crime-and-courts7.7 min read
Former deputy linked to deadly Esparto fireworks warehouse blast
12 hours ago•Source: Los Angeles Times
Crime And Courts News
The latest crime and courts stories, summarized by AI
Featured Crime And Courts Stories
View original source
5.93 min•2 days ago
Ketamine Queen Gets 15-Year Term in Perry Drug Case
Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the 'Ketamine queen,' was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for running a high-volume ketamine distribution operation that supplied actor Matthew Perry and others, including the batch linked to Perry’s death. She pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug-involved premises and several counts of ketamine distribution, with prosecutors saying she acted out of greed and caused multiple deaths.
More Top Stories
2
Nepal arrests ex-PM and ex-minister over deadly September crackdown
NBC News•13 days ago
3
Orlando woman pleads not guilty after Rihanna shooting, says she wasn’t aiming to kill
Los Angeles Times•16 days ago
More Crime And Courts Stories
Cosby Hit with $19.25 Million Verdict Over 1972 California Assault
A California civil jury found Bill Cosby liable for drugging and sexually assaulting a former waitress in 1972, awarding her $19.25 million in damages.
Convicted Los Gatos 'party mom' faces at least 30 years in prison
Shannon O’Connor, known as the Los Gatos 'party mom,' was found guilty on 48 of 63 charges related to hosting alcohol-fueled teen parties and pressuring underage girls to have sex with boys she intoxicated; prosecutors say the incidents endangered youths aged roughly 13–15, and she could receive at least 30 years in prison with further factors to be considered; sentencing is set for March 26.
FBI Expands Probe, Raids LAUSD Superintendent Carvalho’s Home and HQ
Federal agents executed search warrants at Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s home and district headquarters, with a related search at a Miami property, as part of a federal investigation the FBI did not detail; authorities did not comment, and the report notes Carvalho’s prior Miami-Dade scrutiny over donations to a foundation he oversees.
Outcry as California child predator granted elderly parole
A Sacramento man convicted in 1999 of kidnapping and molesting eight children—luring them with candy and toys—has been granted elderly parole and will be released from the California Institution for Men in Chino, provoking anger from victims and the prosecutor who oversaw the case. Despite a sentence of 20 years plus three consecutive 25‑to‑life terms, the parole board deemed him suitable under California’s elderly parole rules, and the decision was upheld on review. Critics question how the program applies to him, with one survivor calling the parole a disservice to Californians. Prosecutors and advocates have urged screening him as a sexually violent predator, though CDCR did not comment on the release date or rationale.
Crystal Hefner warns Hefner Foundation over decades-old nude photos
Crystal Hefner and attorney Gloria Allred allege the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation holds thousands of personal scrapbooks and diaries with nude images and intimate sexual details — potentially including images of underage girls — and they've filed complaints with California and Illinois attorneys general to block any distribution. Allred claims the material could be digitized or leaked, while Crystal says she was fired after raising concerns; the foundation has not commented publicly. This is presented as a civil rights concern about women’s bodies not being treated as collectibles.
Busfield Indicted in New Mexico on Four Counts of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor
A New Mexico grand jury indicted Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, alleging he touched two boy actors on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady. Busfield denies the charges and was released on his own recognizance as the case moves toward trial.
Blood at Scene Intensifies Search for Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance
84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie’s mother, vanished from a Tucson-area home; investigators found blood at the scene and treat it as a possible kidnapping, with FBI help, a reward, and a tip line as they pursue leads.
Off-duty ICE agent linked to Northridge shooting faces past abuse and racism allegations
An off-duty ICE officer who fatally shot Keith Porter Jr. on New Year’s Eve in Northridge is named in a custody filing as having allegedly whipped his sons with a belt and made racist and homophobic remarks; the agent’s lawyer denies the accusations. Federal officials say he acted in self-defense during an active-shooter response, while Porter’s supporters say the shooting may have been racially motivated. Previous DCFS/LAPD reviews found abuse allegations unfounded, and investigations by LAPD and the Justice System Integrity Division are ongoing. Public calls for the agent’s identity to be released and questions about motive remain unresolved.
Timothy Busfield Faces Fresh Child-Abuse Charges in New Mexico Court
Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield appeared in a New Mexico court on two felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse, with prosecutors alleging a decades-long pattern of grooming and new accusations involving two child actors on the set of The Cleaning Lady; he remains jailed without bond ahead of a pretrial detention hearing.
Actor Timothy Busfield Surrenders in New Mexico Amid On-Set Abuse Allegations
Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield turned himself in to Albuquerque police in New Mexico after being charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and one count of child abuse related to alleged abuse of two child actors on the Fox drama The Cleaning Lady; he denies the allegations, calling them lies, and says he will fight to clear his name as U.S. Marshals assist and studios cooperate.