Did You Know ... From the Office of the Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O'Malley, District Attorney
September, 2010 |
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Oakland Gang Summit
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Law enforcement officials and Prosecutors from Federal,
State and Local agencies as well as community based organizations, school
district officials, and the faith-based community gathered in Oakland
for a two-day summit focused on gang violence in the City of Oakland.
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley, U.S. Attorney for the
Northern District of California Melinda Haag, Oakland Police Chief Anthony
Batts and Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums anchored the U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, Nancy O'Malley & Annemarie Conroy of the U.S. Attorney's Office
![neo at gang](http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs030/1102573040226/img/69.jpg?a=1103635823900) | two-day meeting, that included
over 140 speakers on panels ranging from intervention to law enforcement
strategies and best East Palo Alto Police Chief Ron Davis & DDA John Creighton
![jc](http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs030/1102573040226/img/71.jpg?a=1103635823900) | practices.
Representatives from the Alameda County District Attorney's Office
presented on topics including re-entry, truancy programs, call-ins, and law
enforcement communications across agencies and jurisdictions. The Governor's Office as well as the
Department of Justice also had high level representatives present to partner in
the effort. Presenters and participants
were able to meet and collaborate with a wide range of professionals all
dedicated to addressing the growing problem of gang violence plaguing
the City of Oakland.
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DA's Office Awarded Grant to Combat Human Trafficking of Minors |
On August 10, 2010, District Attorney Nancy O'Malley announced that the Alameda County District Attorney's Office was selected as one of only four recipients of a U.S. Department of Justice grant to combat Human Trafficking of Minors. The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Grant was awarded after a nationwide submission process. The Grant award is $300,000 over a two-year period. Other grant recipients include the State of Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the City of Boston, Massachusetts; and the Cook County State's Attorney, Chicago, Illinois.
![heat logo](http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs030/1102573040226/img/52.png?a=1103635823900)
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office created the HEAT (Human Exploitation and Trafficking) Unit in 2005, one year before California passed its human trafficking laws. In 2010, the District Attorney in collaboration with several community providers and partners, introduced H.E.A.T. Watch, a nationally recognized and innovative solution to combating HEAT based on a multi-system, multi-jurisdictional collaborative approach.
Ms. O'Malley stated, "This grant will fund the coordination and training efforts of H.E.A.T. Watch Partners. As a result, victim advocates will increase their capacity to identify children at risk or those involved in commercial sexual exploitation and link those children to essential services throughout the Bay Area, enhancing safety and stability. Law enforcement will increase identification and investigation of cases and the District Attorney will continue to aggressively prosecute traffickers. H.E.A.T. Watch was developed to be a replicable best practice model for regional and national law enforcement response for the commercial sexual exploitation of children and we are very proud of the comprehensive approach to combat human trafficking of children in Alameda County."
Multi-agency victim service advocates and providers throughout the Bay Area, and all 24 law enforcement agencies in Alameda County as well as the San Francisco Police Department, the Richmond Police Department, and Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department, are partners in H.E.A.T. Watch.
Deputy District Attorney Sharmin Bock, head of the HEAT Unit, is a nationally recognized expert in combating the commercial sexual exploitation of minors. Ms Bock stated, "This collaborative effort of victim advocates, law enforcement, social services, health care, as well as those from the community and local business is historic. It takes a village to rescue and recover a child from commercial sexual exploitation. The U.S. State Department has stated that the sale and purchase of children for sex is the 2nd largest industry in our country and has become a multi-billion dollar industry. This grant to the District Attorney's Office will greatly assist in our fight to combat the trafficking of children."
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Oakland Chinatown Streetfest
| District Attorney Nancy O'Malley & volunteers from the DA's office. ![](http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs030/1102573040226/img/65.jpg?a=1103635823900) |
The District Attorney's Office had a strong showing at Oakland's Chinatown Streetfest over the weekend of August 28th and 29th. At a festive booth on 9th Street,
representatives from the DA's Office gathered to provide the community with
useful information about a wide variety of topics such as restitution, victims'
rights, domestic violence and the Family Justice Center. |
DA's Office Participates in National Night Out
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DA staff volunteering for National Night Out ![Edit Image nno volunteers](http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs030/1102573040226/img/70.jpg?a=1103635823900) |
Several members of
the District Attorney's Office participated in National Night Out (NNO)
in the City of Oakland on Tuesday, August 3, 2010. Teamed up with City
of Oakland employees and volunteers, participants visited block parties
throughout the City of Oakland to recognize and thank the hosts and the
attendees for their efforts to make Oakland safer by meeting their
neighbors. This year, there were over 400 block parties throughout the
City.
