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Dow Plunges as Trump Worries Rattle Wall Street

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U.S. stocks fell sharply Wednesday morning as investors digested the latest news out of Washington, with the Dow Jones trading more than 260 points lower and Goldman Sachs contributing the most losses, CNBC reported.

The broader S&P 500 and Nasdaq also lagged. The three indexes were on track to post their worst day of the year. Stocks had rallied all year in part because of hope for lower corporate taxes. 

But "an impeachment proceeding would blow the market away," former General Electric CEO Jack Welch told CNBC.

The VIX index, widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, jumped around 20 percent Wednesday, lifting it to its highest level since April 21.




Photo Credit: AP

Bob Nelson Resigns as Port Commissioner Citing Conflict

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Bob Nelson has resigned from the Unified Port of San Diego’s board of port commissioners, citing potential conflicts of interest with a new business venture and his plans to campaign in favor of a city ballot measure aimed at expanding the San Diego Convention Center.

Nelson has represented the city of San Diego on the seven-member board since January 2011.

His decision to leave the port commissioner board, 19 months before the end of his term, comes as the port district may need to decide soon whether to side with the city on plans for a convention center expansion, or a development team’s proposal for a hotel planned for the same parcel of port-controlled land behind the current convention center.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer plans to bring to city council a proposed Nov. 7 ballot measure that would raise the city’s transient occupancy tax on hotel room bills by up to 3 percent, to pay for a convention center expansion and address related civic services including homeless services and street repairs.

A development team that includes Fifth Avenue Landing LLC and Robert Green Co. have threatened legal action if the city does not back away from plans to pursue the site, where convention center operators previously backed out of an agreement to acquire the site after an expansion funding mechanism was scuttled by a court in 2014.

Developers contend they have invested considerable resources in planning for a hotel, and new hotel rooms are mandated under developers’ leasehold with the port district. The port district will ultimately have to decide whether to enforce the leasehold requirement, or forego the requirement and side with the city on a convention center expansion if voters approve the mayor’s ballot measure.

Contiguous expansion of the center has previously been supported by the city, port district and California Coastal Commission.

Nelson is a longtime public relations professional who last year formed a new firm, Manolatos Nelson Murphy, partnering with Tony Manolatos, a former aide to Faulconer, and Kelly Murphy Lamkin, daughter of former Mayor Dick Murphy.

“Before becoming a Port Commissioner, I spent nearly five years as a member of the Convention Center Board, working for a contiguous expansion to create more jobs for San Diegans, to pay for more neighborhood services throughout the City, and to generate new revenue to improve the Port,” Nelson said in a statement issued by the port district.

“The Convention Center expansion will face its final challenge when we go to the polls later this year,” Nelson said. “After 11 years working toward this milestone, I cannot now remain on the sidelines. At the same time, I do not believe the public trust would be served were I to campaign in the community for a yes vote by night, then make land-use and financial decisions about the related Port property by day.”

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Under port rules, Nelson’s replacement will need to be selected by San Diego City Council. That person’s term will expire at the time when Nelson’s term was due to end, at which point the council can decide whether to renew the appointment or choose another person to fill the spot. The city of San Diego has a total of three members on the board of port commissioners.

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Photo Credit: NBC 7
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SDSU Distances Itself From Soccer City

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The Soccer City redevelopment plan will move forward without the involvement of San Diego State University.

SDSU officials released a statement Tuesday saying the school is no longer in discussions with FS investors to partner on the project.

The site would include condos, apartments, retail and a river park plus a 30,000-seat stadium that had been proposed as a home to a Major League Soccer team and Aztec Football.

The university said that after more than a year of discussions for a fair, equitable, and transparent deal, one could not be reached.

Soccer City spokesperson Nick Stone was quick to respond.

"It's another sad chapter in the saga of departing university leadership moving the goal posts,” Stone said.

"Despite this announcement, we stand ready to work with new leaders at SDSU to support the long term goals of an institution we care about deeply," he said.

SDSU President Elliot Hirshman is leaving in June for another position.

FS intends to submit the plan to the City Council to be placed on the Nov. 7 ballot. From there, Major League Soccer (MLS) will decide whether to bring a team to San Diego.

Proponents have gathered enough signatures to get the Soccer City proposal in front of the San Diego City Council for consideration. The City of San Diego requires signatures from at least 5 percent of registered voters to get to this step. The registrar must also validate those signatures for it to get to the City Council.

