San Manuel Tribal Member Jeopardizes Plea Agreement With Latest Arrest

Both The Press-Enterprise and The San Bernardino County Sun newspapers are reporting that Stacy Cheyenne Nunez-Barajas, recently sentenced to electronic home monitoring in a murder-conspiracy case, has jeopardized her agreement with an arrest late Friday.

Last month, Nunez-Barajas was sentenced to a year of electronic monitoring and her brother, Erik Barajas, 36, received six months for their roles in a case linking them to the Mexican Mafia and the methamphetamine trade in the Inland Empire. MORE>>

San Manuel Named "Favorite Spot To Play Poker" in The P-E's Annual Reader's Choice Awards 2008

I've recently been perusing my copy of The Press-Enterprise's annual "Reader's Choice Awards 2008" booklet. It's a rather Riverside-centric collection of restaurants, shopping and services for a paper that bills itself as one that serves the two-county Inland area.

There's a couple fast-food chains with outlets in Highland mentioned as favorites, but you already know my feelings about corporate fast food from previous posts.

The one local standout, however, is San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino, named "Favorite Spot To Play Poker," by readers of the largest newspaper in the Inland area.

Their entry claims:

"Guests can enjoy 3,500 of the latest slots, live poker and Vegas-style blackjack, high-limit gaming, high-stakes bingo, incredible entertainment, sumptuous dining, and a generous player-reward program. Owned and operated by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the casino has been providing fun and excitement since 1986. Since that time, players have received more than $2 billion in cash, prizes and giveaways...."

Sadly I was unable to find a link to this year's Reader's Choice awards on The P-E's web site. Searching "reader's choice," I received only three story results, all from 2007.

image: www.Rocketfinance.net

San Manuel Pair Receive Light Sentences For Their Roles In 2006 Murder-For-Hire Scheme

The Press-Enterprise reports two wealthy San Manuel tribal members were sentenced Thursday to home electronic monitoring and five years probation in a plea agreement for their roles in a 2006 murder-for-hire plot. Stacy Cheyenne Nunez-Barajas, 26, was sentenced to one year of electronic monitoring and her brother, Erik Barajas, 36, received six months for their roles in a highly publicized case linking them to the Mexican Mafia and its role in the methamphetamine trade in the Inland Empire.

An earlier story suggested a connection between political contributions of $22,500 by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians to District Attorney Mike Ramos' campaign may have influenced the seemingly light sentences in light of their crimes. MORE>>