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Suspected Homicide of Calipatria State Prison Inmate Under Investigation

September 14, 2015, 2:18 pm
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CALIPATRIA — Officials at Calipatria State Prison (CAL) are investigating an incident that occurred on Thursday, Sept. 10, in which an inmate died while fighting with two other inmates.

Kimsan Moun
The incident started at 3:15 p.m., when three inmates began to fight on the Facility B yard, a general population maximum-security area. Response teams immediately converged on the fight, quelling the violence and subduing the inmates. Staff used pepper spray and foam-tipped rubber rounds to control the violence.

Medical staff treated the victim on site before transferring him to an outside hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 4:59 p.m.

The victim is identified as inmate Kimsan Moun, 30, from Orange County. He was received by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on March 4, 2006, to serve a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder. His next-of-kin have been notified.

No staff members were harmed in the incident.

Both inmate attackers have been transferred to CAL’s Administrative Segregation Unit pending the investigation. Inmate movement has been limited to facilitate the investigation.

The Office of the Inspector General has been notified.

Calipatria State Prison opened in 1992 and houses about 3,500 inmates, 1,700 of whom are serving life and 594 are serving life without the possibility of parole. There are 1,280 employees at the prison.

Contact: Lt. Everardo Silva
(760) 348-6002


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Inmate Gallegos Walks Away from Los Angeles Re-entry Facility

September 17, 2015, 11:07 am
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LOS ANGELES — California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials are looking for a state prison inmate who walked away from a Los Angeles re-entry facility on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

Joseph R. Gallegos, 29, was transferred from Kern Valley State Prison on Sept. 16 to the Male Community Re-entry Program (MCRP) in Los Angeles County. At approximately 4:30 p.m., Gallegos, who was wearing a GPS device, was seen jumping over a fence. He ignored orders to stop and jumped into a waiting car.

An emergency count conducted confirmed Gallegos as missing. Law enforcement agencies were notified and CDCR’s Office of Correctional Safety dispatched agents to locate and apprehend Gallegos.

Gallegos is a Hispanic male with brown eyes and black hair. He is 5’9” and weighs 180 pounds.

He was received on Feb. 23, 2015, from Los Angeles County with a three-year sentence for evading or attempting to evade a peace officer while driving recklessly, vehicle theft with prior vehicle-related theft convictions, receiving a stolen vehicle and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.

In 2009, Gallegos served a one-year, four-month sentence for possession of marijuana for sale and a two-year sentence for vehicle theft from Los Angeles County. In 2013, he served a two-year sentence from Los Angeles County for possession of a firearm by a felon or addict.

The MCRP allows eligible inmates committed to state prison to serve the end of their sentences in the re-entry center and provides a smooth transition from custody to the community. It is a voluntary program for male inmates who have approximately 120 days left to serve. The program provides rehabilitative services that assist the participants with substance use disorders, mental health care, medical care, employment, education, housing, family reunification and social support.

Anyone seeing Gallegos or having any information of his whereabouts should immediately contact law enforcement or call 911.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2015
 
CONTACT: Terry Thornton
(916) 445-4950
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CDCR Honors Employees at Medal of Valor Ceremony

September 17, 2015, 5:06 pm
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92 praised for courage, conduct above and beyond the call of duty

SACRAMENTO– The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) honored 92 employees today during its annual Medal of Valor Ceremony. The Medal of Valor is earned by employees distinguishing themselves by conspicuous bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of correctional service. The Medal of Valor is the highest honor CDCR bestows upon its employees.

CDCR Secretary Jeff Beard, left, with Medal of Valor
recipient Sgt. Benny Diaz, Pleasant Valley State Prison

This year’s Medal of Valor recipients are Sean Copeland and Richard Glassman, youth correctional counselors at Ventura Youth Correctional Facility, who jumped to the aid of a fellow officer who was being brutally attacked by inmates; and Correctional Sgt. Benny Diaz of Pleasant Valley State Prison, who saved the lives of motorists by shooting an armed carjacker who had already killed two people.
“The employees we are honoring today are testaments to the genuine concern, compassion and commitment of which we are all capable,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Beard, “While facing danger or adversity, several of these men and women have demonstrated split-second decision-making, bravery and integrity. Others have shown a level of teamwork so very necessary to rise to the unexpected challenges that life can bring. In all cases, their actions were above and beyond the call of duty. Today’s honorees, their noble acts and innovative ideas are an inspiration to us all.”

CDCR Secretary Jeff Beard, center, with Medal of Valor
recipients Youth Correctional Counselor Sean Copeland,
left, and Richard Glassman, Ventura Youth Correctional Facility.

