Thursday, 25 June 2026, 14:06
A Ventura County jury has found a man guilty of multiple counts of child sexual abuse following a trial that concluded on June 24, 2026. The defendant, identified as Torres, was convicted of continuous sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault of a child, and lewd acts on a child.
The Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced the verdict, noting that the jury also found true two aggravating factors: the victim was particularly vulnerable, and Torres exploited a position of power to commit his crimes.
The victim, who was under 14 years old at the time of the abuse, bravely disclosed the abuse to a trusted family member in 2019, according to prosecutors. The case was prosecuted in Santa Paula, which falls within Ventura County.
Torres is scheduled to be sentenced on July 27, 2026, and faces a maximum sentence of 31 years to life in state prison. Following the conviction, he was remanded into custody.
The district attorney's office emphasized that the verdict holds the defendant accountable for the harm he caused and brings long-overdue justice to the victim and her family, expressing hope that it provides them with closure.
Source: keyt.com
A suspect has been arrested in the 1999 cold case murder of Diane Ayres, a 23-year-old San Diego resident whose body was discovered in Balboa Park. The arrest comes more than two decades after the killing, following a renewed investigation that used advanced forensic evidence to identify the alleged perpetrator.
On December 4, 1999, golfers at the Balboa Park golf course discovered Ayres’ body in bushes along the 1800 block of Golf Course Drive. They immediately called for help, and the San Diego Police Department responded.
The Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that Ayres had been strangled.
For years, the case remained unsolved. Cold case investigators from the San Diego Police Department re-examined forensic evidence, which ultimately led to the identification of Christopher Lynn Creek, 52, as the suspect.
The SDPD worked closely with the FBI and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office throughout the investigation.
Creek was located in a prison across the country. On June 16, he was arrested on the San Diego homicide warrant by the Laurens County Sheriff's Department and transferred from Dodge State Prison in Chester, Georgia, to the county jail.
He was set to be arraigned on Thursday in San Diego.
Source: timesofsandiego.com
Federal authorities have arrested a Palmdale man accused of blackmailing teenage girls and coercing them into producing sexual images, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Thursday. Kenneth Mellor, 20, of Palmdale, was taken into custody in Pennsylvania on Wednesday following an eight-month investigation.
The FBI said the investigation began in October 2025 after Mellor allegedly claimed to be in a relationship with a 12-year-old girl and forced her to create sexual content. After conducting a forensic review of digital devices seized from Mellor's home, investigators discovered that the suspect had communicated with numerous suspected victims.
According to the FBI, investigators have so far identified approximately 12 confirmed minor victims, with more than 10 additional victims yet to be identified. Mellor allegedly threatened, intimidated, and emotionally manipulated his young victims.
At least one of the minors may have attempted self-harm following Mellor's coercion. The complaint further alleges that Mellor frequently attempted to befriend and groom girls between the ages of 9 and 17 on various online platforms by misrepresenting his age.
He used multiple aliases on social media and gaming platforms, including Roblox, Discord, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, and WePlay, to lure his victims. Authorities are asking the public to help identify additional victims.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit tips anonymously at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI warned parents and caregivers to remind children to be cautious when posting images online and to stress that images on the internet can exist forever.
They also advised that anything done via webcam or mobile device cameras can be recorded by a perpetrator without the victim's knowledge. If convicted on the charges, Mellor faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum of 30 years.
The online aliases used by Mellor include Angelicdvorapss, Dvoraps69, Angel1cT0nes, Daddytentoesdeep, Beachyboyken1, YT_reaper, Yttr.eaper, Dantekingofall, Dantedemonking, Dantedemonking2, Demonlorddante, Demonlorddantes, Itachi_godoffire, Tidesgamingsnipes, Mr_Faded, and ThelastKeshin.
