Contra Costa Herald

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

City of Antioch settles class action civil rights lawsuit against police

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Agreement aligns with U.S. DOJ reforms; this part of case only includes attorney’s fees

By Allen D. Payton

The City of Antioch announced Friday morning, Dec. 19, 2025, it has reached a settlement agreement “that strengthens accountability and transparency in the Antioch Police Department (APD) through updated policies, independent oversight and measurable reporting. The agreement is structured to align with the U.S. Department of Justice Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) governing APD reforms.”

The settlement is subject to court approval and is associated with Trent Allen, et al. v. City of Antioch, et al., United States District Court, Northern District of California (Case No. 3:23-cv-01895-TSH), a class action lawsuit against the City, as well as police officers and chiefs. As previously reported, Allen is one of four suspects convicted of the 2021 murder of Arnold Marcel Hawkins and the attempted murder of Aaron Patterson. He and a variety of other plaintiffs claimed civil rights violations by the officers.

Oakland civil rights attorney John Burris and associates filed the lawsuit in April 2023, naming five then-current and former officers, for their racist and other offensive texts and mistreatment of citizens, plus, three past police chiefs, the City of Antioch and Does 1-100. (See related articles here and here)

The plaintiffs included Shagoofa Khan, the 2017 Antioch Youth of the Year who was one of the lead protesters in the city in 2020, was arrested a few times including once for felony arson in January 2021 and at former Chief Tammany Brooks’ farewell party later that year, and was the subject of one of the vile texts; Adam Carpenter, Joshua Butler, Diego Zavala, the son of Guadalupe Zavala, who was unarmed when he was shot and killed by police in 2021 after a seven-hour stand-off with police (whose last name is listed in the lawsuit as Savala), and Allen, whose murder case resulted in the release of the texts.

The suit described what occurred between the named Antioch Police officers and the plaintiffs as a “conspiracy and/or conspiracies” and claims they were “the failure and/or refusal (by the former chiefs)…to prevent or aid in preventing” them from occurring. The suit further claimed the four department leaders “maintained customs, policies, and/or practices which encouraged, authorized, condoned, ratified, failed to prevent, and/or failed to aid in the prevention of wrongs conspired to be done by” the named officers.

The suit sought multiple forms of damages including “past, present and/or future wage loss, income and support, medical expenses”; special damages, any and all permissible statutory damages, and attorneys’ fees.

UPDATE & CORRECTION: According to City Manager Bessie Scott, the settlement does not include any money. But she later shared the City will pay attorney’s fees. Then during the press conference on Friday, Dec. 19, Burris said, “There were two parts of the case, one involving the individuals, which we settled, 23,” earlier in the year. Those did involve payments which will be reported on later once City staff has provided a response to the Public Records Act request by the Herald.

Independent Consultant to Oversee Settlement Provisions

The settlement will be administered by the same independent consultant responsible for oversight under the U.S. DOJ MOA to ensure coordinated implementation and consistent monitoring.

The independent consultant will oversee APD’s implementation of the settlement’s provisions, including providing technical assistance, reviewing affected policies, and issuing regular reports on APD’s progress toward substantial compliance. The independent consultant will also ensure APD remains in substantial compliance for the required period of time. If APD is not making adequate progress, the monitor may seek further orders of the court to compel compliance.

The independent consultant is required to report to the City Council every six months. Reports to Council will be public. The City also anticipates public reporting related to community engagement/community policing efforts and statistics on traffic stops and police interactions related to use of force.

“This settlement agreement reinforces the reform work already underway, ensures sustainable transparency measures and updates core policies to modernize how APD continues to provide constitutional policing services to the residents of Antioch,” said Scott.

“This agreement will ensure we continue prioritizing the community and safety,” said Chief of Police Joe Vigil. “We will continue working towards greater transparency, accountability and community engagement as we work through this agreement.”

Key elements of the settlement include:

Expanded transparency and oversight

  • Data collection and analysis requirements
  • Audits and reviews
  • Reporting requirements to track progress and compliance

Policy and procedure updates to modernize APD operations

  • Non-discriminatory policing
  • Use of force, including canine deployment
  • Hiring and promotions
  • Complaint intake, review, and resolution
  • Supervisor responsibilities and accountability
  • Police officer communications
  • Body-worn camera use

Community engagement

  • Provisions to expand APD’s community engagement and support accountability through public-facing practices.

The City will provide additional information as implementation milestones are established.

