Contra Costa Herald

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

Concord native, Ygnacio Valley High grad serves with “The First and Finest” Naval helicopter strike squadron

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Petty Officer 3rd Class Ahren Aaron. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tim Miller.

By Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach

SAN DIEGO – As a member of the oldest Maritime Strike Squadron helicopter squadron, Petty Officer 3rd Class Ahren Aaron is a part of a Naval legacy. Aaron is an aviation electrician’s mate who is responsible for maintaining all the electrical components on the aircraft. He is currently serving with of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, which supports the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.

“My favorite part of my job is being able to travel and see new countries,” said Aaron. “My favorite country I have been to, was Japan because I could take a 45-minute train ride to Tokyo every weekend when I was stationed there.”

Aaron is a 2015 Ygnacio Valley High School graduate and native of Concord, California.

According to Aaron, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Concord.

“Concord taught me to be accepting of people,” said Aaron. “I was born in Northern California and I was exposed to a lot of different cultures. I do take people at face value and accept different cultures.”

With more than 90 percent of all trade traveling by sea, and 95 percent of the world’s international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables lying on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.

Sailors assigned to HSM-71 are a part of history, flying with “Romeo” helicopters, the newest and most advanced in the fleet. Helicopters are equipped with the ability to conduct replenishments at sea, search and rescue missions and support operations.

The members of HSM-71 achieve excellence in military performance and create an example for other squadrons to follow through operational readiness, innovation and weapon development.

HSM-71 sailors play a critical role in supporting the Navy’s aircraft carriers. Aircraft carriers and carrier strike groups remain the centerpiece of our nation’s security strategy, supporting and protecting America’s national interests around the world. Carrier strike groups operate across the entire spectrum of military operations, according to Navy officials.

According to Admiral Mike Gilday, the Chief of Naval Operations, the focus of today’s Navy is squarely on warfighting, warfighters and the capabilities needed for the Navy of the future.

“I am confident we will maximize the Navy we have today while delivering the Navy that our nation will rely upon tomorrow,” said Gilday. “And we will do so with urgency. Our fleet will be a potent, formidable force that competes around the world every day, deterring those who would challenge us while reassuring our allies and partners.”

There are many opportunities for sailors to earn recognition in their command, community and careers. However, Aaron is most proud of making third class petty officer.

“I took a lot of time studying for it and then had to take a placement exam that I passed,” said Aaron.

For Aaron, serving in the Navy is a tradition passed down from generations and one Aaron hopes to continue.

“My dad was in the Navy,” said Aaron. “I joined the Navy because the Navy sat down the morale foundation of how he wanted to be as a man.”

As a member of the U.S. Navy, Aaron , as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance. Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.

“Serving in the Navy means I am there for my shipmates whenever they need me,” said Aaron.

Concord teen who killed mother Wednesday night identified, charged with murder Thursday

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By Allen Payton

According to papers filed in court Thursday by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office, the 18-year-old Concord teen who called police telling them he had killed his mother on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020 has been identified as Harrison William Mercier. He is charged with the murder of Elizabeth A. Barry. (See related article)

The filing papers allege Mercier used a knife to kill Barry and that it was premeditated, with “malice aforethought”. Complaint Mercier February 6 2020

According to Concord Police press release, on February 5th, at approximately 9:00 PM, Mercier called Concord Police Dispatch saying he had just killed his mother at their home located in the 3000 block of Treat Blvd. When Officers arrived, the man was outside waiting for them. His mother was found deceased inside the home. Mercier was arrested and CPD Detectives are currently investigating the case.

Anyone with information regarding this case may contact Detective Greg Mahan with CPD’s Major Crime Unit at 925-603-5817. CPD Case #20-1552

Concord teen kills his mother then calls police Wednesday night

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By Concord Police Department

On February 5th, at approximately 9:00 PM, an 18-year-old male called Concord Police Dispatch saying he had just killed his mother at their home located in the 3000 block of Treat Blvd. When officers arrived, the man was outside waiting for them. His mother was found deceased inside the home.

The man was arrested and CPD Detectives are currently investigating the case. There are no further details to be released at this time. We are not releasing the identity of the deceased woman at this time, pending next of kin contact.

Anyone with information regarding this case may contact Detective Greg Mahan with CPD’s Major Crime Unit at 925-603-5817. CPD Case #20-1552

Following chase Concord Police arrest wanted felon with help of Pittsburg Police K9 and Sheriff’s helicopter

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Wanted felon arrested with the help of Pittsburg Police K9 Kyra who was rewarded for her efforts. Photos by CPD and PPD.

By Concord Police Department

On Saturday night, Jan. 25 our Special Enforcement Team located a subject wanted on a felony warrant in the 3000 block of Willow Pass Road As we set up to try and take him into custody the male, identified as Kevin Villatoro, decided to try and make a run for it out a back window. Unfortunately for him we were ready for that.

Mr. Villatoro ran though a residential area off Euclid Drive where he tried to hide himself. Again, we had a plan for that too!

