Authorities have filed charges against two Seal Beach men stemming from a November hate crime against a gay couple in the beach parking lot.
On Dec. 12, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced that Samuel Blake Wickwire, 18, of Seal Beach, had been charged with making criminal threats and battery.
A sentencing enhancement alleges the crime was movtivated by hatred of the victims.
The maximum penalty is seven years in state prison.
Last week, prosecutors formally charged Seal Beach resident Wade Rutledge, 27, with assault and threatening a witness.
A sentencing enhancement alleges the crime was motivated by hatred of the victims, a gay couple.
Rutledge could also face a maximum penalty of seven years in state prison.
Rutledge was arraigned Dec. 5.
Rutledge’s preliminary hearing is scheduled to begin Monday, Dec. 18, according to the Orange County Superior Court website.
Seal Beach Police arrested Wickwire on Dec. 10.
Wickwire is scheduled to have a hearing on an unspecified issue this morning, Thursday, Dec. 14.
On Dec. 3, 2017, Seal Beach Police officers arrested Seal Beach resident Wade Rutledge, 27, on suspicion of robbery in connection with the violent taking of a cell phone that took place in November.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website, Rutledge is in custody in the Orange County Jail with bail set at $50,000.
The DA’s office says detectives are still seeking additional suspects.
The most recent information from the SBPD described four suspects in the case. (Their descriptions are below.)
According to the DA’s Office, on Nov. 3, at approximately 7 p.m., Rutledge approached John Doe 1 and his boyfriend John Doe 2 in a parking lot near 10th Street and Ocean Avenue in Seal Beach.
According to prosecutors, Rutledge and Wickwire and their companions reportedly made derogatory remarks about the couple’s same-sex relationship and threatened them with violence if they did not leave.
Prosecutors specifically accused Wickwire of spitting on one of the men.
John Doe 1 called 911 and, according to prosecutors, Rutledge grabbed the victim’s arm, forcing the phone out of his hand, disconnecting the 911 call, and walked back to his friends.
Prosecutors say Rutledge returned the phone but told John Doe 1 to leave and not call the police.
As the victims entered their car to leave, prosecutors say Rutledge shoved John Doe 2 into the passenger seat and slammed the door on his arm while yelling at them to hurry and leave the area.
Seal Beach Police arrested Rutledge in a Seal Beach parking lot on Dec. 3, 2017.
The police descriptions of the suspects are:
• Male, Caucasian, Early 20’s, 5’10”, thin build – Grey or black hoodie with red writing, blue jeans.
• Male, Caucasian, Early 20’s, 5’09”, thin build – Khaki or green pants, red Converse shoes.
• Male, Caucasian, Early 20’s, 5’09”, thin build – Black cap with marijuana leaves, shorts, Vans shoes and white mid-length socks.
• Male, Caucasian, Early 20’s, thin build – Black sweat shirt.
Police are asking anyone with information about the case to contact Detective Jeff Gibson at 562-799-4100 ext. 1109.
Crime Log Compiled by Christopher Alighire
Editor’s note: The Seal Beach Police Department has changed the way it provides crime information to the media.
According to Sgt. Michael Henderson, “Crime log—we have switched over to a new records management system, so the information you receive and the formatting will be different.
“The log will only show incidents where some sort of documentation took place. It will not show incidents where the Officer did not take some sort of documentation,” Henderson said.
IN SEAL?BEACH
Tuesday, November 14
Arrest—3:17 p.m.—Driftwood Avenue—Kevin Mahoney was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property.
Arrest—8:11 p.m.—Pelorus Avenue—Bory Vang was arrested on suspicion of battery on his ex-wife.
Shoplifting—No time reported—Kohl’s—Trejo Rodriguez, was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting $950 worth of merchandise.
Wednesday, November 15
Arrest—6:23 a.m.—Seventh Street—Shane Oblonsky was searched and arrested on suspicion of possession of illegal drug paraphernalia.
Thursday, November 16
Arrest—1:51 a.m.—7-Eleven—Francisco Bielma was arrested on suspicion of violating a restraining order. It was reported the suspect had committed domestic violence after the arresting officer ran a back ground check for prior convictions.
Vandalism—9:04 a.m.—7-Eleven—Kenneth Kerr was arrested on suspicion of vandalism for allegedly damaging business property.
Friday, November 18
Arrest—2 p.m.—7-Eleven— Paul Hannaford was arrested on suspicion of trying to commit a strong arm robbery.
Arrest—2:21 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway and First Street—Logan Favilla was stopped and questioned. After failing a sobriety test, Favilla was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
Arrest—2:23 a.m.—Westminster Avenue—Sylvia Conn while driving on Westminster was stopped and questioned. After failing a sobriety test, Conn was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
Saturday, November 19
Arrest—10:54 p.m.- Wells Fargo Bank—Vincent Facciuto was apprehended and arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal paraphernalia outside the Wells Fargo Bank.
Tuesday, November 21
Arrest—5:25 a.m.—Westminster Avenue—Austin Gomezobeso, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving that involved bodily injury to himself.
The report does not provide any further details.
Thursday, November 23
Arrest—No time reported—Electric Avenue and 11th Street—Jeffrey Jay Lane Royalty was arrested on suspcicion of drunken driving.
No further information provided.
Disorderly Conduct—No time reported—Seventh Street—Nicholas Lenzini was arrested for public drunkenness and charged with disorderly conduct; the report states nothing else.
Sunday, November 26
Arrest—1:33 a.m.—Main Street—Police stopped and questioned a motorist. Police arrested James Efstratios on suspicion of drunken driving.
Wednesday, November 29
Arrest—5:26 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—Stephen Sepulveda was stopped and questioned.
After failing a sobriety test the suspect was charged with a DUI.
Arrest—10:35 a.m.—Ocean Avenue, near the Pier—Christopher Reiman was arrested on suspicion of drunken disorderly conduct. No further information was provided.
