Email Author MATT COKER

Awards

• 2011 - Southern California Journalism Awards/LA Press Club, published February 4, 2010

  "Douchebag Does Sundance"

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2011 Stories by MATT COKER

• [UPDATED with I.D.'s:] Mr. or Mrs. Saltarelli, OC Homicide No. 62: Shot in Surf City Murder-Suicide

  published Dec 17, 2011

  UPDATE, DEC. 17, 1:20 P.M.: The couple who died in a murder-suicide at their Huntington Beach home have been identified as Robert Saltarelli, 55, and his wife Tonie Saltarelli, 56.Police have not iden... More >>

• Mark Alan Helsing, Hard Money Lending Ponzi Scammer, Gets 15 Years and Restitution Looms

  published Dec 16, 2011

  "Hard money lender" Mark Alan Helsing was sentenced today to 15 years in state prison and three years of probation for stealing $6.9 million from investors in a Ponzi and real estate fraud scheme. ... More >>

• Santa Ana Zoo Ends Elephant Ride

  published Dec 16, 2011

  Today's city of Santa Ana announcement that it is ending elephant rides at Santa Ana Zoo was cheered by animal rights activists. "Following more than a year of pressure from PETA, the Animal Protectio... More >>

• Douglas Nissan Part Owner Frank Ignacio Urbano and 2 Desk Managers Get Jail and Probation in Huge Loan Fraud Case

  published Dec 16, 2011

  Marwan Abdellatif, a former Douglas Nissan desk manager accused of stealing the identities of unsuspecting customers and defrauding banks in the sale of used cars, remains a fugitive from justice. B... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Prospero Guadarrama, Baby-Faced Gang Banger, Gets Life for Executing Rivals

  published Dec 16, 2011

  Baby-faced gang banger Prospero Guadarrama was sentenced today to life in state prison without the possibility of parole for murdering two rivals and leaving a third in a coma after an execution-sty... More >>

• Curtis James Hill Gets Life in Prison for Death of World War II Vet Beaten on Veterans Day

  published Dec 16, 2011

  Curtis James Hill was sentenced today to life in state prison without the possibility of parole for the Veterans Day 2003 beating-murder of a WWII veteran who was left in a coma and died more than th... More >>

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  Ali Achekza, International Man of Serial Rape, Convicted

  published Dec 16, 2011

  Ali Achekzai's New Year's resolution may involve ways to self improve over the next 80 years.That's how much prison time the so-called "international serial rapist" faces at his Jan. 27 sentencing in ... More >>

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  Christopher Hitchens' OC Connection

  published Dec 16, 2011

  Christopher Hitchens died Thursday at the age of 62 after battling esophageal cancer, and though his prolific and enlightening work belongs to the world, he did make an Orange County connection late i... More >>

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  Jonathan Michael Schmidt, Hater Hobo on Bike, Gets Off Lightly for H.B. Hate Crimes

  published Dec 15, 2011

  Hobo Jonathan Michael Schmidt got a little jail and a little probation today for shouting from his bicycle "Fucking Mexican, go back to Mexico!" at a Latina motorist and spitting in her face as she w... More >>

• [UPDATED with Conviction:] Oscar David Duenas Gets 4 Years and Sex Offender Tag for Roughing Up Three Prostitutes

  published Dec 15, 2011

  UPDATE, DEC. 15, 4:45 P.M.: Santa Ana 29-year-old Oscar David Duenas pleaded guilty today to one felony count of sexual battery in the case where prosecutors accused him forcibly raping three prostitu... More >>

• 17 of 19 Defendants Pleaded Guilty in Little Saigon Gaming Machine Case

  published Dec 15, 2011

  Seventeen of the 19 people swept up in last spring's crackdown on illegal gambling machines in Little Saigon have reportedly pleaded guilty to misdemeanors.Charges were dismissed against an 18th arres... More >>

• [UPDATED with Victim's Silver Lexus Sought:] David Zickman, OC Homicide No. 59: Found Shot Dead on Dogwood

  published Dec 15, 2011

  UPDATE, DEC. 15, 3:37 P.M.: Homicide investigators have determined that not only is the killer of David Zickman no where to be found, neither is the 2008 Silver Lexus that belonged to the 28-year-old ... More >>

