| For Immediate Release Case # 10WF0658
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HUNTINGTON BEACH MAN FACES TRIAL FOR MAKING CRIMINAL THREATS AGAINST A POLICE DETECTIVE
SANTA ANA – A Huntington Beach man faces trial tomorrow for stalking and making criminal threats against a Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) detective. Brian Dopler, 27, is charged with one felony count each of criminal threats and stalking. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in state prison. Dopler is being held on $1 million bail and opening statements are scheduled to begin tomorrow, May 25, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-16, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Starting in May 2009, Detective Kim, a 15-year veteran at the HBPD, investigated three cases involving Dopler for stalking and violating a protective order, for which the defendant was later convicted and sentenced. Three protective orders were subsequently issued against Dopler and he was sentenced to 300 days in jail and three years of informal probation. In December 2009, Dopler is accused of calling Detective Kim repeatedly to inquire if HBPD had any new cases against him. Between Jan. 8, 2010 and Feb. 10, 2010, Dopler is accused of stalking Detective Kim by leaving him 14 harassing phone messages in which he used expletives and told Detective Kim that the defendant was being followed.
On Feb. 10, 2010, Dopler is accused of leaving a threatening phone message for Detective Kim using racial slurs, expletives, and threatening to kill the victim and any other police officer who followed him.
Deputy District Attorney Andrew Katz of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.
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