Contra Costa Herald

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recognized Larry Sly the retired executive director of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties for his 43 years of public service on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. The University of California at Berkeley history graduate is known for building up the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano into one of the premier provider of food to those in need in the county, The development of the Great Food Fight between Contra Costa and Solano counties raises thousands of dollars annually between the two counties. At the presentation were from left, District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood, Food Bank Communications Director Lisa Sherill, Board Chair John Gioia, District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover, Larry Sly, District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Food Bank Programs Director Caitlin Sly and Vice Chair Candace Andersen. Sly says he has no immediate plans of what he will do during his retirement. Photo by Daniel Borsuk.

Honor former Food Bank Executive Director Larry Sly, Ryse Center in Richmond

By Daniel Bsuk

Look for 2020 to be an unusually busy year for the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

The elected officials are expected to take up complex issues like choosing a new County Clerk, adoption of a short-term rental ordinance, numerous construction projects at the county’s two airports, and decide on potentially 11 land use permits for cannabis businesses, perhaps in March, while two members run for re-election.

New County Clerk-Recorder

In the first two months of the new year, supervisors will also be busy selecting a new county clerk-recorder registrar of voters to replace Joseph Canciamilla, who was forced to resign in late October when it was disclosed that he had illegally used campaign funds for personal use. The California Fair Political Practices Commission fined Canciamilla $150,000 for the illegal action.

Short-Term Rental Ordinance

Supervisors got a glimpse of a Draft Short-term Rental Ordinance at Tuesday’s meeting and flashed the green light for Conservation and Development Department (CDD) Director John Kopchik and his staff to proceed in drafting an ordinance for potential board adoption in 2020.

Supervisors directed CDD officials to proceed to draft a Short-term Rental Ordinance in the aftermath of the Halloween night murder spree at an Orinda house that was rented as an Airbnb where five people died and four others were injured. In late November, federal law enforcement authorities had arrested Frederick Johnson, 29, of Vallejo and Domico Dones, 29, of Martinez in connection with the mass shooting.

Presently, unincorporated Contra Costa County does not permit short-term rentals because it has no law on the books addressing the growing rental practice.

So far, supervisors have discussed modeling a potential short-term rental ordinance with a 90-day limit involving a complete house, not a unit of a house. County planners are also reviewing capping the total number of persons at a short-term rental at no more than 20 persons, banning the posting of signs, excessive noise and traffic, and prohibiting special events such as a conference, wedding or commercial event.

Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood said enforcement of a STR ordinance will be a difficult task and CDP Director Kopchik agreed, saying “Enforcement is a challenge. We won’t get a lot of money from enforcement of this ordinance.”

Out-going Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Chair John Gioia selected the Ryse Center of Richmond as 2019 Chair of the Board Award recipient. The center that provides emotional, mental and political health services for Richmond youth ages 11 to 24 years of age was co-founded by executive director Kimberly Aceves-Iniguez and associate director Kanwarpal Dhaliwal in 2001. Ryse Center has reached out to about 10,000 youth in the Richmond area. Gioia will hand over the gavel to Vice Chair Candace Andersen of Danville at the supervisors’ Jan. 14 meeting. Photo by Daniel Borsuk.

Airports Draw Big Bucks

On a positive note, Supervisors heard Director of Airports Keith Freitas report at Tuesday’s meeting that the county owned and operated airports – Buchanan Field Airport in Concord and Byron Airport – generated $8.4 million in revenue for the airports, county and schools in 2017-2018. During that fiscal year Freitas, who said the airports must be financially dependent on their own revenues, distributed $2.2 million to the county, $882,801 to the schools, and $5.1 million to airport enterprises.

The airports are luring developers, Freitas said. On the drawing boards for Buchanan Field are a new Buchanan Field Airport Terminal, a Concord Airport Self Storage, a new Fire Station No. 9, and on the west side of the airport two major business parks are planned – a three-acre and a 16-acre business park.

Byron Airport is also attracting development, including a 36-acre non-aviation development and a three-acre aviation hangar development.

