On January 25th, a concerned citizen noticed a man loitering around a Southern California Edison electric power pole in the easement behind their property, and reported him to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Dispatch.

Deputies conducted an investigation that lead to the identification of James Ulmer as the suspect.  Ulmer was seen loitering around the power pole and removing the ground wire from the pole.

After a lengthy investigation, evidence was collected that showed James Ulmer, 43, of Apple Valley, had climbed one hundred power poles that belonged to Southern California Edison Corporation and removed the bare copper ground wires from the power poles.  Ulmer removed ground wires from power poles in an approximate five square mile residential area of Apple Valley.  The theft of the ground wire spanned over a two and a half month time frame ending on January 25th.

Each time Ulmer would steal ground wire, he and his wife, Maxine Ulmer, 44, also of Apple Valley, would take the stolen wire to local recycling centers where they were selling the wire as scrap metal.

The estimated damage to the power poles by the removal of the ground wire and subsequent pole damage is estimated by Southern California Edison to be approximately $130,000 dollars.

After an extensive investigation, both Maxine and James Ulmer were arrested on May 3rd and booked in to the Victorville jail on numerous charges of grand theft and vandalism.

James Ulmer is currently on probation for metal theft out of San Diego County.

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A man wanted in connection with several car burglaries since March around the Yucaipa and Calimesa areas was arrested on Tuesday after deputies found him hiding in a house.  The homeowner was also arrested.

At around 6:30 a.m. on May 15th, deputies from the Yucaipa Police Department responded to the area of the 34000 block of County Line Road after a reported sighting of a wanted suspect, Shawn Loren Green (pictured right).  Green, 34, of Yucapia was wanted for questioning regarding multiple vehicle burglaries recently committed along County Line Road in both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. 

Deputies arrived in the area shortly after receiving the call and located Green, however he ran off and eluded deputies until later in the day. 

Yucaipa Detectives and Multi Enforcement Deputies continued to follow leads throughout the day and eventually located Green at around 5:45 p.m. at a residence in the same block of County Line Road where he was seen earlier.  

After a brief search of the residence, deputies found Green hiding inside.  He was taken into custody without incident.  He was booked for two outstanding arrest warrants at Central Detention Center, and is being held without bail.

Also arrested was Deborah Argott, 57, of Yucaipa, the owner of the residence where Green was found hiding.  Argott was arrested for harboring a fugitive as detectives believe she had knowledge of Green’s wanted status.  She was also booked at the Central Detention Center.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Deputy Danny Rice or Deputy Sherrie Eversole at the Yucaipa Police Department at 909-790-3105; or Deputy Chris Ternes at the Cabazon Sheriff’s Station at 951-922-7100 or 800-950-2444, or email the Cabazon Station at CabazonStation@RiversideSheriff.org

See related story:  Two suspects sought in connection with car burglaries in Yucaipa and Calimesa

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Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in Grand Terrace last Friday evening.

During their investigation of the shooting death of David Preston, 27, of Yucaipa, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s detectives identified the suspect as Michael Jamal Williams, 26, of San Bernardino.

On May 13th, a traffic stop was made in the area of Acacia and 8th Street in Grand Terrace.  Michael Jamal Williams was found to be the passenger in that vehicle.

Williams was arrested without incident.  He was booked into the Central Detention Center for murder and is being held without bail.

Anyone with any information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective Randy German or Sergeant Brad Toms at 909-387-3598, or anonymously contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463). 

See related story:  Suspect sought in fatal shooting of Yucaipa man in Grand Terrace

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The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Crimes Against Children Unit received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Los Angeles Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of a suspected child pornography video that was uploaded onto YouTube in February this year.  The video was of a Hispanic male sexually molesting a girl that appeared to be about 10 years old.

Investigation revealed that the video was created in Mexico, but uploaded from a residence in Ontario.  The investigation also led to the identification of the man in the video as Jesus Jose Zepeda, 30, of Ontario, who is currently on probation for an unrelated charge.

Detectives from the Crimes Against Children Unit along with officers from the Ontario Police Department located Jesus in his vehicle parked in front of a residence in Ontario.

Zepeda was arrested for possession of child pornography and booked at the West Valley Detention Center.  He is being held on a No Bail probation hold.  Because the molestation in the video occurred in another country, Zepeda was not arrested for molestation.

Anyone with further information about Jesus Zepeda is encouraged to contact the Crimes Against Children Unit at 909-387-3615, or anonymously contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com

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UC Riverside is partnering with California Pizza Kitchen at the Riverside Plaza to raise money for its Guardian Scholars program on Wednesday, May 16th.

The program provides a network of resources to students who are “aging out” or “emancipating” from the foster care system, and helps them earn a college degree.  The program draws on the resources, strength and support of the UCR community to provide scholars with a comprehensive college experience and the opportunity to explore and realize their full potential.

