SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - In 2016, California passed SB 1322, which decriminalized the acts of prostitution for sex workers under the age of 18. Unfortunately, many traffickers use sex workers under 18 because it insulates them. This law, coupled with SB203 (2020), makes it virtually impossible for law enforcement to engage with under-aged sex workers to the point where rescue intervention is restricted.
In 2021, California passed SB 357, which repealed the law that makes it a crime to loiter with intent to commit prostitution, and applicable evidence is no longer enforceable, including dress and geographical location as a reason to investigate acts of prostitution. Law enforcement can no longer use the misdemeanor crime of loitering to investigate and enforce the crime of prostitution. Law enforcement can no longer solely use their expertise in identifying prostitutes through behaviors, even to make detentions of reasonable suspicion.
Despite these challenges, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office conducted a large-scale operation combating human trafficking and childhood prostitution. In conjunction with allied federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, HSI, ATF, CDCR Parole, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, and Sacramento County Probation, the 7-day operation spanning over three weeks across Sacramento County aimed to rescue victims of human trafficking and targeted sex buyers and human traffickers.
The operation yielded 102 arrests, 31 of which were male sex buyers and three felony sex traffickers. Most notably, three juveniles, ages 13, 15, and 16, were rescued as a result of these operations. For more information about this issue, please visit our social media channels on Facebook and Instagram and watch our related videos on YouTube.
WASHINGTON, DC (MPG) - A California man was found guilty in the District of Columbia of felony charges for his actions during the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Sean Michael McHugh, 35, of Auburn, California, was found guilty yesterday, following a stipulated bench trial, of obstruction and assaulting, impeding, or interfering with law enforcement officers. U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates scheduled a sentencing hearing for September 7, 2023.
According to evidence presented in court, McHugh was on the Lower West Terrace on the afternoon of January 6 where he was captured on video footage and audio assaulting multiple U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) officers. McHugh is captured on video carrying a cannister of bear spray in a holster on his hip and discharging the bear spray into a line of USCP officers. Metropolitan Police Department body worn camera video and audio captures McHugh yelling at officers, among other things, “You’re protecting communists!”; “There is a Second Amendment behind us, what are you going to do then?”; and “You ain’t holding the line!” At approximately 1:40 p.m., McHugh, along with other rioters, pushed a large metal sign into a line of uniformed police officers while McHugh yelled into his megaphone, “Put it up there! Put it up there!”
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office.
In the 27 months since January 6, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested on charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Assembly Education Committee Approves Bill to Help Students in Underperforming Schools
SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Assemblymembers Josh Hoover (R-Folsom) and Greg Wallis (R-Palm Springs) announced March 23, 2023, the passage of Assembly Bill 237 (Wallis and Hoover), which provides more educational options for students in underperforming schools. It was approved on a 5-0 vote in the Assembly Education Committee.
“It is critically important that we increase educational options for families within the traditional public school system,” said Assemblyman Hoover. “This bill breaks down barriers for struggling students and allows parents the flexibility to find a school that better fits the needs of their child.”
“Students and families are being left behind in situations that are beyond their control,” said Assemblymember Wallis. “Our most vulnerable students deserve the opportunity to find a new school that will help them bridge the achievement gap and succeed with the support they need. This bill will provide that opportunity.”
Specifically, the bill would prohibit a home school district from vetoing an interdistrict transfer for an underperforming student at an underperforming school. It now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Josh Hoover represents Assembly District 7, which includes the cities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, and Rancho Cordova and the unincorporated communities of Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Foothill Farms, Gold River, Mather, McClellan Park, North Highlands, Orangevale, and Rosemont.
Planting Project to Help Park Canopy
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - More than 40 tree-lovers last week came out of the woodwork to counter the effects of canopy loss in local parks. The effort was supported by Carmichael Kiwanis Club, the Tree Foundation and SMUD.
Compounding natural attrition and drought, January storms devastated Carmichael Park District trees. More than 70 specimens were lost. In 60 mph winds, two century-old oaks that sheltered Carmichael Park’s concert area fell. “Their loss was devastating” said District Administrator Mike Blondino. “Those old oaks were always a huge part of how this park looked; and possibly why our band shell was put there.”
“To lose that natural shade will impact summer concerts coming up. Added to that, we lost trees in nearly every one of our 13 parks. Trees are way up there in importance for us.”
