Contra Costa Herald

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

D.A. charges ConFire EMS Chief with embezzlement and possession of controlled substances

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Richard P. Stephenson

Due to the investigation by the Martinez Police Department, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office charged 50-year-old Martinez resident Richard P. Stephenson with two felonies for embezzlement and two misdemeanor charges of possessing a controlled substance. 

The embezzlement charges relate to

Stephenson stealing controlled substances belonging to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District in order to support his personal drug addiction. 

An arrest warrant in the amount of $50,000 was issued on January 9, 2019.  Stephenson was arraigned at the Contra Costa County Superior Courthouse on January 10, 2019, the next court date is February 26th.

The charges filed against Richard Stephenson include:

  • Count 1, Embezzlement by Public or Private Officer – Felony
  • Count 2, Embezzlement by Clerk, Agent or Servant – Felony
  • Count 3, Possession of Fentanyl – Misdemeanor
  • Count 4, Possession of Midazolam – Misdemeanor

Case information: People v. Richard Paul Stephenson, Docket Number 01-188454-3

DeSaulnier recognizes credit unions for offering interest-free loans to furloughed federal workers

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Rep. Mark DeSaulnier

Hopes other financial institutions will follow suit during government shutdown

Washington, DC – Today, Thursday, January 10, 2019, on the eve of over 800,000 federal workers missing their regularly scheduled paychecks due to the government shutdown, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) sent a letter to the Consumer Bankers Association, the Credit Union National Association, and the Mortgage Bankers Association recognizing credit unions for offering interest-free loans to federal workers. The letter also highlights DeSaulnier’s hope that other financial institutions will follow suit.

“Several credit unions across the country have begun offering interest-free loans to impacted federal workers. I applaud these organizations for prioritizing customer well-being and am certain that this will be of great assistance to countless workers and families,” wrote DeSaulnier.

If the government shutdown continues into tomorrow, January 11th, over 800,000 federal workers will miss their scheduled paychecks, and the impact will be felt across the country. Eighty-five percent of the federal workforce resides outside of the District of Columbia. For instance, in California over 37,000 federal workers and their families will miss a paycheck.

“There are opportunities to prevent potentially catastrophic consequences for millions of Americans through cooperation and compassion. I will continue to work in Congress to re-open the government and ensure public employees and contractors are paid, and I appreciate those companies that are stepping up to help during this difficult time,” DeSaulnier continued.

Full text of the letters can be found here.

Rx Drop Boxes let residents safely dispose of unwanted medicine at CVS Pharmacy locations

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Contra Costa residents with unwanted prescription medicines can safely dispose of them at 27 CVS Pharmacy locations in the county thanks to new, secure drop boxes added through the county’s Safe Drug Disposal Ordinance.

The ordinance, passed in 2016, requires pharmaceutical drug manufacturers to provide collection services for unused drugs, to protect the environment and prevent accidental poisonings or intentional misuse of drugs such as prescription opioids.

“Safe storage and disposal of medications is one of the easiest and most important ways that each of us can help turn our county’s opioid abuse epidemic around,” said April Rovero, founder of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse and Chair of the Contra Costa County MEDS Coalition.
The drop-box service is free, secure and confidential. The medications can be disposed of at the sites even if they weren’t purchased at CVS. Most medications are accepted in their original containers or in sealed bags. Drugs and packaging placed in drop boxes will be safely destroyed. In addition to CVS Pharmacy locations, 10 Kaiser facilities in Contra Costa also have the drop boxes.

“This new medication disposal program will help save both lives and our environment by making appropriate disposal as easy as stopping by a nearby CVS Pharmacy or Kaiser Permanente,” said Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis.

“We are pleased to work with the County to help provide access to safe medication disposal sites in Contra Costa County as part of our company’s commitment to helping prevent and address prescription opioid abuse and misuse,” said Tom Davis, R.Ph., Vice President, Professional Services, CVS Pharmacy.

Visit cchealth.org/safe-drug-disposal for more information about the ordinance and a link to a searchable database of Contra Costa locations with drop boxes.

Martinez to hold ribbon cutting renaming Alhambra Park after former Mayor John Sparacino Jan. 28

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The late John Sparacino in his younger years. 

The City of Martinez is pleased to announce it will be holding a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, January 28, 2018 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., to commemorate the official renaming of Alhambra Park to John Sparacino Park.  The ceremony will be held at the corner of Marina Vista and Alhambra Avenue.

The park is named after former City of Martinez Mayor John Sparacino, who passed away on April 3, 2018.  The park’s name change was approved by the City Council on September 11, 2018, honoring Mayor Sparacino for his outstanding commitment and service to the Martinez community.

