Contra Costa Herald

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

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Four Alamo residential burglary suspects arrested following pursuit from Concord

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On of the stolen vehicles used in the Alamo residential burglary was located. Photo: CCCSheriff

Stolen vehicles used found in Bay Point, Orinda

Multi-agency effort

By Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office

This morning at about 1:40, Valley Station deputy sheriffs responded to a residential burglary on the 100 block of La Sonoma Way in Alamo. The suspects fled after stealing two vehicles.

With the assistance of Sheriff’s Office dispatch, deputies located them in Concord. The suspects fled at a high rate of speed. Deputies terminated their pursuit, but Sheriff’s Office dispatch later found one of the stolen vehicles in Bay Point and another in Orinda. The suspects fled on foot.

With the assistance of Muir Station deputies, CHP air support, and Orinda, Lafayette and Pittsburg police, all four suspects were located and arrested.

Both recovered vehicles, along with personal property, were returned to the owner. All four suspects were booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on multiple charges that include burglary, felony evading and vehicle theft.

 

Novel Contra Costa program connects domestic violence survivors with healthcare

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Sick woman staying at home and talking to her doctor online on a video call using telemedicine concepts. Source: Sutter Health

TeleCARE improves access to care, resources through video visits

by Monique Binkley Smith, Media Relations Manager, Sutter Health

The distraught woman arrived at an Antioch, California hospital emergency department with nothing: Her car, wallet and cell phone were stolen by her abusive boyfriend. She was treated for her injuries, but many victims of interpersonal violence can’t or won’t go to the hospital because they are afraid, lack access to transportation or childcare or, like the woman, their abuser has taken their ID.

And the problem goes beyond accessing care for injuries. Many interpersonal violence survivors and their children haven’t been seen by a doctor for preventive care or for treatment of a chronic condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or asthma.

That’s where a unique collaborative telehealth service in Contra Costa County, called TeleCARE, comes in. The program safely connects survivors of interpersonal violence with the healthcare services they desperately need including medical care, mental health counseling, prescriptions and even dental care –all at no-cost to the patient.

Now in its fourth year, TeleCARE was founded by Dr. William Francis, a Sutter Delta Medical Center emergency medicine physician with Emeryville-based Vituity medical group, and Contra Costa Family Justice Center.

“At Contra Costa Family Justice Center, our priority is to help get people to safety. Once they’re safe, we’re able to connect them through the TeleCARE program to the healthcare services they and their children need. Whether it’s for traumatic injuries suffered at the hands of their aggressor or addressing long-term health issues, TeleCARE can help,” says Susun Kim, director of Contra Costa Family Justice Center.

Dr. Francis developed TeleCARE as a way to provide convenient –and safe— access to healthcare for people he treats in the emergency department for injuries sustained at the hands of their aggressors but who also need preventive care and treatment for illnesses and chronic medical conditions. And he wanted a way to offer care to survivors who were too frightened to come to the hospital at all.

“The goal of TeleCARE is to improve healthcare for people suffering interpersonal violence with no need for proof of insurance or requirement for ability to pay before connecting them with a clinician,” says Dr. Francis. “These are people who have immediate need of care for injuries or illnesses but who also often need care to manage their chronic conditions. It can be extremely difficult for them to access care in the traditional model because their aggressor prevents it.”

Dr. Francis says many survivors of interpersonal violence refuse to be taken to the hospital by ambulance when in distress, often because they lack childcare or because of the cost on top of the fear of potentially being revictimized by their aggressors.

Now, instead of just hoping survivors get the care they need, even if they refuse transport to the hospital, Contra Costa EMS responders give them a TeleCARE business card so they can arrange for a video visit with a provider when it’s safe for them to do so.

Seven private and public organizations in Contra Costa County now provide support to TeleCARE through the Green Light Collaborative. Thanks to this broad-based community support, TeleCARE has expanded its offerings to help survivors solve problems like obtaining prescriptions for themselves and their children and finding reliable transportation to work.

Dr. Francis is quick to point out how pervasive—and devastating—interpersonal violence is, with widespread impact on the entire community, especially as a primary cause of homelessness. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports one in three women and one in four men have experienced interpersonal violence from a partner, and according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and their children.