Jaden Baird, City of Antioch PIO contributed to this report.

Contra Costa preparing for Medi-Cal coverage loss, funding reductions

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By Contra Costa Health

Contra Costa County must prepare for significant reductions in Medi-Cal coverage and hundreds of millions of dollars in long-term funding loss as a result of recent federal and state policy changes, county officials said Tuesday.

New federal requirements under H.R. 1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” combined with state Medi-Cal eligibility and reimbursement changes, will make it harder for many residents to enroll in or keep healthcare coverage. While final details are still emerging, county estimates indicate that as many as 93,000 Contra Costa residents could be affected by 2029.

At the same time, Contra Costa Health (CCH) projects more than $300 million in cumulative state and federal funding reductions through 2029, driven by Medi-Cal disenrollment and cuts to supplemental funding that public hospitals rely upon. These impacts are expected to grow year over year and reflect a broader trend affecting counties and public health systems across California.

“These changes mean fewer people covered and fewer dollars coming into the system at the same time,” said Candace Andersen, Chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “Our responsibility is to face that reality head-on, plan carefully, and ensure the county continues to provide essential care for residents who have nowhere else to turn.”

During a presentation to the Board on Tuesday, leaders of CCH and the county’s Employment & Human Services Department (EHSD) emphasized that the projected impacts are a result of external policy decisions, not local performance, and that significant uncertainty remains around timelines, enforcement and the response from California.

Federal guidance on several provisions of H.R. 1 has not yet been issued, and California’s approach to mitigating coverage losses is still evolving.

The presentation outlined how specific provisions of H.R. 1 and recent state Medi-Cal policy changes are expected to reduce enrollment, increase administrative barriers to coverage, and lower reimbursement to safety-net providers. It also reviewed projected enrollment losses, funding impacts to CCH and Contra Costa Health Plan, and the anticipated timing of changes, along with areas of ongoing uncertainty.

The Board directed CCH to return in early 2026 with a proposal to update and strengthen the county’s existing supports for people who are not eligible for Medi-Cal and have no other healthcare options.

Contra Costa County will share additional updates as federal and state guidance becomes available and planning continues.

Contra Costa County Homeless Person’s Memorial Day event in Antioch Dec. 19

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For those who have died in the past two years

Watch national ceremony online Dec. 18

By NAMI Contra Costa

Join us for Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, where we will create a space to remember, honor and celebrate those in our community with a lived experience of homelessness who have died in the past two years. As part of the event, we will be reading their names and stories. You are invited to share the names of people whom you would like to be remembered here: https://forms.gle/ksauQ1dwxKT2j2rR7.

This hybrid (in person and online) event will take place:

Friday December 19, 2025

11:00 am – 1 pm

  • Reading of the names: 11:30 am
  • Lunch served: 12:30 pm

Physical Address:  NAMI CC – 40 Voices African American Holistic Wellness and Resource Hub, 1020 East Tregallas Road, Antioch

Zoom: https://homebaseccc.zoom.us/j/86971795919

Event co-hosted by Antioch Seventh Day Adventist Church, Bay Area Rescue Mission, City of Antioch, Contra Costa Council on Homelessness, NAMI Contra Costa, and Safe Organized Spaces Richmond.

If you have questions, please reach out to contracostacoc@cchealth.org.

National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day Ceremony (Virtual Attendance)

Please join us from wherever you are on Dec. 18th for a livestream of this year’s Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. PST.

The National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, and the National Consumer Advisory Board, a member network of the Council, encourage our communities to organize or take part in Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day (HPMD) events on or around the winter solstice — the first day of winter and the longest night of the year.

At these events each year, we remember those who have died and we strengthen our resolve to work for a world where no life is lived or lost in homelessness. We state clearly, together with others in scores of communities across the nation, that no person should die for lack of housing.

List of  Speakers For the Memorial Event

Register at: 2025 Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day Ceremony Livestream.

About NAMI CC – Support. Educate. Advocate. Outreach.

Mission Statement – To provide support, outreach, education, and advocacy to individuals impacted by mental illness, their families, and the broader community.

NAMI Contra Costa is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing outreach, education, support and advocacy to individuals living with mental illness, their families, and the broader community. We have been serving in Contra Costa County and beyond for over 35 years. All our programs are free, so get involved today and help make a difference in your life, others’ lives, and in the local community.

