By Antioch Police Department

The Antioch Police Department is seeking assistance in locating a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run with injuries. The collision occurred on January 14, 2024, at approximately 12:50 am. in the intersection of Laurel Road and Canada Valley Road. If you have any information related to this hit-and-run, please call our Investigations Department at 925-779-6925.

By Lt. Rick Martin, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Sunday, January 14, 2024, at approximately 10:26 pm, Antioch Police Officers were alerted to the area of Lone Tree Way and Deer Valley Road on a report of a stolen vehicle out of San Francisco. An Antioch Police Officer located the occupied stolen vehicle parked in the area of Longbranch Way and Prairie Way. As the officer pulled in behind, the suspect vehicle fled at a high rate of speed and a pursuit ensued. An occupant in the stolen vehicle fired several rounds at the officer, which struck the patrol car. The pursuit continued into Brentwood entering Highway 4 at Jeffrey Way.

Officers lost sight of the vehicle in the area of Golf Course Drive and Cache Peak. The vehicle was later located abandoned near Kaiser Hospital on Deer Valley Road. As officers returned to the original crime scene to look for evidence, a second stolen vehicle out of Concord was seen driving without any headlights on. With the assistance of Brentwood Police a pursuit ensued. The occupants of the second stolen vehicle abandoned the car in the area of Lone Tree Way and Heidorn Ranch Road and fled on foot. A perimeter was established but the suspects were not located. A rifle and shell casings were located.

There were no reported injuries to any citizens or officers. Antioch Police are currently following up on leads to identify the suspects. We wish to thank the Brentwood Police Department and the Pittsburg Police Department for their assistance during this incident. There is no further information at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call Lieutenant Martin at 925-779-6972 or the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441.

By Lt. Rick Martin, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at approximately 8:18 pm Antioch Police Officers were dispatched to the 900 Block of Fitzuren Road on a report of shots fired. Officers arrived and located a 43-year-old male from Antioch with multiple gunshot wounds. Officers rendered first aid to the victim who succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene by paramedics. Antioch Police Detectives were notified and are conducting this active investigation.

We are withholding the name of the decedent until proper family notification has been made. No further information will be provided at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Palma at 925-779-6876 or the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925)778-2441.

By Sergeant Matthew Koch #3018, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On January 03, 2024, at approximately 8:37 PM, Antioch police officers responded to Sycamore Square located at 1068 Sycamore Drive for a reported shooting that occurred in the parking lot.

When officers arrived, they located evidence of shooting. While officers were on scene, a 32-year-old male victim suffering from at least one gunshot wound arrived at an area hospital. The male victim was treated for his injuries where he was admitted and is in critical but stable condition.

Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit took over the investigation. This is an active investigation, and no further information will be released.

Additional inquiries or information can be directed to Antioch Police Detective Duffy at (925) 779-6884 or by emailing aduffy@antiochca.gov. Anonymous tips or information about this – or any other incident – can be sent via text to 274637 (CRIMES) with the keyword ANTIOCH.

Charged with five felonies, being held on $130,000 bail; Richmond PD assists

By Brentwood Police Department

On Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, Brentwood Police officers were dispatched to a report of a theft at Kohl’s. When the first officer arrived, he saw two of the suspects get into a car, which was parked in front of the store. The officer recognized it as being a suspect car involved in multiple prior thefts from Kohl’s.

The suspect car, which was driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed, fled from officers on scene. Because the suspects were believed to be involved in multiple thefts, with a most recent theft of $20,000, Dispatch notified other agencies of the information regarding the suspects and the involved car.

About an hour after this incident, Richmond PD notified our Dispatch that they had located the car and had one of the occupants, identified as 25-year-old Maya Vernay Usher of Antioch, in custody.

Usher was positively identified as one of the suspects responsible for the thefts. Our investigation also determined Usher is responsible for being involved in thousands of dollars’ worth of thefts from Kohl’s Department stores in and outside Contra Costa County. Usher was placed under arrest for organized retail theft, evading police, and other related charges.

