Public Encouraged to Report Suspected Fraud Amid Int’l Fraud Awareness Week

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan is encouraging the public to report fraud during International Fraud Awareness Week. Insurance Fraud is the second-largest economic crime in the U.S. and costs California residents about $15 billion a year. To combat this problem, the District Attorney, in conjunction with the California Department of Insurance, is shining a spotlight on this issue to minimize the impact of fraud by promoting anti-fraud awareness and education.

In 2023, the DA’s Insurance Fraud and Workplace Justice Division filed criminal charges against 170 defendants and obtained 96 convictions for various insurance fraud offenses. As a result of these convictions, nearly $8.6 million in restitution was ordered for victims, including individuals, insurers, and state agencies.

“Committing fraud is a serious financial crime that affects anyone from grandparents, businesses owners and corporations,” DA Stephan said. “Ultimately its impact is felt on all of us when insurance prices spike because of unscrupulous actors. If you know of fraud being committed, report it.”

The Insurance Fraud and Workplace Justice Division is dedicated to eradicating insurance fraud, whether it relates to workers’ compensation, automobile insurance, life insurance, or fraud in the healthcare industry. It also prosecutes other crimes uncovered during insurance fraud investigations, including wage theft, tax evasion and even labor trafficking.

The DA’s Economic Crimes Division is responsible for prosecuting a wide variety of wrongdoing, including computer intrusion, identity theft, investment scams, embezzlements, real estate matters, counterfeit goods, environmental crimes and the theft of public assistance funds. The division also acts to protect consumers and businesses by successfully filing numerous civil cases to prohibit unfair business practices within the marketplace.

Examples of the types of crimes that the Insurance Fraud and Workplace Justice Division prosecutes are:

  • Workers’ Compensation Provider Fraud – When medical and legal providers, including doctors, chiropractors, and lawyers are paying or receiving kickbacks for referrals, billing for services not rendered or overbilling for services provided.
  • Workers’ Compensation Premium Fraud – When a business misrepresents its true payroll, the type of work it performs, or conceals employee injuries to pay lower workers’ compensation premiums. One of the most common premium fraud schemes occurs when employers pay employees in cash without reporting that cash payroll to the Employment Development Department and their insurer. This activity results in $7 billion in lost revenue each year and evasion of approximately $6.5 million in payroll taxes annually. Frequently, employers who commit premium fraud also engage in other crimes, including wage theft, tax evasion, and labor/human trafficking.
  • Workers’ Compensation Applicant Fraud – When employees fake or exaggerate work injuries to collect workers’ compensation benefits, or when employers make false statements to deny benefits to injured workers.
  • Uninsured Employers – Every business in California is required to have workers’ compensation insurance to cover its employees in the event of a workplace injury. These cases are especially important because if an employee is injured at work and their employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance, the employee may have no recourse to get required care and benefits.
  • Auto Insurance Fraud – Fraudulently obtaining payment on an auto insurance policy based on false information such as inflated or faked damages, staged collisions, false claims of vehicle theft and arson. This fraud costs consumers billions of dollars each year in the form of higher insurance premiums.
  • Disability and Healthcare Fraud – This involves fraudulent medical and disability claims and policies, including medical providers who fraudulently bill insurance companies or who divert medications for personal use or sale. Healthcare fraud increases medical costs for everyone.
  • Life and Annuity Fraud – Unscrupulous life insurance agents and others who seek to steal the savings of victims through power-of-attorney abuse, securities fraud, and fraudulent claims on legitimate policies. These scams often target senior citizens, and the impact is life-altering, since seniors do not have the time or opportunity for financial recovery.
  • Workplace Justice Violations – We have developed an innovative approach to the prosecution of wage theft, wage and hour violations, meal and rest break abuses, unfair business practices, tax evasion, and labor trafficking.

In 2023, the Economic Crimes Division filed criminal charges against 222 defendants and obtained 206 convictions. Additionally, from those convictions, defendants were ordered to pay over $3 million in restitution and more than $1 million in restitution was paid to victims.

