Mar 2, 2024 | Press Release
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price Reaffirms her Commitment to Transparency in Sharing Information with the Public
March 1, 2024
Oakland, CA— Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price reaffirms her commitment to sharing data from her office with the public. Achieving a level of transparency involves collecting and aggregating reliable case-related data. However, that has proven to be a significant challenge, primarily due to a poorly developed and untested technological infrastructure the new administration inherited in 2023. While the case management system functions to support day-to-day case responsibilities, it is woefully inadequate for creating summary data accurately representing our operations over time.
“I tasked my chief of administration and operations to research and identify partners to join our office in building a first-of-its-kind data use agreement with the California Policy Lab at UC Berkeley,” said DA Pamela Price. “Our first engagement with CPL focused on reviewing five years of basic data for the office. This analysis is currently in the final stages of data validation. Our goal is to create a data-driven support system that will be an asset for prosecutors while simultaneously meeting the need for transparency without compromising the pursuit of justice for victims of crime.”
In addition to working with CPL to expedite a state-of-the-art data management system, the ACDAO is also engaging in robust data and analytic capacity-building work, including partnering with the Safety and Justice Challenge Network and the Prosecutorial Performance Indicators (PPIs). Through this collaboration, the DA’s office will create a broader, more streamlined, accessible, and sturdy set of supports all in one place. The work has already begun with a data diagnostic establishing a solid foundation for future indicator and metric development and additional analysis support.
Contact: damedia@acgov.org
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (DAO) is one of California’s largest prosecutors’ offices and is led by Alameda County’s first Black woman District Attorney Pamela Y. Price. Price brings her vision to this office to fairly administer justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities for every person who steps foot in Alameda County, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, or zip code. Price has been recognized as one of the most progressive prosecutors through her forward-thinking, innovative strategies to interrupt cycles of violence and crime and bring change to a criminal justice system rooted in systemic racism. Follow Madam DA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and @AlamedaCountyda on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Feb 29, 2024 | Press Release
Fourth Defendant Charged with Murder in the Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le Case
February 29, 2024
Oakland, CA—Prosecutors with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office have now charged 28-year-old Sebron Russell for the December 29, 2023, shooting death of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le. Initially, Sebron Russell was charged with three counts of burglary.
The amended complaint alleges a charge against Russell for the murder of Officer Le, along with defendants Sanders, Brown, and Cooper. The amended complaint also charges Russell with a count of attempted murder on Oakland Police Office Donald McKinney, who was Officer Le’s partner on the night of the shooting. Furthermore, the amended complaint alleges a third count of Kidnapping to Commit Robbery of victim Darien Provenza, stemming from Russell’s involvement in a robbery incident on July 25, 2019.
“We will not stop our pursuit of justice for Officer Le and his family until everyone who participated in his murder is held accountable,” said DA Pamela Price. “We will follow the evidence wherever it leads, amend any charges against these four defendants as needed, and bring charges against anyone else allegedly involved in the killing of this Oakland Police Officer.”
Sebron Russell and his three codefendants are scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on March 4, 2024.
Contact: damedia@acgov.org
Feb 28, 2024 | Press Release
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price Announces $330,000 Settlement in a Business Embezzlement Case
February 28, 2024
Oakland, CA— Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announces a $330,000 plea bargain negotiated by the District Attorney’s Consumer Justice Bureau (CJB) in an embezzlement case against defendant Yolanda Cheers, also known as Yolanda Brown. The facts of the case showed that Cheers held prominent positions of trust, which included overseeing finances within two businesses. The complaint involved allegations of Cheers using her positions to pay herself unauthorized bonuses.
The investigation revealed that in late November 2016, an accountant at the National Equity Project discovered that the controller of the accounting department, Yolanda Cheers, who managed the business finances, had made two separate unauthorized transfers to herself from the non- profit’s PayPal account totaling $4,000.00. A police report was filed, and Cheers was terminated from her employment.
In August 2019, twelve felony charges were filed against Cheers after she was caught attempting to acquire an unauthorized loan in the name of BMWL & Partners. Upon further investigation, the business discovered that the defendant paid herself several bonuses and made several unauthorized credit card purchases, including a $10,000 trip to a vineyard.
