Ignacio Gomez Lares Jr. was arrested last week following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation.

Along with the possession count, Lares was charged with transportation of drugs for sale, being a felon in possession of ammunition and sentencing- enhancing allegations of perpetrating a felony while on bail and possessing more than four kilograms of fentanyl.

Lares, who is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail at the Byrd Detention Center, was slated to make his initial court appearance Monday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. David Ruiz, earlier this month, the agency’s Special Enforcement Team initiated an investigation at a residence in the 3000 block of Lakeview Drive, near East Rider Street, on the east end of the city. Sufficient evidence was gathered for procurement of a search warrant, which was served on Lares last Wednesday night.

“During the warrant service, deputies located over 50,000 counterfeit M-30 pills,” Ruiz said. “Lares was arrested without incident.”

The pills — also known as “blues” — were contained in multiple plastic bags confiscated by deputies. M-30s often contain fentanyl and other synthetic substances.

“Operations like this one are critical in addressing repeat offenders and deterring narcotic use,” Ruiz said.

It was unclear how long the alleged drug trafficking had occurred at the property.

Court records indicated that Lares has one prior strike felony, but the conviction wasn’t specified. There was also no information on the defendant’s previous arrest, for which he posted bond and was released from custody.

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The chase began shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday at an unspecified location in the Riverside metropolitan area and traversed both the Pomona (60) Freeway and Interstate 15, according to published reports.

the motorist was believed to be armed when sheriff’s deputies tried to stop him

A California Highway Patrol Inland Division spokesperson told City News Service the motorist was believed to be armed when sheriff’s deputies tried to stop him, but no other details were immediately available, including the initial reason for the pursuit.

Over the course of an hour, the suspect attempted to evade patrol deputies, eventually exiting I-15 onto Bellegrave Avenue and heading eastbound. As the vehicle approached Wineville Avenue, a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department SUV deployed a “grappler bumper” device, composed of nylon and other materials, pushing the unit under the white four-door sedan and causing the driver to lose control.

Images captured by ABC7 indicated the car plowed through a retaining wall protecting the side of a single-story house, causing major damage to the vehicle and ending the chase.

No one in the house was hurt.

CHP officers were initially requested to assist with K-9 units, but they were later canceled, according to the agency.

Deputies deployed around the vehicle, establishing a close perimeter, relying on an armored vehicle for protection in the ensuing standoff.

As of 4 p.m., there was no word on the condition of the suspect.

No deputies were injured.

The post RivCo Sheriff’s Chase Ends In Crash, Standoff With Suspect appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Carly Crofts, 29, of Hemet and Miguel Angel Armenta, 49, of Murrieta were taken into custody Friday and booked into the Murrieta jail on suspicion of narcotics trafficking via USPS.

Crofts posted an undisclosed bond hours later and was released from custody. Armenta remained behind bars on unspecified bail.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the suspects were allegedly smuggling drugs to different inmates — 42-year-old Saul Arevalo of Bloomington and 32-year-old Daniel Morales Jr. of Cathedral City.

Details on the two detainees and the reasons for their detention were unavailable.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Wedel said the agency’s Corrections Investigation Bureau, in coordination with the Gang Intelligence Unit, initiated a probe in November 2024 after uncovering evidence narcotics were reaching the Murrieta jail by way of the Postal Service.

In the ensuing months, sufficient evidence was gathered that pointed to the alleged suppliers and recipients, culminating in search warrants being obtained and served at Crofts’ and Armenta’s respective residences Friday morning, Wedel said.

“Investigators seized evidence related to the jail narcotics smuggling investigation,” he said.

Arevalo and Morales were notified that they had been named in the investigation. Their custody status did not change.

Jail records indicated that Arevalo has been at the county lock-up since 2017. Morales has been there since 2022.

“This investigation was part of the sheriff’s office’s ongoing mission to prevent narcotics from entering our correctional facilities,” according to Wedel.

The case was expected to be submitted to the District Attorney’s Office for review.

The post Man, Woman Accused Of Smuggling Drugs Into Murrieta Jail By Mail appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

“There’s no indication of any near-term impacts from the overseas gas disruptions,” SoCal Edison spokesman David Eisenhauer told City News Service Friday. “From an electricity supply and pricing standpoint, we don’t see impacts.”

In Riverside, the municipally owned Riverside Public Utilities also was not forecasting any dramatic changes, noting that natural gas inputs to the power grid are “fairly moderate and limited.”

“Riverside’s internal natural gas generation … is typically used to meet just about 5% of the city’s total load-serving needs,” RPU told CNS. “And the expected amount of natural gas we anticipate using this summer has already been pre-purchased at competitive prices.”

