SJPD Press Releases 2020

Suspect: Ranjit Singh Birk

San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose Police Department arrested suspect Ranjit Singh Birk for Sexual Battery (misdemeanor) - 243.4(e)(1)PC. Birk worked as a customer service representative at Avis Rental Car in San Jose for over 20 years.

On September 3, 2019, the female victim contacted her local police department to report the incident. The victim was renting a vehicle at Avis Car Rental located at 1659 Airport Boulevard in San Jose when she was greeted by the suspect who allegedly touched her inappropriately. The report was forwarded to the San Jose Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit.

On January 9, 2020, San Jose Police officers arrested Birk at his residence in San Jose and booked him into the Santa Clara County Jail on one count of Sexual Battery.

Detectives believe there is a likelihood of additional victims and are asking anyone with information regarding this incident or any other similar incidents to contact Detective Jennifer Valosek of the San Jose Police Department's Sexual Assault Unit at 408-277-4102.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867), or click the "Submit a Tip" link below. Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.

Suspect Tuan Binh Nguyen

San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit (SAIU) arrested Tuan Binh Nguyen for Kidnapping - 207(a) PC (Felony), False Imprisonment - 236/237 PC (Felony), Digital Penetration with a Child under 14 years old with Force - 289(b) PC (Felony), Lewd Act with a Child Under 14 Years Old with Force - 288(b)(1) PC (Felony).

On Monday, January 13, 2020, at about 3:35 PM, San Jose police officers responded to a weapons call at Capitol Expressway and Tuers Road in San Jose. A private armed security guard called 911 to report he interrupted a suspect sexually assaulting a juvenile female.

The preliminary investigation revealed the victim's family hired the suspect several years ago to drive the victim home from school. On January 13th, the suspect dropped off other children and the victim was alone in the suspect's vehicle as he drove her home. The suspect deviated from the route and parked behind a business in the 1000 block of E. Capitol Expressway.

The security guard approached the suspect's vehicle and observed the suspect sexually assaulting the victim who was fighting off the attack. The security guard took the suspect into custody at gunpoint. Arriving officers took custody of suspect Nguyen and booked him into Santa Clara County Jail on the above listed charges.

Anyone with information about this case or similar incidents involving this suspect is asked to contact Detective Ed Sandoval or Detective John Tran of the San Jose Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit at 408-277-4102.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867), or click the "Submit a Tip" link below. Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.

Suspect Robert Hicks

San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force/Child Exploitation Detail (CED) arrested Robert Hicks for Possession of Child Pornography (felony) - 311.11 PC, and violation of Post Release Community Supervision (felony) 3455 PC.  

On Thursday, January 9, 2020, ICAC Task Force detectives received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Hicks was in possession of child pornography.  Hicks was using a factitious name of "Wyatt" on his Twitter account.  The account contained child pornography and sexually explicit messages between the suspect and under age children.  Detectives learned that Hicks is a registered sex offender and on post release community supervision out of Santa Clara County.  

On Thursday, January 9, 2020, ICAC/CED detectives, along with Santa Clara County Probation, and San Jose Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Hicks at his place of employment in San Jose for probation violation.  On Wednesday, January 15, 2020, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office amended the charges to include possession of child pornography.

Anyone with information regarding this incident or similar incidents are urged to contact Detective Mike O'Grady of the San Jose Police Department's ICAC/CED Unit at 408-537-1379.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867), or click the "Submit a Tip" link below. Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.

Suspect Cole Gregory Halvorson

San Jose, Calif. - On Friday, December 13, 2019, at about 1:40 AM, San Jose police officers responded to a report of an accidental shooting in the 4000 block of Formby Court in San Jose. When officers arrived on scene, the involved parties were gone. Officers determined the involved parties drove the 21 year-old male victim to a local hospital.

Officers responded to the hospital and detained three adult males who were with the victim. The investigation revealed one of the detainees, Cole Gregory Halvorson, was a passenger in a vehicle with the other detainees when he shot the victim. The victim remained at a local hospital with a life-threatening gunshot wound.

Halvorson was taken into custody at the hospital and booked into Santa Clara County Jail for assault with a deadly weapon – 245(a)(2) PC (felony), negligent discharge of a firearm – 246(a) PC (felony), possession of narcotics with a firearm – 11370.1 HS (felony), and possession of a loaded unregistered firearm – 25850 PC (felony).

On Sunday, January 12, 2020, the victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital. Suspect Halvorson remains in custody at Santa Clara County Jail. Homicide detectives will present the case to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office to determine if charges will be amended.

This will be considered the City’s first homicide of 2020.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Ali Miri or Detective Gabriel Cuenca of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at 408-277-5283.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867), or click the "Submit a Tip" link below. Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.

