Source: APD

By Ted Asregadoo, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office

On January 19th, 2023, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office prevailed in convicting 40-year-old Julian Chenychen on multiple counts related to the sexual abuse of a girl, who is a minor.

On June 1st, 2020, Jane Doe was admitted to a local hospital in Concord and gave birth to a full-term stillborn baby. Doe noted to the medical staff at the time that she didn’t know what was happening to her body, nor did she understand she was pregnant. It was only after hours of suffering through severe stomach pains that Chenychen took her to the hospital.

Staff at the hospital notified law enforcement about the stillbirth and their belief that Julian Chenychen impregnated her. Law enforcement officers detained Chenychen and referred the investigation to Antioch Police. After several forensic interviews with Jane Doe, and investigations by Antioch Police Detectives Kelly Inabnett and Brittney Crites, it was determined that the molestation incidents had been occurring for years.

The DA’s Office filed a complaint against Chenychen in 2021. The charges included six counts of aggravated assault of a child [PC269)], 11 counts of lewd or lascivious acts involving children [PC288(b)], and an enhancement of bodily harm inflicted during the commission of a felony [PC12022.7] – which is related to Jane Doe’s pregnancy.

Chenychen was convicted by a jury for his actions on all charges. He faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Deputy District Attorney Chris Sansoe noted that while the crimes committed against Jane Doe in this case were truly horrific, she is currently in a supportive living situation that’s helping her heal from the abuse she suffered in the past.

According to Antioch Police Department Public Information Officer Ashley Crandell, ‘On July 15, 2020, the Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau was made aware of sexual assaults that occurred in multiple cities, including Antioch, during the years 2019 and 2020. Our Sexual Assault Detectives Brittney Crites and Kelly Inabnett immediately began investigating the allegations.

Due to their diligent work, they learned the suspect, Julian Chenychen, had sexual relations with the minor victim for several years, eventually impregnating her. Detectives Crites and Inabnett worked tirelessly to gather evidence and coordinate with other entities to complete this investigation.

Chenychen was arrested in 2020. On January 19, 2023, he was convicted of 17 different felony counts of crimes related to aggravated sexual assault of a child. His maximum sentence is life without the possibility of parole.

This is a devastating case, and we want to recognize the tireless and dedicated work of Detectives Crites and Inabnett. It is also important to recognize, this was a collaborative effort with Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney Chris Sansoe, the District Attorney’s Office Advocate Group, and Contra Costa County Investigator/K9 handler Janet Era and her canine companion, Bear. Bear is a support dog that was able to help comfort this child throughout the entire process. The outcome of this case is due to the collaborative effort of all involved and the dedication of our detectives.

Due to the sensitive nature of this investigation, information as to the location and name or any identifying information pertaining to the victim are being withheld. This was an isolated incident, and we have no reason to believe there are additional victims.

A January 24th post on the Antioch Police Department’s Facebook page reads, “Our Violent Crimes Detectives Crites and Inabnett worked tirelessly to ensure this case was investigated thoroughly. Thank you to @ContraCostaDA for your partnership on this!”

Case #04-199931-7 | The People of the State of California vs. Julian Chenychen

Antioch Police Chief Steven A. Ford. Source: City of Antioch

In response to the January 7, 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols by five Memphis, TN police officers – who have since been fired and charged with second degree murder and other crimes – and the release of videos of the incident, yesterday, Antioch, CA Police Chief Steven Ford issued the following statement:

“January 28, 2023

An Open Letter to the Antioch Community,

Just as we have made so much progress to mend relations with our community after the senseless killing of George Floyd, we are now impacted yet again by the actions of now former police officers thousands of miles away. I share in shock and disgust with our community over the inhumane killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis Tennessee. What I saw in the video released yesterday is not only contrary to the mission of law enforcement officers to preserve life but goes against basic human values.

