Mountain Views News          Saturday, August 23, 2014

SEX OFFENDER (cont. from page 1)

Public notification?

AWest’s return went unnoticed by Sierra 
Madreans until a resident saw him washing a 
vehicle in his driveway. Had the city not been 
under new water conservation guidelines, he 
may have continued to go unnoticed. Local 
police departments notify the public via 
the official state sex offenders website. In 
California, that is the Megan’s Law website.

And, although law enforcement at every 
level encourages parents and concerned 
citizens to monitor the Megan’s Law website 
for sexual predators that may be in their 
neighborhood, during our research for this 
article, we found that both that website, as 
well as the Crime Alert site were negligent 
in posting the location of this predator. 

Captain Islas of the SMPD informed the 
Mountain Views News that AWest had indeed 
registered when he was released and that SMPD 
Detective Henry Amos has been working with 
the Department of Justice in an effort to keep 
the public information on all sex offenders 
current. DOJ is responsible for submitting 
information to all official Sex Offender 
websites, of which the Megan’s Law site is one. 

There are four registered sex offenders in 
Sierra Madre according to Islas but until 
Friday, only two were listed. AWest was 
added to the site late Friday afternoon. 

According to the Megan’s Law site, Pasadena 
has 114 registered offenders, Altadena 28 and 
Arcadia 20, Monrovia 28 and Duarte 21. It 
should be noted that certain types of sex offenses 
require registration with the local police, but 
do not require listing on sex offender websites.

For more information on the identities 
of these offenders and locations go to 

 www.meganslaw.ca.gov.

S. Henderson/MVNews


3

Mountain View News Saturday, August 23, 2014 

Sierra Madre Police Blotter

WALKING SIERRA MADRE…The Social Side By Deanne Davis

“We seek tranquility in the midst of conflict and danger, we strive to 
control our bodies, mind and emotions. We strive to avoid conflict 
when possible, defend ourselves when necessary, and protect others 
when possible.” Part of the G3 Mission Statement

 Walking Sierra Madre a week or so ago, about 6 a.m. while it was 
still cool enough for a walk, my patient and equally inquisitive walk 
partner, John, and I found ourselves in front of the G3Academy of 
Martial Arts & Wellness, right next to Arnold’s Hardware. People 
were racing into G3, like they were coming off a 5K run! As we 
thought G3 was just for little kids learning Martial Arts, we stopped 
looking astonished, took a step back, and read all the new lettering 
on the window. Let me just tell you, G3 is not just a kid place 
anymore! Here’s what is going on now:

 Meditation Life Skills: Focus-Respect – Restorative Leadership

 Self-Defense: Empowerment – Self Confidence

 Hapkido: The Way of Harmony

 Sparring: Speed-Power - Agility

 Fitness: Balance-Strength - Flexibility

 There are weights, padded floor mats, exercise equipment, 
and highly qualified trainers. Owner and chief instructor, Gary 
Gapezzani, and instructors Peter Sandford and Eric Phillips are all 
delightful guys and in great shape…and, this is so cool, Gary, Peter 
and Master Darlas, who is G3’s Martial Arts Master instructor, have 
been friends since they were all in 3rd grade together!

 Gary began studying Hapkido in 1988 under Grandmaster Chong 
Song Kim. He is currently a fourth degree black belt, certified as a 
Ki Gong instructor and has practiced the art for over 20 years. In 
2012 he founded G3 Academy of Martial Arts along with Master 
Bill Darlas, who also began Hapkido in 1988 under Grandmaster 
Chong Kim, becoming a Master in 2006. Both Gary and Master 
Darlas have been teaching the art for over twenty years.

 Before G3, Gary was an elementary and middle school teacher 
for 17 years in the Los Angeles Unified District, which is where he 
learned how to bring out the best in kids, how to get them to respond, 
to learn to take on life with gusto and, mostly, to just try. We all 
know middle school kids are about the most challenging people on 
the planet so it looks like Gary is well equipped and totally prepared 
to help just about any kid.

