A Cal Poly student was arrested in San Luis Obispo County for allegedly meeting or arranging a meeting with a minor for lewd purposes as part of a statewide anti-human trafficking operation, which resulted in 611 arrests and 170 rescues across the state.
Category: Crime and Courts
Posted inNews
Gala Pride Center’s ex-director charged with embezzling funds
Dustin Robert Colyer-Worth, the former executive director of the Gala Pride and Diversity Center in San Luis Obispo, was charged with embezzling funds from the organization from November 2022 to October 2024.
Posted inTop Stories
Paul Flores files appeal seeking reduction in sentence for Kristin Smart murder
Paul Flores, the man convicted of killing Kristin Smart, has filed a new appeal in the California Court of Appeal, arguing that his 14th Amendment rights to due process were violated due to biased jurors, inflammatory testimony, and improper jury instructions.
Posted inCrime and Courts
Trial date set for former Cal Poly student who fired gun on campus
Former Cal Poly student Charles Hojaboom will stand trial starting April 22, the court ruled Wednesday. The 20-year-old allegedly fired a gun on campus multiple times. The prosecution said the trial will take a week and a half of full-day sessions to present evidence to a jury before a verdict is reached. After his lawyer […]
Posted inNews
Paul Flores files for appeal in conviction for murder of Kristin Smart
Paul Flores filed an appellate brief in the California Courts of Appeal on Oct. 21. In the appeal, Flores alleged his 14th Amendment due process rights were violated during the trial for Smart’s murder.
Posted inKristin Smart
One Year Later: How one podcast shaped a murder trial
Mustang News interviewed Your Own Backyard podcast creator Chris Lambert and Flores family attorney Harold Mesick in a special feature documentary reflecting on the trial, one year after the verdict.
Posted inCrime and Courts
Paul Flores to switch attorneys in upcoming hearing
Paul Flores will return to court, expected to discuss a change of counsel during a hearing set for August. In April, Robert Sanger filed a notice of appeal, before stepping down as Paul Flores’ attorney. Harold Mesick will step in for the restitution portion of the Kristin Smart case. Previously, Mesick represented Flores’ father, Ruben […]
Posted inNews
27 years since her disappearance, students hold vigil for Kristin Smart
Journalism sophomore Eve Stewart doesn’t exactly remember when she learned about Kristin Smart’s disappearance in 1996, but recalls hearing little “remarks” when she lived in the Red Brick residence halls as a freshman. “You know, we hear all these stories,” Stewart said. “At least I did growing up, of women, who went missing and were […]
Posted inCrime and Courts
Paul Flores to serve 25 years to life in prison
Editor’s note: The People v. Flores murder trial was covered each day by Mustang News. Read previous articles about the trial here. Paul Flores has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the first-degree murder of Kristin Smart. Judge Jennifer O’Keefe announced Flores’ sentence in court on Friday — five months after a […]
Posted inCrime and Courts
Kristin Smart murder trial: Paul Flores’ sentencing date pushed back three months
Editor’s note: Mustang News has covered the People v. Flores murder trial every day from the courthouse. Follow @CPMustangNews on Twitter and Instagram for more updates. Read previous articles about the trial here. Paul Flores’ sentencing for the murder of Kristin Smart will now be held March 10, postponed from the original Dec. 9 date. But the Court will first have […]
Posted inNews
Lead prosecutor in Kristin Smart trial to transfer to Monterey County DA’s office
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect additional information from a Monterey County news release. SLO County Deputy District Attorney Christopher Peuvrelle won the guilty verdict for the prime suspect in the Kristin Smart murder. Now, he’s transferring to serve in Monterey County’s district attorney’s office as the assistant district attorney, according to […]