Sparacino was the City’s first publicly-elected Mayor and was admired and respected by all who knew him.  He graduated from Alhambra High School and lived only a few blocks away from the park.  He was a proud member of various groups including (among others) the Martinez Historical Society, Aahmes Shriners, Martinez Masonic Lodge No. 41, Knights of Columbus, the Elks, Druids and Sons of Italy, and also a longstanding supporter of the Martinez Police Department.

County Human Trafficking Coalition launches Awareness Month in January

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The Contra Costa Human Trafficking Coalition will be working with local agencies to raise awareness about human trafficking in Contra Costa County throughout the month of January. The FBI has identified California as one of the nation’s top destination states for trafficked persons.

Contra Costa County is a natural corridor for human trafficking activities with its linkage to major metropolitan areas like Oakland and San Francisco via public transportation (BART) and its accessibility to Los Angeles and Sacramento via major highways such as 680, 80 and 5 (via Hwy 4). Though human trafficking is illegal, victims often do not know where to turn for help and community members may not know where to report suspicious situations.

This January, the Coalition, in partnership with Contra Costa County’s District Attorney’s Office, will run an awareness campaign with a focus on labor trafficking. Specifically, the campaign will target trafficking in the restaurant, hotel and cleaning service industries. Ads will run on County Connection, Tri-Delta Transit and WestCAT buses throughout the month.

As part of the County’s awareness-raising efforts, the Coalition announced several events throughout the month including a Community Awareness Day in Antioch on Wednesday, January 9, the Board of Supervisors Awareness Proclamation on Tuesday, January 22 and a documentary screening and discussion on Monday, January 28. For a complete list of events and details, visit www.contracostacoalition.org/calendar.

Contra Costa County’s Human Trafficking Coalition is a partnership working to raise awareness, build capacity, and increase access to services for victims of human trafficking. As a collaboration of agencies, their goals include; conducting public awareness activities; providing training, technical assistance and a forum to share best practices; establishing policies and protocols; and creating a coordinated system of care. The Coalition is a project of The Alliance of Abuse. For more information on The Contra Costa Human Trafficking Coalition visit www.contracostacoalition.org. Recently the Alliance to End Abuse, in partnership with the District Attorney’s Office, were awarded a Human Trafficking Task Force grant. For more information on the newly forming task force please visit http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1681.

Former school food service contractor, San Pablo man charged with possession of child porn

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Francisco Perez. Photo by CCCSheriff

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office has charged 34-year-old San Pablo resident Francisco Perez with three felonies, including the possession of over 600 images of child pornography. 

In November 2018, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant based on a tip that law enforcement received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via Google. The tip from Google revealed that a user was storing files that contained possible images of child pornography. (See related article).

Perez was working at the San Domenico School in San Anselmo, California in Marin County. Perez gave a false name and Social Security number to obtain employment from a company contracted to make and serve food to the children at the school. 

Perez was arraigned in Richmond at the Contra Costa County Superior Courthouse on January 4, 2019. The next court date for this case is scheduled for January 24, 2019.  The case will be prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Bryan Tierney with the Sexual Assault Unit.

The investigation was conducted by a multi-agency Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is managed by the San Jose Police Department. In Contra Costa County, detectives and investigators from the Walnut Creek, Martinez, San Ramon, Concord and Moraga Police Departments, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Contra Costa County Probation Department, and Inspectors from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office participate in the task force.

Parents are encouraged to discuss online safety with their children, and can visit the website www.kidsmartz.org or our website for further information.

The charges filed against Perez include:

·         Count 1, Possession of Over 600 Images of Child or Youth Pornography – Felony

·         Count 2, Possession of Child or Youth Pornography – Felony

·         Count 3, Possession of Child or Youth Pornography – Felony

Case information: People v. Francisco Perez, Docket Number 02-329167-1.

Federal labor board receives complaint against Kaiser Permanente for refusing to negotiate contract affecting 85,000 healthcare workers in 7 states

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National Labor Relations Board to hold legal hearing March 19 in Oakland

By Sean Wherley, Media Relations Specialist, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West

The federal government recently indicted healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente for refusing to negotiate a contract affecting 85,000 employees in seven states and the District of Columbia, and for wrongly tying those negotiations to a ban on political activity against the company.

“The workers who have helped make this company so successful over the years now feel that their concerns are validated,” said Dave Regan, president of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West. “No longer can Kaiser Permanente claim it was trying to do right by its employees and patients by holding up bargaining and trying to stop workers from speaking out.”

