See 10/13/23 UPDATE for her responses to questions about her comments. Now claims “entire department…under review.”

Joined by another Contra Costa organization leader at Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Switzerland

“Tamisha Torres-Walker…has now misrepresented what is truly happening at the Antioch Police Department to the world…” – APOA attorney Mike Rains

Barbanica Also Disputes Colleague’s Claims

By Allen D. Payton

According to an announcement by the Richmond, CA-based Safe Return Project, “on October 5, 2023, (Antioch Mayor Pro Tem) Tamisha Torres-Walker, (the organization’s) Executive Director and Co-Founder of, alongside James Heard, Director of Lift Up Contra Costa, sat in the grand auditorium in Geneva, Switzerland, at the United Nations to shed light on the decades of alleged racism and corruption of local law enforcement of nearly half the Antioch, CA police force and the impact on Black lives and civil rights at the 38th Meeting – 54th Session of Human Rights Council.”

The announcement also shared, “The United Nations Human Rights Council welcomed 45 speakers from around the globe who gave an enhanced interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner and the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement. The EDFU Foundation invited Tamisha for the prestigious honor of providing a statement before the Human Rights Council based on two reports, the EMLER and OHCHR.

The Human Rights Council will report back to the United Nations to make recommendations using the presented EMLER. OHCHR Report calls upon America to “do something” about the fundamental protection of human rights of Black people and their civil rights when it comes to cruel and unethical acts committed by the institution of American policing as well as ending the war on drugs, that has led to the incarceration and disenfranchisement of missions of Black Americans.

Torres-Walker’s statement to the Human Rights Council, United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland:

‘I was encouraged to see solutions to police corruption and use of force driven by community engagement stated prominently in the EMLER and OHCHR Reports.

Civilian oversight of law enforcement is a crucial and necessary mechanism that plays a vital role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and the protection of civil rights.

Antioch, CA, is the second most diverse city in the US Bay Area, with a population of over 115,000, with 20.2% of its population identifying as African American. It has a police department with more than 80% of its department sworn and non-sworn personnel under federal and state review for civil rights, use of force, and other violations of public trust.

Oversight serves as a check and balance and has the ability to promote sustainable solutions to public safety that are not simply alternatives to policing but have a higher success rate of preventing crime and harm while keeping communities safe.

Community-based solutions to public safety and protecting the rights of black Americans should be a priority, not over-policing and hypersurveillance. The city of Los Angeles’s police department’s budget, for example, is $3.2 billion annually and climbing; this is a budget the size of most developing countries’ military budgets. These sustainable solutions, like civilian peacemaker operations across America and elsewhere need to be funded at the same scale.

Again, thank you for this report, and thank Edfu Foundation for this opportunity.’”

False Information Corrected

However, part of what Torres-Walker shared is incorrect about the Antioch Police Department officers. As previously and extensively reported, the FBI and Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office have been investigating alleged “crimes of moral turpitude” involving a handful of Antioch officers. The larger number of officers caught up in the racist text scandal are undergoing an internal City investigation using an outside contracted investigator. (See related article here and here)

Furthermore, of the 105 sworn officers currently on the Antioch Police force, 80% would mean 84 are under investigation which is not correct.

Questions for Torres-Walker Go Unanswered

Questions were sent to Torres-Walker asking her to back up her claims. She was asked, “where did you get your statistics and facts that you mentioned in your speech at the U.N. meeting last week? What state review of the sworn  and non-sworn personnel for civil rights, use of force and other violations of public trust is currently underway? Which agency is conducting it? Other than the FBI investigation, along with the CCDA’s office of the handful of officers for alleged ‘crimes of moral turpitude’ what federal review are 80% of the department’s sworn and non-sworn personnel undergoing? Which agency is conducting it? Why didn’t you say anything positive about our city? Do you think spreading negative and false information will benefit the Antioch Police Department and city? What good were or are you hoping to result from your speech? Are you wanting the United Nations to get involved in the current investigations of Antioch police officers? Did the City of Antioch pay for your trip?”