Suspect Albert Thomas Vasquez	Suspect Antonio Quirino Salvador	Suspect Hediberto Gonzalez Avarenga

San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit arrested Albert Thomas Vasquez for kidnapping to commit rape - 209(b)(1) PC (felony), digital penetration with a child under 14 years with force - 289(c) PC (felony), false imprisonment - 236/237 PC (felony), lewd act with a child 14 or 15 years with force - 288(c)(1) PC (felony), rape by intoxication or controlled substance - 261(a)(3) PC (felony).

Suspect Monica "Amy" Dien Tien Ho	Suspect Richard Yoo	Suspect Kimberly Nguyen	Suspect Thu Thi Nguyen

San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit/Human Trafficking Task Force arrested the above suspects for crimes related to human trafficking, pimping, pandering and maintaining a house of ill repute.

On Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at about 5:30 PM, San Jose police officers served two search warrants at suspected residential brothels located at 1901 S. King Road and 5656 Silver Leaf Road in San Jose. The brothels were identified during a human trafficking investigation.

The preliminary investigation revealed six survivors of human trafficking and four suspects directly involved with maintaining and operating a house of ill repute, pimping, pandering and human trafficking.   

Suspect Monica “Amy” Dien Tien Ho believed to be the Madam was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail for human trafficking - 236.1a PC (felony), pimping - 266h PC (felony), and pandering - 266i PC (felony). Suspect Richard Yoo was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail for an outstanding felony warrant involving an assault with a deadly weapon where a firearm was used, pimping - 266h PC (felony), pandering - 266i PC (felony), and maintaining a house of ill repute - 315 PC (misdemeanor). Suspects Kimberly Nguyen and Thu Thi Nguyen were believed to be house managers of the illicit brothels and were booked into the Santa Clara County Jail for pimping - 266h PC (felony), pandering - 266i PC (felony), and maintaining a house of ill repute - 315 PC (misdemeanor).

All survivors were connected with victim advocates, which was coordinated by Community Solutions.  All of the victim advocates are specially trained in the area of human trafficking.   

Anyone with information about this case or other cases involving these suspects is asked to contact Detective Gurbaksh Sohal or Detective Ana Perez of the San Jose Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit/ Human Trafficking Task Force at (408) 277-4102 or email stopslavery@sanjoseca.gov.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867), or click the "Submit a Tip" link below. Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers. 

Suspect Peter Rodriguez

San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose Police Department is investigating the City’s 3^rd homicide of 2020.  On Saturday, January 25, 2020, at about 5:24 AM, San Jose police officers responded to a welfare check in the 2000 block of Mondigo Avenue San Jose. The caller, who was later determined to be suspect Peter Rodriguez, asked police to check on the victim at the above location, whom he said he had not spoken to for several hours.  When officers arrived at the residence, they located an adult female victim with multiple stab wounds.  The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Homicide detectives conducted follow-up investigation and identified suspect Peter Rodriguez as the person responsible for the murder of the victim.  The suspect was taken into custody in San Jose and subsequently booked into Santa Clara County Jail for murder.  The motive and circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation as well as the relationship between the victim and the suspect.     

The identity of the victim will be released by the Santa Clara County Coroner's Office after they confirm the victim's identity and notify next of kin.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Isidro Bagon or Detective Ramon Sanchez of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at 408-277-5283.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867), or click the "Submit a Tip" link below. Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.

Suspect Lukas Healy

San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose Police Department's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force / Child Exploitation Detail (CED) arrested Lukas Allen Healy for Possession of Child Pornography (felony) 311.11(a) PC and 2 counts of Lewd and Lascivious act on a child under 14 years (felony) 288a PC.

In early January 2020, ICAC Task Force investigators received several tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tips reported a person, later identified as suspect Healy, was in possession of child pornography. Detectives learned Healy is currently a teacher at Los Gatos Christian School in San Jose.

On Friday, January 31, 2020, detectives located child pornography on Healy's electronic devices, and discovered Healy molested two children on January 4, 2020, at a department store in San Jose. Healy was subsequently arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Jail on the above listed charges.

Anyone with information regarding this incident or any other similar incidents are urged to contact Detective Chris McTiernan of the San Jose Police Department’s ICAC/CED Unit at 408-273-2959.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867), or click the "Submit a Tip" link below. Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.

San Jose, Calif. -The San Jose Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in identifying and locating the three suspects shown in the linked video.

On Sunday, October 6, 2019, at about 9:25 PM, San Jose police officers responded to a fight involving multiple subjects in the 1500 block of Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose. Arriving officers located an adult male victim suffering from at least one stab wound. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.

