Photo of Deputy District Attorney Christopher Chandler for Black History Month. The Hall of Justice building is in the background of the photo.

Meet Deputy DA Christopher Chandler

In honor of Black History Month, which is celebrated throughout the month of February, the DA’s Office is featuring stories of employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service.

Meet Deputy District Attorney Christopher Chandler, who was born and raised in Missouri and grew up in a small town of Sain Joseph, located on the Missouri River. His family moved to Sacramento, California when he was 14 years old.

Before working at the DA’s Office, he worked for the General Counsel of the San Diego Regional Airport Authority, where he assisted the General Counsel with legal research, drafted legal pleadings, prepared discovery, wrote memoranda and assisted with public records requests. He also frequently accompanied and supported the General Counsel and staff attorneys when they advised the Airport Authority Board of Directors and airport staff on legal issues, federal regulations, employment law, and contractual issues.

Christopher has been with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office since 2008, when he was an intern assigned to the El Cajon Branch, then returned as a Graduate Law Clerk in 2009. In 2011, Christopher was officially hired as a Deputy District Attorney with our office and is currently assigned to the East County Branch as a Prelim Team Leader. In his current role, reviews and assigns all preliminary trials in the East County Branch, observes DDA’s in court and provides feedback, assists DDA’s in evaluating cases, and meets with DDA’s daily to discuss witness issues, legal issues, and evidentiary challenges in prelims. He also supports the prelim team by covering prelims, restitution hearings, review hearings, and sentencing hearings as needed. This is in addition to his own caseload that presently consists of a murder and an attempted murder. Separate from supporting the prelim team, he also supervises the East County Branch interns and graduate law clerks – reviewing their written work, observe and supervise their court appearances, and provide constructive feedback on their performance.

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

“My mother indirectly inspired me to choose a career in public service at the DA’s Office. My mother worked in the community her whole life. She was first a community organizer who worked to provide resources to the community and connect families to affordable housing. Today, she runs a non-profit dedicated to promoting minority health and wellness and supports African American youth who aspire to have careers in healthcare. Watching my mother impact the lives of so many people in our community inspired me to help in my own way, I chose public service. Working at the DA’s Office gives me an opportunity to serve the public daily by working with law enforcement and victims of crime to promote public safety and make our community safer for everyone.”

What is your favorite part of the job?  

“My favorite part of being a DA is working with the community. I really enjoy speaking with people from our community. As a team leader, I frequently get the opportunity to speak with victims, witnesses, and family members who have questions, seek restitution, are frustrated with the court process, or grieving the loss or injury of a loved one. I really enjoy sitting down and listening to people because so many of them just want to be heard. They often just want someone to acknowledge their frustration, listen to their pain, and try to do something to help them. I am fortunate that I get the opportunity to help people every week and I have a wonderful team of staff, victim advocates, paralegals, and investigators who are here to support them and provide help too.  I also really enjoy supervising, mentoring, and supporting new attorneys and law students. It’s very rewarding to see students and young lawyers grow to be outstanding prosecutors who support our victims and are inspired to protect our community.”

What does Black History Month mean to you, why is it important to you? 

“Black History Month is incredibly important to me for two reasons. First, the history of our nation is incredibly important to us all and Black history is American history. You can’t tell the full story of American history without describing the plight of Black Americans and other minorities who helped shape our society. Black History month allows us an opportunity to highlight significant historical contributions by black Americans to American culture, society, education, sports, music, and civil rights. Additionally, Black History Month shines a spotlight on important Black American historical figures whose tremendous contributions to American culture and society were often diminished, or even condemned, by the racism, segregation, or discrimination of their time. Second, Black History Month is an incredibly important cultural event. It provides an opportunity and a space for all Americans to gather, engage, network, learn, celebrate, and honor the cultural heritage of black Americans.”

Outside the office, Christopher participates in some really rewarding community organizations. He is the Southwest Regional Director of the National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA) – a national professional membership organization dedicated the training, education, and advancement of black prosecutors. Additionally, he is Secretary of the San Diego Earl B. Gilliam Bar Foundation (EBGBF) – a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to represent the interests of the African American legal community by providing scholarships to law students, and assisting, educating, and empowering African American legal professionals.