Staff members from state prisons, parole offices and various divisions received awards at the First Baptist Church of Elk Grove Community Center. In addition to the Medal of Valor, CDCR awarded Distinguished Service Medals, Unit Citations and Bronze, Silver and Gold Corrections Stars.
A complete list of 2015 award winners follows:



Medal of Valor

The Medal of Valor is CDCR’s highest award, earned by employees distinguishing themselves by conspicuous bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of correctional service.  The employee shall display great courage in the face of immediate life-threatening peril and with full knowledge of the risk involved. The act should show professional judgment and not jeopardize operations or the lives of others.

Youth Correctional Counselors Sean Copeland and Richard Glassman, Ventura Youth Correctional Facility
Correctional Sergeant Benny Diaz, Pleasant Valley State Prison (Coalinga)

Gold Star Medal
The Corrections Star (Gold) medal is the department’s second-highest award for heroic deeds under extraordinary circumstances.  The employee shall display courage in the face of immediate peril in acting to save the life of another person.
Correctional Officers Dominic Reed and Benjamin Ledesma, North Kern State Prison (Delano)

Silver Star Medal
The Corrections Star (Silver) medal is the department’s third-highest award for acts of bravery under extraordinary or unusual circumstances.  The employee shall display courage in the face of potential peril while saving or attempting to save the life of another person or distinguish himself/herself by performing in stressful situations with exceptional tactics or judgment.
Parole Agent I Ben Somera and Parole Agent II Jason Bradshaw, California Parolee Apprehension Team (San Diego)
Correctional Officer James Paterson, California Rehabilitation Center (Norco)
Correctional Capt. Richard Smith and Correctional Lt. Thelma Wooldridge, Ironwood State Prison (Blythe)
Correctional Officer Antonio Virrueta, Salinas Valley State Prison (Soledad)
Correctional Officer Alex Pizarro, California State Prison-Sacramento
Correctional Officer Ricardo Luna, Centinela State Prison (Imperial)

Bronze Star Medal
The Corrections Star (Bronze) is the department’s award for saving a life without placing oneself in peril.  The employee shall have used proper training and tactics in a professional manner to save, or clearly contribute to saving, the life of another person.
Correctional Officer Jose Perez, California Men’s Colony (San Luis Obispo)
Correctional Sgt. Cristobal Gonzalez Jr. and Correctional Officers Eric Martinez, Jaime Garcia, Olga Martinezand Sergio Gonzalez, Avenal State Prison
Correctional Officers Carlos Chavez, Veronica Rendon and Maria Beltran, Valley State Prison (Chowchilla)
Correctional Officer and K-9 Handler Ernest Trujillo, Calipatria State Prison
Correctional Sgt. Jack Dougery and Correctional Officer Steve Arana, San Quentin State Prison
Correctional Officer John Atkins, California Correctional Center (Susanville)
Correctional Officers John Farnetti and Chad Painter, Deuel Vocational Institution (Tracy)
Correctional Sgt. Owen Spencer, Pelican Bay State Prison (Crescent City)
Correctional Officer Walter Moorer, California Medical Facility (Vacaville)
Deric Johnson, Senior Estimator of Building Construction and Project Manager, Facility Planning, Construction and Management
Registered Nurses Zachary Eaton and James Wenker, California Correctional Center (Susanville)
Correctional Officer Todd Gillis, California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison-Corcoran
Correctional Sgt. Humberto Vera, Correctional Officer Daniel Bjorn and Registered Nurses Martha Jimenez and Dianna Seta, Correctional Training Facility (Soledad)
Chief Deputy Warden Joel Martinez and Case Records Technician Leon Mize, Sierra Conservation Center (Jamestown)
Correctional Officer Thomas Mireles, California Training Facility (Soledad)
Correctional Sgt. Lorenzo Abella, Correctional Officers Sergio Martinez and Shaneel Prasad, and Registered Nurse Michelle Morin, California State Prison-Solano (Vacaville)
Correctional Officers Jorge Limon and Aristeo Punzal, Centinela State Prison
Youth Correctional Officers Gustavo Camberos and Sue Perales, N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility (Stockton)
Parole Agent I Jose Montiel, Redwood City Parole Unit

Unit Citation
The Unit Citation is for great courage displayed by a departmental unit in the face of immediate life-threatening circumstances
Correctional Lt. Dean Shankland, Correctional Sgt. Daniel Lightfield, Correctional Sgt. Kenneth Blessing and Correctional Officers Christopher Drake, Desmond Browne, Joel DeFazio, Josef Johnson, James Lewis, Kenneth Heal, Mark Churray, Matthew Orpesa, Paul Bettencourt and Tyrome Johnson, all from California State Prison-Sacramento.