NAMI Contra Costa is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. We are unique in our independence with long history of supporting individuals living with mental illness, their families, and the broader community.

NAMI CC has a commitment to serve the needs of all impacted by mental illness. We have staffed our agency to be reflective of those who are unserved, underserved, and inappropriately served. We have many support groups, classes, and services for these communities. Additionally, to help reach much of the homebound community, we provide almost all of our groups and classes via Zoom, and now more are in-person. So please visit our calendar page for group dates and times.

NAMI Contra Costa was named the 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year.

About the Delta Bay Wellness Hub

NAMI CC is committed to ensuring ALL individuals impacted by mental illness have their needs met and no one is left behind. We, therefore, lifted the 40 Voices Campaign to advocate for an African American Holistic Wellness & Resource Hub to improve outcomes for the African American community. Despite 40 Voices’ successful advocacy for a total of $8.9 million dollars from the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors, we have been asked to wait until 2029 for the physical site of the hub to be realized. We cannot afford to wait. NAMI CC CEO and Founder of the 40 Voices Campaign, Gigi Crowder, decided to move forward with the hub – primarily using her own personal funding and securing donations from others. If you would like to support this important effort, you can Zelle a payment (510-990-2670) or mail in a check (2151 Salvio Street, Suite V, Concord, CA 94520) or simply go to www.namicontracosta.org/donate to make a donation. All donations are tax deductible. Donations of $40 dollars or more will be recognized on a poster as a “Founding Contributor” of the 40 Voices African American Holistic Wellness & Resource Hub at Delta Bay. The renovations have resulted in a beautiful healing space.

For more information, contact: Gigi R. Crowder at (510) 990-2670 or gigi@namicontracosta.org.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report

Martinez man, former San Quentin guard charged with lewd acts involving children released pending trial

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Former San Quentin Prison Correctional Sergeant William Daniel Eberly. Photo: CA Dep’t of Corrections & Rehabilitation

CCDA’s Office “profoundly troubled by the court’s decision”

Family unsure where he’s living after being evicted from trailer on prison grounds in March

“He keeps getting released and it continues to keep going away.” – Family advocate

By Allen D. Payton

As previously reported, 44-year-old Martinez resident, William Daniel Eberly faces multiple felony charges for alleged lewd acts upon children. He was arrested on Oct. 22, 2025, and arraigned, Thursday, Oct. 23, in Martinez on an 11-count complaint that includes forcible lewd acts on a child under 14 and lewd acts on a child aged 14 or 15. Two victims, identified in court documents as Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2, will remain anonymous to protect their privacy.

The alleged offenses occurred between November 1, 2020, and December 12, 2024, in Contra Costa County. Eberly was employed as a correctional sergeant with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at San Quentin prison at the time of his arrest. Eberly pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment.

Released Pending Trial

According to an advocate for Eberly’s family, who spoke on condition of anonymity, following a pre-trial conference in Martinez Superior Court Thursday morning, Dec. 11, 2025, “he was released pending trial.”

“He hasn’t had anything to do with his children for a very long time. He has four sons with another correctional officer,” the advocate shared.

“A memorandum was sent by San Quentin dated March 20, 2025, by the warden to all employees telling them to stop Eberly at the gate, that he’s not allowed to enter institutional property,” she continued. “He’s been on leave from San Quentin since that date.”

Gate Stop Memorandum dated March 20, 2025, sent by San Quentin Rehabilitation Center Warden Chance Andes to prison staff. Source: Family’s advocate who chose to remain anonymous

“He doesn’t live with either of his ex-wives or his current wife,” the advocated stated. “Nobody knows where he lives. He may be homeless. He doesn’t actually have a residence which is shocking. He was living in a trailer on the prison grounds. But he was told to vacate when he was forced to leave the prison.”

“He was recently granted court-ordered supervised visits with his children,” she said. “But I don’t think he’s seen them in over a year.”

“They first arrested him in March, then let him go because they said they didn’t have enough evidence,” the advocate shared. “This has been going on for like four years, he’s been in and out of custody. He keeps getting released and it continues to keep going away.”

She shared concerns about the children wanting to keep their identities private and out of the public eye.

“People were calling the schools where the kids attend probably to see if he was there picking them up,” the advocate said. “They don’t know he’s been arrested or anything. They don’t need to know. They’re all really young.”

She asked the public not to post photos of the children.

“The reports about him online are wrong,” she also shared. “He’s not Latino. He’s white.”

