Desert Local News - Index

Desert Local News - Desert Local News March 18th 2008 Print and Virtual Edition - Index

POLICE & SHERIFFS REPORT
Las Vegas Man Arrested
In Connection With
Local Area Robberies
Staff and wire reports
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 ongoing
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.
Cathedral City Man Wanted For
La Quinta Home Robbery
Staff and wire report
Investigators from the Indio
Sheriff’s Station have been working
diligently to identify the suspect
wanted for the Home Invasion
Robbery that occurred at the 51000
block of Avenida Diaz, La Quinta,
on March 12, 2008 at approximately
4:58 a.m.
The suspect has been identified
as John Thomas Faile, 38 years
of Cathedral City. Faile is a White
male adult, 38 years, 5’07”, 170
lbs, brown hair, blue eyes, and has
numerous tattoos. Faile is to be considered
armed and dangerous and
should not be approached.
During the course of the investigation
it was determined that Faile
forced entry into the residence by
kicking the front door. Faile took an
undisclosed amount of money from
the victims at gunpoint, and fled the
scene. no one was physically injured
during the robbery.
Faile was last seen wearing a ski
mask, a dark blue hooded sweatshirt,
and baggie jean pants.
A warrant for his arrest has
been issued. Anyone with information
as to his whereabouts is
urged to call Investigator Brewster
at 760-766-5813/760-863-8990 or
760-836-3215 ext. 5 after regular
business hours.
Karl Baker Junior’s
Response to Vector
Control District
Scandals Involving
Pornography
By Leslie Andrews
Coachella valley Mosquito
and vector Control District
representative Karl Baker, Junior
(and Desert Hot Springs
Councilman) responds to the
recent allegations of pornography
accessing by CvMvCD
general Manager Don gomsi.
“I have a mixed reaction to
the porn site issue,” said Baker.
“If he used district funds to
access the sites that would be
a crime; spending district time
to the extend that has been reported
may not be criminal but
certainly unethical regardless
of what he was doing online.”
According to reports, Indio
Police and the Riverside
County District Attorney are
investigating sex crimes committed
by gomsi during business
hours. This comes after a
whistleblower reported gomsi
and other managers of accessing
pornographic websites
while on the clock. It has also
been reported that underage
porn may have also been accessed.
Baker continues, “While
Gomsi has a significant number
of supporters on the Board,
I cannot be sure what is next.
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However, I do not see how he
can avoid termination - under
what conditions, I don’t know.
There could easily be some
criminal charges
forthcoming- especially
regarding the fraudulent printing
of the tennis tournament
tickets.”
There have also been some
episodes of fall-out between
Baker and gomsi over the past
few years, while Baker served
as Desert Hot Springs’ representative
at the CvMvCD.
Baker believes that the pieces
of the puzzle have begun to
fall into place. “All that has
come out - except for the porn
and fraudulent tennis tickets -
I have generally known about
and that is one of the reasons
that gomsi and the attorney
for the District have been so
desperately trying to get rid of
me,” Baker added.
“To a large degree I am beginning
to feel vindicated.”
There will be a special
public meeting to discuss the
allegations at the CvMvCD
Headquarters Monday at 6
p.m. Desert Local news will
bring full coverage of this story
as things develop.
Desert Local news Corporation
City Desk and news Bureau
Paula Harris Building
66435 Pierson Blvd. Suite B.
Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240
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