Source: nbclosangeles.com
A hazardous materials incident at a Fresno apartment complex led to evacuations and a major street closure Thursday morning after residents reported feeling ill, with investigators suspecting possible fentanyl exposure. The Fresno Fire Department responded around 10:30 a.m.
to the Renaissance at Alta Monte, a multifamily complex, following reports of coughing and vomiting in one unit. Upon arrival, two individuals on the first floor complained of not feeling well.
Fire officials determined that an irritant appeared to be causing the symptoms, and during the investigation, a potential fentanyl problem was linked to the incident. The building was evacuated, and some residents were instructed to shelter in place.
Law enforcement, emergency medical services, and Environmental Health personnel were on scene. Crews searched the first floor but did not locate the source of the irritant.
The investigation was subsequently transferred to the Fresno Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for further inquiry into possible use and manufacture of fentanyl. One person was treated at the scene and released, while a second was transported to Community Regional Medical Center for further treatment.
Blackstone Avenue was closed from Illinois Avenue to Belmont Avenue during the response. The incident remains under investigation.
Source: kmph.com
The Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) has announced a burn ban for the South Yuba River Corridor, effective immediately as of June 25, 2026. The ban prohibits all open burning, including campfires, bonfires, and the use of charcoal grills, within the designated corridor area to reduce the risk of wildfires during the dry summer season.
Local authorities emphasize that the restriction applies to all unincorporated areas along the river, with exemptions only for gas stoves and propane grills used in designated campsites. Violators may face fines and legal penalties.
The ban will remain in effect until further notice, with updates provided by Nevada County OES. Residents and visitors are urged to exercise extreme caution and to report any signs of smoke or fire immediately to emergency services.
This measure comes as part of broader wildfire prevention efforts in the region, which has experienced heightened fire danger due to dry conditions and low humidity.
Source: theunion.com
Facing a severe water supply crisis exacerbated by the drying Colorado River and crumbling infrastructure, officials from Tijuana, Mexico, visited Oceanside, California, on Tuesday to learn about advanced water recycling technology. The tour of Oceanside’s Pure Water facility comes as Tijuana residents face the possibility of water rationing this summer due to frequent pipeline breaks and increasing water scarcity.
Oceanside’s Pure Water facility, opened four years ago, was the first of its kind in San Diego County and the second in California. It converts 3 million gallons of recycled wastewater into drinking water daily, supplying 20% of the city’s water.
Rudy Guzman, who oversees the facility, demonstrated the purification process, explaining how wastewater is cleaned to a drinkable standard. “What if you take this wastewater, right, and you clean it enough so you can drink it?” Guzman asked officials during the tour.
“But we did it.”
Oceanside Mayor Esther Sanchez emphasized that severe drought conditions compelled the city to develop a local, drought-proof water supply, reducing reliance on the Colorado River. “When we realized that, of course, we’re in a desert, this could possibly continue to happen, we had to find another way of supplying or adding to our water supply,” Sanchez said.
She believes a similar approach could work for Tijuana and stressed the importance of sharing information and maintaining an ongoing dialogue.
According to a May report by the Institute of the Americas, Mexico is facing one of the most pressing water crises in the Western Hemisphere, with over 75% of the country experiencing drought and more than 100 aquifers overexploited. In Tijuana, aging pipelines frequently break, causing repeated water cutoffs for residents, said Tijuana City Councilmember Gina Arana.
The city’s infrastructure has not kept pace with its rapid population growth, now exceeding 2 million people.
Arana noted that while Tijuana has older water reuse programs that treat wastewater for green spaces and industrial use, it does not currently treat water for drinking. She said adopting advanced purification could help Tijuana become less dependent on the Colorado River and reduce the amount of untreated wastewater flowing across the border into San Diego County.
Richard Kiy, president of the Institute of the Americas, who helped arrange the site visit, agreed that reducing cross-border flows would not only improve Tijuana’s water resilience but also alleviate a political issue between Mexico and the United States. Arana added that the San Diego region is demonstrating the importance of public conservation efforts.
Tijuana officials plan to meet with other cities in Mexico investing in water recycling as they explore similar solutions.
Source: kpbs.org