Contra Costa Herald

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

Pittsburg man sentenced to over 21 years for felony insurance fraud, other crimes

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Faced but was acquitted of charges in murder-for-hire plot against nine jurors while in jail

Charles Waldo. Photo from Contra Costa District Attorney

Martinez, CA – The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday that after an extensive four-year investigation, a long jury trial and a conviction by a jury of 37 separate counts relating to 19 separate incidents that occurred over a seven-year time span, Charles Waldo was finally sentenced on June 27, 2017 for his crimes. Waldo was the owner of a recycling business.

After being convicted of multiple felony counts of insurance fraud, embezzlement, grand theft, vandalism, perjury, elder abuse, illegal gun possession and arson, among other things, Judge Barry Baskin sentenced Waldo to 40 months in county jail followed by 21 years and 8 months in state prison, one of the longest sentences obtained for insurance fraud in the history of Contra Costa County.  Mr. Waldo must register as a California convicted arson offender pursuant to Penal Code 457.1.  He has also been ordered not to contact one of his victims and to pay $22,500 in fines.

According to a 2014 report by NBC Bay Area News, “the District Attorney’s investigation into Waldo began in the spring of 2012 when its office received information about a vehicle arson and a suspected fraudulent car insurance claim, Deputy District Attorney William Murphy said. The investigation revealed multiple fraudulent insurance claims of arson and vandalism on five cars over a five-year period beginning in July 2007 with losses from the vehicles exceeding $100,000, Peterson said. Further investigation revealed Waldo was suspected of embezzling over $100,000 from a former employer and stealing a $38,000 generator from his former employer’s business.

As the manager, Waldo reportedly ‘forced out’ other employees so he could hire his associates, and then directed the new employees to commit other crimes, including stealing recyclable metals and an electrical transformer, prosecutors said. At one point, Waldo was traveling with employees from the business when a police officer attempted to pull him over for speeding. Waldo escaped after traveling at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, Murphy said.

He also allegedly ordered the workers to help build a 2,000-square-foot addition to his Pittsburg home while they were supposed to be working for Waldo’s employer.”

Waldo was also accused by the “Investigators from the California Department of Insurance…that he committed worker’s compensation insurance fraud, along with tax code violations.”

“After his employer fired him, Waldo allegedly drove to his employer’s business, and to the homes of several employees, and punctured the tires of their cars. He also continued to claim unemployment benefits for a year even though he had found other employment.”

According to a CBS new story in 2014, Waldo was also “charged with plotting to kill nine witnesses set to testify against him.

Prosecutors say investigators found a hit list that included the witnesses’ names, in what order they were to be killed, and suggestions to kill them in car crashes, with drug overdoses and in robberies ‘gone bad.’”

However, he was later acquitted of those charges.

Multiple agencies assisted the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office with this investigation including: the CA Department of Insurance, the CA Highway Patrol, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Geico Insurance Company, Progressive Insurance Company, and Hertz Equipment Rental. Allen Payton contributed to this report.

CHP identifies person of interest in Friday night hit and run collision in Concord killing two San Pablo boys

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LEMUEL SIRVONN WILSON, Jr. Photo courtesy of DMV

Friday night, June 30, 2017, at about 10:55 pm an Infiniti sedan collided with a Dodge Durango on the Solano Avenue on-ramp to SR-4 in Concord and subsequently killed two young children and injury two others.

At 10:55pm, a silver 2004 Infiniti sedan was traveling on SR-4 westbound at an unknown rate of speed and traveling towards the Solano Avenue off-ramp. At the same time, a grey 2006 Dodge Durango was traveling on the on-ramp from Solano Avenue to SR-4 westbound, which is adjacent to the off-ramp. It is unclear why, at this time, but the driver of the silver Infiniti drove off the roadway of the off-ramp and directly towards the Durango. The front end of the Infiniti slammed into the left rear of the Durango. The collision was so severe the Durango was pushed sideways down to the edge of the on-ramp and the Infiniti was catapulted over the dividing fence and into the parking lot of Kinder’s where it came to rest just feet from the front door.

