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BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
Two shoppers have filed a class-action lawsuit against the owners of the Stanford Shopping Center for allegedly surveilling their cars with automated license-plate reading cameras in violation of state law.
on their collection, use and data sharing.
TROOPS AND TALKS: President Trump said for a second day that the U.S. was in talks with Iran to end the war. But Iran has denied that any negotiations are taking place. Meanwhile, at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be sent in coming days.
META GUILTY: A New Mexico jury yesterday found social media conglomerate Meta is harmful to children’s mental health and in violation of state consumer protection law. State prosecutors had accused Meta of placing profits over safety in violation of the state’s Unfair Practices Act. Attorneys for Meta had said the company discloses risks and makes efforts to weed out harmful content.
GOV. DEBATE OFF: USC has canceled a gubernatorial debate scheduled for last night after all candidates of racial minorities were excluded and accused the university of discrimination. Two Republicans and four Democrats, who are all white, were slated to participate.
SORA SHUT DOWN: OpenAI is
[See THE UPDATE, page 22]
“Once installed, the ALPRs identify and create a detailed record of every vehicle that enters its view. Unlike a person at an intersection, these cameras
Joshua Noel and Dominic Acosta said they visited the Palo Alto mall last year and had no idea they were being tracked by Flock, a company that has a nationwide network of at least 80,000 automated license-plate reading cameras, or ALPRs.
never blink, they never sleep, and they see and remember everything,” said the lawsuit, filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court on Friday.
Noel and Acosta are suing Simon Property Group for allegedly violating California’s 2015 ALPR law, which requires ALPR owners to have policies
ALPR owners must post a privacy policy online that says how ALPRs will be monitored, the purposes for collecting the data and the length of time the data will be stored, according to the law.
But Simon allegedly doesn’t have a privacy policy on its website, the suit
[See CAMERAS, page 22]
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
Residents are fighting to stop four redwood trees from being cut down behind Palo Alto’s oldest church.
“Those trees are a whole ecosystem for birds and insects to live in,” resident Thomas Seay said in an interview yesterday. “They provide cooling for the whole neighborhood. They reduce the chance of runoff in flooding. And there’s been a number of studies that have shown treelined streets increase property values.”
In an application to the city, St. Thomas Aquinas Church said the trees are damaging the foundation of the building at 751 Waverley St., which was constructed in 1902 and is a local historic landmark.
The city posted notices on the trees on March 11 and “deeply upset” the neighborhood, resident Hannah Ennerfelt
[See TREES, page 23]
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
San Carlos Councilwoman Sara McDowell said she wants a golf cart shuttle service to draw residents to the 700 block of Laurel Street.
McDowell proposed a golf cart shuttle service at Monday’s council meeting that could hold five people and travel in a loop through the 700 block of Laurel Street. Council discussed how to navigate concerns from businesses
as construction at Harrington Park will start soon.
McDowell said the city could take inspiration from Santa Barbara’s State Street Loop service. In Santa Barbara,
CART, page 22]
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
Menlo Park City Council set public safety as a priority for 2026 after residents said they feel unsafe in their homes.
Burglaries were among the top concerns residents reported in a survey for council to address at its annual priority-setting meeting on Saturday. Mayor Betsy Nash debated whether it would be worth prioritizing public safety, since the city already implements it.
Councilman Drew Combs said if council didn’t make it a priority, it would seem like it is ignoring the public.
“There is value in being responsive to what the public is saying in the moment,” Combs said.
Combs said the city would be failing residents if it didn’t address their concerns. Nash could provide reasons why public safety shouldn’t be a priority, but residents would see it differently, Combs said.
“I actually would prefer that you do not characterize the rest of us as not wanting to have the public feel safe,” Nash said.
“I’ve always said exactly what I think in the moment. Exactly how I’ve
wanted to say it and that will never change. So please don’t try to govern what I say, how I say it,” Combs said in response.
Combs said it seems the city is failing if residents say they don’t feel safe in their homes.
Councilman Jeff Schmidt agreed with Combs, saying public safety needs more attention due to a surge in burglaries.
Resident speaks out
“We no longer feel safe in our homes, and if we don’t feel safe in our homes in Menlo Park, what do we have?” resident Linda Litskovitz said.
Litskovitz said she lives in Sharon Heights and has seen many of her neighbors being robbed. Sometimes their children are in the home during incidents and get PTSD, she said. Itzconti said she was robbed in the middle of the night in 2007 while her two children were sleeping, she said.
“Every night that I go out during dinner, I’m afraid I’m going to come home and be robbed. I’m happy that I have a large dog at home, but this is a real big problem, and we need to address it,” Litskovitz said.
Nash said there would be a future meeting on public safety to further discuss how to address burglaries.
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
A jury convicted a Florida woman of injecting silicone in the rear end of a Kim Kardashian lookalike from Burlingame who died, a prosecutor said yesterday.
Vivian Gomez, 53, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was found guilty on Monday for assisting Christina Ashten Gourkani with her buttocks enhancement in 2023, causing her death.
Gomez faces a maximum of
seven years in prison, according to Wagstaffe.
Hired for ‘enhancement’ Gourkani, 34, was a social media influencer and model known for her work as a Kim Kardashian lookalike. Gourkani hired Gomez on April 19, 2023, to assist her with her buttocks enhancement, according to Wagstaffe.
Gomez does not have a license to practice medicine. Gomez traveled to a Burlingame hotel and
gave Gourkani “several injections” of what is believed to have been silicone on April 19, 2023, Wagstaffe said.
Gourkani got sick the next day and silicone was found in her bloodstream, causing respiratory issues and blockage in her arteries, the DA said.
Gomez was arrested on April 20, 2023, at the Fort Lauderdale Airport.
Gomez is in custody and will be sentenced on May 5.
