Suspect Eric Rojo and the guns and cash he possessed when arrested. Photos by Concord PD

According to a post on the Concord Police Facebook page Friday, Dec. 22, “Last night around 10:30 pm, Special Enforcement Team officers found a suspicious vehicle parked in a parking lot on Lacey Lane. They contacted the male in the driver’s seat, Eric Rojo, and female occupant who were drinking alcohol in the car. Officers developed probable cause to search the car and found a loaded handgun.

SET obtained a search warrant for the male’s residence in Antioch and found a loaded short barreled assault rifle, another loaded handgun, over an ounce of cocaine, and evidence of cocaine sales. Rojo was booked at CPD and later into county jail.”

Sheriff David Livingston, center, speaks with Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (to his left) and staff during a tour of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017. Herald file photo.

Refutes claims made by illegal alien female inmates against West County Detention Facility

The West County Detention Facility. Herald filed photo

The Office of the Sheriff has completed its investigation into complaints raised by several Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) female detainees at the West County Detention Facility (WCDF) in Richmond, California. The complaints were first reported in a local newspaper. The Sheriff’s Office immediately launched an investigation. Investigators interviewed 110 witnesses, with audio recordings and translators where necessary, and viewed hundreds of hours of video surveillance recordings. They also examined log books, computer entries and other evidence. (See related article)

The investigation found that nearly all of the complaints were unfounded and unsubstantiated. Claims of being “locked down” for 23 hours a day were false. The most time any ICE detainee was confined to their dormitory room was one hour and 24 minutes. These “lock downs” are commonly done for facility counts or for administrative reasons. At WCDF the detainees have keys to their rooms and free use of common bathroom facilities.

Sheriff David O. Livingston. From CCCSheriff website.

In one example, the person who complained in the article of being confined to her room for 23 hours was in fact confined for several days in a room with a full toilet and sink. She was confined in such a manner for disciplinary purposes after she assaulted another detainee.

Regarding the use of “red” biohazard bags for toilet needs, there was no evidence that any detainee was forced to use the bags in that manner. In very few cases detainees did use the bags for that purpose in violation of policy. Biohazard bag distribution is now limited to those detainees who are ill or have other medical needs. All inmates are free to use the bathrooms at any time, and even during “lock down” periods of approximately one hour, by notifying a Deputy Sheriff by using the call button in their rooms.

There were two complaints alleging limited access to healthcare that also appear to be unfounded based on detainee interviews. However, Contra Costa Health Services will be reviewing those specific complaints.

“Consistent with independent ICE inspections, we found that the alleged policy violations were largely unfounded,” said Sheriff David Livingston. “In fact, many detainees told us they are well treated at the West County Detention Facility.”

Sheriff Livingston added, “Some issues were identified, such as the use of profanity by a staff member or the quicker replacement of detainees’ room keys when they are lost or damaged. We will use this opportunity to improve wherever we can.”

The investigation will now be provided to the California Attorney General as Sheriff Livingston promised he would do.

A fire possibly started by an arson that burned the building at 1205 A Street was one of six fires in Antioch north of Highway 4, Thursday night, Dec. 21. Photo by ConFire.

By Allen Payton

A series of six fires on the north side of Antioch Thursday night are believed to be the acts of an arsonist, according to Antioch Police.

The public was alerted to the fires late Thursday night by the Public Information Officer for the Contra Costa Fire Protection District George Laing

Posted at 10:53 p.m. on the ConFire PIO Twitter account was the message, “Series of fire in #Antioch , 5 building on Madill st and 1 on A street. All fires now under control. All structures abandoned.”

Then at 11:00 p.m. Laing posted “#Antioch fires- A street (with photo)” and “All #Antioch fires under control.”

The photo provided shows the building at 1205 A Street on fire.

Asked if an arson investigation had begun, Antioch Police Corporal Shawn Morin said, “the arson investigators responded and took over the investigations. It will be arson investigations with the Contra Costa Fire Department that will be handling everything. We don’t have anything to do with it at this point. We don’t have any leads, we don’t have any type of information of who or what or how these things were started at all.”

A call to ConFire PIO Laing was not returned prior to publication.

Please check back later for details.

