Sheriff | Contra Costa Herald

Second murder charge filed against driver in stolen vehicle crash in Antioch last Wednesday

January 22, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Screenshot from ABC7 News of Camila and Lenexy Cardoza, the victims of a fatal stolen vehicle crash in Antioch, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018.

Second Cardoza daughter dies; Bail for suspect increased to $2,130,000

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

The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office has filed an additional murder charge against 23-year-old Noe Saucedo of Pittsburg.

On Friday the DA’s Office filed formal charges against Saucedo. He was charged with murder, felony evading, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of heroin.

Saucedo remains in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility. He is being held in lieu of $2,130,000 bail.

We are saddened to report that two-year-old Camila Cardoza was officially pronounced deceased at the hospital. Camila was a passenger, along with her sister Lenexy, in a vehicle that was struck by a stolen pick-up truck driven by Noe Saucedo on Wednesday on Somersville Road in Antioch. Lenexy was killed in the collision.

The investigation into the collision is ongoing by the Contra Costa County D.A.’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Antioch Police Department and the Office of the Sheriff per the officer-involved protocol. Investigators are trying to determine why suspect Saucedo stole the Ford F-250 pick-up truck in Pittsburg, why he accelerated away from a Deputy Sheriff who was following him, and why he ran through a red light at the intersection of Somersville Road and the eastbound Highway 4 off-ramp before colliding into another vehicle. In addition, tests are being conducted to determine if Saucedo was impaired in any way.

Anyone with any information on this incident or who may have witnessed it is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff 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.

For further news about this case on ABC7 News, click here.

Murder, other charges filed against driver of stolen vehicle in Wednesday crash in Antioch

January 19, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Bail set at $1,130,000 for Pittsburg resident Noe Saucedo

Noe Saucedo arrest photo. By Contra Costa County Sheriff

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

Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office this afternoon filed formal charges against Noe Saucedo, the suspect who drove a stolen pick-up truck on Wednesday that crashed into another vehicle on Somersville Road in Antioch. He is being charged with murder, felony evading, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of hero-in. 23-year-old Saucedo of Pittsburg remains in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility. He is being held in lieu of $1,130,000 bail.

Yesterday, the four-year-old girl who was killed in the vehicle collision was identified as Lenexy Cordoza. Her two-year-old sister and mother remain at the hospital.

“Clearly, suspect Saucedo took a series of actions that led to this tragedy,” said Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston. “We are saddened by the loss of life and offer our deepest sympathies to the family.”

Anyone with any information on this incident or who may have witnessed it 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.

UPDATE: Pittsburg man arrested, 4-year-old girl dies from stolen vehicle collision in Antioch Wednesday

January 17, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

The two pickup trucks involved in a fatal collision in Antioch on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. Screenshot of video by J. Guerrero from Facebook, courtesy of ABC7 News.

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

Noe Saucedo arrest photo. By Contra Costa County Sheriff

The suspect who drove a stolen vehicle that collided into another vehicle on Somersville Road in Antioch was arrested. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility after being interviewed by detectives. (See news footage of the scene on ABC7, here.)

He is identified as 23-year-old Noe Saucedo of Pittsburg. He was booked on one count of murder and two counts of felony evading. He is being held in lieu of $1,050,000 bail.

This afternoon a 4-year-old girl who was injured in the collision was pronounced deceased at the hospital. She is not being identified.

The investigation into this collision is ongoing. Earlier, the countywide officer-involved protocol was invoked. The investigation is being handled by the D.A.’s Office, Office of the Sheriff, California Highway Patrol, and Antioch PD.

At about 12:47 this afternoon, the Office of the Sheriff received information of a stolen vehicle in Pittsburg. A Deputy Sheriff spotted the stolen vehicle, a Ford F-250 pickup truck on Bailey Road. The Deputy followed the vehicle as it headed eastbound on Highway 4. The Deputy did not activate the emergency lights on his vehicle.

As the suspect took the Somersville Road exit, he immediately accelerated at a high rate of speed. The Deputy then activated the emergency lights on his vehicle. Moments later, the suspect vehicle went through a red light at Somersville Road and collided into a Ford F-150 that was heading southbound.

