Meet Assistant Chief of the Juvenile Division Samira Seidu

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 the Assistant Chief of the Juvenile Division, Deputy District Attorney Samira Seidu, who has been with the DA’s Office since 2009. As Assistant Chief of the Juvenile Division, Samira works closely with the Chief of the Juvenile Division and our justice partners throughout the county to ensure that our community is kept safe by working together to provide our youth with the services they need to reach their rehabilitative goals.  Read more about what inspired her to purse a career at the DA’s Office, below.

What inspired you to pursue a career at the DA’s Office?

“I had no idea I would wind up at the DA’s office when I started law school. I went to law school to pursue a career in environmental law. But while reading jury trial transcripts during an internship with the Attorney General Office’s Writs and Appeal section, I quickly decided I wanted to be a District Attorney. I wanted to work with the victims. I wanted to be the person in court arguing motions, questioning witnesses, and arguing the case to a jury. I wanted to be a trial lawyer, to give victims a sense of justice and to be a voice for the most vulnerable members of our community. I interned with the DA’s office in Spring 2008, and I have been here ever since.”

Why is Black History Month important to you?

“Black History Month is important because it is an opportunity to honor and celebrate the achievements of African Americans and the contributions they have made to American society. Black History Month is important because I don’t know that we would hear about these achievements and contributions otherwise. Although this singular month represents an opportunity to put a spotlight on the significant contributions Black Americans have made to this country, Black history is American history and Black history should be celebrated year-round.  Black history should be important to everyone.”

District Attorney Summer Stephan Honored with U.S. Attorney General Meritorious Public Service Award

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan was honored at a ceremony Wednesday with the United States Attorney General’s Award for Meritorious Public Service — the top public service award granted by the U.S. Department of Justice. It is designed to recognize the most significant contributions of citizens and organizations in support of justice.

U.S. Attorney General, Merrick Garland, announced the recipients for the 71st Annual Attorney General’s Awards in December.

“I’m grateful for the Attorney General’s award and recognize that this national award speaks to the entire team’s dedication at the DA’s Office to pursue fair and equal justice,” DA Stephan said. “I’m honored to lead and work alongside them and appreciate this extraordinary recognition of our work. Serving the public through protecting the most vulnerable is my calling in life and I am grateful to be able to carry out this important work on behalf of San Diegans. I was so moved by the accomplishments of so many deserving recipients from across our beloved nation in other award categories. Several U.S. Attorney’s Offices, including the local office of U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath, were recognized for incredible work protecting our democracy from domestic and foreign criminals.”

District Attorney Stephan was selected in recognition of her leadership and collaboration with federal law enforcement on multiple large-scale operations to combat fentanyl trafficking, elder fraud, and violent crime.

The Attorney General’s award recognizes that DA Stephan has furthered the mission and goals of Department of Justice by implementing a protocol to identify and investigate school threats, tripling hate crime prosecutions, embracing community policing and criminal justice reform, leading law enforcement de-escalation training, and creating and expanding diversion programs for substance users, juveniles, veterans, and those struggling with mental health issues.

The award is also in recognition of DA Stephan’s leadership in prevention and messaging campaigns, focused on reducing sexual assaults on college campuses, raising awareness about human trafficking, and using social media to warn the public about counterfeit pills and prevent fentanyl overdoses.

“This award reflects on the collaboration and partnership with the dedicated team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office along with federal, state and local law enforcement all working together to keep our neighborhoods safe,” DA Stephan said.

The award ceremony was Wednesday afternoon at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

Woman Convicted in Elder Theft Case is Sentenced

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said today that a woman who illegally took possession of an 89-year-old victim’s house and refused to vacate it has been sentenced to two years formal probation and 150 hours of community service. The sentence was handed down this afternoon in San Diego Superior Court downtown.The defendant, Asfar “Benny” Shamlou was also ordered to stay away from the property and victims in this case. The victim’s family is currently in the process of regaining possession of the home.

