Recent Blog Posts

Teacher accused of child abuse in southern Los Angeles

Editor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:10:00 GMT

A South Los Angeles teacher accused of gagging and blindfolding children and feeding them semen will face multiple felony charges in a court hearing Wednesday.

Authorities say the alleged crimes took place between 2005 and 2010, though detectives said they were still trying to determine how far back the alleged abuse occurred.

Mark Berndt is being held in lieu of $2.3-million bail after being arrested Monday. He was charged Tuesday with 23 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child.

He was in jail Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.

The case began when photos of scenes in the classroom emerged. Berndt, 61, was fired as a teacher in March and was arrested Monday after a yearlong investigation.

In photos there was a spoon in the trash can. Police tested a substance on the spoon and found a DNA match with the teacher's semen.

The photos showed students bound and blindfolded, some with large Madagascar cockroaches crawling on them, inside the school setting. Girls were allegedly photographed with a blue spoon holding a white substance near their mouths. Investigators said they believe that substance was Berndt's semen and that he had the girls consume it.

Investigators said they have recovered more than 400 images.

If you or someone you know is facing charges of sex crimes, the most important thing you can do is hire a criminal defense lawyer. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and could be your best chance at a favorable outcome. Contact his law office today.

Details released on fatal shooting by Moorpark deputy

Editor — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:50:00 GMT

Authorities released new details Monday about the fatal police shooting of a 47-year-old man who reportedly rushed at detectives with a machete outside his rural Moorpark home.

The incident began Friday afternoon when authorities received a call from Eric Strosser's father and sister about a disturbance at their home in the 10700 block of Citrus Drive.

Strosser's relatives reported he was out of control, and 911 dispatchers could hear him in the background saying he had a gun.

When Senior Deputies Kevin Lynch and Jerry Gomez arrived, Strosser was waiting outside, and he flagged down the detectives. At some point after that, Strosser rushed the detectives with a machete in hand, and Lynch fired his handgun.

Strosser was within 12 feet of the deputies when Lynch fired.

The investigation is continuing, and sheriff's officials are not releasing further details about the exact sequence of events.

Strosser died of gunshot wounds to the chest, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lynch has been with the department for more than 15 years, and Gomez more than 20 years. Both are members of the sheriff's SWAT team and had received training on responding to mental illness-related issues.

The detectives were placed on paid administrative leave following the shooting — standard procedure in such cases.

Strosser was found guilty of misdemeanor battery, false imprisonment, resisting arrest and graffiti vandalism in 2008, court records show. He also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol that year.

If you or someone you know is facing murder charges, the most important thing you can do is hire a criminal defense lawyer. Ventura County Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and will build an aggressive defense on your behalf. Contact his law office today.

Simi Valley police investigate bank robbery

Editor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:05:00 GMT

Simi Valley police were investigating a bank robbery that occurred Sunday afternoon.

The incident was reported about 4:25 p.m. in the U.S. Bank in Albertsons grocery store, 5135 Los Angeles Ave..

The man went to the teller and used a note to demand money. He said he had a gun, but the weapon was not seen.

The man, who is described as in his 20s, took about $2,100 and left the area on foot. Officers and K-9 units searched the area but could not find him.

No one was injured in the incident.

If you or someone you know is being charged with robbery, immediately contacting a criminal defense lawyer is likely the most important thing you can do. These are felony offenses that may land you with significant prison time if you are convicted, depending on the circumstances of the offense.

Robbery is defined as committing theft from the victim's immediate presence or person, accomplished by force, threats or violence. This offense may be punishable by 2 to 9 years in prison. Armed robbery is a more serious version of this crime, committed when a person commits robbery while armed with a deadly weapon. Under California's 10-20-life law, a defendant may face an additional 10 years in prison for displaying a gun, 20 years for firing a fun and 25 years to life for causing serious injury to another person with a gun. Robbery and armed robbery are also considered "strike" offenses under the state's Three Strikes Law.

If you are facing robbery or armed robbery charges and this is your third strike, you already know how important your defense is. You can't afford to hire an attorney who doesn't have a proven record of success. Contact Ventura County Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend for your best chance at a favorable outcome.