Three people, including two children, were injured in the F-150. A 2-year-old and her mother remain in the hospital.

Anyone with any information on this incident 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.

Driver of stolen vehicle causes collision injuring four in Antioch Wednesday afternoon

January 17, 2018 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Scene of the head-on collision on Somersville Road near Highway 4 in Antioch, Wednesday, Jan. 17. Screenshot by Belinda Sedano from Facebook, courtesy of ABC7 News.

Screenshot by Belinda Sedano from Facebook, courtesy of ABC7 News.

At about 12:47 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, the Office of the Sheriff received information of a stolen vehicle in Pittsburg. A Deputy Sheriff spotted the stolen vehicle, a Ford F-250 pickup truck on Bailey Road. The Deputy followed the vehicle as it headed eastbound on Highway 4. The Deputy did not activate the emergency lights on his vehicle.

As the suspect took the Somersville Road exit, he immediately accelerated at a high speed. The Deputy then activated the emergency lights on his vehicle. Moments later, the suspect vehicle went through a red light at Somersville Road and collided into a Ford F-150 that was heading southbound.

Three people, including two children, were injured in the F-150. They were taken to local hospitals. The suspect, a 23-year-old Pittsburg resident, was also taken to a hospital. He is not being identified at this time.

Screenshot by Belinda Sedano from Facebook, courtesy of ABC7 News.

According to Antioch Police Lt. Tarra Mendes, Antioch Police Officers responded to assist the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office. The incident caused the closure of North and Southbound Somersville Road as well as the Eastbound Highway 4 off ramp to Somersville Road.

The countywide officer-involved protocol was invoked. The investigation is being handled by the D.A.’s Office, Office of the Sheriff, California Highway Patrol, and Antioch PD.

Sheriff releases response to DOJ inquiry on immigration law compliance following Herald request

December 26, 2017 By Publisher 4 Comments

Sheriff David O. Livingston. From CCCSheriff website.

By Daniel Borsuk

Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston has provided at the request of the Contra Costa Herald a copy of his Dec. 1 letter to answer questions whether the department is out of compliance with federal immigration laws that entitled the Coroner-Sheriff Office to nearly $25 million in federal grants in 2016. CCSheriff ltr to DOJ re 8 USC 1373 Compliance 12-1-17

The sheriff’s letter was due Dec, 8, and he essentially informed U. S. Acting Assistant Attorney General Alan Hanson that the Office of the Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner is in compliance with federal immigration policy. That is in spite of the fact that beginning Jan. 1, 2018 California law enforcement agencies must begin to enforce Senate Bill 54, the California Values Act or what is better known as the sanctuary state law.

Livingston included with the letter his department’s draft policy on how it will and won’t cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) which was issued Dec. 3, 2013 and updated on Nov. 16, 2017.

In his letter to Hanson, Livingston wrote:

“The California Values Act, with we must comply. That Act provides specifically that it does not authorize information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful of an individual, or from requesting from federal immigration authority’s immigration status information lawful or unlawful of an individual, or maintaining or exchanging that information with any other federal, state, or local government entity.”

Sheriff Livingston missed attending the Dec. 7 meeting of the Board of Supervisors’ Public Safety Committee meeting, disappointing a number of committee members who wanted to hear him comment and answer questions about the draft policy on ICE-undocumented jail inmates, but obviously were unable to do so.

“I am surprised and disappointed that the sheriff is not here,” said District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond at the committee meeting. “I don’t know if this has ever happened before where the sheriff has not appeared at a Public Protection Committee meeting.”

Please see related article.

Contra Costa Sheriff announces findings in ICE detention complaints investigation

December 22, 2017 By Publisher 2 Comments

Sheriff David Livingston, center, speaks with Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (to his left) and staff during a tour of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. Herald file photo.

