Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

11 arrested for grand, petty theft at Pleasant Hill Shopping Center

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Arrests were made outside the Pleasant Hill Target store on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. Photo: Pleasant Hill PD

By Pleasant Hill Police Department

We had another successful Theft Suppression event at the Pleasant Hill Shopping Center on Contra Costa Blvd., Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 10, 2023, which resulted in the recovery of over $2,500 of stolen merchandise. This shopping center houses stores like Target, Ross, and HomeGoods, as well as Burlington.

During this planned operation, the following 11 people were arrested for grand theft, petty theft:

Jordan Pitts 22, Opelika, AL

Abel Isais Garcia 23, Novato

Davonte Coimin Michel 25, Windsor

Derald Morris 65, Pittsburg

Andrew John Lopez 36, Martinez

George Davis 47, Pittsburg

Cayla Coleman 22, Richmond

Lavaughna F. Manuel 30, Antioch

Ahjanae Woods 23, Concord

Valerie Sage 65, Concord

Dennis Scarcella 33, San Francisco

Pleasant Hill police officers make arrests outside the Target store on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. Photos: PHPD

We will continue to work hard through the upcoming Holiday Season to combat the ongoing issues with Organized Retail Crime and Retail Theft.

Thank you again to our community partners for assisting us in making this another successful event.

 

Governor signs Glazer’s first-in-nation consumer protection bill

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SB644 allows 24-hour hotel booking cancellations with full refund

By Steven Harmon, Office of State Senator Steve Glazer

SACRAMENTO – Consumers will be able to make cancellations with a full refund, at no charge, up to 24 hours after they make a booking with hotels, short-term rentals and third-party booking services if they book at least 72 hours before their stay under a bill signed Tuesday by Governor Gavin Newsom.

“This first-in-the-nation law will end the confusing maze of misleading cancellation policies for lodging on the Internet,” said Senator Glazer (D-Orinda, CA7), author of the bill, SB 644. “Now, consumers will have a chance to correct mistakes and cancel bookings they hadn’t intended to make and get a full refund.”

According to the California Legislative Information website, the new law reads as follows:

“SEC. 3. CHAPTER  2. Hotel and Private Residence Rental Reservation Refunds

A hosting platform, hotel, third-party booking service, or short-term rental shall allow a reservation for a hotel accommodation or a short-term rental located in California to be canceled without penalty for at least 24 hours after the reservation is confirmed if the reservation is made 72 hours or more before the time of check-in.

1748.82.

(a) If a consumer cancels a reservation pursuant to Section 1748.81, the hosting platform, hotel, third-party booking service, or short-term rental shall issue a refund to a consumer of all amounts paid to the hosting platform, hotel, third-party booking service, or short-term rental to the original form of payment within 30 days of the cancellation of the reservation.

(b) The refund required by this section shall include a refund of all fees charged to the consumer for optional services.”

Glazer represents most of Contra Costa County.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Danville woman sentenced to 22 months in federal prison for embezzling $1.7 million from Men’s Warehouse

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Gina Lonestar in happier times. Source: Her Facebook page posted May 27, 2022.

Former VP of Construction, Maintenance and Facilities at parent company Tailored Brands invented fake vendor and submitted false invoices over eight-year period

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

OAKLAND – Gina Suzanne Lonestar was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison in connection with a wire fraud scheme pursuant to which she embezzled over $1.7 million from her former employer, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge.

Lonestar, 52, of Danville, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on May 19, 2023. According to her plea agreement, Lonestar admitted that, in December 2010, she devised a scheme to create a fake vendor to defraud Men’s Wearhouse and later Tailored Brands (Men’s Wearhouse’s parent company) of money by submitting and approving false invoices for the fake vendor to the accounts payable department. Lonestar created a document stating the vendor was a sole proprietorship associated with a family member and then began submitting and approving invoices falsely claiming the vendor was performing work at Men’s Wearhouse stores throughout California, such as inspections and handyman work. Lonestar admitted that she submitted and approved false invoices in the name of the fake vendor for approximately eight years, defrauding her employer of over $1.7 million, which was paid to her joint checking account. Lonestar admitted that the vendor did not exist and the family member with whom she co-owed the company performed none of the work for which she provided invoices.

