Minister pleads innocent in satanic sex scam

By: North County Times wire services - | Friday, July 9, 2004 9:29 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO - A pastor who allegedly used the fear of the devil to induce several undocumented women to have sex with him at the homes of congregation members pleaded innocent today to criminal charges.

Carlos Romero, 59, faces up to five years and eight months in state prison if convicted of two counts of inducing sex by fear and one count of making a criminal threat against three alleged victims, said Deputy District Attorney Patrick Espinoza.

The prosecutor alleged that Romero induced the women to consent to sex, telling them that if they didn't, the devil would do something to them.

"He admitted to police that he knew what he was doing was wrong," Espinoza said outside court.

The defendant allegedly threatened one woman with injury if she told anyone about the sexual encounters, the prosecutor said.

According to La Mesa police, Romero is a minister to about a dozen people and holds nondenominational services in the homes of his Apostolic Church members.

Espinoza asked anyone with information about alleged illegal acts committed by the defendant to call La Mesa police at (619) 667-1419.

Romero was arrested a week ago in Kearny Mesa, where he worked as a transit employee.

An investigation was launched May 8 when a 31-year-old La Mesa woman reported Romero to police, authorities said. She alleged that her pastor told her that only by having sex with him could she be protected from the devil, La Mesa police said.

The woman claimed she had been induced to have sex with the cleric several times. During the investigation, police found two other women who told the same story, authorities said.

One of the women -- a 38-year-old -- allegedly started having sex with the defendant in January. The other alleged victim -- a 37-year-old woman -- began having sex with Romero in March of 1996, police said.

Romero remains free on $45,000 bail. Superior Court Judge Peter Deddeh set a readiness conference for Aug. 6 and a preliminary hearing for Aug. 13.

Buyer found for LA man's million-penny collection

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Ron England isn't one to cash in spare change collected in ashtrays and candy dishes.

Cashing in 1 million pennies is more his style.

After searching for almost a month, England, 60, of Granada Hills, found a company that will convert his copper into cash at no extra charge.

Safeway Inc., owner of Vons and Pavilions supermarkets, will take the 20,000 rolls of pennies from England July 15 and deposit the change into CoinMaster machines. Safeway will then donate half of the $10,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

England, a projectionist for Paramount Studios, wanted to cash in his pennies before retiring with his wife to a home in Oregon. But his bank, Washington Mutual, could take only 200 rolls a week and would charge him extra fees.

England's problem attracted attention from financial institutions nationwide, as well as churches, Indian reservations and charities requesting donations.

England bet his brother 30 years ago that he could save a million pennies. If he was successful, England's brother, Russ, would owe him a dinner of fried sweetbreads in Paris. About five years after the bet, he had 1 million pennies, which fill 13 boxes in his garage.

England never got his dinner in Paris, however.

His brother, Russ England, 55, said he doesn't remember making the bet.

"Am I still good for it? I'm not going to answer that question," Russ England said.

Now Ron England hopes to buy a John Deere tractor with his money.

"I did enjoy proving my brother wrong," England said. "If he'd pay off, I'd quit bitching. I should have saved dimes. I'd have a lot more money, and it would weigh a lot less."

Information from: Daily News, http://www.dailynews.com

Courtney Love goes to hospital instead of court; arrest warrant issued

North County Times wire services

LOS ANGELES - Courtney Love was taken to a New York hospital today, hours after she failed to show up in court in Los Angeles for arraignment on an assault charge and a commissioner issued a bench warrant for her arrest.

Love, who turned 40 today, was conscious when taken to Bellevue Hospital in New York City this afternoon, based on still photographs shown on NBC4.

She appeared to be crying and in distress as she was wheeled sitting up and leaning to her left into the hospital.

Her Los Angeles attorney, Michael Rosenstein, issued a statement later:

"She is currently in a New York hospital under the care of doctors. She is conscious and in stable condition. This is unrelated to any type of substance use or abuse.

"This is not (an) injury related to any altercation, nor is it a suicide attempt. We categorically deny that it has anything to do with drugs."

Earlier today in Los Angeles, Superior Court Commissioner Dennis E. Mulcahy issued a bench warrant after the entertainer failed to show up for arraignment on a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

Mulcahy said the case against Love is a "serious matter" and he found "no legal excuse" for her failure to appear at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse. He wondered aloud why she should be treated any differently than anyone else.

Rosenstein said his client was confused about whether her presence was required at the hearing.

The commissioner rejected the attorney's request to issue the bench warrant and then hold it, to allow Love to appear in court later this month without facing the threat of arrest before then. Mulcahy ordered Love's $55,000 bail forfeited and reset at $150,000.

Outside court, Love's attorney said, "Miss Love has no intention to hide from these charges ... We do believe that there's no merit in the charges ..."

Rosenstein said Love "had a confusion with respect to the date," noting that she has two other cases pending against her -- a felony drug case in Beverly Hills and a misdemeanor case in downtown Los Angeles.

She had signed a waiver to avoid having to be present for routine hearings in the felony case in Beverly Hills, the defense lawyer noted.

With the warrant being issued, "currently the court looks at her as a fugitive. I tried to make an explanation to the court which the court obviously deemed as being unreasonable," Rosenstein told reporters.

Love's lawyer added that "she will be appearing."

"She will be coming before the court and bonding out on the matter and giving a full defense to the action," Rosenstein added.

Deputy District Attorney Gina Satriano said Love could be arrested as soon as the warrant is placed in the system.

The assault charge stems from an April 25 run-in with a 32-year-old woman who alleged that Love struck her with a bottle at a Wilshire-area home, authorities said. The criminal complaint lists a bottle and a metal flashlight as the weapons allegedly used.

Love -- widow of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and former lead singer of the band Hole -- was charged June 2 with assault and surrendered nine days later at the LAPD's Wilshire Community Police Station. She was released after posting $55,000 bail pending today's hearing.

Love pleaded guilty May 25 to a misdemeanor count of being under the influence of a controlled substance last Oct. 2 in Los Angeles, and is awaiting sentencing July 16 in that case. She is expected to be sentenced to a drug treatment program.

She is charged in a third case -- this one in Beverly Hills -- accusing her of one felony count each of possession of oxycodone and hydrocodone last Oct. 2 in connection with a police response to her Beverly Hills home. She is due in court on that case July 15.