Some of this year's participates from the District Attorney's Office
included Tasha Wiggins, John Goodfellow, Nahid Aria, Kathy Boyovich,
Steve Revel, Rebecca Tse, Jeff McCort, Veronica Ibarra, Sabrina Farrell,
Eileen McAndrew, Boniface Tam, Cheryl Brasil, John Creighton, Frank
Moschetti, Marina Jimenez, Steve Dalporto and Brad Kearns.
All agreed that this was a worthwhile event for the office to participate in again this year.
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New Orleans Comes to Alameda County Family Justice Center
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On August 30, the Alameda County Family Justice
Center hosted the
National Family Justice Center Alliance (NFJCA) Best Practices Training. Alameda
County was proud to train a Family Justice Center
team consisting of law enforcement, District Attorney staff, victim witness
advocates, and non-profit client advocacy from New Orleans, LA. The event was coordinated by District
Attorney Nancy O'Malley and Casey Gwinn
and Gael Strack of the NFJCA in San
Diego.
The Alameda County Family
Justice Center (ACFJC) is one of three Regional Training Centers in California. During
the week, training topics included an ACFJC Overview, Working Together in an
FJC, Advocacy in an FJC, Investigation and Prosecution, Job Shadowing, High
Risk Team Approaches, and discussion on the future of the New Orleans Family
Justice Team.![](http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs030/1102573040226/img/74.jpg?a=1103635823900)
Nancy O'Malley, Harold
Boscovich, Senior DDA Kim Hunter and OPD Investigator Randy
White participated in nearly all of the training topic
discussions. Job shadowing included time with Randy
White, Kim Hunter, Erin Scott of Family Violence
Law Center
and Raeanne Passantino of ACFJC.
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Alameda County District Attorney's Office Participates In
Housing Workshop
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This Saturday, September 11, 2010, the
Alameda County District Attorney's Office will participate in a free community
workshop designed to help local homeowners avoid foreclosure rescue
scams.
The workshop, held from 8:30 am to noon at
the First Congregational Church of Oakland at 2501 Harrison Street is sponsored
by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Besides
speakers from the Alameda County District Attorney's real estate fraud
division, HUD certified housing counselors will be on hand to provide free
counseling to local homeowners.
"We are proud to partner with HUD to
provide this valuable service to help homeowners avoid foreclosure rescue scams
during these difficult economic times," stated District Attorney Nancy
O'Malley. O'Malley added, "California unfortunately ranks among the
top three states facing foreclosures in 2010, and our office is committed to
being proactive in helping homeowners avoid becoming the victims of real estate
con artists."
The Alameda County District Attorney's
office will discuss the latest scams currently being perpetrated by con
artists, and offer practical tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of
foreclosure rescue fraud. "Knowledge is the key to avoiding becoming
a victim of real estate fraud," said Deputy District Attorney David Lim,
who is part of the real estate fraud division. "When people are
facing the fear of losing their homes, they often make decisions under stress,
which makes them vulnerable to scams," noted Lim. "Knowledge of
what those scams are will help residents avoid these scam, so we will be
sharing what we know about the latest scams with homeowners."
Spanish and Vietnamese interpreters will be
provided, as well as a complimentary continental breakfast.
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Verdicts |
August 2010
Felony Verdicts
- On August 24, 2010, Defendant Aaron Parsons was convicted of
four counts of forcible rape, forcible sodomy, residential robbery,
kidnapping, criminal threats, and assault with a deadly weapon. The
crimes occurred in 2004 and began in San Leandro. After brutally
beating and raping the victim, the defendant forced her to go to Hayward
where he continued to beat and sexually assault her for an additional two
days. The victim managed to fool the defendant into believing that her
family had an Amber Alert issued for her and he left her in an
apartment. The victim contacted her family, who contacted the police.
Despite initially being unwilling to prosecute, the victim courageously
came to court and testified. The Prosecutor was DDA Amilcar Ford.
- On August 19, 2010, a jury convicted defendants Tyrone Jackson
and Keith Millet of kidnapping, robbery and forcible rape. On the
evening of October 9, 2008, the victim in this case was at the Bench
& Bar nightclub in Oakland where she remembers ordering and drinking
one alcoholic drink, and then blacking out. She woke up in a car with
one defendant driving and the other in the back seat. The defendants
demanded her money, threatened to kill her and attacked and sexually
assaulted her. The victim was ultimately left stranded in her ripped
clothes, bleeding, with no phone, keys or money. Sentencing is scheduled
for October 7, 2010. The Prosecutor was DDA Joe Goethals.
- On August 16, 2010, a jury found defendant Patrick Grant guilty
of two counts of robbery with personal use of a firearm, and one count
of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On July 18, 2009, an
off-duty OPD Officer and his cousin were fishing at the trout pond on
Carson Road in Oakland. Defendant Grant approached the victims with a
gun and demanded their wallets. Both men complied and the defendant
fled in a car. After a brief car and foot chase, Grant was arrested.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 15, 2010, at which time the defendant
faces up to 30 years in prison. The Prosecutor was DDA Rebecca Warren.
