Contra Costa Herald

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

Two Oakley boys arrested for grazing man’s head with gunshot

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During attempted marijuana buy that goes bad

Following high-speed pursuit to Orinda by Sheriff’s Deputies

By Oakley Police Department

At 1:08 AM on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, Oakley officers were dispatched to the area of East Cypress Road and Frank Hengel Way for a report of a possible kidnapping and a shooting. Our officers arrived on scene and found multiple people at the corner of Rubens Way and East Cypress Road. (Many of the people involved in this incident were juveniles so names will not be used.)

Our officers found a male victim with a grazing wound to his head which was determined to be a gunshot wound. Officers began the investigation and determined a group of three Oakley residents (two young adults, a male and a female, and one juvenile female) picked up two other males, who are also juveniles from Oakley. Collectively, the five people began hanging out at Cypress Grove Park in the vehicle of one of the females. The two male juveniles, who were picked up, became angered when the other three would not take them to buy marijuana. At one point the male who had taken part in picking up the two other males got out of the vehicle.

The two males who had been picked up then forced the females to drive away at gunpoint. The female victim driver drove down Rubens Way where she refused to drive any further. She and the other female victim were then forced out of the vehicle by the two male suspects at gunpoint. The two male suspects then drove the vehicle back towards East Cypress Road. The male victim, who had previously exited the vehicle, saw everything that was going on and ran towards the flight path of the fleeing suspects and caught up to them at the intersection of Frank Hengel and East Cypress. One of the male suspects shot at the male victim through the windshield of the female victim’s vehicle several times and struck the male victim in the head with the grazing shot.

The two suspects then fled the scene. We were assisted by deputies from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and one of those deputies saw the victim’s vehicle driving westbound on Highway 4 at a high rate of speed. Deputy Sheriffs initiated a pursuit of the victim vehicle, which took them all the way out to Orinda. The pursuit terminated when the pursued vehicle became disabled on westbound highway 24, in Orinda. Both male suspects were taken into custody and transported back to the Oakley Police Department. It was determined both suspects had warrants for their arrest, in addition to all of the crimes they were just involved in. Both suspects were booked into the Juvenile Hall for those two warrants and:

  • Attempted homicide
  • Assault with a deadly weapon
  • Kidnapping
  • Carjacking

The male who had been shot was transported to a local hospital and treated and released.

If anybody has information regarding this shooting, please call the Oakley Police Department at 925-625-8060 and reference case 26-95.

We thank the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the Orinda Police Department for their vital assistance in this investigation.

 

Investigation into in-custody death of 62-year-old homeless Rodeo man at Martinez Detention Facility

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Arrested 22 times since 2015; second in-custody death in the same Contra Costa County jail this month

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

The county-wide law enforcement involved fatal incident protocol has been invoked for an in-custody death at the Martinez Detention Facility this afternoon.

At about 5:08 PM on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, a deputy sheriff found an inmate unresponsive in his cell on B module. He immediately requested Contra Costa Health jail medical staff respond, as deputies started life-saving measures. The fire department and an ambulance also responded. The inmate was later pronounced deceased at the scene.

The inmate is identified as 62-year-old Victor Jose Faria, an unhoused person. He was arrested by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office on January 15, 2026, for trespassing and felony probation violation and booked into MDF.

Per the protocol, this is being investigated by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office and the Contra Costa D.A.’s Office.

According to localcrimenews.com, Faria had a history of 21 other arrests by a variety of agencies dating back to 2015, including battery with serious bodily injury, and multiple times for arson, threats of violence, trespassing, disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

This is the second in-custody death at the Martinez Detention Facility this month. On Jan. 8, 61-year-old Kirk Richardson of Concord, arrested for the murders of his parents on Christmas Eve, was found unconscious inside his cell by a deputy sheriff, after Contra Costa Health medical staff responded to a report of head injuries that an inmate apparently sustained as a result of him purposely banging his head while housed in a cell.

Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

Hung jury in trial of former Richmond cop for striking man multiple times with Taser

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Images of former Officer Eric Smith, Jr. and body cam video screenshot of him striking Saul Mendoza, Jr. with a Taser during the attempted arrest on April 9, 2022. Source: Richmond PD and KTVU FOX2

Eric Smith, Jr. charged with assault with a deadly weapon, inflicting great bodily injury

Jurors voted 11-1 not guilty; attorney says, “he was forced to protect himself in this dangerous situation.”

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

Martinez, California – A jury was unable to reach a verdict on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in the trial of former Richmond Police officer Eric Smith, Jr.

Smith, who is 31 years old, was charged by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office with assault with a deadly weapon and inflicting great bodily injury during an attempted arrest on April 9, 2022.

On August 3, 2022, the District Attorney’s Office filed a felony assault charge with the two enhancements against Smith. That same day Richmond Police announced that Smith, Jr. was terminated from the agency.

The incident happened around 1:00 a.m. in Richmond during an attempted traffic stop of Saul Mendoza, Jr. At one point during the encounter, Officer Smith struck Mr. Mendoza multiple times with a Taser, causing great bodily injury to the victim. (See police body cam video of incident published by KTVU FOX2)

Count 1-Assault with a Deadly Weapon PC245(a)(1)

Enhancement 1 – Special Allegation – Great Bodily Harm PC12022.7(a)

Enhancement 2 – Special Allegation – Use of Deadly Weapon PC12022(b)(1)

Because the jury could not reach a verdict, Judge John W. Kennedy dismissed the jurors. The case will return to court on February 2, 2026, to schedule either a new trial or other pre-trial matters.

UPDATE: Smith’s Attorney Responds

In response, Smith’s attorney, Harry Stern, of Rains Lucia Stern, praised the jury for their diligence and attention to detail.

“It’s really hard to get 12 people to come to a unanimous verdict,” he said. “The fact that 11 out of 12 jurors found Eric not guilty is extremely gratifying. He was an excellent witness and clearly explained why he was forced to protect himself in this dangerous situation.”

Case No. 02-22-00665 | The People of the State of California v. Eric Smith, Jr.

Two Concord men among four charged in Fremont jewelry store heist

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20-year-old Jose Herrada-Aragon, 19-year-old Andres Palestino, two others stole $1.7 million of merchandise, each face 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine

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

OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has indicted four defendants, Afatupetaiki Faasisila, 20, of San Bruno, Jose Herrada-Aragon, 20, of Concord, Andres Palestino, 19, of Concord, and Tom Parker Donegan, 19, of Fairfield, in connection with the June 18, 2025, robbery of a jewelry store in Fremont.  Faasisila and Palestino were arrested yesterday and made their initial appearances in district court today.  Herrada-Aragon and Donegan are currently in state custody on other charges and will be transferred to federal custody.

Faasisila, Herrada-Aragon, Palestino, and Donegan were initially charged by complaint on December 8, 2025, and subsequently indicted on December 18, 2025.  The indictment, unsealed today, charges each defendant with one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce.  According to the criminal complaint and other court documents, on June 18, 2025, over two dozen masked individuals conducted a takeover-style robbery of a Kumar Jewelers located on Mowry Avenue in Fremont.  Surveillance video captured a gray Honda ramming into the store’s front façade to force entry.  One individual brandished a firearm at the store’s security guard, while another held the guard’s arms and forced him to the ground.  Dozens of masked individuals, including Faasisila, Herrada-Aragon and Palestino, allegedly stormed the business, which was occupied at the time.  Once inside, the robbers used hammers and other tools to smash display cases and grab the jewelry contained within, resulting in an estimated loss of approximately $1.7 million worth of jewelry.  After ransacking the store, the robbers left with the stolen goods and got into waiting vehicles to flee. (See additional details in the NBC Bay Area news report)

The complaint alleges that Donegan drove one of the getaway vehicles, leading responding police officers on a vehicle pursuit before eventually crashing the car in another part of Fremont.  There, the four defendants exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, only to be apprehended by officers.  Several pieces of stolen jewelry were recovered in the defendants’ flight path and the abandoned vehicle, which had also been reported stolen.

