MARK REYES PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN- TEMPLE STATIONhttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Captain-Reyes-Mark-A_900-819x1024.jpg8191024SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
PROMOTION ANNOUNCEMENT – MARK REYES PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN, TEMPLE STATION
Mark Reyes has been selected by the area contract cities and Sheriff Alex Villanueva as the next Captain of Temple Sheriff Station (TEM), following the recent retirement of Captain David Flores. This will be Reyes’ second tour at TEM, having previously been assigned there as a lieutenant.
Reyes began his time on the Department as an explorer at 16 years old. He was also a community service officer and a custody assistant prior to becoming a deputy. In 1995, he became a custody deputy at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood. He worked in patrol at Transit Services Bureau and Industry Station. He was a field training officer and a member of a gang task force with the Community Oriented Policing Bureau before promoting to sergeant.
Reyes served five years as a sergeant, both in custody and in the field. He also worked as an investigator at Internal Affairs Bureau. When Reyes promoted to lieutenant, he transferred to North County Correctional Facility where he worked as a watch commander. He then transferred to TEM, where he served as a watch commander and Detective Bureau lieutenant. From there, he moved to Narcotics Bureau where he was assigned as the operations lieutenant.
Since 2019, Reyes has served as an executive aide for Central Patrol Division, the Assistant Sheriff of Patrol Operations, and lastly, for the Undersheriff’s Office.
This will be Reyes’ first assignment as a captain. He grew up in the TEM area and is a graduate of Rosemead High School. He has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Union Institute & University and is fluent in reading, writing and speaking Spanish. Reyes has two adult children; his daughter is a graduate of Azusa Pacific University and his son is a police officer for another local agency. He enjoys traveling, golfing and spending time with his family and friends. Reyes is also a recipient of the Department’s Meritorious Conduct Gold award for rescuing a pilot after an airplane crash.
Temple Station was established in 1926 and provides law enforcement services for the cities of Bradbury, Duarte, Rosemead, South El Monte, and Temple City, as well as the unincorporated areas of Arcadia, Monrovia, Pasadena and San Gabriel. Reyes will be in charge of approximately 200 professional and sworn personnel who handle an average of 3,900 calls for service per month.
Multi-Agency Effort Nets Recovery of 33 Missing Children in Operation “Lost Angels”https://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/HTTF.jpg506414SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Multi-Agency Effort Nets Recovery of 33 Missing Children in Operation “Lost Angels”
During the month of January, which is also Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department worked in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and two dozen other local law enforcement and non-governmental agencies to help identify, locate and safely recover children that had been missing or were possibly being sexually exploited and/or trafficked.
As a result of this multi-agency effort, which began on Monday, January 11, 2021, 33 children have successfully been found. 8 of those children were confirmed as being sexually exploited at the time they were found and 2 of them were rescued multiple times from a location in which commercial sex trafficking is known to operate.
This operation resulted in the arrest of one suspected Human Trafficker, on state charges, and helped to initiate several new investigations.
Throughout these operations, victims are provided with information about resources on how to obtain housing, continue their education and childcare, just to name a few. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the California Department of Child & Family Services and other non-government victim advocacy organizations were also on hand to provide their services and assist in any way.
“Collaboration with our law enforcement partners is key to ending the vicious cycle of modern day slavery. I’m committed to doing everything we can to stop human trafficking,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the below partner agencies who helped make this operation successful:
California Highway Patrol
Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office
United States Attorney’s Office
United States Marshall’s Service
Internal Revenue Service
Drug Enforcement Agency
Health and Human Services
Inglewood Police Department
El Segundo Police Department
Pomona Police Department
Glendale Police Department
Long Beach Police Department
San Diego Police Department
Wichita Police Department
Langston University Police (Oklahoma)
San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office
Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
San Luis Obispo District Attorney Bureau of Investigation
Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office
California Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services
Los Angeles County Probation Office
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Anyone who believes they may be victims of human trafficking may call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline (NHTRC) at 888-373-7888 or visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/ The NHTRC is a national, confidential, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls at all times.
Those who wish to report incidents of suspected human trafficking may call their Sheriff’s Station or local FBI office.
For more information about this operation, please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department-Special Victims/Human Trafficking Bureau or the FBI Media Relations Office.
Effective January 1, 2019, Senate Bill 1421, the Right to Know Act, went into effect.
This CA bill essentially made public previously confidential records about law enforcement officers involved in shootings or other serious uses of force, as well as those who committed sexual assaults or acts of dishonesty.