- On August 5, 2010, a jury convicted defendants Mark Candler and
Elijah Thomas of attempted murder and shooting at residences, based upon
a June 30, 2006, incident. Candler and Thomas fired high powered rifles
in the vicinity of a crowded intersection in West Oakland, wounding the
targeted victim and striking several nearby apartments. Candler was also
convicted of illegally possessing firearms in 2008. The convictions
resulted from a large-scale operation by the Oakland Police Department
targeting West Oakland gang members. Candler & Thomas face life
imprisonment. The Prosecutor was DDA John Brouhard
- On August 2, 2010, a jury found Defendant Michael Woods guilty
of first degree murder for the killing of Bryant Sills, guilty of second
degree murder for the killing of Reese Allen, and also found the
multiple murder special circumstance clause to be true. On September 14,
2005, just before 6:00 AM, Woods shot and killed Bryant Sills at the
intersection of 80th Avenue and Alder Street in East Oakland. Woods, who
was driving a white van that morning, followed Sills as he left the
parking lot of the Quarter Pound Burger on International Blvd. When
Sills reached the stop sign at the above-mentioned intersection, the
defendant pulled up next to him and got out of his vehicle with a fully
loaded 9mm gun. He walked up to the passenger window of Sills vehicle,
put his hand inside the passenger window, and shot Sills in the face. He
fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Just 20 days later and a
few blocks over on October 4, 2005, the defendant shot and killed Reese
Allen, an 18 year old who had a revolver in his back pocket at the
time of the shooting. The defendant was attempting to purchase drugs
from the victim and when the victim refused to sell them to the
defendant, Woods pulled out his fully loaded 9mm gun and shot four
times. The victim was hit twice, with one of the bullets piercing his
heart. Soon after this shooting, the defendant was arrested on an
unrelated parole violation. He spoke to the police and claimed
self-defense in both shootings. While the defendant was in custody in
2007, a hit list that he created, which contained the names and
addresses of witnesses for both cases, was confiscated. The prosecutor
was DDA Venus D. Johnson.
Misdemeanor Verdicts- On August 24, 2010, a jury convicted defendant Lee Mark Poitier
of driving under the influence of alcohol, and found true the excessive
blood alcohol clause. On November 1, 2009, the Defendant Poitier and
Kaly Kim were driving on the 2300 block of Durant Avenue in the city of
Berkeley. Witnesses saw Kim back the car into another vehicle, at which
time Poitier switched seats with Kim and drove off. Defendant Poitier
drove half a block and the car stopped at the next intersection. The car
stayed at the light for three cycles and the two switched seats,
putting Ms. Kim behind the steering wheel once again. The car drove off
but was pulled over three blocks away after officers from the Berkeley
Police Department responded to numerous 911 calls. When the car was
pulled over Defendant Kim was still in the driver's seat. Both were
arrested and charged for driving under the influence. Ms. Kim's blood
alcohol was .15/.15 at the time of the incident and Mr. Poitier was
driving with a Blood Alcohol of .21/.20. Ms. Kim pled guilty prior to
trial. The Prosecutor was DDA Louis Marin.
- On August 13, 2010, a jury convicted Defendant Cal Hale of Penal
Code section 243.4(e)(1), sexual battery. On July 5, 2010, at
approximately 9:45 AM, Hale attacked a woman exercising in front of
Berkeley High School. The Defendant grabbed the victim's buttocks and
proceeded to push her toward several bushes which lined the wall the
school gymnasium. The victim resisted the forceful attack by screaming
and striking the Defendant. He fled the scene but was arrested several
minutes later by Berkeley Police Department. The conviction carries
lifetime sexual offender registration pursuant to PC section 290. The
Prosecutor was DDA Charles Wilson.
- On August 9, 2010, a jury convicted Howard Fu Wong of driving
under the influence. Shortly before 1:00 AM on October 18, 2009, the
Defendant rolled through a stop sign while driving on Manor at
Farnsworth in San Leandro and continued to drive while straddling the
center divide. When he was pulled over by the police, the officer
observed objective symptoms of alcohol intoxication. Field Sobriety
Tests suggested alcohol impairment and a Draeger Breath Test confirmed a
.09/.09 blood alcohol level. The Prosecutor was DDA Vieira-Ducey
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Q: "I would like to know more about the Family Justice Center and the resources that are available there. Where can I find more information? Where is it located?"
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A: The Family Justice Center is located at
470 27th Street, Oakland, CA. Their phone number is (510) 267-8800 You can visit the Family Justice web site to get information regarding the Center and the services provided.
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Do you have a question for the District Attorney's Office?
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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. |
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.
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Nancy E. O'Malley Alameda County District Attorney
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