This division also pursued civil enforcement actions against various businesses for unfair competition or environmental violations. In 2023, the Consumer Protection and Environmental Protection Units completed 23 major civil enforcement actions resulting in injunctions to stop the unlawful business practices and statewide monetary relief that included over 12 million dollars in civil penalties, costs and restitution.

Some examples of the types of cases that the Economic Crimes Division prosecutes are as follows:

  • Real Estate Fraud – This type of crime involves various fraudulent real estate transactions and/or schemes such as the submission of forged loan applications; fraudulent transfers of title of real property; recordation of fraudulent real estate documents; home equity sale contract fraud; and mortgage foreclosure consultant fraud.
  • Computer and Technology Crimes High Tech Task Force (CATCH) – This Unit prosecutes high-technology criminals engaged in crimes where technology is the prime instrumentality of the crime, or where technology is the target of the crime, such as; theft facilitated by technology, theft of technology resources, network intrusions, online harassment and stalking, as well as providing technical and investigative assistance to local law enforcement agencies with respect to digital forensics.
  • Identity Theft – These crimes usually involve criminals acquiring key pieces of someone’s identifying information to impersonate them and commit numerous forms of fraud which include taking over the victim’s financial accounts, opening new bank accounts, purchasing automobiles, applying for loans, credit cards, and social security benefits, renting apartments, and establishing services with utility and phone companies.
  • Complex Theft – These crimes commonly involve embezzlement or investment scams. Embezzlement is the fraudulent appropriation of property by a person to whom it has been entrusted. Instead of using the company’s payroll system or checking or credit card account for legitimate company business, the individual uses these accounts to steal by directing the money to his or her own accounts or to pay for personal expenses. Grand theft schemes take many forms but include scams where the perpetrator misleads individuals about an investment opportunity and instead the uses the money to support the perpetrator’s lifestyle.
  • Consumer Protection – These cases generally involve a business or an individual taking advantage of consumers. These cases can range from a business failing to warn a consumer that their credit card will be billed on an ongoing basis to a business using scanners that charge an amount over the advertised price to building contractors operating without a license. These cases also include other unfair business practices such as misleading product labeling or false advertising.
  • Environmental Protection – These cases generally involve businesses that violate rules relating to the environment such as hazardous waste disposal, underground storage tank regulations and clean air act statutes.

If you see, hear, or know of an insurance fraud scam happening in your area, please contact the DA’s Office through the Insurance Fraud hotline at (800) 315-7672 or at sdconnect@sdcda.org, or contact the California Department of Insurance at (800) 927-4357. To report fraud related to real estate, you can contact the DA’s Real Estate Fraud hotline at (619) 531-3552. To report any other type of fraud or criminal activity, please contact your local law enforcement agency. For information and resources about International Fraud Awareness Week, visit www.FraudWeek.com.

Fatal DUI Numbers Higher Among Young Drivers; DA Using Grant to Target Offenders

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that her office is receiving an $899,425 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety for the eleventh year in a row to prevent and prosecute impaired driving deaths and DUI-drug cases. The grant award comes as San Diego County fatal DUI numbers remain at an all-time high.

In 2023, 32 people were killed in 29 DUI-related crashes. So far in 2024, there have been 25 people killed in 20 DUI-related crashes.

“I am grateful our office has continued to receive this grant that allows our specialized team of prosecutors and investigators to hold offenders accountable and work to deter impaired driving,” DA Stephan said. “Every year we have an unacceptable amount of fatal DUIs. As the holiday season approaches, people need to make responsible choices, use ride sharing services and keep their friends and family from getting behind the wheel if they are impaired.”

Data shows that the number of young drivers involved in fatal DUI-related crashes has increased this past year. Prosecutors say that more than half of the individuals charged with DUI homicide offenses in 2024 were between the age of 18 and 26 at the time of the collision.