“I’m so proud that as a physician practicing at Sutter, my colleagues and I are part of a network that works collaboratively with the community. Together, we can tackle the array of areas where we can improve access to care for underserved populations like survivors of domestic violence,” says Dr. Francis.

TeleCARE is made possible through grant funding, making the program rare, if not entirely unique, in its reach, accessibility and scope of collaboration throughout Contra Costa County. Part of the not-for-profit Sutter Health network of care, Sutter Delta Medical Center works to improve outcomes beyond its walls through investment in community partnerships and programs such as TeleCARE and the Green Light Collaborative.

Need help? County residents can access TeleCARE on-site at Contra Costa Family Justice Center, or call one of three Family Justice Center locations in Contra Costa County for an appointment:

Richmond: (510) 974-7200

Concord: (925) 521-6366

Antioch: (925) 281-0970

Concord: Healthcare Services Group to settle EEOC national origin discrimination charge

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Federal investigation found housekeeping company restricted nursing home housekeeper from speaking Spanish

En Español, tambien

By Christopher Green, Deputy Director, EEOC San Francisco District Office

SAN FRANCISCO – Healthcare Services Group, Inc., which provides housekeeping and other services to healthcare facilities with 35,000 employees in 48 states, agreed to provide monetary and injunctive relief to an employee following an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

In a charge filed with EEOC, a woman employed as a “light housekeeper” at a nursing home facility in Concord, California, alleged that Healthcare Services Group prohibited her from speaking her native language of Spanish while in the workplace. The EEOC’s investigation found evidence confirming that her employer maintained a limited “English-only” rule. If applied at all times in the workplace or unless justified by business necessity, this type of policy violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin.

After the investigation, the parties engaged in a pre-litigation conciliation process resulting in a settlement. Healthcare Services Group will pay monetary damages to the housekeeper and will provide training for all California employees as well as separate training for all California managers and human resources personnel. The company also agreed to revise its California policies and procedures to include a clear statement that Healthcare Services Group will not restrict languages spoken by employees not performing patient care, and that employees have the right to speak their preferred language in the workplace. These policies will be issued in English, Spanish and any other language spoken by 5% or more of its California workforce. In addition, the company agreed to remove English fluency requirements from the light housekeeper job description, and to post a notice of the agreement for a period of two years.

“Restrictive language policies are only allowed if they are required to ensure safe or efficient business operation and is put in place for nondiscriminatory reasons. Client relations and customer preference do not justify discriminatory policies,” said Rosa Salazar, acting director of the EEOC’s Oakland Local Office. “We commend Healthcare Services Group for making important changes in their policies and training their entire California workforce to recognize and prevent this form of national origin discrimination.”

For more information on national origin discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/national-origin-discrimination. For related resources for small businesses, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/small-business-fact-sheet-national-origin-discrimination.

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.

Grupo de Servicios de Atención Médica Resolverá el Cargo de Discriminación por Nacionalidad de la EEOC

La Investigación Federal Encontró a la Empresa de Limpieza de Restringir a sus Empleados a Hablar Español

SAN FRANCISCO – Healthcare Services Group, Inc., que brinda servicios de limpieza y otros servicios a centros de atención médica y emplea a 35,000 empleados en 48 estados, acordó pagar $15,000 y brindar otras medidas cautelares a un empleado luego de una investigación realizada por la Comisión de Igualdad de Oportunidades en el Empleo de EE. UU. (EEOC), anunció hoy la agencia.

En un cargo presentado ante la EEOC, una mujer, empleada como “simple limpieza” en un asilo de ancianos en Concord, California, alegó que Healthcare Services Group le prohibió hablar su idioma nativo, el español, mientras estaba en su centro de trabajo. La investigación de la EEOC encontró evidencia que confirma que su empleador mantenía una regla limitada de “solo inglés”. Aplicándose esto en todo momento en el centro de labores o a menos que esté justificado por una necesidad comercial, este tipo de política viola el Título VII de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, que prohíbe la discriminación basada en la nacionalidad.