“This defendant took advantage of an elderly woman in poor health and was brought to justice by our DA Real Estate Fraud team,” said DA Stephan. “Elder abuse comes in many forms. Our office pursues justice on behalf of seniors and works to hold defendants like this accountable for preying on some of the most vulnerable in our community.”

In this case, the victim, who suffers from dementia, had a stroke in 2018 and moved into a nursing care facility. Shamlou, 67, whose website indicates she has a background in finance and real estate investments, identified the Carmel Mountain Ranch home as being vacant and delinquent on property taxes. She illegally moved into the home in early 2021. When confronted by the victim’s family, she told them she had paid the back taxes and that she now owned the home. Shamlou threw away all of the owner’s possessions and even remodeled the home.

The defendant was charged with five felony counts including theft from an elder, burglary, grand theft of personal property, and vandalism. She was convicted of all criminal counts by a jury in December of 2023.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney John Dunn who is the lead prosecutor in the DA’s Real Estate Fraud Unit. Suspected fraud or other real estate related crime can be reported to the District Attorney here.

New Deputy DAs Sworn In for 2024

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced the swearing-in today of a new class of 14 Deputy District Attorneys, who took their oath at the Superior Courthouse downtown. The members of the new class, who have diverse professional and personal backgrounds, bring an array of rich experience to the DA’s Office.

“I am very proud and excited to welcome the class of 2024 to our office,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said. “This is a group of professionals who not only bring a variety of skills and experience to our office, but also reflect the diversity in our community and who embrace our mission of pursuing fair and equal justice.”

The 2024 Class of Deputy Das includes top scholars, authors, advocates, and individuals who embody the mission and principles of the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.  The class speaks multiple languages among them, including Pakistani Urdu, Hindi, Persian, and Spanish. The class includes Eagle Scouts, worldwide children’s ministry coordinators, singers, US Soccer referees, NCAA Division One swimmers, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors, soccer players, and travel enthusiasts.

One of the new Deputy District Attorneys, Pallavi Garg, who was born in Calcutta, India, and raised in Dallas, Texas, was a pre-med student until she learned about human trafficking.

“Realizing that gross indifference to humanity can still exist in a place like the United States changed my trajectory,” Garg said. “I knew I wanted to be a career prosecutor and fight against those who treat people like commodities. I have since worked in Miami as a prosecutor in Gangs and Human Trafficking. Once I moved to San Diego and met DA Summer Stephan and Deputy DAs in this office, I knew I had found my professional home. The opportunity to get up each day and do what is right for every person involved in a case is truly the most honorable work I could imagine doing.”

For Deputy DA Carys Davies, the annual service trips she took every summer since middle school to developing countries in Haiti, Kenya, Rwanda, and Honduras inspired her to pursue a career as a prosecutor.

“I had the opportunities to interact with women and children living in poverty; I knew I wanted to be an advocate for vulnerable victims who did not have a voice,” Davies said. “Having majored in Childhood Development combined with observing a Deputy DA conduct a direct examination of a rape victim in trial, motivated me to become prosecutor to come alongside vulnerable victims as they recount the worse day of their life and help give them a voice. The San Diego County District Attorney’s dedication to coming alongside vulnerable victims, fighting for justice for vulnerable victims, and supporting them whether charges were filed or not, drew me to this office.”

Only a few years ago, Alfredo Villegas started out as a Student Worker at the DA’s Office and now he is back as a Deputy DA.

“What inspired me to become a prosecutor at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office was the opportunity to serve the community that I was born and raised in,” Villegas said. “Many of the people who inspired me to pursue a career in the law worked in this office and I feel a special sense of pride in being able to pursue justice and advocate for victims of crime in and outside the courtroom.”

Under the guidance of senior Deputy District Attorneys, the new prosecutors recently completed a three-week, intensive training to learn from over 80 experts, including staff from all walks in the office, about professionalism, trial advocacy, and culture, and what it means to serve as a public prosecutor in our richly diverse San Diego County. The new prosecutors will report to their assignments today across all branches and divisions of the District Attorney’s Office.

