Jan 31, 2023 | Alert, In the News, Misdemeanor Verdicts, Press Release, Uncategorized, Verdicts
New unit will reopen eight officer-involved shooting/in-custody death cases previously cleared
OAKLAND, CA — Following through on promises made during the election cycle, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Y. Price formally announces the creation of the Public Accountability Unit.
The unit is tasked with holding law enforcement and public officials accountable for misconduct. The unit will be housed under a Civil Rights Bureau which oversees the newly-formed Public Accountability Unit (PAU) as well as Brady compliance and cases reviewed under the Racial Justice Act.
Today, as part of the PAU’s review and investigations, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has asked several local police chiefs and Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez to return evidence for eight officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths, with the intention of reopening the cases for further review to determine whether charges should be filed or not.
“We have seen many thoughts and prayers being bandied about the police murder of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee. The people of Tennessee want accountability – and so do the people of Alameda County,” stated DA Price. “I promised accountability. This unit and its work are the start of the reckoning Alameda County has asked for holding people accountable for their misconduct.”
Three of the six officer-involved shooting cases were recently reviewed by the office, under the direction of former District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, with findings in December 2022 that no criminal charges were justified.
“These reports were released at the 11th hour, just weeks before I took office. As the top prosecutor, I want to give each case a thorough review to ensure justice has not been forgotten,” DA Price said. “I’ve made sure that my Office has attempted to reached out to each of the families of the deceased. The healing process cannot begin until we do our due diligence.”
“Madam DA has heard the voices of the community when she was elected to this office and has put her vision for police accountability into action,” said Senior Assistant District Attorney Kwixuan Maloof, head of the Public Accountability Unit and lead attorney of the Civil Rights Bureau. “A reopening of these cases does not guarantee charges will be filed, but will give this office and my team time for a thoughtful review and to leave no stone left unturned.”
The following officer-involved shooting cases will be reviewed:
Cody Chavez involving Pleasanton Police in 2022; Caleb Smith involving Hayward Police in 2021; Joshua Gloria involving Fremont Police in 2021, Agustin Gonsalez involving Hayward Police in 2019 Mack Jody Woodfox involving the Oakland Police in 2008 and Andrew Moppin-Buckskin involving the Oakland Police in 2007.
The deaths of Mario Gonzalez, who died in custody of the Alameda Police Department in 2021, and Vinetta Martin, who died at Santa Rita Jail in 2021, will also be reopened.
Each involved police agency and the sheriff’s office has been asked to return evidence to the district attorney’s office in the affected cases.
Due to the age of some of the cases, the statute of limitations may have run out for certain charges. For example, for involuntary manslaughter (Penal Code 192) the prosecution only has three years to prosecute. Murder (Penal Code 187) does not have limitations.
A note to media: The office will not be making any further comments as these are now pending investigations.
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Contact: Public Information Officer Angela Ruggiero angela.ruggiero@acgov.org // (510) 919-0081
Jan 30, 2023 | Alert, In the News, Misdemeanor Verdicts, Press Release, Uncategorized, Verdicts
Senior ADA Annie Esposito has more than 20 years’ experience in the DA’s Office
OAKLAND, CA — Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Y. Price announces the promotion of Annie Esposito to Senior Assistant District Attorney as part of her Executive Leadership Team.
Senior ADA Esposito brings more than 20 years of experience within the District Attorney’s Office as she embarks onto this new leadership role. On Sunday, she joined DA Price at the inaugural Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council’s Lunar New Year Parade and celebration.
“Senior ADA Esposito is an exceptional leader and attorney who brings decades of knowledge of the office to the team,” said DA Price. “Adding her to my leadership team was a no-brainer, and I know that she will continue to affect positive change for all of Alameda County.”
Senior ADA Esposito previously served as the Chief Assistant DA and was the Assistant DA in charge of the district attorney’s office at the East County Hall of Justice. She has also supervised felony trial and preliminary hearing teams in East County. Before her various leadership roles, she served within the general felony trial team including homicide trial team, and the DNA/Cold Case Unit. Through these various assignments, Senior ADA Esposito has tried many serious and violent felonies including murder, sexual assault, and robbery cases.