The grant will allow the DA’s DUI Homicide Unit to continue its critical work, including education and prevention efforts within the community. The unit, which launched in 2014, streamlines complex DUI cases by creating expertise within the DA’s Office. The specialized unit creates uniformity in sentencing among the four adult courthouses. In addition, the unit helps law enforcement adapt to changes in technology by having a designated DA Investigator who is trained in the latest techniques in collision reconstruction. Since its inception, the unit has prosecuted nearly 250 cases and they have received more than $5 million in funding from the Office of Traffic Safety.

Funding will also be used to:

  • Provide education for young drivers about the dangers of DUI-driving.
  • Provide training for select prosecutors to become experts in DUI-drug cases.
  • Provide training for prosecutors and investigators through California’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Program as well as San Diego County specific training.
  • Host quarterly regional meetings with law enforcement partners to improve DUI investigations and prosecutions.

In 2023, the District Attorney’s Office filed 3,916 DUI cases, including 234 DUI drug cases. As of September 30, 2024, the DA’s Office has filed 4,389 DUI cases including 280 DUI drug cases this year. Many of these numbers are significant increases from years past.

Funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety is provided through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The grant program runs through September 2025.

 

High-Speed Driver Under Influence of Drugs Sentenced for Fatal Crash

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said that Erik Arambula, 25, who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of drugs and causing the death of a mother and her 4-year-old daughter, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison.

Arambula pleaded guilty on October 8, to driving under the influence of drugs and two counts of evading an officer causing death.

“This defendant, who could have prevented the tragic outcome of this case, willingly drove under the influence of drugs and took the lives of an innocent mother and daughter,” DA Stephan said. “These types of deaths are the most preventable, yet people think they can get away with this dangerous behavior. The tragic lesson here is simple: do not drink or consume drugs and get behind the wheel.”

In April 2023, Arambula, driving a pickup truck, ran a red light on Old Highway 395 in Fallbrook, leading law enforcement to initiate a traffic stop. Instead of yielding to the officer’s vehicle, Arambula accelerated to approximately 100 miles-per-hour then drove through a chain-link fence, careened down an embankment, and landed on the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 heading in the wrong direction. Arambula crashed head-on with the 29-year-old victim and her daughter before colliding with and injuring the occupants of a third vehicle.

In 2023, 32 people were killed in 29 DUI-related crashes in San Diego County. This year, 20 people have been killed so far in 16 DUI-related crashes.

According to M.A.D.D., which partners with the District Attorney’s Office on public awareness, every 78 seconds someone is killed or injured by an impaired driving crash.

Deputy District Attorney David Uyar prosecuted this case.

 

News Conference about Schools Drug Prevention Program.

Schools Embracing Drug Prevention Programs

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan joined law enforcement leaders, school officials and the California National Guard today to announce the release of a new report outlining recommendations for drug prevention education and anti-overdose efforts in schools. Nearly two dozen schools across San Diego County are already adopting and implementing recommendations from the working group that produced the report which includes five drug abuse prevention and three drug overdose prevention programs.

School-based Interventions for Substance Use and Overdose Prevention lays a foundation for programs in a school setting that can deter or delay the onset of substance use, slow or stop the progression of use and development of substance use disorders and minimize the adverse impact of substance use on students, their families and community, and the economy.

“It’s critical that we educate our youth through compelling and effective curriculum, giving them the tools they need to stay healthy and make decisions that can literally save their lives,” said DA Stephan. “I want to thank the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for their commitment to this issue, the working group that was assembled for the careful consideration they gave to creating this report, and school officials for embracing the drug prevention programs that can make a real difference in the lives of families across San Diego County.”

In October 2022, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a proposal backed by the County Office of Education to support fentanyl education in county schools, as well as the distribution of naloxone to parents and students and training on its use. The DA assembled a working group of experts that included representatives from the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE), San Diego and Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), and California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force.

The goal of working group was to study and make recommendations regarding the most effective and proven modalities and programs for building long term resilience in students to live healthy lives free of the negative, and at times, fatal impact of drugs including fentanyl.