As this law went into effect, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) had very little infrastructure in place to prepare for the onslaught of Public Records Act (PRA) requests that were to come. As the requests began to pour in, Sheriff Villanueva had been in office for one month and was left with no infrastructure to handle this massive undertaking. The Sheriff understands the value of transparency and accountability, to that end, the LASD requested funding for personnel, and tracking and redaction software, but was denied multiple times.
As a temporary fix to meet the law’s requirements, Sheriff Villanueva temporarily re-assigned personnel in an effort to meet the demand and instructed LASD’s Data Systems Bureau to create software to move forward at a faster pace.
We are thankful that In November of 2020, the CEO provided funding for the software which is currently in the procurement stage.
Since January 1, 2019, LASD has received 3,725 SB-1421 requests, and Sheriff Villanueva is proud to announce we have managed to fulfill 3,593 of those requests to date. Given the extraordinary amount of meticulous tracking and legally mandated redacting necessary for every document requested, it is a huge feat that LASD has nearly accomplished the enormous number of SB-1421 requests. Also noteworthy, LASD currently has 335 SB-1421 cases PUBLICLY posted on www.lasd.org under a new digital page titled “LASD Transparency.” As new records are released to the requestor, they will be continued to be posted online to that page. Finally, only those cases that are still being investigated and/or involve civil litigation, cannot be publicly released.
LASD, being the largest Sheriff’s Department in the nation, is the recipient of probably the highest number of PRA requests given the sheer size of our Department and the 10 million residents we serve.
LASD ACADEMY Class 453 DEDICATES COLORS RUN TO OFFICER ANTHONY DIAhttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screenshot-2020-12-17-081958.jpg985658SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
On Monday, October 26, 2020, recruits from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Class 453 dedicated their “Colors Run” to Officer Anthony Dia of the Toledo Police Department in Toledo, Ohio. A “Colors Run” is a run in which every graduating academy class participates in and dedicates it to a fallen officer around the nation. The run helps to promote unity and pride among the recruits, and it’s a way of earning their Sheriff patches to be worn on their uniforms.
On Saturday, July 4, 2020, Officer Anthony Dia was shot after responding to a disturbance call at a local hardware store. Despite his wounds, he was able to return fire as the suspect fled. While Officer Dia was receiving medical aid from witnesses at the scene, he was able to put out a heartbreaking recorded radio broadcast in which he said, “Tell my family I love them.” Officer Dia was transported to a local hospital but unfortunately, succumbed to his wounds. He was a police officer for a total of 4 years and is survived by his wife, two sons and his parents.
Class 453 arranged for the entire Dia family to fly out to Los Angeles to be a part of their special run dedicated to their loved one, Anthony. “As far as I know, this is the first run that we’ve done dedicating it to an officer outside of the state, so having the family here was a tremendous honor and privilege for the class,” said Recruit Training Unit Deputy Jeff Rupert.On Friday, November 20, 2020, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva swore in 71 graduates from Class 453 compiling 20 female and 51 male graduates.
Thank you for your service Officer Dia, your family will always be in our thoughts and prayers.
LASD Seize Large Amount of Drugs and Illegal Firearmshttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/i-NxJD32j-XL.jpg960768SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Operation Safe Streets Bureau Seize Large Amount of Drugs and Illegal Firearms
On the morning of Tuesday, December 1, 2020, Detectives from Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Operation Safe Streets (OSS) Bureau, conducted a follow up investigation involving a felon in possession of a firearm. Detectives authored and served two search warrants for two locations in the city of El Monte.
During the search warrant, detectives seized eight firearms and a large amount of narcotics which included over 100 lbs. of methamphetamines and approximately 15 lbs. of heroin. Two suspects, both adult males, were arrested for felon in possession of loaded firearms and narcotics for the purposes of sales.
“Despite trying times, our personnel continues to proactively provide the best public safety possible. A lot of delinquent lifestyles start at a young age and involve drugs, gangs and of course, violence. I’m really proud of our OSS Bureau’s dedication, determination and commitment to keep our community safe,” said Sheriff Villanueva.
OSS provides enforcement aimed at combating the criminal activities of hard-core gangs, while intervening to discourage youth from continuing in gang activities.
Even in the middle of a pandemic criminal activity does not stop. This year, teams from OSS have arrested 461 suspects for violent crimes, and they have seized 305 firearms and conducted 470 search warrant operations.
Anyone who sees activity that appears to be suspicious or criminal in nature should contact their local sheriff’s station, or remain anonymous and call “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-TIPS.