'Puffy Coat Bandit' suspect indicted for seven bank robberies

Editor — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:35:00 GMT

A federal grand jury has indicted a 46-year-old parolee known as the "Puffy Coat Bandit" for seven bank robberies across Southern California.

Steven Dwayne Paulson was arrested Jan. 10 by an Upland police detective who spotted him driving shortly after authorities released a description of the "Puffy Coat Bandit," the Press-Enterprise reported.

The nickname was created by FBI agents because of a ski parka worn by the robber in several heists.

The robberies began Dec. 20 in Chino. According to the indictment, Paulson is also suspected of bank robberies in Corona, Lake Elsinore, Glendora, Cerritos and Rancho Cucamonga.

Paulson, of Pomona, is alleged to have hit his latest bank Jan. 9.

If you or someone you know is facing robbery or grand theft charges, the most important thing you can do is hire a criminal defense lawyer. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and the resources to fight your case. Grand theft could be charged as a federal crime depending on the circumstancies, contact his law office today for your best chance at a favorable outcome.

John Travolta's stolen classic Mercedes found chopped to pieces

Editor — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:25:00 GMT

Authorities arrested two men they say stole John Travolta's classic Mercedes-Benz. He left it parked back in September for about 10 minutes in a Santa Monica residential neighborhood and then never saw it again.

During the investigation, Santa Monica police detectives said they obtained video footage of the vehicle and the suspects as it was being taken from the 1400 block of Berkeley Street.

A countywide auto theft task force broke the case open and said parts from the actor's 1970 Mercedes 280 SL convertible were found late last year on the proverbial chopping room floor.

The men specialized in stealing classic cars and chopping them up, making money by selling the lucrative body parts. But sources familiar with the case said it wasn't exactly a sophisticated operation.

The break in the case took place last fall, when Santa Monica police acted on a tip that came in after they released a flier about Travolta's stolen car, according to sources familiar with the case. The tip identified suspect Michael Green.That led to the Dec. 6 arrest of Green, who was on probation after pleading guilty to petty theft with priors in connection with stealing jewelry from a Sears store.

D.L. Rayford Jr. also was arrested in the case and has already pleaded no contest to grand theft auto. He has been sentenced to 16 months in state prison, Los Angeles County prosecutors said.

If you or someone you know is facing grand theft charges, the best thing you can do is hire a criminal defense lawyer. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and the resources to help. Contact his law office today.

Victim reported missing 8 days before head found under Hollywood Sign

Editor — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:15:00 GMT

A 66-year-old man whose head, hands and feet were found in Bronson Canyon below the Hollywood sign was reported missing eight days before his dismembered remains were discovered.

Hervey Medellin’s partner reported him missing Jan. 9 to police after he said the Hollywood resident failed to return home, two sources said. Medellin’s head was found in a bag Jan. 17 by dog walkers on a Bronson Canyon trail not far from his home. A subsequent search with cadaver dogs turned up two hands, and later two feet in a shallow grave.

According to friends and family, Medellin’s boyfriend told them Medellin left their third-floor apartment on DeLongpre Avenue Dec. 26 but that he continued to hear from him until Jan. 4. The boyfriend told family friends that when Medellin did not return he became concerned and reported him missing Jan. 9.

Los Angeles police and coroner’s officials identified the remains Friday as those of Medellin, a retired Mexicana Airlines employee known for his love of art and hiking and who sometimes walked his dog in the hills.

The sources stressed that detectives were not fully clear on the motive in the killing of Medellin. But investigators are looking into whether he was killed by someone he knew.

Detectives have not made any arrests, and the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing, said they continued to examine other scenarios as well.

If you or someone you know is facing murder charges, the most important thing you can do is hire a criminal defense lawyer. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and can build an aggressive defense on your behalf. Contact his law office today.

Man is charged with killing high school soccer player in Winnetka

Editor — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:50:00 GMT

A 24-year-old Calabasas man was charged Wednesday with killing a 17-year-old El Camino Real High School soccer player, who was shot to death in the frontyard of his home in Winnetka.