Refutes claims made by illegal alien female inmates against West County Detention Facility

The West County Detention Facility in Richmond. Herald file photo

The Office of the Sheriff has completed its investigation into complaints raised by several Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) female detainees at the West County Detention Facility (WCDF) in Richmond, California. The complaints were first reported in a local newspaper. The Sheriff’s Office immediately launched an investigation. Investigators interviewed 110 witnesses, with audio recordings and translators where necessary, and viewed hundreds of hours of video surveillance recordings. They also examined log books, computer entries and other evidence. (See related article)

The investigation found that nearly all of the complaints were unfounded and unsubstantiated. Claims of being “locked down” for 23 hours a day were false. The most time any ICE detainee was confined to their dormitory room was one hour and 24 minutes. These “lock downs” are commonly done for facility counts or for administrative reasons. At WCDF the detainees have keys to their rooms and free use of common bathroom facilities.

In one example, the person who complained in the article of being confined to her room for 23 hours was in fact confined for several days in a room with a full toilet and sink. She was confined in such a manner for disciplinary purposes after she assaulted another detainee.

Sheriff David O. Livingston. From CCCSheriff website.

Regarding the use of “red” biohazard bags for toilet needs, there was no evidence that any detainee was forced to use the bags in that manner. In very few cases detainees did use the bags for that purpose in violation of policy. Biohazard bag distribution is now limited to those detainees who are ill or have other medical needs. All inmates are free to use the bathrooms at any time, and even during “lock down” periods of approximately one hour, by notifying a Deputy Sheriff by using the call button in their rooms.

There were two complaints alleging limited access to healthcare that also appear to be unfounded based on detainee interviews. However, Contra Costa Health Services will be reviewing those specific complaints.

“Consistent with independent ICE inspections, we found that the alleged policy violations were largely unfounded,” said Sheriff David Livingston. “In fact, many detainees told us they are well treated at the West County Detention Facility.”

Sheriff Livingston added, “Some issues were identified, such as the use of profanity by a staff member or the quicker replacement of detainees’ room keys when they are lost or damaged. We will use this opportunity to improve wherever we can.”

The investigation will now be provided to the California Attorney General as Sheriff Livingston promised he would do.

Supervisors designate West County Detention Facility future expansion as mental health treatment facility

December 20, 2017 By Publisher Leave a Comment

The rendering of the white topped buildings shows the future expansion of the West Contra Costa Detention Facility, approved earlier this year.

Treatment will include administering psychotropic medications

By Daniel Borsuk

Unlike six months ago when Contra Costa County supervisors faced the rage of protestors opposed to the $95 million expansion of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond, supervisors approved without a whimper of protest a request by the Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston and Health Services Director Robert Walker to designate the expanded detention facility as a mental health treatment facility.

The item at Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting was a consent item and did not draw either citizen or supervisor comment.

Supervisors unanimously approved the item.

That action was in sharp contrast to the time supervisors faced nearly 70 protestors opposed to Sheriff-Coroner Livingston’s proposal to expand the jail. Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve the sheriff’s proposal at that time with Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond casting the lone dissenting vote.

In Tuesday’s vote, supervisors were complying with their action taken in June by designating the West County Detention Facility and the future West County Reentry, Treatment, and Housing Facility as mental health treatment facilities in accordance with California Penal Code Section 1369.1. This will permit sheriff deputies or detention facility wards to administer psychotropic medications to persons in county custody who have been adjudged incompetent to stand trial due to mental disorder, refuse to take psychotropic medications and are unable to provide informed consent as recommended by the Health Services Director Dr. William Walker and Sheriff-Coroner Livingston.

“We have to be prepared to take all that comes regardless of their mental state, “said Sheriff-Coroner Livingston in June. “I don’t have a choice.”

“Without medication, symptoms such as increased aggression, self-destructive acts, and severe behavior outbursts can jeopardize the safety of the inmate-patient, the other inmates, and the detention facility staff,” Dr. Walker and Sheriff Livingston jointly wrote in a memo to the supervisors. “The Health Services Department, and the Office of the Sheriff remain committed to transferring individuals to treatment facilities in a timely manner. These facilities, however, are crowded and have long waiting lists. The recommended extension of this designation to the West County detention facilities can help the county cope with the effect of delays beyond the county’s control.”

