Prescott Preserve named among California conservation priorities
Report: No crime in officer-involved shooting of unarmed Hemet man
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Menifee police officer now accused of sexually assaulting 5 women By City News Service
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Menifee policeman previously accused of sexually assaulting two women while onand off-duty is now charged with victimizing a total of five women. Juan Jose Pesina Jr., 32, of Murrieta, was arrested last month following an investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department's Special Victims Unit. On Monday, the District Attorney's Office filed additional charges stemming from recent findings tied to the ongoing investigation. Pesina was originally charged with forcible rape, felony sexual battery, attempted forcible sodomy, first-degree burglary, forced oral copulation, attempted forced oral copulation and two counts of assault with intent to commit rape, as well as sentence-enhancing allegations of perpetrating sexual offenses during a burglary. The amended complaint resulted in four more sexual battery counts, along with two counts of extortion and one count of acceptance of a bribe. Pesina pleaded not guilty to all charges during an arraignment Monday before Superior Court Judge Judith Clark, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Dec. 9 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. Pesina is being held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.
Juan Jose Pesina Jr. | Photo courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department
He's on unpaid administrative leave from the Menifee Police Department. The agency released a statement soon after his arrest, saying its Professional Standards Unit had received a complaint from a woman on July 22 alleging encounters with the lawman over two years earlier in which he had sexually abused her. "A preliminary internal investigation was immediately conducted," Menifee police Sgt. Raul Perez said. "In order to ensure a fair,
thorough and impartial investigation, the department requested an independent criminal investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department." Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Peters said MPD Internal Affairs detectives informed the Special Victims Unit that "Pesina was accused of sexually assaulting a victim during an on-duty investigation." "During the course of our investigation, additional victims were identified in incidents that had occurred
between 2023 and 2024," Peters said. "Investigators determined Pesina encountered these victims while on duty and off duty." According to the criminal complaint, the victims, identified as "C.W.," "C.R.," "G.S.," "J.H." and "J.R.," were allegedly assaulted in February and September 2023, as well as January, November and December 2024, and August 2025. J.H. was Pesina's first alleged target. The defendant allegedly accessed her property illegally and perpetrated multiple sexual offenses over an unspecified period, according to the prosecution. C.R. was allegedly victimized 11 months later, suffering similar abuse, the complaint said. The document didn't specify which person, but it alleged that "after returning the victim of domestic violence to her home ... the defendant entered her home and forcibly sexually assaulted her." "It is further alleged the offenses involved great violence, great bodily harm, threat of great bodily harm, or other acts disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness," according to the narrative. The police department did not disclose when Pesina was hired, or in specifically what capacities he had worked, other than patrol. If convicted, he could face life in prison with the possibility of parole.
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Most IE residents say they are struggling, UCR studies find By Staff
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wo studies by researchers at the University of California, Riverside found a majority of Inland Empire residents report they are struggling to get by. The research, based on two surveys of more than 3,300 residents, paints a revealing picture of life in Southern California’s fastgrowing region east of Los Angeles, according to the university on Tuesday. More than half of survey respondents, 53%, said they were struggling, according to the research. Another 6% reported suffering indicating that they saw little hope for the future, UCR officials
said. The studies were based out of the university's Center for Community Solutions, which is part of the university's School of Public Policy. According to researchers, the studies uncover troubling disparities but also hopeful signs of community cohesion. While the levels of well-being were below national averages, IE residents were more likely than others in the United States to feel a sense of community belonging. "Overall, the IE lags behind the U.S. with respect to self-reported well-being, but the region’s unusu-
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Tax district board to solicit public comment on proposed projects in Cabazon By City News Service
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public forum to gather input from residents of Cabazon and surrounding communities on proposed projects for a tax district awaiting state approval will be held next month, accessible both virtually and in person. The next meeting of the Public Financing Authority for the Cabazon Infrastructure Financing District is scheduled for Oct. 7 at the County Administrative Center, 4080 Lemon St. in See Tax district Page 15
downtown Riverside. The PFA board will gavel the meeting to order at 2 p.m. "We are very close to creating an EIFD in Cabazon that would serve as an opportunity to bring much needed infrastructure to the area and surrounding mountain communities," Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez said in a statement. "Whether in person or remotely, I encourage residents and stakeholders to attend the upcoming public