Last week’s project was critical, said Blondino. “With all the cleanup needed, we were behind in getting facilities ready for spring and summer. Having 13 trees planted in one day was a fantastic community effort. We couldn’t have done it without all the people who came out. What they achieved will go a long way to increase our future canopy.”
Though droughts – followed by recent deluges and winds – have been catastrophic for Sacramento’s canopy, much tree loss can’t be blamed on weather alone. “Many of the trees planted over the last 100 years were wrong for this area,” said SMUD President and planting volunteer Heidi Sanborn. “Early developers greatly favored Modesto ashes. But they have limited lifespans. Redwoods were meant to shelter each other in groves and absorb moisture from coastal air – not to stand alone and depend on sprinklers. Eucalyptus trees belong in Australia, not here.”
Trees planted last week in Carmichael Park were chosen for their chance of survival. “For future generations, they’ll mean cooler temperatures, cleaner air and a more beautiful environment,” said Sanborn. “They’ll also host birds. Studies have shown that birdsong increases people’s happiness.”
Sanborn considered last week’s volunteer numbers heartwarming. “Carmichael has a caring community,” she said. “Through more planting events like this, we hope the area will get back all the trees it lost – and more.”
Learn about Carmichael Kiwanis Caring Tree Project at www.kiwanisclubofCarmichael.com
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Scott Norris Johnson, 61, of Carmichael, an attorney known throughout Northern California for suing under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been sentenced in federal court to 18 months of home detention after having pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns. Johnson was also ordered to pay $250,000 in restitution and a $50,000 fine.
The plea before U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez in Sacramento federal court closes the books on a three-count tax indictment against Johnson from 2019, when he was still operating at the height of his time visiting businesses and suing over alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Johnson’s attorney, Malcolm Segal, said his client’s plea agreement involves a dispute over tax returns, not any charge involving his serial ADA lawsuits. Neither Johnson nor Segal responded to a request for comment.
Johnson, a quadriplegic who uses a motorized wheelchair, is well known in the Northern California business community for suing retailers for alleged violations of the federal disability-access law. His complaint letters frequently arrive in flurries at numerous businesses in a single town or neighborhood, leaving owners to settle or risk likely higher costs of litigating his allegations.
As of 2020, Johnson had filed approximately 4,000 suits, according to documents filed with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. The majority of those lawsuits were settled.
Under the ADA, someone suing for violations, particularly if the suit is settled, gets at least a portion of that settlement. Yet according to the plea agreement, from 2012 through 2014, Johnson did not declare some of that income to the IRS.
During those years, Johnson received settlements anywhere from $93,000 to more than $1 million. As such, he owed more than $250,000 to the federal government.
Johnson will have a year of supervised release, according to a previously announced plea agreement. While on probation, he won’t be able to apply to be reinstated to the California Bar. During the period of home confinement, Johnson won’t be able to file ADA lawsuits in federal or state courts.
News of Johnson’s recent sentence came as no surprise to Carmichael attorney Catherine Corfee of the Corfee Stone Law Corp. (Corfee Stone) which has for years been actively cautioning local businesses in Fair Oaks and Sacramento County to be pro-active and responsive to potential ADA lawsuits which may be filed against them.
“His (Johnson’s) sentence is just a slap on the wrist,” she said. “This may take Johnson out of circulation for a while, and I suspect he’ll be back.”
In her observation, the number of ADA compliance cases filed in both federal and state court has been increasing each year, she said.
Johnson and his corporation, Disabled Access Prevents Injuries Inc., filed approximately 4,000 lawsuits in California’s Eastern and Northern district courts under the ADA and related California laws between 2003 and April 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Signed into law in July 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) aims to make buildings and transportation accessible for those with disabilities and to protect them from discrimination in employment. Store owners and restaurants can often face a fine of $4,000 for each individual ADA violation.
In her blog, Corfee outlines active steps which local business owners and restaurants should be taking to protect themselves against serial ADA filings.
Corfee, a graduate of UC Berkeley and the McGeorge School of Law, has been in professional legal practice since 1991. She has practiced ADA and California disability access law since 1985 and has published case law on the subject. She also worked for two prior United States Magistrate judges in the Eastern District Court of California.
Many ADA cases can become a “game” for attorney’s fees as the disabled person’s attorney tries to protract litigation to earn more money in fees to later reclaim such in a settlement, a motion, and/or at trial.
