Law enforcement officers across Southern California worked together last week to target people who purchase humans for sex in an investigation dubbed "Operation Reclaim and Rebuild."
The effort “targeted men who buy human beings for sex, as products,” said Summer Stephan, Chief Deputy District Attorney.
Investigators posted ads for sex online offering sex for money. When potential buyers showed up to a hotel expecting to buy a person for sex, law enforcement officers took them into custody.
Stephan said 142 men were arrested, accused of soliciting prostitution. She said 28 children were rescued by officers.
The illegal sex trade is believed to generate $810 million annually, making it the second-largest criminal industry in San Diego County. Illegal narcotics is the top criminal industry, Stephan said.
No other information was immediately available.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
The Lawrence Family JCC was evacuated early Tuesday following a threat, San Diego police confirmed.
At the same time, at least three other JCC buildings across the U.S. received similar threats.
The center in La Jolla called police just before 9 a.m. reporting the threat. Officers responded and moved people inside the building to nearby La Jolla Country Day as a precaution.
The center typically has preschool, senior activities, fitness center activity and meetings going on this time of day.
JCC buildings in New Haven, Conn., Boulder, Colo., and Albany, N.Y. were also evacuated due to threats early Tuesday, according to news reports in those cities.
Say it ain’t so: Weezer are coming to 2017 Kaaboo Del Mar. In the first lineup announcement for the annual festival’s third installment, organizers have named the beloved alt-rock group -- famous for hits like “Buddy Holly,” “Beverly Hills,” “Hash Pipe” and “Undone: The Sweater Song” -- as one of the main headliners.
Kaaboo, which takes place Sept. 15-17 this year, has become San Diego’s de facto music festival with its inaugural 2015 fest featuring No Doubt, Snoop Dogg, the Zac Brown Band, and the Killers as headliners; and Aerosmith, Jimmy Buffett, Fall Out Boy and Jack Johnson as the top marquee names in last year’s follow-up.
While mum’s been the word on its 2017 lineup, Kaaboo organizers did announce several changes coming to this year’s festival that we reported on back in November -- including security and safety upgrades, a focus on improving traffic around its Del Mar location, relocating stages to quell packed crowds, adding bars, and even more of those much-loved flushing restrooms. Their goal? Creating the most enjoyable festival experience in the world.
However, we all know that the strength of a music festival depends primarily on its lineup so with the addition of Weezer (who typically make at least one sold-out San Diego tour stop per year), this year's festival is already off to a very promising start.
For more information and tickets, visit the official Kaaboo Del Mar website here. Three-day passes are onsale now and range from $219 to $2,599. Individual day passes do not appear to be for sale at this time.
Be sure to stay tuned to SoundDiego for further festival lineup announcements and updates.
A Valley Center woman was ordered Friday to spend a year behind bars and pay $1.8 million in restitution after defrauding lenders following the 2007 Witch Creek Fire.
Deborah Tumlinson, 55, pleaded guilty to a wire fraud scheme that ran from May 2010 to April 2013, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
When her Ramona home was damaged in the 2007 Witch Creek Fire, Tumlinson used non-existent settlement money to get various loans.
“She exploited her own tragedy and the compassion of others, and in the process made sure it became someone else’s tragedy," said Acting U.S. Attorney Alana W. Robinson in a written release. "The people she fleeced paid a high price, and for that, she will pay a high price.”
Tumlinson joined a class-action lawsuit against San Diego Gas & Electric to recoup their losses.
A 2008 California Public Utilities Commission report found SDG&E and Cox Communications were responsible for starting the three destructive wildfires, including the Witch Creek Fire, that burned in October 2007.
Working with an attorney who has since been disbarred, Tumlinson told a prospective lender that she had received $2.4 million from the lawsuit. In fact, no settlement had been made.
She put up the alleged settlement as collateral for a loan through U.S. Claims to purchase a new Valley Center house. In addition, she received a $250,000 home equity loan on that house by making “material misrepresentations” on a loan application to mortgage broker Seaside Funding, Inc. in Carlsbad, according to the indictment.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino ordered Tumlinson to spend one year and one day in custody. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,838.742.24.
The Witch Creek Fire, the largest of the 2007 wildfires and second largest in California history, destroyed and damaged thousands of homes and killed two people.
A motorcyclist died following a collision with a pickup truck along State Route 79 in Santa Ysabel.
The incident occurred just before 11 a.m. north of State Route 76 near Barret Hill Road, California Highway Patrol officers said.
The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene.
No other information was immediately available.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
The Navy conducted active shooter drills at NAS North Island Tuesday. The drills were part of an 11-day training exercise involving Naval Base command, Homeland Security, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), and the Coronado Police Department. The annual operation was dubbed “Exercise Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield.”