Sadly, a 10-year-old boy and five-year-old boy from the Durango were both ejected and tragically died at the scene. The three-month-old remained in its car seat but sustained major injuries and was transported to Oakland Children’s Hospital. The driver, 35-year-old mother, sustained major injuries and was transported to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek. This family resides in San Pablo.

Witnesses on scene said the driver of the Infiniti fled on foot across the highway and ran towards the Solano drive-in movie theater located at Arnold Industrial Place. The fleeing driver was described as a black male adult, lanky build about 5’10”-6’1″, with short black hair and wearing a gray or dirty white shirt, blue jeans and black shoes. Witnesses also said the driver sustained injuries to his head and face because of the significant amount of blood on him. And he may have additional injuries as well. The CHP along with numerous allied agencies searched the area but were unsuccessful in finding the driver.

PERSON of INTEREST: From evidence, information located at the scene, and eyewitness testimony at the scene, LEMUEL SIRVONN WILSON, Jr – DOB-6/24/1982, is the number one person of interest in this hit & run fatality collision. If you know him, know his whereabouts now, saw him at the collision scene or at the movie theater, please contact CHP – Golden Gate Division Communications Center by calling 707-551-4100. Relate that you have information for CHP – Contra Costa and Officer Odom who is handling this investigation. Thank you for any help you can provide.

Contra Costa DA announces three sentenced to prison for $6.0 million in wage theft, tax fraud and insurance fraud

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Owned restaurants including one in Brentwood

On Friday, June 16, 2017, the Honorable Charles “Ben” Burch sentenced defendants Yu Chen, Feng Gu, and Rongdi Zheng to three years and four months of state prison each and imposed a $6.1-million-dollar restitution order, including restitution for approximately $4.5 million in unpaid minimum wage and overtime, as well as approximately $1.5 million in unpaid taxes.

The investigation began in 2013 when investigators from the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, California Employment Development Department (“EDD”) and the California Department of Insurance (“CDI”) conducted surveillance of several restaurants in three counties.

On January 10, 2014, investigators from all three agencies, assisted by representatives from the Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”), Bureau of Field Enforcement, and law enforcement officers from Alameda, Contra Costa, and Placer Counties served simultaneous search warrants on nine locations, including four restaurants and several private residences.  The restaurants were the Golden Dragon Buffet in Brentwood, the Golden Wok Buffet in Roseville, the Kokyo Sushi Buffet in Hayward, and the New Dragon Buffet in San Leandro.

Investigators interviewed the employees and seized business records.  Many employees reported being recruited from outside the Bay Area.  Once they arrived, the employer kept them in crowded housing and bussed them to work six days each week for twelve hour shifts per day.  Auditors determined that the four restaurants underpaid minimum wage and filed tax returns that underreported payroll tax and sales tax.

In December of 2016, the Contra Costa County Grand Jury returned an indictment of several defendants related to the investigation.  That same month, investigators from the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office arrested Yu Chen, Rongdi Zheng, Feng Gu, Shao Rong Zhang, and Zhou Xian Chen related to the indictment.

On May 23, 2017, Defendant Shao Rong Zhang pled no contest to a misdemeanor charge of enforcing a policy on behalf of her employer that employees not report minimum wage violations, in violation of Labor Code section 1102.5.  Pursuant to the negotiated disposition, Judge Burch sentenced Ms. Zhang to one hundred and twenty days in jail and probation.

Also on May 23, 2017, Defendants Yu Chen, Rongdi Zheng, and Feng Gu pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to violate the minimum wage law, payroll tax fraud, sales tax fraud, and insurance premium fraud pursuant to a negotiated disposition that provided for the judge to choose the term of imprisonment in a specified range at the sentencing hearing.  Each of these three defendants were alleged to be joint owners of either the Brentwood or Roseville restaurants during some timeframe of the charged conspiracy.

