Identity Theft

A Glendale lawmaker on Tuesday threw his support behind a bill that would strengthen the penalties against criminals stealing identities and give prosecutors more power in convicting and sentencing an identity thief. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Glendale) testified before a House judiciary subcommittee during a Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security hearing in favor of the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act. Schiff told the subcommittee that cities in the Los Angeles metropolitan area are prone to such crimes and ranks No. 2 nationally on the top 10 list of regions with the highest per capita rates of identity theft reported with more than 13,000 victims.

Darleene Barrientos A break-in at a local credit union could spell financial disaster for some of its 49,000 customers whose personal information was stolen. California Credit Union's customers received a letter this week about a burglary that occurred two weeks ago at its home office at 701 N. Brand Blvd. Two offices were broken into and ransacked, said Sandy Serpas, the credit union's executive administrative manager. "They went through everything, even the candy," she said.

GLENDALE ? Calling identity and credit theft a "scourge" and an "epidemic," Assemblyman Dario Frommer introduced legislation that will help nonfederal law enforcement officials more aggressively arrest, investigate and convict mail thieves, he announced Wednesday. More than 500 Glendale residents were among the 45,175 Californians who were victims of credit or identity theft in 2005, Police Chief Randy Adams said. "It is the challenge of the decade for law enforcement," said Adams, whose own credit card number was cloned and used to buy groceries in Nicaragua.

Four members of an alleged Armenian organized crime ring were convicted by a federal judge in San Ana Wednesday on charges of identity theft and bank fraud, prosecutors announced Thursday. The five-week trial at the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana ended this week, where prosecutors linked the four defendants to a crime operation that lasted six years and claimed $10 million from victims in Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Southern California. Arman Sharopetrosian, of Burbank, ran the operation while behind bars at Avenal State Prison and directed the co-defendants to illegally obtain information from investors' bank accounts, according to prosecutors.

Of the 70 people charged Wednesday in Los Angeles County with assisting an Armenian organized crime ring, 19 defendants lived in Glendale and six lived in Burbank, according to documents from the U.S. attorney’s office. Local and federal authorities arrested dozens of alleged members and associates of the gang Armenian Power during a massive regional takedown Wednesday dubbed “Operation Power Outage.” FBI officials said Thursday that they are continuing a search for about 25 more people.

A 21-year-old Burbank man faces identity theft charges this week after police found a re-encoded credit card in his home during a probation search. Gaik Panosian, who is on probation for identity theft, was arrested Tuesday after a Special Enforcement Detail officer recognized him near Doran Street and Concord as someone who detectives were looking for, Glendale police said. In February, detectives conducted a probation compliance search at Panosian's apartment and found a re-encoded credit card, police said.

GLENDALE — A couple are scheduled to be arraigned Monday on charges that they had more than 200 blank access cards and fraudulent credit account paperwork for celebrities such as Tim Burton and Tommy Lee Jones, police said. Ex-convict Christopher Herrick, 43, and Traci Godlef, 42, were taken into custody about 11:17 p.m. Wednesday at the Glen Capri Inns and Suites in Glendale on suspicion of identity theft and forgery, according to police reports. Inside the motel, police also reported finding a credit history report with a Van Nuys address and the name "Gaylord Focker," a character in the film "Meet the Fockers.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — Assemblyman Dario Frommer spoke to a crowd of more than 100 people at the Glendale Central Library on Thursday, describing pending legislation aimed at providing increased protection against identity theft. "This problem is becoming one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States," Frommer said. "And California is third on the list of most identity-theft crimes committed." Frommer's legislation, Assembly Bill 2886, currently in committee in the assembly, would make mail fraud a state crime, giving local law enforcement officials the ability to investigate and prosecute identity thieves, a procedure that is now confined to federal jurisdiction through the United States Post Office.

