On Friday, the Pittsburg Police Department provided an update to multiple armed robberies that occurred in the city during the month of August of 2021.
The robberies matched similar ones that had occurred in the City of Antioch, City of Concord, City of Brentwood, Bay Point and Clayton.
The Antioch Police Department announced the arrest of the suspects on Nov 8, 2021, all Pittsburg residents, which said they were responsible for hitting 25 businesses.
According to police, even though the Custody Alternative Program rejected all three men into their program, the judge overruled the rejection. He then authorized the release of all three men to a private contracted company to be placed into that company’s alternative custody program with an electronic ankle monitoring system.
All three men were released to this program on January 5, 2022 and are no longer in jail.
Here is the update per police:
During the month of August 2021, the Pittsburg Police Department investigated seven armed robberies that occurred throughout the city. During the investigation of these crimes, the suspects were all described as men in their late teens or early twenties, with masks covering their faces.
Pittsburg Detectives took over the investigations and quickly determined there had been just over twenty additional robberies from local businesses that had taken place within the communities of Antioch, Concord, Brentwood, Bay Point, and Clayton.
All of these robberies included the same suspect description as the three suspects in the Pittsburg robberies. The law enforcement agencies for each of these communities began working together to identify the suspects and stop this rash of violent crimes.
On November 3rd, 2021, the Concord Police Department investigated a related robbery in their city. The Concord Police Department quickly notified surrounding law enforcement agencies and provided a description of the vehicle connected to the crimes. A short time later, the suspect vehicle was located and stopped in the city of Pittsburg. All three men in the vehicle were placed under arrest and charged for the series of robberies they committed throughout Contra Costa County.
A few days later, six law enforcement agencies presented these crimes to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. The District Attorney’s Office reviewed the cases and filed felony robbery charges with enhancements on 18-year-old Samuel Banales-Melena, 20-year-old Jonathan Medina-Flores, and 18-year-old Rogelio Medina-Flores for their participation in the crimes.
The hard work from investigators from the Pittsburg Police Department, Antioch Police Department, Brentwood Police Department, Concord Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office paid off and these criminals were no longer a threat to our communities.
On November 29, 2021, all three of these men appeared in Contra Costa County Superior Court for a Preliminary Hearing. After the Judge heard testimony from detectives and officers, along with a vast amount of evidence, all three men were held to answer for nineteen (19) counts of armed robbery, with a pending jury trial to take place at a later date.
Unfortunately, at the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, the presiding judge over the case decided to release all three men from jail and be placed under the supervision of the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Custody Alternative Program. This program provides alternatives to traditional incarceration by placing subjects on electronic home supervision with an ankle monitor under the supervision of the Custody Alternative Facility. What this means is all three men would be released from jail pending the jury trial and allowed to remain at home with an ankle monitor.
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Custody Alternative Program was notified of the release of the three men and the nineteen (19) counts of robbery they were being held for. Based on this information, and the violent nature of the crimes the men were charged with, the Custody Alternative Program rejected all three men from being released into the program’s custody. The presiding Judge for the case was informed of the rejection and the refusal of acceptance of the men to the custody alternative program.
Unfortunately, the Judge was unwilling to allow the men to remain in custody and overruled the rejection, and authorized the release of all three men to a private contracted company to be placed into that company’s alternative custody program with an electronic ankle monitoring system. All three men were released to this program on January 5, 2022 and are no longer in jail.
It is with concern for our community and our commitment to keep our citizens and businesses safe, the Pittsburg Police Department is providing this information.
Information released by Pittsburg Police
36 comments
Why have laws at this point?
Who is the judge? Name?
Agreed. Judges are elected officials. Looks like this one needs to go.
Unbelievable. THAT is exactly why criminals now a days don’t worry about penalties. They are laughing their asses off at all of us.
What a joke!!! Shame on this Judge. This poor excuse of a judge should be held liable for any crimes these perps commit while out. Just another example of why crime is so out of control in this State.
They should name cowardly, piece of shit judge! Guarantee its a Liberal Democrat !
He’s actually a registered Republican.
No he is not. That is a lie. This was a liberal, democratic judge.
Please continue to follow this story as I would be so bold to predict as the three suspects will be re-arrested on new charges before their trial is resolved. Just my guess.
Who is the judge that released these hoods? Why is the judge is not named? These were armed robbers which means they were armed, does this not make a difference?
The judge needs to be removed!,
Sounds like the judge needs an
“alternative program”, or just a towel to wipe all the blood off his hands. Imagine how all the victims …..
Who is the judge? Name?
are u kidding me ..19 robberies and released on ankle monitors lol.woooooo…if that was me b no way id be getting out…judge is an ABSOLUTE IDIOT….they are just gonna cut off the monitors and FLEE TO MEXICO..COMMON SENSE MAN WTF SMFH
Why isn’t this judge named in the article. He should be named and judges like this need to be removed from the bench. They are destroying this Nation and putting our safety at risk!
Why don’t you name the judge involved in this travesty of (in)justice? If the judge is in a elected position maybe it’s time they are turned out.
