Community Outreach, Criminal Intelligence Unit

Police Believe Kidnapper May Be In The Corpus Christi Area

Aaron Cox
Cara Cox with age progression

The United States Marshall’s Office has provided photographs of 53-year-old Aaron Cox who is wanted by the Volusia County, Florida Sheriff’s Office for non-custodial parental abduction and may be living in the Corpus Christi area under a false name.

Cox kidnapped his daughter, Cara Cox, on August 14, 2009 when she was 8 years old. Cox kidnapped his 8-year-old daughter from her mother in Florida. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has provided an age accelerated photograph of Cara Cox to show what she may look like today at age 11.

Aaron Cox is 53 years old and is described as a white man, 5ft. 8inches tall, 145 pounds, with brown eyes and gray hair.

Anyone with any information to locate Aaron or Cara Cox, call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit an online tip at www.888TIPS.com. If the information leads to an arrest, it could earn you a cash reward.

 

Charlie District, Community Outreach

6-Month-Old Left in Car Unattended

Occurred on 8/15/12, 8:33 pm  Child Abandonment   4320 S. Alameda 1208150152 

Officers were dispatched to the H.E.B. parking lot for a child who was left unattended in a blue Chevrolet Cobalt.  Upon their arrival, Officers observed the infant slumped over the side of his rear facing car seat.  Officers report the child was drenched in sweat, but still breathing. 

As the Officer was checking the car doors, a witness and unknown male forced a cracked window down and unlocked the door.  The infant was taken to Driscoll Children’s Hospital by CCFD Emergency Personnel.  At the time of the report, the 6-month-old was listed in stable condition. 

Officers paged the owner of the Cobalt and located the baby’s grandmother who was accompanied by her boyfriend and granddaughter.  The grandmother told Police she dropped off the baby’s mother at home and was unaware her grandchild was still in the car.   

The Criminal Investigation Division Detectives will coordinate their investigation with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, especially during the hot summer months.  The temperature in a vehicle can rise quickly and be deadly.   In the state of Texas criminal charges can be filed if you knowingly or intentionally left your child in your vehicle.  

According to the Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.10. LEAVING A CHILD IN A VEHICLE. (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly leaves a child in a motor vehicle for longer than five minutes, knowing that the child is:

(1) younger than seven years of age; and
(2) is not attended by an individual in the vehicle who is 14 years of age or older.
(b) An offense under this section is a Class “C” misdemeanor, but if the child is injured, the charge is elevated to child endangerment, which is a felony.

The month of August is Purple Ribbon Month representing Never Leave Your Child Alone.  Call 911 immediately if you see a child in an unattended vehicle.  Help us protect the most vulnerable in our community. 

 

 

Delta District, Patrol Division

Man Faces Criminal Charges For Death Of A Dog

Occurred Monday, July 30, 2012, 13:30, 3633 Wright Street, Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals 1207300065

A 25-year-old man is accused of cruelty to non-livestock animals, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and up to a $4,000 fine in relation to the death of a dog at the 3600 block of Wright Street on July 30.

Corpus Christi Police were called by neighbors of the accused man to investigate a dog on leash that was not near water, food, or shelter and appeared to be in distress. The Police Officer found the dog leashed by a chain and was exposed in the heat of the day without food or water or shade. The Officer discovered the dog was dead and the Officer contacted the 25-year-old owner of the dog who did not know the dog had died.

Corpus Christi Animal Care workers collected the dog and a necropsy was performed. The necropsy report cited the dog had excessive body temperature and was dehydrated. The criminal case has been filed with the Nueces County District Attorney’s Office.

Bravo District, Criminal Investigations Division

Police Disrupt Auto Theft Group

Occurred Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 7:45am, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, 1208150061

A 31-year-old man was arrested when he was found in a vehicle stolen from a car lot on the 4300 block of South Staples Street Wednesday morning.

Corpus Christi police were called by the manager of a car dealership on the 4300 block of Staples Street Wednesday morning to report a blue 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 truck valued at $15,000 stolen from the lot. Corpus Christi Police Officers searched the area and found the truck at an apartment complex located at the 400 block of Eldon Drive.

Detectives from the Corpus Christi Police Auto Theft Task Force watched the truck until the truck was driven away. The Detectives requested Corpus Christi Police Patrol Officers to initiate a traffic stop on the truck. The truck travelled to South Padre Island Drive and then turned into the parking lot of a business at the 4500 block of South Padre Island Drive just as Police Patrol cars arrived to attempt to initiate the traffic stop.

