Meet District Attorney Investigator Christopher Everett, who has worked in law enforcement for 33 years. The first four years of his career began at the Los Angeles Police Department and then the San Diego Police Department, where he retired after 25 years. For the past five years, he has been working as an Investigator for the San Diego County District Attorney’s Child Abduction Unit, which is part of the Family Protection Division. To date, Christopher has helped recover 55 children.

Why did you decide to work at the DA’s Office?

“As I was approaching my retirement with the San Diego Police Department, I felt like I had more to offer the community and law enforcement,” he said. “It has truly been a blessing to work at the DA’s Office and have the opportunity to continue contributing to the San Diego County community.”

“Working in the Child Abduction Unit has been one of the most rewarding positions I’ve held in my 33-year law enforcement career.  In every child abduction case, the child experiences what I refer to as SEP (Sexual, Emotional and Physical Abuse).  In the worst-case scenarios, children become victims of human trafficking.  I know from experience that today’s victim becomes tomorrow’s suspect/defendant. The Child Abduction Unit has an opportunity stop the cycle of violence and change the entire trajectory of an abducted child’s life.  It’s why I remain committed to getting these children back to a safe environment.

While ALL of my cases have had an impact on me, the case which had the greatest impact was a case involving 14-year-old twin children (brother/sister). Their father used deception to get the children out of the US and take them to Iraq.  Once in Iraq, he refused to return the children. Because Iraq is a Non-Hague/Treaty country, the general consensus was there was nothing we could do to help the children. Knowing the children were suffering abuse at their father’s hand, I refused to give up.  Over 19 months, using creative investigative techniques, federal partnerships and help from the US and Iraq Military, I was able to get the kids back home. Although they are home safe, the road to emotional recovery for them both continues and won’t be easy.

This past Christmas, they sent me a family photo Christmas Card. Written on the card was ‘Our First Christmas! Thank You.’  Two weeks ago, I received an email from the family.  One of the twins applied to UC Santa Barbara and had been accepted. WOW, I thought. Just amazing!  Imagine if I hadn’t fought to bring them home? They would still be in that SEP environment.  I know that my work forever changed the trajectory of their lives for the better, and they have made an impression on me which I will never forget. Never Give Up!”

Why is Black History Month important to you?

“Black History Month is a time for highlighting the many accomplishments and contributions that African Americans have made to the scientific, educational and social justice fabric of our country. Black history matters to everyone, not just African Americans. Their accomplishments and challenges benefit all of humankind. I’m glad we celebrate and recognize Black History because to really truly understand our nation’s history, we all need to recognize and acknowledge the role of African Americans in that history.”

See their stories too:

Paralegal Nicole Runyon

Deputy District Attorney Sherry Thompson-Taylor

Chief Deputy District Attorney Dwain Woodley

Crime Prevention Specialist Danielle Fair

District Attorney Investigator Christopher Everett

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today the formation of a new Workplace Justice Unit that will be dedicated to protecting workers’ rights, prosecuting criminal wage theft cases and stopping labor trafficking. The announcement is a community-based response that comes a few weeks after the DA hosted a workplace justice panel in partnership with San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher to identify ways to better-protect workers across the county, many of whom come from minority and disadvantaged communities. [TWEET THIS]

“Together with California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower and our law enforcement partners, we will work even harder to deliver justice for workers who are repeatedly abused by dishonest employers,” DA Stephan said. “Wage theft and labor trafficking are serious problems that we are working on in partnership with the community. We’re not going to allow workers to be exploited by heartless, greedy employers who break the law to line their own pockets.”

[WATCH VIDEO: News Conference Announcing New Workplace Justice Unit]

Many forms of workplace injustice are civil in nature, such as sexual harassment, discrimination or retaliation. But wage theft and labor trafficking are acts that may warrant criminal prosecution. Wage theft is when employers do not pay workers according to the law. This could include not paying wages earned, paying less than minimum wage, not paying overtime, not allowing workers to take meal and rest breaks, requiring off-the-clock work, taking tips from workers, or misclassifying employees as self-employed independent contractors. Labor trafficking is when a person is forced to provide labor or services through coercion, such as violence, threats, lies, fraud, confiscating legal documents, or to pay a debt.

The DA’s new Workplace Justice Unit is comprised of a dedicated prosecutor, DA investigator and paralegal. The Unit will prosecute unfair business practices, wage and hour violations, payroll tax evasion, wage theft and labor trafficking cases. To that end, the DA’s Insurance Fraud Division will be re-named the Insurance Fraud and Workplace Justice Division.

The District Attorney’s Office has long prosecuted wage theft cases through its Insurance Fraud Division, but only if an accompanying workers compensation fraud charge is included or investigated.