Kaiser Permanente has until Jan. 11 to respond to the decision, and a legal hearing will begin March 19 in Oakland, according to the indictment released Dec. 28 by the National Labor Relations Board.

Kaiser Permanente employees filed a complaint in May 2018 because the company repeatedly canceled contract negotiations with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which comprises 11 labor unions in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Hawaii, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The coalition’s national agreement with Kaiser Permanente expired Sept. 30, 2018. The company had previously negotiated contracts with the coalition since 1997.

Last November, Kaiser Permanente settled a contract with a different group of labor unions that prohibits those unions from taking action against the company, whether through ballot initiatives, legislation or other public campaigns. Kaiser tried to apply the same condition to bargaining with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions; however, the Dec. 28 indictment blocks that effort.

Kaiser Permanente’s refusal to bargain comes in the midst of a plan to outsource jobs to “save” money, despite the corporation reporting reserves of $30 billion and profits of $3.8 billion in 2017. In addition, the Kaiser CEO is paid more than $10 million annually, and 30 executives are paid more than $1 million a year.

County Coroner’s inquest jury determines Vallejo man’s death at Martinez jail was an accident

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James Cooper

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

Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announced today that a Coroner’s Jury has reached a finding in the January 24, 2018 death of 45-year-old Jeffrey James Darryl Cooper of Vallejo. The finding of the jury is that the death is an accident.

The Coroner’s Jury reached the verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer, Matthew Guichard.

A Coroner’s Inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving peace officers, is a public hearing, during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: Accident, Suicide, Natural Causes, or At the hands of another person, other than by accident.

At about 12:47 AM on Jan. 24, 2018, a Deputy Sheriff was doing a room check at the Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) when he noticed Cooper was unresponsive in his bunk. The Deputy immediately called for medical assistance and started CPR.

Medical staff at MDF continued life-saving measures. An ambulance and the fire department responded to MDF. Cooper was later pronounced deceased. On January 18, 2018, he was booked into MDF on a warrant for domestic violence. He also had three arrest warrants from Solano County. His death appeared to be medically related. (See related article).

Elderly Clayton woman struck killed by car in Concord Wednesday afternoon

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By Sergeant Robert Garcia, Traffic Unit/Special Events, Concord Police Department

On Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, at approximately 3:19pm, Concord PD Officers were dispatched to an auto vs. pedestrian collision that occurred just north of the intersection of Ayers Road and Valley Crest Drive.  A vehicle traveling south on Ayers Road from Clayton Road struck and killed an 86-year-old female, a Clayton resident, who was crossing the southbound lane midblock, outside of the crosswalk.

The male driver, a 58-year-old Concord resident, remained on scene and cooperated with police.  Drugs and/or alcohol do not appear to be a contributing factor.

Ayers Road, between Clayton Road and Valley Crest Drive, was closed for approximately 3 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 Investigator Justin Wilson at the Concord Police Department, 925-671-5962.

Contra Costa County Library clears all outstanding fines

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But, still turn in that overdue book, please

As part of the Contra Costa County Library’s continued efforts to improve access, balances on all library accounts have been cleared. This move goes hand-in-hand with the elimination of fines announced last month. As of January 1, 2019, all library cards are returned to good standing and patrons who may have been staying away from the library can come back and enjoy all the services the library has to offer. With accounts now cleared, the Library hopes to see patrons returning all the overdue items they were afraid to return due to fines.

“No matter how old, no matter why it was late, we want you to bring it back. No questions asked,” said County Librarian Melinda Cervantes.

Library staff will evaluate all returned items for relevance, condition and popularity so that materials may be reintroduced to the collection.

Patrons previously blocked from library services will once again be able to check out books, magazines and DVDs and use all the online services available through ccclib.org. Moving forward, the Library will no longer charge daily overdue fines on library materials. Checkout periods will remain the same and charges for lost or damaged books will still apply.

“Yes, you still need to return library materials. That hasn’t changed,” said Deputy County Librarian Nancy Kreiser. “But when your schedule is hectic, or you need another day or two to finish a great book, you can do so without worrying about late fines.”

The elimination of fines and clearing of all accounts, helps to meet the Library’s goal of removing barriers to access and making it easy, equitable and enjoyable for everyone.

“These new policies introduce an ongoing amnesty,” said Cervantes. “It allows everyone regardless of age, location or ability to pay, the opportunity to have continued access to the library.”

For more information on the elimination of fines including Frequently Asked Questions, please visit ccclib.org.