LA DA's office honors 'courageous citizens'

WESTCHESTER — Four "courageous citizens'' were honored today by the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office for their help making the city a safer place.

Mohsen "Mike'' Haffar, 63, formerly of Redondo Beach, was lauded for helping two patrons at a pierside restaurant involved in a run-in with the off-duty LAPD officer. The officer, David Woon Chong, was fired and later pleaded no contest to making a criminal threat in connection with the incident.

He was sentenced last August to four years and four months in state prison.

Also honored were:

• Tevita Veikoso, 18, of Inglewood, who was struck in the left temple after telling gang members to leave the church grounds where his father was a minister. The teen, who is now a student at California State University Dominguez Hills, lost an eye as a result of the attack. The defendant, Edgar Zermeno, now 19, pleaded guilty to mayhem, admitted a gang allegation and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to the District Attorney's Office.

• Jose Villalobos, 40, of Los Angeles, who helped authorities to track down an armed assailant after an attempted robbery. Defendant Jose Galindo, 37, was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison.
  
• A 13-year-old boy, whose name was not released, who aided in the prosecution of a gang member, Francisco Cervantes, 20, who was sentenced to 16 months in state prison.

The awards -- which honor people who have acted at considerable personal risk to help a victim, capture a suspect or testify in court -- were handed out at a ceremony hosted by the Rotary Club of Westchester.