The proposal, which is privately funded, is likely to face challenges from other developers and environmental groups.



Photo Credit: FS Investors

Turkish President's Bodyguards Suspected in Beating at Embassy

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The men seen on video beating protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence in D.C. Tuesday are bodyguards for the country's president, senior U.S. officials tell NBC News.

Nine people were hurt and two arrests were made after an altercation broke out between two groups at the protest. Officials have not elaborated on the circumstances surrounding the altercation. 

But according to senior U.S. officials, the men seen beating the protesters were Erdogan's bodyguards and part of his official party.

"It was a pretty aggressive assault by people who were very well prepared. I think they were security or bodyguards or part of that contingent that traveled with President Erdogan," said Aran Hamparian, the executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America. Hamparian captured the incident on video.

Two men were arrested, including one who was charged with assaulting a police officer. But the bodyguards were not among those arrested. 

The incident came the same day that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with President Donald Trump at the White House.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser condemned what she called at "attack" at the ambassador's residence. 

“What we saw yesterday -- a violent attack on a peaceful demonstration -- is an affront to DC values and our rights as Americans. I strongly condemn these actions and have been briefed by Chief Newsham on our response," she said in a statement. "The Metropolitan Police Department will continue investigating the incident and will work with federal partners to ensure justice is served.” 

D.C. police say they intend to pursue charges against other individuals involved. 

D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham is set to talk about the altercation in a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

The diplomatic immunity that foreign leaders are typically afforded usually applies to their security details, as well, John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor Joseph Giacalone told NBC News.

"Clearly Erdogan's guards "feel complete impunity, drawing on tools of repression they use at home & knowing he has their back, no matter what," said President Barack Obama's ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, in a tweeted Tuesday.



Photo Credit: Aran Hamparian/ Armenian National Committee of America

2 Bodies Found at Otay Mesa Shopping Center

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San Diego police are investigating a double homicide after two men were found dead Wednesday morning outside a store in an Otay Mesa strip mall.

The men were found at approximately 2:45 a.m. at the CVS shopping center at the intersection of Palm Avenue and Beyer Way. 

A patrol officer was doing a routine check of the area when he noticed there was no movement from the two men. A power washer nearby saw the men laying outside the store but believed they were sleeping, police said.

Both men suffered "visible trauma" according to Lt. Mike Holden.

The deaths are considered to be suspicious and homicide investigators say they are considering the crime a double homicide at this time.

Investigators have not identified the men but described them as white men, ages 56 and 61.

No cause of death has been released.

No one is in custody.

Common Lead Test May Be Wrong, FDA and CDC Say

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As NBC News reports, many children and pregnant women may need to get new lead tests because one of the most common lab tests may have given falsely low readings, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.

The blood tests were made by Magellan Diagnostics and it's the only FDA-approved test used in most doctor's offices, the FDA said.

Any adult or child who had blood drawn for a lead test since 2014 may have to be re-tested, the FDA said.

Studies have shown many U.S. public water supplies are contaminated by lead.

Lead kills developing brain cells and the consequences are permanent. That can include lower IQ scores, poor school performance, inattention, impulsive behavior, aggression and hyperactivity.



Photo Credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

Suspect Shot by Deputies After Solana Beach Stabbing ID'd

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The suspect fatally shot by deputies after he stabbed the Rubio's manager in Solana Beach was identified Wednesday.

"The tip of the knife was missing and was later recovered from the victim’s head at the hospital," Lieutenant Greg Rylaarsdam of the Sheriff's Homicide Detail told NBC 7.

A homeless man, Emmanuel Ibarra, 34, was identified as the suspect in this case after the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office completed its autopsy.

"As they were looking, the suspect came from behind a cement bridge support. And he still had a knife in his hand from the original assault," said Lt. Rylaarsdam.

Ibarra was shot to death by deputies who tried to arrest him after he stabbed the restaurant manager repeatedly in the face at the Rubio's in Solana Beach on Monday.

His cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Medical Examiner.

The victim was a manager at Rubio's who was trying to get Ibarra to leave the restaurant before he was violently attacked.

A group of teens rushed to help save the victim, who was left with a fractured skull and part of the knife left embedded inside his head, before he was taken to the Scripps Hospital in Hillcrest.

Shortly after the attack, two deputies discovered Ibarra in the 3200 block of Camino Del Mar in the city of Del Mar, confirmed the Medical Examiner. 

