Irvine Police Department

Kyva Roberson, a 12 y.o. Believed to Have Run Away in Irvine, Found in Costa Mesa: Update

See the update at the end of this post about Kyva Roberson being found safe and healthy this morning on the campus of Costa Mesa High School.ORIGINAL POST, MAY 7, 1:42 P.M.: Irvine Police are looking for a 12-year-old boy who is believed to have run away from home after being disciplined at school M ... More >>

Chris Dorner Affidavit: Randal Quan Called Irvine Police the Night His Daughter and Would-Be Son-in-Law Were Found Slain

Randal Quan, the father of one of the first murder victims pinned to rampaging LAPD washout Christopher Jordan Dorner, called the Irvine Police Department watch commander right after initial media reports of two people being killed at a condo complex Feb. 3 out of fear his daughter may have been one ... More >>

[UPDATED with 70 Victims:] Zachary Joshua Reeder, High School Coach-Teacher, Allegedly Posed as Girl Online to Get Dirty Pics of Boys

See the update at the end of this post about the suspect making bail as dozens and dozens of additional alleged victims come forward.ORIGINAL POST, FEB. 11, 4:13 P.M.: A 30-year-old teacher at Servite High School, the all-boys Catholic school in Anaheim, is accused of posing as a woman on Facebook t ... More >>

[UPDATED with Gunshot Likely Killed Him:] Christopher Jordan Dorner was the Man in Burned-Down Cabin: Coroner

See the update at the bottom of page 2 on the belief that a single gunshot killed the suspect, the San Bernardino County sheriff defending his deputies and the latest on the reward.ORIGINAL POST, FEB. 14, 10:56 A.M.: Had Christopher Jordan Dorner lived and been taken into custody, the Orange County ... More >>

Mawufemor Biekro, Ex-Girl Scouts Accountant, Gets 5 Years for $100k Embezzlement

Here's one we didn't get to last week: Mawufemor Bierko, a former foreign-exchange student from Ghana, pleaded guilty Wednesday to embezzling more than $100,000 from the Girl Scout Council of Orange County. Biekro, 35, who has worked as staff accountant for the Irvine-based nonprofit, Ghana, was s ... More >>

[UPDATED with Arrest:] Irvine Police Turn to Public to Find Men Wanted in Apartment Fire, Burglary and Assault

See the update on page 2 about police making an arrest and prosecutors filing charges.ORIGINAL POST, JAN. 11, 9:23 A.M.: The Irvine Police Department is reaching out to the public in hopes of finding two men linked to an apartment complex apartment fire they believe was set so units could be burglar ... More >>

Irvine Joins Anaheim, Placentia and Buena Park in DUI Checkpointing Saturday Night

The Irvine Police Department just announced a DUI checkpoint Saturday night at Jamboree Road and Birch Street.This is the first of eight such ops the department has scheduled in coming months.

Tony Angulo Jr., Already Popped for Thefts, Linked to Another Due to 5 y.o.'s Missing Poster

It's a Festivus miracle!A 5-year-old Corona boy has been reunited with his missing bike thanks to some dot connecting by Irvine Police Department investigators.

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

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 riding in as part of an identity theft ring investigation.The 31-year-old Los Angeles resident was cited, ... More >>

Shane Chris Christensen Allegedly Used Lady Employee's Computer to Spy on Her Remotely

How creepy is this? A Capistrano Beach man is accused of hiring a woman to work for his tire business from her home, with a computer he supplied--and then used it to spy on her remotely.Shane Chris Christensen, 41, is facing charges of eavesdropping, computer fraud, videotaping without consent and, ... More >>

[UPDATED with Case Dropped:] Jason Richard Buchea, Irvine Valley College Worker, Allegedly Endangered His Baby on Campus

See Update No. 2 at the end of this post about the district attorney declining to file charges.See Update No. 1 clarifying the suspect's job at Irvine Valley College.ORIGINAL POST, OCT. 16: Went to Detroit, and the Irvine Valley College parking lot broke out.Yesterday, it was a report about an alleg ... More >>

Nathan Melvin Gilliland, Corporate Controller, Gets Prison for Stealing (and Losing) $550k

A baby-faced thief, who stole $550,000 from his employer then lost all but $50,000 of it in six months via E-Trade, was sentenced Monday to five years and eight months in state prison.Perhaps Nathan Melvin Gilliland's best bet was pleading guilty yesterday because if the Ladera Ranch 30-year-old fou ... More >>

