Thursday, June 15, 2017 VOL XVI EDITION 24 www.thevalleychronicle.com 50 cents (including tax) RPD arrests sex offender on multiple accounts Arrest ends 14-year reign of terror against children ■ MARY ANN MORRIS was arrested for numerous sex- same crime. EDITOR ual assaults on several children. Beler said their investigation He was booked into the Robert revealed Sanchez was associat- A registered sex offender liv- Presley Detention Center with ed with sexual abuse of minors ing in Hemet was arrested by $1.5 million bail. between 2003 and 2017, with Riverside Police Department’s “Sanchez was convicted and victims in Riverside and most Sexual Assault and Child Abuse served a sentence out of San recently in Hemet. Due to San- Unit on Thursday, June 8, for Bernardino County from a chez’ personable nature, Beler numerous sexual assaults on 2003 case,” said Beler. “He was believes there could be other Photo courtesy of Hemet Police Department children in Hemet, according required to register as a sex unreported victims in Hemet. Malachy Francois, 34, Menifee resident, was to Detective Karla Beler of the offender because of that con- According to Beler, the Hemet arrested June 9 for the vandalism spree that Riverside Police Department. viction.” Police Department is not in- hit Hemet June 4. Detectives from the River- Sanchez also goes by the name volved with this investigation. side Police Department’s Sexual Angel, said Beler, so some of his After his arrest, Sanchez was Assault and Child Abuse Unit victims may know him as “An- Photo courtesy of Riverside Police Department booked into the Robert Presley Vandalism served a search warrant in the gel” or “Angel Sanchez.” Tyrone Sanchez, 35, of Hemet, was arrested Detention Center in Riverside on 300 block of N. Palm Ave., in According to online jail re- June 8 for multiple counts of sexual assaults seven sex crime-related felony Hemet, regarding an ongoing cords, he was previously con- on children. charges and four traffic-related spree hits investigation into lewd acts victed of lewd or lascivious acts misdemeanors. against a child. Tyrone Sanchez, a with a child under 14 years of under 10, and oral copulation 35-year-old known sex offender, age, oral copulation with a child with a prior conviction for the 4SEE OFFENDER ON A-3 Hemet Menifee resident arrested in Hemet window Fatal Collision on Lake smashing spree and Florida ■ MARY ANN MORRIS EDITOR ■ MARY ANN MORRIS GMC was traveling east on EDITOR Florida Avenue and entered An arrest has been made in Hemet’s the left turn pocket to turn recent vandalism spree, in which Hemet Police Officers respond- left (north) onto Lake Street. at least nine businesses had plate ed to a traffic collision which The driver of the Volkswagen glass windows smashed in the early occurred near the intersection was traveling west on Florida morning of June 4. A conservative of Florida Avenue and Lake Avenue approaching the inter- estimate is that more than $30,000 Street in the City of Hemet section of Florida Avenue and of windows were broken during on June 7. Officers arrived on Lake Street. The driver of the the rage. scene and learned a 2003 GMC GMC allegedly did not see the A search warrant served on June 9 Photos by Debbie Vena/The Valley Chronicle Yukon collided into a 1975 Volkswagen approaching and in the 29000 block of Escalante Road An unidentified female bicyclist was transported to a local hospital for injuries sustained in a car Volkswagen Beetle; the driver turned left directly in front of in Menifee resulted in the arrest of vs. bicycle collision June 6. of the Volkswagen Beetle, Rob- the Volkswagen, causing the Malachy Francois, 34, Menifee resi- ert Sheldon, 58, of Hemet, was collision. At this time, it does dent. He was arrested for four counts seriously injured. Sheldon was not appear the driver of the of vandalism; evidence connecting Two separate bicycle vs. car transported by ambulance to GMC was under the influence him to the crimes was seized during Hemet Valley Medical Center, of alcohol or drugs; however, the search. His bail is $31,500. collisions; one fatality where he later died. the investigation is ongoing. During the early morning hours The driver of the GMC Yu- Florida Avenue between Lake of June 4th Hemet Police Officers ■ MARY ANN MORRIS kon, a 47-year-old resident of Street and Soboba Street was responded to multiple incidents of EDITOR Hemet, remained on scene closed for approximately two vandalism where several Hemet and was uninjured. Investiga- hours while officers conducted area business had windows broken A Toyota Corolla and a bicyclist tion revealed the driver of the an investigation. resulting in over $30,000.00 worth of collided near the intersection damage. Officers and Investigators of Palm and