Luego de la investigación, las partes iniciaron un proceso de conciliación previo al litigio que resultó en un acuerdo. Healthcare Services Group pagará una indemnización monetaria al ama de llaves y brindará capacitación a todos los empleados de California, así como capacitación separada para todos los gerentes y personal de recursos humanos de California. La compañía también acordó revisar sus políticas y procedimientos de California para incluir una declaración clara de que Healthcare Services Group no restringirá los idiomas hablados por los empleados que no atienden a pacientes y que los empleados tienen derecho a hablar su idioma de su preferencia en el centro de labor. Estas políticas se emitirán en inglés, español y cualquier otro idioma hablado por el 5% o más de su personal en California. Además, la empresa acordó eliminar los requisitos de fluidez en inglés de la descripción del puesto de simple limpieza y publicar un aviso del acuerdo por un período de dos años.

“Las políticas lingüísticas restrictivas sólo se permiten si estas son necesarias para garantizar una operación comercial segura o eficiente y se implementan por razones no discriminatorias. Las relaciones con los clientes y las preferencias de los mismos no justifican políticas discriminatorias”, dijo Rosa Salazar, directora interina de la Oficina Local de Oakland de la EEOC. “Felicitamos a Healthcare Services Group por realizar cambios importantes en sus políticas y capacitar a toda su fuerza laboral de California para reconocer y prevenir esta forma de discriminación por nacionalidad”.

Para obtener más información sobre la discriminación por nacionalidad, visite https://www.eeoc.gov/es/discriminacion-por-origen-nacional. Para obtener recursos relacionados para pequeñas empresas, visite https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/small-business-fact-sheet-national-origin-discrimination (en inglés).

La EEOC promueve las oportunidades en el lugar de trabajo al hacer cumplir las leyes federales que prohíben la discriminación laboral. Más información está disponible en https://www.eeoc.gov/es. Manténgase conectado con las últimas noticias de la EEOC suscribiéndose a nuestras actualizaciones por correo electrónico .

 

Army exercises at Military Ocean Terminal Concord have neighbors questioning

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Source: U.S. Army

Community Update

By Concord Police Department

We have been receiving calls from community members regarding loudspeaker announcements heard from the area of the Concord Naval Weapons Station.

What’s going on?

Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO) will be conducting a U.S. Army led exercise from June 10-18. This exercise is being conducted with several units that will require travel throughout the local area. You will see an increase in uniformed service members during this time. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

No need to contact our Dispatch Center about the exercise as we are already aware. If you have an emergency to report, please dial 911. For non-emergencies, call 925-671-3333.

About MOTCO

MOTCO is Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command’s West Coast strategic ammunition port. MOTCO is the DOD’s primary ammunition seaport supporting the Pacific area of operation.

The Army’s presence at MOTCO dates back to 1997 when the Army’s 1302nd Major Port Command was relocated from Oakland Army Base, California, to MOTCO and became the 834th Transportation Battalion. MOTCO properties were transferred from the Navy to the Army in 2008 per the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommendations.

The 834th Transportation Battalion is the port manager at MOTCO and operates the three piers and an Army-owned rail system that connects with major public railway lines.

MOTCO receives ammunition by rail and highway; stages containers, railcars and trailers; and loads vessels with containers and break-bulk (loose items) ammunition. Rail lines, piers, holding pads, transfer facilities, staging areas, railcar class yards, barricaded railcar holding areas and Main Supply Routes are all operated in support of cargo receipt and movement.

MOTCO encompasses approximately 115 acres inland, 6,500 acres of tidal area which includes terminal piers, staging and transfer facilities, and 2,000 acres of offshore islands. While ammunition is the focus of most cargo movement into or out of MOTCO, the installation is capable of handling general cargo providing it is in conjunction with, or does not interfere with, ammunition.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

Concord: Traffic delays from construction on Walnut Creek Desilt Project begin Monday

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Walnut Creek Desilt Project work area map. Source: CCC Public Works

For 3 ½ months on the portion of the creek that runs through northern section of Concord

By Kelly Kalfsbeek, Community & Media Relations Coordinator, PIO, Contra Costa County Public Works

Contra Costa County Public Works will begin construction of the Walnut Creek Desilt Project on Monday, June 17, 2024, through Thursday, October 31, 2024, barring unforeseen circumstances. Work will take place between 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), weather permitting.

