The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is continuing to remind residents of the effects of the recently passed Proposition 36 after a man was arrested on narcotics possession charges early Friday morning. 

Prop 36, officially titled The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act, was passed by voters by a wide margin in November and went into effect on Dec. 18. Among other things, it includes several new charges, including enhanced sentencing and statutes that can prevent certain offenders from being cited and released prior to their court appearance. 

After the legislation was went into effect, law enforcement agencies across the region have used several methods to get the word out about the consequences, including releasing a video that shows suspects discussing the new law from the back of a police car late last month. 

A more recent incident involving the new consequences of Prop 36 occurred just before 9 a.m. Friday when a 54-year-old Apple Valley resident was contacted by deputies in the area of Bear Valley Road and Algonquin Road.

The man, John Michael Laughlin, was found to be in possession of illegal narcotics and arrested, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department stated.

He was booked into the High Desert Detention Center on drug possession charges with previous a previous conviction and traffic warrants. He is being held in lieu of $30,000 bail. 

Anyone with any information about this investigation is asked to contact Deputy E. Natty with Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station at (760) 240-7400 or Sheriff’s Dispatch at (760) 956-5001.

Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or you may leave the information on the We-Tip website.

Residents are distraught after burglars ransacked a Santa Monica condominium complex while it was being fumigated for termites.

Surveillance cameras captured the suspects arriving at the 10–unit complex on the 400 block of Idaho Avenue while the building was evacuated from Dec. 27-30.

A pair of hooded thieves were seen snooping around and rummaging through closets, trying to find valuable items they could steal. They spend their time checking every nook and cranny, at times opening briefcases and grabbing purses while placing items in tote bags.

As residents returned to their homes, the reality that they had been burglarized was distressing and shocking.

Hai Hoang, whose condo was ransacked, said the suspects broke into his home using a screwdriver and some other tools they left behind.

“They entered the building in the morning of Dec. 30 when the fumes stopped,” Hoang told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff. “They broke the door and broke the frame down. That’s how they entered the building.”

Hoang believed the burglary was premeditated and they were well-prepared. Hoang’s home was left in complete disarray — the closets were completely emptied and everything had been thrown on the floor.

Hoang said the incident has left him concerned for his safety and questions whether he should continue living in Santa Monica.

“You’re supposed to feel safe at home, right?” Hoang said. “But then you go home and your home is turned upside down, everything. They looked at every single thing. They pulled every single thing out of your closet. It changed the way I think about Santa Monica. I’m not sure it’s a safe neighborhood anymore.”

Hoang said that, before leaving his home for the fumigation, he had already taken many of his valuables with him — something police strongly advise residents do whenever they need to fumigate their home.

Residents should also ensure all home security cameras remain powered on to allow easy monitoring of their homes. Any alerts triggered by trespassers should be reported to the police immediately.

The Santa Monica break-in follows a similar incident in early December when burglars ransacked dozens of units at a Playa del Rey apartment complex during a fumigation.

The suspects remain at large. Anyone with information on the incident can call Santa Monica police at 310-458-8491.

Police are investigating after a man was found shot to death in Orange County.

On Jan. 2, Santa Ana police responded to reports of a shooting in an alleyway on the 1400 block of South Standard Avenue at around 7:40 p.m.

Arriving officers found an unresponsive man lying on the ground, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim was identified as Gerson Ramirez, 38, a Santa Ana resident. No suspect was spotted in the area and the circumstances surrounding the man’s death remain unclear.

“Detectives are attempting to identify and locate additional witnesses who can provide information about the homicide,” police said.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8390 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS. 

Information provided by the public in this case is eligible for a reward under the police department’s Gang Reward Program.