L.A. County Sheriff's Department Press Board

Man Found Dead In Vehicle on Freeway

24 Hour Media — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:14:52 +0000

SHERIFF’S HOMICIDE DETECTIVES ARE EN ROUTE TO THE EASTBOUND FOOTHILL FREEWAY (I-210) AT AZUZA AVENUE, AZUZA, TO ASSIST IRWINDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL INVESTIGATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A MAN.

AT 11:17 P.M., THE MAN WAS DRIVING IN HIS VEHICLE EASTBOUND ON THE FOOTHILL FREEWAY (I-210) AT IRWINDALE AVENUE, WHEN AN OFF-DUTY CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER SAW THE VEHICLE DRIVING “ERRATICALLY”. THE OFF-DUTY OFFICER CALLED 9-1-1 VIA CELL PHONE AND REPORTED THE ACTIVITY TO IRWINDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL. OFFICERS FROM THE IRWINDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AND LOCATED THE VEHICLE STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD JUST EAST OF THE AZUZA AVENUE OFF-RAMP.

WHEN OFFICERS APPROACHED THE VEHICLE, THEY SAW THAT THE VICTIM WAS SUFFERING FROM A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE UPPER TORSO.

THE MAN WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE BY PARAMEDICS.

A HANDGUN WAS FOUND INSIDE THE VEHICLE.

THE BODY IS STILL AT THE SCENE.

THERE IS NO FURTHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

Former Teacher Arrested For Lewd Acts on Teen

24 Hour Media — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 14:18:37 +0000

ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2007, DETECTIVES FROM THE SPECIAL VICTIMS BUREAU’S LOS ANGELES COUNTY REGIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT FELONY ENFORCEMENT (S.A.F.E.) TEAM CONDUCTED A SURVEILLANCE AND SUBSEQUENT ARREST OF FIFTY YEAR OLD STEVEN PETRALIA. HE IS A FORMER TEACHER, WHO HAD A 1.3 MILLION DOLLAR ARREST WARRANT FOR KIDNAPPING, ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON AND ATTEMPTED LEWD ACTS WITH A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD CHILD IN THE SAN DIMAS AREA.

PETRALIA HAD BEEN FEATURED IN “AMERICA’S MOST WANTED” AND HAD AVOIDED APPREHENSION FOR MONTHS. HE HAD RECENTLY BEEN SEEN IN THE NEW YORK AREA. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE S.A.F.E. TEAM LEARNED THAT PETRALIA HAD ADVERTISED TO SELL STUFFED ANIMALS ON THE INTERNET WEBSITE, “CRAIGSLIST.ORG”. WITH THIS INFORMATION, DETECTIVES ARRESTED PETRALIA IN A HOME IN THE CITY OF LAVERNE WITHOUT INCIDENT.

THERE IS NO FURTHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

Mother Sought In Possible Child Abduction – UPDATE

24 Hour Media — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:33:27 +0000

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detectives are continuing their investigation into the possible abduction of three children from the Diamond Bar, California Area. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of the suspect and the three children, are urged to call (562) 522-8928 with information.

Mother Sought In Possible Child Abduction

24 Hour Media — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:29:36 +0000

SHERIFF’S MAJOR CRIMES BUREAU DETECTIVES RESPONDED TO THE 22000 BLOCK OF CELLO DRIVE, DIAMOND BAR, TO INVESTIGATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE POSSIBLE ABDUCTION OF THREE CHILDREN.

THE VICTIM’S ARE BELIEVED TO BE WITH THEIR MOTHER, JENNIFER DEJONGH. THE SUSPECT IS POSSIBLY EN ROUTE TO THE LAS VEGAS OR NEVADA AREA.

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION LEADING TO THEIR WHEREABOUTS ARE ASKED TO CALL WALNUT SHERIFF’S STATION AT (909) 595-2264.

Fraud Detectives Make An Arrest Of Santa Clarita Man

24 Hour Media — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 23:38:44 +0000

IN JUNE 2007, THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT’S COMMERCIAL CRIMES BUREAU-NORTH FRAUD TEAM INITIATED AN INVESTIGATION ALLEGING A FRAUD SCHEME EMANATING WITHIN THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. THE INVESTIGATION FOCUSED ON SUSPECT NORMAN KEATING AND HIS ADVERTISING BUSINESS CALLED “XPRESSTOONMAPS” LOCATED IN THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVED NUMEROUS SEARCH WARRANTS FOR BANK RECORDS THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

SUSPECT KEATING SOLICITED BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA TO ADVERTISE ON A CARTOON TYPE MAP THAT WOULD MARKET THEIR BUSINESS THROUGHOUT BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AREAS. HE GENERATED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN ADVERTISING FROM NUMEROUS BUSINESSES. THE INVESTIGATION WAS ABLE TO PROVE THAT SUSPECT KEATING HAD MISREPRESENTED HIMSELF IN HIS DEALING WITH THE BUSINESSES.

SUSPECT KEATING’S BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT QUICKLY COLLAPSED AS HE BEGAN TO SPEND LAVISH AMOUNTS OF MONEY ON HIMSELF. IN ADDITION, HE BEGAN TO INVOLVE HIMSELF IN CHECK KITING AND FRAUDULENT USE OF ACCESS CARD INFORMATION.

ON NOVEMBER 13, 2007, SUSPECT KEATING WAS ARRESTED AND BOOKED AT SANTA CLARITA STATION. A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT. IN THE COMPLAINT, 18 FELONY COUNTS WERE FILED. THE CHARGES INCLUDED THEFT BY FALSE PRETENSES, GRAND THEFT, CHECK FRAUD, ACCESS CARD FRAUD AND FORGERY. SUSPECT KEATING IS CURRENTLY HOUSED AT THE TWIN TOWERS CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.

SUSPECT KEATING IS ALSO A FUGITIVE OUT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA ON OTHER FRAUD RELATED CHARGES.