PCH.

Published 02/03/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct attribution of the quotes from the DA’s Office. When first published, the quotes were erroneously attributed to John Maxfield.

If you are a Hispanic male, your “right of the people peaceably to assemble” (First Amendment, U.S. Constitution) maybe in some jeopardy in Garden Grove. Late last week, the Honorable Kazharu Makino, signed a permanent injunction against “Hard Times”, a violent Garden Grove street gang. The injunction bans, among other things, two friends sitting on a park bench if they also happen to be active members of the gang, even if they have not been convicted of any crimes. John Anderson, Orange County Assistant District Attorney, said “Are there constitutional rights implicated? Of course, there are always constitutional rights implicated in any restraining order.”

Published 01/14/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Christopher Holden Fenn, 47, of Mission Viejo, sentenced this week to 10 years in state prison on 27 felony counts of indecent exposure with a prior conviction from 1981 and one felony count of aggravated assault.  Fenn also must register as a lifetime sex offender.
Christopher Holden Fenn, 47, of Mission Viejo, sentenced this week to 10 years in state prison on 27 felony counts of indecent exposure with a prior conviction from 1981 and one felony count of aggravated assault. Fenn also must register as a lifetime sex offender. (Photo: Courtesy of the Orange County District Attorney's office.)

On the surface, the ten year prison sentence in the case of Christopher Holden Fenn, 47, Mission Viejo, seems a bit harsh. After all, the only charges against the man relate to his rather unfortunate practice of sneaking up on women who happened to be alone in isolated areas, and appearing naked in front of them. He did not rape or sexually assault them. Apparently, he just liked scaring the heck out of them, and from the victim statement at the sentencing, he was pretty effective at that.

Published 12/31/2009 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

The Seal Beach Police Department, CHP, and the Orange County Sherriff, among other agencies, will conduct “DUI Saturation Patrols from tonight throughout the long weekend. These patrols are focused on DUI only. The program, called Avoid the 38, is a grant funded Multi-Agency DUI Task Force designated to enforce laws pertaining to motorists driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. This is part of a regional and statewide effort.

Published 12/09/2009 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

On Monday of this week, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged David Kenneally, 2662 Oak Knoll drive, Rossmoor, along with two other former executives, with Securities fraud. The charges resulted from the 2007 collapse of subprime lender New Century Financial.

Published 02/26/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Rodney James Alcala, 66, a serial murderer, was convicted for the third time of the 1979 kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe.  He was also convicted of murdering four Los Angeles County women in the late 1970’s.
Rodney James Alcala, 66, a serial murderer, was convicted for the third time of the 1979 kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe. He was also convicted of murdering four Los Angeles County women in the late 1970’s. (Photo: Courtesy of Orange County district Attorney’s Office)

Yesterday an Orange County jury convicted a serial murderer of the 1979 kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe. This was the third time the killer, Rodney James Alcala, 66, has been convicted of this crime. He was also convicted in the same trial of raping and murdering four Los Angeles County women in the 1970s.

Published 02/17/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Tyrone Donte Gray, 33, Los Angeles, Boyfriend of Tyrica Jenice Goff, Charged by the Orange County District Attorney in a 99-count criminal complaint including felony second degree commercial burglary, felony forgery, felony street terrorism, misdemeanor receiving stolen property, sentencing enhancements for loss over $100,000, aggravated white collar crime over $500,000, property damage over $65,000, criminal street gang activity, and crime-bail-crime.
Tyrone Donte Gray, 33, Los Angeles, Boyfriend of Tyrica Jenice Goff, Charged by the Orange County District Attorney in a 99-count criminal complaint including felony second degree commercial burglary, felony forgery, felony street terrorism, misdemeanor receiving stolen property, sentencing enhancements for loss over $100,000, aggravated white collar crime over $500,000, property damage over $65,000, criminal street gang activity, and crime-bail-crime. (Photo: Courtesy Orange County District Attorney’s Office)

Four suspects were arrested yesterday, and two more are being sought in a case where a Seal Beach Police Department, SBPD, Detective provided a major break in the case. SBP Detective David Barr, no relation to this writer, performed the initial investigation which led to collaboration with the U.S. Secret Service and the cracking of a fraud ring. According to a release from the Orange county District Attorney’s Office, “These crimes were committed throughout several Southern California counties including Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside.”

Published 02/09/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Linda Wilborn, 31, of Seal Beach, was arrested yesterday and is charged with the murder of her 22 month old daughter, Millicent, and with fracturing the skull of Millicent’s twin brother.
Linda Wilborn, 31, of Seal Beach, was arrested yesterday and is charged with the murder of her 22 month old daughter, Millicent, and with fracturing the skull of Millicent’s twin brother. (Photo: Courtesy Seal Beach Police Department)

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Seal Beach Police Department, Linda Wilborn, 31, of Seal Beach, was arrested yesterday and is charged with the murder of her 22 month old daughter, Millicent, and with fracturing the skull of Millicent’s twin brother. Wilborn is being held on $1 million bail. She is expected to be arraigned Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

Published 01/21/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Nicholas Alex Duran, 35, of Santa Ana, sentenced to 13 years in state prison for one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of street terrorism, and a sentencing enhancement for criminal street gang activity.
Nicholas Alex Duran, 35, of Santa Ana, sentenced to 13 years in state prison for one felony count of aggravated assault, one felony count of street terrorism, and a sentencing enhancement for criminal street gang activity. (Photo: Courtesy Orange County District Attorney’s Office)

The Orange County District Attorney wanted a sentence based on California’s 3 Strikes law—25 years to life, the defendant pleaded guilty, and the victim didn’t, but certainly could have, died from the knife assault. The judge, whose legal prowess has been seriously questioned (more on that below) is retired, but he dismissed the DA’s requests and issued lighter sentences.

Published 01/07/2010 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Yesterday, a 42 year old history teacher at Oxford Academy, one of the top high schools in the nation, pleaded not guilty to charges that he engaged in sexual activity with one of his underage students. The teacher, Christopher John Ontiveros, of Huntington Beach, was arrested last October and is out on $100,000 bail. He faces up to 6 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Published 12/22/2009 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Lydia Kathleen Fitzgerald, 48, formerly of Los Alamitos, pleaded guilty to defrauding the Casa youth Shelter of 435,000, to be sentenced to 4 years in state prison.
Lydia Kathleen Fitzgerald, 48, formerly of Los Alamitos, pleaded guilty to defrauding the Casa youth Shelter of 435,000, to be sentenced to 4 years in state prison. (Photo: Courtesy of the Orange county District Attorney’s Office.)

Back in late 2007, when Casa Youth Shelter, Los Alamitos, Executive Director Luciann Maulhardt got a call from the bank informing her the charity’s payroll checks were bouncing, she knew something was very wrong. It did not take long for suspicion to fall on a seven year employee, Lydia Kathleen Fitzgerald, the shelter’s Executive Assistant.

Published 12/02/2009 - 6:00 a.m. Pacific Time

Think you can trust the local, friendly, school bus driver? Better think again. Although the molestations of the two Los Alamitos girls occurred between November 2000 and December 2003, when the case was sent to the jury on Monday of this week, they needed only a few hours to convict Terry Shields, 54, Buena Park, on 15 felony counts and sentencing enhancement allegations for committing lewd acts on multiple children, substantial sexual conduct with a child, and kidnapping to commit a sexual offense against a child.