An alleged arsonist. An accused “bandit.” Safe to say 2015 might not be a good year for two California practitioners.
Leopold Weinstein, the owner of Dr. Leo, a dental practice on N. Ponderosa Road, in Camarillo tried to torch competing dental practices, according to a story in the local paper, the Moorpark Acorn.
During his arraignment Tues., Feb. 3, Weinstein pleaded not guilty to three counts of arson to a structure, three counts of attempted arson to a structure and possession of a silencer during his arraignment. He was arrested on suspicion of trying to burn down two dental practices in the city on multiple occasions beginning June 2014.
Judge Donald Coleman declined a motion to lower bail for the 63-year-old dentist from $250,000 to $60,000.
Ninety miles to the south in Newport Beach, authorities believe a resident there, Damian Newhart, is the Rolled Sleeves Bandit, a man who robbed at least six banks in three months across Southern California.
The FBI says Newhart robbed banks in Hermosa Beach, Huntington Beach, Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica, the first of which took place in November.
Newhart’s troubles began earlier.
He lost his dental license in 2014 after being sentenced to 90 days in jail, 300 hours of community service and five years’ probation for pleading guilty to a single felony count of using his dental license to forge prescriptions and filling them out at various pharmacies, court records indicate.
Also on his record: Newhart pleaded guilty in January 2012 to misdemeanor grand theft and not having enough money to cover checks worth more than $25,000, according to Orange County Court records. In that instance, he was sentenced to three years’ probation and 80 hours of community service.
Kristie Ceruti