Questions for Chief, APOA VP & Attorney

Questions were also sent to Acting Antioch Police Chief Joe Vigil, APOA Vice President Lauren Bledsoe and APOA attorney Mike Rains asking for the details on the number of officers on the force and how many are under investigation.

APOA Attorney Says No State Involvement, Provides Correct Statistics

Michael Rains, of the Rains Luca Stern St. Phalle & Silver law firm, which represents the APOA responded with the following:

“Tamisha Torres-Walker is apparently not content simply misrepresenting the facts to the local media in Contra Costa County, or to the constituents in the City of Antioch.  She has now misrepresented what is truly happening at the Antioch Police Department to the world at a conference in  Geneva, Switzerland, which will no doubt give the City of Antioch a bad reputation internationally if someone cares to check the accuracy of her statement that ‘. . . 80% of (the Police Department’s ) sworn and non-sworn personnel are under federal and state review for civil rights, use of force, and other violations of public trust.’

First, she neglected to mention that the former Police Chief, Steven Ford, initiated a request on behalf of his Police Department for an ‘audit’ of the Department by the State of California Department of Justice. State DOJ stated that it was willing to conduct an audit but has not initiated any type of audit or review as of this date.

Civil rights attorney John Burris has ‘demanded’ that the federal government initiate an investigation of the department, but apparently, the federal government does not respond to Mr. Burris’ demands, and has thus not initiated an investigation or notified the department it intends to do so as of this date.

There is currently an administrative investigation underway relating to approximately 17 officers who have been placed on administrative leave by city officials (not at the direction of, or the concurrence by former Chief Steven Ford), for engaging in inappropriate text messaging on their personal cell phones. That pending administrative investigation has nothing to do with either civil rights violations or use of improper force.

The placement of those officers on administrative leave represents approximately 20% of the sworn workforce, not 80%, as stated by Torres-Walker, and of the 17 who have been languishing on paid administrative leave for over half this year, the incompetent City leaders (outside of the police department) who are supposedly ‘managing’ the administrative investigation by hiring ‘outside’ lawyers to interview the officers have only had about half of the officers interviewed thus far, and have no interviews at all scheduled for the other half.

Of the seven or eight officers who were interviewed, other than two who declined to answer questions and face discipline for that reason, there are no adverse findings in possession of the City against those officers.

Alternatively, the City leaders who are supposedly ‘managing’ the investigation, for whatever reason, including the fact that the findings by the outside lawyers do not play into the ‘racist culture’ narrative they have perpetuated, have not shared those findings with the officers or their attorneys.

It sounds like just another day of misrepresenting the truth to the public, but here the distortions were delivered to a much larger audience.” 

Barbanica Also Disputes Torres-Walker’s Claims

District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica was also reached for comment and said in response, “I’m unaware of 80% of our department being investigated. I’m very proud of the city that I was raised in and still live in. Having the opportunity to speak on a world stage I would have personally used that opportunity to highlight the positives the city has to offer, while addressing those issues honestly and factually.”

“The investigation is going to weed out anyone who should not be part of our department. The system is designed to identify the bad cops and eliminate them and keep the good cops and make sure those who should be working are,” he continued. “It’s unfortunate, this issue is being dragged back into the news when the situation is being dealt with by the FBI, the DA’s office, the courts and internally through an independent investigator. But I want it to be reported factually. 80% of our officers being investigated is news to me.”

“What she could have said is there is a small number of officers that are being investigated by the FBI and DA’s office. The others are undergoing an internal investigation,” Barbanica added.

The announcement by Torres-Walker’s organization also shared, “The Human Rights Council will report back to the United Nations to make recommendations using the presented EMLER. OHCHR Report calls upon America to ‘do something’ about the fundamental protection of human rights of Black people and their civil rights when it comes to cruel and unethical acts committed by the institution of American policing as well as ending the war on drugs, that has led to the incarceration and disenfranchisement of missions of Black Americans.”

The others did not respond prior to publication time.

Watchthe Full Session Enhanced ID: Excerpt Mechanism on Law Enforcement – 38th Meeting, 54th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council. See related documents: EMLER Report to OHCHR 2023 and OHCHR Report on EMLER 2023.

