All posts by Senior Officer Julia Hernandez-Garcia

Charlie District

Mall Security Nabs Auto Burglars

Occurred on 10/17/11, 4:55 p.m.  Burglary of a Vehicle     5488 S. Padre Island Drive     1110170125

Officers responded to La Palmera Mall for an auto burglary in progress.  Mall security working the parking lot recognized the auto burglar and followed the Hispanic male and his partner in anticipation of the suspects committing a crime.

Unsurprisingly, Juan Angel Gonzalez (09/19/90) and Oscar Gonzalez (10/19/91) burglarized a blue 2001 Ford Excursion.  Mall security detained both suspects until Officers arrived.  Both suspects were arrested and charged with Burglary of a Vehicle. 

Juan Angel Gonzalez was additionally charged with Possession of Marijuana when a baggie of Marijuana was found on his person.

Delta District

Sting Uncovers Prostitution Ring

Occurred on 10/14/11, 5:34 p.m.   Prostitution    510 N. Chaparral St.     1110140111/1110140112

Corpus Christi Police Department Vice and Narcotics Officers received complaints of a prostitution ring which was operating out of a local downtown hotel.  Further investigation revealed the prostitution ring consisted of three females and two males from the Amarillo, TX area.

An undercover sting resulted in the arrest of Lisa McLean (01/04/85) and Sharmra Johnson (12/15/88) at 510 N. Chaparral St.  Both women were charged with Prostitution.  Their arrests led to the remaining members of the prostitution ring being booted out of the hotel.

 

Bravo District

Musicians Heavy Metal Christian Music Quieted by Thieves

Reported on 10:03 a.m.   Theft   6805 S. Padre Island Drive     1110160056

Officers contacted Blak Fate band members who reported their U-Haul trailer loaded with their musical instruments was stolen from the Red Roof Inn early Sunday morning between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.  The San Antonio based band was in town for a charity performance.

On October 17th, at 3:29 a.m. Officers recovered the stolen U-Haul trailer behind the KFTX 97.5 FM parking lot.  The U-Haul had been emptied of all the musical equipment.

Anyone having any information regarding this crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS or the Corpus Christi Police Department Property Crimes Division at 361-886-2841.

Delta District

Loose Ammunition Leads to Discovery of Stolen Firearm

Occurred on 10/17/11, 02:40 a.m.   Theft of a Firearm   1800 Van Loan     1110170020

An Officer pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation and contacted the driver Tomas Ortiz (03/22/86).  Further investigation revealed Ortiz was in possession of ammunition and a rifle.  Officers found the rifle to be stolen out of Port Arthur.  The two passengers were released, but Ortiz was arrested for Theft of a Firearm.  His black 2007 Mazda was impounded.

Bravo District

Child Custody Dispute Turns Violent, One Person Arrested

Occurred on 10/07/11, 1:51 p.m.  Assault-Family Violence   5508 Ocean     1110070105

Officers responded to an assault in progress in which the suspect was assaulting the 29-year-old mother of his child.  Officers arrived to find the victim crawling from underneath the garage door.  The victim told Officers she was in her vehicle when her child’s father suddenly appeared next to her car door.

The couple struggled over a taser which escalated into an assault.  The victim was able to escape into the residence, followed closely by the suspect.  Once inside the residence, the victim was assaulted once more.

The victim was able to escape and call police.  Officers attempted to contact the suspect, but he fled inside the residence and locked the doors.

An on-duty Hostage Negotiation Team member was able to talk David O’Dell Gonzalez (02/16/87), who was armed with a knife, into surrendering.  Gonzalez was arrested and charged with an outstanding Nueces County warrant for Contempt of Court (No Bond) along with Assault ~Family Violence.

Gang Unit

Gang Member of the Week

The Corpus Christi Gang Unit’s Most Wanted Gang Member of the Week is Alexander “Alex” Torres.

