By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County District Attorney

On April 12, 2019 Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Clare Maier sentenced Corell Olajuwon Hackett to 16 years and eight months in state prison for sex trafficking two young women from 2016 to 2018. The 21-year-old Richmond resident received concurrent sentences for criminal convictions in several other criminal cases as well. Judge Maier also imposed criminal court protective orders barring Hackett from having contact with any of the victims for a period of 10 years and ordered him to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Human Trafficking Unit Supervisor Dana Filkowski praised the work of police investigators in this complex case, particularly the Richmond Police Department Bravo Team working to suppress trafficking along the 23rd Street corridor of Richmond and Richmond Police Department Family Violence Detectives Bureau.

“The fact that an exploiter is also in a dating or intimate relationship with the victim is no defense to human trafficking,” said Deputy District Attorney Filkowski. “In fact, love and affection are often tools of manipulation and control used to keep the victim engaged in prostitution to benefit the trafficker and deter the victim from cooperating with law enforcement.”

Filkowski also emphasized that under the law, a minor’s consent is never a defense to sex trafficking.

In 2016, 17-year-old Jane Doe 2 gave birth to defendant’s baby. Within weeks of the birth, defendant pressured her to go out and make money for him by working as a prostitute. She disclosed to a Richmond Detective working out of the Family Justice Center that Hackett took her from Richmond to San Francisco so that she could prostitute on five separate occasions and that she gave him all the money she earned. Not long thereafter, Hackett began a relationship with Jane Doe 1. He started trafficking this victim when she was 17-years-old by putting her on the “blade” in Richmond – the area around 23rd St. known for street prostitution.

The defendant was arrested in the fall of 2018 for a domestic violence incident against Jane Doe 1. Investigators later learned that defendant was using the recorded jail phone to continue to have contact with Jane Doe 1, in violation of the court order. In more than 100 separate phone calls between November 2018 and February 2019, Hackett used threats, coercion, menace and manipulation of Jane Doe 1’s love for him to keep the 18-year-old Jane Doe prostituting so that she could put money on his jail account.

The 16-year, 8-month prison sentence was handed down by Judge Maier after Hackett pleaded guilty to the following charges from the four dockets:

• Human Trafficking of a Minor for a Sex Act
• Dissuading a Witness by Force or Threat
• Human Trafficking to Commit Another Crime
• Conspiracy to Dissuade Witnesses
• Contempt of Court
• Contempt of Court
• Contempt of Court
• Contempt of Court
• Leaving the Scene of an Accident
• Robbery
• Grand Theft from Person
• Domestic Violence

The sex trafficking and domestic violence cases (Dockets 02-329276-0 & 02-328628-3) were prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Dana Filkowski. The robbery and hit & run cases (dockets 05-180928-8 and 05-182443-2) were prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Christina Stevens and Deputy District Attorney Sarah Barkley.

If you or someone you know are being pressured to engage in prostitution to benefit or help support another person, help is only a phone call away. Contact Community Violence Solutions at 800-670-7273 to speak to a confidential counselor. Or visit the Contra Costa Family Justice Centers in Richmond or Concord to talk to a Navigator about a variety of services and support available right here in Contra Costa County. The Family Justice Centers are a family-friendly one-stop center serving victims of all human trafficking, domestic violence and other types of interpersonal violence. No appointment is needed, and the centers are located at 256 24^th Street in Richmond or 2151 Salvio St., Suite 201 in Concord.

To learn more about human trafficking in Contra Costa County, contact the Contra Costa Human Trafficking Coalition at www.contracostacoalition.org.

 

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

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has filed formal charges against Jorge Ortega Campos in connection with the killing of Michael Bagwell in El Sobrante in January. (See related article).

On January 26, 2019, at about 12:22 PM, Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a report of shots fired with a man down in the intersection of Jasmine Court and Jasmine Way in El Sobrante. Deputies arrived on scene and found a man deceased at that location. He suffered from gunshot wounds. The victim was identified as 52-year-old Michael Bagwell of Richmond.

Homicide Detectives from the Office of the Sheriff identified 38-year-old Campos of Richmond/Pinole as the suspect in the killing. Detectives later that day discovered Campos was being held in the Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) on unrelated charges. Apparently, an alert resident called police when he saw Campos acting suspiciously on Mountbatten Court in Concord. That resident was able to detain him until police arrived. At the time, Campos was booked into the MDF on numerous charges including drug possession and parole violation.

Campos is still being held at MDF. His charges now include murder and carjacking in connection with the killing of Bagwell. He is being held without bail.

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

By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County District Attorney

On March 4, a Contra Costa County jury found defendant Fred Lowe of Sacramento guilty of seven felonies, including the murder of four victims from a collision caused by Lowe on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017. After the fatal crash, Lowe fled the scene of the incident and was later found by law enforcement officers. Lowe was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash and he had five prior DUI convictions. Lowe’s blood, drawn four hours after the crash was measured at .19% and an expert testified that his blood alcohol level at the time of the crash would have been approximately .24%. (See related CBS13 Sacramento rews report)

Lowe sideswiped the victim’s Nissan Rogue as he traveled at an unsafe speed east bound on Interstate-80 west of El Portal Drive in San Pablo. After the initial impact from the crash, Lowe’s vehicle forced the Nissan Rogue against the center divider at which point the Nissan Rogue went over the divider into oncoming west bound traffic, where it was hit by two westbound vehicles. Three additional people in those vehicles were treated for serious injuries.

The four deceased victims are Joseph Horn, his father Darryl, Baden Biddle and his father Troy Biddle. Joe Horn’s older brother Jared was the driver of the Nissan Rogue and was only slightly injured. The Biddle Family were relatives of the Horn’s visiting from out of state over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Lowe now faces a maximum sentence of over 125 years to life in state prison. Sentencing will occur on March 29, 2019 in front of the Honorable John W. Kennedy – Department 8 of the Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez. Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney Derek Butts prosecuted the case on behalf of the People. The case originated in the Office’s Homicide Unit.

The tragic loss of life in each of these incidents underscores the very real danger to the citizens of our County when drivers choose to get behind the wheel and drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The District Attorney’s Office and the law enforcement agencies of Contra Costa County are committed to ensuring the safety of the public on our roadways and to the prosecution of those who drive under the influence to the fullest extent of the law.

The felony counts against Lowe for his verdict:

• Count 1, Murder
• Count 2, Murder
• Count 3, Murder
• Count 4, Murder
• Count 5, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Causing Injury Within 10 Years of Two Other DUI Offenses
  • Enhancement 1, Great Bodily Injury
  • Enhancement 2, Great Bodily Injury
  • Enhancement 3, Bodily Injury to More than One Victim
• Count 6, Driving with a .08% BAC Causing Great Bodily Injury Within 10 Years of Two Other DUI Offenses
  • Enhancement 1, Great Bodily Injury
  • Enhancement 2, Great Bodily Injury
  • Enhancement 3, Bodily Injury to More than One Victim
• Count 7, Leaving the Scene of an Accident
• Special Allegation, Prior Serious Felony (Counts 1-4)
• Special Allegation, Prior Serious or Violent Felony Prior (Counts 1-7)

Case information: People v. Fred Douglas Lowe, Docket Number 05-181540-6