Our Department has successfully persevered for over 170 years. Throughout our rich history we have faced many challenges and emerged together stronger, because that is what we do.
Measure J is our latest challenge and it will be implemented over the next three years, beginning on July 1, 2021. We don’t yet fully understand the depth of real world consequences to the Department, but we do know it will mean additional reductions to our budget. Over the next few weeks, our budget team will find out what the impact will actually be.
I am committed to working together with the Board of Supervisors, CEO, and employee unions in order to find budgetary solutions to the many complex issues we now face.
As an organization we will continue to remain focused on serving the community in our basic public safety mission of protecting life, protecting property, and maintaining order.
We have faced far worse challenges and this too shall pass. We will succeed in navigating this newest challenge together as a family, because that is what we do.
LASD and LAPD Partner to combat hungerhttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Post_villanueva_food_drive_083020-1024x683.jpg1024683SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
October 30, 2020, at about 11:30 am, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, accompanied by Department members, LAPD Officers, and LAPD Deputy Chief Jorge Rodriguez held a food drive for community members. Held at the Greg Smith LAPD Devonshire PALS Youth Center, community members arrived from across the Valley, lining their vehicles to receive donated care baskets and other non-perishable food items. As community members’ vehicles formed an extensive line across lanes of Parthenia Street just east of Wilbur Avenue, deputies and officers were joined by the Devonshire Police Activities League Supporters, Los Angeles City Councilmember John Lee, Members of the LASD Community Advisory Council, and MEND (Meet Each Need with Dignity).
Hundreds of families expressed their thanks to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies and Los Angeles Police Officers as they placed boxes and bags of non-perishable foods into their vehicles. Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief Jorge Rodriguez and Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva also took an active role in handing out food to families. The vehicle traffic went on for a few hours, as more and more community members formed lines and patiently awaited their turn.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department understands the hardship and challenges individuals and families face during these uncertain times. We believe it is our duty to protect our community from crime and lend a helping hand. Economic hardships and life hurdles have affected everyone during this covid-19 outbreak. We hope that this partnership between Los Angeles law enforcement, the city, and our non-profit organizations brings more help to the community in need. It is this dedication to our community that defines the character of our service. LAPD Officers and LASD Deputies have profound care for the community, and our efforts to curve hunger are a reflection of that sentiment. We hope that this engagement resonates with the community and builds a solid bridge of trust and understanding.
The Sheriff’s Department is thankful to the Temple Ramat Zion, One Generation, the Greater Los Angeles Food Bank, and Goya Foods of California for their generous contributions. A Special Thanks to Jack Kayajian, who dedicated hundreds of volunteered hours and his ability to navigate through the most challenging times, made this event a success.
Sheriff Villanueva Presents Second Check to Salvation Army – Bell Shelter Veterans
On Tuesday, October 27, 2020, Sheriff Alex Villanueva visited the Salvation Army Bell Shelter, located in the city of Bell. This particular location caters to veterans experiencing homelessness, and provides them with shelter and assistance. Some of the services provided include help with substance abuse, vocational education and job assistance.
During the visit, Sheriff Villanueva participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a recreational area dedicated to him for a previous generous donation. In November, 2019, Sheriff Villanueva visited the Bell Shelter for the first time, and presented shelter representatives with a donation of $17,500. Proceeds for the donation were generated from sales of the LASD Veteran’s Patch, which has a camouflage background design.
With the 2019 donation, the Bell Shelter was able to enhance and upgrade their recreation room with spacious seating adhering to COVID-19 protocols, a tent for small outdoor group sessions, a projector, and large movie screen for easy viewing from a far distance.
Overwhelming sales of the LASD Veteran’s Patch allowed Sheriff Villanueva to present a second check for $17,500 to the Bell Shelter during his 2020 visit, in support of one of the longest-running homeless shelters in the entire nation.
Interested in LASD patches? The LASD Veteran’s Patch is available for sale at http://lasdvetpatch.com. Thank you for helping us make a difference in the lives of our homeless veterans!
#LASD Hits A Criminal Mega Jackpothttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Machines-1-1024x347.jpeg1024347SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Operation “Gambling Suppression” Nets over 30 arrests, tens of thousands of dollars in U.S. currency, firearms, and over 200 illegal gambling machines in the City of #Lancaster.
Yesterday, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lancaster Sheriff’s Station’s LAN-CAP Team (Lancaster Community Appreciation Project) completed a very successful operation. Several North Patrol Stations and investigators from the Major Crimes Bureau executed seven search warrants throughout the City of Lancaster.