This investigation is ongoing, and we will continue to work diligently in holding the other involved suspects accountable. A special thank you to Richmond PD for their assistance in this investigation.

According to recentlybooked.com, she was charged with five felonies including burglary: second degree – shoplifting, evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for safety, grand theft: money, labor, property – shoplifting, organized retail theft with intent to sell, exchange or return and conspiracy to commit a crime.

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the 5’1”, 195-lb. Usher (born 11-16-1998) is being held in the West County Detention Facility on $130,000 bail and her next appearance in Contra Costa Superior Court is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2024, at 1:30 p.m.

According to localcrimenews.com, she was also arrested on June 12, 2021, by San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Deputies for grand theft.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Usher is a former Customer Service Representative for the Antioch Walmart store from Mar. 2017 to Jan. 2018, an Emergency Dispatcher for Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. in Oakland from Jan. 2018 to Dec. 2021, and has worked as a COVID technician for Bay Area PLS, a mobile phlebotomy company providing professional blood draws, vaccinations and Covid-19 testing, with no dates of employment provided.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Salinas Police Chief Roberto Filice

By Dave Mason, Public Information Supervisor, East Bay Regional Parks District

After a nationwide search, the East Bay Regional Park District announces the appointment of Salinas Police Chief Roberto Filice as its new Assistant General Manager of Public Safety and Police Chief at the public agency. The East Bay Regional Park District’s mission is to preserve a rich heritage of natural and cultural resources and provide open space, parks, trails, safe and healthful recreation and environmental education. An environmental ethic guides the District in all of its activities. Chief Filice will be sworn in and begin in the role on January 22, 2024.

As the largest regional park district in the country, the park system spans Alameda and Contra Costa counties and serves an estimated 30 million visitors a year through park and trail access, visitor centers, and programs. Its workforce provides services that encompass 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails. With an expansive area and diverse lands, the Park District’s Public Safety Division comprises Police, Fire, and Lifeguard Services. The Police Department includes the Air Support Unit, Marine Patrol, Equestrian Patrols, Investigations Unit, and a 24-hour per day 9-1-1 Communications Center.

“We are pleased to welcome Chief Roberto Filice, a highly seasoned leader and law enforcement executive with over 25 years of dedicated public service, to the East Bay Regional Park District,” said Sabrina Landreth, General Manager at the East Bay Regional Park District. “We look forward to his leadership and strong sense of community service in this important role that prioritizes public safety, quality of life, and exceptional park experiences.”

“I am excited to be part of an organization that cares about engaging with the public and providing positive experiences in nature and recreational opportunities with safety in mind,” said Chief Roberto Filice. “With a community-focused and team-oriented approach, I am ready to build partnerships, mentor and support career development opportunities, collaborate to enhance our work, and commit to serving the public in my role at the East Bay Regional Park District.”

The Assistant General Manager of Public Safety and Police Chief position will further enhance the vital work of Fire, Police and Lifeguard Services, knowing that public safety and quality of life are both personal and shared responsibilities for all community members.

With decades of experience, Chief Filice has served as the Chief of the Salinas Police Department since 2021, following his tenure there as Assistant Chief for four years. During his distinguished tenure, his strategic vision, in alignment with the principles of 21st Century Policing, was centered on crime reduction, fostering new opportunities for officer career development, enhancing organizational efficiency through technological advancements, and a steadfast commitment to refining and cultivating community relationships.

Chief Filice’s academic achievements include the successful completion of the FBI National Academy (Session 255), Senior Management Institute in Policing (SMIP), FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS), Peace Officers Standards and Training Executive Certificate, a Master of Business Administration in Public Administration and Master of Science degrees in Criminal Justice Administration from Columbia Southern University. Additionally, Chief Filice holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Mountain State University and is currently attending the prestigious Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.

Chief Filice actively participates in various professional associations, reflecting his commitment to ongoing learning and collaboration. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), Salinas Faith-Based Organizations, California Police Chiefs Association, FBI National Academy Associates, serves as the Central California Representative on the CalChiefs Board of Directors, and is a Board Member of the Marina Police Activities League.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.