Ibarra came from behind a concrete bridge support with a knife in his hand and suddenly charged at the closest deputy.

This startled the deputy, causing him to lose his footing and fall over. The second deputy then shouted at Ibarra to grab his attention, according to the Medical Examiner.

Once Ibarra rushed at the second deputy armed with a jagged knife, the deputy fired his handgun at him multiple times.

More deputies were called to the scene and were able to get the knife away from Ibarra, allowing medics to render first aid to him, according to the Medical Examiner. Ibarra later died in a hospital.

Later, doctors removed what appeared to be the tip of the knife from the victim's head.

The victim is still recovering at the hospital but is expected to make a full recovery, according to the Medical Examiner.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

CO, LTCDR of USS Anchorage Relieved of Duties

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Two U.S. Navy officers have been relieved of their duties due to loss of confidence.

USS Anchorage Commanding Officer Capt. Jeffrey A. Craig and Executive Officer LCDR Joshua Johnson have been replaced, the U.S. Navy announced this week.

The loss of confidence followed an investigation into an engineering incident upon the ship's return to San Diego in March.

A U.S. Navy spokesperson told NBC 7 the investigation revealed a departure from procedural compliance that impacted the ship’s readiness. The spokesperson would not comment on the specific type of equipment involved in the investigation.

Craig had been in command since December 2016, and Johnson had been the executive officer since July 2016.

Craig has been temporarily reassigned to the staff of CMR, Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Johnson has been temporarily reassigned to the staff of Expeditionary Strike Group 3.

Capt. Tom Workman has assumed temporary duties as commanding officer, and Cmdr. Brian Bethea has assumed duties as executive officer until permanent reliefs are identified.

USS Anchorage is an amphibious transport dock ship home ported in San Diego.


Woman Arrested in Alpine Suspected of Homicide

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Sheriff's Homicide detectives arrested a woman suspected of killing a 42-year-old man in Alpine.

"During our investigation we were able to determine that he was actually murdered there," said Greg Rylaarsdam, a lieutenant with the San Diego County Sheriff homicide detail.

Angela Meza, 47, was arrested in connection with the death of a man, whose body was found by deputies with fatal gunshot wounds inside a house, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

Just after 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, deputies received a call of a suicidal man at Viejas Grade in Alpine. When they arrived at the scene, they found the man's unconscious body and requested emergency crews.

Paramedics tried to perform life-saving measures but the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Meza was booked into the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility on a suspected murder charge, confirmed deputies.

An autopsy will be conducted by the Medical Examiner's Office to determine the victim's cause of death and identity.

Sheriff's detectives are continuing to investigate this case.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

2017 County Fair Previews Wild West Theme

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Explore the rough and tumble Wild West at this year's San Diego County Fair, complete with fair favorites like fried food, roller coasters and neon lights.

"Where the West is Fun" was previewed Wednesday as the theme for the 2017 San Diego County Fair.

A new attraction for 2017 is the speakeasy. Festival goers can get a card at any bar and text the number on the card.

The fair will contact festival goers using their texts once it's their turn. Visitors are taken up a freight elevator that goes to an Asian-themed Speakeasy. It celebrates the Asian immigrants of the 1800s and features locally-made spirits.

Rough and tumble adventures at the fair will include a Wild West saloon, Western-themed educational and historical exhibits, along with good old-fashioned country music.

A new awareness gallery exhibit will highlight the culture of teenagers, along with other artistic displays.

There will also be plenty of beverage festivals such as San Diego International Beer Festival, The Toast of the Coast Wine Festival, Distilled Spirit and Cocktail Festival.

Some other festivals to look forward to within the fair include an Asian Festival, Out at the Fair, Whole Life Festival and more.

More than 1.6 million visitors are drawn to the festivities each year.

The fair is closed on the first four Mondays and the first three Tuesdays of the month. It is the largest annual event in San Diego County, as well as one of the top 10 Fairs in the U.S. and Canada. It kicks off at 4 p.m. on June 2 and ends July 4.

Don't forget to pull on your cowboy boots and grab your cowboy hat when you head on down to the fair for some rootin' tootin' stampedin' fun.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

'Impeccable Credentials': Congress Reacts to Mueller

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The Department of Justice announced Wednesday the appointment of former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to oversee the investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

"Special Counsel Mueller will have all appropriate resources to conduct a thorough and complete investigation, and I am confident that he will follow the facts, apply the law and reach a just result," Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said in a statement.

