Keeping Track
This latest bevy of felony charges against the junior Mr. Vera is not to be confused with multiple ongoing cases involving the Culver City Police Dept. and the County Sheriffs Dept.
In sharp contrast to El Segundo Lt. Bob Turnbull, who disclosed a batch of previously unknown information, spokespersons for Culver City and the Sheriffs are sitting tight.
They are not talking.
Behind the Silence
In each of the latter two cases, the official silence, say police sources, may reflect the considerable influence of the politically well-connected Albert Vera Sr., a major personality apart from the elective offices he formerly held.
With each arrest of his son by various police departments in the last several years, Vera-the-father has been accused of playing uncommonly strong off-stage roles after the charges petered out.
Fruitful Searches
While the crucial law enforcement agencies have taken a vow of silence, thefrontpageonline.com learned earlier that searches of premises Mr. Vera Jr. is known to frequent turned up damning evidence prosecutors reportedly plan to use later against him.
There seems little doubt that at least Mr. Vera Jr. has been a constant target of surveillance by police.
Again by contrast with other departments, Mr. Turnbull stated with emphasis that El Segundo was not under anyones influence and did not have any information to hide.
A Closer Look
The new charges against the quiet-spoken, shy man known as Junior came about in the quaint and small (pop. 16,000) community of El Segundo in the following manner:
Shortly before 10 p.m. last Tuesday, according to Mr. Turnbull, two men, burglary tools in hand, boldly approached a water dispensing machine at the Ralphs market in the 500 block of Sepulveda Boulevard.
Practically Daylight?
Given the brilliant illumination common to chain supermarket parking lots, the light may have made the pair as easy to spot and identify as if it were the noon hour.
A Ralphs customer was the crucial eyewitness.
He apparently stood transfixed for a moment.
He surely had difficulty believing a crime was being committed in the open, quite within his view.
A 9-1-1 Call
He dialed the El Segundo police, described two suspects and a pickup truck he said they were driving.
Within an hour, Mr. Vera, 42, and his neighbor, Dana Frank Goller who gave a Hannum Avenue address nearly matching Mr. Veras were apprehended.
This is a pretty small town, Mr. Turnbull said.
The two suspects were awaiting a signal light at the intersection of Sepulveda and the 1900 block of East Maple Avenue.
How It Happened
(Mr. Turnbull explained that when the arrest-site address was given to this newspaper last week, it was intended to identify the block where the suspects were stopped, not a precise address.)
Although earlier reports by this newspaper indicated a management-type from the Sheriffs Dept. was at the arrest scene, Mr. Turnbull, who was not present, said that was not the case.
However, an investigator from the County Sheriffs contacted El Segundo shortly after the Vera arrest.
To Be Precise
El Segundo police listed 3 felonies and 1 misdemeanor against Mr. Vera and 3 charges against Mr. Goller.
The accusations include grand theft the water machine was valued at more than $3,000 felony vandalism, packing a loaded .45 calibre semi-automatic gun and possession of burglary tools, a misdemeanor.