10/13/23 UPDATE: Torres-Walker Responds, Doesn’t Back Up Her Claims

On Friday, Oct. 13, Torres-Walker responded to the emailed questions with general information and without providing details to back up her claims:

Q. – Where did you get your statistics and facts that you mentioned in your speech at the U.N. meeting last week? 

A. – “The entire department has been under review that’s a fact. Not everyone has been indicted which is why my comments didn’t mention charges or terminations.”

Q. – What state review of the sworn and non-sworn personnel for civil rights, use of force and other violations of public trust is currently underway? Which agency is conducting it?

A. – “You as well as the public knows that there are officers and none sworn personnel facing federal and state charges not misinformation facts. There is also an internal investigation being led by the city attorney’s office again facts.”

Other than the FBI investigation, along with the CCDA’s office of the handful of officers for alleged “crimes of moral turpitude” what federal review are 80% of the department’s sworn and non-sworn personnel undergoing? Which agency is conducting it? Why didn’t you say anything positive about our city?

“I was there to address the topic of law enforcement and its harmful impact on black people and people of color based on two UN Reports. Did you read the Reports? The issues facing the police department is public and has been devastating to the community what’s positive about that?”

Q. – Do you think spreading negative and false information will benefit the Antioch Police Department and city? What good were or are you hoping to result from your speech? Are you wanting the United Nations to get involved in the current investigations of Antioch police officers?

A. – “I also mentioned the budget of the Los Angeles police department the point was to get them to recommend investments in community based violence prevention and intervention programs as stated in my comments.”

Q. – Finally, did the City of Antioch pay for your trip?

A. – “Although I am a council member in Antioch and a resident of Antioch I attended the session as the director of Safe Return Project and a member of the lift up Contra Costa coalition. I included James if you have any questions for him on your fact finding mission.”

Torres-Walker was then asked, “which federal and state agencies are conducting a ‘review’ of the ‘entire department’?” She was also asked, “Where did you get your statistic of 80% of the department? What other personnel besides the sworn officers and the one CSO are under review or investigation?”

She responded simply, “You should be able to get that information from the city attorney.”

The questions and her responses were then sent on Saturday, October 14, to City Attorney Smith, Acting Police Chief Vigil and APD spokesmen asking for them to answer the questions posed to the councilwoman.

Please check back later for their responses and any other updates to this report.

CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety says Hamas has put your kids at great risk online, parents should lock down or take away kids’ devices  

By Bridget Sharkey, Prime Media Management via prnewswire.com

Social media has long been used as a weapon by terrorist groups like Al Qaeda. Now Hamas is using the power of the Internet to terrify, confuse, and demean its victims.  

“Hamas is planting videos on sites like X that show gory and horrific acts of violence, including mass murders and defiled corpses,” said social media safety expert Marc Berkman, CEO of theOrganization for Social Media Safety (OFSMS).   

According to their website, the organization “is a nonprofit, consumer protection organization focused exclusively on social media. We protect against all social media-related dangers through a comprehensive approach that includes education, advocacy, and technology development. We are available to provide expertise for your story on social media-related dangers.”

Berkman says that these videos have millions of views, despite only being recently uploaded.  

“Terrorist groups often use social media platforms to disseminate hate and extreme violence,” he continued. “Parents around the country are receiving alerts from schools and elected officials over concerns that terrorists plan to disseminate distressing videos, including of hostages, through social media. These officials urge parents to delete TikTok and Instagram from their children’s devices as a protective measure.”

Berkman and the OFSMS concur, saying now is a good time to make your kids log off. He also agrees that major social media platforms, including X, Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, and Discord, may be used as weapons of war, spreading graphic violence and hateful messaging.  

“This is not a concern limited to TikTok and Instagram,” said the social media expert. “Many platforms already contain graphic, violent videos produced by terrorists. In the past, we have also seen videos of extreme violence shared through social media messaging-based platforms like Snapchat.”  