United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.

Palestino is next scheduled to appear in federal court in Oakland for an arraignment on January 14, 2026, and Faasisila is next scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on January 16, 2026.

A complaint or indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of robbery affecting interstate commerce in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2.  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.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sloan Heffron and Wendy Garbers of the Violent Crime Strike Force are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lakisha Holliman and Yenni Weinberg.  The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the FBI and the Fremont Police Department.

Anyone who has information relevant to this case can report it by contacting the FBI at (415) 553-7400 or tips.fbi.gov.

According to localcrimenews.com, Herrada-Aragon was also arrested on Aug. 31, 2025, by Concord Police for warrants or holds only.

According to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, as of this morning, Palestino was being transferred to another facility.

Further Information:

Case No. 25-cr-00435-HSG

Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  Judges’ calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court’s website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

Barricaded suspect arrested after self-inflicted gunshot wound during Oakley standoff

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The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team and Oakley Police on the scene of the standoff in Oakley Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. Photo courtesy of ContraCosta.news.

54-year-old Raymond E. Smith fired several shots at deputy sheriff; previously arrested in 2013 for assault; multiple agency effort

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff is continuing to investigate an incident where a suspect shot at a deputy sheriff this morning in Oakley.

On Monday, January 12, 2026, at about 10:50 AM, a deputy sheriff was dispatched to a call regarding a violation of a restraining order. A deputy conducted a traffic enforcement stop after locating the suspect vehicle on the 4300 block of Gold Run Drive in Oakley. Almost immediately after the stop, the driver came out of the vehicle and fired several shots at the deputy. The deputy was not struck and was able to return gunfire.

The suspect fled on foot in the neighborhood. During the search for the suspect, the Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Oakley Police Department, California Highway Patrol, East Bay Regional Park Police, Brentwood Police Department, and Antioch Police Department. The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, Hostage Negotiation Team, Drone Unit, and a police K-9 also responded. The suspect was found barricaded at his home on the 2700 block of Placer Drive in Oakley.

After several hours of attempting to communicate with the suspect, the SWAT team armored vehicle approached the residence. A gunshot was heard. The suspect apparently tried to take his own life. Medical personnel, who were on scene, immediately implemented life-saving measures. The suspect was taken to a local hospital.

The man is identified as 54-year-old Raymond E. Smith of Oakley, who was arrested, and will be booked on charges that include attempted murder of a peace officer,

According to localcrimenews.com, Smith was also arrested in December 2013 by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department for assault with a deadly weapon or assault with force likely to produce great bodily harm and in May 2024 by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department for Warrants or Holds Only.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Richmond man sentenced to over 5 years for $80,000 retail theft spree across 11 Nor Cal counties

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Shawn Naputi faced 56 felony theft charges for more than 80 crimes from October 2023 to May 2025; arrested 16 times since 2021 for violent crimes, multiple counts of theft

By Allen D. Payton

According to the Sonoma County Office of the District Attorney, on May 8, 2024, Shawn Andre Naputi walked into the Friedman’s Home Improvement store on Santa Rosa Avenue in Santa Rosa, filled a trash can with more than $2,400 worth of Friedman’s merchandise, and headed for the exit. A sharp-eyed Friedman’s employee recognized Mr. Naputi and his vehicle from prior Friedman’s thefts and called the police. When employees started observing Mr. Naputi inside the store and Sonoma County Sheriff deputies arrived outside, Mr. Naputi abandoned the trashcan full of merchandise and walked out of the store. Sheriff Deputies spoke to the Friedman’s employees and connected Mr. Naputi to seven (7) other Friedman’s thefts, dating back to January 2024.

Once the case was referred to the District Attorney’s Office, it was forwarded to the Organized Retail Theft Unit. The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office has been awarded grant funding from the State of California’s Organized Retail Theft Grant Program, administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), to combat organized retail theft. The grant funds are used by the office to establish a dedicated prosecutor and investigator focused on ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable by identifying gaps in the system and improving cooperation with retail operators and local law enforcement.

