Police blotter 9-18-20

by Mick Rhodes | mickrhodes@claremont-courier.com

Tuesday, September 8

A Claremont police officer on patrol at the DoubleTree Hotel, 555 W. Foothill Blvd., learned “through investigative means” that two guests of the hotel had warrants out for their arrest. So at 12:20 p.m. the officer approached the room in which the suspects were staying and one of them, Lorainerae McGuigan, a 28-year-old from Alta Loma, allegedly ran back inside and locked the door. The officer said he could hear the sound of items being flushed down the toilet as he attempted to gain entry. He was eventually let inside where a search allegedly turned up stolen credit cards and narcotics for sale. Ms. McGuigan was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale, identity theft, obstruction of a police officer, destroying evidence, and for two warrants. She was booked and issued a citation to appear in court. Her companion, 34-year-old Adam Heredia from Alta Loma, was charged with possession and identity theft and placed on a “felony parole hold” for violating his parole. He was held in jail before appearing in court.

Wednesday, September 9

Claremont PD got a call shortly after midnight from a woman who said she had been robbed of her cell phone in the parking lot of the Motel 6 at 840 S. Indian Hill Blvd. Police arrived and interviewed the victim, who described a man she said approached her, grabbed the phone out of her hand and ran off. The victim was not physically harmed. Cops quickly located a man nearby who fit the description—Pomona resident Joseph Sanabria, 41—and allegedly found the hot phone on him. Mr. Sanabria was also on parole for a previous felony conviction for assault with a deadly weapon. He was arrested for a new felony charge of robbery and placed on a parole hold. He spent a couple days in the Claremont jail before appearing in Pomona Superior Court September 11. Officers returned the phoneto the victim.

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Claremont police made three 3 a.m. arrests after an officer stopped a car for a vehicle code violation near First Street and Harvard Avenue. The driver, Gavin Ramirez, 33, from La Verne, and his front passenger, Victorino Penuelas, 45, from Upland, were both arrested for misdemeanor possession of burglary tools. In the backseat was Monique Ponce, 35, from Alhambra, who allegedly had heroin, cocaine, ecstasy or another drug on her (the report didn’t specify which drug), and was picked up for possession of a controlled substance. All three were booked and release with citations to appear in court.

Thursday, September 10

A Claremont Graduate University Campus Safety officer called CPD at 1 a.m. to report that some people were attempting to steal a bike from a rack on campus at 1450 N. College Ave. Officers arrived and saw a car leaving the scene and pulled over the driver, Pedro Betancourt, a 30-year-old Pomonan, whom they arrested for an outstanding warrant from San Bernardino County. Passengers Maria Valencia-Diego, 21, and Julio Marin, 32, also from Pomona, were arrested on the misdemeanor charge of attempted property theft. Ms. Valencia-Diego picked up additional misdemeanors for possession of burglary tools and prowling. All three were booked, issued citations and released.

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Seventy-year-old local car repair shop Connie and Dick’s received some welcome dividends on their security investment. Police were called at 10:30 a.m. to the shop at 150 Olive St. They had a look at surveillance footage and recognized Claremont resident Alex Alanis, 54, as the man vandalizing a block wall, which resulted in about $1,000 in damage. Just a half-hour later, officers on patrol saw Mr. Alanis at Mallows Park at Indian Hill Boulevard and Harrison Avenue and arrested him for the felony vandalism charge. He was booked and held in the Claremont jail before appearing in Pomona court September 14. 

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CPD had another satisfied customer and another alleged felon in custody after getting a 12:30 p.m. call from a 36-year-old man who said his blue 2012 Toyota Prius had been stolen from his Claremont workplace. Police relayed the hot car’s information to the squad, and 15 minutes later an officer saw it moving in the 300 block of east Foothill Boulevad in Pomona. The driver, Pomona resident Dominique Johnson, 31, was arrested for felony grand theft auto. Her passenger, Jaziah Smith, 19, also from Pomona, was picked up for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine. Mr. Smith was booked and released with a citation to appear in Pomona Superior Court. Ms. Johnson spent a couple days in Claremont jail before appearing in Pomona court September 16. When commended for the quick action by police, CPD Lieutenant Jason Walters said, “Sometimes we get lucky.”

Tuesday, September 15

Claremont police stopped a driver for a code violation at 2 a.m. near Indian Hill  and American Aveune and found the driver, 34-year-old Pomona resident Daniel Girard, had two warrants. They also allegedly found a pipe on him and some meth in his car. He was arrested for the warrants, and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. He was released with a citation.

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A CPD officer on patrol checked on a parked car with four people inside at 3 p.m. at the 76 station, 1092 W. Foothill Blvd. All four passengers were arrested including the driver, 38-year-old Baldwin Park resident James Scott, for possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; passenger Belinda Mendez, 52, from Baldwin Park, for that same charge and possession of drug paraphernalia, a meth pipe, as well as for two warrants; Silvia Cervantes, 37, from Pomona, for possession of meth and meth pipe; and 37-year-old Pomonan Priscilla Sigala for two warrants. Everyone was booked and released with citations to appear save Ms. Mendez, who spent the night in jail before appearing in court on September 16.