Tag Archives: City of San Bernardino

Gang Member Sentenced To 80 Years To Life For Murder

SBC PD

SAN BERNARDINO. – A documented gang member with a prior strike conviction has been sentenced to 80 years to life in state prison for the murder of 25-year-old Roy Craddock.

Juan Fuentes, 26, of San Bernardino, was sentenced Friday at the San Bernardino Justice Center by Superior Court Judge J. David Mazurek after being convicted of one count of Murder on March 27, 2014.
Supervising Deputy District Attorney Jill Gregory, who was formerly assigned to the Central Division Gang Unit, prosecuted the case.

Prior to sentencing one of the victim’s family members addressed the judge:

“We do not understand how another human being, who bleeds just as we do, could be so quick to pull the trigger and take the life, the very last breath, last drop of blood from the most kind-hearted and loving human being to walk this earth… While we were standing over his casket waiting for him to wake up, give us a hug and tell us it was just a dream, his body never moved. After a while, we were all forced to realize that we were living in a nightmare.”

Statement of Facts

It was a rainy Friday morning-November 4, 2011. The body of a young man was found lying near the entrance of Muscoy Elementary school, with six close-range gunshot wounds to the head.

A custodian at the school came upon the scene of the crime just before school started and alerted authorities. The victim was identified as 25-year-old Roy Craddock, a lifelong resident of Muscoy, who had attended that very elementary school.

“Through interviews with the victim’s family, we were able to find out that the victim had called the night before just after eleven o’clock, asking to be picked up in the vicinity of the school,” said Gregory.

Gregory added that although family members drove to the location immediately to pick him up, they were unable to locate him and he was not responding to repeated phone calls.

Surveillance video from the school showed that the victim had passed by the front of the school at 11:19 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2011, and then doubled back towards the flagpole in front of the school as though two individuals there caught his attention.

“The shooting itself was caught on surveillance, although it was shadowy and dark enough to provide only a bare outline of what had occurred there,” said Gregory.

After a month-long investigation by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Homicide Team, then-Sgt. Brad Toms and Detectives Landaeta, Johnson, Peterson and Cannon, questioned Fuentes, who was 20-years-old at the time.

Fuentes later admitted to investigators that he shot the victim, claiming self-defense.

According to Gregory, the surveillance video proved helpful in casting doubt on the defendant’s claim, as it showed the defendant’s contact with the victim to be under forty seconds in length.

Fontana Man Convicted Of Murder After Strangling His Estranged Wife To Death

By SBCDAO

SAN BERNARDINO – A Fontana man was convicted Friday of murder after strangling his estranged wife to death and then dumping her body in Chino in 2013.  After a day of deliberations, the jury found 44-year-old Victor Lopez guilty of first degree murder in the killing of Lorna Lopez and found true the allegation that he had used a deadly weapon, a cord.

According to Supervising Deputy District Attorney Norma Alejo, who prosecuted the case, the 40-year-old victim had recently told her husband she was planning to seek a divorce.

On March 12, 2013, Victor Lopez and Lorna Lopez were reported missing by relatives.  The investigation into the missing couple led officers to 41-year-old Joseph Rodriguez, the defendant’s nephew. A search warrant was served on the home of Rodriguez in Huntington Park where officers found evidence linked to the disappearance of Lorna Lopez, a bag of bloody clothes.  The Fontana Police Department decided to put out a media release advising that Victor Lopez and Lorna Lopez were being sought as missing persons.

After seeing himself on television, Victor Lopez contacted his family and advised that he was not missing but had just left for a few days. He claimed to be unaware that his wife was missing.

The Fontana Police Department questioned the defendant and confronted him with the bloody clothes that were discovered. Victor Lopez eventually admitted that there had been an argument between him and Lorna Lopez.  He also told investigators where his wife’s body could be found.

Victor Lopez took the stand at trial and claimed he had killed his wife under heat of passion after having discovering his wife was seeing someone else. On March 8, 2013 Victor Lopez discovered that the victim was dating someone. The victim told him that she would be filing the divorce paperwork on March 13.  At trial, the evidence demonstrated that even though the victim and defendant lived under the same roof they had been living separate lives.

“On March 12, the defendant strangled his wife to death following an argument and took her body to a site in Chino where he dumped it,” said Alejo.

Joseph Rodriguez was charged with Accessory After the Fact and pleaded guilty as charged in June 2013. Victor Lopez faces 26 years to life in state prison.  He will be sentenced April 7, 2017 at the Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court.

 

 

Deputy Involved Shooting

By SBSD

On Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at approximately 11:40 p.m. a deputy from the Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station observed a reckless driver in the city of Adelanto and the deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was later identified as Ruben Luna-Ibarra. Luna-Ibarra did not immediately yield, but drove into the parking lot of an apartment complex a short time later then stopped his vehicle.

