Email Author MATT COKER

Awards

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

  "Douchebag Does Sundance"

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2012 Stories by MATT COKER

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  FEATURED STORY

  Did Alfredo Landaverde Flash His Junk at Your

  published Dec 11, 2012

  The word has been put out in Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and Fountain Valley about Alfredo Landaverde.That wordr "Did this guy flash your"Teen girls headed to school seemed to be a particularly frequent tar... More >>

• Stanley Kuo Jua Yang Gets 30 Months for Hawking Knock-Offs of Exercise Machines

  published Dec 10, 2012

  An Irvine man was sentenced this morning to 30 months in federal prison for hawking counterfeit goods, including knock-offs of Bowflex, Ab Circle Pro and Malibu Pilates exercise machines.United State... More >>

• Farhad Ebadat, Bellagio Motors Owner, Accused of Embezzling $3 Million from Customers

  published Dec 10, 2012

  The owner of a Costa Mesa dealership specializing in Audi Spyder, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Lotus, Maserati, Porsche, Rolls Royce and other high-end luxury cars is accused of embezzling $3 mi... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Richard Gustav Forsberg Guilty of Wife's Decapitation and Dismemberment Murder

  published Dec 10, 2012

  Richard Gustavo Forsberg, the Rancho Santa Margarita man whose ever-changing stories about the whereabouts of his wife of nearly 40 years led to a homicide investigation, was convicted this morning in... More >>

• Christopher Lee Miller Has Surprises Under His Blanket That Bring Sex with Minor Arrest: Cops

  published Dec 10, 2012

  Huntington Beach police officers went to do what they normally do near Main Street Public Library Friday morning--rouse homeless people who call the greenbelt home--when they found something (or someo... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Tomoo Kawai, Accused Dirty Diaper Dumper, Arraigned

  published Dec 10, 2012

  Police and prosecutors believe a wealthy Newport Coast resident being arraigned this morning is the dirty diaper dumper of North Coast Highway.Tomoo Kawai, 68, faces a misdemeanor count of disposing o... More >>

• Anti-DUI Deputies Flood Streets of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano Tonight

  published Dec 07, 2012

  If you're driving south tonight--or north from South County--you may want to program your GPS to avoid the cities of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.That's because the Orange County S... More >>

• Linda Ann Wilborn Gets 25 Years to Life for Death Grip on Toddler Daughter, Abuse of Twin

  published Dec 07, 2012

  Linda Ann Wilborn, the Army wife convicted last month of killing her 23-month-old daughter and bashing in the head of the toddler's twin brother, was sentenced today to 25 years to life in state priso... More >>

• Ivan Sanchez, Triggerman in Murder Over Which State in Mexico is Best, Gets 50 Years

  published Dec 07, 2012

  Ivan Sanchez, the 21-year-old Santa Ana triggerman who murdered an innocent bystander to a 2011 fight among restaurant customers over which state in Mexico is best, was sentenced today to 50 years to ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Dennis Rodman, Who Wormed His Way Out of Paying Child Support, Must Cough Up $500k

  published Dec 07, 2012

  A Superior Court commissioner in Orange has found former NBA freak Dennis Rodman in contempt for more than his hair, tackle-boxed face and bro-dacious hangers-on, orderering "The Worm" to cough up $50... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Erik Michael Krause, Huntington Beach Cop, and Michael John Zannitto, Garden Grove Officer, Guilty of Conspiring to Fix Traffic Ticket

  published Dec 07, 2012

  A jury Thursday found police officers from Garden Grove and Huntington Beach guilty of conspiring with each other via texts and phone calls to get a traffic ticket dismissed for a woman who promised... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Argus Realty and Associated Firms Allegedly Ripped Off Investors with High Fees, False Data

  published Dec 07, 2012

  A Laguna Niguel realty company and an affiliated investment company in San Clemente are being sued for selling commercial real estate securities that were allegedly "rigged" so the firms would make mi... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Igor Olenicoff of Laguna Sued by Ex-Banker Who Helped Billionaire Hide $200 mil from IRS

  published Dec 07, 2012

  It's getting so you can't keep track of the Igor Olenicoff lawsuit related to his investments with UBS AG bank without a scorecard.In the latest twist, the billionaire who lives in Laguna Beach and ov... More >>