Earlier this week, joint U.S.-Israel military attacks on Iran resulted in significant damage to the country’s South Pars natural gas field, one of the largest in the world and generally described as a “lifeline” to meet the Islamic republic’s needs.

The nation’s forces responded in kind, hurling missiles and drones at Qatar, which hosts the largest American military installation in the Middle East, inflicting major damage to liquified natural gas repositories. According to published reports, the LNG facilities could require three or more years to repair.

The tit-for-tat strikes come following Iran’s announced closure of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and LNG ship tanker traffic navigating the Persian Gulf, with the exception of a few select countries, and then only after payments in Chinese Yuan for passage, according to reports based on statements by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Spot market contracts on natural gas priced per million British thermal units spiked to nearly $3.30 BTUs on Thursday but receded 2% in U.S.- based commodities trading Friday, according to TradingEconomics.com and OilPrice.com. The softening was similar to minor downward adjustments in per- barrel spot prices for West Texas Intermediate Crude. Despite touching $100 a week ago, late futures trading Friday saw WTIC oil prices holding at $98 per barrel, which is still causing prices at the gasoline pump to steadily rise everywhere.

Domestic oil prices have been mildly restrained by the White House’s decision to release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. In overseas oil futures trading, per-barrel prices on some crude products have already jumped to nearly $150.

While diesel or other fuel isn’t vital to run power plants, natural gas often is, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

“Natural gas is the single-largest source of energy used to generate electricity in the United States, making up 43% of electricity generation,” the EIA said.

The Imperial Irrigation District, which supplies electricity to a large swath of the eastern Coachella Valley, told CNS there’s an “action plan” in place to contend with any price surges stemming from greater pressure on U.S. natural gas producers to sell more product overseas due to Middle East supply breakdowns.

“Of 1,340 megawatts, 40% of this power generation would come from natural gas,” IID said. “To protect against market volatility, we have a risk management policy and procurement plan … that supports a strategic natural gas and energy hedging program, giving us flexibility to changing conditions.”

The utility said that as of now, “we have secured up to 90% of our forecasted natural gas requirements for this summer.”

IID said its power purchasing team keeps a close eye on market fluctuations and can “make resource decisions daily, hourly and even minute by minute … to protect customers from volatility.”

SoCal Edison’s power portfolio is sufficiently diverse to “help shield customers” from market shocks, according to Eisenhauer.

“Unlike gasoline, which can re-price quickly, electricity rates don’t move in real time,” he said.

SCE is the largest energy provider in Riverside County.

Eisenhauer said less than 10% of SCE’s power plants operate exclusively on natural gas, and he emphasized that pricing adjustments are subject to hearings at the state level.

According to RPU, because of advance contracts on natural gas purchases, “even if natural gas prices start to rise significantly, Riverside will be protected by fixed cost forward gas purchases.”

The utility further noted that most of its acquisitions originate from Delta, Utah, “where natural gas is much less expensive.”

“RPU staff do not anticipate experiencing any material deviations to our budgeted energy costs this year, regardless of how domestic natural gas prices might change,” the agency stated.

The U.S.-Israel operations, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” started with the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader and most of his family, as well as the bombing of a girls school, where more than 150 children died, according to Amnesty International and multiple other sources. The Trump administration did not obtain a formal declaration of war from Congress, and no exit strategy has been announced by the White House.

Iran’s IRGC and military have made it clear the U.S. needs to vacate the entire region to restore peace.

Inflation predictions vary, but energy price impacts from the war will likely weigh on most sectors of the economy, according to the Federal Reserve Bank and other sources.

The post RivCo Utilities Prepared For Potential Energy Price Shocks From Mideast War appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Anthony Silvas Miera, 51, of Spring Valley was arrested in December following an investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Cold Case Unit.

Miera is slated for arraignment Friday before Superior Court Judge Jay Kiel at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

The defendant is being held on $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Jarred Bishop, he allegedly gunned down 21- year-old Raymond Cardenas in the predawn hours of June 18, 2006, on Citrus Street, near Northgate Street, less than a half-mile south of Interstate 215.

Bishop alleged there was an unspecified confrontation between the men on the street during which Miera pulled a handgun and opened fire, then fled.

The victim managed to run to a nearby residence and wake the occupants, who called 911.

“Deputies arrived on scene and located … Cardenas, suffering from gunshot wounds,” the sergeant said.

The young man was pronounced dead minutes later by paramedics.

“Although Miera was identified as a suspect (at the time), there was insufficient evidence to charge him, and the case went cold,” Bishop said.

He said the investigation was shelved until Cold Case Unit detectives reopened it in August.

“After conducting additional investigation, the unit developed sufficient evidence to charge Miera,” Bishop said, without providing specifics.

An arrest warrant was served at Miera’s residence, where he was taken into custody without incident on Dec. 26.

