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THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2007
STATE BRIEFS RIVERSIDE
Desert Hot Springs woman denies hate crime A suspected white supremacist accused of stabbing a young black woman and a black man near a street fair pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, committing a hate crime and other charges. Mandie Kearns of Desert Hot Springs entered her pleas on Monday. She is also accused of wounding a third victim. Kearns, who has given her age as 28 and 31, was charged with one count of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, committing a hate crime and participating in a criminal street gang. Police said she was arrested with a knife in her pocket and told officers after the Thursday night melee in Palm Springs that she belonged to a white supremacist group. Kearns was being held on $575,000 bail. She was scheduled to appear in court on April 23 for a preliminary hearing. ASSOCIATED PRESS
VENTURA
Judge says couple duped immigrants with fake services A judge found that a couple duped illegal immigrants out of tens of thousands of dollars by fraudulently offering them immigration and legal services. Superior Court Judge Vincent O’Neill said in handing down Monday’s verdict that Hector and Lucia Velasco took money from people in an “extremely vulnerable position.” The Camarillo couple were sued by 13 people who testified during a civil fraud trial that they were told they could have their paperwork speeded up or their deportation orders nullified. Testimony showed that the defendants claimed to have an immigration consulting service and accepted fees ranging from $3,940 to $25,000. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Allen Ball, said that his 13 clients were among the 26 victims who testified. He said he would submit an order to the court for $2 million as damages for his clients. The Valences, who represented themselves in court, declined to comment to the Venture County Star after the judge’s decision. They could not be reached for comment Tuesday, as no numbers were listed under their names. AP
TORRANCE
Coast Guard officer convicted of beating elderly uncle A Coast Guard petty officer from Hawaii was convicted of elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon for the brutal whiskey bottle beating of his 74-year-old uncle. Claude Kaukini Kaaiakamanu, 29, was convicted of beating Alberto Estiamba so severely that his face was broken and unrecognizable. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin, who presided over the non-jury trial, ordered Kaaiakamanu back to court May 9 for sentencing. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. The petty officer 2nd Class, his wife, young twins and grandmother were on vacation and visiting Estiamba on March 15 when the beating occurred. Both men said they had been drinking and neither remembered what happened. Kaaikamanu, of Pearl City, Hawaii, said he’d had six beers and four shots of whiskey. Estiamba, a cancer patient, had a blood-alcohol level of .236, three times the legal limit to drive in California. A partial fingerprint on the whiskey bottle matched Kaaiakamanu and blood on the bottle matched his uncle’s, according to testimony. Blood on Kaaiakamanu’s sock matched Estiamba’s DNA and showed his nephew likely kicked him in the face, Deputy District Attorney Michael Gargiulo said. Estiamba suffered a broken jaw and other facial fractures. Kaaiakamanu’s attorney, Matthew Fletcher, argued that Estiamba’s injuries were consistent with a drunken fall. After the verdict, family members and supporters from both sides cried. Outside of court, Janelle Schooley, one of Estiamba’s four children, said, “Justice prevailed.” “That guy got what he deserves,” Schooley said tearfully. “He deserves worse even.” AP
LONG BEACH
Alleged leader of SoCal meth gang arrested Authorities arrested a man alleged to be the leader of ring that smuggled methamphetamine into the country from Tijuana, using his home as the first stop for the drugs. Monday’s arrest of Guadalupe “Jose” Espinoza, 32, of Ontario, capped a ninemonth investigation by local, state and federal agencies that has resulted in more than a dozen arrests and the seizure of more than 220 pounds of methamphetamine, said Long Beach police Sgt. Paul LeBaron. Espinoza and others face felony charges ranging from sales to conspiracy, officials said. Authorities also seized hundreds of thousands of dollars bound for drug manufacturers in Tijuana, LeBaron said. Several other suspects have been identified and are still being sought, he said. The probe began in July with an investigation into street-level meth dealers by the Long Beach police, LeBaron said. “When we started putting everyone together it was like a spider web that spread everywhere,” he said. AP
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