Imperial County woman charged for receiving over $16,000 in fraud

KYMA on May 11, 2025

Marcos Icahuate

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A woman from Imperial County was found to have received thousands of dollars in fraud, according to the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office.

Multiple felony charges were made against Natalia Nicole Castro, who is alleged to have received over $16,000 in CalWORKS and CalFresh benefits.

The charges include:

Making multiple applications for aid with fake identities

Using someone else’s identifying information

Forging state-issued documents

“This case highlights the importance of integrity in our public assistance programs,” said District Attorney George Marquez. “Our Public Assistance Fraud Unit is committed to holding accountable those who exploit safety net systems meant to support vulnerable members of our community.”

The investigation was made by the District Attorney’s Public Assistance Fraud Unit.

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AZ Attorney General hosting Yuma town hall about DOGE funding cuts

KYMA on May 11, 2025

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes will be at a meeting in Yuma to discuss federal firings.

The town hall meeting will be on Wednesday, May 14 at the Yuma Arts Center (254 S. Main St.) starting at 5:30 p.m.

Kris Mayes will be speaking about budget cuts proposed by President Trump and Elon Musk.

The meeting is open to those who are willing to speak and were affected by DOGE funding cuts.

If you wish to speak at the town hall then you can fill out a form here.

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Yuma schools go on brief lockdown due to suspicious activity

KYMA on May 11, 2025

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Suspicious activity led to some Yuma schools placed on a brief lock down. 

Around 9:30 Friday morning, Yuma Police Department (YPD) responded to a report of a suspicious man near 4th Avenue Junior High School.

The person was believed to be carrying a backpack potentially containing firearms.

As a precautionary measure, nearby schools including Yuma High School, Mary E. Post, 4th avenue Junior High School, and Roosevelt, were placed on lockdown.

It was soon discovered that the man had a backpack of toy guns and there was no threat to public safety.

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Keller Williams Realty of Yuma participates in Red Day to support veterans

KYMA on May 11, 2025

Marcos Icahuate

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A Yuma organization volunteered to support the community.

Keller Williams Realty’s Red Day was founded in 2009 to help locals, whether it’s by distributing food, relief efforts for natural disasters, or raising thousands of dollars for charity.

Volunteers in Yuma spent Red Day at the Arizona State Veterans Home and participated in hands-on activities.

“RED Day is rooted in the belief that when people unite with purpose, they can accomplish extraordinary things for others,” said Kim Hill Olsen, ALC Culture Chairperson at Keller Williams Realty Yuma.

“Our associates and staff are proud to give back by supporting the vital work of the Arizona State Veterans Home. RED Day is just one example of how the Keller Williams culture lives and breathes service year-round,” said Olsen. “When a need arises, we rally and take action—it’s simply who we are.”

Keller Williams Realty Yuma is located at 2553 E. 24th Street.

You can read more about Red Day here.

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Chino man pleads guilty to identity theft in real estate fraud scheme

KEYT on May 11, 2025

Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA, Calif. – Jonathan Martinez, a 37-year-old Chino man, pleaded guilty to felony identity fraud after stealing over $84,000 from a Thousand Oaks family who lost their home in foreclosure, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

Martinez pleaded guilty on May 8 after the law firm he worked for offered services in a wrongful potential foreclosure sale against the family in the 2021 sale, according to the VCDAO.

A VCSO investigation found that Martinez intercepted, forged signatures and deposited funds into his personal account from a check worth over $84,000 made payable to the family, according to the VCDAO.

Martinez then used the check on personal expenses while the victims requested several updates on their surplus funds from June 2021 until April 2022, of which Martinez didn’t respond or made excuses for, according to the VCDAO.

The victims learned of the frauded check in April 2022 and filed a crime report before being interviewed by Chase Bank two months later to notify them of the money’s whereabouts, according to the VCDAO.

Chase Bank then recovered $30,000 of the stolen funds with Martinez still owing over $50,000 in victim restitution, according to the VCDAO.

Martinez faces up to four years and four months in jail, and his scheduled sentencing is June 6.

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Teen arrested in Imperial County after riding electric bike on highway

KYMA on May 10, 2025

Karina Bazarte

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A minor in Imperial County was arrested after riding his electric bike on the highway.