Distinguished Service Medal
The Distinguished Service Medal is for an employee’s exemplary work conduct with the department for a period of months or years, or involvement in a specific assignment of unusual benefit to the department.
Loran E. Sheley, Research Program Specialist III, and Denise M. Allen, Research Manager, Office of Research
Correctional Sgts. Guyler Tulp and Daisy Tamayo, Avenal State Prison
Robbi Geyser, Recreation Therapist, Mule Creek State Prison (Ione)
Youth Correctional Counselor Deborah Brady, Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp
Juan Guajarado, Treatment Team Supervisor, and Michael Trotter, Casework Specialist, O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facility (Stockton)
Marty Giannini, Treatment Team Supervisor, N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility (Stockton)
Thomas Foster, Parole Agent, Antelope Valley GPS Unit
Tariq Aquil, Community Resource Manager, Correctional Training Facility (Soledad)

Employee Recognition
Administrator of the Year: Loran E. Sheley, Research Program Specialist III, and Denise M. Allen, Research Manager III, Office of Research.
Health Care Services Professional of the Year: Amy Eargle, Ph.D.
Division of Juvenile Justice Professional of the Year: Youth Correctional Counselor Deborah Brady, Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp
Division of Rehabilitative Programs Professional of the Year: Matika Rawls, Associate Governmental Program Analyst, Office of Correctional Education
Division of Parole Operations Professional of the Year: Denise LeBard, Parole Administrator I
Correctional Officer of the Year: Correctional Officer Joanne Vice, California Correctional Center (Susanville)
Correctional Supervisor of the Year: Correctional Lt. Matt DeForest, High Desert State Prison (Susanville)
Executive of the Year: Vincent S. Cullen, Assistant Deputy Director, Division of Adult Institutions, Operations.

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Inmate Gallegos Who Walked Away from Los Angeles Re-entry Facility Apprehended

September 22, 2015, 11:17 am
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LOS ANGELES — Special agents with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s (CDCR) Office of Correctional Safety located and arrested Joseph R. Gallegos, 29, who had walked away from a Los Angeles re- entry facility on Sept. 16.

On Saturday, Sept. 19, CDCR agents located Gallegos and his girlfriend in Los Angeles. They were arrested without incident.

Gallegos was transported to California Institution for Men in Chino. He is facing new charges of escape. His girlfriend was booked into a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department station on an outstanding warrant.

Gallegos was transferred from Kern Valley State Prison on Sept. 16 to the Male Community Re-entry Program (MCRP) in Los Angeles County. He jumped a fence, ignored orders to stop and jumped into a waiting vehicle. He had been wearing a GPS device, but later cut it off.

Gallegos was received on Feb. 23, 2015, from Los Angeles County with a three-year sentence for evading or attempting to evade a peace officer while driving recklessly, vehicle theft with prior vehicle-related theft convictions, receiving a stolen vehicle and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. He was scheduled to be released to parole in January 2016.

The MCRP allows eligible inmates committed to state prison to serve the end of their sentences in the re-entry center and provides a smooth transition from custody to the community. It is a voluntary program for male inmates who have approximately 120 days left to serve. The program provides rehabilitative services that assist the participants with substance use disorders, mental health care, medical care, employment, education, housing, family reunification and social support.

Of all escapes from adult institutions, camps, in-state contract beds and community-based facilities, 98.5 percent have been apprehended.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2015   

CONTACT: TERRY THORNTON
(916) 445-4950 
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Inmate Walks Away from Holton Conservation Camp in Sylmar

September 23, 2015, 9:44 am
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SYLMAR—The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials are looking for a male state prison inmate who walked away from the Holton Conservation Camp in Sylmar last night.  

Jesse Diaz, 24, had been participating in the voluntary conservation camp program since January. He was last seen at approximately 11 p.m. last night during a regularly scheduled inmate count.

Diaz was committed to CDCR on March 21, 2014 from Riverside County to serve a four-year sentence for evading a peace officer while driving recklessly, his second strike. He was due for parole consideration June 29, 2016.

CDCR has sent staff and resources to locate and apprehend the inmate. The California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office have been contacted for assistance.

Diaz is described as a Hispanic male, 5’10, 130 pounds with either black hair or shaved head. He has “56” tattooed on his neck as well as tattoos on the back of his scalp.

Anyone knowing the location of inmate Jesse J. Diaz or having other relevant information is asked to call 911 or contact the Holton Conservation Camp Commander at (818) 897-7071, or the Sierra Conservation Center Watch Commander at (209) 984-5291, extension 5439.

Originally, Holton Conservation Camp was located in Mt. Gleason until 2009 when the tragic Station Fire claimed the lives of two Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFIRE) camp staff and destroyed the camp. Following the fire, the camp relocated to its current location in Sylmar.

Holton Camp is operated jointly by CDCR and LACFIRE. It currently houses 71 inmates, 50 of whom are Los Angeles County Jail inmates that CDCR houses for $10.00 a day.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
September 23, 2015
Contact: Dana Simas
(916) 445-4950
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CDCR Accepting Applications for Second Round of Grants for Innovative Programs

September 23, 2015, 1:55 pm
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                           Grants meant to expand rehabilitative programs in prisons
SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) will be awarding a second round of grants meant to boost innovative programs and increase volunteerism in prisons.