The Antioch Police Department has comprehensive best practice policies and training on use of force, duty to intervene, bias-based policing, and de-escalation. Our use of force policy requires all members to recognize and respect the value of human life and dignity without prejudice to anyone. Our officers are required to intervene when witnessing any level of force that is clearly beyond what is necessary. Our policies are available for public viewing on the following website: https://www.antiochca.gov/police/sb-978-policy-manual-training-materials

As we have seen in Memphis, even the best policies cannot prevent senseless inhumane actions committed by those who wear the badge. It is for this reason we employ strict hiring standards, thorough background checks, and psychological examinations of individuals who apply to be within our ranks. Since I became Chief, we have been working to improve our policies, procedures, and training to ensure our officers are at the forefront of humane, ethical, best practice policing. In an effort to be held accountable to these goals, we are developing a monitoring system to track officer behaviors and will soon roll out a use of force transparency dashboard to provide statistics on officer-community interactions. Our work will not rest there, as we are constantly looking for innovative ways to better serve our community with the utmost respect for the rights of others.

We will always strive to use these senseless tragedies as teachable moments to make us better and improve the way we serve our community. On behalf of the men and women of the Antioch Police Department, we strongly condemn the actions of the former Memphis Police Officers which led to the death of Tyre Nichols. We share in grief with his family, pray for justice, and humbly ask for peace.

Dr. Steven A. Ford

Chief of Police”

Publisher’s Note: California is referred to in order to avoid any confusion with Antioch, Tennessee which is a neighborhood of Nashville with a population of about 100,000.

By Allen D. Payton

1/20/23 UPDATE from APD: The victim has been identified and is a 16-year-old male. At this time, his name will remain confidential. He is still at a local hospital in critical condition.

According to Antioch Police PIO Ashley Crandell, On January 19, 2023, at approximately 5:37 p.m. the Antioch Police Department Dispatch Center received multiple calls from McDonalds located at 4440 Lone Tree Way. The callers stated a male entered the establishment and had been shot. Officers immediately responded to the scene and located an unknown age male suffering from a gunshot wound. Officers began lifesaving measures until the male was transported to a local hospital. He is in critical condition and has not yet been identified.

Through a preliminary investigation, officers learned a shooting occurred in the parking lot and the male victim ran into McDonalds where he collapsed. The suspect fled in an unknown direction and was described as an African American male wearing a black jacket. The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau responded and took over the investigation.

Preliminary reports were that the victim was 16 years old and a 5-year-old was also possibly shot. However, Crandell said, “No children were shot. We don’t even have confirmed who the victim is. So, we don’t know how old he is.”

Video and photos of the scene can be viewed at the Emergency Spotlight – Antioch Facebook page. According to videographer Ronn Carter, the victim “was Air Lifted to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek”.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to contact Detective Gerber at rgerber@antiochca.gov. You may also text an anonymous tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Police seek unknown suspect in city’s first homicide of the year at shopping center where Thorpe blamed property and business owners for crime

By Ashley Crandell, PIO, Antioch Police Department

On January 17, 2023, at approximately 10:45 am, the Antioch Police Department Dispatch Center received multiple calls regarding a shooting at The Spot Liquor Store (formerly Quik Stop) located at 1108 Sycamore Drive in the Sycamore Square shopping center. The callers advised there was someone shot at the location. Officers immediately responded and located a male in the parking lot, suffering from a gunshot wound. The 25-year-old Pittsburg resident was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau responded and took over the investigation. Through their investigation, they learned prior to the shooting there was a dispute that ensued between the victim and the suspect. The suspect shot the victim and fled the scene. It is unknown if he fled on foot or in a vehicle. There is no known information for the suspect, but this was a targeted incident, and the public is not at risk.

Sycamore Square is the site of a press conference by Mayor Lamar Thorpe, last year at which he blamed the property and business owners for the crime problem in the shopping center. That was following District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker’s request for four more police officers for the Sycamore neighborhood. But the mayor refused to place the request on a council meeting agenda, instead opting to support overtime for existing officers. (See related article)

Anyone with information regarding the homicide is asked to contact Detective Cox at jcox@antiochca.gov. You may also text an anonymous tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword ANTIOCH.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Following investigation of in-custody death of Arturo Gomez Calel; while on meth attempted to break into occupied vehicles, struggled with and was tased by police

Mayor Thorpe used incident to push his police reforms at special Friday meeting later that week

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

Martinez, Calif. –  On Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office released a report on the 2021 in-custody death of 33-year-old Arturo Gomez Calel in Antioch clearing police of any wrongdoing. The DA determined as written below, “the use of force by Antioch Police Officers was lawful and permitted”. 