Anyone with information of his whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS

Click  here to see the Wanted flyer. Alex Torres

Community Outreach

Red Ribbon Week Activities Announced

The Corpus Christi Police Department’s Red Ribbon Week campaign committee cordially invites you to attend a Red Ribbon Week kick-off ceremony to be held on at Sherrill Park on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 beginning at 10:00 a.m.  Sherrill Park is located on the esplanade of Shoreline Boulevard between Coopers Alley and Kinney Street. Our keynote speaker will be Nueces County District Attorney Mark Skurka.

Red Ribbon Week was established in 1988 to honor fallen officer, Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration Agent who was killed in the line of duty while working undercover in Mexico. This year marks the 26th anniversary of his death. The annual campaign brings attention to the effects of drug abuse, including illegal drugs, alcohol and prescription drugs, and the importance of drug abuse prevention.

The Corpus Christi Police Department, the United States Custom and Border Protection, and other local law enforcement agencies will visit schools throughout the month of October to educate and organize students to create a drug free environment.

Please join us as we celebrate this continued partnership between the community and law enforcement.

Refreshments will be served immediately following the ceremony.  Please see attached calendar for listed events.

For further information contact:

Javier Cantu, Senior Officer
Corpus Christi Police Department
Directed Patrol Officer
Cell:  361-533-5174

For schedule of events, click here:  Red Ribbon Week Schedule

Adam District

The Customer is Not Always Right…

Occurred on 10/06/11, 9:24 p.m.   Aggravated Robbery/Evading    901 S. Navigation   1110070014/1110070008                                  

Officers responded to Navigation Point Apartments and contacted the 20-year-old victim who reported he met a drug dealer at the Stripes Convenience Store on Horne Road and Old Brownsville. The victim told Officers he had been buying Marijuana from “Dominque” for about a month.

The victim told Officers he was in the process of purchasing some Hydro-Marijuana when he began to question the suspect about the quality of the Marijuana he was buying.  The suspect pulled a handgun and took the victim’s $1,200 along with the Marijuana.

The victim told Officers he ran home and smoked a large amount of Marijuana to calm down.  Once composed, the victim called police and reported the robbery.

At 12:20 am, Officers located the suspect at Angela and West Point.  The suspect fled from Officers and did not pull over until he reached his home at 957 National.  The suspect got out of the vehicle and walked away, ignoring the Officer.  Dominque Dashawn Martin (07/01/91) was arrested.  He was charged with Evading Arrest, Tampering with Evidence, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia along with an outstanding Municipal Court warrant.

The vehicle was impounded, but the money was not recovered.  Martin was not charged with the robbery, however the investigation is ongoing.

Adam District

Victim Robbed by Sister’s Friend

Occurred on 10/06/11, 9:57 pm.   Aggravated Robbery   1014 Mendoza     110060153

Officers contacted the 35-year-old homeowner and his 34-year-old friend who reported two acquaintances stopped by.  Once inside the home one suspect struck the homeowner with a flashlight in the chest.  The suspect told the victim he would be taking his television set and ordered him not to call the police.  The couple loaded the 42” television set into a black Dodge pickup truck and fled.  The suspects also took two cell phones belonging to the victims.  Officers searched for the couple, but were unable to locate them.  The first suspect is described as a White male, 27 years of age, and weighing 150 lbs.  The second suspect is described as a White female, 20 years of age, and weighing 145 to 160 lbs.  The investigation is ongoing and turned over to the Homicide/Robbery Bureau.  Anyone having any information regarding this crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS or the Corpus Christi Police Department Homicide/Robbery Bureau at 361-886-2841.

Charlie District

Arsonist Arrested

Occurred on 10/07/11, 12:49 a.m.   Arson   4821 Ayers   1110070010

Officers and CCFD responded to a grass fire at 4821 Ayers.  Upon their arrival, Officers contacted a witness who reported Daniel Kortesmaki (10/13/65) started the fire and fled.  Officers located Kortesmaki and he was positively identified by the witness.  Kortesmaki was arrested and charged with Arson.