560 law enforcement agencies made 4,575,725 stops

Black individuals were searched at a rate 1.66 times the rate of White individuals

By California Attorney General’s Office

The California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board (Board) today, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, announced the release of its annual report on police stops across California. The report analyzes millions of vehicle and pedestrian stops conducted in 2022 by 560 law enforcement agencies in California — a major expansion from the 58 participating agencies in the previous report — under the Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA). In addition to providing an in-depth look into policing in 2022, the Board’s report contains a wide array of best practice recommendations related to policing, with a particular focus on the impact of pretext stops, law enforcement interactions with youth, civilian complaint processes, police union effects on law enforcement accountability, and trainings on racial and identity profiling. Overall, the findings from the latest RIPA report are consistent with the disparities observed in prior years’ data with respect to perceived race, age, and disability status.

Acting Police Chief Joe Vigil said the Antioch Police Department participated in providing data for the report.

“California is leading the nation in identifying and addressing racial and identity profiling,” said Andrea Guerrero, Co-Chair of the RIPA Board and Executive Director of Alliance San Diego. “This report marks a major milestone as the first to include stop data from law enforcement agencies across the entire state. The scale of data that California is collecting allows us to say definitively that profiling exists — it is a pervasive pattern across the state. We must now turn to the hard work of ending profiling by bringing all the stakeholders to the table to ascertain and change the policies and the practices that enable it. I’m proud to work alongside community and law enforcement leaders on the RIPA Board who are having the tough conversations needed to bring about change. Public safety depends on all of us, and we invite all stakeholders to join the RIPA Board on our path to progress.”

“The annual collection of the RIPA stop data is making California communities safer by directing thoughtful and reflective reform,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Over the last several years, we’ve collected and analyzed information on more than 16 million police encounters in our state. In turn, with the support of our staff at the California Department of Justice, the RIPA Board has continued to issue key recommendations for our law enforcement agencies to promote transparency and take critical steps to enhance, and in some cases, repair the public trust.”

The information collected under RIPA includes data on peace officers’ perceptions of the demographics of stopped individuals, such as race or ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and disability. The Board collects this information to determine whether disparities can be found across demographic groups. The Board uses several well-established methodologies to analyze stop data to determine if bias may exist. 

Some of the key findings from the Board’s report include:

• Number of Stops: A total of 4,575,725 stops were conducted by 560 agencies from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.
• Population Comparison: Overall, the disparity between the proportion of stops and the proportion of residential population was greatest for Black individuals, who were stopped 131.5 % more frequently than expected.
• Search Rates: Black individuals were searched at a rate 1.66 times the rate of White individuals. Although stopped individuals perceived to be Black or Hispanic/Latino were searched at a higher rate relative to individuals perceived to be White, officers discovered contraband or evidence during stops in which they conducted searches at a lower rate for individuals perceived to be Black or Hispanic/Latino.
• Actions Taken: Officers reported not taking any reportable action during 75% of stops and taking actions during 25% of stops. Of all the racial or ethnic groups, stopped individuals whom officers perceived to be Native American had the highest rate of being searched (22.4%) and handcuffed (17.8%). Stopped individuals whom officers perceived to be Black had the highest rate of being detained curbside or in a patrol car (20.2%) and ordered to exit a vehicle (7.1%). Individuals perceived to be transgender men/boys also had actions taken towards them during half of their stops (50.0%).

In addition to the data analysis, the Board issues best practice recommendations that law enforcement agencies, the Legislature, local policymakers, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), community members, and advocates should consider when implementing evidence-based and data-driven policy reforms geared to eliminate racial and identity profiling and improve law enforcement and community relations. Examples of the Board’s recommendations from the report include:

