News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California
Ronald Guinto in court in 2015. photo by KTVU Channel 2
Ronald Guinto, a Richmond teacher charged with 90 counts of child molestation, is set to begin trial on October 3, 2016 in Department 7, the Honorable Judge Baskin’s Courtroom in Martinez.
See article on KTVU Channel 2 News website, here.
Orinda Police are continuing to investigate a robbery and shooting that occurred Monday night.
At about 9:09 PM, police were dispatched to a medical call at a residence on the first block of Claremont Avenue. A woman was apparently shot in front of her house during an armed robbery by two suspects who were said to be wearing “Halloween style masks.”
The victim, who was suffering from gunshot wounds, was taken to a local hospital and is said to be in stable condition. A male victim, who was pistol-whipped, was treated at a hospital and later released. Both victims are Orinda residents. The suspects fled on foot with the victims’ personal property.
Officers, assisted by a police K-9 and a helicopter, conducted a search for the suspects. They were not located.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Orinda Police Department at (925) 254-6820. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has filed formal charges against 31-year-old Gregory Williamson of Ohio in connection with a home invasion robbery that occurred in Bay Point on Tuesday. The charges include kidnapping, home invasion robbery, and two counts of assault with a firearm.
On Tuesday, at about 1:41 PM, Deputy Sheriffs responded to the 100 block of Crivello Avenue in Bay Point for a report of a shooting. When Deputies arrived, they found a gunshot victim outside the location. It was later determined that he was one of two suspects who had apparently come to the location to commit an armed robbery. He was later identified as Williamson.
Williamson and another suspect allegedly committed the robbery after kidnapping the homeowner at gunpoint in her driveway and forcing her into the home. Several of the occupants in the home were tied up and forced into a room.
During the robbery, gunfire was exchanged. One of the occupants in the home was allegedly shot by the suspects. His wounds were not life-threatening and he was treated and released from the hospital.
Williamson was located outside the home suffering from a gunshot wound and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He was arraigned this afternoon and will be transferred to the Martinez Detention Facility upon release from the hospital.
One suspect remains outstanding at this time. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.
Anyone who has any information on this incident is asked to immediately contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email:tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Assemblywoman Catharine Baker (R-San Ramon) announced, last week, that Governor Brown signed her bill, AB 1399, legislation increasing available resources for programs serving victims of domestic violence.
Programs helping victims of domestic violence provide essential, life-saving services to victims and their children. These programs have faced a significant funding shortfall in recent years. AB 1399 will help direct much-needed funding support for these programs through a donation option on California tax returns to the California Domestic Violence Fund. Tax filers can check off a box on their tax returns to contribute their own private funds in excess of their tax liability to organizations supporting victims of domestic violence.
“An increasing need for domestic violence programs throughout California has been met with a decrease in funding for these programs—leaving thousands of children and families without the support they need,” said Assemblywoman Baker. “Government can’t and shouldn’t do it all. AB 1399 efficiently increases the availability of vital resources by providing Californians with the opportunity to contribute to life-saving domestic violence programs.”
On just a single day in 2014, 1,216 requests for services from domestic violence victims went unmet in California, leaving thousands of individuals, children, and families without a safe place to stay or access to vital counseling and resources. Of those unmet needs, approximately 49% of programs report that victims return to their abuser, 37% report that victims become homeless, and 16% report that families end up living in their car.
AB 1399 received unanimous bipartisan support in both the Assembly and the Senate prior to being signed by the Governor.
Baker’s bill is supported by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, the Center for Domestic Peace, the Alliance for Community Transformations, the Center for Community Solutions, Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments-SAVE, the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and Junior Leagues of California.
Baker represents the 16th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Alamo, Danville, Dublin, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office has received many requests from the media for comments concerning the scandal involving police officers and sheriff’s deputies from throughout the Bay Area. At the center of these allegations is a young woman who alleges she had had sexual encounters with up to 30 local law enforcement officers, and that some of these encounters occurred when she was 17 years of age.
