Case # 16HF0524
Date: April 15, 2016
MAN AND WOMAN TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR PLANTING WEAPONS AND METH IN VICTIM’S TRUCK AND MAKING FALSE REPORT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man and woman are scheduled to be arraigned Monday for planting weapons and methamphetamine inside the truck bed of a woman’s vehicle and making false reports to law enforcement. Jennifer Michele Beale, 37, and Kevin Brown, 42, both of Laguna Hills, are each charged with one felony count of conspiracy to commit a crime, one felony count of false imprisonment by menace/violence/fraud/deceit, one misdemeanor count of false report of emergency, and one misdemeanor count of altering evidence. Brown faces a sentencing enhancement for a prior prison conviction in Los Angeles County for second degree burglary in 2010. If convicted, Beale faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison and Brown faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison. They are being held on $50,000 bail and are scheduled to be arraigned Monday, April 18, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.
On March 23, 2016, Beale and Brown are accused of conspiring to plant a BB gun, a 12-inch hunting knife, and methamphetamine inside a sunglasses pouch on the truck bed belonging to 40-year-old Jane Doe, in order to get the victim arrested. Brown is accused of retrieving the BB gun from his house. The defendants are accused of wrapping the BB gun, drugs, and a scale in a towel.
Brown is accused of driving with Beale to Jane Doe’s home and parking around the corner away from the victim’s house. Both defendants are accused of getting out of the truck and walking to Jane Doe’s residence. Beale and Brown are accused of placing the items in the back of Jane Doe’s truck. Both defendants are accused of returning to their vehicle and driving away from the scene.
At approximately 5:50 a.m. on March 24, 2016, Beale is accused of e-mailing Crime Stoppers and falsely reporting that she saw Jane Doe arguing with someone and waving a gun around, before placing the gun in the bed of her truck. At approximately 11:30 a.m. on March 24, 2016, Beale is accused of calling 911 and falsely reporting that she saw Jane Doe waving a gun during an argument earlier in the morning before throwing the gun into the back of a truck. Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) arrived to Jane Doe’s home and found the items in the bed of her truck. Jane Doe recognized the sunglasses case belonging to Beale. OCSD conducted further investigation and arrested Beale and Brown yesterday, April 14, 2016. OCSD investigated this case.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Nichols of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.