San Diego Superior Court Judge Lisa Rodriguez indicated in court she would consider no more than one year in jail or imposing an alternative sentence other than jail.
A gavel. (File photo courtesy UC Berkeley Law)
A Mission Hills man has pleaded guilty to a hit and run in which a pedestrian was struck and killed in 2024.
Steven Mark Davis, 69, was walking down Hancock Street around 5 a.m. March 6 when he was struck by a car driven by William John Christian, 59, who also lives in Mission Hills.
The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment but died the same day, court records say.
Christian entered the guilty plea on the day he was set to face a preliminary hearing.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Lisa Rodriguez indicated in court she would consider no more than one year in jail or imposing an alternative sentence other than jail, said Tanya Sierra, a spokesperson for District Attorney Summer Stephan.
Sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 30. Christian remains free on a $100,000 bond.
San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings in El Cajon. (Photo courtesy of Google Street View)
An El Cajon-area business that was raided by federal agents earlier this year pleaded guilty Wednesday along with its hiring manager to federal charges related to employing undocumented workers.
In March, federal agents swarmed San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings’ warehouse on Magnolia Avenue and detained numerous individuals at the business, which specializes in paint and coatings, including for military and government vessels.
Prosecutors said the company’s general manager, John Washburn, employed undocumented workers and let them live inside the company’s warehouse. Washburn pleaded guilty earlier this year to engaging in a pattern or practice of employing aliens, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service.
On Wednesday, the company pleaded guilty and as part of its plea agreement, admitted Washburn and others hired people who did not have authorization to work in the United States.
The company also agreed to forfeit $230,000 it gained as a result and agreed to take part in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) program. The program involves an agreement by participating companies to audits verifying that only people authorized to work in the U.S. are employed and training on topics like fraudulent documents and forced labor.
The company’s hiring manager, Karli Buxton, 41, also pleaded guilty and admitted she was aware some employees presented fraudulent documents indicating they were authorized to work in the country.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Washburn’s case, the investigation into the business involved an undercover Homeland Security Investigations agent who obtained a job there with a fraudulent Permanent Resident card and Social Security number.
The agent secured the job with the help of a “confidential source” who worked there and told Washburn he was looking to get his “friend” a job.
The complaint alleges that during the conversation, it was clear Washburn was aware the “friend” was purportedly undocumented and that multiple other employees at the business were also undocumented.
Washburn’s plea agreement includes admissions that he knew at least 10 of the company’s workers were undocumented immigrants and that he had discussed with other managers that some employees weren’t legally authorized to work in the United States. Those discussions led to only assigning employees with “good paperwork” to work at military bases due to the extensive screening procedures on-base.
San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings admitted in its plea agreement that it knowingly avoided sending undocumented workers to military bases or ports of entry due to stricter screening procedures at those locations.
Co-conspirator of suspended Osceola County sheriff pleads guilty to money laundering