In journalism school you heard of the five “Ws? Who, What, Where, When, and How. This story on the three armed robbers, responsible for 19 (?) robberies, is the most disgusting example of lazy (?), incompetent (?), or politically correct (?) reporting I have seen for along time. Shame on the Reporter (?) and the Editor for putting this crud on the internet. A terrible. Decision by a Judge who is supposed to make sure the rights of the people and the defendant’s are observed makes a decision that puts the public at risk. Only a Judge who is a lunatic or promoting his own agenda does this. And you do not have the courage to identify him or her. Shame on you. You are a disgrace to the journalism profession.
decisions
I really don’t think this is terrible journalism. The Pittsbugh PD put out this release and I bet that they are not naming the judge because police have a close relationship with judges and it’s pretty unusual for a police department to speak out against a judge because it can come back and bite them in their as#es. But I’m sure we can figure out who the judge was because it’s got to be published somewhere in relation to this case. And I’m sure a journalist can dig up something somewhere for the name. My dad was a probation officer and he knew all the judges and knew which ones where terrible but always said you need good relationships with everyone you work with to get things accomplished or one bad incident can come back to haunt you. Pittsburgh PD is trying to protect themselves from any backlash but I could be wrong but I don’t think so.
Publish the name of the Judge.
This is insane justice for our society. If and when one of these three criminals commits another felony, or injures somebody . They should throw this Judge in prison!
Pittsburg police and ETC- Thank you for sharing this information. The actions of this judge is completely unacceptable. Please follow this story.
Law enforcement officials must want to yank their hair out! All this work to find these criminals, hours of documentation, putting their lives at risk and they let these prisoners out…to go do it all again!
This scenario played out for me last year when mail was stolen/ the criminals were let out of prison/ repeat offenders/immediately started again, rearrested, didn’t show up at court, rearrested, let out a few months later due to Covid in jails/spent time in a different jail for another offense/let out early again/Covid in jails;early release. Mail theft/ID theft isn’t murder so these criminals aren’t that important…tell that to the victims! And since it’s a wrist slap it encourages more of the same. It’s disgusting/ enforce the laws and stop this crap. I agree with others here/OUT WITH THAT JUDGE! Or give those thieves his home address since he doesn’t have an issue with them being on the loose.
Edgar Edgar Edgar
Why is everybody so mad at the judge, obviously if he wasn’t qualified to be a judge I’m sure he wouldn’t be sitting on the stand, he had to go to school to become a judge and get certain degrees to become one, so why are you people so mad and being obnoxious and inconsiderate of the judges ruling maybe the judge doesn’t think the three men are the ones that did the crime, did anybody ever think about that. because if they were he would be throwing the book at them. He must be filling some kind of remorse for the boys. I’m a father with 2 boys of my own,how would you feel if that was your kids on the stand being accused and about to be convicted of 19 counts of robbery??!! And for the person that said all there going to do is cut off the ankle braces and run to Mexico, you are really a racist fuck..
Thank You, Finally someone with some sense.
I agree with you whole heartedly! I’ve worked at a local business near where these boys live. I have watched them grow up over the past 10 years. I would be the 1st to stand up and defend these young men.
I’ve watched them take care of younger siblings, show complete obedience and respect for their parents, I even given them odd jobs to help me out and earn a little money. They come from hard working families and they themselves would bust their butts for very little.
For all of you that have not a clue as to what you’re talking about and slamming a judge who is most likely far more educated then any of you, here’s a clue:
This is an ongoing investigation
You have no idea what horrible crime took place in their neighborhood and or what happen to a neighbor of theirs. It’s not being mentioned again, because it’s an ongoing investigation.
You have no idea who has intimidated 3 young men that may have witnessed a hanous crime and or what they were forced to do to spare themselves and family members.
So shut the fuq up you ignorant sons a bitches
I’m beginning to understand the leftist agenda: 1) The leftist Judge doesn’t want to punish for crimes in our county. 2) The leftist extremists of this county don’t want police. So, my question , why are all the dam
police helicopters constantly flying overhead at night? What a waste of time, money, and noise!
This is why law abiding citizens no longer can feel safe. Armed robbery is a serious offense. My wife no longer shops any where in Pittsburg or Antioch after dark because of crimes in and around parking lots and stores. I have witnessed shop lifting at Lowes and Target stores, along with at the local Safeway in Pittsburg homeless grazing through the store taking donuts, rolls and other bakery products and eating them while walking through the store and discarding paper taps/containers along with packaged goods from the deli while paying for a water or other inexpensive item before starting their meal’s. I no longer get any bakery products there unless they are pre wrapped. Our legal system no longer works for law abiding citizens only criminals and the rich this is true especially in California. Our judges and the DA need to hold criminals accountable for their actions.
Judges only need a law degree to serve, I agree with you on your point of racism, but there was significant evidence for the DA to file charges. Using a gun while completing a robbery is a serious offense. I get nervous going to the gun range with my pistol locked in the trunk with my ammo locked on the backseat hoping I get to and from the ranges
The Boss, ha, he,s just another criminal.
Why is the Judge hiding? Why is nobody willing to identify the Judge? What is this, Russia?
New info say’s Judge was Charles S. Treat.
I wonder if this judge owns the private company to which these criminals were released. The judge already knew the Sheriff’s Office rejected the possibility of putting them in an alternative custody program.
Liberals are liberal first, profession second. This is who and what liberals are, they always have been, but stopped a little short of admitting this is who they really are. Now the mask is off, they don’t care people see them for what they believe.
Enjoy CA, and remember, keep voting democrat, and you’ll get more debt, more taxes and more crime.
Don’t forget the inflation they caused with there policies. Higher inflation x higher taxes = total tax .
This judge is getting kickbacks from that private company.
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