BAY AREA PROSECUTORS JOIN FORCES TO COMBAT ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT As Organized Retail Thieves Turn to New Tactics,  Bay Area Prosecutors Form Alliance to Ensure Accountability STOCKTON – Today, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe announced an alliance between Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, Marin, San Joaquin, and Santa Clara counties, law enforcement, and state agencies to combat the recent increase in organized retail theft. Each office has pledged a prosecutor to collaborate and participate in the joint effort.    

People v. Randall Neustaedter On October 5, 2021, after less than a full day of deliberations, a jury found Defendant Randall J. Neustaedter guilty of 9 felony counts relating to the sexual assault of 3 different women who had been patients at his acupuncture clinic located on Woodside Road in Redwood City in 2015.

People v. Lamar Dekari Stevens  On October 5, 2021, a jury found Defendant Lamar Dekari Stevens guilty of 14 felony counts relating to the burglary and sexual assault of a 65 year-old victim in Menlo Park in 2017.  

People v. Victoria Soledad Garcia On September 22, 2021, a jury convicted Defendant Victoria Soledad Garcia of second-degree murder and felony dissuading a witness. The jury also found the special allegation of the use of a deadly weapon to be true.

On September 14, 2021, a jury convicted 77 year-old Defendant John Arthur Getreu, a Hayward resident, of 1st Degree Murder, which he committed in 1974. 

OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING Officer Involved Fatal Shooting Of Roger Allen On April 7, 2021

People v. Deandre Gantt, San Bruno Police Department On August 2nd, 2021, a jury convicted Defendant Deandre Gannt of attempted murder, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, carrying a loaded and concealed firearm in public and active participation in a criminal street gang, all of which occurred in 2019. The jury also found the special allegations of personal and intentional discharge of a firearm and infliction of great bodily injury to be true. At approximately 4:00 pm on July 2, 2019, Defendant Gantt fired nine gunshots inside the Tanforan mall in San Bruno. Defendant Gantt hit two individuals – one victim was shot once in the thigh while the second victim was shot twice in the abdomen. Both victims survived. The victims were all associated with a criminal street gang out of San Francisco. Defendant Gantt was a member of a rival criminal street gang also from San Francisco. Defendant Gantt had been previously shot by a member of the criminal street gang associated with the victim’s group in 2016. Law enforcement believes Defendant Gantt’s motive for the shooting at Tanforan was retaliation for that previous incident. Critical testimony was presented during the jury trial by a veteran police officer of the San Francisco Police Department who was recognized in court as a criminal street gang expert. The prosecutor was Deputy Amelia Diedrich and the Investigating Officer was Sgt. Mike Blundell of the San Bruno Police Department.

People v. Linda Haskin-Gologorsky   On June 21, 2021, defendant Linda Haskin-Gologorsky, AKA Princess Leia Lucas, was convicted of 33 felony counts following a 10-day jury trial. The charges included forgery, the filing and manufacturing of false documents, burglary, and perjury. On July 20, 2021, Haskin-Gologorsky was sentenced to 8 years in prison by the Honorable Judge Mark McCannon, a visiting judge from Alameda County Superior Court.   

People v. Devin Kwai Lum Posted by Press Release on July 6th, 2021      People v. Devin Lum, SMC District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations

For Immediate Release DATE: June 22, 2021 TO: MEDIA MEMBERS FROM: Stephen M. Wagstaffe, San Mateo County District Attorney SUBJECT: Filing Of Criminal Complaint Against Former Broadmoor Police Chief Michael Connolly

2021 Peninsula Council of Lions Club Police Service Awards On Monday June 14, 2021, the Peninsula Council of Lions Clubs held their annual Police and Firefighters Awards ceremony.  The 55th annual (2020) award ceremony was cancelled last year due to COVID 19.  The Peninsula Council of Lions Clubs decided to proceed with a virtual ceremony this year, honoring award recipients for both 2020 and 2021.