• Ending all pretextual stops and searches by taking actions such as ending consent or supervision searches as well as limiting law enforcement roll in the enforcement of traffic laws; 
• Prohibiting the collection of field interview cards and entries into CalGang or any agency database in absence of an arrest;
• Adopting internal policies that prohibit law enforcement agencies and district attorneys from pursuing criminal charges for standalone resisting arrest without other citable offenses;
• Prioritizing a care-first model, reducing unnecessary criminal justice intervention or law enforcement response in favor of a community-based response for youth with disabilities and youth experiencing mental health crises;
• Considerations related to the efficacy of school police and law enforcement contacts, such as identifying specific student conduct or statutory violations that require disciplinary action that should be handled by school staff, and for which law enforcement officers should not be involved;
• Calling for further research on how Police Officer Bills of Rights and provisions or agreements with unions affect police accountability; 
• Amending Penal Code section 832.5 to include a standardized definition of “civilian complaint”;
• Reviewing all available video footage and incorporating root cause analysis into complaint investigations; and
• Seeking community and Board input early in POST’s course development process and integrating feedback into the course curriculum before finalizing the course. 

For more on RIPA and other criminal justice data, members of the public are encouraged to visit OpenJustice, a data-driven initiative that works to increase access to criminal justice data and support the development of public policy.

A copy of the report announced today is available here. More information about the Board is available here.

Possible violation of officers’ rights, could undermine investigation; officers’ attorney considering “massive” lawsuit against DA’s Office

By Allen D. Payton

In the initial redacted version of the report on the racist and other offensive texts by Antioch Police Officers by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office revealed those officers’ cell phone numbers and the names of the Antioch and Pittsburg Police Officers under investigation by the FBI since March 2022, plus the list of their alleged “crimes of moral turpitude” that are supposed to be under court protective order. That version was leaked and posted by someone on social media Thursday morning, April 13, 2023. The result has been a firestorm because it violated the court order and possibly the police officers’ rights and could undermine the investigation. It could also result in a “massive class action lawsuit” against the DA’s Office according to the attorney for the Antioch Police Officers Association (APOA). (See related article)

The DA’s office incorrectly redacted the document before releasing it. Because the leaked redacted version of the report allows for copying of the information beneath the black blocks revealing the sensitive information. NOTE: The PDF of that version was not shared by the Herald. Only the PDF of the further redacted version by the DA’s Office.

It was this newspaper that revealed the mistake to the CCDA’s Public Information Officer Ted Asregadoo on Thursday, who said it was an Adobe software issue. He said the information was under court protective order, thanked this reporter and said the office would be changing how they create PDF’s which they did for the final redacted copy the office issued that afternoon.

Officers Receiving Angry Calls

When asked about the matter, Mike Rains, the APOA’s attorney said, “We’re aware of it. Some of the officers have been getting angry calls.”

Asked if the DA’s Office violated the officers’ rights and if it could undermine the FBI’s and DA’s investigation of those officers, Rains said, “I think it does. I believe it will result in a massive class action lawsuit. The DA’s Office screwed up.”

He also shared that the officers were obtaining new cell phone numbers.

“It was Deputy DA Simon O’Connell who did the redacting,” Rains stated. “I called Becton and told her they screwed up.”

Questions were sent to DA Becton, O’Connell and Asregadoo, Thursday night asking if it was O’Connell who redacted the initial version of the report and if so, will there be some form of discipline of him for doing so. They were also asked if the revelation of the phone numbers of the 14 officers on the list of those accused of sending the offensive texts and more importantly, the officers names, phone numbers and information from the investigation by the DA’s office and the FBI, undermine that investigation and does it violate those officers’ rights.

Asregadoo responded Friday morning, copying Becton and O’Connell, “The joint CCCDAO and FBI investigation is ongoing, so we really don’t have anything to comment on at this time.”

Becton later responded simply, “Ok, thanks for the update.”