 

 

Photo of Deputy DA Aliyah Redic for Black History Month. The Hall of Justice Building is in the background.

Meet Deputy DA Aliyah Redic

In honor of Black History Month, which is celebrated throughout the month of February, the DA’s Office is featuring stories of employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service.

Meet Deputy District Attorney Aliyah Redic, who has been with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office since 2022. Aliyah was born and raised in San Diego County and her first job out of law school was with the San Bernardino District Attorney’s Office. She is currently assigned to the Superior Court Felony Trial Team, where she tries a variety of felony cases ranging from vehicle code violations to attempted murders and murders.

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

“With a family legacy of proud veterans, public service was second nature.  I have always been passionate about giving back to my community. I chose to become a prosecutor because it aligned with my passion, advocating for victims.”

What is your favorite part of the job?  

“As a prosecutor, the primary goal is justice. The pursuit of justice is incredibly rewarding.”

What does Black History Month mean to you, why is it important to you? 

“The legacy and achievements we honor during Black History Month are what made it possible for me to be both a first-generation college graduate, and a first-generation attorney. To me, black history serves as a reminder that anyone can make a difference. That personal perspective underscores the broader significance of recognizing and honoring Black history. Black History Month is important because it honors the profound impact, resilience, and achievements of the black community.”

Photo of a gavel over law books and scales of justice.

Vivint Solar to Pay $4.3 Million Consumer Settlement for Misleading Customers

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan, along with four other California prosecutors’ offices, has secured a $4.3 million settlement with Vivint Solar, Inc. and its related entities to resolve consumer protection violations involving the company’s solar power purchase agreements (PPAs). The settlement stems from allegations tied to residential solar installation and energy contracts that VivintSolar entered into with California consumers between August 2016 and October 2020.

The complaint, filed in Riverside County Superior Court, alleges that in advertising and promoting its solar energy systems and the terms of the PPAs, Vivint Solar misrepresented the agreements or failed to make adequate disclosures to avoid misleading consumers.

“When companies use misleading and aggressive tactics to ensnare customers, as in the case of this solar company, they are engaging in unfair competition and other consumer protection violations and will be held responsible under the law,” DA Stephan said. “Many of these companies commit the same violations across the state and being able to leverage our office’s statewide consumer protection partnerships allows us to do more to protect San Diegans. One of the most beneficial aspects of this case is the availability of $3 million for consumers to request reimbursement of losses they suffered. I am grateful to our Consumer Protection Team for holding businesses accountable and obtaining justice for consumers.”

Examples of Vivint Solar’s alleged violations include:

  • Misrepresenting the relationship between Vivint Solar and the local utility company, including wearing clothing branded with a Southern California utility company.
  • Misrepresenting energy or cost savings by telling consumers their bills would be lowered, when in many cases they climbed higher.
  • Misrepresenting consumers’ ability to cancel the contract or agreement in question.

In the final judgment, Vivint Solar is prohibited from engaging in unfair, illegal or fraudulent business practices related to its solar energy systems, including:

    • Making any false statement about the company’s relationship with a local utility, energy savings a customer might expect to receive, or a customer’s ability to cancel the contract.
    • Requesting, ordering, or otherwise obtaining a consumer credit report in connection with a consumer’s application for a loan or credit without first obtaining the consumer’s written consent.
    • Creating accounts related to the purchase, installation, servicing, or lease of any Solar Energy System without first obtaining the consumer’s written consent.
    • Failing to provide translations of written contracts related to the purchase, installation, servicing, or lease of any Solar Energy System in the language in which the contract was negotiated before the execution of such contract; and
    • Enforcing a liquidated damages provision in its agreements or contracts, including but not limited to a Vivint Solar PPA, that does not comply with the provisions of Civil Code section 1671 and California case law interpreting that statute.

Under the terms of the judgment, which was entered without admission of liability, Vivint Solar will pay a total of $1.3 million in civil penalties and investigative costs. It will also establish a restitution fund of $3 million to cover valid requests for restitution from a California consumer regarding solar energy systems sold by VivintSolar or the terms of any Vivint Solar PPA that fall between August 3, 2016, and October 8, 2020. On October 8, 2020, Vivint Solar became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sunrun, Inc. (“Sunrun”). Sunrun is not a party to this law enforcement action.

