By Kelsey Stewart
In Department 7, a ten-second video clip was a heated topic of discussion.
Defendants Alexandria Rae Gamez and Edward David Cline were present for their preliminary hearing on May 22. Deputy Public Defender Martha Sequeira and Deputy District Attorney Alex Kian questioned one witness in that session.
Officer Keegan Hironaka with the West Sacramento Police Department took the stand to recount the events of May 3. He explained that the owner of Salam Market on West Capitol in West Sacramento got in contact with the police department through an intermediary to complain about frequent break-ins to his adjacent shed. The police department set up a camera system with motion sensors to detect any future break-ins which would lead to a recording viewable by the police department.
On May 3, Officer Hironaka was alerted via a camera phone application to motion outside of Salam Market. He viewed ten seconds of footage which included two individuals, a male and female, situated outside of the storage shed with their backs turned to the camera. Patrol was then dispatched to the location, where they detained and arrested the two individuals – which Officer Hironaka watched occur on a live feed.
He identified the individuals on camera as the two defendants in court.
After the individuals were arrested, Officer Hironaka encountered them in pre-booking. One point nine grams of methamphetamine were located in Ms. Gamez’s purse with no accompanying drug paraphernalia. Officers recovered tools commonly used in the process of burglary on Mr. Cline’s person: flathead screwdrivers, pliers and flat-metaled items.
The two individuals were found with a red and black bicycle set up by the police department as a ploy, and a two-liter bottle of soda with two cups.
The court ruled that there was sufficient evidence for the two defendants to be held to answer for their respective charges. Mr. Cline is being held to answer for one count of burglary, one count of conspiracy to commit a crime, one count of possession of burglary tools, one count of possession of controlled substances and enhancements for prior convictions and prior jail.
Gamez is being held to answer for one count of burglary, one count of conspiracy to commit a crime, one count of possession of controlled substances and one count of possession of narcotics along with an enhancement for prior conviction.
The arraignment for the two defendants will be on June 6 at 8:30 AM in Department 7.