“I am honored and humbled to be selected in this new leadership team,” said Senior ADA Esposito. “I look forward to my new responsibilities and continuing to serve this wonderful organization and our community.”
Outside the office, Senior ADA Esposito is the co-founder and former chair of the Asian American Prosecutors Association and is a member of various bar associations.
Senior ADA Esposito joins DA Price’s Executive Leadership Team, which includes Chief Assistant District Attorneys Otis Bruce Jr. and Royl L. Roberts, Senior Assistant District Attorneys Kwixuan H. Maloof, Simona Farrise-Best and Cynthia Chandler, retired Oakland Police Captain and Chief Inspector Eric Lewis and Director of Communications, Ryan LaLonde.
When creating a team, DA Price assembled experts in their individual fields who will tackle the issues which are key in making needed changes in the office – from accountability, community engagement, program development and support, and communications to winning critical cases.
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Contact: Public Information Officer Angela Ruggiero angela.ruggiero@acgov.org // (510) 919-0081
Jan 30, 2023 | Alert, In the News, Misdemeanor Verdicts, Press Release, Uncategorized, Verdicts
On January 26, 2023, a jury found Donovan Johnson guilty of second-degree murder for the death of Chrystian Negrete-Valdez, an innocent bystander in a fatal 2018 shooting, and guilty of assault with a semi-automatic firearm upon Leandro Carrera.
On Aug. 11, 2018, the defendant and his friends were walking along International Boulevard in Oakland around 2 a.m. As they approached the intersection of 46th Avenue and International, the defendant and his friends approached Carrera, who was waiting at the bus stop alone. Sensing that something was awry, Carrera ran and hid in the entry way of an apartment complex nearby. The defendant and his friends lingered for several minutes near the bus stop Carrera was originally waiting at before they proceeded to cross the street. Carrera stepped out of his hiding place upon seeing the Defendant and his friends crossing the street. Carrera was only able to take a few steps before the Defendant fired his gun 10 times in Carrera’s direction, striking him in the ankle, arm, and ribcage area.
One of the shots fired by the Defendant traveled over a block down International and struck Negrete-Valdez, an innocent bystander, in the heart. Negrete-Valdez was killed instantly.
The defendant was identified through surveillance videos and witness statements as the shooter.
Johnson faces a minimum of 15 years to life in prison.
DDA Elaine Ma prosecuted the case, with aide from Inspectors Phil Green and Bruce Christensen, along with Victim-Witness Advocate Liliana Bueno.
Jan 24, 2023 | Alert, In the News, Misdemeanor Verdicts, Press Release, Uncategorized, Verdicts
Grant also announced focusing on building awareness of and access to domestic violence/gun violence restraining orders
OAKLAND, CA — Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Y. Price announces the appointment of Karla Elias-Flores as the Interim-Executive Director of the Alameda County Family Justice Center (ACFJC).
Ms. Elias-Flores has worked at the ACFJC for more than 15 years, first as a victim advocate with ACFJC partner, the Family Violence Law Center and most recently serving as the ACFJC Associate Director, South County Coordinator.
Ms. Elias-Flores holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a focus on Public Policy from California State University East Bay, a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with an option of Social Work and a minor in American Sign Language from the California State University East Bay. In addition, Elias-Flores is a certified Domestic Violence Counselor and Certified Rape Crisis Counselor in California.
“The mission of the Alameda County Family Justice Center is ensuring access to justice: you can’t have healing, without first finding justice,” said DA Pamela Price. “I’m excited to lead the way forward for survivors to obtain justice. Ms. Elias-Flores brings 15 years of experience in helping survivors navigate the next steps in their healing process. Her genuine compassion for survivors and families makes her the ideal Executive Director to move the ACFJC forward.”
“I am so grateful to DA Price for this opportunity to take ACFJC in a new, bold forward trajectory,” said Interim Executive Director Elias-Flores. “The ACFJC crew is my family, and I’m so ready to lead us into work that will make a difference for not only domestic violence survivors, but Alameda County as a whole.”