Notification to California consumers of the provisions of the Stipulated Judgment, including time limitations on making a claim and methods to submit a claim for restitution, will be provided by Vivint Solar and available on the consumer-facing website of VivintSolar, Inc. and Sunrun. Vivint’s other entities included in the settlement are Vivint Solar Holdings, Inc. and Vivint Solar Developer, LLC (“Vivint Solar”).

The case was jointly prosecuted by the District Attorneys of San Diego, Riverside, Alameda, Fresno and San Francisco. The prosecutors noted that Vivint Solar and Sunrun and its counsel have worked cooperatively with the public agencies to resolve the matter.

Deputy District Attorney Colleen Huschke prosecuted this case for the District Attorney’s Office.

Photo of news conference at the DA's Office as DA Summer Stephan announces charges against Amy Knox for embezzlement of county funds.

Ex-Convict with Record of Embezzlement Charged with Misappropriation of Public Money for Using County Consumer Opioid Settlement Grant Funds for Plastic Surgery, Vacations, and Personal Expenses

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced charges today against a woman who was previously convicted of stealing over $500,000 from her employer. Her latest scheme involved bilking San Diego County out of more than $130,000 to fund her lavish lifestyle including two cosmetic plastic surgeries, luxury vacations, SDG&E bills for her personal homes, home improvement, and martial arts training. [WATCH THE NEWS CONFERENCE HERE]

Amy J. Knox, 45, has been charged with three felony counts of misappropriating public money and three felony counts of embezzlement with the white-collar fraud allegation for great taking from the over $4 million consumer protection monies awarded by San Diego County to the nonprofit organization Harm Reduction-SD. The funds were part of the over $50 billion secured by The California Attorney General as part of nationwide settlements and bankruptcy agreements from corporations implicated in the opioid epidemic. These consumer funds obtained from opioid settlements, were intended to increase prevention and treatment and reduce fentanyl deaths in the County.

“This defendant had a history of stealing large amounts of money from her employer and violating their trust, yet she was still able to be in charge of millions of dollars in public funds,” DA Stephan said. “Checks and balances exist for a reason, yet there was no evidence of a background check. Even after professional county staff raised concerns, County officials awarded a second contract to Harm Reduction-SD, allowing this defendant to line her pockets with public funds.”

From July 2022 to June 2025, Knox served in the chief operating officer role for Harm Reduction-SD. She controlled the nonprofit’s finances and was designated as the contract administrator for the County contracts, serving as the main liaison between Harm Reduction-SD and County contracting officials. Knox was responsible for oversight of the naloxone distribution, managing payroll, tax filings, vendor contracting, and supplies management.

Harm Reduction-SD received $4.2 million from the County’s Health and Human Services Agency, Behavioral Health Services Department. The first contract in July 2022 was for Naloxone distribution. The second contract in August 2024 was for drug checking. This service was to check for the presence of fentanyl in illegal street drugs that community members in homeless encampments planned to ingest.

In January 2023, a concerned citizen alerted the County that Harm Reduction-SD CEO, Tara Stamos, was storing Narcan (opioid overdose reversal medication) under a tarp in her East County front yard in 100-degree weather. In April 2023, a financial audit completed by the county’s professional employees uncovered significant financial control weaknesses, including insufficient bank reconciliations and a deficient general ledger.

The County then discovered that Knox had previous embezzlement convictions. Less than a year later in August 2024, Harm Reduction-SD was awarded the second contract.

During her embezzlement of public funds, Knox made thousands of purchases for personal items and services on at least four personal credit cards. From January 2024 to May 2025, she used Harm Reduction-SD’s checking account to pay off her monthly credit card balances via electronic bank transfers. Her personal expenses on these cards included trips to Hawaii and Disneyland, high end women’s clothing and cosmetics, various streaming service subscriptions, home improvement expenses, purebred dogs and dog training, and martial arts training. The total amount was more than $90,000.

In addition to paying off her credit cards, from October 2023 to May 2025, Knox embezzled over $10,000 in public funds to pay the SDG&E bills on two of her residential properties. She also used embezzled public funds to pay for $30,000 worth of full body cosmetic surgery.