The Organization for Social Media Safety urges all social media platforms to block or immediately remove any content disseminated directly by a terrorist organization. Berkman and the OFSMS share the following tips for parents:  

• Consider pausing children’s social media access to protect their mental health and well-being. 
• Talk with your children about what to do if they come across violent content (We strongly recommend teaching your child about blocking and reporting.) 
• Consider third-party safety software, like our endorsed choice, Bark, that can alert you if dangerous content, like extreme violence, is shared on your child’s social media account. 

“We all have a responsibility to protect our community from the dangers of social media,” Berkman concludes. “Report and block! Don’t keep scrolling.”

By The Drama Factory

The House on Galloway Street, a Ghost Story opens Friday Oct. 20th at the Nick Rodriguez Theatre in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown.

A Halloween selection not for the faint of heart. Night Gallery? Twilight Zone? Creature Features? …Are they horror, drama thrillers? How do we classify a story that disturbs the viewer to present the reason for being? Ghosts are inherently interesting, and every culture has them. This tale is of the urban legend of the Crying Girl. We can understand how a ghost would be left in its wake.

Told in the present at a high school with three flashback vignettes – the story of the ghost of the Crying Girl unfolds. Who is she? Why does she come, and what brought her to return?

Come join the Drama Factory in this theatre presentation.

Performances

Friday, October 20  7:30 pm

Saturday, October 21  1:30 pm and 7:30 pm

Sunday, October 22  1:30 p.m.

Tickets: $10 Senior, $15 General

Sunday matinee 10/15 is free for Senior community members!

Tickets available at the door and on the website at www.dramafactory.org. The Nick Rodriguez Theatre is located at 213 F Street.

The Drama Factory is a 501(c)3 non-profit company and all contributions are tax deductible.

Could occur Nov. 1 – 8

Kaiser Permanente “will continue to bargain in good faith with the Coalition”

By Allen D. Payton

Ahead of continued negotiations scheduled for Thursday and Friday the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions issued the following press release on Tuesday, October 10, 2023:

As an acute and dire staffing crisis continues at hundreds of their facilities, Kaiser executives have been served official notice that another significant work action by their employees could be possible from November 1 to November 8, 2023. Those employees remain concerned about unsafe staffing levels, the company’s labor law violations, securing adequate wages to stay on the job and attract new workers, and the company’s outsourcing threats against workers just recently hailed as heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outsourcing, in particular, has emerged as a major sticking point in negotiations, as Kaiser executives have refused to agree to common sense limitations on subcontracting and outsourcing, which keep experienced healthcare workers in jobs and provide strong continuity of care for patients.

“It’s simple: Kaiser executives need to be investing in healthcare workers right now amidst this short staffing crisis, not discarding them through a variety of expensive outsourcing schemes,” said Tamara Chew, a Healthcare Plan Representative, Kaiser Permanente, Roseville. “I can’t understand why anyone in the Kaiser boardroom thinks corporate outsourcing threats are the way to treat a workforce that just a short time ago were being hailed as heroes.”

Frontline healthcare workers say they will wait until November 1 for any potential further strike action, when an additional contract covering workers in Seattle expires, and to give Kaiser executives more time to organize themselves around viable proposals. The Seattle contract’s expiration on October 31, 2023 at midnight would enable another 3,000 healthcare workers also impacted by the Kaiser short staffing crisis to join strike lines in another major west coast metropolitan area. Workers in southern Washington state were part of the initial wave of action, and now those actions could be taking place at Seattle facilities, representing a significant potential expansion of the labor actions at Kaiser. Seattle is one of Kaiser’s newer emerging markets and an area that has been targeted by the company for future corporate growth.

If healthcare workers strike again on November 1, the strike will begin at 6 AM local times and continue until November 8, 6 AM local times.

Healthcare workers have made clear they hope not to strike again and that while taking the legal steps necessary to prepare for that possibility, they are primarily focused on encouraging Kaiser executives to follow the law and to listen to the needs of patients and healthcare workers who are buckling under the current short staffing crisis within Kaiser facilities. Bargaining resumes on October 12 and October 13.