The DA’s Office has also been awarded a $100,000 grant, by the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, which will help domestic violence survivors utilize restraining orders against abusers who should not be in possession of firearms. Limiting the presence of firearms in these dangerous or abusive situations will help reduce the likelihood of severe injury or fatality.
“It is imperative that members of our community, especially survivors of domestic violence, know that we have options to reduce risks of harm when seeking safety,” stated DA Price, a survivor of domestic violence herself. “This grant will increase awareness of and access to tools that already exist to help limit access to firearms and prevent serious harm and fatalities in our community.”
The ACFJC is a one-stop shop for a variety of services under one roof, including services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, child and elder abuse, dependent adult abuse, commercially sexually exploited minors, and stalking.
For more on the ACFJC, visit our website, acfjc.org/.
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Contact: Public Information Officer Angela Ruggiero angela.ruggiero@acgov.org // (510) 919-0081
Jan 20, 2023 | Alert, In the News, Misdemeanor Verdicts, Press Release, Uncategorized, Verdicts
OAKLAND, CA — The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office along with the State Labor Commissioner’s Office, the California Department of Insurance, and the Department of Labor, announces the owners of Alfa Private Security were charged in an egregious case of wage theft impacting 87 employees that were owed over $800,000 in unpaid wages.
The investigation, which began in December 2021, revealed that Alfa Security owners Ferooz Nangeyali and Alejandra Nangeyali, of Union City, did not properly pay their workers for both regular and overtime hours worked.
In addition, the investigation revealed defendant Ferooz Nangeyali possessed unregistered “ghost guns” and supplied firearms to his employees, some of whom did not have a license to carry guns. Employees reported that some were given handguns to work at different sites, including a cannabis dispensary, despite not having a license to carry or proper training.
“The behavior of these owners who cheated workers out of their fair and proper wages is completely unacceptable,” said District Attorney Pamela Price. “These workers are owed their rightful wages. My office will keep a watchful eye on this type of wage theft and insurance fraud to ensure businesses are not taking unfair advantage over workers. I appreciate the collaboration of the State Labor Commissioner, the California Department of Insurance and the Department of Labor for their efforts in bringing these defendants to justice.”
DA Price adds that this case is particularly troublesome given the proliferation of ghost guns and she expresses her strong commitment to help take these illegal guns off the streets. “Ghost guns” is the term referring to privately-made or homemade guns, sometimes using 3D printers. In California, a third of firearms recovered are homemade guns, without serial numbers and therefore largely untraceable.
“When workers are not properly paid and cheated out of their hard-earned wages, it causes a damaging domino effect that impacts workers and all levels of our economy. In this case, workers were systematically denied overtime when their employer failed to pay them for the premium pay for the overtime hours they worked,” said Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower. “We appreciate the Alameda District Attorney’s Office and the United States Department of Labor’s collaborative efforts in bringing justice to these wage theft victims. Unscrupulous employers who fail to pay workers properly do so not only to dodge obligations but to gain an unfair business advantage over law abiding employers.”
“Employees paid the price of these business owners’ failure to pay fair wages while misclassifying its employees and committing insurance fraud,” said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. “Partnership with other enforcement agencies is key to putting a stop to dangerous and illegal business practices. Our joint efforts protect employees, and help ensure a level playing field for businesses.”
Alfa’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier conducted a forensic audit of Alfa’s insurance policy based on information discovered in the investigation. The audit found that Alfa made material misrepresentation on their policy, starting from 2017 to 2021. The financial loss totaled more than $88,000.
Defendant Ferooz Nangeyali was charged with nine felonies including theft of wages from employees, conspiracy to commit a crime, insurance fraud, possession of an assault weapon, possession of a short barrel rifle, and possession of an expandable baton.
Co-defendant Alejandra Nangeyali was charged with five felonies, including: theft of wages from employees, conspiracy to commit a crime and insurance fraud.
Both defendants have been arraigned and their next court date is Feb. 14 for entry of plea.
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Contact: Public Information Officer Angela Ruggiero angela.ruggiero@acgov.org // (510) 919-0081
