In March of 2010, District Attorney Jeff Reisig made the startling announcement that nearly a third of the DA’s Office is funded by grants designated for investigating and prosecuting different areas of crime.In 2008-09, the entire criminal prosecution budget for the Yolo County’s DA’s Office was 9.37 million dollars. In 2009, Yolo County received 6.27 million dollars in grants for sexual assault and gang suppression. That money does not exclusively go to the DA’s Office, but is shared by the Sheriff’s Department and three police agencies.
The role of grants is huge, beyond simply the dollar terms. At least seven prosecutors are fully or partially grant-funded.According to Mr. Reisig himself in a speech before the Woodland Chamber of Commerce and reported by the Woodland Daily Democrat in March, “Absent grant funding, the crimes encompassed by this unit would still need to be investigated and prosecuted by solely utilizing general fund resources.”
“Thus, Yolo County has been extremely fortunate to receive grant funding in the above areas. Should the grant funding cease in the coming years, the County will need to be prepared to either provide additional funding or eliminate criminal prosecutions,” the DA continued.
A Vanguard investigation at that time revealed evidence of a “cash for conviction” program in which the DA’s Office had incentives to prosecute and over-prosecute cases in order to obtain grant money for those programs.
For instance, there is gang funding available through the Gang Violence Suppression Multi-Component Program (GVS) that presents as a requirement, “As a result of the specialized GVS unit, the agency must be able to increase the number of individuals identified as gang members and the number arrested for violent, gang-related crimes.”
If grants are incentivizing prosecution, does this put the agencies, that are competing for more and more scarce dollars in times of declining budgets, in need of prosecuting more cases and gaining more plea agreements in order to justify the grants?
While it is chilling that a government entity would have incentives to over-prosecute, it is alarming that the Vanguard has now discovered evidence of heavily-inflated crime statistics in grant applications by the DA’s Office. And further evidence suggests this was not an accidental typographical error, but rather something done intentionally and tailored specifically to the grant requirements.
In a grant from 2009 from the Victim/ Witness Program, which awarded the DA’s Office $189,763, it states on page 47 of the DA’s grant application, “Violent crime in Yolo county is 491.4 per 100,000 population, above the state average of 432.1 per 100,000 people.”
On the surface, the idea that violent crime in Yolo County would be above state average seems implausible, and upon checking with multiple sources within the California Department of Justice (DOJ), the agency that houses and tracks these statistics, the violent crime rate was nowhere near that figure. In 2008, it was 274.5 per hundred thousand. In essence, the DA nearly doubled the crime rate on a grant application (grant applications use stats from the year before).
Yolo County’s crime rate is nowhere near the state average; in fact, it is nearly half of the average.
The same grant application has inflated the number of cases handled by the DA’s prosecutors – in fact, they again nearly doubled it.
Page 47 of the grant application claims, “Prosecutors average over 400 cases per year. Victim advocates provided services to approximately 1000 victims in 2008-09.”
According to the DA’s 2008-2009 Biennial Report, there were 1,918 Felony cases and 4,897 misdemeanor cases = 6,815 cases. In the Daily Democrat, Mr. Reisig claimed his department tried roughly 20,000 cases over three years, which would put the annual total at roughly the same rate.
Given 35 prosecutors, and even using reasonable assumptions about which prosecutors try cases, the figure must be closer to 250 cases per year per prosecutor. To reach the claimed 400 cases per year, the DA’s Office would have to have only 17 of their 35 prosecutors working cases. While not impossible I suppose, it seems implausible.
Moreover, they acknowledge in a block grant application for statutory rape, that their caseload remains 200 cases per year, and that excludes grant attorneys.
When comparing different grant applications, we see two different sets of statistics. This may be in part because the grant requirements are different.
In the Victim/ Witness Assistance Program versus the Yolo County Vertical Prosecution Block Program, one finds two very different sets of statistics, despite the fact both are written by the same grant writer and signed off by the same people.
Moreover, differences in the grant requirements themselves suggest this may not be accidental. For the Victim/Witness Assistance Program, a higher caseload number would make that grant application more competitive. They needed to show that they are overworked, as they are asking for funding five additional support staffers.
The Vertical Prosecution Program Block Grant requires quality representation. Prosecutors should not be overloaded with cases. In this grant application, they state that the average annual caseload for non-vertical prosecutors is 200 and for prosecutors in the vertical prosecution program their estimated caseload is only 25-30 cases.
The Vanguard found in the Probation Specialized Units Program Recovery Act Program, which awarded $345,433 starting in October 2009, that the grant writer tripled the number of adults on probation and also tripled the percentage of the population that is on probation.
“Currently, there are approximately 3400 adults on formal probation in Yolo County (1.7% of the total population), and 85 of them have been convicted of sexual assault. Survey data from the Chief Probation Officers of California (2008) indicates these numbers are higher than other counties of like population (approximately 29% more sex offenders on probation than the next largest county with available data),” the DA’s Office wrote.
Once again, these figures are inaccurate. According to the CA DOJ database, Yolo County has 1,111 Adults on probation for 2008, which means that the number claimed on the grant application is more than 300% greater than the actual reported number.