“While the HIDTA program is charged with removing deadly drugs from our streets in part by dismantling and disrupting drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, we know that if we are going to be effective in saving the lives of the most vulnerable among us, our youth, then our efforts must include effective, proven life skills and drug prevention curriculum within our schools,” said HIDTA Director David King. “The San Diego Imperial Valley HIDTA is proud to have contributed to the efforts of the working group to identify such curricula and it’s partnerships such as these that make San Diego County a model for the rest of the country.”

“The San Diego County Office of Education has long been a proponent of substance abuse prevention education that incorporates life skills, healthy behaviors, and overall wellness because it’s the right thing for kids,” said Dr. Gloria E. Ciriza, County Superintendent of Schools. “We are fortunate to have strong partnerships with county leaders, law enforcement agencies, and community-based organizations that bring research-validated programs to support our region’s children in staying healthy and safe.”

Fatal overdoses involving fentanyl have surged in recent years in the United States and research shows that deaths among children have increased significantly, mirroring trends among adults. Fentanyl, which is 100 times stronger than morphine, is now present in nearly all illegal substances used by teens. Older adolescent fentanyl poisonings are primarily the result of counterfeit pills containing a lethal dose of fentanyl.

The report found that preventing youth substance use is multifaceted and requires a comprehensive community prevention strategy comprised of synthesized programs, practices, and policies grounded in the best available evidence for greatest impact within individuals, families, schools, and communities. When individuals initiate alcohol and drug use during adolescence, they are much more likely to develop a substance use disorder as a young adult and beyond. Evidence has shown that youth who begin drinking before age 15, for example, experience four to six times the rate of lifetime alcohol dependence than those who remain abstinent from alcohol use until age 21.

Decades of research has shown that much can be achieved through primary prevention interventions delivered during childhood and adolescence to reduce an individual’s later risk for drug use disorders. The report notes that prevention efforts must be initiated in early adolescence and should be targeted towards preventing the use of common substances that are legal for adults but remain illegal for adolescents such as alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana. These substances are often referred to as gateway drugs and may lead to the use of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, or opioids that may also contain fentanyl.

Based on the data and research reviewed by the working group, two specific goals were identified:

  • Prevent initiation or escalation of substance use in youth 18 and under through evidence-based substance use prevention curricula in schools.
  • Prevent overdoses in youth 18 and under using the best available evidence.

It was important for the working group to consider a variety of curriculum options due to the differences in school schedules, structures, and cultures. After careful review of the evidence listed in a variety of registry databases of available programs, and consultation with experts in curriculum analysis and prevention science, five effective drug abuse prevention programs were identified for elementary, middle, and high school populations: Positive Action, Project Towards No Drug Abuse, LifeSkills Training, DARE’s Keepin’ It Real, and Project Alert.

Students at Vista del Mar Middle School participate in one of the programs identified in the report: Rugged Outdoor Physical Experience System (R.O.P.E.S.) is a drug prevention program that focuses on communication and team building to help young people determine when to ask for help and how to receive it.

Students at Vista del Mar Middle School participate in one of the programs identified in the report: Rugged Outdoor Physical Experience System (R.O.P.E.S.) is a drug prevention program that focuses on communication and team building to help young people determine when to ask for help and how to receive it.

Many of the curricula outlined in the report are being taught in participating schools by members of the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. The National Guard is also committed to assisting schools that opt to have prevention curricula taught by their own teachers by providing training, free of charge, on the implementation and teaching of the identified curricula.  SDCOE, with funding from the County of San Diego’s Opioid Settlement Funds, is also working with middle schools in the county to implement Project Alert, one of the research-validated programs highlighted in the report.

After careful review, the working group also identified three programs that show real promise in addressing the goal of overdose prevention:

  • Operation Prevention San Diego. This Drug Enforcement Administration program is a free educational program available to schools upon request or at Operationprevention.com.
  • “I Choose My Future” is a drug education program offered to schools by the San Diego County Office of Education.
  • The working group is also recommending that all schools serving grades 6 through 12 obtain an adequate supply of naloxone.