Acacia avenues in from the Hemet Police Department Hemet the afternoon of June 6. partnered with allied agencies and According to witnesses, the bi- the resulting investigation points to cyclist may have been traveling Francois as the perpetrator. east as the vehicle may have been Contact the Hemet Police De- exiting the parking lot, turning partment’s Investigations Bureau left onto Acacia. The vehicle if you have any information relat- rolled over the bicycle and was ed to these crimes. Anonymous stuck under the undercarriage tips can always be made by calling of the vehicle. The person rid- (866) 640-TIPS (8477), online at ing the bicycle was conscious www.crimestoppersplus.org or on and taken to a local hospital via Facebook at www.facebook.com/ ground ambulance. Hemet Po- ValleyCrimeStoppersPlus. lice Department is investigating The driver of the Toyota Corolla did not Photo courtesy of Hemet Police Department sustain any injuries in the June 6 collision A June 7 vehicular collision between a GMC Yukon and a 1975 Volkswagen Beetle 4SEE ACCIDENT ON A-3 between a car and bicyclist. resulted in the death of the driver of the Volkswagen. 4SEE ARRESTED ON A-3 Local hiking areas closed due to fire danger ■ NEWSROOM • Whitewater Canyon (Cabazon, north of Palm Springs) Fire season is upon us and that means wildfires • Nuevo/Lakeview (east of Menifee Road and are more likely to occur. The following hiking ar- San Jacinto Avenue) eas have been closed until further notice, at the • Minto (Sage) request of CalFire/Riverside County Fire Chief • Reinhardt Canyon (north of Highway 74 and John R. Hawkins. The request was approved at California Avenue in Hemet) the June 6 Riverside County Board of Supervi- • Ramona Bowl and Bautista Canyon (south- sors meeting. east Hemet) • Avery Canyon (Gibbel Road east of State Street Riverside County Ordinance 787.8 restricts in Hemet) public access to these identified hazardous fire • North Mountain and Indian Canyon (San Ja- cinto area) 4SEE HIKING ON A-3 A2 POLITICAL June 15 - 21, 2017 www.thevalleychronicle.com ‘Informal borrowing’ to cover $1.2 million negative fund balance for Hemet’s city attorney fund Questionable accounting practices were one of the State Auditor’s concerns ■ MELISSA DIAZ Canfield responded with HErnandEZ “the way Hemet accounts REPORTER for it is – I believe it is some internal service fund where The attorney services fund they collect resources from was “negative $1.2 million various funds. The gen- at end of FY 2015/16 due eral fund probably being to litigation costs in prior the primary source but it years, according to Ad- would be from all of the ministrative Services Con- funding sources from all sultant Joy Canfield at the of the operating budgets. June 13 Hemet City Council You probably have charges Budget Work Study. Photo by City of Hemet to the street fund, to the “A plan is needed to Eric Vail, a partner with Burke, water fund and to all the correct the negative fund Williams & Sorensen, LLP, acts as different funds that utilize balance,” stated Canfield, Hemet’s city attorney. He also rep- and would be represented who admitted that there resents the cities of Temple City and by the attorney. They all was some “informal bor- Cathedral City as city attorney. He also contribute to this attorney rowing happening.” currently serves as general counsel for fund and expenses are paid California State Auditor SunLine Transit Agency and special out of that fund.” Elaine Howle conducted counsel for Omnitrans. He was not Perciful stated for clar- an initial assessment of the present at the meeting. City of Hemet ification, “but ultimately City of Hemet in the sum- According to Canfield’s presentation, the city attorney fund was negative by $1.2 million dollars just for FY 2015-16. Discus- that money has already mer of 2015. In October costs up ‘here.’ The differ- sions were held about how to “correct” the balance, either through the general fund or the water fund. been paid so then my rec- 2015, then-Interim City ence between those two ommendation would be to Manager Gary Thornhill was not charged off to the where I learned it was due had built up over time and as a one-time entry or do make the books correct and received a letter from Howle departments at that time.” to litigation costs over the wasn’t addressed at the time it over the years? What all do it all at once.” outlining issues that need Hemet City Council- years. It was just something it happened. This created will it throw out of align- Councilwoman Bonnie to be addressed. woman Karlee Meyer asked that really should have been this basically negative fund ment to do it as one-time Wright added, “It is not a Ultimately, the city did point-blank, “So if that was addressed…these are things balance out there.