In the Pasadena Courthouse This Week

This week, six high-profile Pasadena criminal cases will move forward in the Pasadena Courthouse of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Here’s an update and profile of each of these cases.

Sentencing Hearing for Lance Anthony Semkus, July 13

Lance Anthony Semkus, 75, of Pasadena, is facing one felony count each of willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murder, mayhem, attempted second degree robbery and two counts of cruelty to an animal, after attempting to steal a woman’s dog in front of a pet store on October 23, 2017. 

Later on that day, the defendant allegedly approached another woman and slashed her throat. The woman fought him off but is alleged to have suffered severe injuries to her neck and hand. He has pleaded no contest to this charge.

Investigators later discovered Semkus’ two dogs had been killed. 

If convicted as charged, Semkus faces a possible maximum sentence of more than 32 years to life in state prison. He remains in custody, with bail is set at $10 million.

Trial for Deleon Jackson, July 15

Deleon Jackson, 25, from Pasadena, faces a charge of one count of murder in the second degree, in connection with the shooting death of another Pasadena man on August 7, 2017 in the 1000 block of East Maple Street.

The victim was identified as Eric Lamar Holloway, 27, of Pasadena.

Jackson has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and to allegations that he fired a handgun which caused great bodily injury and death to the victim Holloway, and that he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm. 

The investigation by the Pasadena Police Department revealed both victim and suspect were acquaintances in good standing with one another. 

Preliminary Hearing for Telly R. Johnson, July 15

Telly R. Johnson, 42, of Los Angeles is facing a charge of murder in connection with the slaying of 52-year-old Byron Young Nettles, manager of a supportive-housing apartment building in Pasadena, who was stabbed in the heart on March 1, 2019, in front of the apartment building in the 100 block of South Euclid Ave. He is also facing a knife use allegation. 

After the victim was taken to a hospital, where he died hours later, police locked down Mayfield Junior High School at 405 S. Euclid Ave., and told area residents to shelter in place while police searched block by block for the suspect, aided by K-9 units and a helicopter. The lockdown and shelter-in-place orders were lifted at 2:30 that afternoon. 

Johnson was arrested by agents of the U.S. Marshal’s Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force about 9:25 p.m. March 1 in the 1900 block of Cordova Street in Los Angeles.  

On March 13, 2019, he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. 

Motions Hearing for Danny Wooten, et al, July 15

Danny Wooten, 57, a former Pasadena city management analyst, is charged with the embezzlement of more than $6 million from a city utility fund for over a decade, until the scheme was discovered in 2014 when the City ordered an audit. 

In January 2019, he was sentenced to 14 years in state prison, while co-defendant Tyrone Collins, 60, received a seven-year term. 

In November 2018, Wooten was found guilty of 53 counts, including embezzlement, conflict of interest and misappropriation of public funds. Collins was convicted of 20 counts, including embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds. 

Wooten’s office was in charge of relocating all of Pasadena’s utility lines underground. Between 2004 and March 2014, Wooten created false invoices for the underground utility program and stole roughly $3.5 million, the prosecutor said. He funneled some of the stolen money to Collins, who owns Collins Electric. 

Wooten also created bank accounts purporting to represent two religious organizations, but he was the only person on the account. 

Wooten was also ordered to pay $3,695,891 in restitution and Collins was ordered to pay $900,000. 

The motions hearing will be held at the Civic Center County Courthouse, at 111 N. Hill Street in Los Angeles. 

Pretrial Hearing for Armando Hernandez, July 16

Armando Hernandez, 20, of Pasadena, is charged with first-degree murder with enhancements for committing the act for the benefit of or in association with a criminal street gang, in connection with the shooting death of Pasadena resident Sergio Luevanos, 38, on July 24, 2017. 

He was charged along with another suspect, Luis Eduardo Figueroa.

Pasadena police records show officers responded to a call regarding gunfire in the area around 11:30 p.m. Upon arriving on site, officers found the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. He was transported to a hospital, where he died at 12:16 a.m. the next day. 

Police said the attack was sparked by a gang rivalry.

The pretrial hearing will be held at the Alhambra Courthouse, at 150 W. Commonwealth Ave. 

Preliminary Hearing Scheduling for Daniel Cervantes, July 16

Daniel Cervantes, 30, from Pomona, is facing a murder charge in connection with the shooting death of Julio Robles-Castaneda, 22, whose body was found early on November 6, 2019 along the Angeles Crest Highway in Pasadena. 

Cervantes was arrested the next day on Brigden Road in Pasadena, and has pleaded not guilty. 

He has been held on a no-release bond of $2 million at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles since his arrest last year.