 There are currently 80 young people, 4 to 14 years old, involved 
in the Hapkido training. As G3 considers itself a family operation, 
families are their first consideration. Gary and his staff are able to 
work with kids who are having a tough time, i.e., autistic kids, those 
who are being bullied or who just simply haven’t broken out of their 
shells. As Hapkido is about character development and learning life 
skills, such as patience, self-discipline, and self-control, G3 is able 
to give caring positive input and results of the training are evident 
in just a few months. Many of their students remain at G3 for years, 
working their way through the belt curriculum. The whole “belt” 
curriculum (beginner yellow through several degrees of black) is 
available at G3. Gary assured me that no transitions to higher ranks 
take place till people are really ready.

 Peter Sandford (formerly affiliated with another local Crossfit 
studio) and Eric Phillips are the co-Madre Morning Fitness/
Crossfit trainers. Peter was a Financial Wholesaler for 16 years, 
complete with serious suit, designer tie, horrendous hours spent 
in traffic commuting to Beverly Hills and Century City and the 
accompanying stress, when what he really wanted to do was be 
involved in nutrition and fitness. While I was there, Eric was lifting 
an amazing amount of weight on a bar-bell, displaying quite an 
impressive 8-pack, and issuing instructions for lunges to the people 
who were coming in to start their next class.

 OK, what is Madre Morning Fitness? You’re going to love it: It’s 
for those of us forty-somethings and older who want a workout 
that’s not as aggressive as Crossfit and that’s inclusive, rather than 
exclusive. In other words, Peter and Eric assess who’s there and 
tailor the workout to fit the group, instead of a workout that may fit 
some of the group. Nice!

 G3 is definitely the place for kids, but it’s so much more. 5 a.m. to 
noon are adult classes, including Madre Morning Fitness, of course. 
Then 3-8 p.m. are the Hapkido classes. Currently there are between 
30 and 40 adults participating in the martial arts classes.

 G3 Academy of Martial Arts & Wellness is at 303 W. Sierra 
Madre Blvd., 626-773-6876. You can check out their website: 
HYPERLINK “http://www.g3academy.com” www.g3academy.
com.

 If you’ve been thinking about checking out something new for 
yourself, or if you’ve been considering martial arts training for your 
son or daughter, you might take a look at G3. They’ve got a Ki Gong 
class I’m going to look into. “Ki Gong is an excellent exercise for all 
ages and exceptional for practicers to gain balance, strength, and 
vitality.” Who couldn’t use a little more of those!

 “A black belt is a white belt who never quits!” Renzo Gracie

 My book: “A Tablespoon of Love, A Tablespoon of Laughter”

is available on Amazon.com; or at https://www.createspace.
com/4561071”


During the week of Sunday, August 10th to Sunday, August 17th, the 
Sierra Madre Police Department responded to approximately 415 calls 
for service.

Sunday, August 10th

 At 9:45 am, Sierra Madre Police responded to the station lobby 
regarding an identity theft report. Officers were informed by the victim 
that he had recently returned from vacation and when he checked his 
mail, he noticed several letters from various credit card companies 
regarding recent applications. The victim called the companies and 
was informed an unknown person had attempted to open various 
credit cards in his name. When the suspect noticed a statement letter 
from a third party pay company, it read that there was an outstanding 
balance of over $550 for an account in his name. When the victim 
contacted the company, he was informed that there were numerous 
other purchases from the account under his name with a total 
outstanding balance of over $4,000. The company provided names and 
addresses used to purchase with the account to Sierra Madre Police. 
This case has been forwarded to the Detectives Bureau. 

Wednesday, August 13th

At 12:10 pm, Sierra Madre Police responded to the station lobby 
regarding an animal bite report. Officers were informed by the victim 
that, the night before between 7:30 and 8:00 pm, she went outside to 
collect her mail from her mailbox near her residence on the 200 block 
of East Sierra Madre Blvd. As she collected her mail, she noticed a 
leashed dog being walked by its owner. As the victim was standing 
next to her mail box, the dog jumped up and bit her thigh, causing a 
puncture wound. The victim does not know why the dog bit her and 
explained the owner expressed that she was very sorry for the incident. 
The victim described the dog as a being a medium sized with a white 
and beige color. The victim was treated by her doctor for her injury. 
Pasadena Humane Society took a report of the incident. This case has 
been forwarded to the Detectives Bureau.

