– Calvin James Calvin, 48, of Newport Beach, was found guilty of stealing $198,000 from seven victims in a fraudulent investment scheme. A jury determined him guilty of 11 felony counts of grand theft and using untrue statements in the purchase or sale of a security. He faces a maximum of 14 years in state prison at his sentencing March 8. Calvin falsely claimed to be a financial investor for professional athletes such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, defrauding seven people he met through church or business. At the time of the crime, Calvin was on parole for grand theft.
– A section of Newport Bay was closed Jan. 28 due to a sewage spill. Approximately 1,000 gallons of spillage caused by the blocking of a line in the city’s sewage collection system closed North Star Beach in the bay. It is unsafe to swim in the area until further notice.
– A woman was robbed after exiting her vehicle in a parking garage on the 7100 block of Residencia. The suspect hit her in the face with either his fist or an unknown object, then stole her purse before fleeing the scene. Anyone with information regarding the crime should contact Detective Brad Miller at (949) 644-3762.
– Robert Pimentel, 57, of Newport Beach, pled not guilty to 15 felony counts of sexual abuse and lewd acts on a child. He is suspected of sexually assaulting 20 children and one adult while he was a fourth grade teacher in Wilmington. It took nearly a year to bring charges against Pimentel. More than 70 interviews were conducted, during which police discovered 20 female student victims and one female teacher victim. The accusations against Pimentel date back to September 2011.
– The Corona del Mar Starbucks, located at 2801 E. Coast Hwy, is closing Feb. 18 for remodeling. The store will be closed for three weeks.
– The Newport Beach Police Department is asking residents to be aware of possible con artists within the city. In one instance, a suspect proposed to a victim that he could make repairs to the victim’s car. The conman procured $1,400 from the victim for his services. When the suspect returned to supposedly finish his work on the car, he asked for more money to obtain a rebate for certain parts ordered. The victim gave him another $1,500. The suspect never returned and the victim never got his money back.
In a separate incident, two men pretended to know a particular resident. They struck up a conversation with him in a parking lot. Later they found him at his home and struck up a conversation again. As they conversed, the men began to work on the rear bumper of the resident’s car. When they finished, they indicated the resident owed them $450 for their work. The resident said he never asked them to work on his car, so the men left.
— Compiled by Justin Swanson