Knox’s fraud came to light when she began to accuse Harm Reduction-SD’s CEO, Tara Stamos of malfeasance. Stamos responded by reporting to the District Attorney’s Office that she had discovered unauthorized transactions by Knox. The DA’s Special Operations Division, which has a premier Public Integrity Unit, began the investigation that resulted in these charges. The investigation is ongoing to determine how this malfeasance occurred, why it was allowed to continue and to prevent it from happening again.

The County terminated both Harm Reduction-SD contracts in June 2025.

“When the county terminated the contract, there was no referral for criminal investigation to the DA’s Public Corruption Unit, as has been done by Board leadership in prior instances of suspected malfeasance,” DA Stephan said. “Consumer protection funds are public dollars that should be safeguarded. They are the public’s funds that must be treated with transparency and accountability.”

If any County employees in charge of public funds have information about suspected malfeasance, they should feel comfortable coming forward to report their concerns to the District Attorney’s Office. Under whistleblower laws, they will be protected.

“Whistleblowing is an important part of public safety,” DA Stephan said. “It is often the first line of defense against corruption and misuse of public funds.”

The District Attorney’s Public Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes cases involving elected or appointed public officials, government employees committing crimes on the job, misuse of public funds or resources, fraud on the court and attorney misconduct. County employees or the public can submit a complaint on our website: https://www.sdcda.org/preventing/public-integrity/ or by emailing DA Public Integrity Unit at SDDAPublicIntegrity@sandiegoda.gov.

Deputy District Attorney Matthew Dix is prosecuting this case, and DA Investigator Mark Kelley conducted the investigation.

Knox was arraigned today and pleaded not guilty. Her bail was set at $200,000 and a bail review hearing is set for February 25 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 101. A readiness hearing is set for April 1 at 8:15 a.m. in Department 1102. [WATCH THE NEWS CONFERENCE HERE]

Photo of Deputy DA Danielle Hall.

Meet Deputy DA Danielle Hall

In honor of Black History Month, which is celebrated throughout the month of February, the DA’s Office is featuring stories of employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service.

Meet Deputy District Attorney Danielle Hall, who has been with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office since 2018, when she began an internship at our office. She was officially hired as a Graduate Law Clerk in 2020 and was sworn in as a Deputy District Attorney in June 2021. Danielle was born and raised in Long Beach, California and this was her first job out of law school. She is currently assigned to the Superior Court Division’s Felony Trial team, where she handles felony trials and she is also one of the intern/GLC coordinators. A fun fact about Danielle is that she has a background in singing and acting.

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

“Both my parents were DDAs in Los Angeles County. I grew up seeing how passionate they were about their jobs, and I wanted to follow in their footsteps.”

What is your favorite part of the job?  

“Being able to seek justice for victims and make our community safe.”

What does Black History Month mean to you, why is it important to you? 

“Black History is important to me because it is inseparable from who I am. Throughout my life, I have seen how Black History is not only about the past, but about resilience. Honoring Black history means recognizing both the progress made and the work that remains. During Black History month, I am often reminded of Maya Angelou’s words, ‘I am the hope and the dream of the slave’. That quote resonates deeply with me and serves as a reminder of the legacy I honor and the responsibility I carry.”

 

Photo of Deputy District Attorney Deborah La Touche.

Meet Deputy DA Deborah La Touche

In honor of Black History Month, which is celebrated throughout the month of February, the DA’s Office is featuring stories of employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service.

Meet Deputy District Attorney Deborah La Touche, who has been working at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office since 2004. She was born in the Bahamas and raised in Toronto, Canada. Prior to joining the DA’s Office, she was a Public Defender at the San Diego Public Defender’s Office. She is currently assigned to the Major Narcotics Unit but has worked in all the branches of the DA’s Office, including Family Protection and Insurance Fraud divisions. Currently, the bulk of her cases in the Major Narcotics Unit include drug trafficking and drug sales involving hard drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamines, fentanyl, and heroin.