Managing
General
Distribution:
Account
Letters:
San Mateo County Coroner’s Office:
March 23
Estanislao Luna Aldana, 65, of Redwood City
Larry Matthew Fong, 74, of Daly City
Dennis Bossa, 78, of Redwood City
Rebecca Elaine Bradford, 72, of Pescadero
Thomas Stephen Fell, 70, of Pescadero
March 22
Chet Hong, 61, of Hillsborough
March 20
Veronica Serrano Estuesta Gunn, 75, of Millbrae
Larisa A. Krayushkina, 75, of San Bruno
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto:
Aug. 8
Mira Kaur Bains, a girl
Mingyi Cai, a boy
Leonel Sebastian Castillo De Leon, a boy
Cullen Michael Curran, a boy
Timeo Andre Freche, a boy
Ember Jaeah Kim, a girl
Ezekiel Shalom Mathew, a boy
Emilia Nisha Mehta, a girl
Harper Lyn Richard, a girl
John Dominique Romeroallen, a boy
Jayaditya Thakar, a boy
Avery Becerra Tseung, a boy
Margot Julia Ulicny, a girl
Elliot John Uribe, a boy
Matteo Yoc Duran, a boy
Aug. 7
Angelina Chengxi Li, a girl
Ayoub Anees Mahammedi, a boy
Ayah Mahbub, a girl
Gisselle Mariah Rodriguez Barrientos, a girl
Siddhant Rohit, a boy
Bhavyaa Todarka, a girl
Veda Wadhwa, a girl
Dior Estrella Yepez, a girl
Chase Stewart Kokernak, 19, of Los Altos, California, passed away on March 8, 2026, following a skiing accident in Alta, Utah.
Chase was a freshman at the University of Utah, where he had embraced life in the mountains he loved. Having grown up skiing in Alta and as a member of the Snowbird Ski Team, he developed into an exceptional skier and formed a deep, lasting connection to the mountains.
Raised in Los Altos, Chase attended Los Altos High School. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed water polo, baseball, and tennis, bringing enthusiasm and determination to everything he pursued. Summers were spent in Utah and at the family’s home in Maine, where he loved wakeboarding, water skiing, and long days on the water with family and friends.
Chase touched countless friends and family with his quiet spirit, kindness, and the joy he brought to those around him.
He is survived by his brother, Charles “Charlie” Kokernak, and his parents, Theodore “Ted” and Sharisse Kokernak of Los Altos.
Trade Wars and Currency Wars are accelerating worldwide.
The old monetar y system is failing. Indebted national currencies are depreciating in a see-saw race to the bottom. So much worldwide debt is in default or is being masked with more debt. Politicians posture at each other, but they all created the situation by buying power and favors while mor tgaging your children’s future.
Stocks and bond markets, long suppor ted by Central Banks, may be challenged going for ward as governments have exhausted their debt expansion tools. Recent new highs in equities, due to some promising companies, may be more post-election hope than substance.
Cr yptocurrencies had their run, but the hope for a sounder and more private fiat system remains challenged while a past price bubble for the majority has been costly. Bitcoin is an example of those still per forming among the thousands of currencies & tokens in this young experiment.
Wise and calm obser vers know that longterm, gold is money, not debt, not paper promises. For thousands of years it has protected families from currency depreciation, paper defaults, and cer tain political abuses.
If you have been waiting to buy gold, or buy it “cheaper,” reconsider. Gold bottomed near $1040 at the end of 2015. We are in a new multi-year uptrend reconfirmed by the current strength just below all time highs. Monetar y scientists understand that the repricing of gold is just getting star ted. Each crisis seems to become more pronounced as the debt monetar y system disintegrates towards failure. Gold is best accumulated, not speculated. Star t saving in gold, and make it a habit. Come visit Mish International and find out what probabilities lie ahead for gold and related commodities. Learn why gold must be a necessary par t of your assets. Since 1964, the wisest advice and best prices for gold & silver
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
A man who is accused of shooting a Mountain View police officer at pointblank range is headed for a trial.
Jeffrey Choy’s attorney will argue Choy’s mental illness and meth intoxication prevented him from having the intent necessary to find someone guilty of attempted murder in California, according to a memo.
Choy’s sister said Choy, 36, of Stockton, was sexually abused as a child by their father, and Choy’s girlfriend said he was paranoid and had injected meth on the night of the shooting.
Two doctors have diagnosed Choy with PTSD, leading to schizophrenia and overuse of meth and alcohol, defense attorney Edward Sousa said in his memo.
Potential jurors gathered yesterday in Judge Brian Buckelew’s courtroom at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. Deputy District Attorney Marisa McKeown
will prosecute Choy, starting with opening arguments on April 13. The trial is expected to last two weeks, McKeown said in an email yesterday.
Sequence of events
The case will look back to July 16, 2022, when Detective Raymond Clutter pulled Choy over for allegedly running a stop sign near downtown.
As Clutter approached Choy’s window, Choy allegedly leaned forward and fired two shots from a handgun, hitting Clutter in his left forearm and shoulder, according to the police report.
Clutter dove to the ground and tried to get back to his patrol car as Choy fled, police said.
Clutter was wearing a bulletproof vest and stayed briefly in the hospital, police said.
Choy crashed his Ford Explorer several blocks away and fled on foot, police said. A manhunt ensued, and U.S. Marshals arrested Choy the next day in Fremont.
Choy has a long criminal history, including five felony convictions.
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
The city of Los Altos is giving two fire stations and its property taxes for fire protection to the Santa Clara County Fire Department instead of contracting with the agency.
The move will shift revenue away from the city but should be “invisible to the community,” Councilman Jonathan Weinberg said at a meeting on March 10.
The city started contracting with Santa Clara County firefighters in 1996 and renewed 10-year contracts in 2006 and 2016.
But costs have gone up — from $7.6 million in 2021 to $9.2 million this year — and the two stations need new roofs, Assistant City Manager Jon Maginot said in a report for council.
So council in June 2025 decided to look into other options, such as contracting with a different agency or starting a city fire department.
Maginot said the best option is to join the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District.
So the city will redirect money that was spent on a contract directly to the district, which is run
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
Santa Clara County firefighters are still working on their investigation of a Christmas blaze that destroyed a two-story building next to Chef Chu’s in Los Altos more than two years ago.
The Santa Clara County Fire Department doesn’t have a timeline for releasing the investigation report, spokeswoman Erica Ray said on Monday.
by the County Board of Supervisors.
Councilman Pete Dailey said Los Altos has valuable real estate, with properties that frequently change hands so they’re taxed at a higher rate. That means firefighters will have a steady, reliable revenue stream that’s separate from the city budget.
“The property tax engine in Los Altos is strong,” Dailey said.
Council will review the financials of the change on April 14.