The operator of the truck got onto a bicycle that was in the bed of the truck and attempted to flee from police on the bike. Corpus Christi Police captured 31-year-old George Ortiz (5/21/1981) and arrested him for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Evading Arrest.

Corpus Christi Police Auto Theft Task Force Detectives identified Ortiz as part of a group of individuals responsible for 5 stolen trucks from dealerships in Corpus Christi since the beginning of June 2012. The 5 trucks are all Dodge Ram pickups and are taken with the intent to disassemble the vehicles for parts, or be sold in Mexico. Detectives continue to investigate this case and more arrests may result. Detectives encourage anyone with additional information about these crimes to call Detectives with the Auto Theft Task Force at 886-2862. Anyone with any information should not assume police have the information, and provide the information without delay.

The Corpus Christi Police Auto Theft Task Force Detectives encourage the public to be aware of a few no-cost precautions to avoid vehicle theft. One tip is to take your keys. Half of all vehicles stolen in Texas (roughly 50,000 annually) are the result of keys left in the ignition.

A second tip is to lock the doors. Half of all stolen vehicles were left unlocked. Park in well-lit areas and don’t tempt thieves by leaving valuables in sight.

Report any vehicle theft to the police immediately if your vehicle has been stolen. Be ready to provide the vehicle year, make, model, color, Vehicle Identification Number, and the license plate number to increase your chances for recovery. For more information, call 1-800-CAR-Watch or visit www.txwatchyourcar.com.

Charlie District, Criminal Investigations Division

Robbery Victim Dies, Three Arrested

Alfonso Garcia
Jazmyn Monique De Los Santos
Gabriel Grande Jr.

Reported on 8/7/12, 11:55 pm  Aggravated Robbery  4100 Shaw Street   1208060186

On 8/6/12, at approximately 8:59 p.m. police were called to Spohn Shoreline for an assault victim and contacted the victim’s son who reported his father had been brought to the hospital on Friday and admitted as a “John Doe.”

Further investigation revealed the victim had been brought to the hospital by CCFD Emergency Personnel who responded to a “man down” call at Horne and Shaw.  The victim did not have visible injuries at the time, but was unconscious.

Corpus Christi Homicide/Robbery Detectives received information that on August 2nd, the victim had been involved in a verbal altercation with several individuals over a debt owed by a roommate. During the confrontation the victim was knocked unconscious and robbed.  The suspects who included two males and a pregnant female left in a black four-door vehicle with a spoiler.

During their investigation, Detectives discovered Police were called to the residence at 4100 Shaw on August 2nd, but the victim did not want to file a police report, refusing to cooperate with Officers.  The roommate told Detectives the victim left the residence on Friday, August 3rd and did not return. 

Detectives’ continued their investigation and were able to identify the suspects.  Detective R. Lee obtained warrants for Gabriel Grande Jr. (02/24/93) and Alfonso Garcia (08/20/59) for Aggravated Robbery.  Each warrant had a bond of $150,000.  Detective Lee also obtained a warrant for Grande’s pregnant girlfriend, Jazmyn Monique De Los Santos (04/14/93) for Aggravated Robbery.

Grande was arrested on August 9th at 1701 Yale Street and charged with the outstanding Aggravated Robbery warrant by Senior Officers J. Vela and H. Corona.  Senior Officer J. Vela arrested Garcia about forty minutes later in the 1700 block of Yale Street.  He was charged with the outstanding Aggravated Robbery warrant.  Senior Officer H. Corona and D. Gipson arrested De Los Santos on August 14th at 1701 Yale Street and booked at the City Detention Center on the outstanding Aggravated Robbery warrant.

The 59-year-old victim died on August 8th and the investigation is ongoing pending the Nueces County Medical Examiner’s ruling.

Community Outreach

Interested in becoming a Police Officer? Accept the Challenge!

Now Hiring!

The Corpus Christi Police department has extended it’s application deadline to August 31, 2012. The Corpus Christi Police Department invites qualified men and women to apply for a rewarding and dedicated career as a police officer. Corpus Christi is a unique community that balances the beauty and calm of a sparkling village-by-the-sea atmosphere with big city benefits and opportunities. We are a city of 300,000 in population and our officers provide a wide range of police-related services that make the job interesting and challenging. We are a large enough department to engage most contemporary police functions, but small enough to still remember your first name and not treat you like a number. The pay and benefits package, the affordable cost of living, and the friendliness of our citizens make the position of police officer a much sought-after career. To apply or for more information, click here http://www.cctexas.com/police/careers/

Applicant Physical Ability Test (P.A.T.) Preparation

The Corpus Christi Police Department is opening up their training center for applicants to come and practice the physical ability test (P.A.T.) every Wednesday from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.