[UPDATED with Son Helps Bust Dad:] George Osumi, Legend Cellars Owner, Accused of Stealing $2.7 mil in Wine from Clients

See the update/*correction at the end of this post disclosing the suspect was an employee of the wine cellar, and his son, who is the owner, helped bust his father.ORIGINAL POST, OCT. 8, 8:50 A.M.: The owner *An employee of a business that stored fine wines for customers is being arraigned any minut ... More >>

[UPDATED with DA Charges:] Dennis Scott Durbin, Chiropractor, Accused of Rubbing Lady Patient the Wrong Way

See the update at the end of this post on the charges and possible stiff penalty the chiropractor faces.ORIGINAL POST, SEPT. 5, 3:03 P.M.: An Irvine chiropractor was arrested Tuesday at his Sky Park Chiropractic office Tuesday after the 65-year-old allegedly touched a female patient in a sexual rath ... More >>

Peter David Nitschke, Attorney-Church Leader, Allegedly Stole $720k from Elderly Sisters

Peter David Nitschke was an Irvine-based attorney and president of Lutheran Church of the Cross in Laguna Woods in 2010 when he offered to "help" manage the finances of two elderly sisters he knew from the congregation, after the death of their 95-year-old mother.But, on Tuesday, Irvine Police arr ... More >>

[UPDATED with Arraignment Plea:] Rainer Klaus Reinscheid, UCI Professor, Held for Threats and Arsons

See Update No. 6 at the end of this post on Rainer Klaus Reinscheid's plea at arraignment. Also see Update Nos. 1-5 on: the professor's emailed desire to "shoot at least 200 students before killing myself"; the defense's excuse for his emails; allegations Reinscheid has a violent past; new domestic ... More >>

Soon Keun Kim, Accused Madame, Among 6 Held for Alleged Prostitution Ring in Irvine

Irvine Police say they broke up a prostitution ring Wednesday afternoon, and to illustrate the bust the cop shop released booking photos of everyone who was arrested, including suspected madame Soon Keun Kim shown here.That should read mugs were put out there of everyone busted except the lone male ... More >>

Mawufemor Bierko Accused of Crumbling Girl Scouts' Cookies by Stealing More Than $100k

A Cal State Long Beach graduate suspected of embezzling more than $100,000 from the Girl Scouts of Orange County was arrested at a Wisconsin airport earlier this month and is awaiting extradition back to California, according to U.S. Marshals and Irvine Police.Marshals were reportedly acting on a t ... More >>

Sobering Times for Pill Poppers: "Generation Rx," National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Prescription drug abuse by South County teens has been a hot topic lately thanks to the documentary Behind the Orange Curtain making its world premiere May 2 at the Newport Beach Film Festival and, due to a sell out, getting a second showing May 3 in the huge Big Newport theater.That makes a couple ... More >>

Drunk Driving Accident (Sort of) Planned for Thursday in Irvine

Rubber-neckers beware: that car accident you're going to stare at Thursday won't be real. Keep it moving, please. Woodbridge High School in Irvine is planning a simulated drunk driving collision at West Yale Loop, between Alton and Barranca parkways, as part of the "Every 15 Minutes" program t ... More >>

Crean Lutheran High School Teacher Arrested For Sexually Explicit Messages

The Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force arrested a private Irvine high school English teacher/coach late last week on charges involving sexually explicit text messages and photos he allegedly sent a female student.The task force--including officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I ... More >>

Irvine Cops Go After Drivers Who Eat, Text or Otherwise Don't Pay Attention Behind Wheel

​Jorene Ypanto Nicolas pleaded not guilty at her arraignment on manslaughter charges Monday despite law enforcement's contention the San Diego 29-year-old's distracted driving caused the death of 23-year-old Deanna Mauer. Inattentive motoring--which can include eating, texting or just not paying ... More >>

Another Day, Another Craigslist Crime in Irvine

​The city of Irvine proudly proclaims itself America's safest city, and it surely is when it comes to your garden variety rapes, assaults and murders. But even America's safest city must deal with scam artists, boiler room operators and FBI informants who infiltrate mosques. Indeed, it's that ball ... More >>

Newport Beach Holds Checkpoint Today

​The Newport Beach Police Department conducts a sobriety checkpoint from 4 to 11 p.m. today at Dover Drive and 18th Street.Cops will be hunting for motorists who have no drivers license or have had too much to drink or drug.