The incident occurred just after midnight on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 in which Gomez was on meth, attempting to break into occupied vehicles on a major city street, then struggled and was Tasered by police. Later that day, Mayor Lamar Thorpe held an emergency press conference with then-Police Chief Tammany Brooks and used the incident to push his police reforms at a special Friday meeting that week. (See related article)

The report is part of a Contra Costa County protocol to investigate incidents where police officers or civilians are shot or die during an encounter with law enforcement. The District Attorney’s Office conducts its own independent investigation into law enforcement fatal incidents (LEIFI) and details those findings — along with a legal analysis and a charging decision – in a report that’s released to the public. The release of the LEIFI report on Gomez is the final step in the investigation.

District Attorney Diana Becton notes, “My administration has been committed to public safety, transparency, and increased accountability since I was elected in 2018. The LEIFI investigations are an example of that commitment to be transparent with the public about in-custody deaths like that of Mr. Gomez.” 

The February 24th, 2021, incident involving Arturo Gomez began after midnight when Gomez placed a 911 call to authorities claiming his phone had been hacked. A dispatcher noted that Gomez sounded paranoid and appeared to be in an argument with another person – whom authorities later learned was a Lyft driver. While Gomez was traveling in the Lyft vehicle, he came into possession of the driver’s phone after Gomez asked to see the address he was going to. At one point, the Lyft driver said he became fearful Gomez was going to physically harm him and exited the vehicle. Gomez proceeded to climb into the driver’s seat and attempted to drive off. However, his efforts were thwarted by the Lyft driver — who retrieved the ignition key before Gomez could drive away. Gomez then exited the vehicle and fled on foot. 

When officers from Antioch Police arrived on the scene at Lone Tree Way at Ridgerock Drive, Gomez was on a cell phone. As an officer approached him, Gomez backed away saying “You’re a fake cop.” Gomez then led the officers on a foot chase where he eventually ran into traffic on Lone Tree Way. To mitigate the safety hazard Gomez was creating, police set up a traffic break to prevent vehicles from traveling through the incident area.

While trying to evade police, Gomez tripped and fell to the ground on James Donlon Boulevard. One officer ordered him to stay on the ground, but Gomez ignored the command. Officers then tried to physically subdue him, but Gomez continued to struggle, and a physical altercation ensued. After multiple Taser deployments on Gomez, the officers were eventually able to handcuff him. At no point did any of the officers involved use the weight of their body on Gomez’s back or neck, nor did they use a carotid restraint on him.

However, shortly after Gomez was detained, he became unresponsive and stopped moving altogether. Officers rolled him onto his left side, noticed his breathing had become labored and then began administering life-saving measures while emergency medical personnel were enroute. Gomez died later at a local hospital.

An autopsy to determine the cause of Gomez’s death was performed by Dr. Arnold Josselson on February 25th. Dr. Josselson found Gomez had 910 nanograms of methamphetamine and 54 nanograms of amphetamine in his blood — substances which, when taken in large doses, can lead to convulsions, circulatory collapse, hallucinations, and cardiac arrest. Dr. Josselson concluded that Gomez died from “asphyxia and cardiac arrest while in a prone position during a struggle with police after being tased while under the influence of methamphetamine.” 

