San Diego Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

San Diego State University has suspended two fraternities for their involvement in a campuswide drug ring. SDSU’s vice president of student affairs notified presidents of both fraternities last week. Phi Kappa Psi has been suspected for a 1.5 years, and Theta Chi has been expelled for 3.5 years.

Last May, federal agents and SDSU police completed a yearlong undercover investigation into the sale and use of illegal drugs on campus. In addition to arresting 75 SDSU students on drug-related charges, authorities confiscated 4 pounds of cocaine, 50 pounds of marijuana, $60,000 in cash, and other drugs and paraphernalia.

Authorities noted Theta Chi as a center for cocaine dealing. Two fraternity brothers were arrested in September and sentenced in September. One of those fraternity members, a campus community-service officer who was completing a master’s homeland security, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Another pleaded guilty to one count of selling a controlled substance and received 3 years’ probation and 120 days in county jail.

SDSU disciplines 2 fraternities over drug sting, San Diego Union-Tribune, November 21, 2008

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San Diego Police are attempting to locate the man who stole the identity of a 76-year-old, making almost $5,000 in fraudulent purchases. The identity thief is believed to have opened a credit card account in the victim’s name at a La Mesa Wal-Mart on September 25. His purchases totaled more than $1,700, including a computer, a ring, and a 50-inch flat screen TV.

Police believe that the same man opened an account at the Mission Valley IKEA purchased $3,000 worth of merchandise. The man was captured on a surveillance-camera tape during his trip to Wal-Mart. Police describe the suspect as a Caucasian in his early 30s, medium height and build with a bleached-blond Mohawk.

Any members of the public with information on this identity theft suspect are asked to call San Diego police at 619-531-2545 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

Public's help sought in identity-theft case, San Diego Union-Tribune, November 22, 2008

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A former guest designer on the reality TV show “America’s Next Top Model” has been convicted of sexually assaulting seven girls and women, ending a two-month trial in Los Angeles, California. The jury found Anand Jon Alexander, 34, guilty of one count of rape and 15 counts of sexual assault and other charges. Professionally, he is known Anand Jon.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed Jon lured women as young as 14 to a Beverly Hills apartment, where he raped them. A homemade videotape showed a 17-year-old girl being sexually abused, while other testified that Jon touched them without their consent or forced them to perform sex acts on him.

Prosecutors say Jon faces a life sentence with eligibility for parole after serving 67 years in prison. His criminal defense attorney told the Los Angeles Times that his client plans to appeal the jury’s conviction.

Fashion designer Anand Jon guilty of rape, Los Angeles Times, November 14, 2008

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In San Diego, California, the Sheriff’s deputies are on the hunt for an inmate who was mistakenly released from a San Diego County jail.

The inmate, 50-year old Tuan Tran, also known as Kevin Nguyen, reportedly switched wristbands with another Otay Mesa jail inmate who was about to be bailed out of custody. Tran was released in the other inmate’s place in October, and the mix-up was discovered a few hours later when the other inmate’s mother called to ask about her son’s release from jail.

The Sheriff’s office says that Tran has been at large for several weeks, and he is believed to still be in the San Diego area. He was serving time for burglary and fraud; however, authorities do not believe that he is a threat. The search continues for Tran, who is described as a Vietnamese male around 5 feet 5 inches and 140 pounds.

Inmate Pulls a Switch on Jailers, Escapes, SanDiego6.com, November 18, 2008

Sheriff's Deputies Hunt Prison Escapee, 10News.com, November 17, 2008

Inmate mistakenly released from San Diego jail, MercuryNews.com, October 31, 2008

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Yesterday, a San Diego jury convicted a California man of murder. The 22-year old had fatally injured a professional surfer during a fight on the evening of May 24, 2007. Emery Kauanui sustained severe head trauma outside of his mother’s home in La Jolla and died in the hospital a few days later.

As a result, Seth Cravens, 22, has been convicted of second-degree murder, which carries a possible sentence of 15 years to life in prison. Cravens and his defense attorney claimed that he acted in self-defense when he punched Kaunaui. His lawyer said they plan to appeal the jury’s decision.

Craven’s sentencing is scheduled for January 12. In addition, Cravens faces charges of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury and misdemeanor battery in connection with earlier incidents.