The investigation revealed the victim approached the suspects on foot and a brief altercation ensued.  One of the three suspects produced a knife and stabbed the victim.  The three suspects were last seen running westbound on Alum Rock Avenue over the Highway 101 overpass. The street name changes here to East Santa Clara Street. The suspects continued running northbound on North 27th Street through a fast food restaurant parking lot. The motive and circumstances surrounding the stabbing are under investigation.  

The three suspects are described as Hispanic males, early teens, with an average build.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant TJ Lewis or Detective Brian Meeker of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at (408) 277-5283.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867), or click the Crime Stoppers link below.  Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.

MEDIA ADVISORY

San Jose, Calif. - Today, during Gun Violence Prevention week, the San Jose Police Department and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announce a new partnership that targets violent armed criminals referred to as “Priority Gun Offenders.”

Priority Gun Offenders are people who present a significant danger to the public due to their illegal possession of a firearm, repeated arrests for gun crimes, and/or their involvement in a gun-related aggravated assault.

San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia said, “Illegally possessed or illegally manufactured firearms, used by prolific criminals drive gun violence in our community. Focusing our resources on these offenders and illegal guns will save lives and reduce gun violence. Early signs of success with the program are a testament to the close collaboration with our District Attorney’s Office.”

The new program designed to reduce gun violence in the City of San Jose has already been successful with officers seizing high-powered assault rifles, illegal manufactured “ghost guns,” and making multiple gun crime arrests.

DA Jeff Rosen said, “We will not wait until there are bodies in our streets. We are not waiting until an innocent person is caught in a crossfire. The San Jose Police Department and my Office are using our combined forces to do everything we possibly can to stop shootings before they happen.”

The program coordinates investigative efforts of San Jose Police Detectives and analysts from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office Crime Strategies Unit to identify Priority Gun Offenders. San Jose PD Special Operations teams are assigned to locate and arrest armed criminals who are currently at large or likely to commit violence in San Jose.

Chief Eddie Garcia and District Attorney Jeff Rosen have media availability upon request.

 

 

Suspect Marcus Pardohendry	Suspect Richard Torres

San Jose, Calif. - On Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at about 10:19 PM, San Jose police officers responded to a person shot at Clayton Road and Squeri Drive in San Jose. Arriving officers located victim Richard Nguyen suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Victim Nguyen was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Follow-up investigation by homicide detectives led to the identification of suspects Marcus Pardohendry and Richard Torres.

On Tuesday, February 11, 2020, Covert Response Unit officers located suspect Torres in the City of Santa Clara. Torres did not comply with officers' commands and a San Jose police K9 was used to take him into custody. Torres was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment and was paper booked into Santa Clara County Jail for murder. Torres remains in custody at the hospital until he is medically released and booked into jail.

On Wednesday, February 12, 2020, at about 3:00 PM, Covert Response Unit officers located suspect Pardohendry in a residence in the 2500 block of Vista Verde Drive in San Jose. Pardohendry barricaded himself in the residence. MERGE officers responded to the scene and took over the incident.

At about 3:08 AM (2-13-2020), Pardohendry exited the residence and did not comply with officers' commands. Officers discharged a projectile impact weapon at Pardohendry twice and used a K9 to take him into custody. Pardohendry was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment and will be subsequently booked into Santa Clara County Jail for murder.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Paul Hamblin or Detective Ken Rak of the San Jose Police Department's Homicide Unit at 408-277-5283.

Persons wishing to remain anonymous may either call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line, (408) 947-STOP (7867), or click the "Submit a Tip" link below. Persons providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect may be eligible for a cash reward from the Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers. 

Suspect Jesse Michael Jimenez

San Jose, Calif. - On Monday, July 14, 2016, at about 12:20 AM, San Jose police officers responded to a person shot in the 700 block of E. Mission St. in San Jose. Arriving officers located victim Martin Cardenas suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Victim Cardenas was taken to a local hospital. The suspect fled the scene and was not initially apprehended. Victim Cardenas underwent medical treatment and was discharged from the hospital at a later date.

Patrol officers identified suspect Jesse Jimenez. Assaults Unit detectives conducted follow-up investigation and obtained an attempted murder arrest warrant for suspect Jimenez. In January 2017, suspect Jimenez was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Jail where he remains in custody awaiting trial.

On October 19, 2018, victim Cardenas was admitted to a hospital in Monterey County. On October 25, 2018, victim Cardenas was pronounced deceased at the hospital.   

On Sunday, February 2, 2020, the Santa Clara County Coroner's Office reviewed the facts of the case and ruled the manner of death a homicide. Jimenez remains in custody and his charges will be amended to murder - 187 PC (felony).