Jessica Russo was arrested by Pittsburg Police in Antioch on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Photos of scene by Allen D. Payton. Gregory Rossignon is still wanted for the March 22 murder.

Following hours-long stand-off outside home male suspect still wanted; his father says female suspect pregnant with male suspect’s child

By Allen D. Payton

Shortly after 2:00 pm Wednesday, March 29, 2023, the Pittsburg Police Department’s Special Response Unit served a search warrant at a residence in the 2000 block of D Street in the city of Antioch for two suspects wanted for murder of a Pittsburg convenience store clerk on March 22. During the service of the warrant, Jessica Russo was located and arrested. She was booked and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.

Pittsburg Police officers near the house on D and W. Madill Streets in Antioch. Members of the Pittsburg Special Response Unit with the department’s Bearcat armored vehicle.

After a methodical and exhaustive search of the residence was conducted, Gregory Rossignon remains outstanding and still wanted for murder. During the search officers approached the house and several times, broke windows, dropped a phone with a phone line into the house, called out on the loudspeaker for Rossignon to pick up the phone and dial a number to speak to police. The officers flew drones inside and outside and deployed four rounds of a chemical agent believed to be tear gas inside the home. After the second round of gas another woman emerged from the residence about 5:53 p.m. and was detained, placed in handcuffs and escorted from the scene.

Pittsburg officers at front door breaking out windows, tear gas smoke emerged from the house’s attic, and a second woman was detained.

About 7:35 p.m., Rossignon’s father, who identified himself as Gregory, Sr., arrived on the scene and asked to speak to his son “so everyone comes out of this alive”. He referred to Russo as his daughter. When shown a photo of Russo and asked if she was who he was referring to, Rossignon, Sr. said, “yes, I call her my daughter. She’s pregnant with my son’s child…my grandchild.” He told police, “I’ll strip down if you need me to and walk in there to talk to my son.” Later, ,a woman drove up to the scene and said she was the suspect’s mother. Officers took both parents to an area on Lawton Street where they waited but did not speak to their son.

A drone was sent into the house through windows police had broken out. Gregory Rossignon, Sr., the suspect’s father, arrived on the scene offering to speak to his son.

At about 9:15 p.m., an officer said he expected to wrap things up shortly, but that they had not had any contact with the suspect nor could confirm that anyone was still in the house.

The Pittsburg Police would like to thank the Antioch residents who live in this area for their patience during the service of the warrant. Several residents were escorted by police to their homes on D Street. But one mother and daughter who live next door to the house had to find somewhere else to stay for the night. Although offered to stay at a Pittsburg motel by one of the officers, they chose to stay with friends. The woman said she expected to return to her home Thursday morning.

The Pittsburg Police Department is asking anyone with information related to Gregory Rossingnon’s whereabouts to contact the local police. We are also asking anyone with information contact Detective Jonathan Elmore at 925-252-4875 or the Pittsburg Police Department Tip Line at 925-252-4040.

See more photos and video at facebook.com/antiochheraldca.

Arrested for sex crimes against minors in Contra Costa, first at Deer valley High

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

As the seven-count felony case against Christopher George Miller continues in Superior Court in Martinez, the investigative team who arrested him in a sting operation for arranging to engage in sex acts with a minor are asking the public for help.

The investigation into Miller started in 2022 when he was employed at Deer Valley High School in Antioch as a campus supervisor. A parent of a student reported to school officials that Miller was sending inappropriate texts to the student regarding marijuana use at the school, as well as sexually suggestive messages. (See related article)

The Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) adopted the case about three weeks ago to see if Miller (who was then a former employee at the high school) would sell marijuana and arrange to meet for sex. Posing as a 13-year-old girl on a chat app Miller used, a Detective with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office started communicating with him. At one point while exchanging texts, Miller offered to sell the fictitious teen marijuana — and later the chats became more sexual in nature.

Miller arranged to meet the teen for sex at a park in Martinez on March 16th, 2023. Participating ICAC members from the Sheriff’s Office, Concord Police, Danville Police, Pittsburg Police, and the District Attorney’s Office met him at the park and arrested Miller on marijuana possession with the intent to sell to a minor and other charges related to contacting and arranging to engage in lewd and lascivious acts with a minor. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility and arraigned on a total of seven felony charges on March 21st. His preliminary hearing is set for April 3rd at 8:30 am in Department 25 in Martinez.