Many members of Congress had a positive reaction to the appointment.

"Mueller is a great selection. Impeccable credentials. Should be widely accepted," Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-UT, said on Twitter.

"A special counsel is very much needed in this situation and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein has done the right thing. Former Director Mueller is exactly the right kind of individual for this job. I now have significantly greater confidence that the investigation will follow the facts wherever they lead," Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, said in a statement.

"Former Director Mueller is a respected public servant of the highest integrity. The Trump Administration must make clear that Director Mueller will have the resources and independence he needs to execute this critical investigation," Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

"I look forward to hearing from Deputy AG Rosenstein about his decision to appoint a special counsel when he briefs the Senate tomorrow," Sen. Bob Corker, R-TN, said.

Democrat Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, says Mueller is a "solid choice." He urged Mueller to follow the facts with "integrity and independence," according to The Associated Press.

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Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Dressed Up Doggies: Puppy Prom

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Photo Credit: Helen Woodward Animal Center

San Diegans Using Less Prescription Opioids

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More San Diegans with chronic pain are managing that pain, without powerful and addictive prescription drugs, according to a data analysis completed by NBC 7 Investigates.

Orville Dalager of Carlsbad is one of them.

He experienced chronic -- and at times -- excruciating pain in his fingers, hands, and wrists, caused by chemotherapy treatment for prostate cancer. Dalager said he couldn’t even open a car door without pain, so he turned to the prescription opioids tramadol, hydrocodone, and oxycodone for help; the tramadol gave him quick and significant pain relief.

“It’s like they went in with WD 40, and lubed the joints,” Dalager told NBC 7 Investigates. "Made it so I could do what I usually do, which is work with my hands."

But that pain relief came with some serious side effects.

“I felt groggier, a lot more forgetful,” Dalager explained. “Just no energy. And I got constipated. Yeah, that was no fun.”

Those side effects and concerns about addiction led Dalager to work with his doctor to find alternative solutions for his constant pain.

He began walking several miles a day, two or three times a week, on the beach in Carlsbad. On days when the tide is high, Dalager said he walks on the rocks at the top of the beach, which he said helps with his balance. He’s also doing yoga, a practice he said he once dismissed as “a bunch of creepy crap”, but now acknowledges it “stretches me out, helps with my balance, and helps with my attitude.”

Perhaps most importantly, Orville changed his diet.

“I lived on junk food,” he admits. "Fat, fried, and greasy food. Red fatty meat. White bread. Candy bars every day."

Now, Orville said he fills his plate with fresh fruit and vegetables. He drinks acai shakes and carrot juice and eats tomatoes and kale.

“I've got so that I really like kale, which is something I thought I'd never say in my life."

Orville said those lifestyle changes -- especially his diet revolution -- improved his physical and mental health and reduced his pain, allowing him to cut back on tramadol, and use it sparingly, for only the worst pain.

Data reviewed by NBC 7 Investigates shows thousands of other San Diegans are also kicking the opioid habit.

According to DEA statistics:

  • Oxycodone sales in San Diego have declined every year, since their peak in 2012.
  • Hydrocodone use has trended down slowly since 2011, with a significant drop in 2016.

Dr. Roneet Lev, an emergency room physician and pain medication expert at Scripps Mercy hospital, said those stats represent a significant improvement.

“Hydrocodone was the number one prescribed medication in the entire United States,” she said. “More than blood pressure medicines, cholesterol medications, diabetes medications. More than anything by far was hydrocodone."

According to Dr. Lev, prescription opioid use spiked ten years ago, in response to well-funded campaigns by pharmaceutical companies, a lack of knowledge about the potential for abuse, and misguided medical education. She said medical students were taught if “somebody cut their thumb and they had a little boo-boo, (aspiring doctors) are not there to judge their pain. If they say they're in pain, they deserve prescriptions."

Data from the San Diego County Medical Examiner shows from 2006 to 2011, overdose deaths from prescription opiates climbed steadily in San Diego, from 180 deaths in 2006 to 273 deaths in 2011.

Details about those deaths are available on the state of California’s Opioid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard

According to the interactive website, in San Diego County:

  • Whites and Native Americans have the highest rates of deadly overdoses, while Asians are consistently the least impacted.
  • Prescription opioid users ages 55 to 59 are the most likely to overdose.
  • Women get more opiate prescriptions than men, but men are much more likely to die of opiate abuse.