Earlier this year, a first round of grants totally $2.5 million was provided to volunteers and non-profit organizations already operating a rehabilitation program in a California prison and expanded those programs to prisons that do not have the same levels of volunteer service in the area.

“Programs that focus on the rehabilitation of inmates have proven to reduce recidivism substantially,” CDCR Secretary Jeff Beard said. “We hope to continue to expand the positive influence of these programs to prisons that have fewer volunteer resources.”

The second round of grants will provide $3 million to eligible volunteers and non-profit organizations currently offering programs in California prisons that focus on offender responsibility and restorative justice principles, and which have demonstrated success.

The grant funding is intended to provide applicants who currently provide programs in California prisons with the resources necessary to replicate the program(s) at one or more other prisons.

Up to 50 percent of the grant will be awarded after March 1, 2016, and the remainder will be disbursed on or after November 1, 2016, upon request of the grantee and upon confirmation by CDCR that satisfactory progress is being made as demonstrated by mandatory progress reports.

At the end of the grant period it is expected that the programs will have been implemented, additional volunteer resources developed, and the programs will be able to be sustained in the future through the normal prison budget.

The following California prisons are included in this project: Avenal State Prison, California City Correctional Center, California Correctional Institution, California Health Care Facility, California State Prison- Los Angeles County, Chuckawalla Valley State Prison, Deuel Vocational Institution, Folsom Women’s Facility, High Desert State Prison, Kern Valley State Prison, North Kern State Prison, Pelican Bay State Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison and Wasco State Prison.

Programs previously funded through Innovative Programming Grants are not eligible to apply at the same location(s) for which the prior grant funding was received. However, applications to extend a program to additional facilities at the same institution for which previous grant funding was received will be accepted.

The following California prisons are included in this project: Avenal State Prison, California City Correctional Center, California Correctional Institution, California Health Care Facility, California State Prison- Los Angeles County, Chuckawalla Valley State Prison, Deuel Vocational Institution, Folsom Women’s Facility, High Desert State Prison, Kern Valley State Prison, North Kern State Prison, Pelican Bay State Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison and Wasco State Prison.

Programs previously funded through Innovative Programming Grants are not eligible to apply at the same location(s) for which the prior grant funding was received. However, applications to extend a program to additional facilities at the same institution for which previous grant funding was received will be accepted.

All applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply by 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 6, 2015.

For more information about the application process, please visit http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/rehabilitation/docs/Innovative-Programs-Grant-AppInfo-Rnd2.pdf.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2015 

CONTACT:Dana Simas  
(916) 445-4950
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California State Prison-Sacramento Officers Assaulted by Inmates

September 24, 2015, 2:59 pm
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REPRESA – Three correctional officers at California State Prison-Sacramento (SAC) are being treated for injuries they sustained from two separate assaults by inmates this morning.

At approximately 10:15 a.m. on Facility C, one of SAC’s high-security general population yards, two inmates began stabbing another with an inmate-manufactured weapon. As officers attempted to stop the attack another inmate refused to get down and blocked them from responding to the area. Officers were able to subdue the inmate who was blocking them and stopped the attack.
                                                      
The inmate victim was removed from the yard and was transported to an outside hospital for treatment. He is currently in fair condition.

As three correctional officers and one sergeant approached the inmate who blocked responding staff, approximately 10 inmates stood up and began attacking all four with their fists.

Additional custody staff responded and used pepper spray to stop the attack. One warning shot from the Ruger Mini 14 rifle was fired as well.

Two officers were transported to an outside hospital, one for treatment for a strained right elbow and the other for a strained wrist and forearm. Both officers have been released and have returned to the prison.

As custody staff escorted inmates back to their cells, another officer was attacked and struck in the back of the head by an inmate. He is being treated at an outside hospital as a precaution for any potential head injuries.

The cause of the incident is currently under investigation and will be referred to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

SAC, opened in 1986, is a maximum-security prison that houses approximately 2,200 general population and sensitive needs inmates and employs about 1,700 people. The institution houses inmates serving long sentences and those who have proven to be management problems at other institutions. SAC also houses inmates requiring specialized mental health treatment. It was the first state prison in California to achieve accreditation with the American Correctional Association. 


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  September 24, 2015 
 
CONTACT:Lt. Aaron Konrad 
 (916) 294-3012 
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Inmate Apprehended After Walking Away From Conservation Camp

September 30, 2015, 3:07 pm
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SYLMAR – California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials announced today that inmate Jesse Jordan Diaz, 24, was taken into custody late last night, approximately seven days after he was discovered missing from the minimum-security Holton Conservation Camp located near the community of Sylmar, in Los Angeles County. 