WESH TWO NEWS ON CW STARTS NOW. FIRST TONIGHT, TWO MORE CO-DEFENDANTS IN THE CASE AGAINST SUSPENDED OSCEOLA SHERIFF MARCOS LOPEZ TOOK PLEA DEALS. TODAY. I’M JESSE PAGAN AND I’M MICHELLE IMPERATO LOPEZ’S ESTRANGED WIFE. AND ANOTHER CODEFENDANT. CHRISTINA DURAN. AN ALLEGED ILLEGAL GAMBLING OPERATION. THEY BOTH PLED GUILTY. WESH TWO HAYLEY CROMBLEHOLME IS LIVE AT THE LAKE COUNTY JAIL. HAYLEY. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THEM? SO AT THIS POINT, ANY SENTENCE COULD BE FACING THAT’S YET TO BE DETERMINED. THAT’S GOING TO BE UP TO THE COURT TO DECIDE. BUT FOR ROBIN LOPEZ, AFTER SHE WAS RELEASED FROM THE LAKE COUNTY JAIL HERE THIS AFTERNOON, IT APPEARS SHE’LL BE AVOIDING PRISON TIME AND AVOIDING A FELONY CONVICTION. NOW THIS ALL COMES. THESE PLEA DEALS JUST DAYS AFTER COURT DOCUMENTS ALLEGE THAT DIOR WAS PREPARED TO TESTIFY THAT HE GAVE CASH IN AN ENVELOPE TO ROBIN LOPEZ FROM THAT GAMBLING OPERATION TO GIVE TO MARCOS. IN THIS VIDEO FROM BACK IN JULY, ROBIN LOPEZ WAS RELEASED FROM JAIL FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT RACKETEERING CHARGE. WHAT IS THIS FOR? IT’S A WARRANT OUT OF LAKE COUNTY. SHE WAS ARRESTED AGAIN IN OCTOBER FOR PROVIDING FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION OR OMITTING MATERIAL INFORMATION ON HER BOND APPLICATION, BUT MONDAY AFTERNOON, SHE LEFT THE LAKE COUNTY JAIL ONCE AGAIN AND BASED ON HER PLEA DEAL, IT DOESN’T SEEM LIKELY SHE’LL RETURN. THE AGREEMENT SAID LOPEZ IS CHANGING HER PLEA TO GUILTY ON A REDUCED CHARGE OF MONEY LAUNDERING AND PLEADING GUILTY TO THE CHARGE RELATED TO HER BAIL APPLICATION. IT SAYS SHE WILL FACE A MINIMUM OF 24 MONTHS PROBATION, BUT HER ADJUDICATION WILL BE WITHHELD. HER ATTORNEY, MICHELLE YARD, SAID IN A STATEMENT TODAY. ROBIN LOPEZ MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO ENTER A PLEA IN HER CASES. THIS PLEA ALLOWS HER TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN HOME TO HER FAMILY AND MOVE FORWARD WITH HER LIFE. IMPORTANTLY, THE COURT HAS WITHHELD ADJUDICATION, MEANING THAT SHE HAS NOT BEEN FORMALLY CONVICTED AND WILL NOT CARRY THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES OF A FELONY CONVICTION. THIS DIFFICULT DECISION WAS MADE WITH CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HER FUTURE. WE SPOKE WITH CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY RAJAN JOSHI ABOUT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE LINE IF ROBIN LOPEZ WAS CONVICTED. BEING A CONVICTED FELON WOULD HAVE BEEN LIFE CHANGING FOR HER, HE SAID. THAT KIND OF CONVICTION CAN IMPACT WHERE YOU CAN RENT AN APARTMENT, WHAT WEAPONS YOU CAN HAVE. AND IN SOME CASES, IF YOU CAN VOTE. ROBIN LOPEZ WASN’T THE ONLY CODEFENDANT TO STRIKE A DEAL MONDAY. KRISHNA DAREN, WHO INVESTIGATORS HAVE DESCRIBED AS AT THE HELM OF THE OPERATION, PLED GUILTY TO A MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGE, WITH THE AGREEMENT SAYING THE TIME HE WILL SERVE IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COURT. IT COULD MEAN A MAXIMUM OF FIVE YEARS IN PRISON. WITH THE PLEA DEALS REACHED MONDAY, MARCOS LOPEZ REMAINS THE ONLY CODEFENDANT ARRESTED TO NOT STRIKE A DEAL. WE ASKED JOSHI WHAT THAT COULD MEAN FOR HIS CASE. THAT’S NOT GOOD FOR SHERIFF LOPEZ BECAUSE HE’S THE LAST MAN STANDING, AND THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO’S GOING TO TAKE THE FALL FOR ALL THIS. EVERYONE ELSE CUT A DEAL, AND A LOT OF THE CO-DEFENDANTS ARE GOING TO BE TESTIFYING AGAINST HIM. NOW, WE DO EXPECT TO BE TESTIFYING IN THE CASE AGAINST MARCOS LOPEZ. AND ROBIN LOPEZ’S ATTORNEY SAYS HER CLIENT PROVIDED A SWORN STATEMENT TO PROSECUTORS TOD
Co-conspirator of suspended Osceola County sheriff pleads guilty to money laundering
A co-conspirator of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez has pleaded guilty to money laundering, according to court records.Krishna Deokaran’s guilty plea came on the same day as the estranged wife of the former sheriff, Robin Severance-Lopez, pleaded guilty to money laundering Monday. While Deokaran never faced any racketeering charges, investigators described him as standing “at the helm of the operation, overseeing its financial and logistical framework.”Unlike Severance-Lopez, Deokaran is being adjudicated guilty by the court. Deokaran could face up to five years in prison, according to court records. His sentence is to be decided at a later date. Marcos Lopez is accused of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments from Deokaran in exchange for protecting the casino, the Eclipse Social Club Casino, where the illegal gambling ring was based in Kissimmee.Deokaran is expected to testify at the eventual trial for the former sheriff, but the date has not yet been set. >> This is a developing story and will be updated as new information is released.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. —
A co-conspirator of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez has pleaded guilty to money laundering, according to court records.