According to the charging document filed on March 20 by the CCDA’s Office, Miller was charged with seven felonies, including P0288.3(a), Contact with Minor for Sexual Offense on or about June 14, 2022; PC288.4(b), Meeting Minor for Lewd Purposes between March 10 and 16, 2023; PC288.3(a), Contact with Minor for Sexual Offense on or between March 10 and 16, 2023; PC288.2(a)(2), Distributing Or Showing Pornography To A Minor on or about March 14, 2023; PC288.2(a)(2), Distributing Or Showing Pornography To A Minor on or about March 15, 2023; PC 664/PC288(a), Attempted Lewd Act Upon A Child on or about March 16, 2023; PC 664/HS11360(a), Attempted Sale/Offer To Sell/Transportation Of Marijuana on or about March 16, 2023. 01-23-00820 – Charging Document Miller

ICAC Senior Inspector Darryl Holcombe notes that Miller may have been in contact with other victims. He’s asking the public to email him at the District Attorney’s Office if they have information related to Miller’s case. He can be reached at: DHolcombe@contracostada.org.

Case No. 01-23-00820 | The People of the State of California v. Miller, Christopher George

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

First incident was with female student last June; one more charge for attempt to sell marijuana to a minor

By Allen D. Payton

A man who worked at Deer Valley High School as a substitute safety monitor for seven days last year was arrested on March 20, 2023, for lewd acts with a minor. According to APD PIO Ashley Crandell, the incident was investigated by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the man, 30-year-old Christopher George Miller, born June 16, 1992, is currently in the West County Detention Facility and his trial date is set for Tuesday, April 4.

Antioch Unified School District Superintendent Stephanie Anello issued the following statement today, Tuesday, March 28, 2023:

“In June of 2022, a parent reported that Mr. Chris Miller, a Site Safety substitute at Deer Valley High School, engaged in an inappropriate exchange with her daughter. Administration immediately called the Antioch Police Department to report the allegation and the substitute was terminated that same day.

Mr. Miller worked as a Site Safety substitute in the District for a total of seven days in June of 2022 at Deer Valley High School.

Unfortunately, when criminal investigations are pending, the Antioch Unified School District is limited in the information that we receive and can share. However, we can confirm that we will offer law enforcement our full support and hope that their investigation concludes with justice being served.”

Anello explained that a Site Safety substitute “monitors students at lunches and during passing periods.”

According to the charging document filed on March 20 by the CCDA’s Office, Miller was charged with seven felonies, including P0288.3(a), Contact with Minor for Sexual Offense on or about June 14, 2022; PC288.4(b), Meeting Minor for Lewd Purposes between March 10 and 16, 2023; PC288.3(a), Contact with Minor for Sexual Offense on or between March 10 and 16, 2023; PC288.2(a)(2), Distributing Or Showing Pornography To A Minor on or about March 14, 2023; PC288.2(a)(2), Distributing Or Showing Pornography To A Minor on or about March 15, 2023; PC 664/PC288(a), Attempted Lewd Act Upon A Child on or about March 16, 2023; PC 664/HS11360(a), Attempted Sale/Offer To Sell/Transportation Of Marijuana on or about March 16, 2023.  01-23-00820 – Charging Document Miller

Burglary suspect Jesse Alexander of Clayton seen in surveillance footage. Stolen merchandise by recovered by police. Photos: APD

By Antioch Police Department

Excellent work by one of our patrol teams to catch a burglary suspect.

On Friday night, March 24, 2023, two optometry businesses were burglarized, and the suspect attempted to burglarize another. Garret Louie Optometry at 2225 Buchanan Road and Eye to Eye Optometry at 4051 Lone Tree Way were the two that were burglarized. The suspect, 40-year-old Jesse Alexander of Clayton, shattered windows to gain entry and began filling bags with glasses.

Officers search near Eye to Eye Optometry and the suspect’s car. Photos: APD

He got away those two times, but our officers began watching other optometrist locations in our city, specifically Diablo Valley Optometric Group at 3700 Sunset Lane. While they were watching the business, the suspect from the other burglaries arrived and attempted to gain entry to that business by shattering a window. Our officers contacted the suspect while he attempted to burglarize the business, and he decided to run from them.

