In accordance with Assembly Bill 481, the Orange County Sheriff's Department will hold a community meeting on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 1 p.m. in the County Administration Building South’s Conference Center located at 601 N. Ross St., Santa Ana, CA 92701.
The community will have an opportunity to gather information about AB 481 and ask questions of Sheriff’s Department personnel.
More information about AB 481 can be found HERE.
DANA POINT, Ca. (April 14, 2025): Captain Frank Gonzalez has been selected as the new Chief of Dana Point Police Services. He will begin his new assignment on Friday, April 18.
“Being selected as the Dana Point Chief of Police Services is both an honor and a great responsibility,” Captain Gonzalez said. “I look forward to working alongside an exceptional team and serving an engaged community where safety is a shared priority.”
Captain Gonzalez joined the Sheriff’s Department in 2006 and served in Custody Operations before working patrol in North Operations. In 2016, Captain Gonzalez was assigned to the Tactical Training Center, where he instructed personnel on various topics including driving tactics, less-lethal tactics and active shooter response. That same year, he joined the Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) as an ancillary assignment, providing critical support during dynamic incidents, including high-risk warrant services and barricaded suspect calls.
Captain Gonzalez was promoted to sergeant in 2019 and was assigned to the Intake Release Center, where he worked in the custody Behavioral Health Bureau to provide services in collaboration with the OC Healthcare Agency to incarcerated persons with mental health or substance use disorders.
Captain Gonzalez was then assigned as a patrol sergeant for North Operations and, in 2020 as an ancillary duty, was selected to lead CNT. He became the Behavioral Health Bureau sergeant in 2022, leading the operational team tasked with proactively engaging those experiencing homelessness and individuals with mental health needs.
Captain Gonzalez was selected as the Sheriff’s Department’s Public Information Officer in 2023, where he served as the liaison to the media and spokesperson for the agency.
He was promoted to lieutenant in 2024 and was assigned to the James A. Musick Facility. Most recently, he served as Captain for Court Operations, overseeing daily public safety services for the county’s justice centers.
He has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Management and also serves as a Sheriff’s Department instructor for courses including crisis intervention, crisis negotiations and effective law enforcement communications.
Captain Gonzalez’s predecessor, Captain Todd Hylton, was selected to lead the Real-Time Operations Center, which uses a wide range of technologies to effectively and safely respond to incidents.
On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, an inmate who was housed at the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana died while in custody. The decedent, Luis Carlos Olivas JR a 42-year-old Hispanic male, was in custody for PC 3056 – Parole Violation. The decedent's manner and means of death are awaiting final determination by the Orange County Coroner.
Mission Viejo, Ca. (April 10, 2025): On Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at around 2 p.m., deputies were called to the 27000 block of Camden in the city of Mission Viejo. A family member called after she found her 21-year-old brother, Cristopher Bahenabaylon, bleeding on the couch in their apartment. Deputies arrived and immediately rendered aid to the victim who was suffering from an apparent stab wound to his chest. Orange County Fire Authority arrived and pronounced Cristopher deceased.
Deputies established a perimeter and found physical evidence which led to the detention of a juvenile Hispanic male who lived in the same apartment complex.
OC Sheriff’s Homicide investigators responded and began their investigation. Based on the interviews conducted by investigators and the evidence at the scene, the juvenile male was arrested and booked into the Orange County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of murder. No further information will be released at this time.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Orange County Sheriff's Department at (714) 647-7000. Anonymous tips can be sent to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855- 847-6227) or at occrimestoppers.org
Laguna Woods, Ca. (April 10, 2025): On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Special Victim’s Detail (SVD) investigators arrested Robert Mario Perri, 66, Laguna Woods, in connection with multiple incidents of indecent exposure.
In April 2025, SVD investigators were notified of multiple incidents of indecent exposure in Laguna Woods. Multiple elderly victims reported the incidents to Laguna Woods security personnel, and three victims filed formal reports with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
During the investigation, SVD investigators identified the suspect and discovered Perri used his white convertible Ford Mustang to follow his victims to their residence. He would then return to the residence and expose himself to the victims later.
Perri was booked into the Orange County Jail on charges of indecent exposure.
SVD Investigators believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Detail at (714)-647- 7419 or (714) 647-7000. Anonymous tips can be sent to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) or at occrimestoppers.org
Unincorporated Santa Ana, Ca. (April 9, 2025): On Thursday, April 3, 2025, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Special Victim’s Detail (SVD) investigators arrested Anthony Oscar Alcala, 28, Huntington Beach, following allegations he had sexual relationships with two juvenile females between 2017-2023.
