Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Walnut Creek Police arrest four for $2,700 shoplifting spree

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Four shoplifting suspects arrested. Photos by WCPD.

By WCPD

Stolen items recovered.

On Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 at approximately 2:00 PM, WCPD Officers made a traffic stop on a black Dodge Charger. Four individuals were contacted and confessed to stealing merchandise from Broadway Plaza. A subsequent search of this Dodge revealed over $2700 in stolen merchandise from Nordstrom and Macy’s.

Destiny Dixon, Jasmine Grotegeer, Charlie Mosley and Tyree Santee were arrested for numerous theft related charges and probation violations. They were transported to county jail. This is a reminder to all criminals that Broadway Plaza is for shopping not shoplifting.

Voter registration opportunity remains for presidential primary

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At Regional Early Voting locations on Thursday, February 27th through Monday, March 2nd

By Scott O. Konopasek, Assistant Registrar, Contra Costa County

The voter registration deadline has passed, but you can still register and vote in one transaction between now and Election Day. Several convenient locations will be available leading up to and during Election Day for you to register to vote and cast your ballot.

Contra Costa Elections Division offers Conditional Voter Registration as a safety net for those who were unable to complete or update their voter registration before the deadline. Those who are already registered may also update their address or political party preference.

“We want make sure that everybody who is eligible to register to vote has ample opportunity to cast their ballot,” said Deborah Cooper, Contra Costa Registrar of Voters.

The Conditional Registration steps include going to an eligible county location, filling out a form that includes your name, address, date of birth and either the last four digits of your Social Security Number or your driver’s license number, and casting your ballot. Conditionally voted ballots are processed once our office completes the verification of the voter registration and confirms no ballot has already been voted. This service is available at the Elections Office, 555 Escobar in Martinez, during normal business hours and on Election Day from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Conditional Voter Registration will also be available at Regional Early Voting locations on Thursday, February 27th through Monday, March 2nd (excluding Sunday). Regional Early Voting is 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on the weekdays and 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday, February 29th. These locations are available to all Contra Costa voters looking to cast their ballot ahead of time and avoid the Election Day rush. Any Contra Costa voter can vote at any one of the Regional Early Voting locations.

• Antioch Water Park, 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch

• Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond

• Hyatt House, 2611 Contra Costa Blvd, Pleasant Hill

Conditional Voter Registration is also available on Election Day at any of the county’s 166 polling places. For more information, call 925-335-7800.

Concord man arrested for Tuesday stabbing, charged with attempted murder

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Suspect Jose Mario Aguilar. Photo by Concord PD.

By Concord Police Department

On Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, just after 3:10 p.m., Concord Officers responded to a fight on Meadow Lane near Riley Court. When the first officer arrived on scene, he discovered the victim lying on street with multiple stab wounds. The suspect fled the area but, was located by one of our observant officers half-a-mile away. Several witnesses positively identified the suspect, 25-year-old Concord resident Jose Mario Calonge Aguilar, as being responsible for repeatedly stabbing the victim. At this time, it appears the attack was unprovoked.

The victim was transported to the hospital and is currently in stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit.

The Concord Major Crimes Unit actively investigated this case. Some of this brutal attack was captured on surveillance and shows numerous vehicles stopped in traffic while the victim was being assaulted.

Friday, Feb. 21, 2020 CASE UPDATE: The suspect, Jose Mario Aguilar, was located by one of our officers and positively identified by several witnesses. Much of this brutal attack was captured on home video surveillance systems located in the neighborhood, which assisted Concord Major Crimes Unit Detectives with their investigation.

We wanted to let you know that yesterday the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Aguilar for attempted murder (P.C. 664/187), and assault with a deadly weapon (P.C. 245(a)1) with enhancements. Aguilar will be held in custody on a $1.19 million bail. As we previously posted, the victim in this case is in stable condition. Thank you to the community members who called 9-1-1 and who assisted us with our investigation.

If you were in the area and witnessed any portion of it please contact Detective Loercher at (925) 603-5922 or if you wish to remain anonymous you can call (925) 603-5836 and refer to case #20-2163.

 

Concord police arrest man with 60,000 images and videos of child porn

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Suspect Preston Brumley. Photos by ConcordPD.

By Concord Police Department

Back on November 6, 2019, we introduced you to Preston Brumley. The Concord Police Department received credible information from our friends at the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (I.C.A.C) and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, that Brumley was in possession of Child Pornography. Members of the Concord Police Special Victims Unit served a search warrant and located Child Pornography on Brumley’s computer. Brumley was arrested then released pending forensic download of all the computers Brumley was in possession of. That forensic download revealed that Brumley possessed more than 60,000 images and videos of child pornography.

On February 10, 2020, the case was presented to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, who filed felony charges against Brumley, who made his first court appearance yesterday.

We would like to thank our associates at the I.C.A.C. Task Force and the District Attorney’s Office for their help in this case and for their collaboration, inclusion, and tireless efforts to keep children safe from people like Preston Brumley.