They chased him and caught him nearby. Officer Aguilar located the suspect’s vehicle in the Walmart parking lot and inside the vehicle were the stolen glasses from the other businesses. The suspect was arrested for multiple charges related to burglary and resisting arrest and given a ride to the Martinez Detention Facility. This is just one example of the incredible police work our officers do on a daily basis.

AK-47 and bullets seized. Photos: Concord PD

AK-47 used in shooting, loaded handgun seized

Concord PD SWAT, Crisis Negotiations Team, drone activation and assistance by Antioch PD 

By Concord Police Department

During the early morning hours on Thursday, March 16th, 2023, Concord Police officers were dispatched to the area of Revere Drive and Grant Street in Concord for a report of a shooting. Officers arrived on scene and located several spent shell casings, as well as a single victim. The victim was not hit by gunfire, but the evidence at the scene suggested at least 12 shots from a rifle were fired at the victim.

Later that morning, the Concord Police Department’s Investigations Division began working the case and within hours, identified three Suspects responsible for the shooting. The suspects were seen at a residence in the City of Antioch and the investigation revealed the firearm used was an AK-47 style rifle. Arrest warrants for the Suspects were sought, granted and that evening, the Concord Police Department activated the SWAT and Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) to serve the arrest warrant. The SWAT team is only activated during incidents involving a high threat to the public and officers when attempting to make an arrest.

The CNT was able to deploy a negotiator, who has received extensive training in peacefully resolving volatile situations, inside the SWAT’s armored vehicle. This vehicle allowed us to take a negotiator and place them into a position to optimize negotiations and the safety of the negotiator.

The Antioch Police Department assisted Concord PD by providing an armored rescue vehicle, as well as the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, who assisted us in providing their Bearcat for the operation.

Additionally, the Concord PD’s drone team deployed and was able to observe the residence to ensure the safety of approaching officers and negotiators. During this time, with the drone overhead, the operator observed two of the suspects fleeing the area in a vehicle. Additional Concord Police Officers were able to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle and safely arrest the occupants. A loaded handgun was located in that vehicle. Moments later, a suspect was seen, via the drone, placing a rifle into a secondary vehicle and fleeing the scene in that vehicle. Concord Police Officers conducted a traffic stop on that vehicle and located an AK-47 style rifle, the one suspected of being used in the shooting.

SWAT and CNT was able to approach the residence safely and secure any evidence inside. The incident concluded without further incident.

The case will be forwarded to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for filing considerations.

9 other felony charges including attempted murder, bail set at $5.5 million

By Allen D. Payton

According to Antioch Police Public Information Officer Ashley Crandell, on Thursday, March 23, 2023, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed the following ten (10) felony charges on 37-year-old Bartley Hall related to last Saturday’s stabbings of his 35-year-old domestic partner, her unborn baby and her two children, a 14-year-old boy and 11-year-old girl. Charges: 1. One (1) count of murder for the murder of an unborn child – California Penal Code § 187(a) 2. Three (3) counts of attempted murder – California Penal Code § 664/187(a). 3. Four (4) counts of child abuse – California Penal Code § 273a(a). 4. One (1) count of corporal injury to spouse or cohabitant – California Penal Code § 273.5(f)(1). 5. One (1) count of evading a peace officer – California Vehicle Code § 2800.4. (See related articles here and here)

The identity of the victims will be kept confidential in accordance with California Penal Code §293. We want to thank the Contra Costa County District’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance in this case.

UPDATE: According to Crandell, Hall is not the father of the two children, and it is unknown if he was the father of the unborn baby.

A Friday press release issued by Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office PIO Ted Asregadoo confirmed the charges and provided additional details. He wrote, the DA’s Office has filed a murder charge and nine other felony charges against Hall who stabbed his pregnant domestic partner and her two children. The attack led to the death of the woman’s unborn baby.

