justice

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

5/30

Volunteers with Lake Tahoe Yoga came together to clean up the bike path that runs from Elks Point Road to Pine Ridge. The studio, serving the South Lake Tahoe area community for ten years, demonstrated their dedication to keeping Tahoe blue with a focus on Ahimsa (non-harming) and rallying residents to help on the path.

Nationally recognized human trafficking consultant John Vanek will return to South Lake Tahoe for a May 18, 2018 presentation as a guest of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department and Live Violence Free.

Vanek, an author and retired lieutenant of the San Jose Police Human Trafficking Task Force, will speak on that date at Sierra Community Church at 6:00 p.m. Vanek is a leadership, collaboration, and anti-human trafficking consultant and speaker working with law enforcement agencies, non-governmental and community-based organizations, academic institutions and private sector companies.

The annual joint board meeting with the Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) and Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) to discuss common goal strategies was held Tuesday, will innovative programs and successes highlighted.

MEYERS and SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The El Dorado County Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Don Ashton has been making the rounds to communities throughout the county, explaining the budget through an informative presentation and discussion.

Most of the communities Ashton has visited have had 15-20 citizens in attendance, all asking questions and giving input in the budget process as Ashton and the Supervisors figure out how to save $20M over the next four years to meet CalPers pension liabilities.

3/15/18 UPDATE: Two men arrested early Wednesday at a Carson City home have been identified and now face murder charges in El Dorado County, Calif.

Chase Bomar, 19, and Cody Bomar, 21, were taken into custody after Carson City Sheriff’s Office SWAT responded to assist El Dorado County authorities at a home in the 1200 block of Palo Verde Drive.

The men were wanted in connection to the fatal stabbing of Jeremy Fortuin, 42, of Pollock Pines. The stabbing happened on Pony Express Trail in Cedar Grove on the west slope of El Dorado County.

A federal indictment was unsealed last week, charging 36 individuals for their alleged roles in the Infraud Organization, an Internet-based cybercriminal enterprise engaged in the large-scale acquisition, sale, and dissemination of stolen identities, compromised debit and credit cards, personally identifiable information, financial and banking information, computer malware, and other contraband.

Veteran El Dorado County prosecutor, Trish Kelliher will launch her campaign for El Dorado County District Attorney at a special event scheduled for Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. at the Placerville Town Hall, 549 Main Street in Placerville. This event presents an opportunity for the public to meet the candidate and hear her vision for the office where she has worked for the past twenty years. Kelliher also welcomes citizens to share their concerns about public safety issues in the County.

Location

Almost one year ago almost five million women, men and children gathered around the world to participate in the Women's March on Washington on the same day President Trump was being inaugurated.

They gathered to stand together in their protest of reproductive rights, equal pay, safety for women in the workplace and more. They stood against racism, sexism, sexual assault and harassment. They stood against Trump and his policies that were racist, anti-LGBT and anti-women.

Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions ended an Obama-era federal policy that provided legal shelter for marijuana sales in California, Nevada and four other states (Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Maine) that have allowed recreational pot, placing at risk thousands of marijuana businesses operating legally under state laws.

The Justice Department move on Thursday plunged California’s fledgling recreational pot market into further uncertainty, and was met with a bipartisan backlash from lawmakers in states where marijuana is now sold legally to any adult who wants to buy it.

Dr. Devendra I. Patel, aka Devendrakumar I. Patel, 58, of Elko, Nev., was arrested Tuesday on 39 charges of unlawful distribution of prescriptions opioids and Medicaid fraud.

Patel is charged with 36-counts of distribution of controlled substances such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, and three-counts of health care fraud. He is a cardiologist at his medical practice, Northeastern Nevada Cardiology. The statutory maximum penalty for distribution of a controlled substance is 10 years in prison and the maximum penalty for health care fraud is 10 years in prison.

A jury has found Manuel Ovidio Ramos-Munoz guilty of seven felony counts, including kidnapping for the purpose of committing a sexual assault, as well as six additional counts and numerous special allegations relating to the subsequent sexual assault of the victim.

Two military veterans have become the newest deputies for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

During a ceremony on November 6 in front of family and friends, Deputy Kendrick Ta and Deputy Jose Gutierrez were sworn in as peace officers in the State of Nevada.

