Real Estate Scam Collapses; San Pablo Woman Indicted On 42 Criminal Counts
Martinez, Calif. – Today (Friday), a grand jury indictment was unsealed against Mercedes Gonzales, a 25-year-old resident of San Pablo. The allegations in the indictment detail repeated criminal conduct committed by Gonzales against unsuspecting victims desiring to rent a house or room in West Contra Costa County, Sonoma County and Solano County. In total there are…
Danville Mixed Martial Artist And Walnut Creek Jiu-Jitsu Academy Owner Indicted After Fleeing To Brazil
Ralph Gracie, a mixed martial artist and owner of several Brazilian jiu-jitsu training centers in Northern California, was indicted Friday by an Orange County grand jury after fleeing to Brazil following an alleged assault last year in Anaheim. Gracie, 39, of Danville, is accused of attacking a fellow MMA fighter during a tournament at the…
San Pablo Man Charged With Sexual Abuse Of 3-Year-Old Girl
From the Office of the District Attorney: San Pablo, Calif. – San Pablo Police received information of sexual abuse of a 3-year-old child after the victim reported the conduct to a family member. In turn, San Pablo Police Detectives were called and an investigation ensued. Subsequently Detectives arrested Adalberto Guardado, a 65-year-old resident of San Pablo,…
Creative Accountant Found Guilty Of Six Felonies – Embezzlement And ID Theft
Martinez, Calif. – Yesterday (Thursday, Sept. 5), defendant Jenelle Silva (44-year-old Pittsburg resident) was convicted by a Contra Costa County jury of six felonies, including the embezzlement of $247,456.08 from her former employer Bay Area Washout Systems. In addition, the jury found Ms. Silva committed the aggravated white collar crime enhancements of committing two or more…
John Muir Nursing Assistant Acquitted Of All Charges In Alleged Hospital Groping, Burglary Case
A nursing assistant at John Muir Hospital accused of groping a male patient at the hospital a year ago has been acquitted of charges he entered the patient’s room and groped him last year. All charges against health care worker Cody Baca, 31, were dropped this week after a jury weighing the case found in…
Orinda Man Indicted In Alleged Bank Fraud Scam
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury indicted Alan Safahi on charges related to an alleged bank fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter. The indictment alleges that between June 2013 and September 2014, Safahi, 58, of Orinda, fraudulently entered…
Walnut Creek Man Indicted For Possession Of Child Pornography
From the Office of the District Attorney, Contra Costa County: Martinez, Calif. – Yesterday (Tuesday, Aug. 27), a grand jury indictment was unsealed against defendant William Cashell, a 44-year-old resident of Walnut Creek, and Johnson County, Kansas. He was indicted for two counts of possession of child pornography. Cashell appeared in Martinez, California for an arraignment…
Concord Man Found Guilty Of First Degree Residential Burglary
From the Office of the District Attorney: Martinez, Calif. – Last week, defendant Curtis Hill (59-year-old Concord resident) was convicted, by a Contra Costa County jury, of first degree residential burglary. On August 16, 2019, the jury returned findings that the Defendant had been convicted of three prior strike offenses – two prior residential robberies and…
Concord Man Gets 70 Years To Life For Molesting Child
Martinez, Calif. – Last Friday, Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Lewis Davis sentenced defendant John Benny Gomez of Concord to 70 years to life in state prison. Last year, a jury found defendant Gomez guilty of nine felonies, including the molestation of a female victim, Jane Doe, under the age of 10. The criminal conduct…
Former Seeno Construction Executive Found Guilty of Embezzlement, Filing False Tax Returns
Martinez, Calif. – This past Friday, a Contra Costa County jury found defendant Edward Miller of Walnut Creek, California guilty as charged of four felonies tied to his criminal schemes to embezzle money from his employer Seeno Construction, Inc. and its affiliated entities. Miller was the former Chief Risk Officer for the Seeno Companies at the…