Freitas said the county airports are in discussions with Alaska and New Mexico Unmanned Aircraft System FAA test sites to potentially strike up a partnership with Buchanan Field and Byron Airport. Potential contracts could mean more jobs and revenue for the airports.

Freitas said the two airports provide 828 jobs in the county – 808 jobs at Buchanan Field and 20 jobs at Byron Airport.

Cannabis Land Use Permits

Possibly at the Supervisors’ March 24 meeting, supervisors will act in awarding land use permits to up to four cannabis retail and seven cannabis commercial cultivation applicants that Supervisors had selected a a Dec. 10th meeting. Supervisors set a 90-day period for the 11 successful candidates to complete and submit land use applications with the Department of Conservation & Development. That application deadline is March 9.

The four retail candidates moving ahead in the selection process are Authentic 925 for a location in South Pacheco, Artist Tree in El Sobrante, Embarc Contra Costa in North Pacheco and Garden of Eden for South Pacheco.

In the running for commercial cultivation permits are Lifted Spirit-Brentwood; 703 Chesley, LLC; Element 7 – Chestnut Street of Brentwood; Element 7 – Willow Way in Byron; Casa Resta Farms of Brentwood, Diablo Valley Farm of Brentwood and Magic Flower Gardens.

Lastly, the supervisors and county employees now working out of the old administrative building at 651 Pine Street in Martinez will be moving into a four-story, 71,000 square foot, $60 million administrative building is spring. The new building will replace the old administrative building at 651 Pine St.

Three Supervisors Up For Election, Two Face Opponents

Three members of the Board are up for re-election but only two are facing opponents in the March Primary Election. Burgis running for a second term in District 3, faces one opponent and Federal Glover, running for a sixth term in District 5, faces two opponents. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, the top two will runoff in the General Election in November. Candace Andersen will be re-elected to her third term representing District 2, since no one filed to run against her.

2020 is shaping up to be a transformative year for the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in more ways than one.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

A 5.4% inflation-based fare increase will take effect on January 1, 2020 as part of a program first approved by the BART Board in 2003 and renewed for a second series in 2013.

For a short trip like Downtown Berkeley to 19th St./Oakland, the Clipper fare will increase by 10 cents, and a longer trip like Antioch to Montgomery will increase by 40 cents.

View the new fare chart. The Trip Planner and Fare Calculator will be updated with these new fares before December 13, 2019. The fare charts at stations will be swapped out just prior to January 1.

Paper ticket fares will continue to have a 50 cent per trip surcharge. Riders are encouraged to use Clipper and save.

All new revenue from this fare increase goes to BART’s highest priority capital needs including new rail cars, a new train control system to provide more frequent service and an expanded maintenance facility.

According to a KRON4 news report, “For example, if you go from Lafayette and get off at the Embarcadero station, a one-way ticket will cost you $5.30.

From Antioch to Embarcadero, that ticket will cost you $7.90.

Another example – south Fremont to Embarcadero is $7.10.

Dublin to the same station will be $6.60.”

Fare Increase is Based on Inflation

To help fund the BART system’s extensive capital needs, BART has an inflation-based fare increase program adopted by the Board of Directors that raises fares every other year at a rate .5% less than inflation for the previous 2-year period.

It is important fares keep up with inflation because BART is not heavily subsidized by the government and we rely on fares for two-thirds of our operating budget.   We are working very hard to improve the rider experience with stepped up cleaning efforts, additional police presence to keep you safe, and new solutions to address the Bay Area’s homeless crisis and the impact on our system.

This is the last of four biennial fare increases called for under the 2013 series. The BART Board has approved a third series of inflation-based fare increases that will go into effect in 2022, 2024 and 2026.  This latest series will follow the same inflation-based formula as the previous increases.

Means-Based Fare Discount Pilot

BART will participate in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Regional Means-Based Fare Discount Pilot Program expected to begin in early 2020. The program will offer a 20% discount per trip to adult riders earning 200% or less of the federal poverty level.