Using Sacramento County as a basis of illustration, we can see that Yolo County’s figure must be greatly exaggerated. Sacramento County has 12,115 people on probation. Using that rate of the population and transposing it onto Yolo County’s population, that would produce 1,730 people on probation. The grant application’s figure of 3400 would represent a rate of probationers that is twice that of Sacramento County.
The Vanguard also found evidence of inflated drug arrests. In the grant application the DA claims, “The Yolo County Narcotics Task Force (YONET) reported that they arrested 222 individuals for drug violations. Of these arrests, 207 or 98% were felonies and only 15 or 7% were misdemeanors.”
However, according to the CA DOJ stats from 2008, there were only 142 adult and 5 minor felony narcotics arrests in Yolo County for a total of 147. Looking at the Yonet Grant from October 2009, it claims the number of cases was 140, which is far closer to the DOJ’s 142 adult figure, and far from the 222 number listed in the DA’s grant application.
Furthermore, the Anti-Drug Abuse Enforcement Program grant application states that felony drug arrests increased 13% for the year 2007; when in fact, the felony drug arrests decreased by 15%. The DA claims in its grant application, “Felony drug arrests increased 13%, or 86% of the total drug arrests, and misdemeanor arrests increased 12% for the year 2007.”
According to Cal-DOJ, in 2006 there were 819 felony drug arrests in Yolo County. In 2007, there were 699 felony drug arrests – a figure that represents a 15% decrease.
As the figure below shows, drug arrests have generally been declining since peaking in 2003.
In the 2009 grant for the Anti-Drug Abuse Program, the DA claims that methamphetamine is the drug of choice for Yolo County. Page 15 of the application states, “… methamphetamine remains the drug of choice in Yolo County and accounts for 71% of the prosecutions and 57% of the arrests.”
On page 32 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Grant and Page 57 of the Vertical Prosecution Block Grant, they state, “Methamphetamine has remained the drug of choice in Yolo County and there was a significant increase in the seizures of this drug during the past year.”
Furthermore, on the Vertical Prosecution Block Grant, page 161, they state, “Methamphetamine continues as the” drug of choice” in Yolo County. It has been estimated that 85% to 90% of all YONET resources are spent on controlling the sale of this drug. …Methamphetamine is readily available throughout Yolo County, but methamphetamine labs are rare in Yolo County.”
However, on the Yolo County DA’s 2008-09 Biennial Report they have a chart of drugs seized in the years 2007 and 2008.
There seem to be a number of strange factors here, and it is not fully clear what is going on.
First, why is the total amount of drugs seized soaring from 2007 to 2008? In 2007, the DA seized $27.5 million, then $77.3 million in 2008. And yet according to DOJ statistics, the number of arrests went down.
Second, the DA claims that meth was the drug of choice, but it is not clear that is the case either. Marijuana would appear to be the drug of choice, with meth competing with cocaine
What may be accurate is that meth accounts for 71% of all prosecutions – however even that, at least anecdotally, seems suspect as marijuana, in terms of caseload, would appear to closely rival meth prosecutions.
Analysis
It is perhaps worth noting that in the fall of 2009, Jennifer Beeman, director of the UC Davis campus anti-violence program, was found to have grossly inflated the number of forcible sexual offenses in three years of mandatory reports to the federal government. It is also worth noting, at least in passing, that Ms. Beeman’s office worked extensively with the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office.
On October 29, 2009, the Sacramento Bee reported, “The university announced earlier this month that an employee had erroneously reported the number of campus sexual assaults from 2005-2007, in tallies required by the federal government. Jennifer Beeman, former director of Campus Violence Prevention Program, reported more assaults during those years than actually took place, campus officials said.”
Within the body of that article, it was reported that these “documents [were] used to justify large grants from the federal government that support the violence prevention program at UC Davis.”
According to the article, “The Office on Violence Against Women at the U.S. Department of Justice gave UC Davis a $543,000 grant in 1999, a nearly $300,000 grant in 2005 and a grant of almost $1 million in 2007. The 1999 and 2005 grants supported the Campus Violence Prevention Program at Davis, and the 2007 grant was intended to create similar programs at UC campuses around the state.”
Furthermore, “UC Davis reported earlier this month that the director of its violence prevention program inflated the number of sexual assaults reported to the federal government under the Clery Act. A Bee review of grant documents the campus filed to the Department of Justice shows counts different from both the original and corrected Clery Act numbers UC Davis reported.”
Of importance here is that it appears that the Yolo County DA’s Office may have produced similarly-inflated crime and prosecution statistics, in order to become eligible for and to receive grant money.
When comparing with Sacramento, a far larger county with a higher crime rate, Yolo County gets nearly as much, if not more, in grant money in the areas of sexual assault and gang suppression.
Part of the reason for this may simply be that Yolo County is more aggressive in seeking grants.
However, our investigation has found that Yolo County is over-reporting its crime rates and its prosecutions. How large a role that reporting plays in the actual receipt of the grant remains to be determined. In many cases the reported figures are not even close to official statistics.