With help from Contra Costa Sheriff helicopter Starr 3 and Pittsburg Police Department K9 “Kyra”, Mr. Villatoro was quickly located hiding behind a house. He chose to ignore multiple commands from officers and was ultimately apprehended by K9 Kyra. Mr. Villatoro was treated for his injuries and later booked into county jail on multiple felony charges.

As a thank you to K9 Kyra one of our officers Venmo’d her handler to treat her to some In-N-Out. Kyra’s eyes tell the ending to this story.

According to the Pittsburg Police Department, “Officer Oreja and K9 Kyra were requested by the Concord Police Department to help locate a violent, possibly armed, wanted felon believed to be hiding within an established perimeter. Once on scene, Officer Oreja and K9 Kyra began searching yards with the assistance of STARR 3 (helicopter) overhead. STARR 3 advised they had a heat source coming from a backyard which Officers were about to enter. K9 Kyra searched the yard and apprehended the hiding, motionless, suspect making it safe for Officers to enter and take him into custody.

This is another great example of why Police K9’s are such a useful tool in our day to day job. Concord PD bought Kyra a cheeseburger for a job well done! Scroll right to see how happy she was to eat her treat.” #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #winforthegoodguys #youcanrunbutyoucanthide #PPD #k9unit #workingdog #CPD #Police

 

Concord Police Department holding DUI enforcement operations Saturday night

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Officers from the Concord Police Department will be out on 1/24/2020 between 8:00PM and 2:00AM looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

DUI saturation patrols will take place in areas with high frequencies of DUI collisions and/or arrests. In 2017, 1,120 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads.

In recent years, California has seen an increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. Concord Police Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

Concord Police Department encourages drivers to follow these tips to avoid a DUI:

  • Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
  • See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
  • Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
  • Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who is drinking and how they are getting home.

Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses not to mention possible jail time.

Funding for this DUI operation is provided to the Concord Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Bicyclist dies after being struck by car in Concord Friday morning

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By Concord Police Department

On January 17, 2020, at approximately 6:21 AM, Concord PD Officers were dispatched to a report of an auto vs. bicyclist collision that occurred on Port Chicago Highway near Panoramic Drive. A vehicle traveling northbound on Port Chicago Highway collided with a 54-year-old female, who was riding a bicycle. The male driver, a 68-year-old Vallejo resident, remained on scene and cooperated with police. Drugs and/or alcohol do not appear to be a contributing factor.

Port Chicago Highway north of Panoramic Drive was closed for approximately 1.5 hours in order to conduct the collision investigation.

The name of the deceased is not being released pending notification of next of kin.

As this is an ongoing investigation, no further details are being released at this time. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to contact Traffic Officer Katan Nanthasiri at the Concord Police Department, 925-671-5096.

Concord woman to celebrate her 100th birthday with family Saturday

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Ruth Virginia Ferrell turns 100 on Jan. 12, 2020.

Ruth Virginia Ferrell will be celebrating her 100th birthday with family, this Saturday.

Born January 12, 1920 in Memphis, Tennessee, she came to California in 1948, and lives with her grandson and family in Concord.

Ruth is blessed with three children, several grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

She’s doing very well and is very spry for her age.

Following police chase Bay Point couple arrested for “grab-n-run” theft from Sun Valley Mall

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Suspects’ vehicle. Photo: Concord PD.

By Concord Police Department

As the holiday time has come to an end, clearly the Christmas time grinchery shenanigans have not.

While patrolling the area around the Sun Valley Mall one of our SET Team officers spotted two individuals that were just involved in a ‘grab-n-run’ theft from JC Penney’s. Our officer attempted to stop the male and female duo however they jumped into their car and led us on a pursuit. While you can try and outrun our cars, you can’t outrun our radios!

One of our Sergeants was able to position himself well ahead of the pursuit on Highway 4 and was anxiously awaiting as the suspects approached the Willow Pass Rd. exit. Utilizing a timely placed set of ‘spike strips’ our Sgt. was able to disable 3 out of the 4 tires on the suspect vehicle, subsequently bringing this chase to a conclusion in Pittsburg. The driver decided to pull over on her own accord and both were arrested without further incident.

Make no mistake, we don’t like having to chase people, but if you come into our city and attempt to victimize any of our citizen’s and/or businesses, we will come after you.

We charged the 31-year-old female driver from Bay Point with multiple theft, driving related offenses and violating the terms of her probation. Her passenger, a 28-year-old male also from Bay Point, was also charged with theft and conspiracy.

Operation Omega Red ends with 15 gang members and associates sentenced to over 165 years in state prison

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Crimes solved by Concord Police, FBI include Highway 4 shooting murders in 2015 and 2016

By Scott Alonzo, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County District Attorney

Operation Omega Red, put together by Concord Police Department, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and all of our partner agencies, resulted in the arrest and successful prosecution of 15 gang members and their associates.