Jason Alejandro Schumann was charged with one count of murder with a gun use allegation in the fatal Jan. 11 shooting of Francisco "Pancho" Rodriguez Jr. outside his home in the 6900 block of Cozycroft Avenue.

Elizabeth Ibarra, 19, who also was arrested on suspicion of murder, was not charged and instead held without bail on a probation violation.

Law enforcement sources said the jealous Schumann was infuriated by text messages and other information exchanged between Rodriguez and Ibarra and decided to kill him.

According to several sources, Ibarra has admitted to investigators that she was the redheaded woman who knocked on the door of Rodriguez’s home shortly before he was shot as he stood in the frontyard.

Ibarra had met the soccer player at a party and then began hanging out with him last summer while Schumann was jailed for identity forgery.

Ibarra was sent to jail last fall for two felony counts of forgery. While she was in jail, Schumann saw texts and other communications from Rodriguez on her phone that suggested the 17-year-old student and the mother of his baby were more than friends.

If you or someone you know is facing murder charges, the most important thing you can do is hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has been practicing law since 1984 and will build an aggressive defense on your behalf. Contact his law office today.

Two sentenced for stealing $1 million from Tae Bo creator

Editor — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 07:35:00 GMT

Two women were sentenced Thursday to 33 months in federal prison for stealing more than $1.1 million from Billy Blanks, the founder of the Tae Bo exercise program.

The two women -- Rhenee Sharmell Foster, 46, and Demetria Foster Gutierrez, 52 -- pleaded guilty last year to making unauthorized withdrawals from the bank account of Blanks' company, BG Star Productions, more than 60 times.

In addition to the prison time, the women were ordered to pay $1,119,000 in restitution and are barred from being employed in positions for which they would manage or have a hand in their employers' money for a three-year period after their release from prison.

The women operated a Marina Del Rey company that provided bill-paying, bookkeeping and financial services for the fitness company operated by Blanks and his former wife, Gayle Blanks, which hired them in 2004.

The couple had given Foster and Gutierrez access to the bank account so they could pay the Blanks' personal and company bills. Instead, prosecutors said the women withdrew and transferred money to cover more than $1 million in charges they had incurred on their own American Express cards.

Prosecutors said the women covered up their scheme by giving the Blanks' financial statements that listed the money they had skimmed as payments for the Blanks' loans and expenses that were actually fictitious.

Officials said the women, both of Palos Verdes Estates, paid for vacations and clothing, as well as made down payments on several Range Rovers, using the Blanks' money.

If you or someone you know is facing white collar crime charges such as grand theft or fraud, they could be federal crimes. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has been practicing law since 1984 and will take your defense seriously. Contact his law office today to review your case.

A knock, three gunshots and a mysterious slaying in Winnetka

Editor — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:35:00 GMT

A popular 17-year-old high school student was killed by a girl after a knock at his west San Fernando Valley front door.

Francisco Rodriguez Jr. talked to the girl briefly in the doorway Wednesday evening, out of earshot of his mother and his older sister, who said she had never seen the girl before. Turning back into the house for a moment, he told them he was going outside.

Francisco seemed afraid, his sister, Jessica Rodriguez, 23, said Thursday morning, explaining the sequence of events with her hand covering her face, crying.

Francisco walked into the frontyard of the Winnetka home. Moments later, his sister said, she heard three gunshots. The next thing she remembers seeing is her brother lying motionless, facedown on the lawn.

A dark-colored SUV was parked outside the house when she ran outside, and Rodriguez said she saw people in the vehicle who she believes fired the shots. She didn't see the girl who had come to the door, and the car sped away. Shattered glass was on the curb.

Detectives had not identified a motive or suspects as of Thursday afternoon.

Investigators said Francisco did not appear to be affiliated with a gang.

If you or someone you know is facing murder charges, you need a lawyer you can trust. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and may be your best chance at a favorable outcome. Contact his law office today for a free initial consultation.

Christian school principal accused of lewd acts on a child

Editor — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:04:00 GMT

The principal of a Christian school in West Covina was in custody Thursday on suspicion of committing lewd acts on a child, and police said they are looking for other possible victims.