On May 24, 2017, charges were dismissed against defendant Zhou Xian Chen.

On June 16, 2017, in Martinez, Judge Burch heard argument and then announced sentence.

Attorney Tomas Margain who represents two of the workers submitted a letter to the Court for sentencing calling the “the most egregious case of wage theft I have seen” in nineteen years of handling these types of cases.  He continued, “I was to commend the District Attorney’s Office and the law enforcement officials who worked on this case.”

Several workers from the restaurants spoke at the sentencing hearing and submitted written statements to the Court.  Worker M.T. wrote, “We were always getting yelled at and nothing we did was ever good enough for them.  They lived to instill the fear in us and they succeeded because we did not know any better and we did not know who to turn to.  This experience has damaged me emotionally.  I will never forget it.  I truly do not wish this upon anyone.  I would have family and friends ask me how my ‘experience’ in the U.S. was and I could not bring myself to tell them because I was so ashamed.  I lived in shame for the situation that I was in but, I know that I have to move forward and not look back anymore.”

Worker E.F. also submitted a letter, “I will never be the same.  At my current job there are moments where I must get a look on my face because my coworkers ask me if I am ok, If I need to go home, . . . I tell them all that I have lived through and that there is fear that this might happen to me all over again.  I want justice to be served so that this won’t happen to anyone else.  This shouldn’t happen to anyone else.”

Judge Burch cited the impact that these crimes had on real people in sentencing all three defendants to three years and four months in prison.

Deputy District Attorney Jeremy L. Seymour prosecuted the case.  The prosecution is a result of a multi-agency investigation effort led by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office that included case agents and representatives from four different state agencies including DIR, CDI, EDD, and the Board of Equalization.

Sheriff gets green light to build $95 million West County jail project

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The white topped buildings show the approved expansion of the West Contra Costa Detention Facility.

Supervisors consider Grand Jury Report on East Contra Costa Fire Protection District

By Daniel Borsuk

Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston exited the County Administration Building in Martinez the victor on Tuesday when county supervisors voted 4-1 to spend $25 million in general funds towards the construction of the controversial West Contra Costa County Reentry, Treatment, and Housing Facility in north Richmond. Only District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond voted no.

As the Sheriff left the building, a cluster of opponents to the project, chanted, “We Shall Overcome.”

Supervisors had agreed to spend county funds of which $15 million comes from the General Fund Reserve, $4.5 million from the Sheriff’s Plant Acquisition Account, and $2.5 million from the 2011 Local Revenue Fund upon learning the county was awarded $70 million in Senate Bill 844 Jail Construction funding from the California Board of State and Community Corrections on June 8.  In addition, $3.2 million of 2011 In-Kind Match Land Value funds will be allocated for the project.

Two years ago Livingston was unsuccessful in securing SB 844 funding for the jail project when the county’s application was disqualified by the state corrections agency, but this time around the county’s application sailed through without difficulty, he told supervisors.

“It comes as no secret that I will vote no on this project,” said Gioia.  “Spending $15 million of general fund money is inappropriate.”

The supervisor said this jail project has started a movement to “shift money from enforcement to prevention” in the community, a statement a number of community speakers had pleaded supervisors do numerous times over the past several months.

See the Sheriff’s presentation to the Supervisors, here: West County Detention Facility expansion presentation

Obviously, the community push to spend county public money on community health programs instead on a county jail project that would provide mental health services for inmates fell apart.

Board Chair Federal Glover of Pittsburg disagreed with Gioia, saying, “I’m always on the prevention side.  This will give those in our jail a pathway.  They need programs where they can get another opportunity and find necessary tools to make it in the world when they are released.”

“We need to find ways to prevent and divert people from going to jail,” said District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood.  “People want services, not jail cells.  I understand that.”

Even then Burgis decided to spend the general fund money to construct the jail addition in north Richmond.