When the District Attorney’s Organized Retail Theft Unit started looking into prior Sonoma County thefts and speaking to counterparts in nearby counties, only then did the true breadth of Mr. Naputi’s criminal conduct become clear. Between October 6, 2023, and May 22, 2025, Mr. Naputi committed more than eighty (80) separate instances of theft from Bay Area retailers. The combined loss to these retailers, including Best Buy, Boot Barn, REI, Friedman’s Home Improvement, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Kohls, Lowes, and The Home Depot, was more than $80,000. The crimes occurred in Contra Costa County, Alameda County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Sacramento County, Solano County, Placer County, San Francisco County, Yolo County, Marin County, and Sonoma County.

Without naming Naputi, the Vallejo Police Department reported that on May 21, 2025, a repeat thief was arrested after burglarizing a business. Officers assigned to the Vallejo Police Department Patrol Division responded to a call regarding a suspect wanted in connection with a burglary on the 1300 block of Tennessee Street.

The property owner reported having surveillance footage from May 20 showing a male suspect breaking into the business, ransacking the location, and leaving with multiple items, including professionally graded equipment. The suspect also caused approximately $500 in damage to the business.

The following morning, the business owner was alerted by her surveillance system that the thief had returned to the property. She drove to the location and confronted him. The thief was still in possession of her stolen equipment bag. She took her bag back and the thief fled on foot.

Later that day, the thief was observed loitering near a business on the 400 block of Broadway Street. Officers quickly detained the thief without incident. A records check revealed he was on felony probation out of Solano County for vehicle theft. He also had two outstanding arrest warrants related to stealing a dog, stealing another vehicle and initiating a pursuit in Vallejo.

A probation search revealed he had a glass-shattering tool commonly used to commit burglaries. After being Mirandized, the suspect admitted to the burglary, stating he needed to get out of the sun.

The thief was subsequently booked into the Solano County Jail on multiple charges, including burglary, probation violations and outstanding warrants.

About the sentencing, Sonoma County District Attorney Carla Rodriguez stated, “This case exemplifies the very reason that Proposition 36 was passed by the voters, to stop prolific thieves that repeatedly victimize our communities’ businesses which previously, under Proposition 47, provided little accountability and few consequences for retail theft.” The Naputi case “further highlights the impact of the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Organized Retail Theft Unit whose primary mission is to change expectations of criminal defendants, the public, and the criminal justice system by ensuring that there will be significant consequences if these crimes are committed in Sonoma County.”

Taking advantage of legislation passed under the recent Proposition 36 and designed to combat organized retail theft, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office assumed jurisdiction from the affected counties to prosecute all crimes under one criminal complaint. With jurisdictional approval in hand, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office filed an amended felony complaint charging Mr. Naputi with fifty-six (56) felony theft charges capturing his crime spree between October 2023 and May 2025.

On November 12, 2025, Defendant Naputi plead no-contest to six (6) felony theft charges in exchange for a prison term of 5 years and 4 months. Two years of that term will be served in actual custody, with the balance on Mandatory Supervision. On January 7, 2026, Defendant was sentenced to that term and agreed to several Organized Retail Theft Restraining Orders under the new Penal Code section 490.8. Defendant Naputi also agreed to $83,093.64 in restitution.

According to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, he is 43 years old, was booked on May 28, 2025, and is being held in the Main Adult Detention Facility in Santa Rosa.