The flyer is required for CPK to donate 20% of the day’s proceeds to the organization.  Print a copy of the flyer shown at the right and present it to your server.

For more information, contact Jan at 951-827-5671.

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At around 7:30 a.m. on May 16th, CalFire/Riverside County firefighters responded to a call reporting smoke coming from a multi-family residential structure located in the 70000 block of Country Club Drive in Palm Desert.

The first arriving engine company reported an established fire in the center unit of the single story, multi-family dwelling.

Forty-one firefighters had the fire contained within an hour.

Three units were damaged by the fire, displacing approximately 12 adults.  The American Red Cross was requested to assist.

No injuries were reported.

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At around midnight on May 16th, Riverside Police and Fire Departments responded to reports of a single-car collision involving a vehicle crashing into a pole on Jurupa Avenue near Fremont Street in Riverside.

Emergency personnel arrived and found the driver, who was the sole occupant, partially ejected from the vehicle.  The victim, identified as Kenneth Pentoney II, 22, of Riverside, was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to witnesses, the 1970 Chevy pickup truck was traveling westbound on Jurupa Avenue approaching Fremont Street at a high rate of speed.  As the vehicle rounded a curve in the roadway, the driver lost control and skidded across the street and into a metal utility pole just east of Fremont Street.

The Major Accident Investigation Team (M.A.I.T.) responded to the scene and the collision is under investigation.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Rick Prince at 951-826-8722.

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Alert Redlands Police detectives located a car after it was seen leaving a thwarted residential burglary, arresting four people and recovering items taken in another residential burglary.  The suspects are also believed to be responsible for several burglaries in Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Yucaipa, Highland, Colton and Fontana.

At about 10:30 a.m. on May 10th, officers responded to the 1300 block of Grove Street after a homeowner reported frightening off a group of men who first knocked at his front door before going to the back yard and attempting to break into his home.  The resident gave officers a description of the suspects and a two-door black sedan seen leaving the neighborhood.

A Redlands Police lieutenant and sergeant heard the call and began checking exit routes from the City.  They pulled over the suspect vehicle on Greenspot Road as it was heading toward Highland.

While police were investigating, a report came in of another residential burglary in the 1100 block of Lincoln Street.  A search of the suspect vehicle yielded property stolen during that burglary.

Arrested were Anthony Allen Butler, 19; Revy Tyree Bland, 22; and two male juveniles, ages 16 and 17, all from San Bernardino.  Butler and Bland were booked into San Bernardino County Jail and the juveniles were taken to Juvenile Hall.  All four were charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and possession of stolen property.

Redlands Police Detectives are currently working with surrounding Inland Empire police agencies to determine if the suspects were involved in a string of at least six burglaries in nearby communities.  Investigators say in many of the burglaries two of the suspects would knock loudly several times on the front door of a residence.  If there was no answer, three of the suspects would enter the back yard and force entry or enter an unsecured door or window.  The driver stayed in the vehicle and acted as a lookout.  The burglars targeted specific items, mainly electronics and jewelry.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Redlands Police Dispatch at 909-798-7681.  Anonymous tips can be provided by texting 274637 using the keyword “REDTIP.”

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At around 3:30 p.m. on May 14th, officers from the Temecula Police Department responded to the Serena Hills Park in the 40700 block of Walcott Lane near La Serena Way in Temecula regarding a report of indecent exposure.

A woman had arrived at the park with her two pre-school-age children, and was sitting in her vehicle waiting for a friend to arrive when she noticed a man sitting on a park bench.  The man saw her sitting in her vehicle and exposed himself.  He then moved from the park bench to the children’s play area to be closer to the victim’s vehicle, and sat on the slide as he continued to expose himself.

The victim was able to discretely call the police by using a hands-free communication device in her vehicle, and directed officers to the suspect’s location.

The suspect, who was identified as Michael Welch, 39, of Temecula was arrested for indecent exposure and was booked into the Southwest Detention Center.

Anyone with information about this case, or who may have possibly been at the Serena Hills Park at the time of this incident is asked to contact the Temecula Police Department at 951-696-3000.

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Shortly before 6:30 p.m. on May 11th, Sheriff’s Dispatch received several call of shots heard in the 22400 block of De Berry Street in Grand Terrace.  While deputies were responding to the call, dispatch received additional calls indicating that someone was possibly shot.

Deputies arrived on scene at approximately 6:39 p.m. and located the victim on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound.  He was identified as David Preston, 27, of Yucaipa. 

Medical aid responded to the scene and transported Preston to Loma Linda University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 7:30 p.m.

The suspect is at large.  He has been described as a black male, approximately 20 to 25 years of age.  No further description has been provided.

Anyone with any information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective Randy German or Sergeant Brad Toms at 909-387-3598, or anonymously contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463). 

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