At the time Lonestar devised the scheme, she was a Director in the Facilities Department of Men’s Wearhouse. During the relevant time period she was promoted to Senior Director of Facilities and Corporate Services and then to Vice President of Construction, Maintenance, and Facilities. In all of her roles, she had the authority to approve invoices for work done by vendors. Lonestar’s scheme ended in 2019 when the company discovered the conduct during an internal audit.

On September 8, 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Lonestar charging her with six counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Lonestar pleaded guilty to one count and the court dismissed the remaining counts during her sentencing hearing.

In addition to the 22-month sentence, Judge Tigar ordered Lonestar to pay a $1,736,216 forfeiture money judgment and to serve three years of supervised release which will begin after she leaves prison. Judge Tigar ordered that Lonestar begin serving her sentence on January 5, 2024. In addition, Judge Tigar scheduled a hearing for December 1, 2023, to determine issues regarding restitution.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah Stern with assistance from Elizabeth Kim and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

Apply now to first ever Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition

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Win $1,000 to launch or grow your business!

Introducing the first ever Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition! Win $1,000 to launch or grow your business. No idea is too small!

The Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition is a fun way to promote youth entrepreneurship which teaches important life skills including perseverance, self-confidence, and financial literacy. When young people succeed as entrepreneurs, they improve their own lives while also contributing to the economic development of their local communities. The competition is designed to encourage young people to consider themselves entrepreneurs and submit new business ideas or share existing business ventures that would benefit from additional funding. No idea is too small. Take a chance and share your entrepreneurial vision with us and what it would mean for you to win the first Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition!

Eligibility:
All students (Kindergarten – 12th grade) in Contra Costa County may apply.

Limit one application per business. If a team is applying, one team leader must be designated.

Competition Timeline and Details:

September 2023 – Application opens

November 15, 2023 – Application deadline

Nov. & Dec. 2023 – Finalist Selection Committee reviews applications

January 2024 – Finalists announced

February 6, 2024 – Finalist Pitch Event at the Lafayette Library.

Winners receive $1,000 (first place), $500 (second place), $250 (third place). Prizes distributed in the form of Visa cash cards.

Criteria:
Applications will be evaluated based on the applicant’s enthusiasm for entrepreneurship, how the business is presented, the viability of the business, and how the prize money will be used to launch a new business or grow an existing business.

Visit www.contracostasharktank.org to learn more and apply.

Winners will be selected by a panel of judges on February 6, 2024 at the Lafayette Library.

Deadline to apply is November 15th!

 

Brentwood to provide space for remote workers

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Tech MeetUp launches Sept. 13

By Darin Gale, Brentwood Assistant City Manager

The City of Brentwood will launch the Brentwood Tech MeetUp at the Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak Street, beginning Wednesday, September 13th at 9 am. The City’s Economic Development team is spearheading this effort in order to provide an alternative workspace for the hundreds of hybrid and remote tech workers residing in the City.

“The Tech MeetUp will serve to provide hybrid and remote tech workers a break from working at home and an opportunity to network with others in similar industries, seek new jobs or ventures with like-minded individuals”, shared Ricardo Noguera, Economic Development Manager.

The Tech MeetUp will operate from 9:00am – 4:00pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in a casual drop-in setting, offering, free Wi-Fi connection and complimentary coffee, refreshments and snacks. “Just bring your laptop, phone, etc. to work and connect with other passionate tech workers in Brentwood”, added Abraham Salinas, Senior Economic Development Analyst.

To learn more please visit, Brentwoodca.gov/tech-meetup or contact Ricardo Noguera, Economic Development Manager at RNoguera@brentwoodca.gov or (925) 516-5118.

 

Antioch man pleads guilty to leading organized theft of lottery scratchers

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Has history of arrests by multiple agencies; group committed more than 100 thefts in 7 counties

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office and officials with the California State Lottery announced today that Ryan Anderson plead guilty to nine felony charges as the ringleader of a sophisticated organized retail theft ring.

The 32-year-old Antioch resident (born 1/18/91) was the mastermind behind a group responsible for committing more than 100 organized retail crime thefts from stores authorized to sell California Lottery Scratchers and redeem winning Scratcher tickets for prize money. Anderson, and other associated with him, targeted convenience and grocery stores throughout the counties of Contra Costa, Alameda, Marin, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, and Stanislaus.

