Criminal Division

 Suspect fled the country after stealing millions of dollars from the California Recycling Fund

LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest of the head of a large-scale, multistate recycling fraud ring who stole approximately $4.3 million from the California Recycling Fund. On December 9, 2023, California Department of Justice (DOJ)’s Recycle Fraud Team worked with the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Phoenix Police Department to arrest the suspect who had fled the United States and was considered a fugitive since March 2022. 

“Let this be a strong warning to anyone seeking to steal from California citizens: We will find you, and we will hold you accountable,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Fraudulent criminal activity, such as the schemes orchestrated by this individual and others, results in the annual loss of millions of dollars from the California Recycling Fund and negatively impacts our economy. I am thankful to our local and federal law enforcement partners for their work in this investigation.” 

DOJ’s investigative team discovered that the ringleader would control the gathering of empty beverage containers from out of state and then work with accomplices to bring them into California to collect money from the California Recycling Fund. On March 16, 2022, the suspect was charged in Los Angeles County Superior Court with Grand Theft (PC 487), Conspiracy PC 182, and illegal importation of out of state empty beverage containers PRC 14591(b)(1)(F) and a warrant was issued for their arrest.   

The suspect then fled the United States, however DOJ continued to track their location and learned they would be returning to Arizona in December 2023. DOJ agents worked with Arizona and federal law enforcement partners, resulting in the arrest of the ringleader by CBP at the Phoenix International Airport. The suspect was booked into a Phoenix Police Department jail and awaits extradition to California for prosecution by DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section.

The objective of the Recycle Fraud Program is to detect and stop existing fraud by organized criminal groups against the California Redemption Value fund and to deter future fraud through the successful prosecution of criminal activity. The Recycle Fraud Team is part of DOJ’s Division of Law Enforcement’s Bureau of Investigation. Special Agents work throughout California and in neighboring states, investigating organizations that commit large scale fraud against California’s extremely important recycling program. Fraud committed against the people of California comes in many forms and criminal elements have no boundaries when it comes to profiting. Together with CalRecycle, the program has been responsible for the arrest and prosecution of individuals committing fraud against the CRV fund and for the seizure of tons of material that was destined to be illegally redeemed for payment by the State of California.

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that applications are now being accepted for the Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Grant Program. This program is administered by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and provides funding to assist local law enforcement agencies in submitting and DNA testing of sexual assault evidence. The Budget Act of 2021 appropriated $4 million in grant funding to assist law enforcement agencies statewide.

“This grant is a step forward in our fight against sexual assault in California,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “It supports and honors the courageous individuals who come forward about their experiences of sexual assault and go through the necessary steps to provide evidence. I am grateful for the valuable contributions of our partners across the state in this critical battle. Funds from the Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Grant will assist them in protecting the vulnerable and bringing perpetrators to justice.”

Interested law enforcement agencies are encouraged to learn more about the grant program, the eligibility criteria, and the Request for Applications (RFA) process. This RFA is a non-competitive application process that is reimbursing eligible agencies for costs incurred during the submission and testing process. Grant funds are not designed to sustain a project but are intended to supplement existing funds to help agencies submit and test sexual assault evidence.

Eligible agencies must submit a completed application to DOJ by February 5, 2024. All grant applications must be emailed to SAESG@doj.ca.gov by 5:00 PM (PDT). No late applications will be accepted. 

A complete application package includes the following:

• Application Cover Sheet (Word Document)
• Letter of Intent (Word Document)
• Project Budget (Excel)

A copy of the RFA is available for download here.  

Agencies who are interested in applying for funds should request amounts based on their need. The grant period for the use of these funds will begin on or around March 1, 2024 and will end March 1, 2027. Questions concerning the application process may be directed to the DOJ at SAESG@doj.ca.gov. See Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Grant Program website for more information.

MARIPOSA COUNTY — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest of a suspect for the murder of Wendy Pullins in Mariposa, California. The suspect, Justin Bolton, was located by investigators on November 9, 2023, in Willits, California.
  
“My deepest sympathies go out to the loved ones of Wendy Pullins, but we are grateful that justice has been served today,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This arrest serves as a powerful reminder to our community that individuals who commit heinous crimes will face consequences. We express our immense gratitude for the unwavering dedication of our law enforcement allies in resolving this case.”
 
“While this case has been a long one, our focus never wavered to find Wendy and arrest those involved in her disappearance and eventual murder,” said Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese. “I want to thank the multiple agencies, including the California Department of Justice, for their assistance and support.”
 
Pullins was first reported missing in 2022, which was later determined to be a suspicious death, in 2023. The arrest is the result of a joint investigation by the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Special Operation Unit in collaboration with Mariposa Sheriff's Office, Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Vallejo Police Department.
 
Through collaboration, the DOJ Special Operations Unit provides statewide enforcement for combating violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers. These unique and essential teams use the latest technology and advanced investigative techniques and work alongside local law enforcement to enhance investigations into violent criminals and organized crime throughout the state. The California Department of Justice is hiring. Visit oag.ca.gov/careers to view available positions and learn how you can help DOJ protect the health, well-being, and public safety of Californians.
 

California appellate court rejects trial court decision blocking implementation of AB 173

 SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced securing a court decision by the California Court of Appeal allowing the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue sharing data with gun violence researchers to better direct strategies to prevent gun violence.  The order allows DOJ to provide the University of California Firearm Violence Research Center and other qualified researchers with data under Assembly Bill 173 (AB 173) necessary to conduct research evaluating the leading causes and impacts of gun violence and effective responses.

“The court’s decision is a victory in our ongoing efforts to prevent gun violence,” said Attorney General Bonta. “AB 173’s information-sharing serves the important goal of enabling research that supports informed policymaking aimed at reducing and preventing firearm violence. Research and data are vital in our efforts to prevent gun violence in California and provide a clear path to help us save lives.”

Since the 1950’s, California state law has required DOJ to maintain records of handgun sales in California, and recently added sales of long guns and ammunition. This data provides a unique opportunity for research not available anywhere else. Since at least 1989, researchers at the University of California, Davis have been utilizing that data in studies aimed at understanding and preventing various forms of firearm violence. In 2016, the Legislature directed the Regents of the University of California to establish a Firearm Violence Research Center (the Center) with the goals of producing interdisciplinary research addressing the nature and consequences of firearm violence, and working with policymakers to identify, implement, and evaluate innovative firearm violence prevention policies and programs.

To aid in those goals, the Legislature mandated through AB 173 that DOJ provide the Center (and, at the Attorney General’s discretion, other qualified researchers) with this firearms data. In October 2022, one individual gun owner and a handful of gun rights organizations sued DOJ, arguing that sharing information with these researchers under AB 173 violated their privacy rights under the California Constitution. On Friday, November 17, the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, reversed an erroneous decision by the San Diego County Superior Court which barred DOJ from sharing the information. When this ruling is implemented, DOJ will again be free to follow AB 173 and transfer this firearms data to researchers for critical and lifesaving research. 

This victory comes after Attorney General Bonta released the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention Data Report in August 2023, shedding further light on the impact of gun violence in California and the nation. The report provides a robust review of gun violence data in California and throughout the nation to help guide policy and strategy discussions related to reducing gun violence. A copy of the report is available here.

On November 6, 2023, Attorney General Bonta released the second data report issued by the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, providing an in-depth look at the ties between domestic violence and firearms. The report examines data illustrating the impact of firearms-related domestic violence, including both family and intimate partner-related violence with firearms.