A man pleaded guilty Wednesday and was immediately sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for his part in the kidnapping of an Irvine woman to extort money from her family
George Armando Medrano pleaded guilty to kidnapping, burglary and attempted extortion, all felonies. Co-defendants Yang "Rose" Wang, 39, of Huntington Beach and Reha Soylular, 58, of Newport Beach, are awaiting trial. Another co-defendant, Ezra Schley, pleaded guilty in October to burglary in the case.
1st Inmate Petitions for Release From Orange County Jail After Judge’s Order
A man charged with aggravated kidnapping for ransom was the first inmate to petition for his release following a judge’s order to reduce the Orange County, California, jail population by half due to safety concerns over the spread of COVID-19, according to Orange County District AttorneyTodd Spitzer.
Superior Court Judge Peter J. Wilson ordered Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes to reduce the inmate population in Orange County jails by 50 percent by Dec. 18 because of a COVID outbreak in the system, following a lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of high-risk inmates.
Orange County Sheriff slams judge s order to release inmates amid COVID-19
Orange County Sheriff slams judge’s order to release inmates amid COVID-19
OC Sheriff Don Barnes is rejecting a judge s order that asks inmates to be released from county jails amid coronavirus concerns.
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes is rejecting a judge s order that asks inmates to be released from county jails amid coronavirus concerns. I refuse to release murderers and pedophiles, Sheriff Barnes said.
The order from a Superior Court judge asks for the release of nearly half the inmates in Orange County jails under their own recognizance, with ankle monitors, for example. More than 40 inmates tested positive across the county, but most are asymptomatic, according to officials with the Orange County Sheriff s Department.