Corfee said she recommends business owners retain the services of an ADA compliance expert, such as a Certified Access Specialist (CASp), to physically inspect their business or commercial facility to provide specific access recommendations.
“We can also prepare for our business clients ADA policy and procedural manuals, much like an employee handbook,” she said.
Visit the Corfee Stone Law Corp. on the web at: corfeestonelaw.com
Local business owners with specific questions regarding the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) or compliance with law can call Catherine Corfee directly at (916) 487-5441, or by cell phone at (916) 812-7322 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to schedule a minimum one-hour business consultation. She is also available by email at corfee.catherine@gmail.com or corfee.assistant@gmail.com,
CBEST Now at Sunrise Adult School
CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Are you interested in becoming a guest substitute teacher in the San Juan Unified School District for the upcoming 2023-24 school year?
The most critical first step, if you already have either a Bachelor of arts or science degree, is to take the required California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST).
Passing the CBEST test isn’t as easy as it looks if you haven’t fully prepared for its mathematics and language components.
Outside of writing for the Messenger, I also substitute/guest teach, and honestly, it took me two attempts to pass the CBEST exam.
The San Juan School for Adults will again offer a five-session class designed to help prepare students for the CBEST test, which is one of the requirements for becoming a guest teacher in California, said Richard S. Judge, principal of the San Juan School of Adults, part of the San Juan Unified School District (SJUSD).
Candidates who pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) can help address the shortage of qualified substitute/guest teachers in the San Juan Unified School District, he said.
The free online CBEST course, taught by Megan White, an 18-year teaching veteran, is offered in weekly Zoom sessions over a five-week period from May 23rd until June 20th from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. White is a full-time teacher in another school district as well as an instructor at Sacramento State University.
“This five-session class is a refresher of each major section of the CBEST test: Math, Reading, and Writing to help bring back the specifics that are tested,” she said. “We break down the major components of the test, practice the skills, and then review some CBEST practice problems.”
The test can definitely be tricky, especially for those that have not been in a school setting for a while, White acknowledges.
“One great aspect of this class is it builds confidence. Students walk away knowing what they already feel comfortable with, and with tools to study the parts they will need more practice with,” White said.
In each week Zoom session, White leads course participants through a different test section, including strategies for breaking down problems, extra practice problems and helpful hints for the test, Judge said. The course pre-requisite is a bachelor’s degree.
Registration for the CBEST course will close on May 31st, after the second class takes place, unless the class fills up before that, Judge said. “In that case, we will start a waiting list.”
The link to register for the CBEST workshop class is: https://www.sanjuan.edu/Page/53113.
“Last fall’s free online CBEST preparatory class was a pilot, a first-time course for us, and was very successful,” he said. “We decided to offer it again this spring.”
Fifteen students attended a fall CBEST workshop offered by the San Juan School for Adults, from start to finish, Judge said.
“In fact, our fall CBEST prep class filled up so quickly, we had to create a waiting list. Since the students later take the test on their own, we do not yet know the test results of this first cohort,” Judge said.
“We plan to eventually become an authorized California CBEST testing center, in which case we will be better able to track students who take the test, and if they are willing to share, their pass rates,” Judge said.
As one of the largest California school districts, the San Juan Unified School District serves more than 45,000 preschool, TK-12 and adult learners in the communities of Citrus Heights, Orangevale, Fair Oaks, Gold River, Carmichael and Arden-Arcade in eastern Sacramento County.
All new candidates interested in guest/substitute teaching in the San Juan Unified School District must either hold a teaching credential based on a degree and student teaching or be eligible to apply for an Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permit.
To be eligible to apply for an Emergency 30-day permit in the San Juan Unified School District, candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree or higher, and meet the basic skills requirement by passing the CBEST exam.
New guest teachers in the San Juan Unified School District are also required to pass a criminal background check, have LiveScan fingerprints taken, obtain a clear tuberculosis (TB) test and attend an orientation.
Visit www.edjoin.org/Home/DistrictJobPosting/1597011 to learn more about the specific requirements for substitute/guest teaching in the San Juan Unified School District.
The link to register for the free online CBEST class offered through the San Juan School of Adults starting on May 23rd is www.sanjuan.edu/Page/53113.
Fentanyl: One Pill Can Kill
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Rachael King was a manager at the Noodles Restaurant in Folsom and was a proud recipient of the September 2018 Sacramento County Food Safety Award of Excellence. Four months later she died after taking a pill that unbeknown to her was laced with Fentanyl.