A 48-year-old Whittier woman, who allegedly stole more than $100,000 from victims throughout Southern California, was ordered Wednesday to stand trial for identity theft in Glendale. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Patrick Hegarty found prosecutors presented sufficient evidence against Natalie Diamond during a preliminary hearing to proceed to a trial after she rejected an earlier offer from prosecutors to spend three years in prison in exchange for a guilty plea. Diamond, who has been previously convicted of burglary and grand theft, faces three counts of identity theft and one count of grand theft of personal property in connection with illegally withdrawing more than $12,000 from an Altadena woman's bank account.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. 200 block of East Maple Street A 20-year-old woman was arrested May 11 on suspicion of spousal assault. 200 block of East Los Feliz Road A 27-year-old man was arrested May 11 on an outstanding warrant for theft or unlawful taking of a vehicle. Riverdale Drive and Central Avenue A 30-year-old man was arrested May 11 on an outstanding warrant for battery on a police officer.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. San Fernando Road and West Wilson Avenue A 50-year-old man was arrested April 27 on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 100 block of North Isabel Street A 25-year-old man was arrested April 27 on an outstanding warrant for identity theft. 500 block of East Windsor Road A 23-year-old man was arrested April 27 on suspicion of spousal assault.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. 600 block of Alexander Street A 20-year-old man was arrested April 20 on suspicion of battery. 300 block of Salem Street A 21-year-old man was arrested April 20 on outstanding warrants for battery, failing to appear in court or pay a fine and vandalism. Broadway and Chevy Chase Drive A 46-year-old man was arrested April 20 on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine and driving on a suspended or revoked license.

Brotherly love has turned sour between two siblings after police said one of them fraudulently obtained credit cards, established a bank account and bought a new car under the other's identity. Glendale police were alerted to the identity theft two weeks ago when an Allen Gwyn Chevrolet employee advised Christopher Higa, 24, to return a new 2012 Chevy Malibu that he purchased using the identity of his 21-year-old brother, Nicholas Higa, according to Glendale police reports. Employees at the Brand Boulevard dealership spotted the bogus purchase when they ran a credit report on Nicholas Higa and discovered a fraud alert warning.

Four members of an alleged Armenian organized crime ring were convicted by a federal judge in San Ana Wednesday on charges of identity theft and bank fraud, prosecutors announced Thursday. The five-week trial at the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana ended this week, where prosecutors linked the four defendants to a crime operation that lasted six years and claimed $10 million from victims in Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Southern California. Arman Sharopetrosian, of Burbank, ran the operation while behind bars at Avenal State Prison and directed the co-defendants to illegally obtain information from investors' bank accounts, according to prosecutors.

A 21-year-old Burbank man faces identity theft charges this week after police found a re-encoded credit card in his home during a probation search. Gaik Panosian, who is on probation for identity theft, was arrested Tuesday after a Special Enforcement Detail officer recognized him near Doran Street and Concord as someone who detectives were looking for, Glendale police said. In February, detectives conducted a probation compliance search at Panosian's apartment and found a re-encoded credit card, police said.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. AREA 1 400 block of Pioneer Drive Matthew Kertz, 26, was arrested March 5 on suspicion of vandalism. West Chevy Chase Drive and San Fernando Road Jose Lopez, 46, was arrested March 5 on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court or pay a fine. 700 block of Salem Street Anthony Capa, 27, was arrested March 6 on suspicion of violating a restraining order.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. AREA 1 100 block of North Adams Street Ruth Jimenez, 39, was arrested Feb. 17 on suspicion of battery, assault with deadly weapon, making criminal threats and battery on a police officer. 200 block of North Glendale Avenue Emmanuel Kabahizi, 37, was arrested Feb. 17 on suspicion of petty theft. 300 block of West Colorado Street Fengyong Cao, 27, was arrested Feb. 18 on suspicion of burglary, grand theft of access cards and identity theft.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. AREA 1 600 block of East Garfield Avenue Christian Coria, 18, was arrested Feb. 11 on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. East Colorado Street and South Glendale Avenue Leeann Cunanan, 22, was arrested Feb. 11 on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. North Central Avenue and West Wilson Avenue Annette Hernandez, 29, was arrested Feb. 12 on an outstanding warrant driving on a suspended or revoked license.

A 48-year-old Whittier woman, who allegedly stole more than $100,000 from victims throughout Southern California, was ordered Wednesday to stand trial for identity theft in Glendale. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Patrick Hegarty found prosecutors presented sufficient evidence against Natalie Diamond during a preliminary hearing to proceed to a trial after she rejected an earlier offer from prosecutors to spend three years in prison in exchange for a guilty plea. Diamond, who has been previously convicted of burglary and grand theft, faces three counts of identity theft and one count of grand theft of personal property in connection with illegally withdrawing more than $12,000 from an Altadena woman's bank account.