He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

The post Man Accused In Deadly RivCo Attack Almost 20 Years Ago Due In Court appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Deputies found that George Ortiz, 62, of Corona was experiencing an unspecified medical emergency inside his cell Wednesday when custody staff and jail medical personnel immediately conducted livesaving measures until paramedics arrived a short time later. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Investigators from the sheriff’s department and the Riverside County coroner’s bureau assumed the investigation. Authorities determined that there were no signs of foul play.

Anyone with information regarding Ortiz or his death was asked to contact Investigator Art Rodriguez at 951-955-6950.

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Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department responded to the 20900 block of Verta Street around 9:50 p.m. Saturday to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon.

Upon arrival, deputies located a woman, later identified as 56-year-old Guadalupe Laborin of Mead Valley suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Laborin was pronounced dead at the scene.

Laborin’s son, identified as 26-year-old Julio Garcia of Mead Valley, was also found at the scene suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the sheriff’s department. Garcia was also pronounced dead at the scene. The department did not indicate whether a firearm was recovered at the scene.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Central Homicide Unit assumed the investigation, which led them to believe that Garcia shot his mother, then himself.

No additional suspects were believed to be involved, and the motive of the shooting was unknown.

Anyone with additional information was encouraged to contact investigator Cook at 951-217-8847 or investigator Garcia-Flores at 951-210-1000.

The post Mother, Son Killed In Apparent Murder-Suicide In Riverside County appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Daniel Brandon Gonzalez, 23, of Perris was convicted in September of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, two counts of armed robbery and one count of being a felon in possession of a loaded gun, in addition to sentence- enhancing gun use allegations.

The Banning jury acquitted him of attempted murder in connection with the March 2024 attack.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Samuel Diaz is scheduled to hand down the sentence Friday afternoon at the Banning Justice Center.

Gonzalez is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.

His co-defendant, 24-year-old Ethan Michael Morris of Perris, pleaded guilty in 2024 to grand theft under a pretrial agreement negotiated with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In exchange for his admission, prosecutors dropped two related charges against Morris. He was sentenced to six years in state prison.

According to Sgt. Chad Thompson of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the pair confronted several people, whose identities were not disclosed, shortly after 8 p.m. on March 15, 2024, at a business in the 500 block of West Fourth Street, near Park Avenue.

During the encounter, Gonzalez pulled a handgun and demanded money from the victims, then shot at them but missed, authorities said. No one was injured.

The defendants immediately fled the location.

Detectives spent the ensuing days developing leads that ultimately pointed to Gonzalez and Morris as the robbers. A search warrant was served within a week at Gonzalez’s property in the 300 block of West Third Street, where “items of evidentiary value were located, along with three firearms,” Thompson said.

The defendant was taken into custody without incident.

Morris had been arrested days earlier after he was questioned by detectives at the sheriff’s Perris station.

Court records show Gonzalez has prior convictions for domestic violence and assault, while Morris had a prior for assault resulting in great bodily injury.

The post Convicted Felon Due For Sentencing Friday In RivCo Armed Robbery appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Misty Britan was arrested at the scene of Monday’s crash in Moreno Valley, according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Marcos Acosta. She was being held at the Robert Presley Detention Center and was due in court at the Riverside Hall of Justice on Friday to answer a charge of vehicular manslaughter.

Just after 6:15 p.m. Monday, a major two-car collision occurred at the intersection of Alessandro Boulevard and Frederick Street. “Both drivers, sole occupants, were trapped inside their vehicles,” Acosta said.

Yoseph Asfaw, 37, of Moreno Valley, was pronounced deceased at the hospital, his identity was released after notification of next of kin.

This is an ongoing investigation, and no further details are available at this time, police said.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call Deputy Jonathan Glass of the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station at 951-486-6700 or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office at 951-776-1099.

The post Southwest RivCo Woman Arrested In Fatal Crash appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Ian Norwood Wentz, 47, of Lake Elsinore was arrested and booked into the Byrd Detention Center Sunday on suspicion of murder after he surrendered to deputies at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department station in Lake Elsinore.

Wentz is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

His case was under review Wednesday by the District Attorney’s Office.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Alberto Loureiro, shortly before 9 p.m. Saturday, the suspect was involved in an unspecified dispute with Garrett Pickering in the 2000 block of East Lakeshore Drive, near Elm Street.

During the confrontation, Wentz allegedly pulled a handgun and shot Pickering, then fled the scene, Loureiro said.

Witnesses called 911, and patrol deputies and paramedics reached the location minutes later, at which point the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wentz was soon identified as the alleged shooter, but before a search was initiated, the suspect surrendered without incident Sunday at the sheriff’s station on Limited Avenue.

There was no word on whether the two men were acquainted or strangers.

Background information on Wentz was unavailable.

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