Drivers should expect delays of 5-15 minutes at Meridian Park Boulevard and Willow Way, Via de Mercados to Concord Avenue, and Waterworld Parkway to Willow Pass Road and should consider alternate routes during construction. Message boards will alert drivers about the work. Traffic control will be used. Restrictions will be in place to minimize impacts during commute hours.

The work consists of removing approximately 115,000 cubic yards of silt in the Walnut Creek Channel to restore creek flow capacity. Funding for this project is provided by Flood Control Zone 3B Funds. For more information visit: https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/8658/Walnut-Creek-Desilt

About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:

Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels, and other drainage and over 150 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County. CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sandbag Distribution and Flood Control throughout unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.  CCCPWD operates two airports, Buchanan Field Airport in Concord, and Byron Airport in Byron. For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us at: www.cccpublicworks.org

Following Memorial Day standoff in Concord man arrested for weapons charges, cruelty to child

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Neighborhood residents ordered to shelter in place for a few hours

Suspect held on $150,000 bail; has previous arrests for drug charges, DUI’s

By Sgt. Scott Smith, Concord Police Major Crimes Unit

On Monday, May 27, 2024, at 6:08pm, the Concord Police Department’s Dispatch Center received a call from a Concord resident reporting that a man she recognized from the neighborhood, later identified as 47-year-old Christian Alexander Stuart (born 10/8/76), had forced his way into her home on Rosebrook Court. She advised Stuart was armed with a handgun and she was home with three young children. Stuart waved his firearm around and pointed his firearm at the adult victim and one of the children. The adult victim was able to distract Stuart in a way that allowed all of them to escape outside. Officers quickly arrived, got the victims to safety, surrounded the residence, and deployed a drone. Officers heard several gunshots coming from inside the home.

A shelter-in-place order for the neighborhood was issued on X (formerly Twittter): “Concord PD is requesting residents in the area south of Cowell Road, from Saint Francis Dr to Ridge Park Dr, to shelter in place. There is heavy police activity on Saint Francis Dr.  If you see anything suspicious or unusual, please call 911 or 925-671-3333.”

Source: Concord PD

After a couple hours, Stuart exited the residence holding the firearm. He was safely taken into custody. No one was injured during the incident. Several bullet impacts were located inside the residence as well as evidence of a small fire. Stuart told officers he entered the victim’s home because he was being followed by several armed subjects. A thorough investigation was conducted and no evidence was located to support Stuart’s statement.

Stuart was arrested per 245(a)(2) PC – Assault with a Deadly Weapon, 451 PC – Arson, 246.3 PC – Negligent Discharge of a Firearm, 25850(c)(6) PC – Carry a Loaded and Unregistered Firearm, and 273.5A – Cruelty to Child. He was booked at the Martinez Detention Facility.

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the five-feet, five-inch tall, 165-pound Stuart is being held on $150,000 bail.

According to localcrimenews.com, he was also arrested in 2016 by Concord Police for planting and/or cultivating marijuana and/or hashish, in April 2010 and, again in October 2010 by Contra Costa Sheriff’s Deputies for DUI.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Bay Area “Transit Transformation” gets $18 million boost

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First commitments spur near-term projects to improve bus, light rail service

County Connection’s routes in Concord’s Monument Corridor will benefit from more reliable service, reduced travel times

By John Goodwin, Assistant Director of Communications and Khristina Wenzinger, Principal, Public Information, Legislation & Public Affairs, Metropolitan Transportation Commission

SAN FRANCISCO – The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) last week approved an $18.3 million allocation to fund eight near-term transit priority projects in Concord, other East Bay cities, San Jose, San Francisco and Redwood City. These investments are the first to be made through the $30 million Bus Accelerated Infrastructure Delivery (BusAID) program established as part of the Bay Area Transit Transformation Action Plan to implement quick-build solutions designed to improve service at problem ‘hotspot’ locations identified by transit agencies throughout the region.