Daniel Edwin Weston, principal of the Seventh Day Adventist Church School in West Covina, was arrested Tuesday by Whittier police over allegations that he touched a child younger than 14 in a sexual manner.

He was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

The incident allegedly occurred in January 2008, when Weston, 47, was the principal of the Seventh Day Adventist Elementary School in Whittier, police said.

Weston was principal of the kindergarten-through-eighth-grade school for seven years before he moved to the school in West Covina.

If you or someone you know is facing sex crime charges such as child molestation, you need an experienced criminal defense lawyer you can trust.

The basic description of child molestation is lewd and lascivious conduct against a child who is under the age of 14. Further defined, it includes willful and lewd conduct upon the body or body parts of a child with the intent of arousing or meeting the sexual desires of the offender or the child. This is a felony offense punishable by imprisonment in state prison for 3, 6 or 8 years. The defendant may also face a fine of up to $10,000.

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and can build an aggressibe defense on your behalf. Contact his law office today for a free initial consultation.

Heroin smuggled inside burrito

Editor — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:55:00 GMT

A sheriff's deputy was accused of trying to get heroin into a courthouse jail inside a bean-and-cheese burrito.

In recent years, three Sheriff's Department guards have been convicted and a fourth fired in connection with smuggling or attempting to smuggle narcotics into jail for inmates.

The porous nature of the jails was highlighted last year when The Times revealed that FBI agents conducted an undercover sting in which a deputy was accused of taking $1,500 to smuggle a cellphone to an inmate working as a federal informant. Federal authorities are investigating reports of brutality and other misconduct by deputies.

In a sign of how serious officials consider the smuggling problem to be, the Sheriff's Department recently recorded a former deputy, now in state prison, as he explained what led him to help inmates sneak in heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine.

On Wednesday, Deputy Henry Marin, 27, surrendered to fellow deputies at the Sheriff's Department's South Los Angeles station in connection with the burrito smuggling case. He pleaded not guilty to charges of bringing drugs into a jail and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Authorities said Marin has been relieved of duty. He was released from custody Wednesday on $25,000 bail.

If you or someone you know is facing drug trafficking or other drug crime charges, the most important thing you can do is hire a criminal defense lawyer. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and the resources to help fight your case. Contact his law office today for your best chance at a favorable outcome.

Ton of marijuana seized off Ventura County coast; 10 arrested

Editor — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:29:00 GMT

About 2,000 pounds of marijuana were seized and 10 people were arrested Wednesday in an early-morning raid off the Ventura County coast, federal officials said.

Agents from the Department of Homeland Security raided the boat around 3 a.m. in an operation aimed at curbing drug trafficking along the coast.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department said nine people were initially arrested, and another person who had been hiding among the rocks onshore was later arrested.

A similar boat as the one raided Wednesday — known as a panga, or small, open watercraft powered by outboard motors — was found Tuesday in Santa Barbara County, local officials said.

The boat was found abandoned near Refugio State Beach and was empty, but officials said it was apparent that the craft was used for drug smuggling.

Drug trafficking is often charged as a federal offense, particularly when it occurs on a large scale and involves crossed state lines or national borders.

In the face of drug trafficking or other drug crime charges, you need an aggressive drug defense lawyer who understands the true severity of the matter. You need an attorney who can go to bat for you against federal investigators and the United States Attorney's Office or who can handle your case on a state level - whatever is necessary to protect your interests.

Ventura County Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and can build an aggressive defense on your behalf. Take your defense seriously, and contact his law office today.

New Year's tally: 25 killed, 1,270 DUI arrests across state

Editor — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:22:00 GMT

Four people were killed and and 274 suspected drunken drivers were arrested in Los Angeles County over the New Year's holiday, according to figures from the California Highway Patrol.

Across California, 25 people were killed in traffic collisions and 1,270 people were arrested by CHP on suspicion of drunken driving.

The figures were from a 78-hour span from Friday through Monday.

Last year, four people were killed in Los Angeles County while 24 people died in collisions statewide.

In Los Angeles County last year there were 228 drunk-driving arrests while statewide, 961 people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Because New Year's Day fell on Sunday this year, the reporting period included one extra day over 2011, and officials said increase from last year could be attributed to the extended measuring period.

