Staff Reports

Inland Empire– The local Sheriff’s Department has done a great job arresting several individuals for conducting crimes in and around our city. Here is a recap of the news releases that were released by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and the Corona Police Department.

On April 6, at 1:38 a.m., Eastvale patrol officers responded to a residence located in 6700 block of Ruby Canyon Dr., Eastvale, regarding a missing juvenile. During this investigation, an extensive search of the area was conducted and officers were unable to locate the juvenile.  At 7:30 a.m. on April 7, the juvenile was located at school in the city of Corona. The juvenile was in good health and unharmed. The juvenile was reunited with their family.

On April 20, Eastvale Police deployed extra traffic enforcement officers to stop distracted driving, thanks to funding provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The results of this operation included: eleven drivers that were issued a citation for either talking or texting while driving, and two drivers that were cited for driving without a valid license.

On April 20, the Jurupa Valley Police Department conducted the same operation, which resulted in six drivers that were issued a citation for either talking or texting while driving, and three drivers that were cited for driving without a valid license.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has provided a list of tips that can help you, your children, and your employees to stop talking or texting while driving. View the tips at http://www.riversidesheriff.org/press/jvs16-0420.asp

On April 21, three suspects were arrested for crimes related to the thefts, vandalism, and a strong-arm robbery in Eastvale. The Eastvale Police Department’s Special Enforcement Team (SET) worked closely with the Jurupa Valley Station’s crime analyst, patrol deputies, and the Jurupa Community Services District (JCSD) parks deputy to narrow down dates, times and locations of the crimes that have occurred since November 2015.

After an investigation was conducted, three suspects were identified and arrested.  Ryan Filkins, 18 of Eastvale, was arrested for felony warrants and bringing a controlled substance into a jail.  Robert Filkins, 18 of Eastvale, was arrested and booked for felony warrants.  Aaron Allen, 23 of Eastvale, was arrested for felony warrants.  Charges against all three suspects are being sought related to the thefts, reports of vandalism, and a strong-arm robbery.

On April 29, two Corona residents were arrested by Postal Inspectors on federal conspiracy and mail theft-related offenses for a scheme that resulted in them using a counterfeit Postal Service key to access 300 mailboxes at a Corona apartment complex and steal mail. A third defendant is currently a fugitive being sought by federal authorities.

The two taken into custody on April 29 are Bernie Martinez, 23, and Kammi Leigh Vestesen, 24. The third defendant that is being sought by authorizes is Hector Mendez, 29, of Corona.

According to the indictment, Martinez and Vestesen entered the mail room of the Sierra Del Oro apartment complex on April 10 and used a counterfeit Postal Service key to open resident mailboxes. All three defendants allegedly went to the same mailroom on April 12, used the counterfeit key to open mailboxes, and left the premises with a trash bag full of mail. The indictment specifically charges all three defendants with conspiracy, mail theft and possession of a counterfeit United States Postal Service key.