Schools and organizations that have embraced educational programs recommended by the report include Mar Vista High School, Mar Vista Academy, Sweetwater High School, Barbara Worth Jr. High School, Vista Del Mar Middle School, San Ysidro Middle School, La Mirada Elementary School, Olympian High School, Saburo Murakoa Elementary School, All Tribes Charter School, Southwest High School, Maie Ellis Elementary School, La Paloma Elementary School, Mission Meadows Elementary School, Oceanside High School, Valle Lindo Elementary School, San Pasqual Academy, Smythe Elementary School, The Rock Academy,  Ocean View Hills Elementary School, Vista Boys & Girls Club, and Imperial Beach Boys & Girls Club.

The release of the report comes as Red Ribbon Week is about to be observed next week. The DA pointed to the important awareness that Red Ribbon Week brings to drug prevention, which was started to honor murdered DEA Agent Enrique ‘Kiki” Camarena here in San Diego and grew into a national movement. In addition, officials acknowledged the efforts of the County Office of Education under the leadership of former School Superintendent Paul Gothold, as well as the work done in the drug abuse prevention space by retired DEA Agent Rocky Herron.

The full report, School-based Interventions for Substance Use and Overdose Prevention, can be found here.

Photo of a judge's gavel and handcuffs on top of books.

Man Sentenced for Causing Sailor’s Death in Coronado Carjacking Case

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that a 19-year-old man who caused a soldier’s death while stealing his car in Coronado, was sentenced Friday, October 11 to 15 years-to-life in state prison.

Ricardo Vazquez-Gongora, who was 18 at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on May 3, 2024. The stipulated sentence was handed down today by San Diego Superior Court Judge Michael Popkins.

Vazquez-Gongora was arrested last year for stealing 32-year-old Edward Foster’s car on June 11, then crashing it onto a toll booth right before crossing the Coronado Bridge, as Foster clung to the car’s hood in an attempt to get the driver to stop, gravely injuring him. The defendant fled the scene as the sailor was lying unresponsive on the ground and was later located hiding in the bushes near the Coronado golf course. Foster died after being taken off life support a few days later. He was a father of four stationed at Naval Air Station North Island and was working as an Amazon driver delivering packages when his car was taken by Vazquez-Gongora.

“The victim in this case, who was a father working to support his family, tragically lost his life due to a set of circumstances set in motion by this defendant’s utter disregard for human life,” said DA Summer Stephan. “We hope the resolution of this case brings a measure of justice and closure to the victim’s family.”

Deputy District Attorneys Makenzie Harvey and Donald McCann prosecuted this case.

 

Meet Confidential Secretary Saul Vazquez

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15, we are highlighting stories from DA employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service. Meet Confidential Secretary Saul Vazquez.

Saul was born and raised in San Diego. He graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and minored in Spanish.

He has been working at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office for more than 20 years. As a Confidential Secretary, he provides secretarial support to our Chief Deputy District Attorneys and to our District Attorney Executive Team.

During his spare time, Saul enjoys quiet time, fishing, and horseback riding.

What inspired you to pursue a career at the DA’s Office/in law enforcement?

“I came on board to the District Attorney’s Office as a ‘Temp’ working as a part of the DA Facility Team. I really didn’t know at the time when I started working with the office that I would make a long-term career out of it, 22 years later.  My mind set changed really quick though after being exposed to the great work our office does and the mission it stands for.”

What is your favorite part of the job?

“Knowing that the tremendous work we do day in, and day out is necessary to give voice and seek justice to those most vulnerable victims of crimes and to make our communities a better and safer place to live.”

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you? Why is it important?

“Hispanic Heritage Month is important to me because it allows for Hispanic communities to showcase their roots, share their rich cultural, traditions, and delicious foods to the diverse populations that make up our communities of which I am very proud of being part of.”

