THE MUSIC BIZ
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171
C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
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VOLUME 171 • ISSUE 74 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2022
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Mountain Democrat file photo by Thomas Frey
Accused of murdering his 11-year-old son, Jordan Piper, right, is pictured in a Placerville courtroom in December 2021.
Piper facing child porn allegations Thomas Frey Staff writer Jordan Piper and his wife Lindsay were charged in 2021 with the 2020 murder of his 11-year-old son Roman Lopez. Now Jordan faces a new charge — sexual exploitation of a young girl. The U.S. District Court for Eastern California filed a criminal complaint Tuesday after FBI Special Agent Scott Schofield investigated suspicions Jordan had filmed a minor in the nude, which stemmed from the investigation into Roman’s death. When detectives with the Placerville Police Department were searching for evidence following the discovery of the boy’s body in a storage bin in the basement of a Placerville home the family had been renting they found video recordings of a girl younger than 18, according to the complaint. During the investigation law enforcement seized a digital camera and other devices that contained “surreptitious recordings of (the minor),” states the complaint. A video that appeared to have been captured in October 2019 on a GoPro camera shows the defendant in the act of removing the camera from behind a wall outlet in the bathroom of a Groveland rental home, according to court documents. On Jordan’s Samsung cell phone investigators say they found screen captures of the minor in “various states of undress and usually nude.” Videos from Oct. 4-5, 2019, depict the minor using the bathroom and bathing other children. The criminal complaint notes approximately 433 nude images of the minor were found on Jordan’s cell phone and many were focused on the genitals or pubic area. “The video camera was placed in a manner to maximize the chances of recording the genitals,” the complaint reads. Between Dec. 16-24, 2019, Jordan reportedly sent a series of texts about a sexual “Christmas gift” where he was asking the minor’s opinion. Investigators say the texts escalated into sending pictures to the minor and then offering $250 for the minor to use the “Chistmas gift” on herself, the complaint states. A child pornography conviction for Jordan would result in a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison n
PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
See PIPER, page A3
Mountain Democrat photos by Eric Jaramishian
A new five-story hotel rises on the Red Hawk Casino campus, with construction estimated to be complete in late 2022. The hotel will have 150 deluxe rooms, 25 suites, an outdoor terrace, pool and fitness center for guests.
Red Hawk leveling up with amusement center, hotel
Eric Jaramishian Staff writer
for an enhanced experience, with an option to rent out ed Hawk a private, four-lane Casino’s new experience complete amusement with catering options complex and hotel for special occasions. are bringing new Golf enthusiasts entertainment and can enjoy Red resort experiences to Hawk’s innovative the West Slope and golf simulation both projects are bays, made possible anticipated to open by Golf Zon. Any later this year. dream course can Red Hawk become a virtual executives say the reality for golfers. 85,000-square-foot Lessons are also Project crews from Level 10 Construction and Avanti Builders possible with these amusement complex, Inc., along with the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians tribal located on the new technologically membership and the Red Hawk Casino management team on June casino floor above enhanced bays. 17 sign the last beam to be placed on top of the Shingle Springs the parking garage, Decked out with an casino’s new hotel. will become a guest articulating floor, favorite and offer course simulations bowling, go-kart racing, golf bays and an arcade. adapt to the lie of the ball for a realistic golfing “We can’t wait to open this to the public,” said experience. Tyler Bila, Red Hawk Casino vice president of For gamers, the gaming rooms are a must, Bila facility and security operations. “It is exciting to said. Red Hawk will level up with gaming rooms bring this next level of entertainment into the that allow untethered virtual reality. In addition, county. We worked hard to make this experience there will be a full arcade with virtual realityas cool as it can be.” centric games. Red Hawk is collaborating with 360 Karting on The amusement complex, which does not have a multi-level, indoor electric go-kart quarter-mile an official name yet, will be open for all ages, but track, the first one in California. those 21 and over will have access to an all-new The bowling alley, which will become El Dorado sports bar that will feature bar-top video slots County’s second after Knotty Pines Lanes, will feature interactive, 18-lane holographic lanes n See RED HAWK, page A7
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MOSQUITO BRIDGE
Prep work to coincide annual repairs Mountain Democrat staff The Mosquito Bridge will close for annual maintenance July 5 and next week tree removal on Mosquito Road south of the bridge will begin in preparation for construction of a new bridge, according to the El Dorado County Department of Transportation. The Mosquito Bridge is expected to reopen Aug. 8 as the school year begins. The county’s contractor will also take out trees on the north side of the
Mosquito Bridge and perform roadway realignment for the northern tie-in of the new bridge. That work will take place while the Mosquito Bridge is shut down for maintenance, requiring a full closure of Mosquito Road from .6 miles north of the bridge to .8 miles south of the bridge. During the closure those traveling to and from the Mosquito and Swansboro area will have to use Rock Creek Road as a detour. County officials say the Aug. 8 reopening may be pushed out once the project
schedule is updated and if that extension is needed, notification will be provided at least two weeks in advance. Tree work planned for the week of June 27 will not require closure of Mosquito Road. County officials are asking motorists to reduce speeds and keep an eye out for tree removal equipment and workers. The Mosquito Bridge has connected Placerville to the Mosquito and Swansboro communities since 1867, when horses n
See MOSQUITO BRIDGE, page A8
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