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Did You Know ...
From the Office of the Alameda County District Attorney
Nancy E. O'Malley, District Attorney
February, 2010

In This Issue
Office Unveils H.E.A.T. Watch
Issue Dedicated to H.E.A.T.
Crackdown on Human Trafficking
Press Conference
H.E.A.T. Watch Flyer
Court Closures in 2010
From the Courtroom
Q & A
Quick Links
Point of View
Criminal Docket Finder

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Alameda County District Attorney's Office Unveils H.E.A.T. Watch

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O'Malley announces the unveiling of H.E.A.T. Watch, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office's model program to combat Human Exploitation and Trafficking (H.E.A.T.).


H.E.A.T Watch is an innovative, multilevel blueprint designed to combat the H.E.A.T. epidemic victimizing our youth, plaguing our communities, and impacting our businesses.  H.E.A.T. Watch brings together under one umbrella five strategies to combat H.E.A.T. at local, regional and national levels because human trafficking knows no borders and exists right before our very eyes. H.EA.T. Watch challenges everyone to open their eyes and ears, to WATCH and take ACTION. 


Read more ...
 What's New
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office Dedicates the February, 2010 issue of Did You Know to the ongoing battle against H.E.A.T. (Human Exploitation & Trafficking).
February 1, 2010 is the National Day of Freedom, the final day of National slavery and human trafficking prevention month.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-proclamation-national-slavery-and-human-trafficking-prevention-month
Alameda County District Attorney crackdown on human traffickers gets tougher

"The case was important for Alameda County prosecutors because Craven became the first person in Alameda County to face asset forfeiture and a fine of up to $20,000 under a new human trafficking law, AB17, said Deputy District Attorney Sharmin Eshraghi Bock, head of the H.E.A.T. unit of the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. (The acronym means Human Exploitation and Trafficking.) Fifty percent of the fines will go to support services for sexually exploited minors."

1/25/2010
Read more at InsideBayArea.com

District Attorney Nancy E. O'Malley and Assemblymember Sandre Swanson hold a press conference to announce AB17, the Human Trafficking Penalties Act.
Watch the Press Conference from November 4th, 2009
H.E.A.T. Watch Flyer
"We are educating and engaging businesses and communities to keep their eyes and ears open and tell us what they see on the street every day - in essence they are our Neighborhood Watch for human trafficking," says Ms. O'Malley. "Sadly, many victims of human trafficking are children.  It's important to recognize that these children are all of our children, and they can be rescued when someone opens their eyes, pays attention, and takes action."
Download flyer
COURT CLOSURE DAYS 2010
The Alameda County Superior Court will be closed the third Wednesday of each month.  The closures, which will be treated as holidays for judicial business purposes, are a result of funding reductions.  Court closures will take place in every county throughout the state. 
 The following dates are planned court closures:

February 17, 2010
March 17, 2010
April 21, 2010
May 19, 2010
June 16, 2010
 
No court business will be conducted on these dates.  This includes both jury service and traffic court.   The Superior Court's web site has additional information regarding the closures: 
www.alameda.courts.ca.gov
 Consumer Alerts
NEW LAW MAKES IT EASIER TO SPOT LOAN MODIFICATION SCAMS - DON'T PAY ANY MONEY UP-FRONT!
Starting in October of 2009 it has become easier for homeowners in California to avoid loan modification scams.  IT IS NOW ILLEGAL FOR ANY PERSON OR COMPANY TO ACCEPT MONEY UP FRONT TO HELP YOU MODIFY OR NEGOTIATE YOUR HOME LOAN. 

 

Loan modifications scams are everywhere.  You hear companies on the radio, television, and in the newspapers offering to help you reduce your monthly payments or get out of a high interest loan.  Many of these companies claim to be lawyers or real estate brokers.  All you need to do to protect yourself from con artists that would prey on you is to remember:  PAY NO MONEY UP FRONT.  The law now says that it is illegal for ANYONE to ask you to pay any money up front. 

