John Rogers Arrested in Huntington Beach For Violating Court Order - The Los Angeles Criminal Law Blog

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John Rogers Arrested in Huntington Beach For Violating Court Order

Many residents of Huntington Beach have been waiting a long time to see 45-year-old John Patrick Rogers go to jail. The Orange County Register reports that the autistic man has 37 restraining orders against him, some of which have been granted due to videotaping of children, taunting homeowners, and sending defamatory letters to neighbors.

The man was arrested on Sunday afternoon when he was running through community common areas, which are apparently in violation of at least one of his 37 restraining orders. He was booked at the Huntington Beach city jail on $15,000 bail. Court records show that John Rogers already has an established criminal record, which includes convictions of lewd conduct, kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon.

Some community officials have reportedly called John Rogers' residency at the Huntington Beach Gables a "holy reign of terror." Yet some Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys might argue that as a disabled man, John Rogers has been wrongfully targeted by authorities.

"Rogers has full time support, he does not pose a threat to the health and safety of the residents," Attorney Lauren Giardina said in the Orange County Register. The autistic man has lawyers from Disability Rights California representing him.

FindLaw states that violation of a restraining order can carry a wide range of punishments and that often penalties depend on the specifics of a case. First-time violators of a restraining order are typically charged with a misdemeanor in California, which is punishable with a maximum $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail.

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