Diaz was taken into custody by CDCR’s Special Service Unit, which had tracked him to the town of Indio. Agents located him with the help of a friend who told agents of a house where Diaz was staying.  He was taken into custody without incident.  

Diaz had walked away from Holton Conservation Camp sometime before 11:25 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22.

Diaz was committed to CDCR for a four-year sentence after his conviction for evading a peace officer. He was scheduled to be released on August 21, 2016. Diaz will be referred to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution on escape charges.

Of all walk-aways from minimum security institutions, conservation camps, in-state contract bed facilities and community-based facilities, 98.5 percent have been apprehended.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2015                                                        
                                                                  
   
CONTACT: Lt. Kelsey
(209) 984-5291 x5499
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Salinas Valley State Prison Investigating the Death of an Inmate as a Homicide

October 1, 2015, 4:39 pm
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SOLEDAD — Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) officials are investigating the death of inmate Pedro M. Aguilar as a homicide.

On Sept. 28, 2015, custody staff conducting security checks found inmate Aguilar unresponsive in his cell. He was pronounced dead at 9:05 a.m.

Aguilar, 45, was serving life with the possibility of parole for lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14 years old. He was admitted from Ventura County on Oct. 1, 2013.

Inmate Jerald A. Nelson, 59, Aguilar’s cellmate, has been identified as the suspect. Nelson is serving life with the possibility of parole for a first-degree murder conviction from Imperial County. Nelson has been in state prison since Sept. 22, 1983.

The Monterey County Coroner and the Monterey County District Attorney are also investigating. The Office of the Inspector General was notified.

SVSP, located in Monterey County, provides long-term housing for minimum- and maximum-security inmates. It provides educational, religious, work programs and self-help programs to inmates and provides treatment to mentally ill inmates. The prison was activated in 1996, houses approximately 3,700 inmates and employs approximately 1,500 people.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2015                                                                                                                           
CONTACT: Lt. Eduardo Mazariegos(831) 678-5554
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Condemned Inmate Alfredo Prieto Executed in Virginia

October 2, 2015, 10:20 am
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SACRAMENTO — Condemned inmate Alfredo Rolando Prieto, 49, who had death sentences in California and Virginia, was executed by lethal injection on October 1, 2015, by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Prieto was on death row in California for the kidnapping, rape and murder of 15-year-old Yvette Woodruff. On September 2, 1990, Prieto and two crime partners used a handgun to kidnap and rob Woodruff, her girlfriend and her girlfriend’s mother. The three victims were taken to an abandoned building where they were forcibly raped. Woodruff was shot in the head by Prieto. The other two victims were stabbed by his crime partners, but survived.

Prieto was sentenced to death by a San Bernardino County jury on June 18, 1992, for first-degree murder with the special circumstances of rape with force or violence, kidnapping, robbery and attempted robbery. He also received a life sentence for attempted first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by an ex-felon.

Prieto was received onto California’s death row on June 30, 1992.

He was extradited to Fairfax County, Virginia, on April 28, 2006, to stand trial for murder. He was convicted in Virginia of capital murder during a rape and received two death sentences in 2008 for two homicides that occurred in 1988.

Since 1978 when California reinstated capital punishment, 68 condemned inmates have died from natural causes, 24 have committed suicide, 13 have been executed in California, one was executed in Missouri, one (Prieto) has been executed in Virginia, eight have died from other causes and the causes of death are pending for two condemned inmates.

As of October 2, 2015, there are 746 people on California’s death row.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   
October 2, 2015                                      

Contact: Lt. Sam Robinson
(415) 455-5000
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Walk Away from Valley View Conservation Camp (CC #34)

October 5, 2015, 9:37 am
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Elk Creek, California – A minimum-security inmate from the California Correctional Center walked away from Valley View Conservation Camp (CC #34) on October 5, 2015.

Inmate Jorge A. Macedo, 32, is a Hispanic male, 5’ 7” tall, 193 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. He was committed to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) on March 26, 2015, from Santa Barbara County for Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sales. He was scheduled to be released from CDCR custody on July 25, 2018.

Inmate Macedo was assigned to an inmate firefighting crew at CC #34 in
Elk Creek, California. The camp houses approximately 100 minimum-custody inmates.

Inmate Macedo was last seen at CC #34 by camp staff on October 4, 2015, during the 2330 count.  He was later discovered missing by CC #34 staff on October 5, 2015, during the 0030 count. 

CDCR, CAL FIRE, law enforcement personnel, along with local law enforcement agencies and the California Highway Patrol were notified and are assisting in the search for Macedo. All responding law enforcement agencies are continuing with the search and apprehension efforts at this time.