County Zoning for Solar Energy Generating Facilities Gets Green Light

Supervisors unanimously adopted a zoning ordinance that will pave the way for commercial solar energy generating facilities primarily built by Marin Clean Energy (MCE), which this year inked contracts with county supervisors and city councilmembers of 13 municipalities to be their clean energy options commencing in 2018.

County planning officials presented a map and an ordinance that allows commercial solar energy generating facilities in industrial and commercial zoning districts in unincorporated portions of the county. Areas of the county’s northern waterfront stretching generally from Richmond to Bay Point were designated for the zoning designations. There were no speakers in opposition or in favor of the zoning proposal, but supervisors did receive a Nov. 12 letter addressed to the county planning commission from Howdy Godey of El Cerrito encouraging planning commissioners to approve the zoning proposal.

“I enthusiastically support the adoption of general plan zoning amendments regarding solar generation facilities.” he wrote. “These actions will support the Contra Costa County Climate Action Plan (2015) by providing opportunities to build solar generation facilities that will lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with electric power generation.”

In addition to the county, the city councils of Concord, Danville, El Cerrito, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Pinole, Pittsburg, Richmond, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek have signed contracts with MCE to serve as their clean energy option contractors.

In a related planning issue, supervisors directed Conservation and Development Department officials to budget up to $7 million to update the county’s General Plan that will require an update by 2020. Supervisors also instructed department officials to budget $1.5 million to bring the county’s zoning code into the 21^st Century. The zoning code has not been updated since 1947 when the county had about 300,000 residents. Today 1.2 million persons reside in the county.

Supervisors also approved as a consent item a new county library commission composition as recommended by the Library Commission and County Librarian Melinda Cervantes. The reconstituted library commission was triggered mainly with the City of Richmond library leaving the county library system.

The new library commission composition will consist of 29 commissioners. Supervisors must select a representative to serve on the library commission that represents the Contra Costa Central Labor Council, the Contra Costa Community College District, the East Bay Leadership Council, the Contra Costa Friends Council and the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Library commissioners will serve four-year terms and serve in an advisory role to the board of supervisors and county librarian. The library commission will meet at least quarterly and no more than six times a year. There is no fiscal impact related to the newly reconstituted library commission.

County Sheriff alerts public to jury duty scam

December 14, 2017 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Public Notice – Jury Scam Alert

Past or prospective jurors are NEVER contacted by phone regarding failure to serve jury duty. All communication regarding failure to serve jury duty is done via U.S. mail. No court jury staff or Contra Costa County Sheriff’s staff ask past or prospective jurors to pay a fine or provide financial details including, credit card numbers, bank account, social security numbers or other personal information. Please do not provide this type of information to anyone.

If you receive a telephone call, from someone identifying himself or herself as a court employee or an employee of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department regarding a failure to appear for jury service, THIS IS A SCAM. DO NOT PROVIDE ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION, OR PAY THEM ANY MONEY!

If you are contacted, please call the Jury Commissioner’s office at 925-608-1000.

Sheriff boycotts Public Protection Committee meeting on threats of $25 million loss in federal DOJ funds

December 8, 2017 By Publisher 1 Comment

Due to state sanctuary policies, county policy to go into effect next year; response due today

By Daniel Borsuk

With neither Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston nor one of his representatives in attendance at a meeting of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee on Thursday, there was more concern as to why the sheriff wasn’t in attendance than the topic at hand: the possibility the county could lose up to $24.7 million in federal assistance.

Representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Probation, Employment and Human Services, and County Administrator were present at the committee meeting conducted by Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond and attended by Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg.

Without Livingston or his representative at the committee table, supervisors and citizens serving on the committee could not get a proper read on the status of the sheriff’s policy on the arrest and detention of undocumented immigrants primarily at West County Jail, and how well deputies interface with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and United States Marshals.

Some $19.8 million of the $24.7 million in federal aid that the county receives from the federal government is allocated to the Sheriff-Coroner Office. Employment and Human Services receives $1.9 million in federal aid, Probation pulls in $1.1 million, the County Administrator draws $983,971, the District Attorney gets $563,848, and the Public Defender collects $180,412.