Furthermore, it would appear that these mistakes are intentional. The same individuals signed and prepared grant applications that used vastly different reporting statistics.
There would also seem to be something strange going on with regards to drug seizures which seem to have increased greatly in the most recently available biennial report, despite an actual drop in the number of arrests and prosecutions for the same crimes.
There is already a widening discrepancy in the amount of money available for public prosecution, versus that available for public defense. The one-to-one comparison of DA budget to Public Defender budget is dwarfed by the recognition that law enforcement activities aid DA investigators, without being counted in their budget.
The Yolo County Public Defender’s Office receives no grants and works with roughly one-third of the budget that the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office does. Moreover, the PD’s Office has roughly one-quarter of the personnel of that of the DA’s Office.
As budgets get tighter, the need for grants will increase. Those competing for grants will have to prove the need for those funds. Dependency on grant money and fulfilling grant requirements may mean that only some crimes will get prosecuted, while others may not.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Wow! David this is an incredible piece of detective work. What you have uncovered seems criminal to me. I am pretty sure that when one applies for federal and/or state grants that one can lose the money if the application has false statements. Criminal charges seem more than likely too.
As I read your article, I kept thinking about the Cheese Man who got 7 years for stealing $3.99 worth of cheese, and the Bad Check Writer who got 9 years for writing two bad checks at the grocery store for a total of $215. How many years should one get for putting false information on grant applications that incurred millions of dollars?
David this is an amazing article and so sad at the same time. After reading this it seems The Gang Violence Suppression Multi-Component Program grant is the driving force for the Gang Injunction.
Okay this is sounding like Bell,California. David first I want to commend you for using actual pictures of the grants. This really helped me see that what you are reporting are FACTS! First some may say there is nothing wrong with Yolo County wanting to obtain grant monies to fight crime. Of course there is nothing wrong with it. It becomes wrong when that money is obtained dishonestly, like misrepresenting the truth. Which is in fact what the DA’s office has done, as they are the ones who have filled out the application and authorized them. Questions have been flying around about the DA, Jeff Reisig and his office and now this article has lead me and hopefully may others to ask; If he can not be trusted to be honest to the Federal Government why would I expect him to be honest to us?
[quote]Gang Violence Suppression Multi-Component Program (GVS) that presents as a requirement, “As a result of the specialized GVS unit, the agency must be able to increase the number of individuals identified as gang members and the number arrested for violent, gang-related crimes.”[/quote]
This requirement really stood out to me! What happens when there are no more gang members to identify? According to this REQUIREMENT of the grant, then they no longer qualify to receive grant monies. WOW!!! Okay so what Organa commented on about this could explain WHY the DA is going after this Gang Injunction. Considering the fact that many citizens of West Sacramento are willing to go on record and sign affidavits saying they do not have a gang problem and then if you only drive around the neighborhoods, it is very clear to see there is no real gang presence there. Combine that with what David has revealed to us about the requirement for this GVS program, it makes more sense that a gang is being created to obtain money. All the residents of this area can not be wrong. What is the motive of the residents to say there is not gang? Nothing, when in fact if they actually had a gang problem then it would be to their disadvantage to say there is no gang problem. So what about Jeff Reisig? Money is a powerful motivator and Reisig has something to gain by saying there is a gang problem. Bottom line, well I sure hope that David and other people in a position will expose even more. I for one will be doing some looking into this.
The DA’s office has been accused many times of being unethical. Now there is concrete evidence of them lying to get grant money. There needs to be a thorough federal investigation about this. All the past accusations about this office, the Police Departments, and the judges now needs to be taken lot more seriously.
Great Job. This type of reporting is what is needed to help clean up our broken government and expose unethical politicians.
Something that many may not realize is all these grants become pretty much mandatory to fulfill. Meaning extreme pressure is put on law enforcement, DA Investigators and DA Prosecutors to ensure the grants are supported and justified. This pressure makes it easier to blur the line of right and wrong. People assigned to these Grant positions are under pressure from DA Reisig to produce and justify. They have to keep stats, they have to make it look like the grant is needed, they have to produce or they are under threat of losing the position or being reassigned or threatened with layoffs, all this corrupts the legal process and puts justice in second place.
Prosecutors should NOT profit from convictions or statistics. Getting extra Money should not be the motivation to put people in jail, it is not what our system is based on. This clearly shows, at least with DA Reisig, when money, statistics and headlines are involved, he will do anything but the right thing. I would guess there are others in the state that do the same thing but maybe not as open and with such arrogance and impunity.
What is hard to believe is will all the serious ethical allegations that continue to surround DA Jeff Reisig, there are still those in power and others that want to follow and support this obvious unethical and untrustworthy guy. I think people have just come to expect that all politicians are dirty and untrustworthy so they have come to accept this behavior as the norm. Which is why our country is in the shape it is in.
dmg: “As budgets get tighter, the need for grants will increase. Those competing for grants will have to prove the need for those funds. Dependency on grant money and fulfilling grant requirements may mean that only some crimes will get prosecuted, while others may not.”