Since the arrests took place in August of 2016, the cases against the Norteño gang members and their associates have resulted in 15 individuals being convicted of felony offenses, most of those being serious or violent strike felonies. The most dangerous individuals, such as Thomas “Lil T” Leon and Armando “Mando” Amaro, received 35-year sentences in prison each. Other violent offenders such as Jesse “Manos” Loyola were sentenced to 25 years in prison. In all, over 165 years of custody time resulted from the Omega Red prosecutions.

“We focused our efforts on the violence drivers – the individuals who were committing the most serious acts of violence and putting the community in the greatest danger,” said Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton. These violence drivers include Thomas “Lil T” Leon, Armando “Mando” Amaro and Jesse “Manos” Loyola.

Today, the last two defendants in the Omega Red case, Jesse “Manos” Loyola and Armando “Mando” Amaro pleaded no contest to attempted murder with firearm use and committing the crimes for the benefit of the Norteño gang.

Between July of 2015 and June of 2016, there were 11 shootings between Norteños and Sureños in the Central and Eastern parts of Contra Costa County. Seven of these shootings resulted in homicides. Four of those murders occurred on Highway 4, two occurred in Concord and one took place in Bay Point. Concord Police and other law enforcement agencies believed these shootings were related to an ongoing gang war between Norteños and Sureños in the Central and Eastern parts of Contra Costa County.

In mid-May of 2016, the Concord Police Department, in conjunction with the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and their Law Enforcement partners began a strategic investigation targeting the most violent Norteño gang members suspected of participating in the shootings. The investigation lasted just under three months. It resulted in the arrest of over twenty individuals; eighteen of these individuals were later prosecuted for crimes ranging from conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, drug sales, witness retaliation and firearms crimes.

From the date of the initial arrests in this case in August of 2016, there has been one murder on Highway 4, which was not gang related, and there has only been one gang related murder in the City of Concord.

“This drastic reduction from seven gang driven homicides in under one year to only one in the last three years is a testament to the effectiveness of this kind of targeted law enforcement action and the power of police partnerships across the county,” asserted Concord Police Chief Guy Swanger.

Concord man charged by U.S. Attorney with making false statements to gain admittance into military

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Suspect Ross Farca. Herald file photo.

Defendant identified after posting racist messages, identifying himself as a neo-Nazi, and discussing mass shootings of synagogues on an online video game website

SAN FRANCISCO – Ross Anthony Farca was charged in a criminal complaint with making a false statement to a government agency, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F Bennett.

He had been previously charged for threats to commit mass shooting at synagogue, shoot cops and possession of an illegal assault-style rifle. (See related article).

In a complaint filed November 19, 2019, a redacted version of which was unsealed today, Farca, 23, of Concord, was charged with making a false statement on an online background check application in his bid to join the U.S. Army.  According to the complaint, on June 22, 2017, Farca traveled to a U.S. Army Recruitment Center in Mountain View, Calif., where he completed and submitted the background check application, also known as an SF-86.  The SF-86 contains language specifically warning that falsifying or concealing a material fact on the application is a felony which may result in fines or imprisonment.  In this case, the criminal complaint alleges that Farca nevertheless knowingly made false statements about his mental health when completing the form.  Specifically, he affirmatively stated that he had not received mental health treatment, which the complaint alleges was not true.

According to the complaint, Farca had been in regular contact with a psychiatrist since 2011.  In addition, Farca allegedly had received prescriptions for various medications and had received treatments to manage his mental disorders.  Further, according to the complaint, Farca understood that because of his diagnosis, he needed a letter of clearance from a mental health professional before he would be qualified to enlist in the army.

The complaint alleges that Farca requested a letter of clearance from both his psychiatrist and a caseworker familiar with his condition; both mental health professionals, however, denied Farca’s request for a clearance letter.  The complaint further alleges that when Farca completed the SF-86, rather than admit he had been seeing a psychiatrist and that he was unable to obtain a letter clearing him for duty, Farca instead denied he had ever had counseling for his psychological or emotional health.

According to the complaint, Farca reported to basic training on August 28, 2017, and was discharged October 3, 2017.  The discharge paperwork cited “failed medical, physical, procurement standards” and noted, “erroneous enlistment; medical condition disqualifying for military service, with no medical waiver approved.”

The complaint suggests that evidence of Farca’s false statements on the SF-86 was obtained during the June 10, 2019, search of his home.  Officers from the Concord Police Department executed warrants to arrest Farca and to search his home while investigating messages Farca posted on an online video game website.  The complaint describes several messages Farca allegedly posted using his online name “Adolf Hitler (((6 MILLION)))” about carrying out a mass shooting of synagogues and praising terrorists who have perpetrated recent mass shootings at houses of worship.  During the search of Farca’s home, paperwork relating to his psychiatric condition and his military service discharge were found.

The complaint charges Farca with knowingly making false statements to a government agency, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2).  The charges contained in the criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Farca currently is in federal custody pending a continued detention hearing currently scheduled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sallie Kim on Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at 10:30.  If convicted, Farca faces a maximum statutory penalty maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2).  However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The case is being prosecuted by the Special Prosecutions and National Security Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco and investigated by the FBI and the Concord Police Department.