Revealed Information About FBI Investigation

The information now in the public domain, some of which was previously reported by the East Bay Times, includes the names of the Antioch and Pittsburg Officers under investigation by the FBI and DA’s Office, plus the alleged crimes they committed. They were described as “crimes of moral turpitude” which is defined as “conduct that shocks the public conscience, or which does not fall within the moral standards held by the community” for buying and selling controlled substances believed to be steroids among themselves. (See related articles here and here)

The portion of the report that was supposed to be redacted and out of public view reads as follows:

“The FBI is currently investigating the police officers for violations of the following federal offenses; Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(A), distribution, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; Section 843(b) illegal use of the mail in furtherance of narcotic trafficking; Title 18, USC, 1503 Obstruction of Justice; Section 846, attempt and conspiracy to commit the foregoing offenses; Section 241, Conspiracy for two or more persons to agree to injure, threaten, or intimidate a person in the United States in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege; and Section 242, a crime for a person acting under color of any law to willfully deprive a person of a right or privilege protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States. The CCCDAO is investigating these officers for assault under the color of authority, bribery, embezzlement, possession of controlled substances (steroids) for sale, knowing or offering any false or forged instruments, possession, and sales of assault weapons, and attempt and conspiracy to commit the foregoing offenses. The CCCDAO is also reviewing whether any of the above listed individuals have violated Penal Code (PC) section 745, the Racial Justice Act, which prohibits the use of race, ethnicity, or national origin by a law enforcement officer in pursuit of a conviction or sentence.

On 03/22/2022, the Honorable Presiding Judge Rebecca C. Hardie, Judge of the Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County, signed a search warrant under seal authored by CCCDAO Senior Inspector Larry J. Wallace for the seizure and search of the following cellular telephones: Pittsburg Police Officer Willie Glasper, (redacted phone number); Pittsburg Police Officer Brauli Rodriguez Jalapa, (redacted phone number); Pittsburg Police Officer Ernesto Juan Mejia-Orozco, (redacted phone number); Pittsburg Police Officer James Robert Anderson, (redacted phone number); Antioch Police Officer Ben C. Padilla, (redacted phone number); Antioch Police Officer Eric Rombough, (redacted phone number); Antioch Police Officer Devon Wenger, (redacted phone number); and Antioch Police Officer Andrea Rodriguez, (redacted phone number). The search warrants and affidavits were signed under seal and filed with the Martinez Superior Court.

On 03/22/22, the Honorable Laurel Beeler, United States Magistrate, Northern District of California, signed a federal search warrant under seal authored by FBI Special Agent (SA) Thuy Zoback for the seizure of the following cellular telephones: Pittsburg Police Officer Armando Montalvo; Pittsburg Police Officer Patrick Berhan; Antioch Police Officer Timothy Manly Williams; Antioch Police Officer Morteza Amiri, Antioch Police Officer Nicholas Shipilov; Antioch Police Officer Eric Rombough; Antioch Police Officer Daniel Harris; and Antioch Police Officer Calvin Prieto. The purpose of the search warrants were to seize electronic communications; such as, but not limited to the following: records and communications indicating the possession, use, purchase, sale, distribution, transfer, theft, and/or concealment of controlled substances, including books, receipts, notes, ledgers, pay and owe sheets, correspondence, records noting price, quantity, date and times when controlled substances were purchased, possessed, transferred, distributed, sold or concealed.

On 03/23/2022, sworn law enforcement members of the CCCDAO and the FBI retrieved the above listed cellular telephones from the above listed sworn law enforcement members of the Pittsburg and Antioch Police Departments. Law enforcement members from the CCCDAO and the FBI downloaded/extracted electronic cellular data communications from the above listed cellular telephones. A thorough review of the electronic cellular data communications took place for the past year.”

APOA Attorney Exploring Legal Options, Damages to Officers

“I am exploring legal options including a possible lawsuit related to our grave concerns about the way in which this report was ordered released by the court to begin with, when I was supposed to be given the opportunity on behalf of the officers to seek a protective order,” Rains stated on Monday. “Plus, the release by the DA’s Office when they told me, the judge told me to tell Chief Assistant DA Simon O’Connell to not release the report until I had the opportunity to be heard. We tried to set up dates with the defense attorneys on Monday, after the morning appearance I made. Then I received an email from O’Connell on Tuesday that the judge ordered the report released. I feel betrayed by both the judge and by the DA’s Office.”

“I’m exploring the damages done to the officers due to the actions by the DA’s Office,” he added.