• Between 2011-2012 the owners of State Street Grill were involved in a payroll scheme that violated California’s minimum wage laws. The owners advertised on Craigslist for immediate placement of server and cook positions. They would offer the proposed employee the position if they accepted to work without pay for the first seven days. This was considered a “training period.” If, after a week of unpaid work, the employer was satisfied with employee performance, they promised the employee they would be “put on the schedule” and paid going forward. Often, the employees were not hired or paid. Ultimately, investigators learned that this was a ploy to operate the business with little to no payroll. The prosecution of the father son duo resulted in restitution collected for 38 victims totaling $108,000.
• In 2018 the owners of Fairhill Castle were convicted of wage theft after operating several care facilities in which they paid employees less than minimum wage. Employees were recruited from the Philippines to work 24 hours a day, often to be paid $1,500 a month. This scheme violated state overtime laws, which require time and half for over eight hours a day and double pay for over 12 hours of work per day. With the assistance of the Labor Commissioner’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office secured $220,000 in restitution for the victims.

To more effectively protect workers and seek equitable workplace justice, the DA’s Office is educating the public on worker rights through a palm card in English and Spanish and has created a public web page where anyone can obtain information about workplace justice and where victims of workplace crimes can report directly to the District Attorney’s Office. In addition, workers can also call the workplace justice hotline to make a report or report claims directly on the DA’s website.

“The Workplace Justice Unit is a vital step toward San Diego County’s new focus on protecting worker rights and fighting for employee fairness,” said Chair Nathan Fletcher, San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “This will go a long way toward ensuring we stomp our income inequality, but we must do more. Soon we will pursue a living wage ordinance, install a worker recall and retention program and introduce a proposal for an office of Labor Standards Enforcement. This framework for worker rights will restore fairness and opportunity for all San Diegans.”

Prosecuting these types of criminal workplace justice cases require special care and expertise. Cases will be referred to the DA’s Office from community partners including watchdog groups such as MCTF, the Employee Rights Center, the Insurance Fraud Division Hotline, competitor businesses and employees themselves. The District Attorney’s Office often receives cases from the Labor Commissioner, which has wide-ranging enforcement responsibilities, including inspecting workplaces for wage and hour violations, adjudicating wage claims, investigating retaliation complaints, and educating the public on labor laws.

“Robbing someone of their hard-earned wages is unconscionable and must have consequences,” said Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower. “I applaud DA Stephan for her renewed commitment to partner with my office and provide focused resources to hold law-breaking employers accountable. We must reckon with the criminal element in California’s economy. Working collaboratively to prosecute the heinous crimes of human trafficking and wage theft is our duty to protect working people.”

[WATCH VIDEO: News Conference Announcing New Workplace Justice Unit]

Wage theft and labor trafficking offenses are often considered part of the underground economy. The rapidly growing underground economy costs California an estimated $9 billion in uncollected tax revenue and imposes significant financial burdens on business owners that comply with labor, licensing and payroll tax laws. Employees of business that operate in the underground economy are also affected. Working conditions often may not meet legal requirements, wages may be less than what is required by law and benefits workers are entitled to may be delayed or even denied due to an employer’s failure to properly report wages. This scheme may also shift the tax burden onto the employee with the ultimate consequence being the erosion of economic stability and working conditions for all workers.

For more information on the experience of working people in San Diego who come forward with complaints of wage theft, you can download the Confronting Wage Theft report, here.

[TWEET THIS]

Meet Community Partnership Prosecutor Cheryl Sueing-Jones, who has worked for the DA’s Office for more than 20 years. In that role, Cheryl engages in long-term proactive partnerships with the community, with law enforcement and with public and private organizations to build reciprocal relationships of trust. She conducts trainings, community forums, town halls and public safety workshops intended to reduce crime and improve the quality of life for residents. “My position provides a platform to listen to the community, address concerns, correct misconceptions and educate the public about crime prevention initiatives,” she said. “It is my honor and privilege to collaborate with the community and our office to promote equity, diversity and inclusion.” [TWEET THIS]

Why did you come to work at the District Attorney’s Office?

“I decided to work for the DA’s office because I wanted to be a trial lawyer, to bring justice to victims of crime and to be a voice to the most vulnerable. I have stayed here for nearly a quarter of a century because I have had many opportunities to fulfill those missions in an office that is on the frontline of positive change and is committed to improving criminal justice and race relations inside and outside of the office. I am always proud when I have the opportunity to stand and say ‘Cheryl Sueing-Jones for the people.’”

Why is Black History Month important to you?