The San Diego DA’s Office has more than 1,100 employees, including a diverse group of 345 Deputy District Attorneys of which 201 are women and 144 are men.

San Marcos Man Sentenced to Prison for Killing His Mother with a Hammer

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that a 32-year-old San Marcos man, who pleaded guilty in October to the first-degree murder of his 68-year-old mother, has been sentenced to 31 years-to-life in prison.

In June 2021, Sean McCarthy broke into the home of his parents through the back sliding door and attacked is mother in her bedroom after his father left for work. Using a hammer, he beat his mother to death and stuffed her body into the trunk of her car in the garage then fled and set himself on fire in his own car in Escondido.

“This is a horrific case of murder and elder abuse that affects an entire family and the community in which the parents lived,” DA Stephan said. “When a life is taken by a family member, nothing can make the family whole again, but today’s sentence provides a measure of justice for the defendant.”

McCarthy survived the car fire but was left permanently disabled. In addition to first-degree murder, he also pleaded guilty to residential burglary. Deputy District Attorney Ben Barlow prosecuted this case.

Rapist Sentenced for Crimes Committed in 1999

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said today that defendant Mark Thompson Hunter, 66, was sentenced to 130 years-to-life in state prison for kidnapping and raping a teenage girl multiple times on February 17, 1999 in Escondido. Judge Robert Kearney handed down the lengthy sentence after Hunter was convicted by a jury in October of last year of seven felony counts including kidnapping, rape, and sodomy.

“The victim was 19-years old when she was brutally attacked by this defendant and put through a nightmare scenario,” said DA Stephan. “Justice was delayed, but thanks to investigators at the FBI, Sheriff’s Crime Lab, Escondido Police Department and District Attorney’s Office, who leveraged the power of modern DNA and never gave up, this rapist is now being held accountable for his crimes.”

The victim was approached around 8:30 p.m. at a gas station by a man asking her for directions. She agreed to show him the exact location by having him follow her car in his van. When the victim got to an area near Valley Parkway and Fig Street, the man waved her into a parking lot. The attacker then pulled her into his van and drove her to a dead-end street.

The victim fought back but was out matched by the attacker’s size and strength. She was raped multiple times and then released with the suspect taking off. Despite the attacker’s DNA being recovered by a forensic medical exam, available DNA testing at the time did not match any individuals in a statewide offender database. In 2020, a cold case team re-examined the DNA, and using genealogical DNA technology, investigators linked it to Hunter who was living in Hemet, California when he was arrested.

“Investigative genealogy techniques have truly revolutionized how law enforcement agencies can pursue justice,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The FBI, along with our partners, have a steadfast commitment to the pursuit of justice for victims of crimes and their families. Technological advancements allow us to have more successful investigations, despite the passage of time.”

Familial DNA searching was pioneered in the U.K, helping in 2002 in what was believed to be the first conviction using the technique. In 2008, California became the first state in the U.S. to authorize the testing, and Colorado followed a year later. California has solved several cases using familial searching, including the so-called Grim Sleeper case in Los Angeles. A serial killer preyed on vulnerable women and eluded identification for decades until investigators matched crime scene DNA to the killer’s son, whose DNA was in an offender database.

In 2016, a 25-year-old cold case was solved after familial DNA testing provided investigators with key information that solved the murder of 84-year-old Angela Kleinsorge. The victim was found raped and murdered in her San Diego home in February of 1992.

Deputy District Attorney Claudia Plascencia prosecuted this case.

Fatal DUIs Spike Amid COVID-19

DUI Driver Sentenced for Hit and Run That Killed a 19-Month-Old Toddler

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said today that a defendant who drove drunk, struck and killed a 1-year-old child has been sentenced to 15 years-to-life in prison plus an additional four years in prison for fleeing the scene. Margarito Angeles Vargas, 47, was driving with a blood-alcohol level of more than double the legal limit on September 24, 2022, when he fatally struck the young girl as she crossed a residential street with her sisters and grandparents. A jury convicted Angeles Vargas on November 15, of second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing injury, hit and run causing death, and driving on a suspended license. Judge Amador handed down the sentence in San Diego Superior Court.