“For months, Kaiser executives failed to listen to the feedback from frontline healthcare workers about the need for executives to follow the law in negotiations and about the impacts that the Kaiser short staffing is having on patients,” said Caroline Lucas, Executive Director of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions. “This week, Kaiser executives will have another opportunity to listen to frontline staff, to follow the law in formal discussions, and to begin investing in ways that will solve the Kaiser short staffing crisis.” 

The Kaiser workers are united within the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, a coalition of eleven unions that spans Washington, D.C. to the U.S. West Coast. 

That coalition expects to hold a media briefing following the conclusion of this Friday’s negotiation sessions, unless those sessions continue further into the weekend, at which time an alternate briefing time may be announced. 

Similar to the first strike, a potential second strike would involve workers from Kaiser facilities in California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. 

It would include frontline healthcare workers employed as registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, emergency department technicians, radiology technicians, ultrasound sonographers, teleservice representatives, respiratory therapists, x-ray technicians, optometrists, certified nursing assistants, dietary services, behavioral health workers, surgical technicians, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, transporters, home health aides, phlebotomists, medical assistants, dental assistants, call center representatives, and housekeepers, among hundreds of other positions.

Background:

The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions represents 85,000 Kaiser healthcare workers in seven states and the District of Columbia. In April, the Coalition began its national bargaining process ahead of the September 30th contract expiration. On September 22nd, Coalition unions representing 75,000 Kaiser healthcare workers gave Kaiser executives 10-day notices for an unfair labor practice strike beginning Oct. 4. Last week’s actions led by workers across multiple states and in Washington, D.C. constituted the largest strike of healthcare workers in U.S. history, running from Wednesday, October 4 – Saturday, October 7, as frontline healthcare workers from hundreds of Kaiser facilities took to picket lines decrying the company’s unfair labor practices and chronic short staffing practices. On October 9, Coalition unions issued a second 10-day notice for a strike that may commence on November 1. The Coalition and Kaiser Permanente last negotiated a contract in 2019, before healthcare workers found themselves on the frontlines of the COVID pandemic that has worsened working conditions and exacerbated a healthcare staffing crisis.

At issue, healthcare workers say, are a series of unfair labor practices related to bargaining in bad faith, along with simmering staff concerns related to unsafe staffing levels that can lead to dangerously long wait times, mistaken diagnosis, and neglect. Outsourcing threats by Kaiser executives have also emerged as a sticking point in negotiations. After years of the COVID pandemic and chronic understaffing, Kaiser healthcare workers are calling on management to provide safe staffing levels.

Workers say that Kaiser is committing unfair labor practices and also that understaffing is boosting Kaiser’s profits but hurting patients. In a recent survey of 33,000 employees, 2/3 of workers said they’d seen care delayed or denied due to short staffing. After three years of the COVID pandemic and chronic understaffing, healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente are calling on management to provide safe staffing levels.

Kaiser has reported ​​$3 billion in profits in just the first six months of this year. Despite being a non-profit organization – which means it pays no income taxes on its earnings and extremely limited property taxes – Kaiser has reported more than $24 billion in profit over the last five years. Kaiser’s CEO was compensated more than $16 million in 2021, and forty-nine executives at Kaiser are compensated more than $1 million annually. Kaiser Permanente has investments of $113 billion in the US and abroad, including in fossil fuels, casinos, for-profit prisons, alcohol companies, military weapons and more.

—————-

Kaiser Responds

In response, Kaiser Permanente issued the following statement: “We have received notice from the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions for a potential second strike, beginning November 1 to November 8. We are scheduled to return to the bargaining table on October 12 and Kaiser Permanente remains committed to reaching an agreement that is good for our employees, our members, and our organization, and we will continue to bargain in good faith with the Coalition.”  

The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions unites more than 85,000 healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente facilities in California, Colorado, Oregon, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington.

To be honored at Thursday ceremony

By Allen D. Payton

In a Sept. 23, 2023, post on her official Facebook page, Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Tamisha Torres-Walker shared a photo of a letter to her from Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA8) that he has named her a 2023 Woman of the Year. Along with the other honorees, she will receive her award at a ceremony Thursday morning, Oct. 12 in Benicia.

