Paddle beating

imprisonment, assault on a person causing great bodily injury and assault with a deadly weapon.

On June 17, 2021, when arguing that bail should remain at $1 million for both defendants, Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Mendoza shed new light on the nature of the alleged crimes in order to convince the judge to grant his request.

Mendoza said the victim — identified in court papers only as 36-yearold “Matthew H.” — was zip-tied and locked in a closet measuring 4 feet wide by 2 feet deep for two days before he was able to escape and seek refuge at a nearby business.

Eduardo Espinoza told detectives following his arrest that the victim broke into his apartment in the 37000 block of Bankside Drive on or around May 30, 2021, and, in response, he and his brother delivered a type of “street justice” common in Mexico, Mendoza said. Lozoya’s role was allegedly to watch the victim and keep him from escaping. The man suffered serious bruising to much of his backside, according to incident.

“He was in possession of two additional stolen trailers ... a utility box trailer and a 28-foot travel trailer,” Hephner said, noting that a total of seven stolen trailers were seized.

Sheriff’s personnel served search warrants at multiple storage units in Villalpando’s name and seized more stolen property, Hephner alleged.

Investigators believe the defendant may be responsible for thefts going back to November, according to Hephner.

“It is believed there are additional victims who have not yet been identified,” he said.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the sheriff’s Southwest Station at 951-696-3032.

According to court records, Villalpando has prior convictions for spousal abuse, possession of controlled substances and driving on a suspended driver’s license.

A40-year-old Banning man accused of raping two women who visited his home on separate occasions when they were intoxicated, as well as molesting a 12-year-old girl, withdrew a motion for a bond reduction Wednesday, leaving him held in jail in lieu of $500,000.

Steven Roy McElroy was arrested last week following a Banning Police Department investigation into the alleged assaults on the women in the previous decade.

McElroy is charged with two counts each of rape and aggravated assault, and one count each of lewd acts on a minor and sexual battery of a child.

The defendant made his initial court appearance on the new charges last Thursday, at which time his public defender submitted a motion to Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Singerton, asking for a bail-setting conference to determine whether the $500,000 bond requirement was justified.

Mendoza.

After escaping, the victim called 911 to report the beating and directed police to the Bankside Drive address, where unspecified evidence was collected that backed up his claim, according to Sgt. Larry Sanfillippo of the Cathedral City Police Department. The Espinoza brothers were arrested that same day.