During the contact between Luna-Ibarra and deputies, an officer involved shooting occurred. No one was struck by gunfire or injured as a result of the incident.

Luna-Ibarra was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol and had two warrants for his arrest out of Los Angeles County. Following the shooting, Luna-Ibarra was placed under arrest.

Investigators from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Specialized Investigations Division – Homicide Detail responded to the location and are conducting the officer involved shooting portion of the investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Julius McChristian or Sergeant Robert Warrick at (909) 387-3589. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip Hotline at http://www.wetip.com

Man Arrested for Human Trafficking

Staff Reports

San Bernardino – Investigators of the San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force (SBCHTTF) recently closed an investigation regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor by arresting Marquell Deante Stewart, or better known by his street name, “Kell the King.”

Investigators concluded that multiple female victims, who are minors, were forced into work by Stewart. The victims were forced to work in the areas of San Bernardino and Pomona. Stewart is being charged with multiple counts of pimping, pandering, sexual exploitation of a minor and human trafficking.

The SBCHTTFs mission is to expedite those committing crimes in human trafficking and to bring them to justice. They also plan to advance their work in the search and rescue of victims involved in human trafficking. Investigators have recognized that many of the suspects linked to sex trafficking are actually victims forced into the lifestyle. In recent years, law enforcement has provided victims with, along with traditional measures, more information, direction and resources to free themselves from the physical and psychological abuse related to sexual trafficking.

Law enforcement encourages anyone with information on this case or any other to contact Deputy Vanessa Lopez or Investigator Jose Guzman at 909-890-4840. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the “We Tip Hotline” at 800-782-7463 or go online at http://www.wetip.com

Senior Citizen Attacked by SB Resident

Staff Reports

San Bernardino- On September 3, at 24600 block of Sixth Street in San Bernardino, the victim, who is a senior citizen, called 911 for help after he was attacked by Antonio Tellez, who tried to stab him in the face.

The victim first ran into his bedroom because he was overwhelmed by Tellez. Tellez chased after him and tried to stab the victim in the face again. The victim was able to call 911 on his cell phone while Tellez ran from his house. Deputies from the Central Station responded to the call to help the victim. The victim provided information to identify the suspect.

In a resident’s front yard, Tellez was located approximately one block away. He was then taken into custody without incident. He was booked at the Central Detention Center and he violated his parole. Tellez is an active gang member with an ample violent criminal history who recently had been released from prison on parole for assault with a deadly weapon.

It is encouraged that residents are aware of their surroundings in their neighborhood. They should keep their doors and windows secure at all times and they should call the police when suspicious subjects are near their home.

If you have any information regarding this investigation and wanting to remain anonymous should call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave your information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com.

 

 

 

 

 

Arrests At Nocturnal Wonderland Festival

Staff Reports

San Bernardino- The Nocturnal Wonderland Festival was held at the San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino, about 22,844 people attended and 176 arrests were made after day 4 on September 4.

The gates opened up around 4 p.m., as the festival goers entered the grounds, they were searched, and their ages were confirmed by a valid form of identification. The California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino County Probation, and Sheriff’s Department organized to have uniformed and undercover law enforcement on patrol to monitor alcohol and beverage control with the help of K-9’s.

Of the 176 arrested that were made, most of them were drug and alcohol related as well as trespassing. There were 2 attendees transported to the hospital for various medical reasons.

According to San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, “One music complaint was received from the neighborhood near the Amphitheater. Deputies and sound engineers responded to the complaint to take a decibel reading. The purpose was to ensure the reading did not exceed the County Code for loud music. The music was found to be within the acceptable limits.”

SB Man attempts to flee

Staff Reports

San Bernardino- On August 31, a suspect was arrested for felony evading in the area of 1st Avenue and Vermont Street in San Bernardino.

The suspect was identified as 44 year-old Patrick Hughes who is a resident of Apple Valley.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, “Deputy Kostiuk was on patrol in Muscoy. Kostiuk saw a vehicle make a left hand turn without using the turn signal. He attempted to conduct a traffic stop and the driver failed to yield and fled from Kostiuk at speeds that reach 60 mph. The driver failed to yield at two separate stop signs and then hit a parked vehicle. The vehicle lost control and crashed into a wall in front of a resident on Kern Street.”

Hughes was fled on foot but was later taken into custody. Hughes also had a felony “No Bail” warrant for his arrest for burglary charges, and he was found with a small quantity of of suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was booked into the Central Detention Center following his arrest.

If you have any information regarding this incident, you are urged to contact Central Station at (909) 387-3545. If you are wishing to remain anonymous, you can call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME(27463) or you can also leave information on the website at http://www.wetip.com