Four suspects charged for auto repair insurance fraud from undercover operation in Contra Costa

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Working for auto body shops in Concord, Richmond and Pittsburg

By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Office of the District Attorney, Contra Costa County

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and the California Department of Insurance partnered to conduct an undercover operation targeting auto repair insurance fraud in Contra Costa County. Today investigators arrested the last two of four employees at four different auto repair shops caught in the sting operation.

Auto repair shops provide estimates to customers for insurance claims knowing that the customer’s ultimate decision on whether to proceed with the repair, and pay for it, may depend on the insurance company approving and paying out for the claim. This can create an incentive for the estimator to overlook or even encourage a customer known to be committing a fraud. Accepting business with knowledge or reckless disregard for the fact that a customer intends to commit insurance fraud is a felony punishable by up to three years in prison and an additional fine of up to $50,000.

An undercover officer visited several auto body repair shops in Contra Costa County and told estimators that they wanted to claim and repair pre-existing damage on a new insurance policy initiated after the damage occurred. The officer requested a repair estimate from the shop to assist with the false insurance claim.

Four individuals have been charged in the sting operation including:

Kyle Coburn (30-years-old) of AW Collision in Concord;

Marco Hernandez (49-years-old) of 101 Auto Body in Richmond;

Estephanie Gonzalez-Marquez (26-years-old) of Tepa Autobody in Pittsburg;

Vu Hoang (33-years-old) of Kee’s Auto Body in Concord.

The District Attorney’s Office also reminds consumers to be wary of listening to anyone who suggests lying to an insurance company related to an insurance claim. Providing false or misleading information in support of an insurance claim is a felony punishable by up to five years state prison and an additional fine of up to $50,000.

Anyone with information about possible auto insurance fraud can report that information to the District Attorney’s Office via email at DA-ReportFraud@contracostada.org

Police arrest suspect connected to bank robberies in Contra Costa County

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Bank robbery suspect Brendan Gray. Photo by CCCSheriff.

Alamo resident

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

On Thursday, February 20, 2020, at about 3:35 PM, Lafayette and Walnut Creek Police arrested 41-year-old Brendan Gray at his home in Alamo. Gray is a suspect in a series of recent bank robberies that occurred in Contra Costa County.

On February 19, 2020, at about 3:46 PM, a bank robbery happened at the Wells Fargo Bank on the 3600 block of Mt. Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette. During the investigation, Detectives determined that robbery was connected to one that occurred at the Wells Fargo Bank on Moraga Way in Orinda on February 12, 2020, and at a Wells Fargo Bank in Walnut Creek on February 1, 2020.

Lafayette Police Detectives, assisted by Danville Police, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, and Walnut Creek Police were able to identify a suspect vehicle and identify Brendan Gray as the suspect in the robberies.

An arrest warrant was obtained and with the assistance of Walnut Creek PD, Gray was taken into custody without incident. Gray was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on three counts of first degree robbery. He is being held in lieu of $300,000 bail.

The Lafayette Police Department is asking anyone with additional information regarding these cases to contact Detectives at (925) 283-3680 or (925) 299-3234 or email Sergeant Rossberg at tross@so.cccounty.us. Tips could also be emailed to the Lafayette Police Department at: 94549TIP@gmail.com

Walnut Creek man sentenced to prison for trying to meet minor online for sex acts

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Suspect Justin Arthur Cook. Photo courtesy of CCDA.

WARNING: Graphic content

By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, Calif. – On Friday February 14, 2020, Justin Arthur Cook, a 34-year-old Walnut Creek resident, pleaded guilty to one count of arranging to meet a minor to engage in sex acts. Cook was immediately sentenced to four years in state prison by the Honorable David Goldstein and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

On August 4, 2019, Cook used a social media site to inquire about family incest. An undercover police officer contacted Cook and they began to message each other. During the conversation, and over the next four days, Cook learned the undercover officer had a 7-year-old daughter and made repeated statements he wanted to sexually abuse the young girl. On August 8, 2019, Cook traveled to Target in Walnut Creek to purchase a bottle of “lube” and then to an apartment complex in Walnut Creek to meet the child. Cook was arrested and admitted to communicating with the undercover officer.

On August 12, 2019, Cook was charged by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and he has remained in custody since the date of his arrest. Cook will begin to serve his sentence immediately. Deputy District Attorney Kate Jewett prosecuted the case on behalf of the People.

The investigation was conducted by a multi-agency Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is managed by the San Jose Police Department. In Contra Costa County, detectives and investigators from the Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, San Ramon, Concord and Moraga Police Departments, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Contra Costa County Probation Department, and Inspectors from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office participate in the task force. The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Concord Police Department’s Violence Suppression Unit for the substantial assistance they provided with the investigation.

Parents are encouraged to discuss online safety with their children, and can visit the website www.kidsmartz.org or our website for further information.

Case information: People v. Cook, Docket Number 05-191646-9

My Big Idea Coach Business Bootcamp to be held in Martinez Sunday, March 1

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Roses are red, Violets are blue, at MyBigIdeaCoach Business Bootcamp 2020 We want to see YOU!

By Cathy Jensen, Coordinator, My Big Idea Coach Team

You know the feeling you get when you are surrounded by people on the same path as you, focused on common goals?