Group Program Manager Janet Ruiz

Meet Group Program Manager Janet Ruiz

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15, we are highlighting stories from DA employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service. Meet Group Program Manager Janet Ruiz.

Janet was born in South El Monte, CA (Los Angeles County). She studied English Literature for her undergraduate studies at University of California, Los Angeles and then obtained a Master of Science in Criminal Justice at California State University Long Beach.

As a Group Program Manager for the San Diego County District Attorney’s (SDCDA) Administrative Services Department, she oversees and works with a team of brilliant analysts within our newly formed Program Administration Unit. This team oversees the administrative functions, including performance and compliance, of over 100 contracts annually. The team works across initiatives to support and advocate for the needs of each Division and support the coordination, development, and implementation of services and receipt of goods. Routinely, the team works collaboratively with other county departments, such as County Counsel, Public Safety Group departments, Purchasing and Contracting, Auditor & Controller, and more. Nested under this team are the DA’s Family Justice Centers, the Juvenile Diversion Initiative, the California County Resentencing Pilot Program Contract, and the Community Grant Program. The team’s work is reciprocally connected to our Grants, Budget, and Fiscal units within the Administrative Services Department; the Program Administration Unit is only one piece of the pie.

A fun fact about Janet, is that she recently completed the Disney Halloween Half Marathon!

“I loathe running, but I enjoy a new challenge,” she said. “In fact, my two little ones also participated! My girls ran the Kid Races and earned their own medals while my husband cheered us on! As a mama of two little ones, I hope to have more time for other hobbies one day!”

What inspired you to pursue a career at the DA’s Office/in law enforcement?

“My dad was robbed at gunpoint when I was in my teens, and I recall the fear he lived in for years after that. He had frequent nightmares where he would often wake shouting. In my adolescence, it enraged me that someone could do this and never face any consequences. Unfortunately, and fortunately, this was a pivotal moment for me. My goal then, and through my twenties, was to become a Special Agent for the FBI, but after numerous injuries during training this failure propelled me in a new direction. While in Los Angeles, I began my career providing direct crisis services and advocacy for system-impacted families, and quickly became involved in program design and implementation, including monitoring and evaluation of programs. In 2017, I moved to San Diego to work in the human trafficking prevention space where I co-authored a human trafficking prevention curriculum for middle and high school age youth alongside SDCDA. It was through this work that I recognized the alignment of SDCDA’s values and my own and decided to pursue a career here with the DA in 2022.”

What is your favorite part of the job?

“In working for the nonprofit sector for over a decade, I became very familiar with the administrative functions, and organizational needs and limited resources. Local government is entirely different, to say the least. I share this because of my love for learning and there is certainly nothing mundane about what I do. But to add to that I can confidently, and sincerely, say that I have always felt that both my work and perspective are valued here – and that continues to drive me. It may sound trivial, but loving the team you are a part of and feeling valued is of utmost importance to me; it is only then where you don’t lose sight of the bigger picture – and for me that’s to continue centering historically excluded and undervalued communities through my work.”

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you? Why is it important?

“It is a time to sit in gratitude and appreciate the vibrant cultures that add so much depth and color to this world. It is a time to reflect on the many accomplishments and contributions of Latinos in this country. We’ve been foundational to its growth and prosperity and are often overlooked. Our role in the fight for Civil Rights – from labor (farm workers’ rights, mine workers’ rights) to education (Mendez v. Westminster, Plyler v. Doe) – is not well known. Currently where books that emphasize diversity are banned and Latinos are vilified for existing and, for some, for immigrating to this country, it is even more important to chronicle and elevate the stories of our people and ensure Latinos are integrated in literature and history beyond this month. As Ms. Mendez shared, ‘[…] we are all individuals; […] we are all human beings; […] we all have the same rights, the same freedom.’”

DA Summer Stephan Red Ribbon Award

DA Receives Red Ribbon Lifetime Achievement Award

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan was honored this week at the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Red Ribbon Awards Luncheon with the Frank Goldsmith Lifetime Achievement Award for her tireless work and dedication to keeping San Diego County safer and healthier through the prevention of crime, including education about harmful and often deadly, illicit substances.