“What turned it around was the huge number of people that were dying,” Dr. Lev said of the impetus to reduce the use of prescription opioids.

That effort includes educating doctors and dentists about the importance of limiting the number of pills they give patients, and the use of a statewide database, called “C.U.R.E.S”., to help stop patients from “doctor shopping”.

The DEA also requires doctors to write opioid prescriptions on forgery-resistant forms. In addition, no refills are allowed for the most powerful opioids, so patients must visit their doctor every time they want more pills and doctors’ offices can not phone in prescriptions to pharmacies like they do for other prescription medications.

“If you work in a doctor’s office, maybe at the front desk, you might know what to say to a pharmacy to call in a prescription,” said DEA agent Amy Roderick. “And this will stop that kind of fraud."

Despite these attempts to reduce prescription opioid abuse, Dr. Lev said some patients push back, and even threaten to get their drugs somewhere else.

“They’ll say, ‘I need these medications. I need them to survive, and if you do not give me my pain prescriptions and my medications, then I'll go on to be a heroin addict, and it will be your fault!'"

Data reviewed by NBC 7 Investigates shows as opioids have become harder to get, heroin overdose deaths have increased. Dr. Lev and the county medical examiner's both said the increase in heroin deaths is due more to the cost, potency, and supply of that illegal and powerful narcotic, than to the crackdown on opioid prescribing.

This series of line charts shows the overall overdoses as well as breaks it down by types of drugs.

Sales of hydrocodone, the opioid in Vicodin, have fallen sharply in much of the Northeast, the upper Midwest and Texas in the past five years – a result, perhaps, of the concerted effort by health care workers and regulators to prevent addiction and overdoses. At the same time, however, sales of the drug have risen in broad V stretching from Michigan to Louisiana back north to the Dakota oil fields. Parts of the West are also seeing a spike in sales.

Retail sales of oxycodone, the opioid in OxyContin and Percocet, rose in the past five years in the Plains and much of the South and Rocky Mountain West while declining elsewhere in the U.S. Public health authorities have tried to discourage use of the drug to prevent fatal overdoses. After rising rapidly for a decade, the death toll for natural and semisynthetic opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone has stabilized in the past five years while deaths from heroin and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl have soared.


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Flynn, Manafort Key Figures In Russia Probe

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Former Trump aides Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort have emerged as key figures in the FBI's investigation into Russian campaign interference, which has just been taken over by a special counsel, four law enforcement officials told NBC News.

Officials say multiple grand jury subpoenas and records requests have been issued in connection with the two men during the past six months in the ongoing probe into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russian attempts to influence the election, an inquiry that will now be overseen by former FBI Director Robert Mueller.

The FBI, with the help of the Treasury Department, the CIA and other agencies, is examining evidence of possible contacts, money transfers and business relationships between a variety of Trump associates and Russian officials, the sources say.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

East County Man Sentenced in New Year's Day Murder

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An East County man will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of his wife on New Year’s Day 2016.

Hauati "Howard" Fa’anunu shot and killed his wife, Mary, in front of the couple's six children. He was sentenced Wednesday to 50 years to life in prison.

Mary Fa’anunu was 34 when she died in the family's home on Melrose Lane in unincorporated El Cajon. It was 12:35 a.m. when the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Lakeside Substation received a call from Fa’anunu who claimed he had shot his wife.

Deputies found Mary alone inside the house. She had been shot in the head.

Fa’anunu was nowhere to be found and the couple's children had been dropped off with family members.

The defendant turned himself in to authorities soon after the shooting.

At the sentencing hearing Wednesday, Mary Fa'anunu's sister, Heidi Wright, said the shooting has torn her family apart.

A letter written by Fa'anunu’s oldest son was read to the judge. The defendant's son told the court he will never get over what happened to his mother.

He also asked the judge for the maximum sentence for his father who showed no emotion.

When the shooting first happened, neighbors told NBC 7 the couple had marital problems.

The family was active in an East County Mormon church, neighbors said, and Hauati worked for a local water district.

One friend described the victim as the best mom.

"She was selfless," Emily McMackin said in a previous interview. "She was so giving. You'd call her and needed anything and she would be there. She would be there to talk, come by. She was an amazing mother. She loved those kids furiously and would do anything for them and to protect them."