The letter reads:

“Dear Tamisha

I am pleased to announce that you have been selected to be honored as a 2023 Woman of the Year. Each year, I recognize outstanding women of my Congressional District who have been nominated by their peers and have demonstrated a clear commitment to their community through their leadership and dedication to public service.

Congratulations! I look forward to seeing you…”

The letter also invited her to attend and provided details about “Congressman Garamendi’s 2023 Women of the Year Ceremony” and was signed by the Congressman.

Torres-Walker added an emoji of herself to the letter and responded on the Facebook post by writing, “The God of my understanding always finds a way to remind me to keep going.”

Participated in at least two armed robberies of letter carriers, one in Antioch and one in San Francisco

Enforcement actions are coupled with announcement of $150,000 reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of additional suspects

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

OAKLAND – Tuesday, October 10, 2023 – U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Rafael Nuñez announced today that multiple arrests have been made in cases involving the interference with delivery of the U.S. mail. The announcement was made at a press conference held this morning at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building.

The theft of postal keys, break-ins of postal vehicles, assaults on letter carriers, and various other criminal acts involving interference with delivery of the mail and the alleged illegal possession of personally identifying information were all discussed at the press conference. According to U.S. Attorney Ramsey, defendants in each case now are facing severe federal penalties that make clear their alleged crimes were not worth the consequences. (See surveillance video released by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service of the alleged suspects, here and here)

“In each of the cases I will discuss,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsey, “the government alleges the defendants have violated federal criminal laws and, as a consequence, federal agents and local law enforcement has tracked them down . . .. The penalties for these crimes can be sobering.”

Inspector in Charge Nuñez reinforced the U.S. Attorney’s remarks and announced that the reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of any individual who robs or assaults a postal worker is now $150,000.

“There is no more important mission for us as federal agents than protecting postal workers from crime and violence,” said Inspector in Charge Nuñez. “To any copycats or wannabes out there who might consider robbing a postal worker, I ask you to consider the years you will face in federal prison, the price on your head, and that postal inspectors will not stop hunting you. The proceeds of this crime are not worth your freedom.”

U.S. Attorney Ramsey stated that most of the cases involved the theft of specialized postal keys that often grant access to large mailboxes or mail storage facilities. Holding one such postal key in his hand, U.S. Attorney Ramsey explained that federal laws have been “carefully crafted to protect the sanctity of the mail, including the sensitive information we entrust to the mail system; the safety of the federal employees and contractors who deliver the mail; and the federal property that is used to ensure mail delivery.” He then went on to describe how three of the defendants are alleged to have violated the law as follows:

•    Robert Devon Nicholson Bell, Jr., 19, of Antioch, Calif., is alleged to have participated in at least two armed robberies of letter carriers, one in Antioch and one in San Francisco. Allegations in the criminal complaint filed against the defendant describe Bell’s use of mail keys to steal mail from blue mailboxes. According to a criminal complaint, Bell was found in Antioch in possession of robbed postal keys, a substantial quantity of stolen mail, a fraudulent USPS ID with his picture, and stolen and counterfeit checks. He now faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison for the unlawful possession of the postal key, as well as 25 years for each of the armed robberies. (Case No. 23-mj-71439 MAG)

•    Anthony Medina, 42, of American Canyon, Calif., is alleged to have unlawfully possessed seven mail keys. According to the complaint, officers with the San Francisco Police Department were attempting to perform a traffic stop when the defendant attempted to flee. Officers arrested the defendant and, in addition to the keys, defendant is alleged to have possessed credit cards in the names of other individuals, images of suspected stolen mail, and access codes for an apartment complex in San Francisco. Medina now faces 10 years in prison for each violation of 18 U.S.C. section 1704—the unlawful possession of the postal keys, as well as possible prosecution for unlawful possession of mail and credit cards. (Case No. 23-mj-71443 MAG)