Get Clipper

Clipper has many advantages over paper tickets:

BART is working to move toward a Clipper-only fare payment system because the region has prioritized the use of Clipper as the Bay Area’s all-in-one transit card administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Clipper has many advantages over paper tickets:

• Clipper saves money. Adult paper tickets have a 50 cents surcharge on every trip, which equals $1.00 per round trip. With a one-time acquisition fee of $3.00 for a Clipper card, it pays for itself in just 3 roundtrips.
• In addition to the 50-cent per trip savings on BART, customers who use Clipper also pay less on Muni, Golden Gate Transit buses and ferries, San Francisco Bay Ferry, AC Transit and Caltrain.
• Clipper is tourist-friendly as it offers discounts on various transit agencies while eliminating the need to purchase and carry multiple fare products from different agencies.
• Clipper is reusable and long-lasting, unlike paper tickets that get worn and tattered.
• Clipper is accepted by nearly all transit agencies in the region. Many other agencies offer discounted fares when using Clipper.
• Riders can set up their Clipper card account to reload automatically so they won’t have to wait in line.
• The loaded value on the Clipper card is secure when it’s registered. If you lose the card, the balance can be replaced for a nominal fee.
• Your Clipper card can be linked to your BART EZ Rider parking account for a fast and easy way to pay for BART parking. Once you have Clipper, go tohttps://ezrider.bart.gov/ezrider/ and follow the instructions to link the card to our parking program and then simply tap your Clipper at parking validation machines.
• The tag in and out system allows Clipper card users to move through fare gates faster.
• Clipper cards can be purchased at every BART station and at many retail outlets throughout the region.
• Paper tickets can jam our fare gates, so Clipper usage means more open fare gates, shorter lines and less fare gate maintenance.
• Clipper usage reduces the paper waste of the magstripe tickets in the BART system.

By U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California, Department of Justice

SAN FRANCISCO – Jose Ricardo Loza and Randy Lee Walker were charged in a criminal complaint with distributing fentanyl and heroin, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael E. Nuñez, United States Postal Inspection Service.

An affidavit filed in the case by an agent of the United States Postal Inspection Service alleges that Loza sold blue counterfeit oxycodone pills that were laced with Fentanyl.  According to the affidavit, Loza sold to a third party 50 Fentanyl-laced pills on August 22, 2019, when at the auto body shop where he works in Pittsburg, Calif.  Loza allegedly did not initially have enough pills to sell, so he texted Walker, who arrived with more Fentanyl-laced pills.  The affidavit alleges that during the transaction, Loza warned the customer to be careful when taking these pills because he (Loza) gave the same pills to a mutual friend who overdosed and died.  According to the affidavit, a laboratory test verified that a sample of the pills Loza sold contained fentanyl.

In addition, the affidavit alleges that on November 22, 2019, Loza sold 500 more counterfeit pills to an undercover officer and then told the officer that he had 10,000 more of the same pills for sale.  Further, the affidavit alleges Loza sold two ounces of heroin on September 10, 2019.

Loza and Walker are charged with distribution of controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).

Loza and Walker were arrested on December 12, 2019.  At the time of Loza’s arrest, law enforcement agents found more than 2,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills hidden in hollowed out compartments of his furniture.

Defendants Loza and Walker made their initial appearances Friday morning, Dec. 13 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson.  Both defendants currently are in custody.  Walker’s next court appearance was scheduled for Monday, December 16, 2019, for appointment of counsel. Loza’s next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, December 18, 2019, for a hearing to address detention issues.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison.  A term of supervised release, fines, forfeitures, and restitution also may be ordered, however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The complaint contains allegations only and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Weingarten is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Linda Love.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service.

By Pittsburg Police Department

Early Saturday morning, just after midnight, Pittsburg Officers responded to the report of a shooting at a residence in the 200 block of Havenwood Circle. Upon arrival, officers located a 34-year-old male resident suffering from a gunshot wound to the torso. Officers provided aid to the man until medical personnel arrived. The man, identified by his fiance as Rafael Lopez, later died from his injuries.