I don’t find any of this surprising. Grant funding is notorious for not fact checking when it comes to handing out money. Why aren’t any of you angry that the gov’t keeps handing out hard-earned taxpayer dollars without checking the facts behind grant applications? This has been going on for MANY, MANY YEARS, and in various agencies/organizations. There was a great expose in the Sac Bee some years ago, about state grant funding handed out to certain CA school systems without any fact checking. As a result, certain large school systems such as LA County were getting huge amounts of grant funding with no accountability, while small counties like Yolo were getting zip, zero, nada.
I’m angry at any lack of integrity to falsify grant applications, but just as if not more angry at the gov’t for handing out our tax dollars like candy, with no accountability. For instance, why doesn’t part of the crime prevention grant application include the necessity of providing official CA-DOJ stats/comparison stats with other counties so that a DA cannot inflate numbers (if that is what is going on here)?
Law enforcement rocks !
I agree with Elaine that the government should check grant applications for accuracy before they hand out money.
But just because someone didn’t check the application, it doesn’t make it right to falsify this information. Just because you haven’t been caught in a crime doesn’t make it less a crime.
If the DA’s office has no problem misrepresenting the facts on grant applications, maybe they also have no problem misrepresenting the facts in other places–like court cases.
People in this community have been complaining about the lack of ethical behavior by this office. This latest story seems to validate these complaints.
I agree with you Elaine that our government should not give money away without checking credibility. Now that David has made this story public, I hope that whatever agency is in charge of grant fraud issues takes action. This is the only way to stop this abuse and get accountability. It is our tax dollars that are being given away without any accountability.
Also, when this situation happened with Jennifer Beeman at UC Davis, didn’t a federal investigation ensue?
Every conviction by this shady outfit needs be reviewed- from the time they started receiving grant money to the present day. Turn these bums upside-down and shake.
FAI: “If the DA’s office has no problem misrepresenting the facts on grant applications, maybe they also have no problem misrepresenting the facts in other places–like court cases.”
Very valid point. The entire grant application process is ripe for corruption at all levels. And this is where our tax dollars are going – huge and significant amounts of it…
Great work David,
This is what the County of Yolo has been needing for some time now, proof. ERM, you are right about our tax money getting handed out like candy from the government, but this article is about Yolo and the justice system. I would like to know what the next step could possibly be? I would hate to see this just be an article and no further action taken. It would be a big dissapointment to know all of these findings, and nothing got done at the next level. Does anyone have any information on what could possibly be the next step in exposing all of the findings? If anyone has any resources,lets get some information out to the public. I have been saying all along that we have “overzealous” DA’s, and now the proof is in the pudding! Kudos to you David.
All I can say is WOW. There are serious problems occurring in Yolo County. Thank you for reporting what’s been going on to us – the taxpaying, voting public. You are doing what we expect all our journalists to do. Unfortunately, either because of economic down times or “good ole boys” the public has not been kept informed. The Judicial Watch has raised many questions about what is happening in Yolo County’s legal arena and uncovered so many problems happening in the legal system. Now, you’ve uncovered a big piece of the missing puzzle. We need to hold our representatives accountable. They need to step up and address these problems! Your voting public is watching.
So “the best system in the world” must be dishonest in order to collect the necessary resources to operate?
The next steps would be the Yolo Grand Jury and written notifications to the grant agencies pointing out the grant applications are being falsified.
Even if all of the grant money was received honestly, it is still influencing the conduct and decisions made by both Police and the DA’s office – it creates distortion in the system and it means some people are being prosecuted for the wrong reasons. If this practice continues The Court should be required to fully disclose to the Jury all of the potential conflicts of interest.
I don’t know if it’s the delayed shock of what you’ve uncovered that it’s just really sinking in. But what they have done is criminal and completely unethical. This is outrageous. They are supposed to be upholding the letter of the law. If they cannot be honest in grant reports than how can they be believed to be honest with anything. Like I said earlier, whoever is responsible to holding them accountable for their actions needs to step up.
I was so saddened when in this last election, Reisig was unopposed–I even had a friend tell me she was going to write-in my name and vote for me–LOL–because better to vote for anyone else, EXCEPT Reisig. But seriously, because this is politics, and given what happened when Pat Lenzi ran against him–I don’t blame people from not going up against Reisig. However, given this statistical information pertaining to grants, lets hope something does happen because I’ve known all along that the stats that have been touted (when it comes to the Gang Injunction about crime going down, were not accurate (I did my own statistical research–from 1999-2006–with DOJ stat reports and found thatfor the most part, crime was already going down (with a hike up here or there), and ironically jumped a little higher in 2006, even though the first Injunction was in place. So, go figure! Anyhow, if Reisig can’t get voted out of office, hopefully, he will be ousted for what’s been uncovered! Good job David!
Okay. So gang injunction trial = gang task force grant. “Sextortion” distortion of press release in Michael Artz’s case = sexual predator grant. Perhaps the people who have been crying foul with the DA’s office are telling the truth. The killing of Luis Gutierrez not being investigated is starting to make sense now. It doesn’t look good if the gang task force killed an innocent person when you are getting grant money for gang suppression. The supporters for Ajay Dev have been claiming he was wrongly prosecuted and is innocent. Then there is the Jesus Solis case you reported on a week ago where the witness asked why the murderer wasn’t at the trial. It still bothers me that the prosecutor didn’t try to find out the truth of the witness’ statement to make sure they have the right guy. I’ve wondered about why the DA would do all this. Is this all motivated to get more convictions for grant money? It sure seems like it.