What Does Transit Transformation Mean?

  • Design, adequately invest in and effectively manage a public transit network that is equitable, inclusive, frequent, affordable, accessible and reliable.
  • Integrate with unified service, fares, schedules, customer information and identity.
  • Serve all Bay Area populations, resulting in increased transit ridership and reduced growth in vehicle miles traveled.

The Action Plan aims to improve the Bay Area’s public transportation network to create a more user-friendly and connected system. It identifies key targets and actions to make this vision a reality.

Map of County Connection’s routes in the Monument Corridor. Source: Central Contra Costa Transit Authority

Approved Projects

Each of the eight approved projects is slated for completion in the next one to three years:

  • Monument Corridor Transit Speed Improvements (Concord): This project will transit priority signals along Monument Boulevard between Detroit Avenue and Mohr Lane, and will relocate and reconfigure bus stops to improve efficiency and accessibility. County Connection routes 11, 14, 16, 311, 314, 611, 613, 616 and 619 will benefit from more reliable service and reduced travel times.(See pages 5-2 & 5-3 of the Monument Corridor Community-Based Transportation Final Plan)
  • Park Street Transit Signal Priority and Signal Optimization (Alameda): this project will install transit signal priority and optimize signal timing at four intersections along Park Street from Alameda Avenue to Otis Drive, reducing delays for AC Transit routes 20, 21, OX and 663.
  • International Boulevard Transit Lane Delineation (Oakland): this project will reduce delays for AC Transit’s Tempo (1T) line, reduce speeding by drivers on non-transit vehicles and improve corridor safety between 14th Avenue and 42nd Avenue through the installation of vertical treatments to separate the existing bus lanes from general purpose lanes, and by painting the bus lanes red to deter non-transit vehicles from using the bus lanes.
  • El Camino Real Bus Boarding Islands & Bus Stop Balancing (Redwood City): To reduce delay for SamTrans routes ECR, 79, 270, 278, 295, 296, 2960 and 397, this project will fund the planning and design of bus boarding islands at stops along El Camino Real between Whipple Avenue and Dumbarton Avenue in Redwood City and unincorporated North Fair Oaks.
  • K-Ingleside Rapid Project Ocean Avenue Quick Build (San Francisco): Spanning Ocean Avenue from Junipero Serra Blvd. to Geneva Avenue, this project will increase service reliability and reduce travel times for Muni’s K-Ingleside light rail line by installing longer and wider boarding islands, adding red transit lanes, and implementing signal timing refinements and turn restrictions.
  • VTA Frequent Network Cloud-Based Transit Signal Priority (San Jose): This project will install next-generation transit signal priority at 174 intersections along VTA’s Frequent Network in San Jose, reducing delays for numerous bus routes, including 25, 26, 61, 64A, 64B, 70, 71, 72, 73, 77 and 500.
  • Vision Zero Senter Road East San Jose Safety Corridor Project (San Jose): This project will reduce delays for VTA routes 70, 72 and 73 by installing bus boarding islands along Senter Road between Story Road and Monterey Road.
  • Alvarado-Niles Road Part-Time Transit Lane Pilot (Union City): To reduce congestion-related delays for AC Transit route 97 and Union City Transit routes 1, 3 and 5, this project will install for a two-year pilot period a part-time transit lane along Alvarado-Niles Road from Decoto Road to Almaden Boulevard, providing buses with a dedicated lane during hours with peak traffic congestion.

MTC approved funding for these projects at its regularly scheduled May meeting, after each had been endorsed last month by the multi-agency Regional Network Management Council. Project recommendations were developed based on a two-stage screening process that evaluated potential rider benefits (time savings), equity considerations, and feasibility and readiness. Each project will include pre- and post-implementation evaluation to quantify project benefits. The remaining balance of $12 million in BusAID funding will be used for future funding rounds, when additional projects are identified and ready for implementation.

MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Caltrans owns and operates the state highway system.

Allen D. Payton contribute to this report.