A dojo, a dance studio, a nail salon and a dry cleaner were destroyed in the fire reported at 4:48 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2023.
$8M in damages
The 20,000-square foot building at 4600 El Camino Real was demolished in February 2024.
Firefighters estimated the total damage at $8 million for the property and $200,000 for the contents inside.
The city will need to get approval from the Local Agency Formation Commission at a hearing on June 3 to allow for annexation into the fire district on Jan. 1, Maginot said.
The city will transfer stations at 10 Almond Ave. and 765 Fremont Ave. The city will also give the fire district $1.5 million for deferred maintenance of the two stations and can no longer use the properties to secure any loans.
“It’s a better financial arrangement for the residents,” Vice Mayor Larry Lang said.
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Celebrate Easter and the freshest flavors of spring with a sumptuous brunch at The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse in Palo Alto.
On Sunday, April 5, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., The Sea will offer a gourmet three-course prix-fixe brunch by Executive Chef YuMin Lin. Each guest will choose from a selection of appetizers, entrées, and desserts.
The Sea proudly sources seasonal vegetables from local and regional farmers’ markets and the highest quality fish and meats available — all within the United States. As Chef Lin says, seafood has its own seasonality. Right now, the team is bringing in black cod straight from Half Moon Bay, red snapper from the Gulf of Mexico, and lobsters and scallops from the cold waters of Maine. On the vegetable side, the brunch menu will celebrate the best of spring: fresh peas, salad greens, asparagus, baby zucchini, and more.
Choices for the brunch’s first course include the restaurant’s justly famed hamachi shots, and Chef Lin has also created beef tataki shooters for those looking for a flavorful alternative to seafood. Other tempting choices include farmer’s market and Nicoise salads, clam chowder, shrimp scampi with baby zucchini and a
deconstructed salmon “bagel” that is the chef’s artistic homage to the classic brunch item.
The entrée list has something for everyone, with options including miso black cod; wild scallops with peas and polenta; tenderloin and New York steak options; Jamon Iberico pasta with olive oil and parmesan cheese; and the restaurant’s signature lobster scrambled eggs softcooked in the French style.
The playful dessert offerings include a matcha sponge cake with raspberry and vanilla; mochi doughnuts with strawberry gel and chocolate sauce; and pistachio and kataifi chocolate cake.
The Easter brunch is $115 per person. Caviar service and oyster platters may also be added.
If you’re looking to accommodate a larger party or more intimate gathering, please inquire about the restaurant’s many private room options.
While Easter is a special occasion, it’s not the only special offering at Alexander’s right now. The restaurant just this month debuted its Prime Rib Special evenings every Monday and Tuesday for a limited time. Those evenings the restaurant offers prime rib, a Caesar salad and side dish for $75 a person, bringing a steakhouse comfort classic into an elevated setting.
The Sea is also making Sunday evenings stress-free and effortlessly elevated with their Sunday Prix Fixe Menu, which offers an elegant three-course dining experience at $95 per person. Sunday evenings are also a great time to stop by their bar, which serves the full menu and offers a relaxed but upscale modern lounge atmosphere.
“It’s a nice oasis in Silicon Valley,” said Chef Lin.
To make a reservation for your Easter brunch or any other meal, call The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse at (650)
Life is better with lobster, don’t you think? And you can get fresh, succulent lobster cooked right up for you at New England Lobster Market & Eatery in Burlingame.
Now in its 39th year in business, New England Lobster knows anything and everything about crustaceans. They get Dungeness crabs straight from the waters of Half Moon Bay and live lobsters shipped to them daily from New England – and those lobsters stay in the tank until they’re ready to be cooked; they’re never frozen. As they like to say at New England Lobster, they go from the crate to your plate.
And the other stuff on your plate is just as fresh. New England Lobster bakes its own rolls and makes all its coleslaw, sauces, dressings and even its potato chips in-house.
“If it’s not made from scratch, it’s not made at all,” says owner Marc Worrall.
In addition to their classic lobster platter, Worrall also recommends the classic New England-style lobster rolls – naked or dressed, it’s up to you. And they also make a killer lobster corn chowder.
In addition to all kinds of lobster, the restaurant also serves up Dungeness crab dishes, oysters on the half shell, fish tacos, shrimp cocktail and more. They also host a weekday happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m., when you can enjoy $3 beers, $1 off all wines, $5 shrimp tacos and $2 oysters.
If you’d also like to enjoy some of that delicious seafood at home, you can just stop by their market –or order your items online and have them delivered right to you the next day, Tuesday through Saturday. You can order any time all the way up to midnight and still get your seafood the next day. New England Lobster’s own drivers bring your food in their refrigerated trucks straight to your door. Delivery is $50 for all customers between San Francisco and San Jose. If you’re ordering for more than yourself, you must try New England Lobster’s “party in a pot” lobster boil bucket. Each DIY
WEDNESDAY
home lobster boil pot comes with four 1.25-pound live lobsters, four artichokes, a pound of shrimp, four Louisiana hot links, four pieces of corn, potatoes, onion and garlic, along with seasoning and lemon. All you have to do is follow the included cooking instructions and boil it all up, and you have an easy but amazing feast for your family.
For more information, go to newenglandlobster.net or call (650) 443-1559. They’re open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.
Attention all ABBA fans! Get ready for a night of amazing live music, irresistible melodies, glittering costumes and pure joy when internationally acclaimed ABBA tribute band “ABRA Cadabra” takes the stage at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City on Friday, April 10th at 7:30pm!
INFO & TICKETS at iLoveABBA.com or by calling the box office at (650) 369-7770
Featuring a captivating live band, powerful vocals, dazzling dancers, multimedia effects and multiple costume changes, this interactive, family-friendly stage extravaganza will have you smiling, clapping, grooving and singing along to your favorite ABBA classics like Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Take A Chance, Waterloo, SOS, Fernando, Gimme Gimme Gimme and more!
ABRA Cadabra’s infectious energy, meticulous musical detail and passion for the music creates an uplifting atmosphere of celebration, nostalgia & human connection for all ages!
Jonas Falle (lead performer and co-producer of the show) says; “There’s something very special about the music of ABBA. It has a magical way of transcending age and culture. It doesn’t matter what country or city
we are in; at every show we’ll have children, parents & grandparents all singing along and enjoying the music together.”