That feeling HELPS YOU to not only succeed, but to have FUN doing it.

It’s making the in-person connections that bring both SUCCESS and FULFILLMENT within reach, when you surround yourself with people PASSIONATELY DOING the same things that you are. Like you, they are transforming their own lives, growing their business, while making an impact, changing our world.

That’s what’s missing from a lot of online business courses and programs these days. Connecting with cool people makes a lot of difference in the satisfaction level and whatever results you get, be it money or fame or lifestyle upgrades.

So…It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for….and I’m SO excited too…to invite you to join us and participate in the Live 2020 Grand Opening of the MyBigIdeaCoach Business Bootcamp, March 1, 2020, 10:30 a.m.-1:30p.m.!

WHY?

Let me tell you. Many of you who are small business owners, like us, want to REALLY GROW your 2020 BUSINESS. You cannot get this information from a book, online or in a YouTube video!

This Business Bootcamp workshop is filled with insider tips and insights on planning, branding, using social media, leveraging e-commerce solutions and much much more, including how we used these business strategies to expand our own business, what we learned, how we did it, and what we would have done differently. You’ll also learn not only how to get more clients but how to increase your customer sales, just to mention a few.

AND we just booked one of the MOST CREATIVE spaces in the Bay Area, THE GALA in Martinez. This Business Bootcamp workshop includes three hours of LIVE instruction and it’s easy to reach by car, train or bus.

We don’t want you to miss out. Our goal is to help you move your Business Dreams into Realities.

And the best part…

You get ALL this, in one session for just $125 USD. ($99.00 for the Bootcamp + $26 for Workshop materials) And you can even use flex-pay with 4 easy payments.

YES, we know we could charge a lot more, after all we’re giving you, including our planning guides for using Instagram and Facebook ads, YouTube and Pinterest!

And here is what you’ll get: our entire kit of custom 2020 Business Bootcamp workshop materials:

  • A Custom Business Vision Board
  • 12 Month Business Planner Journal
  • Workbook with Instructor Notes
  • A cool Motivational Poster

So, please take advantage of this opportunity and get kick-started with a renewed vision for your business! REGISTER NOW for the MyBigIdeaCoach Business Bootcamp. We are serious about your business growth, so you also get a FREE Download, a 2020 GOALS SHEET as a bonus.

However, I can’t stress this enough…. Once the MyBigIdeaCoach Business Bootcamp spaces are gone, they’re gone!! You don’t want to miss out on seeing REAL growth in your first Quarter of 2020.

Just CLICK HERE www.calbizexpo.com to REGISTER. OR call us at 707-641-6013.

And take your next step to Success in 2020!

Here’s to Happy Bootcamping!

Sailor from Concord serving aboard guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy

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Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Chester Gaza. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael H. Lehman.

GULF OF ADEN (Feb. 13, 2020) Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Chester Gaza, from Concord, California, strikes eight bells signifying noon aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60). Normandy is part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points.

Juvenile reckless driver evades CHP on Hwy 4 at over 100 MPH, crashes then caught Monday evening

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Reckless juvenile driver on Hwy 4 ends with car crashing catching fire Monday, 2/17/20. Photo by CHP.

By CHP – Contra Costa

Monday evening, Feb. 17, 2020 at about 5:59 pm, a CHP unit observed a vehicle driving recklessly at over 100 MPH, in and out of traffic, on Hwy-4 westbound at Laurel Road. The CHP unit initiated a traffic enforcement stop but the vehicle (a 2019 silver Kia Rio) failed to yield to lights and sirens and accelerated away from the patrol officer.

The suspect vehicle led CHP on a pursuit on Hwy-4 westbound to approximately San Marco Blvd. where CHP discontinued the pursuit due to safety concerns for the other drivers on the road and CHP Officers involved due to the reckless manner of driving from the suspect. CHP lost sight of the Kia but as the CHP unit exited Hwy-4 at Willow Pass Road in Concord, the Officer saw that the Kia had crashed into an embankment just off of the off-ramp of Willow Pass Road and had caught fire. A CHP Officer immediately exited his patrol car and put out the blaze with an extinguisher and discovered the Kia was abandoned. Witnesses related to CHP that multiple parties exited the Kia after it crashed and fled the scene.

CHP towed the Kia and set up a perimeter to locate the suspects in and around the Willow Pass Road and Evora Road area. Shortly after the area was surrounded, all four occupants from the Kia were located and detained. All four occupants were male juveniles, including the driver. Thankfully there were no reported crashes or injuries to Officers, other drivers on the road, and only minor complaints of pain to the occupants of the Kia.

The male juvenile driver was arrested and will be booked into the Contra Costa County Juvenile detention center and the other occupants will remain in CHP custody until a parent or legal guardian arranges pickup for each juvenile.

Reckless driving over 100 mph on the highway that endangers all drivers’ safety will not be tolerated. These extremely poor choices from unsafe drivers are the exact drivers we are continually attempting to get off the road at all times. We are thankful nobody was seriously injured or killed due to this reckless driver and we hope that these young juveniles get some guidance, realize the error of their ways, and begin a path to better choices for their future when behind the wheel.