On the day of the incident, the defendant was leaving a baby shower when he ran a stop sign and nearly struck a parked truck before barreling down the 3900 block of Redwood Street in City Heights. He struck the victim in broad daylight as her family was walking in an unmarked crosswalk.

Although residential surveillance captured the collision, none of the cameras clearly captured the driver’s face or his license plate. A witness chased after the defendant and confronted him. Eventually, the license plate information and cell phone video taken by the witness helped police locate the defendant and arrest him.

“DUI and drugged drivers have taken so many innocent lives this year and while every loss is devastating, the senseless DUI murder of a 1-year-old child is beyond deplorable,” DA Summer Stephan said. “It is also unconscionable that the driver fled the scene, but thanks to the courage and concern of the good Samaritan neighbor who witnessed the crime and recorded the driver and the license plate and provided the information to police, the defendant was brought to justice. Our specialized DUI homicide team worked with San Diego Police Department investigators to present the case to a jury in order to pursue justice. Let this be a warning that drinking and driving can not only take a life but can end with a life prison sentence.”

Because Angeles Vargas had been convicted of a DUI charge previously, he signed a form known as a Watson advisement. The purpose of the Watson advisement is to create a legal record that a defendant is aware of the dangers that DUI poses not only to oneself, but to others. If a person is involved in another DUI in the future, and that DUI leads to an accident that injures or kills someone, they cannot claim that they didn’t understand the consequences. Legally, this means that a defendant can be tried for second-degree murder in a circumstance like this case.

Deputy District Attorney Hailey Williams prosecuted this case.

4S Ranch Man Duped Friends in Ponzi Scheme; Additional Victims Sought

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced felony charges today against 52-year-old Rodolfo Villareal of 4S Ranch, who is suspected of engaging in a Ponzi scheme with
multiple victims he befriended.

Villareal was charged with two counts of securities fraud, three counts of grand theft and one count of forgery, for his role in stealing $282,500 from two victims. He pleaded not guilty today
at arraignment and was ordered to not solicit or receive money for investment or loan opportunities. If convicted, he faces a maximum exposure of 10 years and eight months in prison.

“Bilking people you developed a friendship with is betrayal and a serious violation of law that devastates victims emotionally and economically,” DA Stephan said. “If there are more victims of Mr. Villareal, we encourage them to come forward.”

Investors concerned that they may be victims of this defendant are encouraged to submit complaints at: https://www.sdcda.org/preventing/consumer-protection/index

Villareal will next be in court on April 16 for a readiness conference.

This case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Tiffany Stewart.

DA Stephan Testifies Before Congressional Committee About Strategies to Fight Organized Retail Crime

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan testified in Washington, D.C. today before the House Sub-Committee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement and Intelligence, providing her perspective on the increasing crime of organized retail theft. At a hearing titled, “From Festive Cheer to Retail Fear: Addressing Organized Retail Crime,” DA Stephan discussed the scope of the problem in the U.S., the solutions being pursued by law enforcement and success stories in holding retail thieves accountable. Stephan appeared in her capacity as both San Diego DA and President-Elect of the National District Attorneys Association.

WATCH the DA’s full testimony, here.

DA Stephan told committee members there are three key challenges facing prosecutors across the nation who are working to fight organized retail theft:

The evolution of more sophisticated criminal networks. Organized retail theft is no longer just the work of isolated petty criminals. Instead, it has evolved into highly sophisticated operations, often conducted by well-organized networks and coordinated across multiple locations.

An inadequate legal framework. Existing laws and penalties in many states are not sufficient to deter or appropriately punish those engaged in organized retail theft. Many states including California have passed laws that increased the dollar amount of theft that qualifies as a felony and eliminated enhanced consequences for recidivist and habitual offenders.