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

“There were several wonderful Judges who mentored me and urged me to consider the DA’s Office. When the opportunity to apply at the DA’s Office became open, I applied and was thrilled to be considered for a position. It was a great career move on many levels as I was able to expand my legal skills, work closely with victims, and pivot into various specialized areas of criminal law. Moreover, I was impressed with the community service work that the office does, and I had the privilege of heading up the Project LEAD program and spearheading the Success Agents program at the Juvenile Branch.”

What is your favorite part of the job?  

“Every day is different and the job itself entails so much, that I don’t think there’s one favorite aspect of the job—maybe that’s what I enjoy so much—the variety.”

What does Black History Month mean to you, why is it important to you? 

“I am impressed by the rich history that African Americans have made here in the USA—from building the White House to inventing peanut butter that is a staple in almost every household. As an attorney I appreciate the legacy that was built by Martin Luther King, Jr., Justice Thurgood Marshall, and Charles Hamilton Houston before him. They, along with countless others helped to lay the groundwork for me to witness history being made when the first African American man, Barack Obama, was elected as the 44th President of the United States. And later when the first woman of color, Kamala Harris, was elected as Vice President of the United States. We have a rich history in this country, and it is important that we celebrate it not only during Black History Month, but throughout the year.”

 

Photo of 1975 Cold Case murder victim Edmund Lafave.

Defendant Arraigned for Cold Case Murder that Occurred More than Half a Century Ago

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said today that a killer who murdered a man in his North Park home more than 50 years ago has been extradited from the Midwest and today was arraigned on a charge of murder. 71-year-old Johnnie Salisbury was arraigned in San Diego Superior Court after being arrested in Indiana last month and extradited to San Diego to be held accountable for his crime.

In 1975, Salisbury brutally beat and stabbed 34-year-old Edmund LaFave in his own home on Suncrest avenue. LaFave’s lifeless body was found in a pool of blood in his bedroom at his residence in the 2900 block of Suncrest Drive on February 25, 1975.

“Sometimes we have to wait decades to deliver justice on behalf of a murder victim, but the key is to never give up on justice,” said DA Stephan. “This defendant got away with murder for more than half a century, but thanks to the dedication of law enforcement is now being held to account for his brutal crime. This is an outstanding example of how modern science, combined with a commitment to solving cold case murders, can lead to a just result. I want to thank the entire team who worked on this case and never gave up searching for this killer.”

Various cold case investigators reviewed the case over the years but were not able to identify a suspect. Despite the exhaustive investigation at the onset of the case, the investigation eventually went cold. However, the District Attorney’s grant-funded Cold Homicide and Research Genealogy Effort (CHARGE) working with our law enforcement partners at the San Diego Police Department were able to provide investigators with the information they needed to solve the case.

The DA credited DA Cold Case Unit lead prosecutor Chris Lindberg, genealogist Laura Tanney, as well as District Attorney Investigators Tony Johnson, Ryan Gremillion, Lisa Williams and SDPD detectives for their outstanding work on the case. Experts at the SDPD Crime Lab were then able to match the defendant’s fingerprints to the crime scene, including prints found on a bloody clothes iron used to beat the victim.

CHARGE is funded by the Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA grant from the US DOJ.  Providing $533,000 over three years, this grant enables forensic investigative genetic genealogy work to solve unsolved homicides. This is a competitive grant that is only awarded to a few agencies nationwide each year.  This is the second, three-year grant the District Attorney’s Office has been awarded to fund its groundbreaking CHARGE program.

Forensic investigative genetic genealogy is a powerful investigative tool that helps law enforcement solve cold case murders by using DNA evidence to identify suspects through their family connections and public records rather than existing criminal databases. Investigators use DNA from crime scenes and create a genetic profile that can be compared to opt-in public genealogy databases to locate distant relatives of an unknown suspect.

Deputy District Attorney Chris Lindberg, who leads the DA’s Cold Case Homicide Unit, is prosecuting this case.

Meet Deputy DA Jayda Davis

In honor of Black History Month, which is celebrated throughout the month of February, the DA’s Office is featuring stories of employees and what inspired them to pursue a career in public service.

Meet Deputy District Attorney Jayda Davis, who has been working at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office since 2023. She was born and raised in San Diego. Before joining the DA’s Office and before law school, she worked at Starbucks all throughout college at SDSU. After graduating from California Western School of Law, she worked at an estate planning law firm before law school. She is currently assigned to the Felony Trial Team in the Superior Court Division of the DA’s Office.