As previously reported, on March 18th, Antioch Police Officers responded to a domestic violence emergency call at an apartment complex on the 100 block of Wilbur Avenue in Antioch. When officers arrived at the residence, a woman and two minors were suffering from severe to moderate knife-related injuries. Emergency medical personnel arrived minutes later to render aid while officers gathered details of the attack. Another Antioch Police Officer saw Hall’s vehicle leaving the apartment complex and initiated a pursuit that ended in Solano County when Hall collided with another vehicle in the City of Suisun and fled on foot. Police apprehended and arrested him with assistance from Solano County Sheriff’s Deputies after a short pursuit.

Hall faces an 11-count complaint that includes 10 felonies and one misdemeanor. The murder charge comes with an enhancement for Hall’s use of a knife to stab his domestic partner, which later caused her to lose the fetus.

Hall is also charged with three counts of attempted, willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder against his domestic partner and her children. Those charges also come with enhancements that include domestic violence, injury to a pregnant victim, the use of a deadly weapon, and great bodily injury.

Additionally, he is charged with four counts of child abuse, one count of injury of a spouse, cohabitant, or fiancé(e) with a prior conviction, fleeing a pursuing peace officer’s motor vehicle, driving the wrong way in traffic, and a misdemeanor hit and run that damaged another vehicle.

At a court appearance today, Hall’s attorney asked Judge Laurel S. Brady to reschedule his arraignment to April 7th at 1:30 pm. Judge Brady agreed. Hall is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility with a bail amount set at $5,513,000.

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office thanks the law enforcement and investigative work of the Antioch Police Department in this case.

Case No. 04-23-00413 | The People of the State of California vs. Hall, Bartley

By Oakley Police Department

On March 20, 2023, Officer M. Jackson observed a silver Nissan vehicle, lacking a license plate, at Live Oak Road and Laurel Road. Officer M. Jackson stopped the vehicle and made contact with the driver who lied about his name. At the time of this contact (1130PM) it was 52 degrees outside, yet the driver was nervously shaking and sweating profusely. Officer Jackson believed the driver was nervous about being contacted by law enforcement and believed the driver had a reason to be evasive about his identity. The driver was detained, and the vehicle was searched.

Oakley Police Officers Hernandez and Fielding arrived to assist Officer Jackson and collectively they continued to investigate the situation. The investigation revealed the true identity of the driver 25-year-old Jahsaun Brown of Antioch and a fully loaded handgun under the driver’s seat. The handgun is described as a semi-automatic 9mm, but with no manufacturer markings or serial number. A firearm lacking this key information is considered a “ghost gun” because it is not trackable in the DOJ system. The handgun also had a full capacity magazine with twelve rounds loaded into it. Further investigation revealed Brown had a warrant for his arrest charging him with carrying a loaded weapon. Even further investigation revealed Brown was the subject of a criminal protective order, which stated he was not allowed to be in possession of any firearms.

Brown was arrested for: PC25400- Carrying a concealed weapon, PC32310- Possession of large capacity magazine, PC25850- possession of loaded weapon, PC29180- possession of un-serialized firearm “ghost gun”, PC 148.9- Providing false identification to an officer and PC 166- Violation of a court order. Brown was booked for these crimes.

Source: APD

By Antioch Police Department

The Antioch Police Department released its annual Use of Force report for 2022 and it shows that it occurred in less than 1% of all incidents.

Quick Data:

– 79,781 Calls Handled in 2022

– 67 Use of Force Incidents

– Force used in 0.084% of Incidents

The Antioch Police Department has embarked on several initiatives to demonstrate a commitment toward best practice policing principles of transparency and accountability, while serving and protecting our community.

In addition to innovative training that emphasizes de-escalation and use of alternative resources for individuals in crisis, we are currently building an online dashboard, which will provide interested individuals with data on how often our officers use force, the different categories of police force (baton, firearm, taser, pepper spray, etc.), and showing the number of calls we respond to.

We have compiled statistics from 2022, which show our officers handled 79,781 calls for service and used force a total of 67 times. This means our officers used force on less than 1% of incidents (actual number 0.084%).

In the coming weeks, look for an additional breakdown of that data, which will categorize how our officers used force, and comparing that data to previous years. Please continue to follow our social media for more updates once the dashboard is up on our website. As always, thank you for your inquiries and thoughtful suggestions as we work to serve you better.

For more information on our use of force policy (or any other APD policy), please visit: https://www.antiochca.gov/fc/police/apd-policy-manual.pdf