Eight alleged East County gang members who are suspects in a variety of crimes were arrested on Oct. 27. Photos by FBI Northern CA District

Arrested on Oct. 27th

By Allen Payton

FBI Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett of the Northern California District office and Interim Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton announced on Wednesday the Oct. 27th arrests of eight East County gang members on murder, conspiracy to commit murder, pimping and firearms charges.

Bennett and Becton were joined by Pittsburg Police Chief Brian Addington and representatives from the Richmond Police Department, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, San Francisco SWAT, El Cerrito Police Department, Contra Costa County Probation Department, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Pablo Police Department, Concord Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.

Known as Operation Klap It Out, the joint effort resulted in the arrests of the suspects and the seizure of a variety of firearms during the search warrants, according to FBI Public Information Officer Cameron Polan.

Seven suspects and alleged members of the Klap Sh**/Broad Day gang from Antioch and Pittsburg were identified as Darnell Keyon Lash age 24, D’Vance Jaquez Sumblin age 20, Javelle Cooksey age 19, Lester Gene Curry age 21 (as of Tuesday), Ezell Tommy Jenkins age 19, Dasheid Keyonta Lash age 21, and Larry Darnell Goines, Jr. age 32. An eighth suspect gang member, Giovante Boyd was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for murder, but was not included in the complaint filed by the DA’s office against the other seven.

According to the complaint they were charged with the following eight counts: conspiracy to commit a crime – murder, carrying a loaded firearm/street gang, possession of firearm by a felon – prior(s), dissuading a witness by force or threat, conspiracy to commit a crime – second degree burglary, carrying a loaded firearm/street gang, conspiracy to commit a crime – pimping, and street terrorism.

“All eight are currently in a preliminary hearing which has been ongoing since Monday,” Polan added.

12/21/17 UPDATE: Asked about the delay in announcing the arrests she replied, “The delayed announcement was due to new leads that were presented as a result of the search warrants executed. The investigators did not want to jeopardize the new information with a public announcement.”

See the charges filed against the seven suspects, here: Charges filed vs Operation Klap It Out gang suspects

The firearms seized during Operation Klap It Out.

National Award Places the Retirement Community Among Top 1 Percent of Providers on Premier Senior Living Consumer Ratings and Reviews Site, SeniorAdvisor.com

Quail Lodge Retirement Community, an all-inclusive independent living senior retirement community in Antioch, California, and managed by Sunshine Retirement Living, has received the prestigious 2018 Best of Senior Living Award from SeniorAdvisor.com, the largest ratings and reviews site for senior care and services in the United States and Canada. The award recognizes the best of the best of in-home care, assisted living and other senior living providers based on the online reviews written by seniors and their families.

Now in its fifth year, the awards program tabulates over 150,000 reviews to identify the highest quality care providers. To qualify for the award, care providers must have maintained an average overall rating of at least 4.5 stars while receiving four or more new reviews in 2017. Of the nearly 45,000 communities currently listed on SeniorAdvisor.com, just over 1,600 received the award.

“The Best of Senior Living award is especially meaningful as it represents real world, honest feedback from our valued residents and their families,” said Luis Serrano, CEO of Sunshine Retirement Living. “Our amazing team in Antioch truly exemplifies our company’s core values of People, Passion and Excellence, and have made Quail Lodge a wonderful home for our residents, providing comfort and compassion in a welcoming, safe and nurturing environment. We are so very proud of this honor and to be recognized in the top 1 percent of senior living providers.”

“As SeniorAdvisor.com’s ‘Best of Senior Living’ awards enters its fifth year of honoring the top family-rated communities and care providers, we are proud to say that the bar has been raised,” said Eric Seifert, president and COO of SeniorAdvisor.com. “In order to ensure only the best communities and care providers win, we decided to make the criteria harder than ever and we saw over 1,600 winners rise to the occasion. Each year we are more and more impressed with the quality of winners and look forward to spreading the word about these award-winning organizations.”