•    Derek Hopson, 33, of Oakland, Calif., is alleged to have stolen mail and postal keys in two separate incidents that occurred in June of 2023. The complaint alleges the San Francisco Police Department responded to a burglary in progress at a residence in the Mission District of San Francisco when officers encountered the defendant in possession of several postal keys. Hopson also allegedly used a mailbox key to gain access to mailboxes at a residential complex in the Presidio of San Francisco. He now faces a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison for violating 18 U.S.C. sections 1704 and 1706. (Case No. 23-mj-71403 MAG)

Indictments and criminal complaints merely allege that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Further, in addition to the prison terms described, as part of any sentence following conviction the court may order defendants to serve an additional term of supervised release to begin after a prison term, additional fines, and restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The prosecution of these cases are the result of investigations by the United States Postal Inspection Service.

Gallaher, Robbins, McLeister also win

By Candice Martin, DCRR Racing

Antioch, CA…October 6-7…Buddy Kniss of Oakley won the 50 lap Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stock Nationals Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The 2019 IMCA Modified champion got the ride in the Dave Baca owned entry and made the most of it. The $3,000 victory was the biggest of his career.

Three-time Watsonville Hobby Stock champion Rob Gallaher of San Jose ended up with the win on Friday night, putting him in the Trophy Dash on Saturday, which he also won. Gallaher motored into the lead at the start, followed by 2020 champion James Thomson of Pittsburgh and Kenneth Robles of Rio Vista. Thomson made an inside pass on the back stretch on Lap 2 to grab the lead, but Gallaher came back strong on the outside in the fourth turn a lap later. A yellow flag waved for a flat tire on the Nick DeCarlo of Martinez car on Lap 4. Gallaher continued to lead the restart with Robles briefly moving into second. Thomson went low in Turn 4 a lap later to reclaim second and then made an inside pass on the back stretch on the eighth lap to take the lead from Gallaher once again. Kniss briefly took second from Gallaher, but Gallaher moved back around on Lap 9. Saturday night arrival Nick Johnson of Bakersfield made a high pass in Turn 4 on Lap 10 to grab third, and the battle intensified up front.

Gallaher made an inside pass in Turn 3 of the 12th lap to take the lead, and Johnson went low in Turn 2 a lap later to claim second. Johnson began smoking as he made an outside pass in Turn 4 on Lap 14 to take the lead from Gallaher. However, Gallaher came roaring back on the inside for the lead on Lap 15. A yellow flag flew for Robles, Aidan Ponciano of Oakley and Steven Johnson of Bakersfield in Turn 2 on Lap 16. Gallaher led the restart with Kniss motoring into second ahead of Nick Johnson. Another yellow flag waved on Lap 19. The restart saw Nick Johnson make a big move on the inside to take the lead from Gallaher. DeCarlo grabbed second. Johnson was still leading the way despite serious smoking issues. Following a Lap 27 yellow flag, Kniss made an inside pass to settle into second. Following a yellow flag on Lap 35, Kniss took the lead from Nick Johnson on the restart. 

A yellow flag waved on Lap 39 for Robles. The restart lap saw contact between Nick Johnson and DeCarlo, and a yellow flag waved once again. Johnson retired, and Buddy Kniss now led Jared Baugh of Pittsburgh and Chester Kniss of Antioch. Chester Kniss pitted with a flat tire during a lap-48 yellow flag. Buddy Kniss led the restart and brought it home to victory ahead of Baugh, Lance Hurst of Madera, Jewell Crandall of Antioch and Charlie Bryant of Oakley.

On Friday night, they ran a twin heat race format that earned the driver’s points and 15 starting spots in the preliminary Main Event. Rob Gallaher of San Jose would end up with the win following the two post-race disqualifications of Chris Long of Antioch and Colten Haney of Brentwood. 

The first round of 10-lap heat race wins went to Gallaher, Robles, Steven Johnson, Michaela Taylor of Oakley and Long. The next round of heats went to Buddy Kniss, Thomson, Haney, Bobby Motts, Jr. of San Pablo and Long, making Long the only driver to win two heat races.