During his testimony at the Coroner’s Inquest on April 29, 2022, Dr. Josselson explained to the jurors the three-step process that led to Gomez’s death. The first stage was brought on by the amount of methamphetamine in his system; an amount that gave rise to his aggressive and physically active behavior when resisting police arrest. In the second stage, Gomez’s muscles were completely exhausted and lacked the ability to expand his rib cage allowing him to breathe. The third stage was brought about by low oxygen levels that led to his heart stopping. Following the testimony of Dr. Josselson and other witnesses, the jury reached a unanimous verdict that Arturo Gomez’s death was an accident (i.e., an unforeseen event, misfortune, act, or omission with no evidence of an intent to harm or cause death). 

In its legal analysis, the District Attorney’s Office concluded that, given the totality of facts in this incident, the use of force by Antioch Police Officers was lawful and permitted pursuant to California Penal Code sections 835, 835a, 835a(a)(4), and 835a(b). Consequently, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office will take no further action regarding the in-custody death of Arturo Gomez. 

The District Attorney’s Office is in the process of notifying the Gomez family about the publication of this report. A copy of the report has also been sent to state Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office and is available on the District Attorney’s website.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Gun and magazine confiscated from suspect on Jan. 3, 2023. Photos: APD

By Antioch Police Department

You can run but you can’t hide!

On January 3rd, in the late-night hours, officers received a call regarding a suspicious vehicle on Oakley Road. When officers arrived, they observed the pictured firearm in the vehicle. The occupant ran from the vehicle.

Officers Downie and Fachner immediately deployed their Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) and located the suspect hiding nearby. Having an eye in the sky is invaluable with the work we do. Not only did it assist in locating the suspect, but it helped guide officers to the suspect’s location safely.

One of the drone operated by officer during search for and arrest of suspect.

He was taken into custody safely and was arrested for weapons violations and trying to evade arrest. We are proud of our officers and their ability to resolve this as safely as possible for them, the community, and the suspect. Also, our highly trained dispatchers did a wonderful job communicating during this rapidly evolving incident.

Bail set at $2 million

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

Booking photo of suspect Serico Justice. Source: APD

An Antioch woman faces a felony murder charge with an enhancement for the shooting death of a neighbor. (See related article)

37-year-old Serico Justice is currently in the Martinez Detention Facility awaiting arraignment for a felony murder charge [PC187(a)] with an enhancement of personally and intentionally discharging a firearm [PC12022.53(d)]. Justice’s use of a handgun caused the injury and death of 31-year-old Hannisha Jamilah Willis on December 27, 2022. The incident occurred on the 2300 block of Mandarin Way in Antioch, where the women lived next door to each other.

Antioch Police Department investigated the incident and reported that the shooting happened during a verbal and physical fight between the women around 2:15 pm. Justice was in possession of a handgun at the time of the altercation – a gun she armed herself with prior to the confrontation. Willis suffered a single shot to her head after Justice fired her weapon. She died later from her injuries at a local hospital.

The case was referred to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office by Antioch Police on December 28th. Charges were filed against Justice on December 29th. She’s scheduled to be arraigned on January 13, 2023, at 1:30 pm in Martinez. Her bail has been set at $2,000,000.00.

However, her arraignment was “put over” to a later date after her attorney filed a 977 Form which waived her right to a speedy trial.

04-22-01440 | The People of the State of California vs. Serico Justice

Seek help of nearby residents with surveillance cameras

By PIO Ashley Crandell, Antioch Police Support Services Division

On January 3, 2023, at approximately 2:17 pm, the Antioch Police Department Dispatch Center received a call reporting a person shot on Deer Valley Road near Asilomar Drive. Officers immediately responded and found a female victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. She was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and is listed in stable condition. Through investigation, officers believed the female victim was not the intended target but was shot while driving through the area.

A second gunshot wound victim arrived at a local hospital reporting he had been shot near the same location. The male victim – who was believed to be the intended target – was found to have a gunshot wound to the leg and is also in stable condition.

Officers located multiple spent shell casings in the intersection of Deer Valley Road and Asilomar

Drive. Investigators are asking residents near Deer Valley Road and Asilomar Drive to check their surveillance cameras for anything suspicious around the time of the incident. There is no suspect information at this time. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Gerber at (925) 481-8297 or via email: rgerber@antiochca.gov. You may also text an anonymous tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.