Oh just wait, the Solis trial gets worse from there. It’s going to the jury today.
lyah: I’ve wondered about why the DA would do all this. Is this all motivated to get more convictions for grant money?
They are completely motivated to get more convictions for grant money. They are searching for crimes that will “work” for the sexual predator grant and the gang task force grant. Then when they find something that will fit the DA will convict without doing the proper investigation so they can check off a box on their grant forms. It’s disgusting!
Thank you David for bringing this out in the open. I’m glad someone was brave enough to do it!
Yes, Ajay is innocent like we have been saying all along. It’s only sad that it takes this type of news to come out before people finally listen to what we have said all along. It has been frustrating for us that when we say Ajay is innocent many people have commented that the family is blindly supporting him because we don’t want to face the truth. However, if we said he was guilty the same people would say, well the family knows the best. Ajay is innocent. I just pray that he finally gets his day in court to prove that.
My last comment was directed to lyah when he/she made a comment about Ajay Dev’s case. Sorry I forgot to put that part in the comment above.
The more and more I know these facts, I am appalled to even look at his face as I am logging in. This is pure disgusting and unethical, to say the least. Alphonso noted that the next steps would be the Yolo Grand jury and written notifications to the grant agencies. Does/can the public play any part in this? this needs to be investigated ASAP. Does anyone have any phone numbers,forms, etc. Is there anywhere we as the community of Yolo County meet and discuss any further action that can be taken. Does anyone have any legal info? As a community,this needs to be further investigated.
Roger Rabbit: “Something that many may not realize is all these grants become pretty much mandatory to fulfill. Meaning extreme pressure is put on law enforcement, DA Investigators and DA Prosecutors to ensure the grants are supported and justified. This pressure makes it easier to blur the line of right and wrong. People assigned to these Grant positions are under pressure from DA Reisig to produce and justify. They have to keep stats, they have to make it look like the grant is needed, they have to produce or they are under threat of losing the position or being reassigned or threatened with layoffs, all this corrupts the legal process and puts justice in second place.”
Your points are frightening, and now I fear probably all true. Over the past year or so there have been so many people screaming about the injustices happening in Yolo County. Now you tell us that the grants have made it easier to blur the line of right and wrong. And that the DA pressures people to produce or they might lose their jobs.
How many people have paid the price for these policies with their freedom. In the last post, Freedom brings up Ajay Dev’s case. He was given 378 years, and people have claimed he was innocent.
How many “Broderick Boys” are paying the price of being labeled a “gang member” simply because they fill a quota for a grant.
Something really needs to be done. There are people out there that must know what is happening here. They need to come forward.
God bless you David for bringing out the truth. I lost lot of faith in our justice system when Ajay was wrongfully convicted. Ajay believed that the truth will always set you free and yet due to overzealous prosecution and anything for a win tactics by the DA, He was wrongfully convicted. The complete truth was not allowed. The DA playing with emotion for the jurors and making up his own interpretation led them to believe in the wrong verdict. One of the jurors even commented that he MAY have done it. I thought it was suppose to be beyond reasonable doubt. Today many family members and friends of Ajay suffer because of this wrong verdict. I always wondered why the DA pushed this case forward piling 92 counts. It just did not make sense. Cash for conviction and today’s article by you opened my eyes to the real truth. I pray that our justice system fights for the truth and that is not controlled by money and ego. I hope that not only Ajay’s but many other cases are looked at carefully. This corruption must end so that innocent victims will never have to suffer again.
It looks like people in this county are finally waking up to some of the corruption in this county. Thanks for helping provide a jolt. Hopefully people will keep wanting to fix the problems here. Please keep keeping us all informed.
I decided to go back and see the cases where injustice has been claimed over the last year or so. Now that we know that cash for convictions is really a motivator, I thought it would be important to examine some of the cases where there has been public outcry or lawsuits claiming misconduct by the DA’s office.
Gang Grant Influenced:
1. Luiz Gutierrez – shot by the sheriffs/claimed he was a gang member.
2. The whole gang injunction trial……
3. The Memorial Day attack where people got no jail time for admitting gang membership.
4. Rick Gore who was a Gang Task Force Detective in the DA’s office claimed that Reisig was pushing the gang issue too far.
4. Santiago Ochoa – The DA had to try this boy out of its jurisdiction. He was found innocent, but maybe the Yolo DA got quota points for prosecution.
Sexual Assault Grant Influenced:
1. Michael Artz found innocent of the main charge but will face some time for having consensual sex with his high school girlfriend.
2. Ajay Dev
2. Jeffrey Lockwood
3. Noori Brothers and Atabar
I am sure I am missing some cases. If someone knows of more, please add on to the list.
I agree with rpavich’s blog earlier when he said that all these cases need to be reviewed again. When reviewing them we need to use the lens that this cash for convictions story has created.