Asked if she knows Eberly, the advocate said, “Yes, I know him. “But I haven’t seen him in over a year when he last saw the kids.”

“He was always a stickler for the rules. So, this is all very shocking,” she added.

Asked if she attended Thursday’s hearing, the advocate responded, “No. They barred all potential witnesses that the prosecution might call.”

Asked what date has been set for the trial she responded, “We do not know yet.”

Eberly was “released without having to post bail. No ankle monitor. No bail. Released on own recognizance,” the advocate repeated.

Contra Costa DA’s Office “Profoundly Troubled by the Court’s Decision”

Asked about Eberly’s release, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office issued the following statement regarding The People v. William Daniel Eberly Court ruling on 12/11/25:

“Following the presentation of evidence at the preliminary hearing, the court held the defendant William Eberly to answer on 11 felony counts of Penal Code section 288(b)(1), forcible lewd acts upon two child victims.

“During the ruling, Eberly’s defense counsel requested that the court release him from custody on his own recognizance, and a visiting judge in Contra Costa County granted that request.

“The District Attorney’s Office is profoundly troubled by the court’s decision to release Eberly from jail custody.

“In addition to the seriousness of the charged offenses and the clear danger the defendant poses to the community, the Deputy District Attorney prosecuting the case cited several additional factors weighing against release, including:

  • Prior arrests in 2013 for inflicting injury on a child, and in 2020 for inflicting injury on a spouse or cohabitant.
  •  The defendant’s abuse of a position of trust to harm two minor victims.

“Despite these objections, the court reasoned that because the defendant had no prior charges formally filed with the court and because he is a veteran, release was appropriate.

“The District Attorney’s Office will continue working diligently to pursue all available legal options to seek justice for the victims, protect the community, and hold the defendant accountable.”

As previously reported, according to localcrimenews.com, Eberly was previously arrested in 2013 by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office for Contempt of Court: Disobeying a Court Order/Process and in 2020 by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant.

Case No. 01-25-03633 | The People of the State of California v. William Daniel Eberly

Kensington Police Department launches Blue Envelope Program for inclusive, neurodiversity-aware policing

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Example of front and back of a Blue Envelope. Source: Kensington PD

Part of growing statewide and national effort to help facilitate smoother interactions between law enforcement officers and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder during traffic stops.

By Lt. Amit Nath, Kensington Police Department

The Kensington Police Department is launching its new Blue Envelope Program, a voluntary initiative designed to make traffic stops and other police contacts safer and less stressful for drivers with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, anxiety, dementia and other communication differences.

With the launch of this program, Kensington becomes one of the first police agencies in the Bay Area to offer a dedicated Blue Envelope option for drivers, joining a growing movement across California and the United States to better support neurodivergent community members during interactions with law enforcement.

The Blue Envelope is a clearly marked, bright blue envelope that participants keep in their vehicle. Inside, they can store their driver’s license, registration, proof of insurance, emergency contact information, and a brief description of their preferred communication style (for example, needing extra time to answer questions or preferring written instructions). During a traffic stop, drivers can hand the envelope to the officer s a quiet, respectful way to signal that they may need additional patience, clear language, or other accommodations.

“The Blue Envelope Program is about respect, understanding, and safety for everyone,” said Chief Mike Gancasz. “For some members of our community, a traffic stop can be overwhelming. This program gives drivers a simple tool to communicate their needs, and it gives our officers helpful guidance so they can respond with patience and compassion.”

Part of Growing Statewide & National Effort

Blue Envelope initiatives began on the East Coast, notably in Connecticut, and have since spread to multiple states, including Virginia, New York, Arkansas and others, where state agencies and local departments use the blue envelope as a standardized tool to support drivers with autism and similar conditions during police encounters.

In California, sheriff’s offices and police departments in communities such as San Bernardino County, San Diego County, Riverside County, Placer County, Sutter County, Ventura County, and several city departments have adopted Blue Envelope programs or similar models—often in partnership with regional centers and autism advocacy organizations.

Kensington’s program draws on these best practices while tailoring the materials and training to the unique needs of a small, community-focused police department.

National Public Safety Alliance for Individuals with Disabilities (NPS-AID) Supports the Blue Envelope Program

Supported by the National Public Safety Alliance for Individuals with Disabilities, the “Blue Envelope Program” is an initiative that is not mandated, but adopted by many law enforcement agencies across the U.S., designed to help facilitate smoother interactions between law enforcement officers and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) during traffic stops.