The Corpus Christi Police Department’s Training Staff will answer questions and provide information to all prospective applicants who participate in the practice physical ability test on how to prepare for the P.A.T. It will then be up to each individual to utilize the information they are given, to train themselves to achieve the best possible score on the P.A.T. on test day.

The practice physical ability tests will be held at the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Training Center:

4510 Corona Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78411

For more information you can call:

Maryann Carrillo

Senior Staff Assistant, Training Division

(361) 826-4071

Walk-Ins Welcome!

Delta District

Officers Assaulted During Domestic Dispute Call for Help

Edward Armadillo
Christina Ramirez

Occurred on 8/13/12, 9:55 pm  Assault on a Public Servant/Resisting Arrest  3100 Magnolia  1208130151

Officers received a call for a family disturbance involving the use of weapons.  Several Officers were dispatched when additional 911 calls were received reporting gunshots were fired.  Upon their arrival, Officer contacted family members at the Magnolia Street residence who reported Edward Armadillo (01/20/75) assaulted his mother hitting her on the shoulder after she told him not to bring his girlfriend to her home.

Armadillo brother’s observed the assault and grabbed his gun, firing two warning shots which made the suspect run into the home where Police found him.  Armadillo was placed in police custody and a struggle ensued as he was being escorted to the police car.  Two Officers received minor injuries during the struggle when Armadillo lashed out and landed several kicks.  Armadillo continued to resist arrest and only complied with Officers when pepper sprayed.

Armadillo was booked at the City Detention Center and charged with two counts of Assault Causes Bodily Injury to a Public Servant and Resisting Arrest.  He was additionally charged with Assault~Family Violence. (1208140005)

Armadillo’s girlfriend, Christina Ramirez (08/08/75) who was involved in the original disturbance was also arrested.  She was charged with Public Intoxication and an outstanding Municipal Court warrant. (1208130155)

Corpus Christi Police Department Detectives will take over the investigation and possible charges may be filed for the weapon violation. (1208130154)

Bravo District, Delta District

Two Men Arrested for Urinating on Police Cars

Albert Halfmann
Ronald David Wasserleben

Occurred on 8/14/12, 8:23 pm  Public Intoxication/Wanted Subject  1455 Waldron Road 1208140115/1208140117 

Officers received a call from Bayside Grocery employee who reported two homeless men were urinating on police vehicles parked on Waldron Street side of the Flour Bluff substation.   The caller also reported the two men were causing problems at the store asking  individuals to buy them beer. 

Ronald David Wasserleben (05/04/62) and Albert Halfmann (08/05/56) were both arrested by Officers.  Wasserleben was charged with Public Intoxication and booked at the City Detention Center along with Halfman who was charged with Criminal Trespass.  Halfmann was additionally charged with an outstanding Nueces County warrant for Criminal Trespass.  There was no bond set on the warrant.

 

Narcotics/Vice Division

Police Seize $30,000 Worth Of Methamphetamine On McGregor Drive

Occurred Tuesday, August 14, 2012, 10:40am, 4601 McGregor Dr. Possession of a Controlled Substance, Search Warrant 1208140036                                                
Corpus Christi Police arrested two men and seized $30,000 worth of methamphetamine Tuesday morning from a house on the 4600 block of McGregor Drive.

The Corpus Christi Police Narcotics Vice Investigations Division conducted an investigation which included the use of undercover operations to obtain a search warrant for the house located at 4601 McGregor Drive. The Narcotics Vice Investigations Division were assisted by the Corpus Christi Police SWAT to safely enter the house and seize 23.7 ounces of methamphetamine which has a street value of $30,000.

The Investigators also seized a handgun in the home. Police arrested 40-year-old Adam Garcia (10/25/1971) at the home for possession of a controlled substance; a 1st degree felony. Police also arrested 34-year-old Jose Garcia (1/30/1978) at the home for a warrant for arrest for burglary.

Community Outreach, Criminal Intelligence Unit, Criminal Investigations Division

Fake Groupon Discount Offer Hides Virus

The Corpus Christi Police Financial Crimes Investigators would like to warn the public of a new email scam that infects computers with a virus.

The email that transmits a virus is presented as a shopping deal from Groupon complete with the colors, logo, and email format. The email has an attachment file called “group coupon.zip” which contains a virus designed to infect the Windows operating system.

Police advise the public to keep an updated virus software program and run a scan periodically. Anyone that questions the validity of any Groupon deal should contact the company’s customer support.

Visit the Better Business Bureau website for more information about breaking scams in our area.

Corpus Christi Police Daily Blotter