ABRA Cadabra co-producer and lead singer Jeanette O’Keeffe (Agnetha) says “We receive so many emails and comments from people telling us how uplifted they felt after the show. People tell us they had no idea what to expect, but they left the show filled with love and joy. That is the greatest compliment we could ever receive, that the audience felt the love we were putting out to them.”
HERE’S WHAT OUR FANS ARE SAYING
““Best show we’ve ever seen!” – Gilberte Nowlan – Moncton, NB
“Labels like “tribute” band don’t cut it with these people. Powerful, tight, bang-on lite-em-up delivery with a real joy in the performance! I would go see them again anywhere, anytime!” - Rob Randall – White Rock, BC
“I’ve seen tributes to ABBA before, they were great, but you are the best. If you come back East we will be there!”
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Whether they’re using weekly shots or daily pills, more Americans than ever are turning to anti-obesity drugs to lose weight and boost health.
About 1 in 8 U.S. adults say they are taking a GLP-1 drug, according to a recent survey by the health research group KFF.
Just since January, more than 600,000 prescriptions have been written for Novo Nordisk’s new Wegovy pill, the company said. Early analysis suggests that more than a third of users are new to the drugs, according to Truveta, a health care data company.
Lifestyle changes key
But medication alone isn’t the answer, experts caution. It also takes lifestyle changes — healthy diet, exercise, adequate sleep and stress management — to reap the biggest benefits from the drugs known as GLP-1s.
“The biggest mistake people make with GLP-1 medications is thinking the prescription is the treatment,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity medicine expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of FlyteHealth, a weight-loss treatment company.
GLP-1s can spur weight loss and health benefits on their own, but the effects are larger and last longer when the drugs are combined with lifestyle changes, a recent review of nearly three dozen studies found.
Obesity is a big driver of chronic disease, but the focus should be overall health and not just the numbers on a scale, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrinologist and obesity expert at Harvard Medical School.
“Health is what you eat, how much you move your body, what is your blood sugar,” she said. “All of those things are really important.”
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Federal health officials posted a warning yesterday about misleading statements made by biotech billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who recently told podcast listeners that his company’s bladder cancer drug may be able to treat, cure or even prevent other types of cancers.
Anktiva was approved by the FDA in 2024 for patients with a hard-to-treat form of bladder cancer.
SOON-SHIONG
The warning from the Food and Drug Administration takes issue with a TV advertisement and a separate podcast episode promoting Anktiva, the lead product of ImmunityBio Inc. The drugmaker is one of several biotech firms acquired by Soon-Shiong, who also owns the Los Angeles Times.
Podcast appearance
Soon-Shiong’s controversial statements came during a January episode of “The Sean Spicer Show” podcast.
At one point, Soon-Shiong described his company’s drug as “the most important molecule that could cure cancer.” Later, Soon-Shiong said that the drug — approved for bladder cancer — “actually can treat all cancers.”
FDA regulators said the statements violate federal drug marketing rules because they “create a misleading impression” of the drug.
News coverage
The Post won national awards for its coverage of the:
• controversy surrounding San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus
• the opioid crisis
• the slow release of after-action reports on the Covid outbreak
• coverage of a massive fire that destroyed a housing development in North Fair Oaks
Advertising
The Post’s advertising and graphics staff won first place national awards for:
• Best Advertising Idea
• Best Public Notice Section
• Best Real Estate Ad
• Best Restaurant Ad
• Best Use of Color
• Best Small-Page Ad
• Best Series Ad Using Color
Times shown are when a report was made to police. Information is from police department logs. All those named here are innocent until proven guilty in court.
MARCH 6
5:46 p.m. — Juan Villa Salgado, 24, of East Palo Alto, arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Bryant St.
MARCH 11
4:02 p.m. — Grand theft, 500 block of Pasteur Drive.
MARCH 13
1:38 p.m. — Rubu Araceli Navarrete Mendoza, 42, of San Jose, and Adan Rodriguez Gonzalez, 38, of Mountain View, both arrested for illegal lodging, 4200 block of Alma St.
MARCH 16
5:21 p.m. — Gavin Lamar Mour, 45, transient, cited on a warrant, 500 block of Webster St.
MARCH 17
11 a.m. — Richard Andrew Wijtman, 62, of Palo Alto, arrested for creating a public nuisance, 4000 block of Fabian Way.
11:34 a.m. — Parts and/or accessories stolen from a vehicle, 4200 block of El Camino.
THURSDAY
11:47 a.m. — Vehicle accident causes injuries, 3500 block of Middlefield Road.
5:56 p.m. — Vehicle accident
causes injuries, 2800 block of Middlefield Road.
SUNDAY
9:01 a.m. — Vehicle collision causes minor injuries, Woodland Ave. and Middlefield Road.
4:44 p.m. — Two-vehicle collision, Marsh Road and Highway 101. No injuries.
MONDAY
9:14 a.m. — Lainefika Marlin Lauese, 25, of East Palo Alto, cited for shoplifting and on a warrant, 500 block of El Camino.
5:02 p.m. — Kevin John Uland, 38, of San Francisco, cited for shoplifting, 700 block of El Camino.
6:37 p.m. — Electric bike stolen, 600 block of Oak Grove Ave.
JAN. 17
8:44 a.m. — Oscar Anguiano, 28, of San Jose, cited for display of false vehicle registration, California St. and Ortega Ave.
JAN. 27
4:58 a.m. — Noe Santillano, 28, of Palo Alto, cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license and driving without a mandated ignition interlock device, Calderon Ave. and Mercy St.
MARCH 16
1:21 a.m. — Kordale Turner, 27, of Mountain View, arrested on
a warrant, El Camino and Sylvan Ave.
2:38 p.m. — Vehicle stolen, 100 block of Centre St.
3:38 p.m. — Daniel Rivera, 37, cited on warrants, Shoreline Blvd. and Central Expressway.
4:27 p.m. — Grand theft at Costco, 1000 N. Rengstorff Ave.
6:40 p.m. — Kyleen Cowlishaw, 41, of Oakdale, arrested for theft and on warrants, Victory Ave. and Alvin St.
7:58 p.m. — Theft, 1700 block of Villa St.
9:42 p.m. — Theft, 200 block of Monroe Drive.