Pittsburg Police Department Detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded to the residence to conduct the investigation. From initial information, officers learned that two masked gunmen entered the residence and engaged in an altercation with the man and other people inside the residence. During this, the two suspects shot the victim and fled the residence in a gray or silver import sedan. Investigators are working to confirm information the man and the suspects knew each other, and this incident was the result of a disagreement that had occurred.

Detectives are currently contacting witnesses and obtaining additional statements. Additional information is not available at this time.

The Pittsburg Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance and asks anyone with additional information to please contact the Pittsburg Police Department Tip-Line at 925-252-4040.

This is the city’s seventh murder in 2019.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

From the presentation to CCC Board of Supervisors.

By Daniel Borsuk

The number of cannabis businesses seeking Contra Costa County land use permits to legally operate retail or commercial cultivation operations became a bit more crystal clear after the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday selected four retail applicants and seven cultivation applicants to proceed in the demanding planning process.

The supervisors’ 5-0 action means applicants in the competition will need to satisfy a series of requirements including filing and receiving State and County cannabis licenses and complying with Conservation and Development Department (CDD) land use permit requirements.

The Supervisors’ action in narrowing down the field of appropriate cannabis retail and commercial cultivate operators comes nearly three years after California voters passed Proposition 64 that paved the way for the legal possession and use of cannabis for persons 21 years old or more in the Golden State. Prop. 64 opened the door to the legal sale, manufacture and distribution of cannabis in California.

Supervisors are expected to revisit the status of the nine applicants’ permit compliance in March when land use permits could be granted to applicants who successfully meet CDD requirements.

Supervisors followed the recommendations presented by the 10-member Cannabis Proposal Review Panel that had scored the 21 business candidates vying for Retail Storefront Land Use Permits and 18 candidates competing for Commercial Cultivation Land Use Permits.

County representatives from CDD, the Health Services Department, Department of Agriculture, and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District served on the Cannabis Proposal Review Panel earlier this year that scored each applicant based on location, business and operation plan, security plan, community benefit, and equitable geographic distribution.

Supervisors voted to permit four of the 20 initial Retail Storefront applicants to proceed in the permit process. Those applicants were Authentic 925 at South Pacheco with 1,155 total Cannabis Proposal Review Panel points, The Artist Tree in El Sobrante with 1,140 points, Embarc Contra Costa at North Pacheco with 1,130 points, and Garden of Eden for South Pacheco with 1,105 points.

Getting the green light to proceed among Commercial Cultivation candidates were: Lifted Spirit with its Brentwood proposal that garnered 1,175 points from the Cannabis Review Panel; 703 Chesley, LLC with 1,125 points placed second; Element 7- Chestnut Street of Brentwood placed third with 1,120 points; Element 7- Willow Way in Byron with 1,090 points placed fourth; Casa Resta Farms of Brentwood and Diablo Valley Farms of Brentwood each collected 1,080 points and tied for fifth place, and Diablo Valley Farms placed sixth with its Brentwood proposal that collected 1,080 points.   Magic Flower Gardens, LLC with 1,055 points placed seventh for its Richmond plan.

Supervisors heard a number of complaints from Brentwood residents who protested that permitting marijuana cultivation operations in an agricultural area known for its pumpkins, corn, nuts, and cherry production will be spoiled by the introduction of cannabis operations that could attract crime, devalue property values, and trigger an array of other negative environmental impacts.

“The Element 7 – Chestnut Street development will bring down our home values,” protested Rubin Garcia Scott who lives on Chestnut Street nearby the proposed Brentwood cultivation development. “It will bring crime. Already we have had homes broken into.”

Chestnut Street farm owner Shelley McMahon protested, “Now I’m going to wake up to the stench of cannabis. I am not really happy about this. Who is going to buy my farm? We are known for growing corn, cherries, and alfalfa, not cannabis.”