For five minutes District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of Danville read a list of community based behavioral health organizations such as the North Richmond Center for Health, West County Health Center, Bay Point Family Health Center, Pittsburg Health Center and Willow Pass Wellness Centers which all receive a piece of the $253 million in public funds that the board of supervisors spends each year.

While Andersen listed the county backed mental organizations, opponents turned their backs to her in protest.

“I want you to know I have been out in the community,” said Andersen,” I’ve talked to people on both sides of the issue.  There are many people who want this project to move forward, but are not here to speak.  Those of you with your signs don’t want to listen to the truth.”

District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff concurred with Andersen.  “I’ve been in public office 14 years,” said  Mitchoff, “We have been listening.  This board has been putting millions of dollars into mental health programs in our communities.”

Mitchoff also said the board of supervisors had nothing to do with the April 2015 closure of Doctor’s Medical Center in San Pablo, a topic that infrequently popped up sporadically during the public hearings.  The San Pablo hospital closed in April 2015 when a parcel tax measure placed by the hospital’s owner, the nonprofit West Contra Costa Health Care District, failed to gain a two-thirds voter approval in a May 2014 ballot by mail election.

There were plenty of speakers voicing disapproval over the jail project.  Sixty-five of the 70 speakers opposed the jail project.  Some speakers urged supervisors to delay making a decision over concerns the supervisors were being influenced to approve the funding because Sheriff Livingston had secured the SB 844 funding from the state.

Supervisors did not elaborate, but they said they were not swayed by the Sheriff-Coroner Office to approve the local funding portion for the jail project.

Gordon Miller insisted public money should be spent on mental health programs outside the jail.  “It’s like putting lipstick on a pig,” he said in reference to the planned West Contra Costa County Reentry, Treatment and Housing Facility project.

“I want to understand why four out five of supervisors are on the wrong side on this issue,” said Kaiser nurse Susie Riley.  “Mental health is the civil rights issue of our time.”

But County Mental Health Commissioner Karen Cohen of Walnut Creek, a mother of a mentally ill child, called on supervisors to approve the $25 million allocation so that the county can build the 416-bed jail expansion.  “Do the right thing and move the project forward,” she said.

The project will provide 416 beds of which 320 beds will be for high security prisoners and 96 beds for behavioral health inmates, Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston told supervisors.  The new facility will replace 420 beds in the existing Martinez jail.

While informing supervisors his department does not conduct United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps or participate in any other ICE activities, Livingston said his department has since 1992 provided beds for ICE arrestees.

“We receive $6 million a year in revenue from the federal government for that ICE contract and I won’t walk away from that kind of money,” Livingston said.

Grand Jury Report on East Contra Costa Fire Protection District

County officials will respond to at least two recommendations and one finding the Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury has requested the board of supervisors respond to concerning the financially troubled East Contra Costa Fire Protection District.

Supervisors accepted the report at Tuesday’s board meeting, but did not comment on the report.

After closing five of the eight fire stations under the ECCFPD’s jurisdiction in 2009, the grand jury listed nine recommendations of which the county is responsible to respond to two recommendations.

One recommendation states: “The County should consider adopting a policy to collect impact fees from all developers of residential and commercial properties to fund capital improvements that will be needed to open future stations.”

The second recommendation the county needs to respond to states, “The County should consider adopting a policy to enter into agreements with all developers to establish Community Facility Districts to provide operating revenue for ECCFFD.”

The Grand Jury also wants the county to respond to a finding, “The County does not always require developers of residential and commercial properties establish Community Facility Districts.”

Former Antioch Police Officer and Wife, a Pittsburg Teacher Plead Guilty in Tax Fraud Scheme

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Ana and Gary Bostick. Photo by www.nicolebartonphotography.com

Pittsburg residents face up to 20 year prison sentences; eight others including three more Contra Costa County residents also indicted in conspiracy

OAKLAND – The U.S. Justice Department’s Northern District of California announced, today, Thursday, June 15, 2017 that former Antioch police officer Gary Bostick and his wife, Ana Bostick, pleaded guilty to their respective roles in a scheme to illegally obtain money from the United States announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Batdorf.