The operation netted over thirty adult arrests and tens of thousands of dollars in U.S. currency were confiscated from the illegal establishments. Additionally, several illegal firearms were taken off the streets, and over 200 illegal gambling machines were seized from the location.
Illegal gambling is not a victimless crime; it is an organized crime that may increase the chance of more criminal traffic to a certain area or city to network with others and commit more crime.
If you believe there is an active illegal gambling house or establishment operating in your area, please call your local sheriff’s station.
Suspect Arrested in 1996 Homicide of Boyle Heights Girl,Extradited from Texas
After almost a quarter-century, the man suspected of killing a 17-year-old girl was identified and slated to face arraignment. On Wednesday, October 21, 2020, Sheriff Alex Villanueva and Homicide Bureau detective, Lieutenant Hugo Reynaga, discussed the circumstances surrounding the young girl’s death, how they located the suspect and how he was brought back to face justice.
On Tuesday, January 30, 1996, the partially-clothed body of Gladys Arellano was discovered at the bottom of a ravine in the Topanga Canyon area of Malibu. The last time she was last seen was three days earlier at her Boyle Heights home, and she was reported missing by her family one day before her body was found.
The results of an autopsy concluded the teen was sexually assaulted, beaten, and strangled to death. Serology evidence was collected from her body, and a DNA profile was uploaded into state and federal DNA databases as that of an unknown offender. Although an extensive investigation was conducted, no match was identified through the DNA databases, and the case remained unsolved.
On Sunday, November 10, 2019, virtually two and a half decades later, a man named Jose Luis Garcia, was arrested by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)-Mission Division personnel for a domestic assault charge. A DNA sample was collected from him during the booking procedure and uploaded into the state DNA database.
In December, 2019, detectives assigned to the Homicide Bureau-Unsolved Case Unit received an alert on the DNA collected during the LAPD-Mission Division jail booking, which returned as a match to the evidence collected in the Gladys Arellano homicide investigation. Detectives Joe Purcell and Shaun McCarthy contacted Garcia at his home in Fontana and asked about his knowledge of the Arellano murder; Garcia was 19 years old when it happened. They obtained a DNA sample from Garcia for comparison and submitted it for forensic testing. Serologists analyzed it and determined Garcia’s sample matched the unidentified donor’s sample obtained in 1996 from the body of Gladys Arellano.
After the detectives’ visit, and as the new DNA sample was processed, detectives learned Garcia relocated to Dallas, Texas. An arrest warrant for Garcia, 43, was obtained, and Detective Purcell notified U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Forces personnel in Dallas.
On Tuesday, September 29, 2020, Garcia was arrested by task force personnel in Dallas. He was extradited to California on Wednesday, October 14, 2020, arraigned for the charge of Murder on Monday, October 19, 2020, at Van Nuys court, and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
Samantha Moreno, Gladys’ niece and goddaughter, spoke during the press conference, and thanked the detectives for arresting Garcia and not giving up on (finding) their Gladys. “We are pleased to know that Jose Luis Garcia has been taken off the streets after 24 ½ years,” she said. “We want nothing more than for him to pay for his brutal crime. We recognize that this will not bring Gladys back, but we are relieved to know that there will be justice for Gladys, who would have celebrated her 42nd birthday on Saturday, October 24th.”
Elizabeth Arellano, Gladys’ older sister, also spoke at the press conference. She and Samantha held hands tightly and stood shoulder-to-shoulder as they waited their turn to speak. In Spanish, she also thanked the detectives and recalled the heartbreaking loss of her sister, ”It was very painful for everyone to lose her and to wait 24 ½ years without knowing who robbed her of life.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau-Unsolved Case Unit is comprised of twelve retired homicide detectives who returned to work on a part-time basis. They use their collective experience of more than 500 years to continue solving stale cases. These detectives hold in high regard that each case represents a life taken and accept the responsibility of tenacious pursuit to determine the circumstances surrounding the loss, no matter how long it takes. They pore over each investigation and take all the pieces of workable information and unexhausted leads as far as they will go. Newly-discovered witnesses, advancements in science and technology, and anonymous tips contribute to these investigators’ successes. Each unsolved case remains active and available to them until it is fully concluded. The Unsolved Case Unit was furloughed due to budget cuts in July, 2020, but was refunded and reinstated when the Board of Supervisors allocated funding for it. With renewed funding, detectives can continue their efforts and progress toward solving other cases.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau detectives are seeking any victims of assault or sexual assault that may have been in contact with Jose Luis Garcia.
Anyone with information, please contact Det. J. Purcell or Det. S. McCarthy, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