Supervisors heard from several speakers supporting retailer Elemental Wellness’s application that placed eighth in the Cannabis Proposal Review Panel scoring with 1,075 points. Pittsburg resident Jack Frank, who uses cannabis products for medicinal purposes, said having a store in Pacheco would mean he would not have to travel to an Oakland store for reliable product advice from store personnel who are “knowledgeable about their products.”

Supervisors were also advised that the county ordinance would have be revised to address the transferability of cannabis land use permits or changes in owners of cannabis businesses.

“If a cannabis permit terminates because a change in ownership results in one or more new persons owning a total of 20 percent or more of the business, the business may not operate until a new permit is obtained,” CDD Director John Kopchik wrote in a statement to supervisors.

Read additional details and more maps from the meeting’s agenda item, here and here.

Formation of Police Tax Zones Approved

Contra Costa residents in planned new subdivisions were granted the opportunity to tax themselves for additional police protection provided by the Sheriff’s Office. Supervisors approved three requests for the formation of proposed County Service Area P-6 – Police Services – for subdivisions in unincorporated areas of the county. Property owners in the newly created Police Zones will vote in a February 11, 2020 election to either pass or reject the police tax measure that will fund the enhanced police services.

Supervisors approved the formation of Police Zones for eight property owners along Center Avenue in Pacheco, for a five-lot El Sobrante development by Pandher Subdivision, and for a four-lot development on Gloria Terrace in unincorporated Lafayette.

Daniel Joseph Feliciano. Photo by CCDA.

By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa District Attorney

On Tuesday December 10, 2019, 29-year-old Pleasant Hill resident Daniel Joseph Feliciano was arrested for possession and production of child pornography.

On December 11, 2019, acting on a tip from an electronic communication service provider, investigators executed a search warrant in the 100 block of Burns Court in Pleasant Hill and seized numerous electronic devices containing images of children under the age 18 engaged in sexual activity.

Feliciano was arrested for possession and production of child pornography, as well as committing lewd acts with a child under 13. Feliciano was booked at the Martinez Detention Facility and his bail was set at $500,000.

A formal charging decision will be made by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.

The charges are a result of an investigation by Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is managed by the San Jose Police Department. In Contra Costa County, detectives and investigators from the Walnut Creek, Concord and Moraga Police Departments, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Contra Costa County Probation Department and Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office participate in the task force along with Special Agents from the United States Department of Homeland Security and the United States Secret Service.

Parents are encouraged to discuss online safety with their children and can visit the website www.kidsmartz.org for further information. If you believe your school or community organization would benefit from a smartphone and social media awareness presentation, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at DA-Commentary-Feedback@contracostada.org.

Anyone with information can contact Senior Inspector Darryl Holcombe at 925-957-8757.

Defendants ordered to pay restitution to victims

OAKLAND – Sharon Ringgenberg was sentenced to 15 months in prison for her role in a scheme to commit wire fraud, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter.  In addition to the prison term, Ringgenberg was ordered to pay restitution totaling $705,000 to victims of the scheme.  The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, U.S. District Judge on December 6, 2019.

Ringgenberg, 70, of Martinez, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on August 10, 2018. According to her plea agreement, Ringgenberg conspired with codefendants Craig Scott, 53, of Oakland, and Kenneth Taylor, 57, of San Ramon, to commit wire fraud.  In her plea agreement, Ringgenberg admitted that from November 2008 through May 2012, she and Taylor sold fraudulent standby letters of credit and proof of funds statements to clients of a company called Success Bullion USA, LLC (“Success Bullion”).  These financial instruments were fraudulent because they reported false client creditworthiness and client balances that exceeded Success Bullion’s assets.  Success Bullion falsely purported to be a subsidiary of a large Hong Kong financial institution.  Ringgenberg acted as an officer of Success Bullion and signed and provided false documents on behalf of the company.  Success Bullion used brokers, including co-defendant Scott, to find clients.

A federal grand jury indicted Taylor, Ringgenberg, and Scott on April 13, 2017, charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, two counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and two counts of subscribing to a false tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7206(1).