“Organized retail crime is serious a crime that will not be tolerated in our communities,” said District Attorney Diana Becton. “We will continue to work with our retailers and all of our state and local justice partners to hold these offenders accountable with arrest, prosecution, conviction, incarceration, and full restitution.”

By early 2022, the California State Lottery investigators — working with multiple law enforcement agencies and Contra Costa DA’s Major Financial Crimes division — identified Anderson as the ringleader of a group responsible for 71 separate thefts of lottery tickets valued at a total of $95,565.00 and an additional $59,105.00 in prize money stolen from 65 retail locations across 7 Northern California counties between March 27th, 2022, and October 25, 2022. The retail crime spree stopped when Contra Costa prosecutors were able to keep Anderson in custody.

Under state laws, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office was able to prosecute Anderson for all his crimes, even though they occurred in multiple counties. This is because state laws allow a single county to prosecute offenses if a crime — or the effects of a crime — crosses county lines.

During a court hearing in Martinez today, the California State Lottery made a victim impact statement noting that “tens of thousands of dollars” Anderson and others stole victimized not only the California State Lottery, but also its retail partners, many of which are “small, independently owned businesses that rely on the sale of Lottery games to thrive.” Moreover, lottery players were victims who lost out on the opportunity to win, and “public school students who have been robbed of additional funds to support important programs and enriching learning environments.”

The terms of the plea mean that Anderson will spend three years in state prison, admit probation violations, and pay full restitution to the California State Lottery. In court, Anderson presented a letter of apology to the victims of the crimes he committed saying, in part, that he wants to make an “honest living” so he will be able to “pay back any money [that] is owed.”

The lengthy investigation into these incidents was favorable due to the partnerships between the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, the Contra Costa Probation Department, the Security/Law Enforcement Division of the California State Lottery, and the collaborative efforts of dozens of local law enforcement agencies.

According to localcrimenews.com, Anderson, a 5’11”, 170 lb. Black male, has a history of arrests dating back to 2015 by multiple agencies including Antioch PD, Concord PD, Walnut Creek PD, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office and Sacramento Sheriff’s Office for a variety of crimes such as assault with a deadly weapon or assault with force likely to produce great bodily harm, vandalism, vehicle theft, attempted robbery, petty theft, DUI and while license suspended, and burglary.

Case No. 04-22-01154 | The People of the State of California v. Anderson, Ryan

Case No. 04-203281-1| The People of the State of California v. Anderson, Ryan

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Lab results show Legionnaires’ Disease bacteria detected in samples linked to Richmond Spa

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Zen Day Spa front and hot tub. Source: Yelp

Two connected deaths; business remains closed

By Contra Costa Health

Laboratory testing results show that water and swab samples collected from a Richmond spa contained high levels of legionella bacteria, making it the likely source of Legionnaires’ disease among multiple customers.

Contra Costa Health (CCH) began investigating Zen Day Spa at 12230 San Pablo Avenue on Aug. 4, after area hospitals reported two deaths from Legionnaires’ disease. Both people visited the business before becoming ill.

The business voluntarily closed Aug. 5, and remains closed under a health order issued by CCH. CCH collected water and swab samples and, while still awaiting final reports from the lab, initial results show high concentrations of legionella bacteria.

CCH has contacted more than 30 recent customers of Zen Day Spa as part of its investigation, as well as recent cases of Legionnaires’ disease reported through community healthcare providers.

Beyond the two people who died with lab-confirmed Legionnaires’ disease, CCH has as of Aug. 21 identified two other people who visited the business and had lab-confirmed Legionnaires’ disease, and two people who reported becoming ill after visiting the business, whom investigators suspect had Legionnaires’ disease.

CCH will not release personal information about these people, in accordance with medical privacy laws.

Legionnaires’ disease can cause serious pneumonia. While legionella bacteria naturally live in fresh water, health concerns can arise in hot tubs and pools where the bacteria can grow if the water is not maintained properly. People can become infected after breathing mist containing the bacteria. The disease does not spread from person to person.

Hot tubs in commercial day spas or massage parlors generally require health permits and are regularly inspected by CCH. The tub at Zen Day Spa did not have a permit and was never inspected by CCH.