SUNDAY
2:01 p.m. — Noninjury hitand-run, Atherton and Austin avenues.
MONDAY
12:22 p.m. — Fraud, Valley Road.
1:49 p.m. — Fraud, Tuscaloosa Ave.
4:22 p.m. — Electric bike stolen, Middlefield Road.
MARCH 18
8:40 a.m. — Auto burglary, 500 block of Stanford Ave.
THURSDAY
9:07 a.m. — Gerson Barrera
Portillo, 21, of Redwood City, arrested for possession and distribution of child pornography at Redwood City Police Dept., 1301 Maple St.
FRIDAY
9:36 a.m. — Jorge Daniel Chicojay, 37, of Redwood City, cited for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, 100 block of Chestnut St.
10:15 a.m. — Two women in a fistfight, Brewster Ave.
10:44 a.m. — Two-vehicle accident causes minor injuries, El Camino.
11:03 a.m. — Two men fighting, 300 block of Howland St. Ariel Estuardo Cosme, 32, of Redwood City, arrested for public drunkenness, resisting police and on a warrant.
12:23 p.m. — Josue Adrian Gomez Quintero, 25, arrested for shoplifting, probation violation and on a warrant at Target, 2485 El Camino.
2:10 p.m. — Esther Contreras Ramirez, 59, of Redwood City, arrested on a warrant, 1500 block of El Camino.
2:36 p.m. — Vehicle accident causes minor injuries, El Camino.
3:27 p.m. — Analyn Malubay Sibunga, 41, of Redwood City, arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and on a warrant, 500 block of Veterans Blvd.
4:08 p.m. — Man reported to be harassing people, 3400 block of E. Bayshore Road. John Robert Doherty, 61, of Redwood City, arrested for public drunkenness. Arrest made by San Mateo County sheriff’s deputies.
5:28 p.m. — Kevin Frank Adkins, 42, of Redwood City, arrested for drug possession, resisting police and parole violation, Sequoia High School. A charge for bringing drugs into a jail is added later.
11:46 p.m. — Caller says a man is
trying to take an AC unit off a wall to steal it, Marshall St.
MARCH 18
2:50 p.m. — Grand theft, 800 block of Canada Road.
THURSDAY
9:05 a.m. — Nathan Todd, 18, arrested for possession of child pornography, Vista Del Grande.
FRIDAY
12:05 a.m. — Alex Orsini, 68, of South San Francisco, arrested on a warrant, El Camino and Olive St.
SUNDAY
5:14 p.m. — Complaint of
someone blasting music for hours, Garden Court.
From the Redwood City office of the CHP, which covers the MidPeninsula.
MARCH 8
Tony Le, 32, arrested for DUI. Anaid Navarrete, 38, arrested for DUI that causes injuries.
Bryan R. Pinituj Pinto, 23, arrested for DUI.
MARCH 11
Pedro M. Cuevas Malfavon, 35, arrested for trespassing and evading police in a vehicle.
Aurelio Salinas Jr., 31, arrested for possession of stolen property, possession of a concealed gun that is stolen and possession of drugs while armed with a loaded gun.
Direct: (650) 906-6516 Email: janstrohecker@yahoo.com janstrohecker.com
I
186 Everett Ave., 94301, 1 bedroom, 682 square feet, built in 1963, Herbert Weiner to Woodcrest Court LLC for $1,140,000, closed Feb. 26
2500 Columbia St. #402, 94304, 2 bedrooms, 1177 square feet, built in 2018, Wenfei Sun to Stanford University for $1,182,000, closed Feb. 27 (last sale: $1,164,000, 10-09-25)
410 Sheridan Ave. #103, 94306, 2 bedrooms, 1293 square feet, built in 1977, Srilatha and Suneil Mishra to Chandrasekaran 2005 Trust for $1,358,000, closed Feb. 27
4173 El Camino Real #11, 94306, 2 bedrooms, 1375 square feet, built in 1992, Jason Chan to Abhishek Asthana for $1,630,000, closed Feb. 24 (last sale: $910,000, 08-14-07)
EAST PALO ALTO
142 Mission Drive, 94303, 2 bedrooms, 1280 square feet, built in 1980, Schinn Trust to Clark Bradley Capital LLC for $750,000, closed Feb. 10
2352 Menalto Ave., 94303, 2 bedrooms, 1010 square feet, built in 1936, Equity Track Inc to David Wong for $900,000, closed Feb. 12 (last sale: $700,000, 10-13-25)
1239 Jervis Ave., 94303,
2 bedrooms, 1360 square feet, built in 1940, Vivian Wehner to Rohin and John Bennett for $935,000, closed Feb. 12 (last sale: $935,000, 08-23-19)
MENLO PARK
402 Sand Hill Circle, 94025, 3 bedrooms, 2070 square feet, built in 1973, David and Leigh White to Wender-Hoch Family Trust for $2,400,000, closed Feb. 12 (last sale: $2,195,000, 01-26-22)
ATHERTON
178 Glenwood Ave., 94027, 5 bedrooms, 6310 square feet, built in 1988, Buch Trust to Linden Tower LLC for $14,000,000, closed Feb. 9 (last sale: $2,128,000, 07-01-88)
MOUNTAIN VIEW
94 Flynn Ave. #D, 94043, 2 bedrooms, 905 square feet, built in 1972, Steven Levine to Situ and Lin Living Trust for $690,000, closed Feb. 25 (last sale: $350,000, 09-02-08)
104 East Middlefield Road #B, 94043, 2 bedrooms, 917 square feet, built in 1972, Patricia and Luis Mederos to Han-Yu and Chien-Chun Chang for $765,000, closed Feb. 27 (last sale: $180,000, 0120-99)
49 Showers Drive #A139, 94040, 2 bedrooms, 1206 square feet, built in 1977, Grace Ma Trust to Lisa and Elliot Tusk for $1,050,000,
closed Feb. 24 (last sale: $947,500, 11-19-20)
LOS ALTOS
141 Jordan Ave., 94022, 2 bedrooms, 1950 square feet, built in 1949, Diamond Trust to Ranjeeth Dasineni for $4,300,000, closed Feb. 27 (last sale: $719,000, 12-28-98)
260 Trianon Way, 94022, 4 bedrooms, 2403 square feet, built in 1963, Curley Family Trust to Samudra-Gupta Family Trust for $5,500,000, closed Feb. 26 (last sale: $485,000, 11-01-87)
LOS ALTOS HILLS
10915 Mora Drive, 94024, 4 bedrooms, 3101 square feet, built in 1953, Gilman Family Trust to Tina Vazirizad for $3,907,000, closed Feb. 26
26737 Taaffe Road, 94022, 3 bedrooms, 1000 square feet, built in 1955, Jack Elmberg to Srinidhi and Srikanth Veeraraghavan for $4,500,000, closed Feb. 27
PORTOLA VALLEY