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego/Facebook

Convicted Rear Admiral Fears Prison Without Therapy Dog

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Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau, 56, walked out of the federal court in downtown San Diego with his therapy dog by his side.

Gilbeau, who told NBC 7 he lives with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months in federal prison.

“I feel horrible for what’s happened to my family and the Navy,” said Gilbeau, the first U.S. Navy admiral convicted of a federal offense while serving his country.

Gilbeau lied when investigators asked him if he had ever received any gifts from Leonard Glenn Francis, known by his nickname “Fat Leonard."

The Singapore businessman bribed senior Navy officers to access classified ship schedules for aircraft carriers in order to submit claims and invoices to the U.S. Navy. The Navy was bilked out of millions of dollars by Francis.

Gilbeau also pleaded guilty to destroying documents and computer files after learning that Francis and other Navy officials had been arrested in connection with the fraud and bribery charges.

“I wish the judge would have been a little more fair,” Gilbeau said to NBC 7, adding that he's concerned about going to prison without his therapy animal, named Bella.

“I do take responsibility for what I plead guilty to which is making false official statement," he said.

Gilbeau was sentenced to three years of supervision after incarceration and must pay $150,000 in fines and restitution to the U.S. Navy.

“He’s supported the country. He’s been to war many times. Now at the end of his retirement, he has to go to jail and pay a huge fine,” Jennine Gilbeau, Robert's wife, said.

Prosecutors in court said Gilbeau will receive more than $4 million in benefits and military pension.

“I never thought I’d be going to jail,” Gilbeau said.

He's scheduled to report to prison on June 23.

NBC 7 has been following this investigation since the first arrests were made public in September 2013.

Twenty current and former Navy officials have been charged so far in the fraud and bribery investigation; 10 have pleaded guilty and 10 cases are pending. In addition, five GDMA executives and GDMA the corporation have pleaded guilty.



Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Technology Could Put Brakes on High Speed Pursuits

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The latest technology being used in high speed police pursuits in Southern California can eliminate the chase altogether.

It's called StarChase.

For now, Tustin police are the only law enforcement agency in Southern California using it.

The most interesting part is how law enforcement officers get this technology on a suspect's vehicle.

The Orange County Sheriff's trainers observed Tustin Police Department's use of the technology.

"It's an impressive system,” Orange County Sheriff’s trainer Lt. Chris Thomas said.

Officers use a laser to sight the fleeing vehicle and then a grill mounted launcher uses compressed air to propel a canister with a GPS.

The canister uses a powerful adhesive to keep a grip on the vehicle and then the device immediately begins transmitting it's location in real time to radio dispatch and pursuing officers.

Officers follow at a safe distance and speed, reducing the risks associated with high speeds, heightened adrenaline and emotions.

"I like the fact we can get distance and we can slow this situation down,” Thomas said.

"We don't have to drive at the high speeds, but we can still chase him in a safe way, in an electronic way,” Tustin Police Department Lt. Robert Wright said.

Wright said his department was involved in 10 pursuits in 2016, and only eight the year before. But this technology could eliminate the need for most, if not all, future police chases.

"It’s ideal for us and ideal for the community. It decreases that threat and danger that is involved in pursuits,” Wright added.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tracks chase related deaths.

According to a USA Today analysis of those records, in 2014, 385 people died in crashes that occurred during a police chase and up 16 percent from the year before.

"Pursuits are inherently dangerous,” Wright said.

Among the  2014 pursuit deaths, five were police officers, 73 were bystanders, and 77 were passengers in the fleeing vehicles.

In San Diego County, 21-year-old Marco Gutierrez was killed in an Oceanside police chase.

Investigators said pursuit speeds reached 80 miles per hour.

Gutierrez's brother-in-law Jorge Luis Lopez was behind the wheel of the getaway car. Lopez is serving a 19-year prison sentence for drunk driving and voluntary manslaughter.

But using GPS technology to track crime suspects in other situations has been challenged in court.

In an email to NBC 7, San Diego and Imperial counties ACLU Senior Policy Strategist Christie Hill said the group has not fully reviewed the new StarChase technology but "...Deployment of such tools and technologies must be guided by publicly-debated and approved policies that assure police accountability, create transparency, protect individual rights and allow for public scrutiny."

StarChase is limited to the pursuit of suspects already wanted for a crime. The intent of the technology is to reduce crashes, property damage, injuries and deaths.