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

“Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a lawyer. It was the first and only thing I wanted to be when I grew up! I had no idea why or what a lawyer did, but my grandma planted the idea in my head, and I truly ran with it. Once I got to college I knew I wanted to do criminal law, I just wasn’t sure what that looked like. I then did an internship with the DA’s office and a judge in South Bay granted the expungement of a rape conviction over our objection. It was my last day at my internship, and although I was outraged at the court’s ruling and had just ‘lost’ that motion, I knew I needed to come back to continue to work on cases and make sure victims voices were being heard.”

What is your favorite part of the job?  

“It is so hard to pick one thing, but I would have to say my favorite part of the job is working with victims. A lot of the time, we are the first person a victim hears from after reporting the crime to the police. Being able to introduce myself and provide them with information or connections with our victim advocate services is one of the most rewarding parts of this job.”

What does Black History Month mean to you, why is it important to you? 

“Black History Month is a time of honor, reflection, and growth. About 3.5% of lawyers in California are Black and about 2% of those lawyers are Black women. I was the first person in my family to go to college and law school. Growing up I didn’t know any lawyers, let alone any Black lawyers, and that is why representation is SO important. I look internally at our office and see so many excellent Black DDA’s that I aspire to be like. I just hope to follow in their footsteps and help continue to pave the way for other kids who like me at such a young age just had a dream of being here. Just a special thank you to one of my mentors in the office, Chief Samira Seidu. Thank you for always believing in me!”

 

Undercover Operation Results in Arrests of Dozens of Drug Dealers in East Village

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said today that a grand jury has handed down 23 indictments against 34 defendants openly selling drugs in several locations in San Diego’s East Village neighborhood including the sales of fentanyl, methamphetamine and crack cocaine. [WATCH NEWS CONFERENCE HERE]

San Diego law enforcement completed a two-month operation aimed at dismantling open-air drug markets in the East Village, reducing crime in the area, and increasing public safety for residents. Operation Street Sweeper, conducted from September through October 2025, focused on several locations identified by the San Diego Police Department as hotspots for illegal drug sales, including 16 and 17th Streets, K and C Streets and Imperial Avenue and Broadway.

Last Thursday, 23 of the defendants were arrested during a takedown operation in East Village.

“This operation reflects a coordinated, proactive law enforcement response to the community we serve, with the goal of improving the quality of life in a downtown area that continues to face public safety challenges,” DA Stephan said. “The East Village community deserves to be safe and not have their families subjected to open drug dealing and associated crime. This operation targeted the drug dealers that were selling toxic drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine base. It’s clear that the heightened drug sales are also the reason we have heightened drug overdoses in the same areas.”

The operation was a collaborative effort involving San Diego Police, Homeland Security Investigations Fentanyl Abatement Suppression Team (HSI FAST), with additional support from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting three additional suspects connected to the case.

“The residents of East Village have long asked for more enforcement on drug-related offenses and Operation Street Sweeper did just that” said Police Chief Scott Wahl. “With this operation, we targeted open drug use and narcotic sales occurring in East Village, something children and families walked by every day. With our law enforcement partners, we were able to have a major impact on the quality of life in downtown San Diego.”

Undercover officers conducted numerous purchases and surveillance operations during the two-month period, targeting solely dealers who were selling substances such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine base (crack cocaine). The coordinated effort aimed not only to disrupt drug distribution but also to reduce associated crimes in the downtown corridor.

The indictments include charges ranging from the sale and possession for sale of these deadly controlled substances. If convicted, defendants face a range of sentences under state law.

“To the people who live and work downtown: the adults are back in charge,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.

Law enforcement said partnerships are key in addressing the increase in crime seen in the area.

“HSI’s FAST is a collaborative task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies focused on combatting the smuggling, distribution, and sale of deadly synthetic drugs in our communities,” said Kevin Murphy, a Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations. “Operation Street Sweeper demonstrates the success we can achieve when we work together to conduct impactful investigations and make our communities safer.”

