California - Houston Stringer

Roger Ver, known as ‘Bitcoin Jesus,’ wrote $50 million check to IRS to resolve tax case

15Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California, U.S.

Roger Ver, known as ‘Bitcoin Jesus,’ wrote $50 million check to IRS to resolve tax case

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Justice announced that Roger Ver, an early bitcoin investor widely known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” entered into a deferred prosecution agreement to resolve federal tax charges related to his failure to report bitcoin holdings when he renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2014. As part of the agreement, Ver has paid nearly $50 million in back taxes, penalties, and interest to the Internal Revenue Service. The government has moved to dismiss the indictment against him. According to the deferred prosecution agreement, Ver began acquiring bitcoins in 2011 and publicly promoted the cryptocurrency, earning his nickname. In March 2014, he expatriated from the United States after obtaining citizenship in St. Kitts and Nevis. Because of his net worth, he was req...

San Diego man wrote letter to media personality in Florida threatening violence, federal charges filed

15Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California, Florida, U.S.

San Diego man wrote letter to media personality in Florida threatening violence, federal charges filed

WASHINGTON, D.C - The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that, George Russell Isbell Jr., 69, of San Diego, was charged in a criminal complaint with mailing a threatening communication after his arrest Oct. 7 in San Diego. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the arrest stemmed from coordinated work among state, local and federal law enforcement. Bondi said investigators located a letter mailed from San Diego on or about Sept. 18 that threatened to injure a media personality located in Tampa, Florida, and stated the victim “needed to be exterminated.” The letter referenced a recently killed associate and included language such as, “Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete...

Victorville man arrested for murder in Chino Hills domestic violence homicide

14Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

Victorville man arrested for murder in Chino Hills domestic violence homicide

CHINO HILLS, CA – A Victorville man has been arrested for murder following the death of a Chino Hills woman in what investigators believe was a domestic violence-related incident. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to the 4000 block of Village Drive around 10:23 p.m. on October 8, 2025, for a medical aid call. They found 44-year-old Jillian Jones deceased inside her residence. She had suffered a fatal traumatic injury. The suspect, 62-year-old Vincent Ratliff of Victorville, was not at the scene when deputies arrived. Detectives from the Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division – Homicide Detail determined that Jones and Ratliff had been in a romantic relationship. On October 9, 2025, Sheriff’s Specialized Enforcement Division ...

Man arrested for homicide after woman found bleeding in Costa Mesa motel

14Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

Man arrested for homicide after woman found bleeding in Costa Mesa motel

COSTA MESA, CA – The Costa Mesa Police Department has arrested a man on suspicion of homicide after a woman was found unresponsive and bleeding in a motel room on South Coast Drive. According to police, officers and Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue responded around 6 a.m. on October 13 to the 1500 block of South Coast Drive. They located a 32-year-old woman, identified as Yu Wang of Laguna Niguel, who was transported to a hospital and later pronounced deceased. At the scene, officers arrested Max Blumencranz, 31, of Costa Mesa for homicide. The nature of the relationship between the victim and the suspect remains under investigation. Detectives are continuing their work on the case and are withholding further information to protect the investigation’s integrity. The Costa Mesa ...

Woman rescued after being kidnapped and forced into cross-country crime spree

13Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

Woman rescued after being kidnapped and forced into cross-country crime spree

CHINO HILLS, CA – A woman was rescued by deputies after she was allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and forced to travel across the country committing fraud in a scheme to repay debts, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The incident began around 2:43 p.m. on October 11, 2025, when deputies responded to The Shoppes at Chino Hills located at 13920 City Center Drive for a report of suspicious individuals loitering in front of Sephora. Upon arrival, deputies detained two individuals and discovered multiple fraudulent identification cards, social security cards, and debit cards during the investigation. One of the detained individuals, a 51-year-old woman from North Carolina, told deputies she had been kidnapped and forced to travel across the country with 28-year...

Two-vehicle crash in Apple Valley leaves ATV rider dead

13Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

Two-vehicle crash in Apple Valley leaves ATV rider dead

APPLE VALLEY, CA – A 40-year-old man was pronounced deceased following a two-vehicle collision involving an ATV and a passenger vehicle in Apple Valley. The crash occurred around 4:59 p.m. on October 12, 2025, at the intersection of Navajo Road and Ottawa Road. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Juan M. Rodriguez Mendoza was riding a blue 2002 Yamaha YFM660 westbound on Ottawa Road when he entered the intersection and into the path of a silver 2016 Honda CR-V traveling southbound on Navajo Road. The Honda, driven by a 58-year-old Apple Valley resident with two passengers, struck the Yamaha broadside, ejecting Rodriguez Mendoza from the ATV. He was transported to a local hospital for a higher level of care but was later pronounced deceased. The driver ...

Porterville man arrested after woman set on fire in Tulare County

12Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

Porterville man arrested after woman set on fire in Tulare County

TULARE COUNTY, CA – A Porterville man has been arrested after allegedly setting a woman on fire, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded just before 5:30 p.m. on October 10, 2025, to the 24100 block of Avenue 120 in Porterville for a medical aid call. Upon arrival, they found a woman suffering from severe burns to her face, arms, and torso. An investigation revealed that 42-year-old Sean Hofmann had intentionally poured a highly flammable accelerant on or near the victim, resulting in the woman being set on fire. She was airlifted to a nearby hospital and is currently listed in stable condition. Hofmann was taken into custody without incident. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact Detective Javier Montoya at the Tulare County...

Homicide victim found in 1981 orchard identified as Maria Belmontes Blancas

9Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

Homicide victim found in 1981 orchard identified as Maria Belmontes Blancas

FILLMORE, CA – The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has identified the woman known for decades only as “Jane Doe” in a 1981 homicide case as Maria Belmontes Blancas. According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Bureau and Cold Case Unit, Maria’s body was discovered on January 27, 1981, in a citrus orchard near Piru. She had been shot multiple times, and her death was ruled a homicide. Despite an initial investigation, her identity remained unknown for over four decades. The Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation in 2023 and used advanced DNA analysis to suggest Maria's family may have originated from Michoacán, Mexico. Working with Redgrave Research Forensic Services, investigators traced potential family members, and by summer 2025, they were able to confirm M...

29-year-old man arrested in connection to Palisades Fire ignition

8Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

29-year-old man arrested in connection to Palisades Fire ignition

LOS ANGELES, CA – A 29-year-old man, Jonathan Rinderknech, has been arrested on suspicion of starting the Palisades Fire, which later grew into a destructive wildfire, according to federal and local law enforcement officials. The fire caused significant damage in the Palisades area, prompting widespread evacuations and firefighting efforts. Rinderknech is facing federal charges related to the ignition of the blaze. Further details about the investigation have not yet been released.

14 arrested in Hesperia train burglary probe

7Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

California

14 arrested in Hesperia train burglary probe

HESPERIA, CA – Fourteen individuals were arrested and approximately $55,000 in U.S. currency was recovered as part of a train burglary investigation led by the Rural Crimes Task Force. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, the arrests occurred on October 6, 2025, around 6:30 a.m., when investigators from the Rural Crimes Task Force, with assistance from BNSF railroad police and the Hesperia Station Detective Bureau, served a search warrant at a residence in the 14600 block of Willow Street. The warrant was tied to an ongoing investigation into train burglaries within the Victor Valley area. As officers arrived, seven suspects attempted to flee but were quickly apprehended with the help of Sheriff’s Aviation and Hesperia deputies. Another seven individuals w...