The training was meant to help Navy personnel increase their readiness. In the simulation, a person walked into a building and opened fire. Participants wearing fake blood to signify injuries ran out of buildings. The purpose was to make the training seem as realistic as possible. Fire and rescue personnel were also on-scene.
Gunnar Newquist with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service said the training focused on eliminating the shooter.
“Once that threat is neutralized then we go sweep the building and make sure it's safe,” Newquist said.
In 2013 an active shooter at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. killed 12 people. Newquist said tactics have changed since then.
“If you go back to some of the other shootings, we were all concerned about getting people out and getting them safe,” he said. “As long as that person is shooting, we're going to eliminate that threat.”
The Navy said the operation is not aimed at any specific threat, but rather to “enable assessment of the Navy and civilian law enforcements response to attacks.”
Personnel participating in the training completed online coursework prior to the exercises. The training was expected to cause significant delays around the base, specifically at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
The large-scale exercises were part of more than 300 happening across the country. The drills run through Feb. 9.
Pretending to be armed with a gun, an unknown man walked into a popular Little Italy restaurant early Tuesday and demanded cash from a bartender, police confirmed.
The robbery happened just after 12:15 a.m. at Craft & Commerce located at 675 W. Beech St. According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), a man described as thin and in his late 20s, wearing a black hoodie and grey sweatpants, walked up to the bar and, while simulating a handgun, ordered a bartender to give him cash.
The bartender pointed to a register on the other side of the bar. The man walked over to it and asked a second bartender for money. The victim gave the man an undisclosed amount of cash and he fled the scene, police said. The robber was last seen walking southbound on India Street; no one was hurt in the incident.
Craft & Commerce reopened in early September 2016 after being closed for a year for a large-scale renovation project. The redesigned and expanded restaurant now boasts a second bar, more seating and a wrap-around patio. It also houses a new, hidden tiki bar called False Idol.
NBC 7 reached out to Craft & Commerce Tuesday for further details on the incident. During the weekdays, the restaurant opens at 4 p.m.
It’s the end of an era for an iconic San Diego restaurant on the Embarcadero, Anthony’s Fish Grotto is closing its doors for the final time. After 52 years on Harbor Drive, Anthony’s Fish Grotto will close the Embarcadero location at 9:30pm on January 31st.
Hundreds of customers lined up well before the restaurants opening at 11am, all looking forward to getting one more meal at Anthony’s.
The big crowds have become the norm as the restaurant counts down its final days at this location.
“In the last two weeks, we’ll serve in excess of 20,000 people, between 1,500 to 1,800 guests a day,” said Anthony’s CEO Craig Ghio.
“It’s sad we can’t come here anymore, this has always been our favorite restaurant,” two diners told NBC 7.
Longtime customer Dana Risan told NBC 7, “This restaurant means everything to us. Our family has been coming here for years. It’s a sad day.”
Opened in 1965, Anthony’s Fish Grotto’s 52 year lease officially expires at the close of business on Tuesday, January 31st. Since it’s opening, the restaurant has been owned and operated by the Ghio family.
Ghio told NBC 7,”I think the emotional part has to do with the staff, we have people who’ve been working here for 40 to 50 years, we want to make sure they have jobs moving forward.”
Ghi said his family is proud of what this restaurant started when it opened over 50 years ago.
“There was really nothing happening on the Waterfront when we built this. We can take a sense of pride that we were really the catalysts for energizing the waterfront. So much of what happened was that after Anthony’s was established and became so popular, tourists and visitors flocked to this location.”
With the closing of the Embarcadero location, there is just one Anthony’s restaurant remaining in San Diego, Anthony’s Fish Grotto La Mesa at 9530 Murray Drive, La Mesa, Ca. 91942.
The popular San Diego County Waterfront Park sets a poor example for water use, especially during the drought, a Grand Jury report found.
The report, which looked into management plans, meeting minutes and conducted interviews, examined water-use and conservation activities at the Downtown San Diego park.
The park, which took years to build, features water fountains and "recreational" reflecting pools, a designation which exempts them from conservation mandates, the report found.
During the drought, the County of San Diego is "obliged to manage all potable water uses as efficiently as possible and set an example for the public," the report reads.
However, the County does not have a water conservation plan for the park, according to the report.
When the County of San Diego set up their Drought Response Action Plan in May 2015, they dedicated $13 million to implement extensive water conservation activities at all County-maintained landscapes, facilities and parks - with the exception of some critical facilities, like the Waterfront Park.
The report found the County has taken some actions to reduce their initial water use at the park -- like adding potable water use waivers, for example -- but the facility still uses "copious amounts of potable water," according to the report.
