Eureka Man Convicted of Setting Off Fireworks, Laying Down Spike Strip at Ex-Wife’s Attorney’s Home
Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office press release:
District Attorney Maggie Fleming announced that after a two-week jury trial
before Judge Cissna, jurors today convicted Oscar Rene Pineda, 51, of violation of a
restraining order, felony stalking in violation of a restraining order, and vandalism.
The case against Pineda arose in the summer of 2015, when he began sending
his ex-wife’s attorney threatening emails, and escalated over the next year and a half as
Pineda vandalized the attorney’s office and violated restraining orders concerning both
the attorney and Pineda’s ex-wife. The defendant’s misconduct included repeated
incidents where he set off fireworks at the attorney’s home, including fireworks possibly
modified to cause harm or to start a fire. On another occasion, surveillance video
captured Pineda placing a homemade spike strip across the attorney’s driveway during
the night. The Eureka Police Department (EPD) also caught Pineda violating the
restraining order obtained by his ex-wife. EPD then served a search warrant on
Pineda’s home and recovered fireworks and items which he used to disguise himself
during various incidents.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 7, 2017. The defendant faces a maximum
sentence of 4 years 8 months in state prison.
Deputy District Attorney Luke Bernthal prosecuted the case with assistance from
Investigator Marvin Kirkpatrick and Detective Richard Bise of the Eureka Police
Department. Pineda was represented by Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Dixon of the
Humboldt County Public Defender’s Office.