OC Politics Blog | Category Archives: Crime

Private investigator hired by the Costa Mesa Police Union heading to jail for one year

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Editor Posted in Costa Mesa, Crime, Jim Righeimer, Orange County, Stephen Mensinger 1 Comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 14CF3962

Date: March 17, 2017

PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR WORKING FOR POLICE UNION LAW FIRM SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN JAIL FOR CONSPIRING TO COMMIT CRIMES AGAINST COSTA MESA COUNCILMEN AND AN ATTORNEY

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A private investigator working for a law firm retained by the Costa Mesa Police Officers’ Association (CMPOA) was sentenced today to one year in county jail for committing crimes against two Costa Mesa council members and a competitor attorney. Christopher Joseph Lanzillo, 47, Lake Arrowhead, pleaded guilty to the court on Sept. 28, 2016, to two felony counts of conspiracy to commit a crime of unlawful use of electronic tracking device, one felony count of false imprisonment by deceit, and one felony count of conspiracy to commit a crime of falsely reporting crime to an agency. Lanzillo was sentenced to 364 days in county jail and three years formal probation. Continue reading→

Former Fullerton City Manager charged with an election night DUI and hit and run

Posted on March 4, 2017 by Editor Posted in Alcohol, Courts, Crime, Fullerton Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 17NM03367

Date: March 3, 2017

FORMER FULLERTON CITY MANAGER CHARGED WITH DUI AND HIT AND RUN ON ELECTION NIGHT

FULLERTON, Calif. – The former city manager of Fullerton was charged today with driving under the influence and hit and run on election night. Joseph Burt Felz, 58, Fullerton, is charged with one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol and one misdemeanor count of hit and run with property damage. If convicted, Felz faces a maximum sentence of one year in county jail. The defendant is scheduled to be arraigned on April 3, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. in Department N-8, North Justice Center, Fullerton. Continue reading→

Former OC Deputy Sheriff convicted of faking a workers’ comp injury while doing CrossFit

Posted on February 21, 2017 by Editor Posted in Crime, OC Sheriff, Orange County Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 16CF2709

Date: February 21, 2017

FORMER OCSD DEPUTY CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS IN JAIL FOR COMMITTING INSURANCE FRAUD AGAINST COUNTY OF ORANGE

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A former Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputy was convicted and sentenced to six months in Orange County jail and three years informal probation today on charges for committing insurance fraud by failing to disclose his true physical abilities and activities to his health care providers. Nicholas Zappas, 36, Laguna Niguel, pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts of insurance fraud. In addition to his jail time and probation, Zappas was ordered to pay $34,838.97 in restitution to the County and $1,000 to the Worker’s Compensation Fraud Assessment Fund. The defendant is also required to dismiss his 2011 and 2015 worker’s compensation claims with prejudice as a condition of his probation.

At the time of the crimes, Zappas was employed as an OCSD deputy for approximately 14 years. Continue reading→

Anaheim man convicted of damaging a CHP vehicle and inciting a riot at a Trump rally

Posted on February 18, 2017 by Editor Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Donald Trump, OCDA 2 Comments

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 16WF0899

Date: February 17, 2017

MAN CONVICTED OF THROWING OBJECT THAT DAMAGED CHP PATROL VEHICLE AND INCITING RIOT AT DONALD TRUMP RALLY

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was convicted today of throwing an object that damaged a patrol vehicle and inciting a group of protesters to riot at a Donald Trump presidential campaign rally in the City of Costa Mesa. Luis Fernando Alarcon, 20, Anaheim, pleaded guilty today to one misdemeanor count of vandalism with damage over $400 and one misdemeanor count of inciting a riot. The court reduced the felony vandalism charge to a misdemeanor. Alarcon was sentenced to one year in county jail suspended, 12 days in county jail, three years of informal probation, and was ordered to pay restitution. Continue reading→

OCDA employee charged with welfare fraud and perjury

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Editor Posted in Brea, Crime, OCDA, Orange County Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 17CF0136

Date: January 20, 2017

OCDA EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH WELFARE FRAUD AND PERJURY FOR FAILING TO REPORT INCOME WHEN APPLYING FOR BENEFITS

SANTA ANA, Calif. – An Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) employee was charged with welfare fraud and perjury for failing to report income when applying for welfare benefits. Adrienne Reyes, 38, Brea, was charged yesterday, Jan. 19, 2017, with two felony counts of perjury by false application for aid and two misdemeanor counts of aid by misrepresentation. If convicted, she faces a maximum of six years and four months in county jail. Reyes is scheduled to be arraigned on March 10, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. in Department C-55, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

At the time of the crime, Reyes was on medical leave while employed as a clerical staff member at the OCDA. Continue reading→

U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher’s former Campaign Treasurer convicted of embezzling over $300K

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Editor Posted in 2016 Elections, Crime, Dana Rohrabacher, Jack Wu, Newport Beach, Republican Party 1 Comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Case # 16CF0269

Date: January 17, 2017

FORMER TREASURER FOR CONGRESSMAN’S ELECTION COMMITTEE CONVICTED OF EMBEZZLING OVER $300,000 FROM CAMPAIGN FUNDS AND SEPARATE EMPLOYER

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A former volunteer treasurer for Congressman Dana Rohrabacher’s re-election committee was convicted today of embezzling over $300,000 from campaign funds and business the where the defendant worked. Jack Wenpo Wu, 46, Newport Beach, pleaded guilty to three felony counts of grand theft by embezzlement, 21 felony counts of forgery, with sentencing enhancement allegations for theft exceeding $100,000, aggravated white collar crime over $100,000, and property loss over $200,000. He faces a maximum sentence of four years and four months in state prison in a court offer at his sentencing on March 13, 2017, in Department C-49, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

In 2004, Wu worked as a volunteer, non-paid treasurer for the Committee to Re-elect Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (Committee). Wu paid taxes owed by the Committee, filed Federal Election Committee reports, was the custodian of records, and ran the Committee’s bank accounts. Continue reading→