The NPS-AID is a voluntary program designed to assist individuals with disabilities during emergencies by providing first responders with critical information.

Any time a disabled community partner joins the “National Public Safety Alliance for Individuals” program and resides in a NPS-AID supporting chapter jurisdiction where the “Blue Envelope Program” is in use, the oversight agency has the ability to quickly send notice via the NPS-AID system to the member which will provide the participant with information about the program and how to enroll. This notice will be delivered via email once the member completes their NPS-AID membership enrollment.

All agencies that adopt the “Blue Envelope Program” create thier own enrollment process and the exact steps can vary from agency to agency since there is no centralized program or support system for Blue Envelope. All supporting NPS-AID chapter agencies are provided special access to essential resources to help agencies create, launch, and manage their own “Blue Envelope Program”, such as envelope templates, draft policies and more, reducing the burden and simplifying the process.

How Residents Can Participate

  • Cost: The program is free and completely voluntary.
  • Privacy: No registration is required, and KPD does not collect or store medical information; all details remain with the driver and their family.
  • Where to get an envelope:

o In person at the Kensington Police Department lobby located at 10940 San Pablo, El Cerrito, CA 94530

o From a uniformed Kensington Police Officer or Kensington Police Volunteer

o At community events and outreach activities throughout Kensington

Available Outreach Materials

The following items are available free of charge at the Kensington Police Department and other participating locations:

  • Blue Envelope Program Brochure
  • Blue Envelope
  • Wallet Information Card
  • Lanyards
  • Seatbelt Covers
  • Buttons
  • Key Chains
  • Wristbands
  • Stickers

These materials help signal participation in the program and provide quick access to important information during a law enforcement interaction.

Residents can learn more about how the program works, download information, and see example materials by visiting: www.kppcsd.org/blue-envelope-program-kensington.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Police report results from Richmond’s Flock Automated License Plate Reader System

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Source: Richmond PD

Since April 2023 ALPR contributed to over 270 people arrested, over 250 vehicles recovered, more

By Richmond Police Department

The Richmond Police Department is committed to transparency and protecting the information we collect to keep our community safe. We want to share an update regarding our Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system operated by Flock Safety.

Since its inception in April 2023, ALPR data has become an essential investigative tool for both patrol officers and detectives conducting follow-up investigations, providing significant public-safety benefits. ALPR data has directly contributed to:

  • The arrest of over 272 individuals involved in criminal activity
  • The identification of a suspect vehicle in 12 separate homicide cases
  • The recovery of over 258 stolen vehicles
  • More than 889 cases where ALPR information directly led to the identification of a suspect or suspect vehicle
  • Alerted officers to the presence of over 6,670 stolen vehicles in our city
  • Alerted officers to the presence of over 759 vehicles that were wanted for felony crimes in our city

These outcomes demonstrate how the responsible use of technology helps us solve crimes, locate dangerous offenders, and support victims. Without the ALPR data provided by Flock, many of these cases, including murder cases, would most likely remain unsolved.

Earlier this year, Flock Safety notified us of a system configuration error that allowed certain external law enforcement agencies to run very limited, specific license-plate searches that could have revealed small portions of Richmond’s ALPR data. This was not full-system access and affected only narrow, plate-specific queries.

The issue was unintentional and was disabled immediately upon discovery. ALPR data is only stored for 30 days, and at this time, we have no evidence that any outside agency viewed or misused Richmond’s data, including for immigration enforcement. Because multiple agencies were affected, we temporarily turned off our ALPR system until Flock Safety provides verified safeguards and assurances to prevent future issues.

The Richmond Police Department will continue to use technology responsibly and transparently, in a manner that aligns with our community’s expectations and enhances our ability to solve crimes and keep residents safe. We remain committed to protecting your privacy, being transparent, and using technology in ways that reflect Richmond’s values and expectations. We look forward to implementing enhanced safeguards and reactivating our ALPR system so it can continue to provide valuable investigative leads, hold offenders accountable, and deliver justice for victims and their families.

Police seek suspects in Brentwood veterinarian hospital burglary

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By Brentwood Police Department

On Saturday, December 6, 2025, at around 8:09 a.m., Brentwood officers were dispatched to a veterinarian hospital located on the 1200 block of Central Blvd. for a report of the business possibly being burglarized.