 

So if any company asks you for a "fee", "retainer", "commission", "start-up cost" or ANY type of money, report that company immediately to the real estate fraud division of the Alameda County District Attorney's Office at (510) 569-9281.

 From the Courtroom
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O'Malley Settles Fraud Case Against Local Midas Franchise Owner
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O'Malley announced on January 25, 2010 that a settlement has been reached with defendant Maurice Irving Glad who owns and operates 22 California Midas Auto shops, some of which are located in Alameda County.  The settlement brings to an end a "bait and switch" operation designed to defraud consumers.  "The Alameda County District Attorney's Office remains vigilant in protecting its citizens from predatory and unscrupulous business practices," says Ms. O'Malley

Read more...
Verdicts
January, 2010

Felony Verdicts
  • Jeffrey Wareham was convicted on January 27, 2010 of forced oral copulation, two counts of rape of a person under the age of 14, sodomy, lewd and lascivious conduct and enhancements. The defendant, over the course of several years, sexually assaulted the victim, who was between 7 and 13 during the assaults. The jury trial took 23 days. The prosecutor was Deputy District Attorney Paul Pinney.

  • John Doe (name withheld to protect the identity of the victim) was found guilty on January 26, 2010, after a thirty-six day trial of sexual assault of a spouse, three counts of terrorist threats, forced oral copulation, assault and assault with a deadly weapon, stalking, possession of a firearm, along with numerous enhancements.  He tracked down his ex-wife and children after she left them and terrorized them in August of 2008 in Fremont, leading to his arrest and the charges. He and his wife had been married for fifteen years before she left him. The prosecutor was deputy District Attorney Lindsay Walsh.

  • Kenneth Thompson was found guilty after jury trial on January 13, 2010 of evading a police officer, 2800.2 VC. Thompson had just left a Safeway store in Union City on February 24, 2009, after being recognized as a theft suspect. Thompson sped away in reverse from the responding officer, causing pedestrians and other vehicles to get out of the way to avoid being struck in the parking lot. Thompson continued his escape in a high speed chase on city streets increasing his speed to 80 mph as he passed James Logan High School, weaving in and out of traffic. Defendant successfully evaded police but was arrested in September, 2009. Sentencing is scheduled for 2/11/10. The prosecutor is Joe Goethals.

  • John Parquat was found guilty on January 4, 2010 of the 1994 murder and rape of Lowanda Jackson in East Oakland. Parquet's DNA was matched in 2005 to the murder, and the jury found him guilty of the crime, recommending he spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole. Parquat has a history of sexual assaults and convictions and is scheduled to be sentenced in April of 2010. The prosecutor was DDA Joni Leventis.


  • Misdemeanor Verdicts

  • On January 15, 2010 Dante Armstrong was found guilty after a misdemeanor jury trial of two counts of resisting arrest pursuant to Penal Code section 148. On Christmas day, 2008, police responded to a melee at Acorn Housing Project in Oakland. The police saw the defendant in fight with two women. Police attempt to pull defendant off of women and the defendant resisted. Eric Swalwell was the prosecutor.

  • On January 13, 2010 a misdemeanor jury found Tracie Woods of two counts of misdemeanor vandalism. On June 22, 2009, woods used a knife to vandalize the victim's car in the city of Oakland. Luis Marin was the prosecutor.

 Q & A
"I am worried that a teenage girl I know is being exploited. What should I do?"
If this is an immediate emergency, call 911. To report your fear of human exploitation or trafficking, call the DA's H.E.A.T. Watch tip line at (510) 208-4959 or you can email us at [email protected]. This information is also available on the District Attorney's website.
Do you have a question for the District Attorney's Office?
The District Attorney's Office receives many calls and e-mails from the public asking a wide variety of questions.  Each month, we will print one of these questions along with the answer.  We hope that many readers will find the information useful.

Please feel free to
e-mail a question of your own that you would like to see answered here.

 Until Next Issue...
We hope you found this newsletter informative.  Please visit our web site at alcoda.org for updated news items as well as more detailed information regarding the District Attorney's Office. 
Nancy E. O'Malley
Alameda County District Attorney