Cheers was charged with six felony counts of Grand Theft by Embezzlement, three felony counts of Forgery, two Felony counts of Identity theft, and one felony count of Preparing False Documentary Evidence. A negotiated plea deal was reached whereby Cheers pled guilty to Felony Grand Theft by embezzlement and agreed to repay the business victims a total of $330,000. Deputy District Attorney Larnell France negotiated the deal and Cheers brought two cashier’s checks to court on the date of her plea: one in the amount of $329,000 payable to BMWL & Partners and a second check in the amount of $1,000 payable to the National Equity Project.
“Embezzlement is a violation of trust and a serious threat to the survival of our local businesses. This type of theft often causes a business to be mired in debt,” said District Attorney Pamela Price. “I commend the work of Deputy District Attorney Larnell France, who, within five months of taking on this assignment, successfully litigated and settled this case. This case was initially charged over five years ago by my predecessor and languished for years. As someone who joined our new administration in 2023, Larnell obviously brings tremendous value and commitment to the residents of Alameda County. The $330,000 Deputy District Attorney France recovered was greatly appreciated by the business owners.”
Contact: damedia@acgov.org
Feb 22, 2024 | Press Release
Justice with Compassion in Action: Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price Delivers Oscar Grant’s Personal Property to His Mother, Wanda Johnson
February 22, 2024
Oakland, CA—Today, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price hand delivered two cellphones, the remaining personal property of Oscar Grant, to his mother, Reverend Wanda Johnson, in a demonstration of justice with compassion in action.
“This is a signature day in the history of Alameda County and the Alameda County District Attorney’s office,” said DA Price. “In her own personal quest, Wanda Johnson has consistently asked the Alameda County District Attorney’s office to return her son’s property to her. I have heard that cry over many, many years. Now, as the elected district attorney of this county, I have the honor and the privilege of returning Oscar Grant’s phones to his mother.”
On January 12, 2024, DA Price filed an Ex Parte Motion, requesting a court order authorizing the return and release of the victim Oscar Grant’s phones from evidence to an Inspector with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and further release to the victim’s mother, Wanda Johnson. The court granted the motion and ordered the release of Grant’s property.
Oscar Grant was unarmed when he was killed by then-BART Officer Johannes Mehserle, who was among the officers responding to reports of a possible fight on a train. The phones were kept as evidence during Mehserle’s trial. On July 8, 2010, Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to two years minus time served.
“I lost Oscar on January 1, 2009,” said Wanda Johnson. “It’s a testament because so many families desire to have their family member’s property, but they have not been granted their request for whatever reason. This is all you have of that loved one, their property because they are no longer here. I thank DA Pamela Price because it didn’t take her long to get in motion to get the phones released.”
Contact: damedia@acgov.org
Feb 16, 2024 | Press Release
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price Announces Organized Retail Theft Felony Charges Against Two “Apple Burglars” Accused of Stealing Merchandise from Apple Stores in Berkeley and Emeryville
February 16, 2024
Oakland, CA— This week, District Attorney Pamela Price announced her office has charged two men in connection with multiple organized retail theft-related crimes from Apple Stores in the cities of Berkeley and Emeryville between November 27, 2023, and February 7, 2024.
The charges against both defendants, Tyler Anthony Mims (23) and Undre Deshaun Railey (28) include multiple felony counts of commercial burglary, grand theft, and misdemeanor counts of organized retail theft in concert.
“Prosecutors from our Organized Retail Crime Alameda (ORCA) Vertical Prosecution Unit were ready to receive the evidence following the apprehension of both suspects and acted quickly to start the justice phase of the process,” said District Attorney Pamela Price.
The two defendants were arraigned on these charges on February 14, 2024. Both defendants are scheduled for preliminary hearings at 9 AM on February 28, 2024, at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse.
Contact: damedia@acgov.org
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The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (DAO) is one of California’s largest prosecutors’ offices and is led by Alameda County’s first Black woman District Attorney, Pamela Price. Price brings her vision to this office to fairly administer justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities for every person who steps foot in Alameda County, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, or zip code. Price has been recognized as one of the most progressive prosecutors
through her forward-thinking, innovative strategies to interrupt cycles of violence and crime and bring change to a criminal justice system rooted in systemic racism. Follow Madam DA on Twitter and Facebook @AlamedaCountyda.
