Police blotter: High-speed chase, burglaries
Someone stole a trailer from Specialized Bicycle Components.
Rosen proposes ballot initiative to address gun violence in California
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced Aug. 3 that he is sponsoring an “unprecedented” statewide ballot initiative that seeks to “transcend the bitter politics of gun control and save the lives of crime victims, the suicidal and children.”
If approved by voters, the...
Sex abuse, satanic rites described in charges against foster mom
A Gilroy day care operator stalked and sexually molested her foster child and engaged in Satanic rituals, according to allegations in documents reviewed by the Gilroy Dispatch.
Santa Clara County officials filed a July 31 criminal complaint that details the charges against Christina Jean Johnson,...
Man facing charges in Morgan Hill, among others, escapes from Watsonville jail
An inmate at the Rountree Medium Facility on the outskirts of Watsonville, whose list of charges include a DUI in Morgan Hill, escaped May 7, leading to an intensive search that ended with his capture later the same day.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson...
DA: Former UFC champ tried to kill child molestation suspect
Authorities confirmed Wednesday that former UFC fighter Cain Velasquez is suspected of trying to shoot and kill a man accused of molesting a close family member of Velasquez’s in a Feb. 28 incident on the streets of Morgan Hill and San Jose.
Velasquez, 39, of...
Business owner admits soliciting bribe in former sheriff’s alleged gun permit scheme
A Milpitas business owner has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to solicit a bribe, the latest development in the case that uncovered a scheme under former Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith’s administration to trade concealed firearms permits for political contributions.
After Michael Nichols, the...
Scammers stole nearly $900K from PG&E customers in 2023
In 2023, PG&E received nearly 43,000 reports from customers who were targeted by scammers impersonating the company, and customers lost approximately $875,000 in fraudulent payments. The average customer lost $785, says a press release from PG&E.
This includes hundreds of customers on the Central Coast,...
San Martin man sentenced to 33 years for violent ‘crime spree’
A San Martin man was sentenced this week to more than 33 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of a slew of violent crimes—some involving firearms—dating back to 2018.
The most recent charges against the defendant, Alfonso Castillo Navarro, 37, are related...
Gilroy man accused of ‘Boogaloo’ affiliation
Gilroy resident Alan Viarengo, who taught math at Gavilan College for nearly 20 years, was arrested last week on suspicion of stalking and threatening Santa Clara County’s public health officer, and police say he has ties to the anti-government domestic terrorist group known as “Boogaloo.”