It’s difficult to share this with you and I want you to know that I talked about it with Rachael’s parents who allowed me to share some of her story. Rachael was a valedictorian and an aspiring chef with dreams and a bright future. She was the only daughter, and her death was a devastating blow to her parents, brother and all who loved her. Her parents have tried to advocate for justice and have been an inspiration behind important programs emerging as the increase in Fentanyl deaths cannot be ignored. I am dedicating this newsletter to Rachael. I believe she would want to warn others about “Fentanyl - One Pill Can Kill.”
Do you remember “Every 15 Minutes” or “Arrive Alive Drive Sober?” For those who don’t know, they are reality-based programs designed to challenge teenage students and parents to think before driving drunk. I recently attended a similar program at Folsom High School that was hosted by Arrive Alive California, Inc. Their program is called “Fentanyl - One Pill Can Kill.” I was a proud champion of this program which was funded by Sacramento County’s ARPA in response to the growing drug problem in our region. During their program I heard personal testimonies from parents, shocking statistics, and an ambulance professional shared that if someone overdoses and you call 911, the health professionals do not report your drug activities. They talked about the symptoms. If the person is unconscious, small pupils, shallow breathing, vomiting, inability to speak, faint heartbeat, limp arms and legs, or discolored lips or fingernails, call 911.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that comes in many prescription forms. It is similar to morphine, but I am told it is up to 100 times more potent. It is typically used to treat severe or chronic pain for people who are physically tolerant to other opioids. Since 2020 the use of opioids, especially Fentanyl, has grown exponentially. In the past three years, according to Sacramento District Attorney Thien Ho, there have been 360 Fentanyl poisoning deaths in Sacramento County. That is more than gun-related homicides, he said.
For those who want justice, it is challenging. In general, most Fentanyl deaths are listed as accidental overdoses. They accepted the pill from a friend or paid a dealer for a street drug, not realizing it was laced with Fentanyl. The pills look just like prescription pills. At the crime scene, people may say that the person was fine when they went to bed and there was no indication of a problem, but for law enforcement to pursue a murder investigation they would need to show intent to kill or reckless disregard or indifference to human life. Further, if the case report lists accidental death, then the case follow-up is under that assumption, and it is not technically a murder investigation. This has been a heartbreaking disappointment for family members who are screaming for justice and want to prevent the future loss of innocent lives.
I recently met with Sacramento D.A. Thien Ho to discuss the justice dilemma. He expressed the seriousness of this matter and shared that he has a four-part plan. Then he told me about how cases are built piece by piece, and he is establishing processes to set the stage for documenting a case on record. Then we talked about the difference between implied malice and express malice. Implied malice refers to a person’s intention to cause grievous bodily harm. Express malice murders include killings where the person intended to cause death. In contrast, implied malice includes killings that occurred while a person was committing a felony or when deaths resulted from an action that displayed a depraved indifference.
District Attorney Ho’s plan includes a “Watson Warning” which is given to defendants who are found guilty of selling Fentanyl. If they sell Fentanyl again and cause injury or death, they can be charged with a much more serious crime - including murder. He is calling for Regional Response Teams. Sacramento is working with other County’s (Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Placer) to learn about how they are building out their response. He is partnering with our Sheriff and other agencies to create Fentanyl Response Teams. There will be a protocol in place to retrieve phones to look at texting and collect evidence. A drug task force would trace dealer connections and when a dealer is associated with several deaths it is possible to begin to build a case on record that shows reckless disregard. Other Partnerships with the U.S. Attorney General and the Eastern District will be pursuing more legal solutions and finally the Education Programs such as the Fentanyl - One Pill Can Kill is a program that is targeting youth in schools to help them understand, “FENTANYL - ONE PILL CAN KILL!”
We cannot bring Rachael back, but her life was a precious gift to our world and it mattered. If you have pain of any kind, buyer beware… One Fentanyl Pill Can Kill. Other drugs and even marijuana vaping have been laced with Fentanyl and killed innocent people! The best advice when considering recreational street drugs is “Just Say NO!”
Thank you for reading – and as always, if you want to contact me, call me at 916-874-5491, or e-mail me at SupervisorFrost@saccounty.net. Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost represents the 4th District, which includes the communities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, Orangevale, Antelope, North Highlands, Rio Linda, Elverta, and Rancho Murieta.