If you have been charged with drunk driving or a related DUI charge in the Los Angeles area, Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend can provide an aggressive and effective defense. Contact his offices right away to discuss the circumstances of your arrest and DUI charges. He's been practicing exclusively in the area of DUI and criminal defense since 1984, and he will use every minute of that experience to help you get the best possible outcome for your charges.

Mother of arson suspect accused in breast augmentation fraud case

Editor — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:40:00 GMT

Dorothee Burkhart, the mother of the man suspected of setting a series of fires around Los Angeles, was arrested Thursday on a criminal warrant issued by German authorities. A day later, the series of more than 50 fires started. Her son, Harry Burkhart, was arrested Monday and booked on arson charges.

The seven-page complaint filed by Assistant U.S. Atty. Cathy Ostiller said that the government was “informed through diplomatic channels” that Dorothee Burkhart is charged in state court in Frankfurt with “19 counts of fraud committed on a commercial basis and as a member of a gang.”

The complaint details about $45,000 worth of alleged embezzlement of renters and landlords with whom she did business between 2000 and 2006. The largest sum listed in the complaint was about $10,000.

Burkhart allegedly owed a Frankfurt plastic surgeon who performed a breast augmentation operation on her in 2004 after she provided falsified records of an advance payment.

It was unclear from the complaint why Burkhart became such a high-priority target in an international dragnet. The warrant for her arrest was issued Sept. 24, 2007, in a Frankfurt court. The offenses for which she was sought are covered by the extradition treaty between Germany and the United States.

If you or someone you know is facing fraud or embezzlement charges, the most important thing you can do is hire a criminal defense lawyer. These are often federal charges and could lead to significant prison time. Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney Robert Helfend has over 20 years of experience and will fight for your rights. Contact his law office today.

Tip from federal officials was big break in L.A. fires

Editor — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:30:00 GMT

Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck said the key break in the L.A. serial arson investigation came Saturday night when federal officials recognized a "person of interest" in the fires.

That night, officials had distributed a video of a man walking near a car fire at the Hollywood & Highland Center parking structure. Beck said unnamed federal officials recognized the man and gave police information about him.

Booking records identified the man as Harry Burkhart, 24, a Hollywood area resident. He is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail at the Inmate Reception Center in downtown L.A.

''He is the most dangerous arsonist in Los Angeles County that I can recall,'' Sheriff Lee Baca said at an evening news conference.

No new arsons have been reported since Burkhart was taken into custody, but police stressed that the investigation was ongoing.

The fires have caused an estimated $2 million in damage, authorities said.

At a news conference Monday, officials said the arson task force is sifting through about 100 clues in the case.

Beck said : "I feel very good that we've got the right guy. [The suspect] had the right stuff in his van, and we are confident in the arrest.''

At the news conference Monday evening, Beck stressed the investigation was still ongoing and that it could take some time to present the case to prosecutors. “We are confident in our investigation, but we have a long way to go,” he said.

Beck, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and others praised the joint task force probing the more than 50 fires over four days.

Burkhart appears to have been battling the U.S. government over the immigration status of his mother.

The Los Angeles Police Department is in communication with federal immigration officials concerning the dispute, the law enforcement sources said.

LAPD detectives found materials inside Burkhart's minivan that could have been used to set fires, the sources said. All of the sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is ongoing.

The man was detained near a drugstore at the corner of Fairfax Avenue and Sunset Boulevard early Monday morning, according to a witness to the incident.

Several sources said Burkhart is believed to be the same person seen in a surveillance video released by police Sunday, when authorities pointed to the individual as a "person of interest" in the case.

The suspect was taken into custody following a morning of fires across the Hollywood area Monday. Eleven fires were reported in two hours, beginning at 1:30 a.m.; most were burning cars and carports in apartment complexes, police and fire officials said.

A total of 53 "fires of concern" have broken out in the Los Angeles area since Friday, possibly the work of one arsonist.

Of those fires, 45 occurred in the Los Angeles area, another nine were in West Hollywood, and one was in Burbank, Erik Scott, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department, wrote in a post on LAFD Alert, the department's blog.