The need for better coordination. In the past, the lack of coordination and information-sharing among retailers, law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders has hindered the ability to combat organized retail theft effectively. A continued collaborative and multi-faceted approach is necessary to address this issue comprehensively.

Stephan pointed to laws in several states that raised the threshold of the value of merchandise stolen from retail stores in order to qualify for felony charges.

“Law enforcement and our retailers agree that the increase in retail theft-related incidents has been the direct result of changing laws and penalties for shoplifting,” DA Stephan said. “The message that these deficient laws send is that this is the wild west with no rules or accountability.”

The San Diego County DA’s Office has made prosecuting and preventing organized retail crime a priority. DA Stephan formed a specialized team of prosecutors and investigators to combat organized retail theft and work with businesses to build stronger cases.

Stephan praised Congress for passing the INFORM Act, which became law this year and requires online marketplaces, such as Amazon and eBay, to collect, verify, and disclose certain information from high-volume sellers and provide consumers with means to report suspicious activity.

“This is a step in the right direction to stop organized criminals from selling stolen goods on online marketplaces,” said Stephan said. “It removes the anonymity of the seller and makes it easier for law enforcement to find online sellers of stolen goods and prosecute them.”

Stephan also urged the passage of H.R. 895, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023— which would expand federal enforcement of criminal offenses related to organized retail crime and establish an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center within the Department of Homeland Security.

“The good news is that on both the national and statewide level, there is a commitment to stop organized retail crime. At least 34 states now have organized retail crime laws. It’s important that these laws include increased penalties for those involved in these criminal activities and provisions that enable law enforcement to better investigate and prosecute offenders,” DA Stephan said.

Stephan also relayed her experience to committee members of visiting stores targeted by retail thieves and talking to workers about the trauma and fear that they experience from these brazen crimes. In a recent study, retailers reported an increase in violence and aggression by the criminals committing these crimes. “This is not a victimless crime,” Stephan said.

Gang Boss Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Ordering Murder Hit While in Prison

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that defendant and criminal street gang boss Jesus Faraj, 45, was sentenced to life without the possibility parole plus 60 years for ordering an execution-style murder of 32-year-old Jimmy Khieu in February 2019.

On Super Bowl Sunday, 2019, Khieu was shot through the head and left for dead in a drainage ditch in the Fox Canyon neighborhood of San Diego. There were no initial suspects and an investigation ensued, leading to the arrest, charging, and convictions of Faraj and three other defendants who worked at Faraj’s behest to track and kill the victim.

“This defendant is a ruthless criminal who casually ordered a murder from his prison cell,” DA Stephan said. “This case demonstrates that gang violence has a long and far reach of destruction leaving wounds in our community that last a lifetime. We will never stop fighting to make neighborhoods safe from the scourge of gang violence.”

Faraj was the leader of one biggest criminal street gangs in San Diego. While in prison for nearly 20 years on other charges, he rose through the ranks of the gang. At the time of the murder, Faraj used mobile phones from a prison cell to routinely orchestrate criminal activity in San Diego. This included obtaining and distributing large quantities of drugs and guns to put onto the streets of what he considered his neighborhood in order to obtain money, power, and control of the neighborhood. He was feared by many and had loyal gang members ready to do his bidding on the streets.

Apart from the murder, Faraj demonstrably ordered assaults and kidnappings of other victims that were captured on video and introduced in the trial. Ultimately, the jury found that Faraj planned the murder of Jimmy Khieu, which was perpetrated by another longstanding gang member who pled guilty to first degree murder before the trial. This case highlights the commitment to violence and terror that gang leaders show and how much of an impact they have in our community, even while incarcerated.

On November 29, co-defendant and shooter Peter Burgos was sentenced to 29 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder with a gun and admitted the murder was to benefit the gang. Co-defendant Steven Chavez was sentenced to 17 years in prison on July 14 after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter to benefit the gang. Co-defendant Kristin Zarate was sentenced to 12 years in prison in October 2022 after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter to benefit the gang.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Oscar Hagstrom with the support of his team.