In addition to the prison term and restitution, Judge Tigar ordered Ringgenberg to serve a three-year period of supervised release and forfeit $295,000 in additional proceeds that she received from the scheme.

Scott pleaded guilty to his part in the scheme on August 12, 2018.  In his plea agreement, Scott admitted that from 2009 to May 2012, he was a broker for Success Bullion.  Scott solicited customers and acted as a broker for fraudulent standby letters of credit and proof of funds statements sold by Success Bullion. Judge Tigar sentenced him on December 6, 2019, to five years of probation with a year of home confinement and ordered him to pay restitution of $527,575 to victims of the scheme, to forfeit $20,000 in additional proceeds he received from the scheme, and not to sell securities as part of his term of probation.

Similarly, Taylor, pleaded guilty to his part in the scheme on March 1, 2019.  Judge Tigar sentenced him on October 18, 2019, to 36 months of prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to him to forfeit $3,436,002 and to pay $1,100,774 to the Internal Revenue Service and $90,000 to a victim of the fraud scheme.  Before handing down the three-year sentence against Taylor, Judge Jon S. Tigar found that “Mr. Taylor enriched himself greatly, and he did so out of greed [. . . t]hat’s all,” and that “[t]his was a sophisticated, day-in-day-out fraud scheme that lasted for many years.”

Assistant United States Attorney Colin Sampson and Tax Division Trial Attorney Charles A. O’Reilly are prosecuting the case.  This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.

Scene of the fatal crash in Orinda. Photo by KTVU Fox2.

By CHP-Contra Costa

Early this morning at approximately 3:07 a.m., CHP Contra Costa responded to a solo vehicle collision on Highway 24 westbound, just east of Camino Pablo in the Orinda area. Upon CHP and emergency personnel arrival, a red 2009 Nissan Versa had crashed off the roadway head on into a tree, causing major damage. Tragically all three male occupants were killed in the crash. The two male passengers were a 31-year-old from Oakland and a 22-year-old from Hayward. The male driver was unable to be identified at the scene of the collision. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Coroners Office will be handling the release of identity of the deceased passengers and also the identity of the deceased driver.

Our preliminary investigation indicates the Nissan was traveling westbound on HWY-24, at a speed yet to be determined, when the driver allowed the vehicle to veer to the right completely off the roadway and into the hillside with numerous trees, located just north of the highway. The Nissan then struck a tree head on, where it came to rest. All three males were still within the Nissan upon CHP and emergency personnel arrival and tragically all three males were pronounced deceased at the scene.

At this time it is unknown if alcohol or drug impairment were a factor in this collision but it is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this collision or the events leading up to it, call CHP in Martinez at 925-646-4980.

Joseph Wells, Adama Diop, Immanuel Wells and Mayaebone Tanyao were arrested for the home invasion robberies. Photos by Lafayette PD

The Lafayette Police Department announces that two additional suspects have been arrested in connection with home invasion robberies that occurred in Lafayette, Oakland and Benicia. (See related articles here, here and here).

In all, four suspects were booked into the Martinez Detention Facility (MDF):

-22-year-old Joseph Wells of Fairfield. He was booked on charges that include burglary, kidnapping, kidnapping for ransom, false imprisonment, robbery, vehicle theft and conspiracy. He is being held in lieu of $1.5 million bail.

-20-year-old Adama Diop of Fairfield. He was booked on charges that include burglary, kidnapping, kidnapping for ransom, false imprisonment, robbery, vehicle theft and conspiracy. He is being held in lieu of $1.5 million bail.

-24-year-old Immanuel Wells of Vallejo. He was booked on possessing stolen property and conspiracy charges. He is being held in lieu of $40,000 bail.

-21-year-old Mayaebone Tanyao of Fairfield. She was booked on child endangerment, possession of stolen property and conspiracy charges. She is being held in lieu of $140,000 bail.

The four suspects are currently in custody at MDF. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on the Lafayette cases is asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department at (925) 283-3680 or (925) 299-3234. For any tips, email: 94549TIP@gmail.com or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.