In Feb. 2025, SVD investigators were contacted by an organization aimed at reducing sexual assaults on athletes. The victims were subsequently contacted, and an investigation ensued. Both victims alleged Alcala, while working as a wrestling coach at El Modena and Foothill High Schools, groomed and had sexual relationships with them.
During the investigation, SVD investigators discovered Alcala had a prior employment as a coach at a private wrestling club in Placentia, Premier Wrestling (formerly known as Somar Wrestling).
Alcala was booked into the Orange County Jail on multiple felony charges including sexual intercourse with a minor.
Due to Alcala’s access to juveniles, SVD investigators believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Detail at 714-647-7419 or Dispatch at 714-647-7000. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) or at occrimestoppers.org.
SANTA ANA, Ca. (April 8, 2025) – On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, an inmate who was housed at the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana died.
The 42-year-old inmate was booked by the Anaheim Police Department on April 07, 2025, for PC 3056 - Parole Violation. The inmate’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin by the Orange County Coroner’s Division.
On Tuesday, April 08, 2025, the inmate was found unresponsive alone in his cell at the Intake Release Center in Module J. Deputies and correctional medical staff attempted life-saving measures. The inmate was transported via ambulance to a local area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. A final cause of death will be determined following an independent autopsy and toxicology.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the in-custody death. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an in-custody death review. No additional information will be released at this time
On Monday, Mar. 31, 2025, an inmate who was housed at the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana died while in custody. The decedent, a 55-year-old male, was in custody without bail for PC 192(c)(1) – Vehicle Manslaughter with Gross Negligence, PC 245(a)(1) – Assault with a Deadly Weapon, VC 20001(a) – Hit and Run with Injury. The decedent's manner and means of death are awaiting final determination by the Orange County Coroner.
SANTA ANA, Ca. (Apr. 1, 2025) – On Monday, Mar. 31, 2025, an inmate who was housed at the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana died.
The 55-year-old inmate was arrested by Anaheim Police Department on Apr. 17, 2024, for PC 192(c)(1) – Vehicle Manslaughter with Gross Negligence, PC 245(a)(1) – Assault with a Deadly Weapon, VC 20001(a) – Hit and Run with Injury. The inmate’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin by the Orange County Coroner’s Division.
On Monday, Mar. 31, 2025, the inmate was found unresponsive alone in his cell at the Intake Release Center in Module J. Deputies and correctional medical staff attempted life-saving measures. The inmate was pronounced deceased at approximately 3:05 p.m. A final cause of death will be determined following an independent autopsy and toxicology.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the in-custody death. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an in-custody death review. No additional information will be released at this time.
Santa Ana, Ca. (Apr. 1, 2025) – In its efforts to prevent distracted driving and save lives on our roads, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department is reminding all drivers to stay focused, keep their eyes forward and keep their hands on the wheel. Whether checking a phone, eating or adjusting the radio, distractions can have devastating consequences.
"Staying focused behind the wheel is something we can all do,” Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Ishii said. “Distracted Driving Awareness Month is an important reminder that even a moment of inattention or a quick glance at the phone can lead to serious consequences. Distracted driving is not only risky; it is deadly. Stay focused, stay alert and help us keep our roads safe.”
According to the 2024 California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, nearly 74% of drivers surveyed said that distracted driving, because of texting, was their biggest safety concern. In 2022, there were 148 people killed in distracted driving traffic crashes in California. The numbers are likely underreported because law enforcement officers may not always be able to tell that distraction was a factor in a crash.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be actively looking for drivers throughout the month who are in violation of the state’s hands-free cell phone law.
Under current law, drivers are not allowed to hold a phone or electronic communications device while operating a vehicle, even when stopped at a red light. This includes talking, texting or using an app. Using a handheld cell phone while driving is punishable by a fine, and violating the hands-free law for a second time within 36 months of a prior conviction for the same offense will result in a point being added to a driver’s record.
Follow these simple steps to stay focused and protect everyone on the road:
• Put your phone away: Silence notifications and store your phone where you can’t reach it while driving.
• Plan ahead: Set your GPS, adjust mirrors and finish any tasks before you start driving.
• Keep both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road: Avoid eating, grooming or adjusting controls while driving.
• Be a role model: Show your passengers, especially young drivers, that focused driving is the norm.
• Speak up: If you’re a passenger and see the driver distracted, kindly remind them to stay focused.
• Pull over if necessary: If something urgent comes up, stop in a safe place before responding.
Funding for distracted driving enforcement is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.