BRIEFLY : TRAVEL AGENT FACES 8 YEARS IN PRISON.The co-owner of a Tarzana travel agency was convicted Thursday of assaulting and trying to extort To compel or coerce, as in a confession or information, by any means serving to overcome the other's power of resistance, thus making the confession or admission involuntary. To gain by wrongful methods; to obtain in an unlawful manner, as in to compel payments by means of threats of money from two Russian tourists. Alexander Taran, 37, of World Tours Travel faces up to eight years and 10 months in prison when he is sentenced June 10, said Deputy District Attorney Craig Renetzky. A jury convicted Taran of one count of assault and two counts of extortion extortion, in law, unlawful demanding or receiving by an officer, in his official capacity, of any property or money not legally due to him. Examples include requesting and accepting fees in excess of those allowed to him by statute or arresting a person and, with . The verdicts amount to a second ``strike'' for the defendant, who was convicted previously in a robbery case, Renetzky said. Taran, who co-owns World Tours and drives a tour bus for the firm, sold the tourists a company-organized trip to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. in 1996, then took their passports once they arrived, the prosecutor said. When the tourists asked for them back, Taran demanded money, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. testimony. The defendant also assaulted one of the tourists and another person at the Holiday Inn in Woodland Hills, where they were staying. ?13City News Service Fatal shooting victims identified Authorities released the names Thursday of two men found shot to death Saturday near Topanga State Park Topanga State Park is a California state park located in Los Angeles County. It is located adjacent to the unincorporated community of Topanga, California, within the city of Los Angeles, California. Covering 11,000 acres (45 km²) it is the largest state park within city limits. . The victims were identified as Jose Manuel Vizcarro, 41, and Carlos Alberto Carlos Alberto is a Portuguese given name (English language Charles Albert, Italian language Carlo Alberto). It is the name of several footballers:
A motorist found one of the bodies early in the morning by the side of the road in the 1600 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Deputy Benita Nichol said. The other body was found about 45 minutes later about a mile south from where the first victim was found. A 1991 white, four-door Oldsmobile Cutlass The Oldsmobile Cutlass was an automobile made by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors. The Cutlass was introduced in 1961 as a unibody compact car competing with the Dodge Lancer and Mercury Comet. that was used by the victims was still missing, Stuart said. ?13City News Service Clipped phone line cuts off service Construction workers accidentally clipped a phone line Thursday, cutting off service to some 1,100 business customers in Canoga Park and Sherman Oaks for most of Thursday, phone company officials said. ``We believe there was some kind of work being conducted by a contractor, a crew doing subterranean work for a company other than Pacific Bell,'' said Linda Bonniksen of Pacific Bell. ``One of our cables was cut.'' The cable was cut at Vanowen Street near Mason Avenue at 9 a.m., she said. Service was expected to be restored Thursday night. ?13Daily News |
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