Anyone seeing Inmate Macedo should contact 9-1-1 or law enforcement authorities immediately.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  
October 5, 2015                        

Aaron Yderraga, PIO/AA
(530) 257-2181 extension 4110
                                                                       ###

Contact: Anyone having information about or knowledge of the location of Jorge A. Macedo should contact the CCC Watch Commander at (530) 257-2181 extension 4173.
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Valley View Conservation Camp Walkaway Inmate in Custody

October 7, 2015, 9:40 am
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SUSANVILLE – A minimum-security inmate from California Correctional Center (CCC) who walked away from Valley View Conservation Camp (CC #34) on October 5, 2015, has been apprehended.

On October 6, 2015, at approximately 11.00 P.M., an officer with the Santa Maria Police Department apprehended Inmate Jorge A. Macedo in Santa Maria, California at an area motel. Macedo attempted to evade capture and the officer used physical force to take Macedo into custody.

Macedo was transported to the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo and is being returned to the California Correctional Center in Susanville. Macedo will be housed in the Administrative Segregation Unit pending a complete investigation into his actions.

Macedo was committed to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on March 26, 2015, from Santa Barbara County for Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sale. He was scheduled to be released from CDCR custody on July 25, 2018.

Of all offenders who have escaped from an adult institution, camp, or community-based program since 1977, 99.1 percent have been apprehended.
                                   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         
October 7, 2015                                          

Lieutenant Charles Gilmore
(530) 257-2181 ext. 4110
                                                                  ###
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New Mental Health Facility Dedicated at Central California Women’s Facility

October 8, 2015, 4:39 pm
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                 Female Inmates Training In Construction Trades Do Most of the Work
CHOWCHILLA---The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) today dedicated a state of the art building at the Central California Women’s Facility, largely constructed by female inmates training in the construction trades, to enhance mental health treatment for inmates.

The $5.1 million, 7,133 sq. ft. facility, which incorporates many features to conserve water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, will provide space for group and individual therapy sessions for up to 64 inmates at a time in addition to offices for administrative staff and clinicians.  The building, which received a CalGreen LEED rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, features low-flow toilets and other water-saving plumbing, and highly efficient, roof-mounted heating and air conditioning systems and skylights that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide more natural light that is beneficial to mental health treatment. 
 
The project was managed by CDCR’s Inmate Ward Labor Program and the on-site work was done primarily by 45 female inmates who are learning construction skills in a pre-apprentice program that will make them more employable when they are released on parole.  The dedication ceremony doubled as a graduation for many of the inmates, who completed 30 hours of classroom work and 40 hours a week of on-site training.  They received certificates of completion from Fresno Local 104 Sheet Metal Workers for Pre-Apprenticeship and certificates for their ability to operate forklifts, skid steers and scissor-lifts or for their knowledge of basic OSHA safety rules on construction sites.

“This facility demonstrates our commitment to meeting the mental health needs of all of our inmates, regardless of the level of care they need,” said Diana Toche, CDCR Undersecretary for Health Care Services, who presided over the building dedication.  “At the same time, by incorporating state of the art technology to conserve water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the building shows CDCR’s commitment to environmental stewardship.”

“This building is also the product of a rehabilitation program that gives inmates a chance to create a better life for themselves when they leave prison,” said Toche.  “The women who received certificates today, and those who will follow them, should be recognized for the courage it took to enroll in the pre-apprentice program and the dedication to see it through to the end.  We hope that every one of them will take the skills they learned on this project into a career that will sustain them and their families for many years.”

The building is the seventh and final project constructed by CDCR over the last five years to increase capacity for mental health treatment ranging from out-patient counseling to acute care that is required by the U.S. Federal court as part of the Coleman settlement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       
October 9, 2015    
                                  
Contact: Bill Sessa
(916) 445-4950
                                                                     ###
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San Diego Prison Inmate Escapee Apprehended

October 12, 2015, 4:11 pm
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Joshua Drinnon back in custody after escaping while out of state

SACRAMENTO – California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) special agents apprehended maximum-security inmate Joshua Drinnon and took him into custody today. Drinnon had escaped approximately 40 days ago while being transported back to prison in San Diego following a court appearance in Tennessee.
“We can credit the diligence of our agents and our partnership with the US Marshals Service for locating a dangerous offender and taking him off the streets,” CDCR Office of Correctional Safety Chief Derrick Marion said.
On Wednesday, Sept. 2, Drinnon, 36, was being transported back to Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility by a private inmate transportation service contracted through the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department in Tennessee. At a rest stop on Interstate 80 about five miles outside Princeton, Illinois, Drinnon was able to get out of his restraints and elude the transporting officers, scaling a fence and running into a cornfield.
Local authorities in Illinois conducted a search for the inmate, but with no new leads suspended the search after a couple of days. The CDCR Office of Correctional Safety (OCS) and the US Marshals Service (USMS) formed a task force to track down Drinnon. The investigation led CDCR and USMS personnel to Oregon. On Oct. 12, 2015, OCS and USMS personnel located and arrested Drinnon in the city of Ashland, in Jackson County.
Drinnon was found at a local resource center for the homeless and people in need in Ashland. He was arrested without incident. The Ashland Police Department was notified and has provided transportation to a local detention facility pending extradition.
Drinnon was committed to CDCR on Dec. 12, 2012, from San Luis Obispo County with a 17-year sentence for robbery, his second strike. He was scheduled to be released to parole in May 2025. After that, he would have been transported to Tennessee to serve the six-year sentence for aggravated robbery he received while out to court.