“It is such an honor to receive this recognition, especially because it is awarded by an organization that honors the legacy of a hero, slain DEA Agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena whose legacy created the largest national drug awareness campaign to save lives—  Red Ribbon Week,” said DA Stephan. “This award is a testament to the relentless work of my DA Team, collaborating with our law enforcement and community partners on our shared goal of saving the lives of children and adults from illicit and deadly drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine.  I’m honored to be in the company of the other awardees that serve our community. “

Some of DA Stephan’s specific efforts that were recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award, include the following:

  • DA Stephan worked with the DEA to create the first of its kind, multi-agency, Overdose Response Team, known as Narcotics Task Force Team 10. This task force revolutionized how drug deaths were investigated and prosecuted in San Diego County and has served as a model for law enforcement and prosecution offices throughout the nation.
  • While remaining committed to holding drug traffickers accountable through aggressive, ethical, and fair prosecution, DA Stephan has always recognized not only the value but the necessity of prevention efforts when it comes to substance use.
  • DA Stephan spearheaded the creation of the San Diego Opioid Project, a data-driven, innovative, sustained public awareness campaign that generated more than 46 million impressions and 3.8 million social media engagements.
  • Under DA Stephan’s leadership, the role of Community Partnership Prosecutor was created to interact directly with the public to learn about their specific concerns and needs, and provide workable solutions and education, including substance use and overdose prevention.
  • Prosecutors in the DA’s Major Narcotics Division regularly speak to members of the community about the harms caused by illicit fentanyl and other harmful controlled substances.
  • DA Stephan has partnered with experts from a variety of fields, including education, medicine, law enforcement, treatment, and prevention. Together with these partners, she has and continues to organize community events, personally addressing audiences of students, parents, teachers, congregations, and other community groups and members about the risks and harm caused by illicit substances. The presentations occur both online and in-person with one goal in mind – saving lives.

Other awardees at the Red Ribbon Luncheon included William Perno from SAY San Diego who received the Excellence in Prevention Advocacy Award, the Juvenile Drug Smuggling Prevention Program received the Outstanding Prevention Program Award, the Camp Pendleton Substance Assessment Counseling Center, Drug Demand Reduction Program received the Deb Nixon Education Award, San Diego Superior Court Judge Enrique Camarena, Jr. received the Justice System Community Excellence Award; Detective Nathan Parga from San Diego Police Department received the Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Law Enforcement Award.

Red Ribbon Week is celebrated annually October 23 to 31 by the Drug Enforcement Administration and communities across the country to highlight the importance of a drug-free life. Inspired by the tragic death of local DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, this week of remembrance has helped spread awareness of drug misuse prevention and serves as an opportunity for parents, educators, and communities to reinforce the drug-free messages they share with their children throughout the year.

Prisoner handcuffed behind bars

Serial Rapist Who Terrorized Pacific Beach is Denied Parole

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that convicted rapist, Kenneth Bogard, 67, was denied parole. He was up for a parole hearing after serving only 30 years of a 96-year prison sentence, due to elderly parole, which is available to inmates over the age of 50, who have served at least 20 years of their sentence.

Bogard was convicted by a jury in 1995 of 37 felonies, including multiple counts of residential burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, sexual battery, forcible oral copulation, rape by foreign object, assault with intent to commit rape, and rape. He was sentenced to 96 years in prison. His first parole hearing was in 2019. At that time, the Parole Board denied his request and set his next hearing for five years later, which was today, October 10.

“The Elder Parole law that allows for early release of murderers and rapists is cruel to crime victims and is rigged to only benefit violent criminals,” DA Stephan said. “This newer law forces victims and their families to revisit the trauma they have already suffered and causes additional despair. It doesn’t matter what kind of vicious acts for which the inmate was convicted. The law gives an opportunity to felons who were sentenced to life in prison to be prematurely released into our community. Our Lifer Unit will never abandon victims and we will continue to stand by them in these early parole hearings, vowing to fight releases when warranted, as we are in this serial rape case.”