Also indicted in the conspiracy were nine others, including three other residents of Contra Costa County. The indictment, unsealed on Dec. 9, 2015, charges the following additional defendants:

  • Hugh Robinson, of Richmond
  • Devonnie Davison, of San Pablo
  • Brandon Robinson, of El Cerrito
  • Ronald Blake, of Fort Worth, TX
  • Kyadrian Dennis, of Fort Worth, TX
  • William Odom, of Berkeley
  • Jamia Lewis, of Fairfield
  • Janel McDonald, of Los Angeles
  • Everardo Laurian, of Daly City

According to the indictment, from at least August 21, 2013, through April 27, 2015, the defendants conspired with one another to commit offenses against the United States, including theft of government money.  The scheme involved obtaining the names of deceased individuals, filing false tax returns in the names of the individuals, obtaining false identifications, and illegally cashing U.S. Treasury checks.

(Related press release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/eleven-defendants-named-seventy-one-count-indictment-charging-conspiracy-commit-theft)

Gary Bostick, 39, and Ana Bostick, 37, both of Pittsburg, pleaded guilty to their respective roles the conspiracy.  The Honorable Jeffery S. White, United States District Judge, accepted Ana Bostick’s guilty plea on Tuesday, June 13, 2017, and accepted Gary Bostick’s guilty plea this morning. 6/16/17 UPDATE: Gary Bostick worked for the Antioch Police Department from July 30, 2007 to April 29, 2015 according to Nickie Mastay, Director of Human Resources for the City of Antioch. Ana Bostick is listed as a teacher at Black Diamond High School in the Pittsburg Unified School District. But there is no photo or information about her on the school’s webpage. On Friday morning, June 16, 2017, Nicole Mora, District Communications Public Relations Specialist said she had “learned about this, this morning”, was “looking into it” and waiting to speak with the principal and others before commenting. Please check back later for more details.

Then, in a later email received Friday afternoon, Mora released the following statement from the district: “Ana Bostick is employed by Pittsburg Unified School District as a teacher. Her current employment status for the 2017/2018 school year is a personnel matter and we have no other details to release at this time.”

According to the Bosticks’ plea agreements, between January and April of 2015, the conspiracy involved filing false federal income tax returns in order to obtain fraudulent federal income tax refunds and cashing stolen U.S. Treasury checks at Walmart stores throughout the United States.  Specifically, Gary Bostick admitted that in January 2015, he assisted in filing false tax returns with the IRS in the names of deceased individuals.  The defendants obtained names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers from websites such as www.rootsweb.ancestry.com and www.ssnvalidator.com.  In order to receive payment, the conspirators directed the IRS to mail the fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury checks to addresses he and his co-conspirators could access.  The conspirators cashed the U.S. Treasury checks at various Walmart stores.

Ana Bostick admitted that she aided her co-conspirators by, among other things, cashing two U.S. Treasury checks.  Ana Bostick admitted she requested another co-conspirator to send her photos of the two U.S. Treasury checks so that she could use the information on the checks to obtain fake identification that matched the names.  After obtaining the fake identifications, Ana Bostick cashed the two checks and kept the corresponding funds.

Gary Bostick’s participation in the scheme included traveling with two co-conspirators to Los Angeles to obtain stolen U.S. Treasury checks and then to Walmart stores in various areas, including Kentucky, to cash the checks.  The former police officer acknowledged that he supervised other individuals in the scheme, including managers and runners, who were responsible for cashing the fraudulent or stolen U.S. Treasury checks.  In sum, the conspiracy involved $720,530.40 in stolen U.S. Treasury checks.

On November 15, 2015, a federal grand jury indicted Gary Bostick, Ana Bostick, and their co-conspirators.  For her part in the scheme, Ana Bostick was charged with conspiracy to commit theft of public money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; two counts of theft of public money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641; and two counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A.  She pleaded guilty to all charges.  For his part in the scheme, Gary Bostick was charged with conspiracy to commit theft of public money, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; four counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343; and four counts of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A.  He pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and to the wire fraud charges.  Pursuant to the plea agreement, the identity theft charges were dismissed.