Of all escapes from adult institutions, conservation camps and in-state contract bed facilities, 98.5 percent have been apprehended.
Contact: Terry Thornton, (916) 445-4950
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CDCR Accepts “Cool Planet” Award for Climate Change, Conservation Projects

October 16, 2015, 4:04 pm
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                                       Solar energy, water, lighting projects honored

SACRAMENTO - The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) today accepted the “Cool Planet” award from the Climate Registry and Southern California Edison (SCE) for solar energy, lighting, recycling and construction projects that have reduced the department’s energy use by 13 percent since 2003, water use by 1.6 billion gallons a year compared to 2010, and greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 55,000 metric tons between 2010 and 2014. These achievements exceed the state’s short-term goals and are ahead of schedule to meet more stringent goals by 2020.

“We believe we have a responsibility to be a leader among state agencies for environmental stewardship and are proud of our partnership with SCE and others on projects that are reducing pollution, saving energy and also saving taxpayers millions of dollars in the process,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Beard.  “The incentive and rebate programs available through SCE have helped us to finance the projects and to implement them on an accelerated time scale.”

Among the efforts recognized by the award:

•    Solar photovoltaic arrays constructed at 12 prisons since 2006 that generate more than 33.6 megawatts, enough to power at least 7,300 homes, and that will save taxpayers more than $75 million in electricity costs over the next 20 years;
•    Eighty-four energy-efficiency projects installed since 2008 that cut energy costs by $6.7 million per year;
•    Since 2010, constructed and renovated 18 buildings to U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Gold or Silver LEED-NC certification and another four buildings to Gold or Silver LEED-CI/EB certification;
•    Drought management and water conservation projects, including installation of low-flow technology and other water restrictions in prisons, reducing water use throughout CDCR by 25 percent, or 1.5 billion gallons per year since 2013;
•    An overall reduction in 2014 greenhouse gas emissions of 12 percent since 2010, beyond the 10 percent goal for 2015 set for all state agencies by Governor Brown, and ahead of schedule to reduce emissions by 20 percent by 2020. 
         
“The State of California has shown tremendous political leadership and conviction on climate change over the years and the need to take action is as urgent as ever,” said David Rosenheim, Executive Director of the Climate Registry, during presentation of the Cool Planet awards in Los Angeles. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2015
   
CONTACT: BILL SESSA
916) 445-4950
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CDCR Checks on 1255 Sex Offenders during Operation Boo

November 2, 2015, 3:00 pm
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Statewide sweep results in weapons, drugs and pornography confiscated 

SACRAMENTO– California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) parole agents contacted 1255 sex-offender parolees during compliance checks or searches as part of the 22nd annual Operation Boo Child Safety Project on Halloween night. “Our thanks go out to the hundreds of parole agents and local law enforcement personnel, many of whom volunteer their time to help ensure that California’s children can enjoy a safer trick-or-treat experience free from sexual predators,” said Bobby Haase, Deputy Director of the Division of Adult Parole Operations.


Fifty-two parolees were found to be in violation of their conditions of parole. New charges were filed against 4 of the sex-offender parolees contacted. Pornography was confiscated from sixteen of the parolees checked on Halloween night. Seven were found with narcotics.  Five parolees were caught with weapons.

Operation Boo also offered a free downloadable brochure. The Parent’s Guide has information to keep children safe all year.  It features these components:

·                Not Just Stranger Danger: The California Department of Justice‘s Megan’s Law website says 90% of child victims know their offender, with almost half of the offenders being a family member.  Of sexual assaults against people age 12 and up, approximately 80% of the victims know the offender.   CDCR listed several website locations with tips on how to talk to children about dangerous behaviors by any adult, not just strangers.

             Parent Empowerment: Links to important tools were included to help keep children safe, such as the Megan’s Law website that helps the public pinpoint where sex-offenders live so children can stay clear of them.

For more information about Operation Boo please visit: www.cdcr.ca.gov

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Inmate Walks Away From Conservation Project

November 4, 2015, 5:20 pm
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VALYERMO, CA — California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials are looking for a minimum-security inmate who walked away from a work crew near the community of Highlands, in San Bernardino County.

Inmate Kent Lesporavsky, 43, was last seen wearing white and grey thermals underneath an orange jumpsuit marked “CDCR Inmate” while working in the flood control channel near Highland Boulevard and Highway 330, in Highlands, Ca.  Cal Fire and CDCR staff searched the immediate area after Lesporavsky was discovered missing.   All local law enforcement agencies have been notified and are assisting in the search and apprehension efforts.