Given the preliminary laboratory results, CCH today issued an abatement order declaring the business a public nuisance and ordering it to contract for professional cleaning of the affected space and removal and disposal of the hot tub within 30 days to ensure the elimination of legionella. The business may not reopen until re-inspected by CCH.

CCH will be in communication with civic partners, such as municipal code enforcement programs, about investigating other spas and massage parlors across the county to ensure that those with hot tubs also have proper health permits to operate.

“Proper maintenance of hot tubs and pools is becoming increasingly important, both for businesses and private citizens who own tubs, as we continue to experience climate change,” said Dr. Ori Tzvieli, Contra Costa County health officer. “Higher temperatures make growth of legionella and bacteria more likely, and more prolific, in water that is not properly treated.”

Anyone can use CCH’s swimming pool and spa inspection database to see recent inspection results of permitted public pools and hot tubs in Contra Costa County.

People who suspect an establishment is operating a public spa without a health permit can file a complaint online or by phoning 925-608-5500. Links to both the database and complaint form are available at cchealth.org/eh.

Information about which pools and spas need permits, as well as advice and instructions about proper maintenance, are available at ccheath.org/eh/recreational-health.

Four Martinez cops placed on leave, suspect dead following shooting at cannabis dispensary

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During early Friday morning response; assault on officer reported

By Martinez Police Department

On August 18, 2023, around 3:27 a.m., the Martinez Police Department received a report of a video alarm at Velvet, a cannabis dispensary, located at 4808 Sunrise Drive. While enroute, officers were advised of multiple subjects at the business along with two vehicles.

Officers arrived on scene around 3:32 a.m. and one of the vehicles, described as a white SUV, fled the scene. Officers broadcast that shots were fired and there was an assault on an officer. The second vehicle attempted to flee and then crashed into a fire hydrant. The two occupants of the vehicle were transported to the hospital.

Additional law enforcement agencies responded to secure the scene. The Martinez Police Department initiated an investigation with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office in accordance with the countywide protocol for officer-involved shootings. One officer is receiving treatment at the hospital for what is believed to be a minor injury.

Based on the investigation, it is believed that four Martinez police officers discharged their firearms in this incident. The four officers have been placed on administrative leave as per department policy.

One of the civilians in the incident who was transported to the hospital is deceased. In accordance with Assembly Bill 1506 (https://oag.ca.gov/ois-incidents), the Martinez Police Department notified the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The CADOJ is leading the investigation and will independently review the officer-involved shooting.

The investigating agencies have responded with extensive resources to determine exactly what took place. The area where the incident occurred remained closed while crime scene investigators collect evidence. The officers involved were wearing body-worn cameras and footage is being reviewed as part of the investigation.

The investigation is in its early stages and ongoing. Our understanding of the incident may change as more individuals are interviewed and evidence is collected and analyzed.

If you have information regarding this incident, please contact Investigations at 925-372-3450.

 

 

Antioch man on parole for burglary, Pittsburg woman arrested for attempted Brentwood burglary

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Antione Jovan Rice and Christina Marie Rivera, Jr. in custody on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. Photos: Brentwood PD

He was also a parolee-at-large

By Brentwood Police Department

Early Wednesday morning, August 9, 2023, Brentwood officers were called to a business located at the 2400 block of Empire Avenue, for an alarm call. Shortly after, our Dispatch received a call from a remote video surveillance monitoring company, who advised they were watching a male attempting to break into the business.

The company provided a description of the suspect and saw that he got into a red SUV, which was being driven by someone else.

The on-duty Sergeant, who was close by, arrived to the area and immediately saw a red SUV driving into the Slatten Ranch parking lot. As soon as he attempted to do a car stop, the male attempted to flee on foot.

Our Sergeant was able to safely take him into custody, and 37-year-old Antione Jovan Rice of Antioch was placed under arrest for attempted burglary. Rice, who is on parole for burglary, was also a parolee-at-large.

The driver of the SUV, identified as 33-year-old Christina Marie Rivera, Jr. of Pittsburg, was located in a nearby Starbuck’s drive through. She was placed under arrest for assisting in the attempted burglary and she had a warrant for fraud.

Both Rice and Rivera were transported to the Martinez Detention Facility for booking.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department, both Rice and Rivera are still in custody and she is being held on $30,000 bail. No information was provided on Rice’s bail amount.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.