Since the park opened through to June 2016, irrigation has consumed 17 million gallons of potable water, the Grand Jury found.
"The County should recognize it is projecting a water-wasteful image to its citizens," the Grand Jury wrote in their report.
NBC 7 reached out to the County for a comment. We will update this story when we hear back.
In their report, the Grand Jury commends the County for their general efforts to conserve water - but recommends the County develops a water conservation plan for the park in case of a water emergency.
The Grand Jury also recommends the County put in place additional ongoing water conservation efforts as well as California faces another year of drought.
After being closed since Jan. 20, Poway’s Blue Sky Ecological Reserve reopened Tuesday.
Park management confirmed to NBC 7 the wildlife sanctuary closed more than a week ago due to heavy rain.
The 700-acre park has only closed a handful of times during its 25-year history. The decision to close the reserve came from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The City of Poway and County of San Diego also help manage the reserve.
Blue Sky management told NBC 7 the park was scheduled to re-open on Jan. 26, but a strong wind advisory kept gates locked.
The weather did not have a lasting impact on the reserve. Crews cleaned up brush from trails before the park was reopened at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
The world’s second oldest gorilla, which lives at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, is doing better after an extensive medical exam.
Vila, who was born in the Congo in 1957 and has lived at the safari park since 1975, underwent a medical treatment for fluid retention.
The gorilla underwent a full diagnostic exam and was given general anesthesia for the fluid retention, which, if left untreated, can lead to life-threatening illnesses.
Zoo veterinary staff said they were pleased with the procedure and about Vila’s overall prognosis.
The gorilla underwent the procedure on Jan. 25 and was reunited with her troop the next evening.
Vila will celebrate her 60th birthday this year, far older than the life expectancy of gorillas living in the wild, which generally live until 35 or 40 years old, zoo staffers said.
San Diegans looking for new adventures now have three new destinations to pick from when traveling.
Frontier Airlines announced the airline will now fly direct to three new cities: Austin, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Cleveland, Ohio.
The City of Austin said the direct service between Austin and San Diego will begin on April 23. Flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Travelers have other options when going to Austin (Southwest Airlines), but no other direct options for getting to the two new Ohio destinations.
Cleveland has not had a non-stop flight to San Diego since 2008, according to one report, and the service will begin in May.
The announcement comes after Southwest Airlines added several new non-stop destinations for San Diego travelers, including Cabo San Lucas, Boise, Idaho and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Shopping for eyeglasses isn’t what it used to be. Sometimes it doesn’t even involve trying on the frames. Online retailers offer convenience and discount pricing, but there can be risks.
Consumer Reports recently surveyed its readers and did its own eyeglass shopping to reveal advice on how to get great glasses at a great price.
A lot of people still buy glasses the old fashioned way, at the doctor’s office or at a local eyewear store. Consumer Reports says you may get more attention there, but according to a survey of its readers you may also pay a lot more. Our readers paid an average of about $400 for frames and lenses at eye doctors and independent eyeglass shops. That’s about two to 3 times what readers paid shopping online. That’s before any reimbursement from insurance.
Consumer Reports readers evaluated six online retailers.
Warby Parker sends five pairs of frames to try on at home—shipping is free both ways. It gets high marks for quality and selection. Warby Parker’s average price for frames and lenses --- $141. And Zenni Optical also did well overall -- Average price $69. It’s big drawback, you can only try on the frames virtually using a photo.
Consumer Reports recommend that you try on any frames you are considering purchasing online first. Just to make sure that they fit right and that the quality is good. A good strategy: find the frame you like in a brick and mortar store and then look for it online. Check out the warranty and return policies. You may have only 30 days for returns.
And if online eyewear shopping isn’t for you, Consumer Reports readers also evaluated dozens of brick and mortar retailers. Prices at discount stores like Costco, Sam’s Club and Walmart are often less than at an eyeglass chain or doctor’s office. However the frame selection may be more limited.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized approximately $7 million in drugs across the San Diego and Imperial County port of entries over the weekend.
The interceptions happened Friday through Sunday and accounted for more than 20,000 pounds of drugs.
Officers first intercepted a truck driver coming through the Otay Mesa cargo port of entry on Friday at approximately 4 p.m. when a shipment of cardboard boxes was sent to the port's imaging system.
Through the imaging system, officers saw anomalies; when they searched through the shipment, they found 23 large cellophane-wrapped packages of marijuana within the boxes weighing approximately 523 pounds. The street value was an estimated $261,000. Officers seized the truck and marijuana.
The same day, at approximately 6:30 p.m., another truck driver carrying a "Organic Sugar Confectionery" shipment arrived at the Otay Mesa cargo port of entry.