Concord man sentenced to 20 years in prison for coercing, enticing minors to produce child porn, related crime

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Javier Antonio Ramirez was arrest for shooting someone in Martinez on April 24, 2018. Photo: Martinez PD

Javier Ramirez supplied minor victims with fentanyl in exchange for sexual acts

Has history of arrests dating to 2013

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

OAKLAND – Javier Antonio Ramirez was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison for coercing and enticing teenaged girls to produce child pornography and receiving child pornography this week, announced U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. Jon S. Tigar, United States District Judge.

Ramirez, 29, of Concord, was charged by indictment on March 2, 2023, with one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), and one count of receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b). Ramirez pleaded guilty to both counts on November 13, 2023.

“Javier Ramirez’s conduct is every parent’s nightmare,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey. “That Ramirez introduced minors to fentanyl, a lethal drug, to assist in coercing and exploiting them and then watched those minors overdose repeatedly, only makes matters worse. Let this sentence serve as a reminder that this Office will take all steps available to hold accountable those who prey on and exploit our youth.”

“The sentencing of Ramirez to 20 years in prison for coercing and enticing minors to produce child sexual abuse material while admittedly poisoning them with the dangerous narcotics is a stern reminder of the imperative to safeguard our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “This verdict underscores HSI’s unwavering commitment to protect the innocent and hold perpetrators of such despicable crimes fully accountable under the law.”

According to the plea agreement, Ramirez admitted that between June 2021 through February 2023, Ramirez used social media to identify minor girls to persuade them to engage in sexual intercourse and sexually explicit conduct with Ramirez, which, on occasion, Ramirez would film or photograph. Ramirez admitted that the first step of the pattern of coercion began with Ramirez supplying narcotics to girls, who were all under the age of 18 years old. Ramirez provided narcotics, including cocaine and fentanyl, to these victims at discounted prices or even for free in exchange for sexual acts.

According to court filings, Ramirez was the one who introduced many of the victims to fentanyl for the first time, when the victims were only 16 or 17 years old. Over time, Ramirez watched each identified victim overdose multiple times and yet continued to supply more fentanyl to the victims, all while sexually exploiting them. In January 2023, one of the minor victims suffered a non-fatal fentanyl overdose while at a high school in Contra Costa County, from fentanyl Ramirez took her to procure in San Francisco the night before.

Ramirez also pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, Ramirez admitted having almost 100 videos and images of child pornography, including of prepubescent minors and toddlers.

Judge Tigar sentenced Ramirez to 240 months of imprisonment for the coercion and enticement count, to be served concurrently with 216 months of imprisonment for the receipt of child pornography count. In addition to the prison term, Judge Tigar also ordered Ramirez to serve 15 years of supervised release which will begin after the term of imprisonment. Ramirez was immediately remanded into custody.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Volkar of the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of Mark DiCenzo. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Contra Costa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Lafayette Police Department, and the Contra Costa Sherriff’s Office.

Online child sexual exploitation and abuse is a threat to all children and teens who use the internet. Prevention and reporting resources for children and caregivers are now available online at www.dhs.gov/know2protect and includes HSI’s signature iGuardian training program.

One Pill Can Kill: Beware of pills bought on the street: One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs, but can be obtained at a lower cost. However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl create huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills and can easily cause death. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills are usually shaped and colored to resemble pills that are sold legitimately at pharmacies. For example, counterfeit pills known as M30s mimic Oxycodone, but when sold on the street they routinely contain fentanyl. These tablets are round and often light blue in color, though they may be made in many colors, and have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill.

According to localcrimenews.com, Ramirez has a history of arrests dating back to 2013 by multiple agencies in various cities and counties for crimes including weapons charges, DUI, battery, drug possession, assault with a deadly weapon for shooting at another individual in Martinez and multiple charges of vandalism of $5,000 or more.