Okay, now that everyone agrees that there is wrongdoing, whats the next step? Does anyone know of any contacts? ACLU, Sac Bee, etc. And can the public get involved in anyway? There are cases that are currently going on right now, and if someone does not stop all of this fiasco, we will be commenting on another issue. FAI: thanks for looking into just a partial of the injustices that have went on in the past year.
Terrific job, David and thank you for bringing this unbelievable news to the public! These are serious discoveries and must be brought to the attention of those who have authority to investigate and take action. This information should also be made known to a wider audience. I strongly encourage everyone to let as many people know about this story and send this article to other media outlets. Concerned citizens and media exposure can escalate this issue to the right authorities. I can’t help but wonder how many lives have been negatively impacted or destroyed because of the dishonest intensions behind falsifying grant applications. What of the lives of those who are innocent? What of the lives of Luis Gutierrez, Ajay Dev, Jeffrey Lockwood, and many others? To the Yolo County justice system they are merely stats for the purpose of receiving grant funding. The damages caused to these folks are irreversible. We need to send this article to local and national news media such as Sac Bee, SF Chronicle, LA Times, CNN, CBS, NBC, 60 Minutes, etc).
This should open our eyes…Ajay was wrongly convicted by the very people who should be sitting where he is. One indicator was when the DA signaled the judge by looking up at the clock during one of the last days of the trial. An obvious team mentality to rap it up for ‘CASH FOR CONVICTIONS.’
Looks like Reisig’s office may be pressured/obliged to respond to allegations such as this, especially if news media follows it up. I’ll be interested to see future developments of this story…
The magnitude and implications of this article/information is staggering (especially given the number of cases that have gone through Reisig’s office during the fraud period).
First of all, David should be applauded for turning out “real investigative reporting.” Not many have the courage to report facts that expose public servants with the kind of power and position such as a DA. People would remain ignorant and unable to fight for justice without this type of reporting….kudos, David.
That being said, it is imperative that an independent investigation is properly and judiciously made. The people need to galvanize together with this and other information and demand that one is performed. What is the next step and how do we get this done? Answers and appropriate reprimand for this type of conduct are needed to restore public trust. It is a crime to commit fraud, and those of public office are held to a higher standard, especially as officers of the court. They took an oath to safe guard the integrity of our justice system and have abused it for personal gain. They are criminals.
And yes, I am angry that our tax dollars are being used this way and are not being fact checked before dissemination. However, the more horrific crime here is the blatant misuse of judicial power and the willingness to compromise the law and justice by knowingly prosecuting and convicting innocent people. This conduct is reprehensible and needs to be addressed.
Reisig needs to address this matter.
Does this sort of thing go on in other jurisdictions? I suppose it would be a matter of following the money.
It will be interesting to see if and how the local media covers this. Is it worth submitting to the Yolo County Grand Jury?
wdf1: “Does this sort of thing go on in other jurisdictions? I suppose it would be a matter of following the money.”
I think it is endemic to the grant system as a whole, including grants to public education (at all levels including college). Every agency, nonprofit or other entity is scrambling for grant money to fill gaps in funding any way they can. It is imperative that the gov’t makes sure to build in accountability in its system of gov’t giveaways, so this sort of funny business cannot take place. And especially in the criminal justice system where everyone must be held to a higher stander because of the stakes involved – a defendant’s personal liberty.
wdf1: “It will be interesting to see if and how the local media covers this. Is it worth submitting to the Yolo County Grand Jury?”
I certainly would like to see an investigation of some sort, and give the DA an opportunity to respond. If there have been improprieties, I would like the investigation to go far wider than Yolo County, to every other jurisdiction in this country and with respect to the grant process in general when it comes to taxpayer funding.
To wdf1 and the many other genuinely concerned ,
Yes this type of thing does go on in other jurisdictions. This is the City of Bell syndrome!!! Many public officials, elected and otherwise, become overreached by greed, power and selfish gains by taking liberties with their position as if they are above the law. And of course it is all the more appalling when it is their responsibility to uphold that very law they themselves disregard, not to mention unethical and immoral behavior.
It is absolutely worth it to submit to the Yolo County Grand Jury, the AG, other responsible news media (both local and national), the Feds and any other agency that should be involved to help reconcile what has become very broken.
This is very serious people and it strikes at the very core of everything that should be decent in a modern 21st century society. Every citizen of Yolo County has been ripped off and should be incensed at the arrogance on this level.
The sad news is that apathy is the calculated response by individuals who dominate those under their authority. So at the end of the day it is the responsibility of every citizen of Yolo County who wants accurate answers to contact any and everybody they feel can help; congress persons, AG, State Bar, Grand Juries, news media, social networks etc., etc.,
Never underestimate what you can do as an individual. You’d be surprised at who can help when you give it some thought.
David keep up the great work. keep fighting for what is right, what is truthful and most importantly for the people who aren’t able to speak for themselves!