About Sunshine Retirement Living

Based in Bend, Ore., Sunshine Retirement Living manages 21 retirement communities in nine states, offering senior apartments, independent living, assisted living and memory care. A family-owned business with more than 20 years in the senior housing industry, Sunshine Retirement Living’s mission is to be the preferred senior living provider offering value, choice and independence while promoting health and social interaction that exceeds residents’ expectations and enriches the lives of both residents and staff. By providing meals, housekeeping, activities, transportation, utilities and in-house management staff, Sunshine Retirement Living continues to build an unparalleled community feeling in each property. For more information, visit www.SunshineRet.com or connect socially.

About SeniorAdvisor.com LLC

SeniorAdvisor.com is the largest consumer ratings and reviews site for senior living communities and home care providers across the United States and Canada with over 150,000 trusted, published reviews. The innovative website provides easy access to the information families need when making senior care decisions, and features reviews and advice from community residents and their loved ones. For more information, please visit www.senioradvisor.com or call (866) 592-8119.

Christmas gifts for foster children in Antioch schools from the Delta Realtors Community Service Foundation surround the tree at the Delta Association of Realtors Christmas lunch on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2017.

Joann Mass of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Oakley thanks DRCS Foundation Chairman Dan Barnes for the donation, as other foundation board members look on.

By Allen Payton

During the annual Delta Association of Realtors Christmas party, the organization’s Delta Realtors Community Service Foundation presented checks to East County charities and gifts for local, foster children in Antioch schools.

A check for $1,000 was donated to St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Oakley for their food pantry

“It all goes to some really nice, nice families,” said Joann Mass of St. Anthony’s. “All we can do is say thank you.”

Donations were also provided to the Antioch Senior Center, An Elderly Wish Foundation, Don Brown Shelter, Brentwood Community Chest, and the Golden Hills Community Church Community Outreach Center in Antioch.

The Christmas gifts were provided to Antioch Unified School District’s Student Support Services for “27 foster children who are Antioch school students living in five group homes, four in Antioch and one in Pittsburg,” said Mayra Preciado, Counselor and Foster Liaison. “They’re now receiving a Christmas.”

She was joined by Director Bob Sanchez, Homeless Liaison Trina Tuel and Intervention Services Coordinator Dineen Burdick.

“We keep the money local. That’s what we’ve been focusing on” said Realtors foundation chairman Dan Barnes, of the Berkshire Hathaway real estate office in Brentwood.

The other foundation board members are Leonard Briones, Laura Agdanowski, Anthony Silva, Cathleen Griebling, Patti Shaner and Margaret Hurtado.

For more information about the Delta Association of Realtors visit their website at www.deltaaor.com.

Actor Zack Gold is the main character in the movie Psycho Brother-In-Law filmed in Antioch last summer.

Some of the scenes were filmed at Antioch High School with staff member Trine Gallegos (far right) included. Herald file photo

By Allen Payton

According to Supervising Producer Kris Wynn, the movie filmed in Antioch last summer, will air on the Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) next Thursday, December 28. It’s entitled Psycho Brother-In-Law and includes Antioch and East County residents as extras. (See related articles, here and here.)

It’s the second movie to be filmed in Antioch in as many years.

According to the Lifetime website, the movie stars Brittany Falardeau, Zack Gold, Mike Duff, Megan Ashley Brown and Samantha Bowling.

The description reads, “Kate is so thankful to have her brother-in-law David back in her family’s life as he’s been a blessing around the house while her husband spends long days at the office. But when his behavior starts getting out of line, Kate realizes that David wants to be the new head of the family, and will do anything to make that happen.”

So grab, the remote and popcorn, order some pizza and watch your local friends or family members on the small screen to see who made it past the cutting room floor!

Ivette Montes. Photo from her LinkedIn profile.

By Allen Payton

At 11:47 pm Monday night, emergency personnel from the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District responded to a single vehicle roll-over accident on Balfour Road east of Deer Valley Road, according to Interim Battalion Chief Ross Macumber. The accident took the life of a 51-year-old Hispanic woman from Tracy.

The Contra Costa Coroner office identified her as Ivette Montes.

“As our units were leaving CHP was actively investigating,” Macumber stated.

According to Officer Nathan Johnson of the CHP Contra Costa office, the victim was “partially ejected and declared deceased at the scene. Although it’s not been ruled out, alcohol does not appear to be a factor at this time.”