Smile for the 10 Ugliest Police Mugshots of 2011

​On several Fridays this year, we've presented the Ugliest Police Mugshot of the Week.But what about the Ugliest Police Mugshots of the Year?Glad you asked.After the jump are the 10 ugliest of the ugliest, which were mostly culled from our semi-weekly selection, although we also tossed in some oth ... More >>

Ahmad Mabrok Accused of Being Naked Hummer Limo Thief

YouTubeThey call him the streak.​A thief was fully clothed when he stole a Hummer limo at gunpoint in Irvine Saturday night.But, as a helicopter officer informed after the man who led cops on a bi-county chase jumped out of the stretch in Whittier and started running, "He's naked!"

Cops Again Want What's in Your Medicine Cabinet

​Police agencies across the nation are once again participating in the third National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which is scheduled to run 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.The event allows people to rid their homes of expired or unwanted prescription drugs--for free and with no questions asked.

Reason No. 247 Not to Trust a Man in a Pony-Tail: He Touches Little Girls Inappropriately in Irvine

​That kid from The Wire who was too much of a pussy to be a gangsta has been annoying little girls in Irvine. Well, at least that's who the person depicted in this composite drawing looks like to me. He's described as black, age 20-26, 6 foot, 180-190 lbs. with a muscular build, brown eyes and bl ... More >>

ACLU Demands Data on Mobile-Phone Surveillance From Five Orange County Police Agencies

​Big Brother is not only watching you, he can answer in the affirmative, "Can you hear me now?" The American Civil Liberties Union would like to know how much he's listenening, and by "he," I mean "your local cop shop."The Communist Par . . . er, ACLU of California announced today that demands wer ... More >>

Irvine Police To "Ticket" Well-Behaved Kids with Slurpee Coupons

​Piss a cop off and they'll give you a ticket, but please 'em, and they'll give you a Slurpee.Together with 7-Eleven, the Irvine Police Department has reinstated "Operation Chill." Under the program, which began nationally in 1996 and is funded entirely by 7-Eleven, officers "ticket" kids who the ... More >>

[UPDATED with Sentence:] Were You Ripped Off by Hoang Quoc Tathanhlong, Fake Financial Planner?

​UPDATE, JUNE 15, 12:12 P.M. Westminster's Hoang Quoc Tathanhlong has been sentenced to three years in state prison for lying about being a certified financial planner and stealing more than $650,000 from a widow he met at a funeral home.The 50-year-old, who did make a couple payments to the wido ... More >>

[UPDATED with Suspect Speaking, Service Parking:] Austin Jeffrey Farley Charged with Murder in DUI Death of Ashton Sweet

​UPDATE, JUNE 6, 12:33 P.M.: The Irvine Police Department has released parking details for the throng of media and mourners expected at this evening's memorial service for Ashton Sweet, who was killed in a Memorial Day weekend DUI crash.Meanwhile, the accused murderer of the 14-year-old Irvine fre ... More >>

Irvine Police Sued for Alleged Civil-Rights 'Nightmare'

Go ahead and pee in your pants.​Two Los Angeles women have filed civil-rights lawsuits alleging that members of the Irvine Police Department unlawfully detained, searched and assaulted them, as well as forced one of them to urinate in her pants to the officers' amusement.According to lawsuits by S ... More >>

[UPDATED with Booking Photo:] Memorial Day Weekend DUI Enforcement Countywide

​UPDATE, MAY 31, 6:39 P.M.: The Irvine Police Department this evening released the booking photo at right of Austin Jeffrey Farley, the alleged drunken driver with a past DUI conviction blamed for causing the crash that killed 14-year-old Ashton Sweet.The Northwood High School freshman cheerleader ... More >>

James Harry Fluch Accused of Embezzling $822,000 From Buddy's Business to Fund Lavish Lifestyle

​A former Rancho Santa Margarita accounting consultant is scheduled to be arraigned in Santa Ana today for allegedly embezzling $822,000 from a longtime friend's company, using the ill-gotten money to pay off seven credit cards that racked up charges for gasoline, bar tabs, restaurant bills, cable ... More >>

Jana Marie Spires, Suspected Serial Arsonist of Irvine and One Ugly Police Mugshot Model

​Jana Marie Spires has been tied by authorities to a half-dozen fires in Irvine over the past 10 months, but missing from the list of charges is suspicion of posing for one ugly police mugshot.I mean, look at that kisser. Don't bother throwing the book at her, someone already has!At the 39-year-ol ... More >>

[UPDATED with Results:] Irvine Holds DUI Checkpoint Close to UCI

​UPDATED, MAY 9, 8:39 A.M.: Besides reporting no significant traffic delays, the Irvine Police Department released the following statistics from Friday night's sobriety checkpoint at Campus Drive and Bridge Road: Vehicles stopped: 545Sobriety tests: 9DUI arrests: 2Citations issued: 10

