Probation

Over prosecutors' objections, a Orange County Superior Court judge Thursday gave a Newport Beach man probation for swinging his 8-pound puppy through the air by a leash on its neck. Verne Joseph Strong, 57, was given credit for 317 days served in jail and sentenced to three years informal probation for misdemeanor animal abuse by a caretaker. Prosecutors were seeking a felony conviction for Strong, a convicted burglar, for violating his parole. On July 11, Strong and his girlfriend, Angel Marie Holmes, 37, also from Newport Beach, were arrested at the Walmart parking lot in Westminster.

A couple accused of "fairly sophisticated squatting" at an ocean-view mansion in Newport Coast was sentenced to three years of probation Wednesday in Santa Ana. Chris Wayne Duncan, 43, and Robin Ann Duncan, 37, both of Newport Beach, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of conspiracy to commit trespass and one misdemeanor count of trespass, the Orange County district attorney's office said. "This crime is an example of people taking advantage of the current real estate environment," said Pete Pierce, the prosecutor who originally asked for the Duncans to be charged with a felony.

The Sage Hill School boys’ and girls’ athletic programs have been placed on probation for two years after the CIF Southern Section discovered a lack of administrative oversight last spring involving the boys’ volleyball team. Boys’ Athletic Director J.R. Tolver said the boys’ volleyball program’s decision to withdraw from the CIF Southern California Division III Regional Championship opening-round match on June 2 at Francis Parker of San Diego forced the section to put Sage Hill on probation.

Stephen Leece, son of Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece, is on three years informal probation and must participate in a domestic violence program after being convicted of violence against his girlfriend. Leece, 28, pleaded guilty Friday to misdemeanor corporal injury to his girlfriend following his arrest June 3 on suspicion he had beat her and her 9-year-old son during an argument at the girlfriend’s home. Prosecutors dropped child abuse and vandalism charges against Leece “in the interest of justice,” said Orange County District Attorney spokeswoman Farrah Emami.

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship light-heavyweight title holder Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was sentenced to three years’ informal probation Friday for hitting three vehicles with his truck in 2008 and fleeing police. The sentence dismissed his felony evading police charge and upheld his conviction for misdemeanor reckless driving because he completed 200 hours of community service, submitted to random drug testing and underwent psychological counseling. Jackson, 31, was suffering from delirium from a lack of food and sleep July 15, 2008, when he sped his lifted truck with his likeness painted on the side up the 55 Freeway onto Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa.

The son of a Costa Mesa city councilwoman arrested for misdemeanor assault and battery was sentenced to probation and community service, court records show. Andrew Dixon, son of Councilwoman Linda Dixon, pleaded guilty to battery Wednesday and had the assault charge dismissed. Dixon was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and given three years of informal probation. Dixon was arrested Monday night after an argument at the Dixon family home in the 200 block of Princeton Drive turned physical.

A Newport Beach attorney who was recently suspended from the state bar after being convicted as a sex offender has 30 days to notify his clients, other attorneys and pay back any money he hasn’t earned, according to state bar documents. Paul Etan Fisher, 50, was convicted of lewd acts upon a 15-year-old girl in October and sentenced to a year in jail and five years of formal probation. More than two months later, on Dec. 27, the State Bar of California suspended Fisher from practicing law. The felony conviction was just the latest on a growing pile of misconduct by Fisher, according to documents made available by the state bar. The bar put Fisher on probation in 2007 after it concluded he was filing court motions without merit and entering into improper business agreements with his clients.

Newport Beach millionaire Don Haidl, the former assistant sheriff who helped authorities take down former Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona last year, will avoid jail time but will have to do a “heavy dose” of community service along with paying a fine for lying on his 2002 taxes, a federal judge said Monday. Federal Judge Andrew J. Guilford delayed Haidl’s sentencing after telling the U.S. attorney’s office that he wasn’t satisfied with Haidl just paying a fine and getting probation.

A couple accused of "fairly sophisticated squatting" at an ocean-view mansion in Newport Coast was sentenced to three years of probation Wednesday in Santa Ana. Chris Wayne Duncan, 43, and Robin Ann Duncan, 37, both of Newport Beach, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of conspiracy to commit trespass and one misdemeanor count of trespass, the Orange County district attorney's office said. "This crime is an example of people taking advantage of the current real estate environment," said Pete Pierce, the prosecutor who originally asked for the Duncans to be charged with a felony.

Former Newport Beach City Attorney David Hunt received probation this week for his recent drunk driving conviction, according to court records. Hunt, 54, of Santa Ana, pleaded guilty Monday to driving under the influence of alcohol, and was sentenced to three years informal probation, restitution, $390 in fines and three months of a first offender alcohol program, according to court records. A second charge against Hunt of driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% or more was dismissed.

Michael Stephen Baker, a former Roman Catholic priest convicted of molesting two boys and released on parole in late September, was arrested on a parole violation Wednesday in Costa Mesa. Baker served more than five years of a 10-year prison sentence for his 2007 conviction and was scheduled to be released in August. But the Los Angeles district attorney's office filed a petition to have him committed to a state hospital indefinitely as a sexually violent predator. He was held until Sept.

At the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, there are signs scattered throughout the venue reading, "Patrons disrupting the performance for others will be subject to removal from the theater. " Many other venues throughout the region offer similar warnings. Get too loud and you are kicked out and not allowed to return. At UC Irvine, though, disruption gets you a national platform for your pet cause. Last week, 10 of the so-called "Irvine 11" were each convicted of conspiring to and then disrupting the Feb. 8, 2010, speech of Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren.

SANTA ANA - An Orange County Superior Court jury on Friday convicted 10 of the so-called Irvine 11 on two misdemeanor charges to conspire and then disrupt a February 2010 speech by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren at UC Irvine. Charges against one defendant had been tentatively dismissed, pending completion of 40 hours of community service at the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen in Costa Mesa. The remaining 10 were sentenced to three years of informal probation and 56 hours of community service.

SANTA ANA — A man convicted of ejaculating twice into a co-worker's drinking water has been sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years probation. Michael Kevin Lallana was convicted Feb. 24 of two misdemeanor counts of battery. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. Lallana worked with the victim, identified only as Tiffany G., at Northwestern Mutual in Newport Beach. Lallana "felt that was as close as he could get" to the 29-year-old executive assistant, said Deputy District Atty.

Over prosecutors' objections, a Orange County Superior Court judge Thursday gave a Newport Beach man probation for swinging his 8-pound puppy through the air by a leash on its neck. Verne Joseph Strong, 57, was given credit for 317 days served in jail and sentenced to three years informal probation for misdemeanor animal abuse by a caretaker. Prosecutors were seeking a felony conviction for Strong, a convicted burglar, for violating his parole. On July 11, Strong and his girlfriend, Angel Marie Holmes, 37, also from Newport Beach, were arrested at the Walmart parking lot in Westminster.

A Costa Mesa doctor's negligence and incompetence contributed to two prison inmates' deaths and a third inmate's near blindness, the state medical board concluded. In a decision that took effect Friday, the Medical Board of California put Dr. Allan J. T. Yin, 74, on 35 months' probation for the incidents between 2005 and 2006. He may continue practicing medicine, but the board can revoke his license if he violates his probation. Yin has accepted responsibility for his alleged part in all three cases.

The Orange County district attorney's office on Wednesday identified the man who died recently in the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center as a Costa Mesa resident. Keith Eric Files, 28, was found dead in his cell about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, about a day after being booked into the jail on a probation violation. Court records show Files was serving three years of probation for a 2009 burglary and identity theft conviction. Authorities said he was in a single-person cell and there were no signs of foul play.