• Octomom Nadya Suleman's Fertility Dr. Michael Kamrava Loses Bid to Get Back Medical License

  published Dec 15, 2011

  A judge in Los Angeles today rejected a bid by the fertility doctor of Octomom Nadya Suleman to get his medical license back.Judge James C. Chalfant essentially denied Dr. Michael Kamrava's appeal to ... More >>

• Vitaliy Krasnoperov Found Guilty at Second Revenge-Murder Trial; Jury Deadlocks on Co-Defendant Charles Anthony Murphy Jr.

  published Dec 15, 2011

  The first murder trial of  Vitaliy Krasnoperov ended in mistrial in May. Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals merged the Hollywood resident's tr-trial with the murder trial of co-defendant Charl... More >>

• Arab Spring Not Exactly Warm for Christians

  published Dec 15, 2011

  A year into the Arab Spring, if the future does not look bright for people who took to the streets of Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, at least they are now talking about a future for the first time in . . .... More >>

• Is Santa Ana Ready for Some Pro Footballr

  published Dec 14, 2011

  Are the San Francisco 49ers moving to Santa AnarAn NFL Network reporter says the storied franchise is on the way.Sort of. As reported by Cam Inman, the San Jose Mercury News 49ers Hot Read blogger, th... More >>

• Laguna Hills Adopts Law Banning Sex Offenders Like Councilman's Son-in-Law From Parks

  published Dec 14, 2011

  Laguna Hills City Councilman Joel Lautenschleger, who'd previously appeared on the fence about a ban on sex offenders in local parks, joined his council colleagues in unanimously approving the second ... More >>

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  5 Adults Face Child Endangerment Charges and 2 Have Added Animal Cruelty Counts for Little Girls Being Exposed to Filth from 110 Cats

  published Dec 14, 2011

  A family of five adults faces felony child endangerment charges for allegedly exposing two children to "severely unsanitary conditions" by living in a urine- and feces-filled home in Santa Ana with ... More >>

• Aida Arroyo, Michael Burgin, Adam Weick: Final Defendants in Wild Gang Crime Spree

  published Dec 14, 2011

  The beginning of the end of an Orange County crime ring came with the late August 2009 arrest of a man, who was hiding near a shed in Oceanside, for being involved in a Laguna Beach jewelry store robb... More >>

• Christopher Wright Fox and Curtis James Melone Loan-Mod Prosecution Does Not Surprise Blogger Who Has Dogged Them

  published Dec 14, 2011

  When the California Attorney General last week announced the arrests of Christopher Wright Fox (right) and his partner Curtis James Melone for allegedly collecting more than $6 million from homeowners... More >>

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  Island Cinema Reopens with Charity Showings of Young Adult and New Sherlock Holmes Flick

  published Dec 13, 2011

  The Irvine Co.'s revamped Island Cinema at Fashion Island in Newport Beach won't open to the public until Friday, but charity screening events tonight and Wednesday night give sneak peaks to guests wh... More >>

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  Tustin Church Wins Appellate Court Blessing to Have Fired Preschool Teacher for Living in Sin

  published Dec 13, 2011

  It was not wrongful termination for Tustin's Red Hill Lutheran Church & School to fire a preschool teacher for living out of wedlock with her boyfriend and raising their child, the state appellate... More >>

• Davan Maharaj, Former Times OC Reporter, is New Editor of the Los Angeles Times

  published Dec 13, 2011

  The Los Angeles Times announced today that Russ Stanton is stepping down as editor and being replaced by Davan Maharaj, who started with the Times in 1989 as an Orange County reporter.Maharaj, who wil... More >>

• Another Target of Tiny Group That Got Lowe's to Pull Ad Was E! Bio on Surf City Resident

  published Dec 13, 2011

  Lowe's is suffering a backlash from politicians, civil rights advocates and celebrities from Mia Farrow to Kal Penn for bowing to pressure from the tiny Florida Family Association to pull the home imp... More >>

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  Drunken Driving Deaths Way Down in California

  published Dec 13, 2011

  It will either bolster the argument that sobriety checkpoints are working or prop up the side that claims such enforcement operations are unnecessary, but in either event drunken-driving fatalities ar... More >>