Joseph Raymond Garcia Stands Trial in Rape and Sodomy of Women He Met on MillionaireMatch.com

​Opening statements are expected to begin in Santa Ana this morning in the trial of Joseph Raymond Garcia, 51, of Irvine, who is accused of forcibly sodomizing three women, two of whom he met online through MillionaireMatch.com. It is alleged that between March 2005 and October 2006, Garcia met ... More >>

[UPDATED with Not Guilty Pleas:] Gabino Valdivia-Guzman and Zenaido Valdivia-Guzman, Brothers Accused of Murdering Unidentified Woman and Setting Her on Fire, Claim They Are Not Guilty

​UPDATE, MARCH 28, 5:11 P.M.: Brothers Gabino Baldivia-Guzman, 32, of Costa Mesa, and Zenaido Baldivia-Guzman, 25, of Santa Ana, pleaded not guilty Friday to murdering a woman in September 2009 and setting her body on fire in an Irvine business park lot. The pleas were made in Harbor Justice Ce ... More >>

Were You Ripped Off by Hoang Quoc Tathanhlong, Fake Financial Planner Who Allegedly Preyed at Funeral Home?

​Hoang Quoc Tathanhlong, 49, of Westminster, lied about being a certified financial planner while working at a funeral home and stealing more than $650,000 from a widow through fake investments before using the money for his own personal expenses, including buying himself a Mercedes-Benz, prose ... More >>

Herlin Mendez Held in Robbery by Tree Limb

​Desperate times apparently call for desperate robbery weapons.A guy walked into a gas station/mini-market in the 6100 block of Trabuco Road in Irvine about 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 22 and asked about buying some tires. He was followed by a second man who was carrying a tree trunk, about three feet long. ... More >>

[UPDATED:] Cops Want What's in Your Medicine Cabinet

​UPDATE: We missed probably the biggest collection point of all (updates throughout) . . . Local police want what's in your medicine cabinet today.No, government budget cuts have not been so deep that the forced confiscation of citizen medications has replaced cops' prescription drug plans. This i ... More >>

Arash Riazati Charged With Unprovoked Iranian-American-on-Hispanic Hate Crime

​As if Hispanics don't feel ganged up on already (see Arizona, every "Racist OC Register Fustercluck of the Day," every other Navel Gazing comment), now they apparently have to worry about Iranian-Americans.Or, at least the one from Irvine charged with a hate crime.

How John Patrick Bedell Got a Gun

Courtesy of Irvine Police DepartmentJohn Patrick Bedell​John Patrick Bedell, the troubled former Irvine resident (and Weekly reader?) who was shot to death on his way to shooting up the Pentagon, carried two 9 mm handguns with him that fateful March 4 day.One was a Ruger Bedell purchased at a Las ... More >>

Anyone Missing a Red-Tailed Hawk?

Red-tailed hawk ... but not THE red-tailed hawk.​With all the media tales chronicling the disconnect between the public sector, the private sector and regular old folks, it's refreshing to see the three came together beautifully when it came to rescuing a red-tailed hawk stuck atop a utility pole ... More >>

[UPDATED:] Drunk Drivers Targeted in Anaheim-Westminster-Costa Mesa Triangle This Weekend

If you're getting your drink on in Anaheim or Costa Mesa tonight or Westminster tomorrow night, beware: the cops have DUI checkpoints set up.UPDATE: In addition to all the towns mentioned in Spencer's post and, according to someone commenting on this one, Fountain Valley, the Irvine Police Departmen ... More >>

Just Another Orange County Murder: Jane Doe in Irvine [NEW UPDATE]

Courtesy of Irvine Police Department​Days after releasing the artist's sketch above depicting the woman whose badly burned body was found in the parking lot of a closed business in the 1800 block of Kettering in Irvine on Sept. 5, Irvine police have presented another piece of evidence they hope wi ... More >>

(Suck It) X 4

I knew Irvine cops had a rep for being tough, but this is ridiculous. Cristine Gaiennie and her partner, Patsy Lovell, both employees of the Irvine Police Department, are the proud mothers of quadruplets. After conceiving their first child, son Jason, through artificial insemination, the couple dec ... More >>

Letters

'I no longer sell photos but there are great benefits to being married to the Mattress Maven of the Inland Empire. My sister the Rabbi tells me she is available at a moments notice.'

Letters