Since the recent passage of many soft on crime laws like Propositions 47 and 57,
California has seen a troubling trend of an increase in violent crimes. This disturbing surge in violent crimes has seen a dramatic increase in domestic violence homicides across the Sacramento Region.

Many South Lake Tahoe residents love their dogs. Most Police Officers love dogs too. I’ve heard it said by someone not so long ago…. “The more people I meet, the more I love dogs!” We at the police department understand and share in this fondness; however, we receive weekly complaints from community members regarding dogs in public parks, and most frequently dogs at the Live-at-Lakeview events. The South Lake Tahoe City Code (SLTCC), does not allow dogs, even on a leash, to be in our public parks (SLTCC §8.05.130).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Lake Tahoe Secret Witness Program if offering a $3,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of local gas station attendant Manpreet Singh on August 3, 2013.

“Friends and family never forget and neither should we," said El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson as he asked for the public's help in solving the case.

Singh was the lone employee on the night shift at U.S. Gas on Lake Tahoe Boulevard when a gunman entered the store, shot and killed him.

By proclamation of the County Board of Supervisors, El Dorado County celebrated Probation Services Week this week, July 17 – July 21, 2017. As the Chief Probation Officer in El Dorado County, I would like to take the opportunity to reflect on the critical work probation does in our criminal justice system and say thank you to all the men and women of my department who work tirelessly to protect our communities, reduce recidivism, restore victims, promote healthy families, and live the vision of our department: Safe Communities Through Changed Lives.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Cold Case Task Force of the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office is seeking the public's assistance in solving the unsolved murder of South Lake Tahoe resident Manpreet Singh. Singh was the lone attendant on the night shift at U.S. Gas on August 6, 2013 when a gunman entered the store, shot and killed Singh.

A customer walked into the store that evening at 10:50 p.m. and called 911 to tell them Singh had been shot. Video from that night shows the gunman walk from Palmira Avenue and enter the store at 10:40 p.m.

Join law enforcement at the next Coffee With a Cop event on Friday, June 30 at the Alps Haus Cafe in Markleeville from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Members of the California Highway Patrol's South Lake Tahoe office, Alpine County Sheriff and community members will come together in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, have coffee, and build relationships.

All community members are invited to attend.

Coffee with a Cop provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the Department’s work in Alpine County’s neighborhoods.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

6/4
7:49 a.m. - Violation of Parole - Player Dr - 29-YEAR-OLD MAN ARRESTED PURSUANT TO STATE PAROLE HOLD AFTER DISCOVERY OF PARAPHERNALIA.

8:08 a.m. - Disorderly Conduct - Melba Dr - 63-YEAR-OLD MALE ARRESTED FOR PUBLIC INTOXICATION AND LATER RELEASED PURSUANT TO 849 PC.

6/5

South Tahoe High School students were honored for their award winning photography during Tuesday's Lake Tahoe Unified School District board meeting.

Guadalupe Ruiz and Tristan Klasko received recognition for their first-place award winning photographs submitted to the California Streaming Photo Contest sponsored by the California County Offices of Education. They each won a camera, tripod and other gifts. Their award winning photos will be used on a calendar distributed to teachers across the state.

Douglas County Sheriff Ron Pierini recently swore in two new deputies for his department, Grace Strachan and Dominic Lavezzo.

Deputy Grace Strachan grew up in Nevada and, after high school graduation, attended Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. After college she attended Texas Basic Police Academy and was hired as a police officer for Sul Ross University Police Department. Deputy Strachan returned to Nevada and recently employed as a public safety dispatcher for Nevada DPS while she sought a peace officer position.

Western Nevada College (WNC) in Carson City has now made it easier for busy adults to carve out time in their lives to pursue a higher education. They have added a number of classes, degrees and certificates of achievement that students can complete online.

The addition of online offerings enables individuals seeking to advance their education the ability to do so while maintaining their personal commitments to work and/or family.

Leaning back in his chair, his gold sheriff’s badge glinting in a shaft of light, John D’Agostini thought for a second about what he would do if Sacramento legislators imposed San Francisco-style sanctuary laws to protect people living across the state illegally.

His dilemma is part of the complex immigration debate in California, where a bill passed last week by the state Senate would restrict cooperation with U.S. immigration agents everywhere, including not only liberal strongholds but bastions of conservatism like El Dorado County.