March 5, 2008 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Menifee, California - According to a press release from the Riverside County Fire Department, an abandoned structure at the corner of Briggs Road and Holland Road in the unincorporated area of Menifee burned early this morning.

At about 149am fire crews were called to the location to find the structure engulfed in flames. The cause of the fire is under investigation. If you have information about this event, please call 951-940-6985.

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March 5, 2008 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Desert Hot Springs, California - On March 4th, 2008 Investigators from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department (Palm Desert and Indio Stations) received information from a citizen informant that a Steven Hagle of Las Vegas, Nevada was involved in the bank robberies and was staying at the Shilla Hotel in Desert Hot Springs.


The informant also said that the suspect was driving a Mercedes Benz. Investigators located a stolen Mercedes Benz, stolen from Arizona, in the parking lot of the hotel. Evidence linking Hagle to the valley robberies were located in the vehicle. Investigators authored a search warrant for the hotel room. As Investigators were monitoring the room where the suspect was believed to be, Hagle came out of the room and was taken into custody. A search of the room also recovered evidence linking him to the bank Valley robberies. Sheriff’s Investigators also worked with Detectives from the Palm Springs Police Department as one of the valley robberies occurred in Palm Springs.

The suspect is Steven Hagle, 32 years of Las Vegas. He was booked for three counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery (one in Rancho Mirage, one in La Quinta, one in Palm Springs and one attempted robbery in Palm Desert). Also arrested was a Shawn Manning, 40 years of Solano Beach, CA. Manning was in possession of evidence linking him to the involvement of the stolen Mercedes and was also out on bail from a previous arrest over the weekend. Manning was also charged as an accessory for each of the robberies.

This investigation is on-going as Hagle is suspected in other possible crimes/robberies in other states (Arizona and Nevada). Anyone with additional information related to these incidents should contact either the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Investigations Bureau at 836-1600 or the Indio Station Sheriff’s Investigations Bureau at 863-8990.

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March 5, 2008 by Bill Gould, Publisher.

Glen Avon, California - On March 2, 2008, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the Inland Valley Task Force conducted an illegal fiesta sweep. Upon deputies arrival they found an illegal cockfighting operation in progress. The sweep was conducted in the unincorporated community of Glen Avon.

The operation resulted in the arrest of 4 individuals for 2 separate felony charges each, and 1 misdemeanor charge each. An additional 10 individuals were cited and released. Jose Cortes, 51, of Glen Avon was arrested and charged with 597 (a) PC, Animal Cruelty, 182 (a) (1) PC, Conspiracy, and 597 b (b) PC, Participating in a Cockfight. Francisco Lopez, 49, of Mira Loma was arrested and charged with 597 (a) PC, Animal Cruelty, 182 (a) (1) PC, Conspiracy, and 597 b (b) PC, Participating in a Cockfight. Carlos Ramirez, 35, of Glen Avon was arrested and charged with 597 (a) PC, Animal Cruelty, 182 (a) (1) PC, Conspiracy, and 597 b (b) PC, Participating in a Cockfight. Dario Espinoza, 24, of Los Angeles was arrested and charged with 597 (a) PC, Animal Cruelty, 182 (a) (1) PC, Conspiracy, and 597 b (b) PC, Participating in a Cockfight.


An additional ten subjects were charged with 597 b (b) PC, Present at a Cockfight. Two of the additional subjects were also cited for 272 (a) (1) PC, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, by having their minor children, ages nine and twelve present during the cockfighting. $2,108.00 in U.S. Currency was seized as evidence. Riverside County Animal Services seized and euthanized 35 fighting roosters. 28 recently deceased roosters were found in the trash just outside the fighting arena. 1 freshly dead rooster was found on the ground next to the fighting arena.

The Inland Valley Task Force includes the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Jurupa Valley Station Community Action Team, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the Ontario Police Department, the California Department of Agriculture, Milk & Dairy Branch, the Brands Branch, the California Board of Equalization, the Riverside County Environmental Health Illegal Food Program, Riverside County Code Enforcement, and their Special Enforcement Team, Riverside County Animal Services, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, the Recording Industry Association of America, and the Motion Picture Association of America.

There continues to be illegal fiesta and food vendors selling food and dairy products that have not been inspected. This presents a significant health and safety risk to the public and residents of Riverside County. Cheese samples that were seized during the last fiesta sweep were later analyzed, and tested positive for Salmonella. Several birds were seized and sent to the state lab to be tested for Exotic New Castle Disease, and Avian Bird Flu. The Sheriff’s Department, and the Inland Valley Task Force are planning future sweeps in a continuing effort to provide a safe environment for the residents of Riverside County. These and other locations will regularly be checked to ensure compliance with state, and local laws.

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