Law enforcement says e-bikes are becoming a huge issue in the Valley and it’s illegal to ride them on the streets.

The Imperial Police Department (IPD) says a 14-year-old boy was riding his e-bike on Highway 86 when he was spotted by a sergeant.

“They are not street legal so that was the violation that the person was going to get pulled over for and the person decided to flee our sergeant, which started the pursuit,” said Capt. Max Sheffield of IPD.

It ended on Belford and La Brucherie road but not as peacefully as officers would have liked.

“He was not obeying the commands that the officers were giving him at the time of the arrest and he put up just a small little struggle with the officer at the time,” explained Capt. Sheffield.

The teenager was taken to Imperial County Juvenile Hall. He is being charged with fleeing an officer and resisting arrest.

IPD say there’s been a huge problem with teenagers riding e-bikes and they’ve received numerous complaints from locals.

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Man found with gunshot wound on Arizona Avenue

KYMA on May 10, 2025

Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A man with flown to a Phoenix hospital after he was found with a gunshot wound on Arizona Avenue, according to Yuma Police Department (YPD).

At about 1:50 a.m. on May 9, officers were called about a man with a gunshot wound in the area of Arizona Avenue near W. 32nd Street.

YPD says officers found a 32-year-old man suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. He was first taken to Onvida Health then later flown to a Phoenix hospital.

No arrests have been.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call YPD at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous

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Fillmore gang member arrested for drug and firearm offenses

KEYT on May 10, 2025

Caleb Nguyen

FILLMORE, Calif. – Several law agencies across Ventura County arrested a 23-year-old Fillmore gang member for drug and firearm-related offenses Friday at 8:00 a.m., according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigations started in March when detectives looked into the 23-year-old man for unlawful firearm activity before obtaining a search warrant for his car, home and himself, according to the VCSO.

Detectives then contacted the gang member at his place of employment at Eastman Ave. in Ventura and found a controlled substance, graffiti tools and a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his possession after serving the search warrant, according to the VCSO.

The 23-year-old was later arrested for the following violations and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility:

Health & Safety Code § 11370.1(a) – [Possession of a Controlled Substance While Armed with a Firearm]

Penal Code § 487(d)(2) – [Grand Theft Firearm]

Penal Code § 25850(a) – [Carrying a Loaded Firearm in Vehicle]

Penal Code § – [Carrying a Concealed Firearm in Vehicle]

Penal Code § 27545 – [Unlawful Firearm Transfer]

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The VNA Mother’s Day lunch honors two special women in Santa Barbara

KEYT on May 10, 2025

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Visiting Nurses Association has honored two special women in the annual VNA Mother’s Day lunch.

The honorees were champions of the health and well being of our community.

This year the late Rosa Pace was chosen for her philanthrophy in the Santa Ynez Valley.

She is a founding member of the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic, the first clinic on the Chumash Reservation.

Also awarded was Renee Grubb the owner of Village Properties.

Annually they provide funds for teachers and educational support.

Her team of realtors also helps 30 different charities.

“Today is really for VNA and I just hope that  we can continue to support them in the way that they should, more money every single year because they deserve it because they do such good with it,” said Grubb.

VNA Health is a non profit that began 117 years ago.

100% of the luncheon’s proceeds support VNA Healthy’s charitable community care programs.

Those services bring hope, health and comfort to families throughout our community regardless of adequate insurance or resources.

The lunch was held at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.

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Camp Roberts to reduce fire hazards with training burns this month

KEYT on May 10, 2025

Caleb Nguyen

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The SLO County Air Pollution Control District announced a series of prescribed burns at Camp Roberts later this month to reduce fire hazards.

The proposed burn dates are scheduled for May 12-16, May 19-23 and May 27-28 with a majority of the 8,700 acres of proposed burns happening on the final day, according to the press release from the SLO ACPD.

Training burns and hazard reduction are scheduled throughout the month to help reduce wildfire risk and improve potential air quality locally, according to the press release from the SLO ACPD.

Smoke will be present on burn days and up-to-date information will be provided to help those affected, including children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions, according to the SLO ACPD press release.

Burns depend on weather and air quality and could be rescheduled. Updates on when burns will happen in the area will be provided on the ACPD website.

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