• Janette Alvarez Allegedly Stole Baseball Champion's Ring and Other Items from Elderly

  published Dec 06, 2012

  A caregiver is accused of stealing from eight elderly people--ages 75 to 92--credit cards, financial information and jewelry that included a 1958 Milwaukee Braves National League championship ring and... More >>

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  [UPDATED with BET Analyst Weighs In:] Were Rossmoor Bottle Bombs a Prank or Hate Crimer

  published Dec 06, 2012

  See the update at the end of this post where a BET commentator wonders about links between the Roosmoor incident, a black family leaving Yorba Linda and OC skinheads.ORIGINAL POST, DEC. 5, 6:06 A.M.: ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  [UPDATED with Arrest:] Loren Dean, Actor Known as Heavy or for Support Roles, Gets Unwelcome Impersonation

  published Dec 06, 2012

  See the update at the end of this post on an arrest in this case.ORIGINAL POST, DEC. 6, 8:03 A.M.: You may know actor Loren Dean from such movies as Mumford, Space Cowboys or Enemy of the State, or fr... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Luis Alberto Pineda, Sicko Soccer and Karate Coach, Gets 285 Years to Life for Sex with Kids

  published Dec 06, 2012

  When Luis Alberto Pineda was found guilty last month of sodomy, oral sex, sexual penetration and/or attempted sex acts with 10 boys and a girl he met through coaching soccer or teaching martial arts ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Carmella Bing, Porn Star, Cited for Drug Paraphernalia Possession in Irvine After Being in Car with Auto and I.D. Theft Suspect

  published Dec 06, 2012

  Porn star Carmella Bing, who was born Sarah Marie Fass, was apprehended in an Irvine backyard early Wednesday and cited for drug paraphernalia possession by police following a stolen car she was ridin... More >>

• Brice Harris, New State Community Colleges Chancellor, and Timothy P. White, Incoming CSU Chancellor, Challenged from the Get-go

  published Dec 06, 2012

  Brice Harris took over the California Community Colleges system as chancellor on Nov. 6. Timothy P. White will be installed as the California State University system chancellor at the end of this mo... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Lincoln Movie Not as Honest as Abe, Says UCI Professor and Expert on South Jon Wiener

  published Dec 06, 2012

  Disney opened Lincoln in 11 theaters on Nov. 9, expanded Steven Spielberg's historical saga to more North American theaters the next two weekends and now plans to go even wider thanks to more demand t... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Irina Martinez and Andres Terrones Accused of Running Prostitution Ring Near Disneyland

  published Dec 05, 2012

  This is so weird: I was driving home from my weekly movie viewing at the UltraLuxe in Anaheim's GardenWalk when I looked to the side of Disney Way and thought to myself, "I didn't know there was a Mot... More >>

• Rigoberto Gil in Court After Cops Find Rifles and $2 mil in Coke, Meth in Santa Ana Home

  published Dec 05, 2012

  What Glendale police describe as a big-time Santa Ana drug dealer pleaded not guilty in Los Angeles Superior Court Monday to felony counts of possessing methamphetamine and cocaine for sale, transport... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Dave Brubeck Dies at 91 and I Recall the Interview That Almost Didn't Happen

  published Dec 05, 2012

  Dave Brubeck, the great American jazz pianist and composer, died today in Norwalk, Connecticut--a day shy of his 92nd birthday. Many will recall Brubeck writing the standards "The Duke" and "Your Ow... More >>

• Kevin Griffith Battles Rare Cancer With a Little Help From His Online Friends

  published Dec 05, 2012

  Kevin Griffith was diagnosed with a rare cancer (Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma) in February, and the Aliso Viejo 29-year-old's family discovered he would require multiple international surgeries.So, the... More >>

• Andrew Thomas Gallo Conviction Upheld in DUI Deaths of Angel Nick Adenhart, 2 Others

  published Dec 04, 2012

  The 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana has upheld the conviction and sentence of Andrew Thomas Gallo, the San Gabriel drunken driver who was sent to prison for 51 years to life for causing the ... More >>