Evidence to the grand jury was presented by Deputy District Attorneys Lauren Wake and Edith Leon, prosecutors from the District Attorney’s Major Narcotics Division.

[WATCH NEWS CONFERENCE HERE]

Stolen Funds Coming Back to Support Students

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has given her office authority to grant $25 million from the Charter School Fraud trust fund to the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) to fund a seven-year, countywide plan to strengthen and expand access to mental health, safety, wellness, and educational supports for K-12 students and their families. The community-responsive plan focuses on the unique strengths and needs of each region in order to connect needed resources to students experiencing homelessness and other youth who can thrive with additional support. The Board approved the grant at their January 28 meeting.

WARCH COMPLETE NEWS CONFERENCE, HERE.

“This funding will make a real difference in the lives of K-12 students and their families as they navigate wellness, safety, homelessness and mental health challenges,” said DA Stephan. “I continue to be very proud of our public corruption/consumer protection expert prosecution team that delivered justice in the A3 Charter Schools criminal case and now, we’re seeing how the trust fund established as a result of the case is impacting the community in positive ways, funneling the money stolen by the defendants back to deserving young people in our schools.”

Funds for the grant originate from criminal fines imposed in the landmark A3 Charter Schools fraud case which was prosecuted by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. In all, more than $280 million in stolen funds were recovered. The judge who oversaw the case ordered a portion of the fines to be paid to the County of San Diego now, a portion to be paid to victims in kindergarten through 12th grade, and a portion to be paid to the state of California.

Under a resolution passed unanimously by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2021, the fines imposed by the court related to this case were earmarked and exclusively dedicated to programs that directly serve the needs of kindergarten through 12th grade students in San Diego County. The funds are not intended for County operational programs, but rather to support community-serving, education-focused initiatives, consistent with the court’s intent. After disbursement of the $25 million grant, the Charter School Fraud trust fund will have $5 million remaining in it. Superior Court Judge Fred Link who masterfully presided over the criminal case issued clear guidance regarding the monies recovered and this meets the direction by the court.

The Board’s recommendation authorizes the District Attorney’s Office to continue administering its Community Grant Program (CGP) and award the one-time $25 million grant to SDCOE to implement the HeartSpire initiative, a seven-year, countywide plan. This action builds on prior Board approvals related to the CGP and the Charter School Fraud trust fund. The $25 million is actually an aggregate of several $2.2 million to $3.8 million grants each over seven school years.

The SDCOE HeartSpire initiative is designed to connect and amplify the work happening at school sites and in county services across all five supervisorial districts. Consistent with prior K-12 grant actions, the focus is on equitable access and regional coverage, rather than limiting investments to a single geographic area.

“We are grateful the DA has entrusted SDCOE with this opportunity to build upon our efforts to positively impact students, families, and communities throughout the county,” said Dr. Gloria E. Ciriza, San Diego County superintendent of schools. “HeartSpire is rooted in the belief that human connection, mental health, and relational infrastructure are essential to thriving educational systems. Accordingly, this grant will align the DA’s Office, schools, County Health and Human Services, and community-based organizations to offer integrated services that make a real difference for students and families.”

Following establishment of the trust fund, a multi-department stakeholder workgroup with representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, Behavioral Health Services, County Office of Equity & Racial Justice, and Department of Child & Family Well-Being reviewed options for use of the funds. Based on those discussions, an initial phase of 47 K-12 community grants totaling approximately $6.4 million was awarded in 2022. Those grants supported literacy, tutoring, mentoring, youth leadership, and mental health and wellness services. The initial grant activity informed subsequent consideration of opportunities for a more coordinated, regional approach, leading to the SDCOE HeartSpire proposal.

The County’s existing stakeholder workgroup will have opportunities to review program progress, milestones, and updates as implementation proceeds, particularly in advance of future funding periods within the seven-year plan.

The DA’s Community Grant Program (CGP) originated from early crime-reduction and prevention efforts and was later expanded by the Board to include education- and prevention-focused K–12 initiatives, including grants funded through the Charter School Fraud trust fund. The HeartSpire proposal represents a continuation of that evolution, while maintaining the CGP’s core purpose of supporting community-based solutions that promote safety, wellness, and opportunity.