According to prosecutors, Larry Smith posed as a mortgage foreclosure consultant and offered “land patents” to those who had defaulted on their mortgages. He reportedly told victims that the patents would avoid foreclosure because the banks would own the home instead of the land underneath it.

A district attorney said that investigators have found 17 homeowners who may have fallen prey to Smith’s scheme. A San Diego Superior Court Judge set the suspect’s bail at $3 million. Prosecutors say Smith faces a potential sentence of 37 years to life if convicted of all counts.

Smith’s criminal record includes convictions for robbery, assault, and second-degree murder as far back as the late 1960’s.

Man pleads not guilty to charges of grand theft, San Diego Union-Tribune, January 1, 2009

Munoz said Nguyen should be considered armed and dangerous.

According to prosecutors and police, the suspects were robbing a residence in the 5900 block of Hughes Street when the inhabitants arrived home. The suspects allegedly doused the male victims with lighter fluid and threatened to kill them if they didn’t their attackers $20,000. They also allegedly took the wife into a bedroom and raped her, according to a Deputy District Attorney.

Police Search For Man Involved In Home Invasion, 10News.com, December 26, 2008

As the two robbers assaulted the man, his beer fell to the pavement. One of the robbers fired a shot into the air and three at the victim, who suffered a gunshot wound in the buttocks as the two suspects fled the scene of the shooting.

The gunshot victim was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Public safety: Beer-theft attempt leaves man wounded on street, San Diego Union-Tribune, December 26, 2008

Two of the people in question tried to barricade themselves but later surrendered peacefully. According to a supervising probation officer, the police were able to locate a woman named in a warrant two years ago as well as a documented adult male gang member. The officer added that information received during the raid on last Friday afternoon and night.

The San Diego Police Department, the Chula Vista Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Office Regional Fugitive Task Force collaborated with the county’s Probation Department.

Nine Arrested For Probation Violations, 10news.com, December 20, 2008

Because online shopping increases during this period, criminal activity also increases, because hackers know that there isn’t time for online retailers to screen every transaction as thoroughly. By attacking computer networks during November and December, identity thieves believe there is less chance of detention.

In order to prevent hackers from stealing their identity, bank account numbers, or other information, experts have the following advice for consumers:

*Keep your anti-virus and spyware software up-to-date.
*Shop through retailers who have a strong reputation for security.
*Use different passwords for email, banking, and online shopping

Holiday season brings out worst in cybercriminals, San Diego Union-Tribune, December 17, 2008

A few minutes later, Palmer and Taylor left the party with a group of other students. Two men approached them at the corner of San Jacinto and Groveland drives and fired shots before fleeing south on San Jacinto. Palmer died at the scene of the shooting, while Taylor died at a nearby hospital soon after.

Police have not yet released a description of the shooters, but dozens of people gathered at the shooting site the following night to honor the two shooting victims.

Community reeling after 2 teenagers fatally shot, San Diego Tribune-Union, December 7, 2008

According to court documents, Oakley is charged with molesting a minor and providing marijuana to a minor. He picked up his 14-year old victim near the Redlands Mall entrance and allegedly drove to an area home where the two smoked marijuana. Police believe Oakley then pulled out a handgun and molested the victim, who reported the sex crime during a school counseling session two months ago.

Police have located a 20-year old transient who says Oakley offered to smoke marijuana with him and then molested him. According to detectives, Oakley told them he looked for transient men near the down library and Greyhound bus station in San Bernadino between 2003 and 2007. In the past year, Oakley allegedly looked for men in Redlands.

San Diego man arrested on suspicion of arresting Inland teen, The Press-Enterprise, December 11, 2008

Police arrested Ramirez on September 25 after authorities discovered Ramirez had stolen money from the account of Evanthia Pappas and opened debit and credit cards in Pappas’ name. Prosecutors say the money in question was between $80,000 and $90,000. On October 30, Ramirez pleaded guilty to grand theft and identity theft.

Pappas, who was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer and struggled to pay her medical bills, has received reimbursement from Citibank for much of the money stolen from her account. Therefore, restitution would be paid to several banks impacted by the identity theft case.

Woman guilty of ID theft will serve one year in jail, San Diego Union-Tribune, December 4, 2008

His expenses on the day he reported to jail included buying a new Mercedes ($99,000) and spending $10.940 on what TMZ called “miscellaneous last minute impulse buys.” Though Vick’s assets are worth around $16 million, his liabilities total $20.4 million.

Vick is currently serving a 23.month federal term, but because he pleaded guilty in Virginia to a state charge of dogfighting, he may be eligible for an early release from prison to a halfway house six months into his sentence, since federal law prevents prisoners from being released to a halfway house while they have charges pending.

Vick will complete his sentence on July 20, 2009, and he is expected to apply for reinstatement to the NFL. League officials would not comment on the case.

Vick's Incarceration Day Shopping Spree, TMZ.com, December 7, 2008

Michael Vick pleads guilty to state dogfighting charge, Seattle Times, November 26, 2008

Bankruptcy records detail Vick’s spending, BradentonHerald.com, November 22, 2008

On September 25, Eric Robinson, 43, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession and use of a destructive device to commit a crime of violence. He admitted to driving the getaway car. On Friday, Judge Margaret McKeown formally accepted Robinson’s plea and that of Ella Louise Sanders, 57, who pleaded guilty to the same charges, which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years.

Robinson and Sanders admitted their involvement in constructing and helping to detonate pipe bombs at the courthouse and a FedEx building in May. Their motive has not been established yet, and a third defendant, Rachelle Carlock, is awaiting her trial.

Courthouse bombers plead guilty, San Diego Union-Tribune, December 5, 2008

While investigating the motorcycle theft, an officer attempted to pull over the suspect near Poway Road. Instead, the rider sped up and swerved between lanes at an estimated speed of 90-110 mph. For safety reasons, the officer backed off.

However, a police helicopter crew followed the motorcyclist to Adams Avenue exit into Kensington. The suspect parked the motorcycle on a sidewalk before running down 39th Street. He hopped fences and dashed through yards until the police reached him at an apartment complex. Police arrested the theft suspect around 11:25pm.

Police catch motorcycle theft suspect, San Diego Union-Tribune, November 25, 2008

When Georges Najjar, 33, arrived in Denver on March 14, he was greeted by an undercover agent and Denver police. The undercover agent had posed as a single mother with two young children and had made contact with Najjar online and by phone. According to the Department of Justice, Najjar stated during conversations with the undercover agent that he planned to have a physical relationship with the woman and her children.

Responding officers and agents seized Najjar’s luggage after he landed in Denver. His bags contained children’s toys, DVDs, and candy, among other items. In July, Najjar leaded guilty to the charges.

Sex offender to spend more than a decade behind bars, San Diego Union-Tribune, November 26, 2008

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

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

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