Effective January 2021, inmates who are both age 50 and have served at least 20 years in prison are now eligible for an elderly parole hearing in most cases. Inmates who are 60 and have served at least 25 years are also eligible for an elderly parole hearing, no matter the crime.

Between August 1992 and October 1993, Bogard brutally attacked seven women inside their homes in the Pacific Beach community. He stalked his victims prior to the attacks, sometimes watching them for weeks. He disguised his identity with a ski mask, carried a knife to force the victims into submission, and viciously forced them to perform sex acts. Bogard stalked the women to ensure they were home alone, then he creeped into their homes without detection before attacking. After the cruel sexual attacks, Bogard often tucked the victim into bed saying “Goodnight” or reminding the victim to lock her doors and windows.

Since Bogard was denied parole, the Board of Parole Hearings will not set a new parole hearing for at least three years.

Deputy District Attorney John Cross leads the DA’s Lifer Hearing Unit, which serves to ensure that dangerous prisoners with life sentences are not released carelessly or improvidently, and to ensure that crime victims and their families are given an opportunity to participate in the parole hearing process and have their voices heard.

Gavel & Open Law Book

Lamps Plus to Pay $4.1 Million to Settle Civil Suit

San Diego County County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that Lamps Plus, Inc., a California Corporation, Illumine Midco, Inc., and Illumine Finco, Inc., have entered into a stipulated judgment and will pay a total of $4.1 million dollars to settle a civil law enforcement complaint that alleges Lamps Plus engaged in false advertising and unfair competition. The Consumer Protection Units of the District Attorney Offices of San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Los Angeles counties investigated and prosecuted this matter, and the case was filed in Riverside County Superior Court.

The civil complaint filed by prosecutors alleged that Lamps Plus unlawfully advertised price protection policies— including a price match and a 120% price match guarantee— without clear and conspicuous disclosures that such policies did not include Lamps Plus own-brand products and contained other exclusions.

Lamps Plus is also alleged to have used the “Compare at” and “Comparable Value” sales tags to indicate a bargain price, even where the product sold was an own-brand product with no competitor product in the market or where the comparable product was not of similar design and quality.  Likewise, the “Strike Through” advertised reference price on sales tags is alleged to have been used to indicate a bargain price even where the advertised former price was not an actual former price.

“Civil actions like this one protect the consumer and hold corporations accountable when they fail to follow the laws in place to ensure the public is getting accurate and fair pricing information on products they purchase,” said DA Stephan. “By joining forces with other District Attorney Offices in the state, our combined efforts are protecting Californians up and down the state.”

The Judgment requires Lamps Plus to pay $3,800,000 in civil penalties and $300,000 in costs to cover investigative costs and support future enforcement of consumer protection laws. Lamps Plus has not admitted any liability or wrongdoing but cooperated with the District Attorneys’ investigation.

The judgment includes an injunction that prohibits Lamps Plus from offering a 120% Price Protection Policy, and from advertising any Price Match Guarantee Policy in a manner that results in the Price Protection Guarantee Policy being false or misleading.

The judgment also prohibits advertising of any advertised reference price based on a formula, algorithm, or other method that results in the advertised reference price being false or misleading or results in the advertised reference price having the tendency or capacity to deceive or mislead.

In San Diego, the case was handled by Deputy District Attorney Colleen E. Huschke of the DA’s Consumer Protection Unit. The DA’s Economic Crimes Division is responsible for prosecuting a wide variety of wrongdoing, including elder financial abuse, computer intrusion, complex identity theft, investment scams, embezzlements, real estate, counterfeit goods, environmental crimes and the theft of public assistance funds.  The Division’s Consumer Protection Unit protects San Diego consumers and honest businesses by filing civil and criminal actions to prohibit unfair business practices within the marketplace.