Judge White scheduled Gary Bostick’s sentencing for September 19, 2017, and Ana Bostick’s sentencing for November 14, 2017.  The maximum sentence for conspiracy to commit theft of public money is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  The maximum sentence for theft of public money is ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  The maximum sentence for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  The maximum sentence for aggravated identity theft is a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  However, any sentence will 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Newman and Jose A. Olivera and Trial Attorney Gregory Bernstein are prosecuting this case with assistance from Jonathan Deville of the Tax Division.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.

D.A. Peterson announces conviction of suspects in 2016 Richmond hate crime

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On the night of September 25, 2016 Mr. Khalsa was alone in his car, dressed in traditional Sikh clothes on his way to a religious ceremony when occupants of a pickup truck began to throw beer cans at his vehicle while stopped at a red light on Hilltop Road in Richmond CA.

At a subsequent intersection two assailants exited the truck and proceed to repeatedly punch Mr. Khalsa in the face through his driver’s side window.  Mr. Khalsa’s turban was displaced during the attack and the assailants proceeded to force Mr. Khalsa’s head down and cut his unshorn hair- a sacred article of his religious faith.

Mr. Khalsa sustained a swollen black eye, numerous damaged teeth, and several knife wounds to his left hand.  A penetrating knife wound caused nerve damage and required stitches.  Due to an infection from the knife wound, Mr. Khalsa’s pinky finger was amputated.

On Thursday May 18, 2017 Defendants Chase Little and Colton Leblanc, residents of Texas entered pleas of no contest to felony assault and a hate crime enhancement for the attack upon Richmond, CA resident Maan Singh Khalsa, an observer of the Sikh faith.  The two were sentenced to three years in state prison.

“The recognition of the attack as a hate crime – as harm to my dignity and my entire community – is the first step in the process,” said Mr. Khalsa, who recognized his attackers during his statement at the sentencing hearing of the defendants.  He stated: “I still consider you my brothers, and I hope that you will learn about me and my community, and one day consider me your brother, too.”

“This case began with an atrocious event and very few details as to the identity of the perpetrators,” Deputy District Attorney Simon O’Connell stated.  “The successful prosecution of this hate crime came about due to the collaborative investigative work of the Richmond Police Department with the District Attorney’s Office.”

Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson declared, “Any attack on a person based upon his perceived religion and identity will be vigorously prosecuted.”

 

Pittsburg man arrested, charged for arson in string of car fires in Contra Costa County

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James Bishop, III and vehicle he was spotted driving.

Just before 1:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, May 13th, Contra Costa County Fire Investigators in cooperation with a Deputy District Attorney from the Contra Costa County DA’s office, Contra Costa County DA Investigators, the California Highway Patrol, Lafayette Police Department, and Concord Police Department made an arrest in the series of vehicle fires occurring in recent weeks throughout Contra Costa County.

James Bishop, III, a 36-year-old Pittsburg resident, was located in a residential area of Benicia, and as officers arrived in the area, the suspect appeared to set fire to a vehicle in a driveway. He was stopped a short distance away, and was taken into custody without incident and was taken to Concord PD for interviews, and his car towed to be searched for evidence. A search warrant was executed for his home so that it could be searched for additional evidence.

Bishop was booked on 43 different arson charges, and his bail is set at over $3.1 million. He is being charged by the DA’ office with one count of arson to an inhabited structure, nine counts of arson to property and eight counts of use of an accelerant to set a fire

Residents are still advised to be proactive about their own safety by making sure their homes are well lit on the outside, and any flammable materials are cleaned up from their homes exteriors, as well as making sure that every home has working smoke alarms.

Anyone who believes that they may have additional information regarding the series of fires is encouraged to contact the Arson Tip Line for Contra Costa County Fire at 1-866-50-ARSON.