When the shipment passed through imaging, officers found anomalies. Officers offloaded the truck and found large cellophane-wrapped packages of marijuana. The 350 packages weighed approximately 8,400 pounds and were worth an estimated $4.1 million in street value. Officiers seized the drugs and vehicle.
Over the weekend, officers also intercepted a number of different shipments: 272 pounds of marijuana 271 pounds of methamphetamine and nearly 118 pounds of cocaine - worth an estimated street value of $2.6 million. The drugs were found in a fuel tank, inside a dashboard, in a muffler and water panels, in some instances.
All dispatched units have been asked to respond to a reported house fire in San Diego's North Park neighborhood, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue officials.
The fire broke out around 4:18 p.m. Tuesday on the 3500 block of Herman Avenue.
A caller reporter seeing black smoke coming from a residential building.
The occupants are out of the home, fire officials said.
No other information was immediately available.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
A Sabre Springs man said he had been trying to get the company behind his washing machine to reimburse him after a bad repair job led to water leaking through his garage ceiling.
Ajay Kumar and his wife run a business from home. Recently, Ajay said he feels like he’s been run over by the maker of his washing machine. According to him, less than a year after he purchased a new Samsung washing machine, the appliance wasn’t cleaning clothes properly.
Ajay called Samsung and the company sent out a repair service but unfortunately, Ajay said the repair made things worse.
“My wife noticed that the washer was leaking from the garage,” Ajay said.
Within days after the repair, Ajay said water started flowing from under the washing machine in his upstairs utility room and was leaking through the ceiling, into his garage.
Ajay said Samsung told him to send pictures and they would look into it.
“We will take care of it, that’s what they said,” Ajay said.
Ajay said he didn’t waste time and hired a restoration company to come in and survey the damage.
The restoration company fixed the damaged floor, ceiling and walls but when Ajay sent his receipts to Samsung, he said he couldn’t get Samsung to pay him back. Ajay said he went back and forth over the phone with Samsung for over a year and a half with no results.
“Nobody has the time to spend that much time to call them almost every day, nobody has that time,” Ajay said.
Ajay turned to NBC 7 Responds. Our team contacted Samsung and told them about Ajay’s frustration. Samsung agreed to look over all of the paperwork and within a month, Ajay received a full refund for his washer and the company agreed to pay Ajay back for all of the restoration costs.
“The services like you provide is great for the people, people like us and I'm not the only one, there could be so many other people out there, so you're doing a great job on that one,” Ajay said. “I would not have resolved it, I would have given up.”
In an email, a spokesperson for Samsung sent us this statement, “We are very sorry about the Chhabras’ (Ajay Kumar’s) experience and we have been in contact with them to resolve the issue to their satisfaction. Product quality is a top priority for us, and we strive to deliver the best possible experience for all Samsung customers. We encourage anyone with a product concern to contact us directly at 1-800-SAMSUNG.”
A man who pleaded guilty to intentionally setting fires in one North County community has been sentenced.
Alexandre Ruben Corona, who initially faced three felony counts of arson, was sentenced to three years probation.
Corona admitted to setting three brush fires near Old River Road at Mission Road in an unincorporated area of Vista.
Investigators from CAL FIRE, Vista Fire, California Highway Patrol and San Diego County Sheriff’s Department collected evidence and interviewed several witnesses before arresting Corona-Montes.
There were no reported injuries from the fires and no damage to any structures.
A female student was raped in a California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) parking lot in broad daylight Tuesday in what authorities believe was a targeted assault, according to school and police officials.
The incident happened at approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday in Lot B on campus, according to an advisory sent to students. The University Police Department is investigating the rape.
The suspect and victim first communicated through a social media application that had anonymity features, according to the school's advisory.
After meeting on campus, the suspect drove the victim to Lot B, where he raped her, officials said.
The suspect then drove the victim back to Craven Circle, where he let her go. The victim notified University police shortly after.
Margaret Chantung, Interim Associate Vice President for Communications, told NBC 7 officials believe this was a targeted sexual assault because of previous social media contact, though it is too early to say if the suspect would use the application to target other female students.
“We do want the students to be aware not to meet up with people they do not know off of a social media app,” Chantung said.
The suspect is described as a 25- to 30-year-old man who was wearing his hair in a ponytail; his hair was shaved on the sides of his head. He was last seen wearing a dark blue t-shirt with red letters and dark gray pants.
Authorities do not have a sketch at the moment and do not know if there is any surveillane footage yet, as the investigation is in its preliminary phases.
“The investigation is just beginning,” Chantung said. “So evidence is very preliminary.”
The car involved in the incident was described as a four-door, older white Honda.
University police are asking anyone with information to call them at (760) 750-4567, or use the University’s SAFE hotline at (760) 750-SAFE. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