“I am surprised and disappointed that the sheriff is not here,” said Supervisor Gioia. “I don’t know if this has ever happened before where the sheriff has not appeared at a Public Protection Committee meeting.”

“I’m shocked and dismayed that no one from the Sheriff’s Office is here,” said Renee Zeimer representing Organizing for Contra Costa Action. “How is the sheriff held accountable to the public?”

About four other also persons complained that the sheriff or a representative should have been in attendance at the committee meeting.

The fate of federal money that California cities and 58 counties receive will probably be decided in United States District Court on Wednesday, Dec. 13, when U.S. District Judge William Orrick is expected to rule on whether California Senate Bill 54 or “the Sanctuary State Bill” that was recently signed by Gov. Jerry Brown and goes into effect Jan. 1 conflicts with Executive Order 1373 that President Donald J. Trump inked on Jan. 25, 2017.

Executive Order 1373 assigns broad powers to the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Marshalls to investigate, arrest, and deport undocumented immigrants in order to secure the safety of the interior of the nation. The executive order also gives the DOJ investigative power to determine if states, cities, and counties are in compliance with Executive Order 1373.

In Sanctuary States like California, Contra Costa County and other counties are aligning policies to conform with SB 54 unaware how Judge Orrick will rule.

When asked if the county has a Plan B should the U.S. District Court strikes down SB 54 and uphold Executive Order 1373, Supervisor Gioia remarked, “That’ll be an issue for the state and every city and county effected by SB54.”

Sheriff Receives DOJ Letter

The Sheriff-Coroner Office received on November 15 a letter from U.S. Department of Justice Acting Assistant Attorney General Alan Hansen inquiring whether the sheriff office is in conflict with Executive Order 1373 if a custody deputy does not inform ICE of the immigration status of inmates. “The department is concerned that this appears to restrict the sending or requesting of information regarding immigration status in violation of section 1373 (a) and (b),” wrote Hansen.

The letter was directed to Mary Jay Robb, the Chief for Management Services in the Sheriff’s Office.

Livingston would not respond to calls from the Herald with questions about the letter. The Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Jimmy Lee instead referred calls to County Administrator David Twa.

One program that wasn’t included in the DOJ inquiry is the Stand Together CoCo program, which the Board of Supervisors approved in September with $500,000 in state AB 109 funds to help launch the program. The Public Defender’s Office is overseeing the program.

Twa confirmed that the DOJ letter is about the state’s sanctuary policies, not the county’s new policy that will not go into effect until next year.

County Has Until Today to Respond to DOJ

The county needs to respond to the DOJ inquiry by today, Friday, Dec. 8.

The Stand Together program will monitor ICE arrests of undocumented immigrants in the county. The program that is also funded through private sources will have counselors visiting undocumented immigrants held at West County Jail. The Stand Together CoCo program expects to counsel up to 180 undocumented immigrants held at the jail during the first six months of the program. The program gets underway January 1, 2018.

County Sheriff’s Crime Lab receives grant for equipment to help with DUID cases

December 8, 2017 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Example of a Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry instrument. Photo by Polimerek – Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=425348

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

The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Forensic Services Division Crime Laboratory has received a state grant for “Improved Technology for Identification of Impairing Substances in DUID Cases”.

This $207,100 grant will fund the purchase of two new Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) instruments. These instruments will have the ability to routinely identify and quantitate compounds that are commonly encountered in driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) and drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases.

The two new GCMS instruments offer increased sensitivity and will be replacing older instrumentation within the Crime Lab. The new instruments will enable the Forensic Services Division to provide analysis in alignment with recommendations set by national organizations for DUID cases.

“The new GCMS instruments will allow the Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab to provide more comprehensive and timely results for the investigation and prosecution of DUID cases in Contra Costa County,” said Forensic Services Chief Pam Hofsass.

On January 1, 2014, changes to driving under the influence laws (Sections 23152 and 23153 of the Vehicle Code) went into effect making it unlawful for a person who is under the influence of any drug to drive a motor vehicle; this not only includes illegal narcotics and stimulants, but also some legal prescriptions, herbs, marijuana and over-the-counter drugs.

The purchase of these instruments and method validation is anticipated to take ap-proximately one year. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.