When officers arrived on scene they observed one of the glass doors to the business had been shattered. Officers checked the business and did not locate any suspects inside.

During the initial investigation, it was determined, based on surveillance footage, that on December 6, 2025, shortly after 6:00 a.m., two suspects broke the glass door to gain access to the business. While in the business the suspects, both wearing masks attempted to gain access to the cash register but were unsuccessful. The suspects then took specially made bags containing urns with pet ashes. The two suspects then exited the business a few minutes later through the same broken glass door and left the area by unknown means.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with any information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Brentwood Police Department at 925-809-7911. Callers may remain anonymous.

62-year-old Pleasant Hill woman sentenced to prison for embezzling from charity serving young people

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Will serve over 2 years for taking over $1.6 million

Spent money on first-class airfare, Warriors game floor seats, 49ers game box seats, Hawaii condo

Restitution amount to be decided later

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

OAKLAND – Carrie Lynn Grant was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for embezzling over $1.6 million from a Northern California charity organization that provides educational materials and programs to prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.  U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín handed down the sentence this week.

Grant, 62, of Pleasant Hill, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2024.  Grant pleaded guilty on August 11, 2025, to one count of wire fraud.  According to the plea agreement and court documents, over a period of years from November 2017 to June 2023, Grant abused her role as the finance manager of the charity, depositing charity money into her personal account while creating fraudulent records to cover her tracks.  Grant spent the money on, among other things, first-class air travel, floor seats for a Golden State Warriors game, box seats for a San Francisco 49ers game, and a condominium in Hawaii.  In total, Grant stole more than $1.6 million dollars from the non-profit organization.

United States Attorney Craig Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez made the announcement.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Martínez-Olguín also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release.  The Court will determine the amount of restitution Grant must pay at a later date.  The defendant will begin serving the sentence on March 9, 2026.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan M. Mateer is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Christine Tian and Amala James.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

Case No. 24-cr-00403-AMO

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.

Police departments warn community about series of East County residential burglaries

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Many by groups of juveniles

By Pittsburg Police Department

Community Advisement:

We’d like to remind everyone to keep doors locked and windows secured, especially overnight.
Detectives are currently looking into a series of residential burglaries that have occurred in Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley, and Brentwood. In many of these incidents, groups of juveniles have entered through unlocked doors, sliding glass doors, or unsecured windows – sometimes by removing window screens. They appear to be looking primarily for vehicle keys, which has unfortunately led to several stolen vehicles.

To help keep your home and property safe, please consider placing your vehicle keys in a secure, less visible area inside your residence rather than near entryways, kitchen counters, or tables.

Our police departments are actively investigating these cases working with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. In the meantime, a few simple preventions steps can go a long way in helping protect our community.

Thank you for your cooperation, and please stay safe.

Concord man who sold fake Willie Mays memorabilia pleads guilty to wire fraud

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San Francisco Giants player Willie Mays in 1955 posing for the camera of an Associated Press photographer. Public domain. Source: Wikpedia

Daniel Damato faces 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine

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

OAKLAND – Daniel Damato pleaded guilty in federal court Monday afternoon, Dec. 8, 2025, to wire fraud in connection with his sales of fraudulent sports memorabilia.  Damato also admitted that he attempted to obstruct the FBI’s investigation into his criminal conduct.

Damato, 42, of Concord, California, was charged by information on October 20, 2025, with one count of wire fraud.  The information alleged that between 2022 and 2024, Damato, a sports memorabilia dealer, doctored and gave false provenance to valuable items to make them appear as authentic sports collectibles, and then attempted to sell the items to unsuspecting buyers at inflated prices.

In pleading guilty, Damato admitted that in 2023, he sold for $100,000 a baseball bat that he falsely represented as having been used by Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series.  Despite his assertions to the contrary, the bat Damato sold for $100,000 had not been used in the 1954 World Series and was in fact a “factory error” bat that was an inch shorter than what Mays used during his career.  After the victim buyer sent Damato $100,000 for the supposedly game-used bat, Damato did not send him anything.

Damato also sold other fraudulent items, including a jersey he falsely marketed as having been worn in a game by Mays that Damato sold for $50,000.

After the FBI executed a search warrant on his residence in October 2024, Damato contacted at least one potential witness in an attempt to obstruct the government’s investigation into his conduct.

United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez made the announcement.

Damato’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 23, 2026, before District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín.  Damato faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

Case No. 25-cr-0344-AMO

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.