| For Immediate Release Case # 12CF2245 December 3, 2012 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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YORBA LINDA FAMILY AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATE TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR OPERATING FRAUDULENT SECURITY AND TOWING COMPANIES
SANTA ANA – A Yorba Linda family and a business associate will be arraigned tomorrow for illegally towing vehicles, operating fraudulent security and towing companies, and failing to file tax returns. Patrick Peter Tocher, 53, Hawaii, is charged with 21 felony counts of failing to file a return with the intent to evade tax, two felony counts of conspiring to dissuade a witness and one felony count each of conspiracy to commit a crime, forgery and unlawful taking of a vehicle with a sentencing enhancement allegation for property damage over $65,000. Tocher is out of custody on $65,000 bail and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years and eight months in state prison if convicted.
Married couple Ernest Boone, 71, and Martha Boone, 61, and their son Edward Boone, 29, all of Yorba Linda, are all charged with seven misdemeanor counts of failing to file a return with the intent to evade tax, two felony counts of conspiring to dissuade a witness, and one felony count each of conspiracy to commit a crime, forgery and unlawful taking of a vehicle. They are all out of custody on $25,000 bail and each face a maximum sentence of five years and eight months in state prison if convicted.
Ernest and Martha Boone’s other son, Arthur Boone, 28, Yorba Linda, is charged with two felony counts of conspiring to dissuade a witness, and one felony count each of conspiracy to commit a crime, forgery and unlawful taking of a vehicle. Arthur Boone is out of custody on $25,000 bail and faces a maximum sentence of eight years and eight months in state prison if convicted.
The five defendants are scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, at 9:00 a.m., in Department C-5, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Towing Law
California Vehicle Code Section 22658 requires property owners to personally authorize and witness the towing of any vehicle from their property except when a vehicle is parked in a fire lane or blocking an entrance or exit to a property. Property owners may appoint a designee to fulfill this responsibility, such as a security company, but are prohibited from delegating this responsibility to any person associated with a tow company.
Towing Fraud
In 2005, Tocher owned and operated Security Towing. He is accused of creating a separate security company, Nite & Day Security, and establishing contracts for this business with residential and commercial properties for security services. Security Towing and Nite & Day Security worked cooperatively out of a tow yard in Santa Ana.