118 Wyndham Drive, 94028, 3 bedrooms, 1050 square feet, built in 1952, Jennifer and Gary Lovazzano to Lovazzano Family Trust for $1,800,000, closed Feb. 13 (last sale: $1,300,000, 11-14-11)
464 Clinton St. #309, 94062, 1 bedroom, 739 square feet, built in 1961,
Carol Simpkins to Edward and Kristopher Bush for $410,000, closed Feb. 9
66 Eddystone Court, 94065, 1 bedroom, 811 square feet, built in 1979, Yao Living Trust to Wiley Living Trust for $800,000, closed Feb. 11 (last sale: $820,000, 05-26-16)
741 Newport Circle, 94065, 2 bedrooms, 960 square feet, built in 1984, Kevin and Raymond Au to Mina Yi for $1,685,000, closed Feb. 9 (last sale: $800,000, 09-05-19)
941 Walnut St., 94070, 3 bedrooms, 960 square feet, built in 1926, Barry Bell to Albert and Emilie Gao for $3,155,000, closed Feb. 10 (last sale: $155,000, 1201-85)
701 Sunset Drive, 94070, 4 bedrooms, 2169 square feet, built in 1959, Kira Drummond to Melissa Stueve for $3,500,000, closed Feb. 10 (last sale: $3,450,000, 04-01-25)
1141 Hiller St., 94002, 3 bedrooms, 1190 square feet, built in 1947, Lawrence Bacon to Kaixing and Shiyan Xu for $1,465,000, closed Feb. 10
2326 Buena Vista Ave., 94002, 4 bedrooms, 1600 square feet, built in 1949, Gerard Keena to Qiuxia Tang for $1,805,000, closed Feb. 12
Thursday, April 2 at 12 p.m
Join Jack Dominge, Managing Partner at Uptrex Wealth Advisors, for an educational webinar to learn how to create a good life in retirement.
• How does your retirement planning measure up?
• Identify all potential sources of income
• Understand your expenses in retirement
• Determine your withdrawal strategy
To register, please go to: www.uptrex.com or email him at: jack@uptrex.com.
CRAVE | THE EVENT. Join Jen Accristo for a Sound Bath: Friday Night Reset on March 27 from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. This immersive experience uses crystal bowls and healing instruments to soothe the nervous system, quiet the mind, and ease tension. There is no movement required; simply arrive ready to relax and transition into a more centered weekend. You can sign up at craveyoga-mv.com/events.
SPRING 2026 TRUNK SHOW. Lingerie
République invites you to their Spring 2026 Trunk Show this Saturday, March 28, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Join them for an afternoon of style and celebration as they showcase three iconic European lingerie houses: PrimaDonna, Marie Jo, and Andres Sarda. Guests will enjoy exclusive discounts and access to expert fittings. Lingerie République is
located at Town & Country Village, Building 1, Suite 4, and is open seven days a week. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (650) 323-7979.
HOLLYWOOD SPECTACULAR AT THE CALIFORNIA Theatre this Saturday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 29, at 2:30 p.m. Symphony San Jose will pay tribute to iconic space movie scores, featuring music from Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Back to the Future, E.T. the ExtraTerrestrial, and Interstellar. This program promises an unforgettable experience of adventure and nostalgia through the power of a live orchestra.
AMERICAN LEATHER SLEEPER SALE EVENT. Now through March 31st, take 10% off all sleepers. Custom sleeper sofas manufactured by American Leather® are the most versatile and comfortable options on the market. With multiple styles and configurations available ranging from transitional to modern, you are sure
to find the perfect look and function for your home. Please visit the Leather Leather Furniture Gallery in downtown Menlo Park or call (650) 617-0220 for more information. Shown in the photo is co-owner Tricia Mulcahy.
SALE. Birder’s Garden has been a favorite destination for Peninsula bird lovers for over 30 years. They offer a comprehensive selection of bird feeding supplies, including high-quality American-made feeders, seed mixes, nesting boxes, and bird baths. Please visit the shop at 926 El Camino Real in San Carlos this month to receive 15% off any bird bath purchase. For more information, you can call (650) 595-0300. Bonnie Regalia, your local birding specialist, is shown in the photo.
SERVING THE DINING PUBLIC FOR OVER 51 YEARS. That’s what Sundance the Steakhouse does in Palo Alto. Peter and the staff are a big part of making this restaurant one of the best steakhouses on the peninsula. American fare cuisine with a variety of steaks and seafood. Prime rib is the favorite for most people along with the world class wine list. Come by and check it out. You won’t be disappointed. Sundance The Steakhouse is located at 1921 El Camino Real. Call (650) 321-6798 for reservations or check the website for more information.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. THE SHADY LANE GIFT SHOP IN Sharon Heights has plenty to offer for the person who has everything or is hard to please. Or maybe you just want to buy a nice gift made by local artists and craftsmen. Silver jewelry, wood carvings, masks, intricate boxes and much, much more. Alice is the friendly owner of this fun and fascinating little gift shop located in the Sharon Heights Shopping Center in Menlo Park. Shady Lane is right next door to Starbucks. Give Alice a call at (650) 321-1099 and check the website for more crafty new information about this great little place.
OYSTERS FOR $1
TODAY AT WILLOW’S MARKET IN MENLO PARK. These beautiful Steamboat oysters are delivered fresh from southern Puget Sound, Washington. Along with these oysters, Willow’s Market has tuna, swordfish, salmon, and more. Willow’s Market is located at 60 Middlefield Rd in Menlo Park. You can also give them a call at ahead to order at (650) 322-0743.