According to localcrimenews.com, the five-foot, nine-inch tall, 200-pound Naputi is Hispanic and has been arrested 16 times since 2021 by multiple agencies including Richmond PD, El Cerrito PD, Emeryville PD, Vallejo PD, San Rafael PD, Daly City PD, Sunnyvale PD, Contra Costa CHP, and the Contra Costa County and Solano County Sheriff’s Departments. He was charged with crimes including Assault with a Deadly Weapon or Assault with Force Likely to Produce Great Bodily Harm, Inflicting Corporal Injury on a Spouse/Cohabitant, Organized Retail Theft, Grand Theft, Burglary, Petty Theft, Obtaining property by theft where value exceeds $950, Shoplifting Not to Exceed $950, Taking a Vehicle without Owner’s Consent, Receiving/Etc. Known Stolen Property Over $200, Vandalism, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Narcotic Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

In-custody death of Concord man charged with murdering parents New Year’s Eve under investigation

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Sustained self-inflicted head injuries at Martinez Detention Facility

By Jimmy Lee, PIO, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office are currently jointly investigating an in-custody death that occurred at the Martinez Detention Facility.

On Thursday, January 8, 2026, at about 5:38 AM, Contra Costa Health medical staff at MDF responded to a housing module for a report of head injuries that an inmate apparently sustained as a result of him purposely banging his head while housed in a cell. Minutes later, the fire department and an ambulance were called to transport the inmate to a local hospital.

At about 8:30 AM, the inmate was medically cleared at the hospital. He was uncooperative with deputy sheriffs while being transported back to MDF. While at MDF he was given medication by medical staff.

At about 5:48 PM, a deputy sheriff found the inmate unconscious inside his cell.

Jail medical staff responded while deputies performed CPR. The fire department and an ambulance also responded and later declared the inmate deceased. The countywide law enforcement involved fatal incident protocol was invoked.

The inmate is identified as 61-year-old Kirk Richardson of Concord. On December 31, 2025, Richardson was arrested by the Concord Police Department for murder of his parents. He was booked into MDF on two counts of murder and had been held since that time.

As previously reported, on Dec. 31, 2025, at approximately 7:00 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call reporting a family disturbance in the 3900 block of Walnut Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located two individuals, a 90-year-old man and an 85-year-old woman, who were deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.  Richards on was at the residence was detained and subsequently arrested in connection with the incident.

He was arraigned on Wednesday and had another court date set for Thursday afternoon. The five-foot, ten-inch tall, 200-pound Richardson was being held on $4 million bail.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Rep. Harder’s Safer Response Act to protect law enforcement from fentanyl exposure signed into law

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Fentanyl. Photo: CDC

One in five emergency calls are for overdoses, exposing first responders to contamination and infection

New law spearheads nationwide effort to stop overdose deaths and crack down on trafficking

By Julie S. Kramer, Press Secretary, Office of Congressman Josh Harder

WASHINGTON – On Dec. 11, 2025, Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA-09) announced that his bipartisan bill to protect law enforcement from fentanyl exposure has been signed into law, unlocking $57 million every year through 2030 for overdose training for local law enforcement. Led with Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), the Safer Response Act was included in a broader package of substance use prevention and recovery legislation that passed the Senate in September, alongside the rollout of a brand-new nationwide initiative to combat the fentanyl crisis.

Fentanyl in our community puts everyone at risk:

  • Despite declines, fentanyl overdoses continue to be the leading cause of deathfor Americans aged 18-45, killing nearly 50,000 people last year alone.
  • This creates an escalating crisis for first responders, with up to one-in-fiveemergency medical service calls involving overdose response.
  • First responders are at riskof accidental exposure, contamination, and infection when responding to overdose emergencies.

“Our brave first responders never hesitate to answer the call and step in to save lives every single day, and they shouldn’t have to worry about self-exposure while they’re working to reverse life-threatening fentanyl overdoses,” said Harder. “This bill is going to bring millions for better training and modern resources to Valley departments, which will mean fewer lives lost to the deadly fentanyl epidemic. I’m grateful that lawmakers from across the aisle joined together to send this to the President’s desk, and I’m committed to ensuring our community continues to benefit from common-sense laws like this.”

How the Safer Response Act supports law enforcement:

  • New technical assistance for local first responders to address overdoses.
  • Additional training on how first responders and emergency medical services can protect themselves in the event of exposure.
  • Outreach coordination teams to bridge gaps between public and private medical and emergency response partnerships.