Krishna Deokaran’s guilty plea came on the same day as the estranged wife of the former sheriff, Robin Severance-Lopez, pleaded guilty to money laundering Monday.
While Deokaran never faced any racketeering charges, investigators described him as standing “at the helm of the operation, overseeing its financial and logistical framework.”
Unlike Severance-Lopez, Deokaran is being adjudicated guilty by the court.
Deokaran could face up to five years in prison, according to court records. His sentence is to be decided at a later date.
Marcos Lopez is accused of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments from Deokaran in exchange for protecting the casino, the Eclipse Social Club Casino, where the illegal gambling ring was based in Kissimmee.
Deokaran is expected to testify at the eventual trial for the former sheriff, but the date has not yet been set.
>> This is a developing story and will be updated as new information is released.
Great Clips on Mission Gorge Road in Santee. (Photo courtesy of Google Street View)
A man who hurled merchandise and foul language at employees and customers inside a Santee hair salon pleaded guilty to an assault charge and is slated to be sentenced next month to six years in state prison.
August Marriott, 28, was seen in cell phone video that was posted to various social media platforms becoming irate with workers at the Great Clips salon on Mission Gorge Road in January.
Sheriff‘s officials said Marriott became angry upon arriving at Great Clips after a staffer pointed out that he was late for his appointment.
During the ensuing episode, Marriott vandalized the business, threatened employees and threw shampoo bottles at them, leaving one person with minor injuries, sheriff’s Sgt. Stephen Chambers said.
Marriott left the salon prior to the arrival of deputies, but was arrested later. Investigators subsequently identified him as the perpetrator of the violent outburst “thanks to many tips from the public,” the sergeant said.
Marriott initially bailed out of jail, but was arrested in Florida after law enforcement officials said he failed to make a court appearance.
Marriott is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 18. Along with the assault count, he admitted having a prior strike conviction as part of his plea.
Diana Cojocari, the mother of a girl who mysteriously disappeared from her Cornelius home after Thanksgiving 2022, pleaded guilty in court on Monday morning to failing to report her daughter missing.
Cojocari, 39, who was in the United States on a green card, will likely be released later Monday, said Mecklenburg Superior Court Judge Thomas Davis. She’s already served 17 months in the Mecklenburg County Detention Center — the maximum sentence for failing to report a child missing.
When released, it is “probable and highly likely” that Cojocari will be deported, Davis told her in court Monday.
Standing in jail scrubs between her retained lawyers, Daniel Roberts and a co-counsel, Cojocari said she understood.
Her release comes the same day her husband and co-defendant, Christopher Palmiter, was scheduled to begin trial. But a separate trial held in the same courtroom must come to a close before Palmiter’s trial can begin, said Mike Stolp, a spokesman for the Mecklenburg District Attorney’s Office.
School counselors called Diana Cojocari and Palmiter — Madalina’s stepfather — to Bailey Middle School after her teacher noticed a long absence following the Cornelius school’s 2022 Thanksgiving break. She was last seen Nov. 23, 2022, police say, but the couple didn’t report her missing until Dec. 15 of that year.
By Dec. 17, Cornelius police had arrested the couple, charging each with failure to report a missing child.
Palmiter posted his $25,000 bond, which was originally $200,000, and Cojocari has remained in jail under a $250,000 bond.
Both Cojocari and Palmiter have been interviewed by police, but neither have offered any explanation as to why they didn’t report the girl missing, prosecutors said in a previous court hearing. Only bits of conflicting information exist in court documents, and they tend to introduce more questions — none of which were answered.
At her last arraignment in February, Cojocari refused to leave her jail cell when she was scheduled to appear across the street in the courthouse.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
This story was originally published May 20, 2024, 11:09 AM.
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Julia Coin covers local and federal courts and legal issues after previously working as a breaking news reporter for the Observer. Julia has reported on fentanyl in local schools, the aftermath of police shootings and crime trends in Charlotte, and she occasionally photographs and reviews local concerts.. Michigan-born and Florida-raised, she studied journalism at the University of Florida, where she covered statewide legislation, sexual assault on campus and Hurricane Ian’s destruction. Support my work with a digital subscription