Keep in mind here, that in actuality, all you have here is David’s individual opinion, based on his own manner of evaluating the data he’s collected, and the self-serving results he has chosen to share with you. Like the DA, who David has criticized so vociferously for publicizing the DA’s Office message he wants heard, David only shares the messages he wants heard—messages that turns his blog into a spectacle of dissent, drawing those looking for the blood in the water. What David both criticizes and engages in is just human nature, and nothing nefarious. He doesn’t like the DA’s Office attempting to do good marketing and calls it unethical. I don’t like David selling people’s reputations down the stream so that he can puff out his chest and sell ad space and feel that’s unethical. But, both are perfectly legal and the way modern society works. As long as we all understand that, there will be greater mutual respect. Since David wants to exploit the phenomenon, I have to interpret his motive as wanting to drive wedges between people, enflame emotions, create hostility, and work against mutual respect.
David and his little group of accolades are a very small minority made up of those who see things the way David has presented. The DA’s office can’t and shouldn’t waste time chasing down and de-bunking all such disingenuous, fringe, minority, activist, alarmist claims. (Most intelligent and pragmatic citizens would see it is childish for that office to become so engaged.) Especially those claims tied so inextricably to an agenda engineered to be furthered through the designed outrageousness of the message rather than the genuineness of the opinion/view. Such frivolity on the part of the DA’s office would tend to make credible that which isn’t, and waste limited resources required to keep our overburdened justice system working and moving. Based on there being no other contender in the DA’s election race (basically and election mandate without an election), Yolo citizens, by a significant, measurable majority are happy with what the DA gives them.
And ultimately, the primary purpose of this blog and many other such “news sources” (term used very, very loosely) is to attract readers so that ad space can be sold. If David represented the facts without his poison-pen, his blog would be entirely unable to attract those readers, like me and many I speak with, looking for an opportunity to get a laugh at David and his government-conspiracy-around-every-corner-type followers, or to attract those few readers who get up in arms with him about everything and write those preposterous support messages that we all laugh at—those support messages, which seem to cause David to puff out his chest, thinking his views matter more than they deserve as the mere chatter that the Vanguard blog truly is.
“Keep in mind here, that in actuality, all you have here is David’s individual opinion, based on his own manner of evaluating the data he’s collected, and the self-serving results he has chosen to share with you.”
I don’t see how these results are self serving. That is like saying all investigative reporters are just self serving. They have no great impact on society. You seem not to have read this article. David quotes from the grants and the Department of Justice. Unfortunately now days people that want to stay informed need to look at news blogs to get the real stories. Newspapers and TV news can not be counted on to tell the stories that matter. We should be thrilled that someone is keeping an eye out for us.
“David and his little group of accolades are a very small minority made up of those who see things the way David has presented. “
Actually the people that respond on this blog seem a lot more informed than on other blogs I have read. I don’t know who you are but to blindly believe the people in charge in this day and age is dangerous.
To Andrew T:
I find it very curious that the DA has chosen to be silent about these allegations. If these allegations are false as you imply and are just the stories of a small minority, then it should be very simple for the DA to give evidence that these allegations are false.
It seems to me that these allegations with the grants have brought to light a very serious issue for the DA’s office–possibly a criminal issue. It makes one wonder if the DA has no evidence or response that could counter these allegations. So instead they use arguments like you have—we are too busy to respond to every allegation put up by this website. Well, this allegation is HUGE compared to anything else that has come to light.
The allegations in this article are serious, much more serious, than let’s say…..taking time to prosecute a man for stealing $3.99 or another man for breaking a window in an abandoned house. Why prosecute these types of cases if you are so overloaded and have no time to talk to the public about a serious issue.
The DA is keeping silent about these allegations because he is hoping that they will just go away and no one will notice.
Andrew T.,
Your comentary is a delinquent attempt to deflect attention away from the potential criminality attributed to the Yolo County DA’s office contained within David’s article.
Regrettably, we’ve long witnessed the DA’s office employ the identicle tactic of villifying the messenger rather than addressing the substantive issues.
Consequently, you’ve reduced your commentary to a premature inditement against the journalist and his work product in advance of an independent audit.
Given the magnitude of the allegations ascribed to the Yolo County DA’s office, the only moral and legal position that you should endorse in order to ensure justice is to actively promote a good faith, independent audit. Anything short of that belies the disingenuous and specious nature of your commentary.
Fight Against Injustice I think you are right on about how much more important this issue is than prosecuting some of these cases that the DA chose to prosecute. I find it absolutely disgusting that someone would just assume that everything David has printed is just his point of view and can’t be true. Why not publicly publish the grants and the data from the Department of Justice so people can see the truth.
[quote]The DA’s office can’t and shouldn’t waste time chasing down and de-bunking all such disingenuous, fringe, minority, activist, alarmist claims. (Most intelligent and pragmatic citizens would see it is childish for that office to become so engaged.) [/quote]
Thanks Mr. Reisig, nice try at trying to downplay your dishonesty and lack of ethics. Any idiot can see the facts for themselves, so to try and make this about David or some conspiracy theory is typical cover up when you get caught.
Mr. Reisig should be ashamed at these “facts” and since he has no values or morals he just hides under his rocks like the coward he is. This guy is poison and his house of cards is collapsing fast. People will continue to grow tired of his excuses and pointing the finger at everyone else.
