News & Press Releases

Pamela Edwards, a 27-year court clerk, has been arrested for disobeying a court order (PC 166(a)(4)) after unlawfully releasing a sealed warrant related to a public corruption investigation.

68-year-old Lawrence Parish of Fullerton, California, pled guilty in San Joaquin County to felony charges involving the sexual abuse of two minor victims over several decades. Parish will serve a sentence of 15 years to life in prison and is mandated to register as a lifetime sex offender.

On October 28, 2024, the Honorable Lance Jacot sentenced Christopher Lee Holland, 57, to life without the possibility of parole for the brutal murders of James and Mary Reiswig in 2020. A jury previously found Holland guilty on multiple counts, including two first-degree murder charges with special circumstances for multiple murders, robbery, and burglary.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced today that Joseph A. Maldonado, 27, of Lodi, has been convicted by a jury for the murder of 23-year-old Miguel Ruiz in Stockton on March 29, 2016. Maldonado was found guilty of first-degree murder (PC 187), with special circumstances (PC 190.2(a)(17)) and firearm enhancements (PC 12022.53(d)), as well as robbery (PC 211) with a firearm enhancement (PC 12022.53(b)).

The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, led by District Attorney Ron Freitas, expresses deep gratitude to the City of Mountain House for officially proclaiming October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This year’s theme, #Every1KnowsSome1, underscores the widespread impact of domestic violence and the need for increased awareness and community support.

The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office has announced that a jury has found 34-year-old Leopoldo Coria of Tracy guilty of second-degree murder. The jury also found the gun enhancement allegation true under Penal Code section 12022.53(d). Coria now faces 40 years to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for later this month.

Stockton, CA — San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced today that after 35 years, justice has been secured for Ching Jeung, a Stockton resident who was brutally murdered in 1989. Marco Antonio Berrelleza was convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances for committing the murder during a burglary and attempted rape, bringing long-awaited closure to the victim’s family and the Stockton community.

Samuel Alvarado Hernandez, 48, of Stockton, was sentenced to 12 years in state prison after pleading guilty to continuous sexual abuse of a child and lewd acts with a child under 14 years old. These convictions under California Penal Code Section 288.5 and Penal Code Section 288(a) are classified as Strikes under California’s Three Strikes Law. Hernandez will also be required to register as a sex offender for life under Penal Code Section 290.

On September 24, 2024, Francisco Menesses, 23, of Stockton, was convicted of first-degree murder and several related felony charges stemming from a violent 2018 home invasion in Lathrop that resulted in the death of Robert Archuleta. Menesses, who was 17 years old at the time of the crime, was initially charged as a juvenile. However, San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas, who personally prosecuted the case at its onset, successfully argued for Menesses to be transferred to adult court.

On September 23, 2024, Seth Shannon, 35, of Vacaville, was sentenced to 37 years to life in prison following his conviction for multiple felony charges, including attempted murder, assault with a firearm, and witness intimidation. The verdict followed a jury trial presided over by the Honorable Judge Smalling.