 At 2:33 pm, Sierra Madre Police were out on patrol near the 60 Block 
of South Baldwin Ave. when they were flagged down by a civilian 
regarding an altercation. Officers were informed by the victim that, 
she and a friend were advocating President Obama’s Impeachment 
at a booth they set up. While they were handing out literature, the 
suspect pulled up in his vehicle next to the booth and both the victim 
and suspect got into a verbal altercation. The suspect began to throw 
water bottles and soda cans at the victim, which hit her several times, 
as their disagreement about the campaign continued. The suspect 
got out of his vehicle and continued the verbal argument with the 
victim while allegedly knocking off papers from the campaign booth 
in disapproval. The victim requested the suspect to be arrested under 
a private person’s arrest. The suspect was arrested and booked with 
battery. 

Sunday, August 17th

 At 3:30 pm, Sierra Madre Police were out on patrol on West Sierra 
Madre Blvd. when they were flagged down by a civilian regarding an 
animal bite. The victim informed Officers that just minutes prior, he 
was walking toward Kersting Court when he noticed a female subject 
with a dog on its leash, arguing with a male subject. As the victim 
walked past the couple the dog lunged at him and bit him twice. The 
victim stated initially he had not noticed he had been injured by the 
dog and kept walking, losing sight of the female subject. Investigation 
proved that the victim had two abrasions on both his right and left 
leg about one inch in diameter. The female subject was described as 
a White/Hispanic approximately 5’7 in height and weighing 125 lbs 
with brown hair and aged at about 40 years. The dog was described as 
a mixed breed weighing about 30-40 lbs with white, brown, and black 
color. This case has been forwarded to the Detectives Bureau. 


SIERRA MADRE’S SEX 
OFFENDERS ORDINANCE

One of the issues brought to the attention 
of the SMPD is whether or not AWest’s 
residence is in compliance with the city’s 
Sex Offenders Ordinance. At the urging of 
Los Angeles County Supervisors in 2009, 
municipalities were encouraged to create 
ordinance’s that would strengthen the 
current state and federal laws and provide 
additional protection for our children. Sierra 
Madre Mayor Mary Ann MacGillivray 
brought the matter before the council where, 
after staff review, a unanimous vote created 
the new law. http://mtnviewsnews.com/
v03/htm/n29/index.htm

Enforcement of that ordinance, along with 
the ordinances of 30 other cities have been 
put on hold as the result of a January 2014 
California Appellate Court ruling. “... 
the Court’s decision effectively terminates 
any remaining city and county sex 
offender ordinances banning a registrant 
from public facilities such as parks, beaches, 
libraries and bus stops, as well as privately 
owned businesses like movie theaters, 
arcades and fast food restaurants with 
children’s playgrounds.” 

The Sierra Madre Ordinance does go beyond 
the scope of public facilities, Child Safety 
Zones, but challenges to all local ordinances 
like Sierra Madre are pending. The Sierra 
Madre Ordinance includes designatation 
of “Residential Exclusion Zones” which 
requires that registered sex offenders are 
prohibited from living at least 2,000 feet 
from any school, public or private. The 
residential exclusion zone is consistent with 
state law regarding residency restrictions. 
The unanswered question in Sierra Madre 
today is whether or not AWest’s residence is 
in compliance. 

AWest lives very close to St. Rita School.

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY MUNICIPAL 
WATER DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO 
SIERRA MADRE RESIDENTS

Tuesday, August 29 - 12:00 Noon

Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club

33 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. (The Lodge)

Lunch 12:00 - $10.00

Program 12:30 - FREE

Call 626-355-0728 to reserve your seat!