I just hope he ends up in one his prisons that he so loves to use as his political ladder to climb over people for his personal benefit.
Andrew T,
First Bell Ca, San Diego Ca, now Yolo County. You sound like you got your feelings hurt. The truth will come out, if you think for a minute that there is no investigation into this already, I guess the truth remains to be seen.I will not name sources, but it is already being looked into. But, we as the community of Yolo County must not stop there, Still get this information out to the media. I cant believe that in your comment, you are basically accusing David of falsifying or exaggerating some figures.What really would be the cause for that? Investigation is his job, and this is just what the County of Yolo needed.Why are you speaking on behalf of the DA, should they not be doing that themselves?
I’m grateful for Andrew’s post. There are really two reasons for that. First, I like to see contrary views on here, it’s healthy for discussion.
Second, and more significantly, reporting a story like this is stressful and difficult. A number of people spent a good amount of time checking and re-checking the facts, making sure we got it right. Nothing is a more lonely feeling than putting a piece out there wondering if you might have overlooked something that should have been obvious.
Andrew’s post and the relative silence by normally critical voices tell me that I didn’t miss anything of substance. If I would have gotten one of these facts wrong, someone would have pointed it out already.
“The Yolo County Narcotics Task Force (YONET) reported that they arrested 222 individuals for drug violations. Of these arrests, 207 or 98% were felonies and only 15 or 7% were misdemeanors.”
was that just a typo or miscalculation from the YONET. Should be 93% instead of 98%.
Also, what happened from 2007 to 2008 that the cocaine street value price went from $38/gram to $80/gram, while all the other drugs mentioned by the YONET, the price remained constant?
Thank you David for bringing the truth out with regards to corruption at the DA Office. I thought this kind of things only happened in Kern county, city of Bell, Duke case or in the movies.
Andrew T is the obvious and reflex response in this type of situation. This has been going on since Nixon! These guys always and predictably reply by berating anyone that exposes them for who they are. This is far from onesided, A. T. (aka Jeff) imputes that David wants something more then elected officials with integrity who promote true justice not “just-us”. Spin, spin, spin, when you are booted out of the DAs office Jeff oops I mean Andrew T. 🙂 then you can always be a DJ
Good work, David.
LotR10F9, Valerie, Alphonso and Wolf! all hit on something important: The next step needs to be a submission to the Yolo County Grand Jury. David has already done much of the work. For a sample, there is a submission to the Sacramento County Grand Jury at or around 1990 for an investigation into then District Attorney Steve White. The submission for the investigation was accepted and the Grand Jury investigated. The documents are all public and the librarian can find them. This submission should propose investigation into the behavior of the DA and the Presiding Judge not revealing the marital relationship and the substantial cost resulting from that failure first in a major (death penalty) case 3 years ago and the not yet exhausted taxpayers paid appeals. Add to that the fact that the DA and judge are still not revealing this conflict, choosing instead to burden the taxpayers with the cost of appeals should the defense discover what they should have been told. All of this should be included in a corruption probe by the grand jury. The code of Judicial Ethics and the State Bar Rules of Ethics will govern there and the wrongdoers will have to answer. The important thing is to present the proposal to the grand jury well.
Thank you, David, for your detailed and thorough investigation of this matter, and for bringing it to our attention. The Yolo DA should definitely be aware that his actions are now under public scrutiny. These are not “alarmist claims” as “Andrew T” states– they are direct quotations and comparisons from DOJ stats. Pretty solid evidence it appears, and difficult to squirm out of.
Kathryn: The code of Judicial Ethics and the State Bar Rules of Ethics will govern there and the wrongdoers will have to answer. The important thing is to present the proposal to the grand jury well.
How does this get started? Does anyone know if there has been any media contact? or has anyone contacted any media?
David you are the man in the Watchtower keeping us safe while we sleep. Thank you, your staff and whoever supports and helps you.
The silence of the supporters and Mr. Resig to me is very significant. It seems if what you wrote is incorrect they would say so and prove it. I have been an observer of Yolo County for a few years and have seen injustices by attorneys, police and judges. Thank you for bringing this to light.
Avatar: “Law Enforcement rocks!!!”
I want to say some do rock, but some are rocky. One is naive to think all of them do. Who should police the police. The people should. Wake up all you sleepy people. Get on the band wagon. Clean up the county.
Mr. Resig you can “Fool some of the people some of the time, most of the people all of the time, but no all of the people all of the time.” A quote by one of our heroes.
Mr. Rsign confess. It is good for the soul. God bless you David and keep you safe.
Nothing like this happened under Henderson’s 22 years as District Attorney. We have an ethically-challenged DA, and Assistant/Jonathan Raven. Yolo county deserves better than them.
Plankton: “Nothing like this happened under Henderson’s 22 years as District Attorney.”
Henderson had issues too…
The manifest financial impropriety sponsored on behalf of D.A. Jeff [Roid]sig’s “Cash for Convictions” stratagem is a clarion call for an independent investigation.
Unequivocally, the concerted Inflation and misrepresentation of criminal statistics for purposes of financial remuneration portends the presence of fraud.