Tustin police said in the pursuit of safer crime fighting, StarChase is right on target.

The department outfitted some of its fleet with the device but not all vehicles. So far, they have not used the technology in a real pursuit but officers said are excited to have it.

There are fewer than 100 law enforcement agencies using StarChase nationwide.

Preview: 2017 San Diego County Fair

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With a Wild West theme this year, the San Diego County Fair promises to be a rootin' tootin' stampedin' good time.

Photo Credit: NBC 7

9-Month-Old Girl From La Mesa Diagnosed with Rare Disorder

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What started as a normal, one-month check-up at the pediatrician’s office turned into a visit to the emergency room for a La Mesa family.

Olivia Diez said she told her pediatrician about small red dots on her 9-month-old daughter's skin.

The doctor assured her the dots on Zoe’s skin were most likely nothing but she would run a blood test.

At midnight, the family got a call that Zoe’s platelets were incredibly low. Hers were at 8,000 – the normal is 150,000.

“They called us and said you need to go to the emergency room. No parent wants to hear that, let alone at midnight,” said Jim Diez, Zoe’s dad.

It took 8 months of working and pushing doctors to figure out why Zoe's platelets were so low.

Finally, she was diagnosed with Congenital Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia or CAMT--a disorder in which her bone marrow is not producing enough platelets.

It's so rare that there are only around 100 people diagnosed with it.

“It’s overwhelming. There are no words to say how scary it is when you find there is something wrong with your baby. Perfectly healthy baby, perfectly healthy pregnancy, perfectly normal delivery – everything was normal and then there is this very bizarre, fluke thing,” said Olivia.

On Wednesday, Zoe was on her second day of chemotherapy. In about a week, the family said she will be getting the bone marrow transplant she needs.

The family told NBC 7, they did not have to look far for a donor--Zoe's 2-year-old sister Eliza was a perfect match.

“I feel like she does know that she is doing this for her sister. I think she knows that. I feel like she knows that she has to be brave,” said Jim.

Zoe will get her bone marrow transplant on May 25 at Rady Children's Hospital.

While she recovers, the family said the two sisters will be separated for weeks. 

Olivia told NBC 7, that every mom should listen to their maternal instincts.

“I encourage any mom out there who thinks something isn’t right or doesn’t feel like they are getting the answers they need from their health care provider – keep asking, go up the ranks, it’s important, nothing is more important than your children’s health,” she said.

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Victim's Mom Says Ramona Man Deserves Death Penalty

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A Ramona man faces two murder charges in the hit-and-run death of a woman and her unborn child.

Andrew Milonis, 44, pleaded not guilty through a public defender at his arraignment. He was ordered held on $3 million bail.

Milonis is facing 10 total counts that include murder, gross vehicular manslaughter and felony DUI.

The victim Jessica Foderingham, 29, was eight-months pregnant. She and her unborn baby were killed on Mother’s Day.

Investigators say Milionis rear-ended her car, forcing it to slam head-on into a tree on San Vicente Road in the San Diego Country Estates community. Milonis allegedly drove away from the scene, eventually taking a Lyft ride to a bar.

At the arraignment, several dozen friends and family members of Foderingham held back tears, as Milonis appeared via closed circuit television. He did not speak and did not look up.

After the short hearing, Foderingham’s husband said he struggles to explain what happened to her two children from previous relationships.

"My little one, he still doesn’t believe it’s true. He asks me every night, ‘when’s mommy coming home,'" said Christian Foderingham, who married Jessica last August.

Christian Foderingham says he was driving in front of his wife at the time of the accident. They were driving to her grandmother’s home.

“All I heard was a big slam, and the vehicle raced past me on the right side, swerving. And I turned to make sure my wife was still behind me, and I see her hit a tree,” said Foderingham.

The victim’s mother also had strong words for the suspect.

“I wish we were in a state where they give the death penalty because that’s what this guy deserves. He maliciously took two lives, two lives that belong on this earth still,” said Regina Townel.

Milonis is also facing two misdemeanor charges. He was driving on a suspended license from a prior DUI according to the prosecutor.

Court records also show he was convicted in 2010 on drug charges in Colorado.

In 2008, Milonis was severely injured in a mining accident in Wyoming, eventually winning an undisclosed settlement which could explain why the prosecutor asked for a high bail.



Photo Credit: NBC 7
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