Riverside Successfully Argues for Court to Name Receiver to Address Crime and Drug Problems at Motel

Published: 7/1/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 1, 2026

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Phil Pitchford

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City of Riverside Successfully Argues for Court to Name Receiver to Address Crime and Drug Problems at Magnolia Avenue Motel

Riverside Inn & Suites in La Sierra has been site of numerous arrests, code violations

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The City of Riverside has successfully argued for the courts to appoint a receiver to take control of a motel in La Sierra that has been the site of dozens of criminal acts and code violations.

The City has worked for years to document problems at the Riverside Inn & Suites at 10705 Magnolia Avenue, near Polk Street. The ongoing "narcotic, criminal, and nuisance activity" at the motel "presents an ongoing danger to the occupants, surrounding community, and general public," Deputy City Attorney Jacob Castrejon wrote in the court filings.

Without a receiver to manage and rehabilitate the property, "the extremely unsafe criminal and substandard conditions will continue," Castrejon wrote. "The appointment of a receiver is necessary to prevent harm to the public both in the surrounding community and the city at large."

Offenses that have occurred at the motel for years include drug possession, sale, and usage, as well assaults, prostitution, drug overdoses, assault and battery, including on a police officer, weapons violations, attempted murder, rape/sexual assault, child endangerment, and more.

"This property is well-known to law enforcement on the West End of our city," said Councilmember Jim Perry, who has advocated for enforcement at this motel and four others along the Magnolia corridor. "I am gratified to see two years of work result in the granting of a receivership that will begin turning this property around."

Numerous people found loitering there have turned out to be on probation, on post-release community supervision, have outstanding felony warrants and/or with known histories involving narcotics.

One subject who admitted buying fentanyl in one of the motel rooms called the property "the drug capital of the world," and said a person there was known to sell fentanyl to local homeless people, according to the City's court filings.

Documents show that code violations have gone unfixed, including building and safety violations, a lack of structural maintenance, substandard conditions, unpermitted construction, mold growth, cockroach infestation, and plumbing, fire and electrical violations. Code enforcement officers during the past 18 months found that very few, if any repairs were being made.

"The failure of the Defendants to properly maintain the Subject Property has resulted in an unceasing flow of criminal activity at the motel and within its rooms as well," Castrejon wrote. "The Defendants' failure has also resulted in a lack of structure maintenance, substandard facility conditions, unpermitted construction and/or modifications, feces and urine throughout the area."

A receiver will take complete control of the property, manage it, pay the expenses of the operation, including taxes, insurance, utilities, general maintenance, and debt secured by an interest in the property. The receiver also will hire licensed contractors to fix the structural problems.

More information can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2uhcE1ry7Y

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