According to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, he was born on Aug. 11, 1994, is five-foot, 10-inches tall, 150-pounds, listed as White, and is being held in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on no bail.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

Concord man among three arrested for at least 11 robberies in East Bay

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Images are from two robberies that occurred in Hayward, along with two handguns that were recovered during search warrants related to this collaborative investigation. Source: Hayward PD

Multi-agency effort

By Hayward Police Department

Three arrests have been made related to a string of 11 robberies that took place in the Eastern San Francisco Bay Area over a span of seven months from August 2023 through February 2024.

The 11 robberies occurred in multiple cities in the East Bay including seven in Hayward, one in Livermore, one in Fremont, one in San Leandro and one in Castro Valley.

With assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, the following individuals have been taken into custody for various charges including robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated kidnapping, and various weapons violations:  

  • 42-year-old Oakland resident Jaray A. Washington was taken into custody on Feb. 13, 2024. Washington is believed to be responsible for all 11 robberies.
  • 24-year-old Oakland resident Cameron Jamary Watkins was taken into custody on Mar. 11, 2024. Watkins is believed to be responsible for two robberies in concert with Washington.
  • 26-year-old Concord resident Deante Hunt was taken into custody on Apr. 4, 2024. Hunt is believed to be responsible for two robberies in concert with Washington.

During each robbery, at least one subject brandished a firearm. In some cases, the subjects moved employees and/or customers to other parts of the businesses and forced employees to hand over cash from registers and/or safes while being held at gunpoint. The subjects also forced employees and customers to hand over their personal property while at gunpoint before the subjects fled the scene. 

The coordinated effort amongst multiple agencies, including the support and resources provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States (US) Marshals Service, was instrumental in the identification and apprehension of those believed to be responsible for these crimes. We extend our gratitude to the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service for their invaluable assistance. 

Hayward Police Chief Bryan Matthews commented on the arrests, stating, “I am so proud of the hard work throughout this investigation. The coordinated effort between our law enforcement partners shows the steadfast commitment to ensure the safety and well-being, not just in our respective communities, but for the entire Bay Area.  

I personally want to commend the hard work and dedication of our Hayward detectives and detectives from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, San Leandro Police Department, Fremont Police Department, and Livermore Police Department. Your tireless efforts, thorough investigative steps, and unwavering commitment were instrumental in bringing these cases to successful resolution.  

Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to work diligently so communities feel safe where they work and live. I commend everyone’s hard work to bring those believed to be responsible for these crimes to justice.” 

“I want to thank the detectives for their hard work and coordination with our allied agencies,” said Livermore Police Chief Jeramy Young. “Jaray Washington is a violent repeat offender who has been previously convicted for armed robberies in the South Bay Area. We will be tracking this case as it moves through the criminal justice system.”

According to localcrimenews.com, the five-foot, 10-inch tall, 195-pound Washington is Black and has a history of arrests dating to 2019 for various crimes including residential robbery and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, Watkins is five-foot, 10-inches tall, 152 pounds and is Black; and the six-foot, two-inch tall, 160-pound Hunt is Black and was also arrested in 2018 by Emeryville PD for a warrants or holds only.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Concord hair salon owner arrested for sexual assault

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Chi Gnoc Vu arrest photo. Source: Concord PD

By Sgt. Chris Souza, Special Victims Unit, Concord Police Department

CPD CASE #23-08633

On Monday, April 29, 2024, the Concord Police Department Special Victims Unit (SVU) arrested 41-year-old Chi Ngoc Vu for multiple counts of sexual assault. Vu is the owner of “Chi Hair Salon” located at 4701 Clayton Road in Concord. The sexual assaults occurred inside of the hair salon business.

The case was presented to the District Attorney’s Office who filed the following charges against Vu:

PC 261(a)(2) – Forcible Rape

PC 261.5(d) – Unlawful Sexual Intercourse

PC 287(c)(2)(C) – Forcible Oral Copulation

PC 287(b)(2) – Oral Copulation of Minor Under 16

Two Counts of PC 288(c)(1) – Lewd Acts on a Child

Vu remains in custody on $275,000 bail. The Concord Police Department has reason to believe that Vu may have victimized others.

We are releasing his booking photo and urge anyone with additional information to call Detective Huffmaster at (925) 671-5080.

According to localcrimenews.com, Vu is a resident of Pittsburg.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.