Global Courant 2023-05-31 15:00:02
The law enforcement community in Alameda County, California, was rocked by two scandals that sparked criminal charges against three of its officers last week.
A probation officer was charged years ago with sexually assaulting a minor inmate at a juvenile facility, and two sheriff’s deputies were charged with covering up a 2021 suicide at a county jail, according to criminal charges filed Friday.
The alleged inmate suicide cover-up occurred at the same prison where an inmate died last month from drinking “an abundant amount of water,” the county sheriff’s office said.
The parole officer, Nicole Perales, 50, was in a “position of trust” when she allegedly engaged in oral sex with a 15-year-old inmate between August 27, 2004, and August 26, 2005, Alameda said. County District Attorney.
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Alameda County DA Pamela Price marches with supporters at a rally outside the Alameda County Courthouse April 23, 2023. (Flight Risk to Fox News Digital)
The Supreme Court filed several criminal charges against the 20-year veteran of the probation department, who faces nearly four years in prison and must register as a sex offender if convicted.
The district attorney also charged two Alameda County sheriff’s deputies — Sheri Baughman, 49, and Amanda Bracamontes, 30 — with alleged falsification of records for their alleged negligence in the apparent suicide of Vinetta Martin at Santa Rita Prison in to cover up 2021.
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Both deputies are accused of manipulating logbooks to make it appear they were following the procedure of direct visual observation of a suicidal inmate after 32-year-old Martin told prison staff she planned to commit suicide three weeks before her death .
On April 3, 2021, Martin was found “unconscious and slumped on the floor” of her cell, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price said Friday in a statement announcing the charges.
Pamela Price, a candidate for Alameda County District Attorney, talks to the Chronicle editorial staff on May 23, 2018, in San Francisco. (Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
The logs did not match the video evidence, which reportedly showed deputies failed to check Martin “repeatedly” for “extended periods of time,” as long as an hour and 47 minutes, the prosecutor said.
According to the prosecutor, they would have visual contact every 30 minutes.
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Martin was originally charged with assault and had been in custody since July 2020 awaiting evaluation and transfer to the Department of State Hospitals-Napa, according to court documents.
The court expressed doubts about her competence to stand trial and stayed the criminal case.
Alameda County Jail in California. (FOX 2 San Francisco)
Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez said in a statement after the indictment was announced Friday that this is “clearly a difficult day for many reasons.”
“Every life lost in Santa Rita Prison is one too many,” Sanchez said. “Deputies Bracamontes and Baughman have the right to a fair trial, as does everyone in the community.
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“The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office has cooperated with the District Attorney Price’s office in this investigation and will continue to do so in the future.”
The felony charges against the three county officers were filed by the Alameda County Public Accountability Unit, which Price had created in January under the umbrella of the Civil Rights Bureau.
Supporters gather outside the Alameda County Courthouse for a rally for Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Rice on April 23, 2023. (Flight Risk to Fox News Digital)
The Santa Rita prison was embroiled in controversy on April 27, when an unidentified 26-year-old inmate died. And the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement FOX 2 San Francisco that the prisoner drank and vomited an “abundant amount of water” on the morning of his death.
Because of the vomiting, the prisoner was transferred to a medical outpatient clinic. He told staff during his intake that he had used a controlled substance the day before his arrest.
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A deputy checked on him at 3:25 p.m. and found the prisoner unresponsive. Despite rescue efforts by paramedics, he was pronounced dead at 4:05 p.m
“Despite his admitted drug use, there was no cause for concern during the medical and mental health intake process,” the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said in prior statements.
Supporters of Jasper Wu protested against Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. (KTVU)
Meanwhile, Price has fended off her own critics and battled protesters, who claim she is too soft on crime, especially after the murder of toddler Jasper Wu, who was killed in the crossfire of a gang firing on a public road.
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Critics argue that Price was looking for a way to punish the suspects without jail time.
Price responded by saying in a video released in April, “We have not made any decisions on which charges should or should not be prosecuted. We are still reviewing the case.”
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Earlier this month, Danielle Hilton, a 26-year veteran of the Alameda County DA’s Office, resigned, tearing Price into her letter of resignation on Twitter.
“Victims deserve better,” Hilton wrote. “Under your leadership, the prosecution’s focus has been shifted from advocating for victims devastated by violent crime. … Under your leadership, I do not feel I can perform my duties as a prosecutor ethically and adequately.”
READ FULL RESIGNATION LETTER
Danielle Hilton, who worked at the Alameda County, California, district attorney’s office for 26 years, wrote this letter of resignation. (Twitter)
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Price’s critics began an online petition calling for her recall, which garnered more than 14,000 signatures by mid-April.
Price and her supporters fought back and held a rally on the steps of the Alameda County Courthouse.
Chris Eberhart is a crime and American news reporter for Fox News Digital. Email tips to chris.eberhart@fox.com or on twitter @ChrisEberhart48