Recently, we’ve been made aware of additional allegations of possible criminal conduct here in Contra Costa County. We’ve been working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, and we are reviewing that evidence and those allegations. However, we have not yet completed our own investigation into this matter.
District Attorney Peterson stated “It goes without saying that our office will always investigate any alleged sexual assault or human trafficking crimes that occur within our county, and we’re committed to holding anyone who committed such crimes in Contra Costa County accountable for their actions.”
Saturday morning, September 17, 2016 at about 4:32 a.m., Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a shooting on the first block of Bay Drive in Bay Point.
Upon arrival Deputies found a 20-year-old Bay Point man in a vehicle. He was suffering from gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced deceased on scene by the fire department. The victim is not being identified at this time.
The investigation into this homicide is ongoing.
Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Detectives are continuing to investigate Monday’s shooting of two men on the 600 block of El Centro in El Sobrante. The victims, ages 37 and 19, are still in the hospital in stable condition. Detectives on Monday arrested 32-year-old Jason Ellis of El Sobrante in connection with this shooting. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on two counts of assault with a firearm. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff have arrested 22-year-old Nicholas Daigle of Walnut Creek in connection with an alleged lewd conduct incident that occurred at the Alamo Safeway last month.
After the incident, the Office of the Sheriff posted surveillance photos and a video on social media. Several tips came in by phone and email identifying Daigle as the person in the images.
Detectives arrested Daigle at his home Wednesday morning without incident. After being interviewed, he was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on several charges: battery, indecent exposure, sexual battery, and engaging in lewd conduct.
Daigle is currently being held in lieu of $5,000 bail.
Anyone who has any information on this incident or Daigle is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Jahkai Smith
Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff are investigating a Deprivation of Custody case.
A relative was recently awarded temporary guardianship of 3-year-old Jahkai Smith by the Contra Costa Superior Court. The child’s father, 25-year-old Jahron Smith, has ignored the court order and refused to turn over the child. Jakhai is considered to be at risk due to age.
Descriptions:
Jahkai Smith – Male, 3′ tall, 50 pounds, black hair and brown eyes.
Jahron Najee Smith – Male, 5’11”, 155 pounds, brown hair and brown eyes. Jahron may be in the Bay Point or Antioch areas and has ties to Oakland.
Anyone who has information on the whereabouts of Jahkai or Jahron is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 383-9795. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Robert Keith Dennis
The alleged suspect in the bank robbery that occurred at the U.S. Bank branch in Lafayette on August 23, 2016 was arrested. He is identified as 55-year-old Robert Keith Dennis of Oroville.
During the investigation, Lafayette police detectives, assisted by the FBI, determined the alleged suspect may be tied to a series of recent bank robberies in Northern California. Bank robberies involving a similar suspect were also being investigated by police in Brentwood, Napa, Roseville, and Sacramento. The Davis Police Department was also investigating an attempted bank robbery allegedly by the same suspect.
On Wednesday, August 31, 2016, an officer with the Butte County Sheriff’s Office saw a law enforcement bulletin with a picture of the alleged bank robbery suspect and was able to identify him as Dennis. He was already in custody in Butte County Jail for a drug violation.
On Thursday, September 1, 2016, Lafayette police detectives served arrest and search warrants at several locations in Oroville. They were assisted by the Napa Police Department, Oroville Police Department and Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Police arrested 47-year-old Elizabeth Fay Morse of Oroville after Napa police detectives were able to confirm her alleged involvement in some the robberies.
Dennis and Morse are currently being held at the Butte County Jail.
Morse was arrested on a Ramey Warrant for robbery and conspiracy. She is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and will be transferred to Contra Costa County.
Dennis is in custody on unrelated felony drug charges. When he is released from Butte County Jail, he will be arrested on a Ramey Warrant and will be transferred to Contra Costa County.