Lesporavsky is a white male, 6’ 1“ tall, weighing 220 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.  He is serving an eight year, eight month sentence after being convicted of transporting and selling marijuana, two counts of evading a peace officer while driving recklessly and resisting an officer.  He was scheduled to be paroled in September, 2019.

Anyone with information regarding Lesporavsky is asked to contact the Commander of the Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp (661)-944-0173 or the Watch Commander of the Sierra Conservation Center (209) 984-5291, extension 5439.


Of all offenders who have escaped from an adult institution, camp or community-based program since 1977, 98.7 percent have been apprehended.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    Contact: Lt. W. Mock
November 4, 2015                                                                                (661) 944-0173
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Inmate Riot at Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Under Investigation

November 6, 2015, 1:59 pm
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CORCORAN – Approximately 20 inmates were involved in a riot in three C-Facility dayrooms at California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison-Corcoran (SATF) on Thursday, Nov. 5. The cause of the riot is under investigation.

The incident began at 8:40 p.m., when an inmate was attacked by two other inmates in a dayroom. The physical altercation escalated into a riot within the dayrooms of the maximum-security building.

When staff saw an inmate attacking another with an inmate-manufactured weapon, two Mini-14 rounds were deployed, one striking the inmate in the lower torso. He was transported by helicopter to an outside hospital, where he is reported in stable condition. Officers used nine foam rounds and four pepper spray grenades to quell the incident. The inmate-manufactured weapon was recovered at the scene.

A second inmate was airlifted to an outside hospital, having received multiple stab wounds. He is listed in critical condition. Four additional inmates were transported by ambulance to hospitals for treatment of injuries including lacerations, puncture wounds and head trauma. All have been discharged and are in an Administrative Segregation Unit at SATF.

This incident is being investigated by the Investigative Services Unit at the prison. The Office of the Inspector General was notified. CDCR’s Deadly Force Investigation Team will also review this incident.

Inmate movement is limited throughout the prison and C-Facility is expected to remain on modified program until the investigation into the cause of the riot is complete.

SATF opened in August 1997 on approximately 280 acres in Kings County. The institution provides housing, programs and services for 5,518 minimum- and maximum-custody male inmates and employs 1,800 people.

CONTACT: Stephen Smith
(559) 992-7154
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Inmate Death Being Investigated As Potential Homicide

November 9, 2015, 4:56 pm
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                                        Inmate found unresponsive in his cell
CORCORAN – The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is investigating as a potential homicide the death of an inmate found unresponsive in his cell this morning at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran (SATF).

Inmate Rufus Hodges, 51, was declared deceased by SATF medical staff at 8:02 a.m. and his cellmate, Christopher Shirley, was detained and placed in a holding cell as a suspect. The cause of death is to be determined.

Hodges was committed to the CDCR in October, 2013 and was serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for two convictions of murder in Riverside County.

Shirley, 35, is serving a sentence of 46 years, 4 months, his second strike, after being convicted in Shasta County of two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm and inflicting great bodily harm on a child under the age of five.

In keeping with CDCR policy, the Office of Inspector General and the Kings County District Attorney have been notified of Hodges’ death.

Opened in August, 1997, SATF provides housing, programs and services for 5,518 minimum- and maximum-custody inmates and employs 1,800 people.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2015

CONTACT: Lt. Erick Smith
(559) 992-7154    

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Inmate Back In Custody After Walking Away From Work Project

November 10, 2015, 4:27 pm
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VALYERMO, CA – California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials announced today that Kent Lesporavsky, 43, was taken back into custody early Tuesday morning, November 10, 2015, approximately six days after he was discovered missing from a work project in the city of Highlands in San Bernardino County.

Following an investigation led by CDCR’s Special Service Unit and including the department’s Office of Correctional Safety and Fugitive Apprehension Team, as well as the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshal Service, Lesporavsky was taken into custody without incident as he was entering a spa on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Lesparovsky, normally housed at the minimum-security Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp near the community of Valyermo in Los Angeles County, was part of a crew that was clearing a flood channel when he disappeared.

Lesporavsky was serving an eight-year, eight-month sentence, for transport and sale of marijuana, two counts of evading or attempting to evade a peace officer while driving recklessly, and resisting or deterring an officer with a threat of violence.  He was scheduled to be released in 2019, but CDCR will now refer his case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution on escape charges.

In addition, Lesporavsky has been returned to a secure institution and removed from the conservation camp program.

Since 1977, ninety-nine percent of all offenders who have left an adult institution, camp, or community-based program without permission have been apprehended.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2015
   
CONTACT: Lt. Kelsey
(209) 984-5291 extension 5499

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