Harder has made cracking down on the growing fentanyl crisis a top priority – he helped pass a bipartisan bill to put more fentanyl traffickers behind bars, and he is leading new legislation to close drug manufacturing loopholes that traffickers use to escape justice. Earlier this year, Harder met with more than 200 narcotics officers representing state associations across the country, including in California, as part of the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition’s (NNOAC) 2025 Delegate Conference.

Congressman Harder represents the 9th Congressional District of California. Following the passage of Prop. 50 last November, the new district boundaries will include Pittsburg, Antioch and portions of Oakley and other areas in Eastern Contra Costa County. Harder is expected to run for re-election in the new district.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Police identify victim in Richmond IHOP restaurant homicide

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Romario Garcia in photos posted on his Facebook page on June 20, 2023, (left) and June 20, 2024 (right).

Person of interest who shot co-worker has also died from self-inflicted gunshot wound, not yet ID’d

By Allen D. Payton

On Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, Richmond Police Chief of Staff and Public Information Officer Lt. Donald Patchin reported that the victim in the homicide on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, “has been identified as Romario Rayo Garcia.”

Family members shared the name of the victim with KTVU-FOX2 which reported on Friday his age as 31 years old, and also reported the death of the 44-year-old male person of interest in the case. The two were coworkers at the I-HOP Restaurant in Richmond where the shooting occurred.

The following day, Dec. 30, as previously reported, while addressing an unrelated call for service in the parking lot of the San Pablo Police Department, SPPD officers were approached by an adult male subject – the person of interest in the Richmond shooting – who attempted to make contact with officers. Due to a language barrier, communication was limited. Following a brief interaction, the male subject walked away, and the officer resumed addressing the original call for service.

Shortly thereafter, officers heard a single gunshot near the Police Department parking lot. Officers immediately responded and located the male subject suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officers rendered life-saving aid, and the male was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

However, Patchin added, “The suspect has not been identified. I am waiting for confirmation that next of kin has been notified from Alameda County.”

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

20-year-old Richmond man arrested for kidnapping, sexually assaulting Porterville girl

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Human trafficking suspect Mario Anthony Godinez of Richmond and the agencies that assisted in his arrest Dec. 31, 2025. Photo: Porterville PD

Human trafficker behind bars; committed felony while released on bail

Contra Costa Sheriff’s & DA’s Offices, Richmond & Benicia PD’s assist in operation

By Porterville Police Department

Incident: Meeting with a minor for the purpose of committing a lewd or sexual act, Kidnapping, Committing a Felony While Released on Bail

The Porterville Police Department is investigating a human trafficking case that resulted in the arrest of a Richmond man following a multi-agency operation.

On December 29, 2025, a female victim reported being contacted by an adult male through the social media platform Snapchat. Investigators identified the suspect as Mario Anthony Godinez (20, born 7/1/2005) of Richmond, California. Detectives determined Godinez arranged to meet the victim in Porterville, CA and subsequently transported her to his residence in Richmond, where she remained for several days before being returned to Porterville.

During the investigation, detectives learned Godinez had previously been arrested on multiple human trafficking-related charges and was on court-ordered supervision at the time of this incident.

On December 31, 2025, detectives served an arrest warrant and search warrant at Godinez’s residence in the 3400 block of Richmond Parkway in Richmond, California. The operation was conducted with assistance from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, Richmond Police Department and Benicia Police Department. Godinez was taken into custody without incident.

Godinez was booked into the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office South County Detention Facility and is being held without bail. The case has been forwarded to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Evidence recovered during the search indicates there may be additional victims of Human Trafficking connected to this investigation.

According to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Godinez is Black and his next court date is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 5 at 1:30 P.M.

According to recentlybooked.com, he is five-feet, eight inches tall, 140-pounds and was also arrested on May 26, 2025, in Solano County on a Benicia felony case.

This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Det. Madrigal or Sgt. Stark with the Porterville Police Department at (559) 782-7400, through the department’s Facebook or Instagram pages, or submit information anonymously.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.