Contra Costa Sheriff’s Deputies arrest suspect in El Sobrante shooting

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On Wednesday, May 17, 2017, at about 11:13 PM, Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a report of a shooting on the 5700 block of Nottingham Drive in El Sobrante.

Deputies discovered several gunshots were apparently fired and that a home was struck by a bullet. A person who lived nearby was identified as a suspect. Several attempts were made to get him to surrender, but he did not comply. The Office of the Sheriff SWAT Team along with negotiators was called to the scene.

At about 4:50 AM today, the suspect was located nearby and taken into custody without incident. He is identified as 37-year-old Robert McKay of El Sobrante. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on the following charges: shooting into an uninhabited dwelling, exhibiting a deadly weapon, vandalism, and obstruction. He also had an outstanding arrest warrant. McKay is being held in lieu of $140,000 bail.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 313-2500. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592.

Supervisor Glover praises installation of Highway 4 surveillance cameras following shootings

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Since Nov. 1, 2015, there have been 87 shootings on Bay Area freeways in which eight people died – all of them in Contra Costa County – and 39 others were injured, according to the CHP. So far, this year there have been 21 shootings.

The Department of Transportation has pledged between $1.5- to $2-million for the installation of high-tech surveillance equipment on Highway 4 between west and east Contra Costa County.

Supervisor Federal Glover, chair of the Board of Supervisors, made this statement Monday:

“I’m happy to see that the State of California’s Department of Transportation and law enforcement agencies agree with me and City of Pittsburg on how to stem the shootings on Highway 4 in Contra Costa County,” he said. “Last year, I dedicated money from the Keller Canyon Landfill Mitigation Fund to install cameras on Highway 4 from Bay Point to Antioch. Pittsburg found money in its budget to increase the funding needed to install high tech surveillance equipment along the same stretch of road.

“With the additional funding from the state, we can make the rest of Highway 4 safer all the way to west county by using cameras and shot locators,” he continued. “Criminal elements will no longer be able to hide when they commit their deadly activities on our public roadway.”

It was a coordinated effort among elected leaders in the county. According to a Mercury News article, last year, after the Pittsburg paid to install cameras pointing at Highway 4 in that city, “Hercules Mayor Dan Romero has led a campaign by the mayors of several Contra Costa County cities, along with Contra Costa District Attorney Mark Peterson, to seek state funding to install law enforcement-friendly surveillance cameras freeway onramps and offramps throughout the county, and to upgrade existing Caltrans cameras so police can use them.”

Frazier’s “Jeff Belle bill” on candidate accountability passes Assembly committee

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Increases maximum fine from $1,000 to $10,000

Jeff Belle, source Contra Costa County Board of Education

Sacramento, CA – On Wednesday, May 10th, legislation by Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D – Discovery Bay) that will raise penalties for candidates for office who make willful misrepresentations on their candidate statements passed the Assembly Elections committee on an unanimous 7-to-0 vote.

“We can’t allow candidates to dupe the voters…to lie their way into office when tax dollars or the education of our children are at stake,” Frazier stated. “When the public’s trust is in question, the public deserves to know the truth when reading an official candidate statement. This bill holds candidates accountable by increasing the fine for any willful misrepresentation.”

AB 894 would increase the current fine for a willful misrepresentation in a candidate statement to $10,000. The current fine is set at a maximum of $1,000, which has not been an effective deterrent and has not kept up with inflation.

In August 2015, the Contra Costa District Attorney filed a suit in court, The People of the State of California vs. Jeffrey Belle, against a candidate for the Contra Costa Board of Education for knowingly making a false statement of fact in a candidate statement with the intent to mislead voters. In this particular case the candidate falsified his education credentials, his residence, and his criminal record. Instead of a punishment including a fine, he received only entry into a diversion program for offenders, despite the injustice perpetrated upon the voters. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this remains a problem in other jurisdictions.

AB 894 now heads to the Assembly Floor.