Long started up front with Haney in the Friday preliminary Main Event, but Haney led the opening lap. Long went by on the inside a lap later to take the lead. Motts settled into an early third, but he brought out a Lap 11 yellow flag. Long continued to lead Haney and track champion Grayson Baca of Brentwood. A final yellow flag bunched the field on Lap 18. Haney surprised Long by taking the lead, but Long went low in Turn 1 on Lap 19 to reclaim first. Gallaher had settled into third, and they took the checkered flag with Long ahead of Haney, Gallaher, Baca and Robles. Following the tech disqualification of Haney and Long’s failure to go directly to tech after the race, Gallaher was elevated into first ahead of Baca, Robles, Thomson and Buddy Kniss.

Jimmy Robbins emerged with his first Figure 8 Main Event win of the season following multiple disqualifications. This was also the Mike Conley Salute, paying tribute to the recent Hall of Fame inductee.

DJ Keldsen of Newman had won the previous four races and took the early lead over Robbins, who was piloting his Super Stock on this occasion. Dakota Keldsen of Watsonville was an early third before being passed by his uncle, John Keldsen of Watsonville. John has won roughly 150 Figure 8 races throughout his illustrious career in California. A Turn 3 pass on the fourth lap gained John Keldsen the second position, and he set his sights on DJ. 

Following a red flag on Lap 10 for a fire under the hood of the Dakota Keldsen car, John Keldsen surprised DJ by charging into the lead. The battle intensified between the two before DJ Keldsen made a pass as they exited Turn 2 on Lap 14. Undaunted, John Keldsen kept his foot in it and stayed on the inside as they went into Turn 3. Unfortunately, he hit an infield tire and rolled, bringing out a red flag. At that point, DJ Keldsen exited his car to check on his uncle and the race was stopped. Following some incidents after the races, all three Keldsen cars were disqualified, putting Robbins in the winner’s circle ahead of Michaela Taylor of Oakley and Mike Conley, Jr. of Antioch.

Devin McLeister of Stockton picked up the win in the 15 lap 600 Micro Sprint Main Event. He started on the pole and enjoyed a good battle with Fremont’s Ryan Dotson before the they scored the 1-2 finish. Bobby Caldeira of Salinas finished third.

Following a week off, racing returns in a big way with the Fifth Annual Bill Bowers Memorial West Coast Nationals. The big money affair will include the IMCA Modifieds, Sport Modifieds and Stock Cars along with the recently added Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks. The Friday night portion will pay tribute to Hall of Famer JD Willis as well. For further information, go to www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page. 

Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 Race Results 

Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks 

Heat Winners Round 1 (10 laps)-Buddy Kniss James Thomson, Colten Haney, Bobby Motts Jr, Chris Long. Heat Winners Round 2 (10 laps)-Rob Gallaher, Kenneth Robles, Steven Johnson, Michaela Taylor, Chris Long. Main Event (25 laps)-Rob Gallaher, Grayson Baca, Kenneth Robles, James Thomson, Buddy Kniss, Chester Kniss, Steven Johnson, Kevin Brown, Michaela Taylor, Breanna Troen.

Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023 Race Results

Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks

Heat Winners (10 lap)-Buddy Kniss, Charlie Bryant, Chester Kniss, Jared Baugh. Trophy Dash (4 laps)-Rob Gallaher. B Main 1 (15 laps)-Nick DeCarlo, Steven Johnson, Tyler Irwin. B Main 2 (15 laps)-Nick Johnson, Brad Coelho, Aidan Ponciano. Main Event (50 laps)-Buddy Kniss, Jared Baugh, Lance Hurst, Jewell Crandall, Charlie Bryant, Chester Kniss, Anthony Vigna, Rob Gallaher, Brad Coelho, James Thomson.

Figure 8

Main Event (15 laps)-Jimmy Robbins, Michaela Taylor, Mike Conley Jr, John Keldsen DQ, DJ Keldsen DQ, Dakota Keldsen DQ.

600 Micro Sprints

Heat Winner (8 laps)-Devin McCleister. Main Event (15 laps)-Devin McCleister, Ryan Dotson, Bobby Caldeira, Charlie Kight, Austin Cobb DNS, Don McCleister DNS.