“Over the last several months our country has experienced a transformational moment in race relations and demands for racial justice have reached a fever pitch,” Sueing-Jones said. “Black Americans have been disproportionately affected by death and job losses from COVID-19. The killing of George Floyd and others ignited long-term historic trauma that is rooted in racism and exposed the systemic inequities that continue despite the many contributions African Americans have made to every aspect of American culture. While we were relieved to see 2020 in the rearview mirror, 2021 arrived with an attack on the US Capitol following the election of the first Black Vice President, Kamala Harris, a woman, my sorority sister, Hastings classmate and fellow graduate of a historically Black college. During this time of division, it is important to not only remember our history, but to also celebrate our new examples of black excellence. Black History Month is important to me because it represents an opportunity to shine a light upon the best in African American culture and to keep the spirit of Black Lives Matter alive.” [TWEET THIS]

When children encounter police because they were a witness to violence or a traumatic event, they can sometimes show up to school the next few days feeling upset, setting off a cycle of poor school performance or acting out, whether in school in person or virtually. Unless a teacher knows the student experienced recent trauma, the child could end up in trouble instead of receiving support. The District Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County Office of Education, local law enforcement and local school districts are addressing this issue through an app called ‘Handle with Care,’ which was developed just before the pandemic shuttered schools. [TWEET THIS]

Under the new program, when police come into contact with a child during a traumatic event such as domestic violence in the home, a neighborhood shooting, arrest of a family member or violent crime, police use the app to alert the child’s school and school district that the child should be handled with care. No other details about the incident are given to the school.

“Children who experience trauma in the home often don’t complete homework, do poorly on tests, and are withdrawn,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said “This pilot program is a simple way we can alert teachers and school administrators and provide important context so they can monitor the child’s behavior and provide support if necessary.” [TWEET THIS]

The program, which has been endorsed by the San Diego County Office of Education, began as a pilot program in Chula Vista with the Chula Vista Police Department, the Chula Vista Elementary School District and Sweetwater Union High School District. Now, the program is also being implemented in El Cajon by Cajon Valley School District and the El Cajon Police Department.  Other police agencies and school districts in San Diego County have expressed an interest in implementing the program and training is already underway to continue to expand the program to support students countywide.

The District Attorney’s Information Technology Department wrote the code for the secure app, which may be loaded onto the law enforcement phones and computers

After police have had contact with a child, the ‘Handle with Care’ notice is sent to the child’s school and school district. The goal is then to notify the child’s teacher before school starts. While the notification is given to the student’s teacher it is not part of the child’s permanent record. Teachers have received trauma-informed training and resources, and the alert does not mean that the child will be approached by the teacher. Instead, the alert is meant to give the teacher an understanding of why the student may not have completed homework, may be tired, or be acting out. Watch the Handle with Care video, here.

“Trauma can undermine children’s ability to learn, form relationships, and function appropriately in the classroom, whether virtually or in person, said Francisco Escobedo, Superintendent of the Chula Vista Elementary School District. “Given the turbulent nature of our times, we are facing unprecedented levels of life-changing events. The Handle with Care Program will provide improved communication, compassionate engagement, and teacher sensitivity.”

When children do poorly in school, get into trouble and don’t attend class as much, they are more likely to end up in the criminal justice system. During the pandemic, participating schools are using the notifications to check-in with students and offer additional support and resources dependent on the child’s circumstances.

“We can change the course of a traumatized student’s life by being trauma informed and giving them support instead of punitive measures,” said Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy.

The San Diego County Office of Education has provided training materials on how to use a trauma-sensitive lens when dealing with students, which includes what behavior to be alert for and what to say in response.

“When teachers have this knowledge, they can build a climate of caring in which students are more apt to feel safe, valued, and more likely to learn,” said Paul Gothold, the County Superintendent of Schools. “We’re proud to be part of this work and look forward to expanding Handle with Care.” [TWEET THIS]

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced that her office is hosting a free Criminal Record Relief Clinic for justice-involved youth to pursue post-conviction relief. The virtual event will provide information about various criminal record relief options including record expungements, reclassification of felonies to misdemeanors, early termination of probation, and relief under Prop. 47 and Prop. 64. There will also be presentations from those with lived experiences, resources and individual follow-up and support.

[TWEET THIS]

“It’s important that we provide resources for people, especially youth, who are moving on from mistakes made in their past but have a criminal record that’s holding them back,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said. “This event empowers people who qualify to find a second chance, and ultimately helps build safer communities. Getting a second chance is a powerful opportunity that can change the course of someone’s life.”

The event will be held virtually on Friday, January 29, in partnership with the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office, the San Diego County Office of Education, California Community Colleges, San Diego Continuing Education and Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.

This is the second Criminal Record Relief Clinic organized by the DA’s Office since September 2019.

The Criminal Record Relief Clinic will be held via Zoom from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. on Friday, January 29. To register for the event, click here.

[TWEET THIS]