A LITTLE WINE. A LITTLE PASTA. A FEW GOOD FRIENDS. You’re enjoying the best Italian restaurant in San Carlos! Yes, 888 Ristorante Italiano is cozy, comfy and yummy. Have Vincenzo Maddalena serve you an award winning Italian dinner you won’t soon forget. Vincenzo is a nice guy and he loves pouring the wine at his 888 Ristorante Italiano. The Italian cuisine served there is the finest and freshest around. Come see why this great restaurant wins awards at 888 Laurel st. in downtown San Carlos. Buon Appetito! Call (650) 591-0920 for a reservation or check the web.
DOES YOUR VACUUM NEED A little love? The Vacuum repair shop is ready to take your rundown old vacuum and give it new life. Just drop it off at the shop and Steve will call you up when it’s ready. The Saget family has two Steves, an Alex and more. They’re all expert repair people who also sell new and refurbished vacuums and sewing machines. This is a traditional family-owned fix-it repair shop for anything electrical. Call Steve or Alex at (650) 968-6539 or just come by 1446 W. El Camino Real in Mountain View and drop off your vacuum or sewing machine. You can also browse the showroom for new and refurbished sewing machines and vacuums.
said. Simon spokeswoman Nicole Kennon didn’t return a request for comment yesterday.
Noel and Acosta said Flock’s mass surveillance is “a privacy nightmare,” collecting 20 billion records per month on cameras that are intentionally hard to spot on a network that has been abused.
‘Perpetual surveillance’
The lawsuit cited news reports of a Kansas police chief using Flock cameras to stalk his ex-girlfriend and a Texas sheriff using Flock cameras to identify a woman who had an abortion.
“If companies like (Simon) continue choosing to sacrifice their communities’ privacy to gain access to the Flock Safety network, more and more Americans will find themselves unable to escape perpetual surveillance by private, for-profit companies and those companies’ customers,” the suit said.
The lawsuit was filed by attorney Michael Connett, who wants to represent anyone affected by the cameras and get Simon to pay them.
Attorney Douglas Winthrop filed a class-action lawsuit against Flock on March 18 on behalf of Contra Costa County residents Dorian Eldridge and Silas Perez, who don’t like that Flock allowed federal agencies like ICE to access California’s ALPR data.
“Flock is systematically violating the privacy and civil liberties of millions of California residents on thousands of roads across the state, every single day,” their suit said.
The city of Mountain View turned off its Flock ALPRs on Feb. 2 after Chief Mike Canfield found several federal agencies searched data from the city. Los Altos Hills has also ended its contract with Flock. Woodside officials want a third party to look into who has been tapping into their Flock data. But most cities on the Mid-Peninsula have kept their cameras rolling.
people can just hop on at any of the golf cart’s stops and have a free ride, making it more accessible to the downtown, according to its website. A golf cart could loop around the Caltrain or from the SamTrans parking lot, McDowell said.
“Those little golf carts are not that expensive. It can be electric,” McDowell said.
Park construction soon
Construction at Harrington Park will start next month, according to Recreation Manager Tyler Muela.
A fence will be up around Harrington Park on April 6, featuring pictures of the project, according to Andrew Douglas, senior management analyst.
Harrington Park is being redesigned to have new paving, new trees, public restrooms, public drinking fountains and outdoor seating. The project’s construction is projected to cost approximately $5 million, according to Public Works Director Steven Machida.
Businesses nearby are concerned about being affected by the construction and noise, Douglas said.
Some business owners are concerned about the parking impacts that construction could cause, so signs will be placed to help people find parking more easily, Douglas said.
That led the council members to brainstorm where people could park near downtown during the park’s construction. Wheeler Plaza, located on Walnut Street across from the SamTrans headquarters has a free parking garage, but residents don’t know it’s free, said Mayor Pranit Venkatesh.
McDowell said the city could offer employees incentives to park on the second floor of Wheeler Plaza to prioritize customer parking closer to the shops on Laurel.
McDowell also mentioned that SamTrans is supposed to move out of its San Carlos headquarters, which may mean Laurel Street patrons could park
there. The city is also preparing for the construction of the Centennial Plaza at the 700 block of Laurel in Spring 2027, where a fountain, stage, bicycle parking, drinking fountains, public restrooms, trees and a space for outdoor dining will be built.
Alleys will be modified to make them more welcoming and a place where people want to take Instagram photos, leading them to go to downtown businesses, Douglas said.
shutting down its social media app Sora, which went viral last fall as a place to share short-form videos generated by AI but also raised alarms about deepfakes. OpenAI ran into some trouble when users created videos of public figures, such as Mister Rogers, doing outlandish things, but only after an outcry from family estates and the actors’ union.
OIL LAWSUIT: California has sued the Trump administration to block an emergency order aiming to force the restart of an offshore oil operation shut down more than a decade ago. The legal fight pits the Trump administration and Sable Offshore Corp. against California officials and environmental groups and comes as fuel prices have risen.
TRUCK CLEARED TO CROSS: Federal investigators say one of only two air traffic controllers on duty at LaGuardia Airport cleared a fire truck to cross a runway just 12 seconds before an Air Canada flight touched down, leaving little time to avoid the collision that killed both pilots.
EPIC LAYOFFS: Fortnite publisher Epic Games said yesterday it is laying off 1,000 employees to save money as it grapples with industry-wide and company-specific challenges. The North Carolina video game publisher said in a memo to employees that the job cuts are not related to AI.
*Offer good until March 31, 2026.
Meet Virginia, a 10-week-old tripod puppy who is ready to find her loving home. This resilient little girl has already been through so much, but you would never know it. After recently losing a leg, Virginia is healing well and growing stronger every day. She is playful, curious, and full of life, always eager to explore, soak up attention, and show just how much love she has to give. Virginia is looking for a home that will support her as she continues to grow and thrive. She would love a family who can give her patience, encouragement, and plenty of affection as she builds confidence and navigates the world on three legs. With her sweet nature and determined spirit, she is sure to bring warmth and joy to the people lucky enough to call her their own. Visit PetsInNeed.org/dogs or call (650) 367-1405 to meet her.
said. “It is especially disappointing that a church would choose to remove these mature, majestic trees — ones they planted themselves decades ago — and in doing so, act in a way that feels at odds with the stewardship and values associated with Thomas Aquinas,” Ennerfelt said in an email.
Representatives for the church couldn’t be reached yesterday.
BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT Daily Post Staff Writer
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s office won’t charge three cleaners who were arrested for allegedly taking safes from downtown Palo Alto restaurants.
“We do not believe there is sufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt,” Rosen’s spokeswoman Cynthia Sumida said in an email, without providing more information about the case.
The string of burglaries in late December 2024 left business owners on edge.
The cleaners allegedly took $5,000 from Local Union 271, $4,000 from Nola and $7,000 from Etan.
Coupa Cafe’s cash register was destroyed, and the offices at Tamarine were broken into in the same week, police said at the time.
Residents appealed the removal before they were allowed to be cut down. Public Works Director Brad Eggleston will schedule a hearing on the appeal within a month, and the city’s urban forest team will write a report on the reasons for allowing the removal, city spokeswoman Meghan Horrigan-Taylor said in an email.
Eggleston will then issue a decision within 45 days, which can be appealed to Palo Alto City Council by either the church or the rescinders.
Seay said he’s not necessarily against the trees get-
Officers started walking downtown at 3 a.m., left out patrol cars and had a meeting with the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce to address safety concerns on Jan. 6, 2025.
Hadn’t happened before
Capt. Zach Perron, who has worked for the police department since 1998, said he had never seen a string of restaurant burglaries like this before.
“It’s not just the money itself that was lost, but the pain in the rear end that you guys have with the mess that’s left behind,” Perron told business owners.
At the meeting, Perron said detectives had “promising leads.”
San Francisco residents Marcos David Umana Romero, 29, Jose Roberto Rodriguez, 31, and Armando Aguilar Sevillas, 27, were arrested on Feb. 6, 2025.
They were subcontractors for a company that did overnight cleaning for Local Union 271, Nola and Ettan, police said at time.
ting cut down, but he wants to see evidence of their damage and other options explored, such as root trimming or root barriers.
“It might be necessary to cut them. But that should be the last resort,” he said.
Resident Yiran Mao said she walks by the church every day, and she’s noticed that many other trees in Palo Alto that grow in close proximity with buildings.
“I think the city should bar the church from chopping down those magnificent redwood trees,” Mao said in an email.
PRESS RELEASE- Los Altos Hills
For Immediate Release
Los Altos Hills
March 17, 2026
Cities seek full transparency before accepting new overhead costs
Los Altos Hills, in coordination with the Cities of Cupertino and Saratoga, has submitted a counterproposal to Santa Clara County outlining a phased-in alternative to the County’s recently proposed 30% increase in law-enforcement contract costs.
The County’s proposal, presented on December 31, 2025, would raise Los Altos Hills’ annual contract cost from $2.76 million to $3.65 million beginning July 1, 2026.
The sudden, one-year increase would place a substantial strain on Los Altos Hills’ budget and could create long-term structural deficits. In response, the three contract cities have developed a proposal that moves responsibly toward full cost recovery while avoiding immediate, unsustainable impacts on local services and taxpayers.
The counterproposal fully funds the increases tied to deputies on the street while rejecting the County’s undefined overhead charges until they can be transparently justified. The Cities’ plan phases in direct officer cost increases and sets a firm timeline to create a clear, Government Code 51350–compliant cost-allocation model, ensuring taxpayers aren’t forced to absorb vague add-ons that lack sufficient detail for validation.
Key elements of the Cities’ counterproposal include:
• 12% initial increase effective July 1, 2026, reflecting updated Deputy Sheriff salary and benefit costs.
• Joint development of a fair, Government Code 51350-compliant cost-allocation model by September 1, 2026.
• Three-year phased implementation of remaining overhead and cost-allocation charges.
• July 1, 2029: Full cost recovery, with future salary and benefit changes incorporated.
To support continued collaboration, the mayors and city managers of Los Altos Hills, Cupertino, and Saratoga have formed an ad hoc committee to coordinate negotiations and ensure transparency across all three jurisdictions. As part of this ongoing process, Saratoga held a study session last week to review the proposal and gather community input. Should negotiations not result in a fair agreement, the cities have begun exploring alternative models for delivering law enforcement services.
“We need to ensure that Los Altos Hills continues to receive high-quality public safety services while also being fiscally prudent. Los Altos Hills is already a net donor to County finances,” said Mayor Rajiv Bhateja. “This counterproposal reflects a balanced and responsible approach: fully funding the deputies who serve our neighborhoods, while insisting on transparency and equity on overhead costs. We will continue to work with the County to reach an agreement that prioritizes effective policing and fair cost allocation.”
As discussions with the County continue, Los Altos Hills, Cupertino, and Saratoga have worked together to create a website that provides residents with clear, accessible information about the issue. The site explains how sheriff service contracts work, outlines the proposed cost increases, and answers frequently asked questions about how these changes could affect city budgets. The website can be found at https:// sheriff-contract-facts.com/.
Media Contact:
Cody Einfalt
ceinfalt@losaltoshills.ca.gov
650-947-2508
Arika Miller
amiller@losaltoshills.ca.gov
650-947-2513
BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ Daily Post Staff Writer
A Redwood City man has been arrested for pressuring his ex-girlfriend’s teenage daughter to have sex with him and send him lewd photos, a prosecutor said yesterday.
Alejandro Jimenez Cervantes, 42, was arrested on Sunday after his ex-girlfriend called the Sheriff’s Office to report that he had sexually abused her daughter, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.
Living situation deteriorates
The ex-girlfriend, who lives in Mexico, sent her 15-year-old daughter to live with Jimenez Cervantes in his Redwood City home in 2023 after the cartel was forcing her to sell drugs, Wagstaffe said. The daughter lived with Jimenez Cervantes for many months without any issues until
August 2024, when he started to isolate her, Wagstaffe said. By that time, she was 16 years old, and Jimenez Cervantes took her phone and would lock her in his apartment all day, the DA said.
Jimenez Cervantes would also bring her to his workplace and make her sit in his truck. Jimenez Cervantes pressured her to have sex with him and told her that her mother didn’t love her anymore, Wagstaffe said. The daughter would refuse to have sex with him, but agreed to send him pictures of her upper body, the DA said.
The daughter was able to call her mother and fly back to Mexico after telling her what had happened, Wagstaffe said.
Jimenez Cervantes was in court on Monday and pleaded innocent. He is in custody with no bail and will be in court on April 1.
