Attorney sentenced to prison; pleads guilty to videotaping young males under water

AUBURN -- A Roseville attorney has been sentenced to more than five years in prison on charges of forgery, battery and illegal possession of drugs.

Jonathan R. Tyrell, 38, pleaded no contest to the felony charges and to a misdemeanor charge of child molestation for videotaping young males as they held their breath under water.

At his sentencing Wednesday, Tyrell was also ordered to register as a sex offender, said Deputy District Attorney Jeff Wilson.

Tyrell's attorney, Barry Zimmerman of Auburn, had argued against prison time.

"Mr. Tyrell was totally an appropriate candidate for probation," Zimmerman said.

Tyrell had accepted responsibility for his actions and prison would prevent him from receiving treatment and resuming his life, Zimmerman said, adding that he planned to appeal the sentence.

Tyrell came to the attention of law enforcement in December when he tried to stop an eviction against him by submitting a forged court order. The forgery was discovered when he confused two judge's names, Wilson said.

That discovery led authorities to two other falsified legal documents.

A search warrant served on Tyrell at his home uncovered drugs, drug paraphernalia and videotapes of young males in swimsuits submerging themselves in a bathtub in Tyrell's house, Wilson said.

Tyrell said the videotapes were shot as part of a scientific research project involving holding one's breath, Wilson said.

"We believe he did it for his own sexual gratification," Wilson said.

Cell phone aids in rescue of parachuter

WALNUT GROVE -- A Hayward man who parachuted off a 2,000-foot television transmission tower used his cell phone to call for help when his chute became tangled in a guy wire about 200 feet above a cornfield.

Firefighters were able to rescue John Agnos early Friday morning, about five hours after he jumped from a tower about 20 miles south of Sacramento.

Agnos told dispatchers he thought he had broken both arms, said Deputy Chief Bill Davis of the Elk Grove Fire Department. He reportedly was making the jump to celebrate his 41st birthday, officials said.

Agnos' canopy parachute wrapped around the guy wire, and he slid down the 2.5 inch-diameter line before becoming entangled with a cross wire, said Mark Rogerson, the Walnut Grove fire commissioner.

A ladder truck's reach fell short by about 100 feet, so Sacramento firefighter John Clark, 33, climbed the wires, then used ropes to devise a pulley to lower Agnos to the ground.

Assistant Sheriff David Lind ruled out using a helicopter to rescue Agnos.

"I didn't want our chopper to attempt a rescue of this guy," he said. "I'm not going to risk the lives of our deputies."

Desert city aims to cut energy use

PALM DESERT -- The city has embarked on an ambitious course: Cut energy use by 30 percent in five years.

The City Council voted 4-1 on Thursday night to participate in a groundbreaking demonstration project, partnering with Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Co. and the California Public Utilities Commission.

A new Office of Energy Management will be formed to analyze energy use by residents, businesses and city government and search for ways to conserve and use energy more efficiently.

Among the possibilities are "green" building codes that would ensure all new construction uses the most energy-efficient technology and community loan programs to allow homeowners to upgrade air conditioning systems, said Ted Flanigan of the nonprofit Energy Coalition, which is working with the city on the project.

"It's a good start," Councilman Robert Spiegel said. "We are telling Edison and the gas company we will support it if they will."

City officials will travel to San Francisco next week to ask the state Public Utilities Commission for about $250,000 in seed money to set up the Office of Energy Management. The city of Palm Desert will provide an equal amount.