Man found guilty of second-degree murder in surfer's beating death, SignonSanDiego.com, November 18, 2008

San Diego jury finds man guilty of surfer's murder, Associated Press, November 18, 2008

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According to an article in today’s San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego’s crime rates were down nearly 8% in the first nine months of 2008, as compared with the same period during 2007. The San Diego police noted a decrease in the number of robberies, assaults, hate crimes, and domestic violence.

However, the homicide rate is up nearly 10%. At this time last year, San Diego had 41 reported homicides. This year, that number was up to 45. The number of reported rapes in San Diego has also increased to 278, up from 207 in 2007. The city has also seen an increase in gang-related crimes, including tagging, theft, vandalism, and drugs, though shootings and stabbings were down.

“Crime (overall) is at the lowest it's been in more that 40 years, with fewer than 35 crimes per 1,000 residents,” said San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. “This is the first time since 1966 that we've dipped below that 35 crime mark on the crime index.”

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Last week, a graduate student at University of California San Diego reported being sexual assaulted. The 24-year-old told police that her attacker forced his way into her graduate-student housing and threatened her with a knife. Police say the suspect bound his sexual assault victim, possibly with duct tape.

The sexual assault victim notified police around 3:30 pm. She described her attacker as an white man in his twenties with a goatee. He was wearing a white San Diego Chargers t-shirt, baseball cap, and jeans and carrying a knife and a backpack.

San Diego Police are investigating the case along with campus police.

UCSD student says man sexually assaulted her, The Union-Tribune, November 8, 2008

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San Diego sheriff’s officials say that three people are suspected in 24 residential, commercial break-ins and about 50 motor vehicle break-ins in San Diego County. The burglary ring is known as “Tats in Hats” because of their tattoos and the hats they wear to disguise their faces.

The trio believed to be involved in the burglary ring has resurfaced in Howell, Michigan. Police there say that Robert Alan Keyes, 32, of California, broke into cars parked outside a school in early October. Keyes and two co-defendants allegedly used stolen credit cards at area hotels, pharmacies, and gas stations.

Keyes waived his preliminary exam last week, sending to circuit charges that he stole personal items from cars in the area. He is charged with larceny from a building, breaking and entering to steal property, and two counts of stealing a financial transaction device.

California man, two others charged in Genoa Township auto break-ins, Lansing State Journal, November 6, 2008

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A 39-year-old San Diego man is charged with murder and identity theft in conjunction with the death of Edward Clayton Andrews, 80, of Riverside County. Authorities said Andrews died of asphyxiation. Thomas Jeffrey Brooks, the defendant, pleaded not guilty on Monday.

During Brooks’ arraignment, the Deputy District Attorney recounted how Andrews and Brooks became “pen pals” while Brooks was serving in federal prison. After his release, Brooks stayed in contact with Andrews.

Neighbors say they saw Brooks at Andrews home a few days before Andrews was reported missing. Andrews’ body was discovered by suspicious neighbors who cracked open the large cement orb in the center of a rock garden Brooks had worked on. They had expected to find Andrews’ money or belongings. Instead, they found a human foot.

According to the Deputy District Attorney, Brooks has a criminal history including convictions for child abuse, possession of obscene material, fraud, and escape from federal prison.

Man pleads not guilty in 80-year-old's slaying, SignOnSanDiego.com, November 4, 2008

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Police say that alcohol-related crimes in San Diego were down this year after the one-year booze ban went into effect. The City Council approved a temporary ban on alcohol at city beaches in November. Last year, San Diego police issued a total of 3,438 alcohol-related citations. So far this year, they have issued only 2,855, which is a decrease of 17 percent. The number of minors in possession of alcohol has also declined.

Of course, this drop in crime on San Diego’s beaches might also have to do with the drop in visitors. Some predict that if trends continue San Diego will see close to 4 million fewer visitors this year. However, the addition of security cameras and lower than normal temperatures may also explain the lower number of visitors.

If voters reject Proposition D, it will expire on January 14, 2009. If Proposition D passes, it will make consuming alcohol illegal at city beaches, including Mission Bay Park and other coastal parks.

Report: Alcohol-related crime drops following beach booze ban, North County Times, October 22, 2008

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