Gov. Newsom to Help Prosecute County Retail Theft, Drug Cases

As he did last summer in San Francisco, California, Governor Gavin Newsom is now sending attorneys from the Judge Advocate General (JAG) to bolster the effort to prosecute organized retail crime and fentanyl-related drug cases in Alameda County.

The joint effort includes the Department of Justice teaming up with the governor and DA Pamela Price, providing legal services and law enforcement expertise in prosecuting major illegal enterprises.

“This new partnership signals that state and county law enforcement are seizing the moment to work together in aggressively prosecuting people who do harm to folks who live, work, and play in Alameda County,” said DA Price. “Prosecutors in my office are leading that fight every day here locally in Alameda County, and we welcome the assistance offered by Governor Newsom and AG Rob Bonta to increase our capacity to prosecute any additional cases generated by the increased presence of CHP officers in Oakland and Alameda County.”

The JAG model will mirror the one used in San Francisco; two to three lawyers with deputy district attorney experience will be assigned to specific cases by charging deputies in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. The anticipated start date is yet to be determined.