Yuba County District Attorney's Office

Dear Santa, All we want for Christmas is for John Vacek to un-retire! We're hoping you have special pull with him Santa. You were neighbors for years when John served as the District Attorney in Nome, Alaska. Since he retired from public service in Alaska, he has served with distinction in multiple counties in northern California. He has become somewhat of a legend in Yuba County, teaching new prosecutors the trade, and supporting victims of crime. He retired again in 20...19, but came back recently for a few months to help us out while we were short attorneys. He deserves to spend lots of time hiking and biking with his friends, but we were hoping you might talk him into un-retiring yet again. We miss him. Chief Shiloh Sorbello wrote a song about how desperado we are to have him back - check it out below. Merry Christmas from the Yuba County District Attorney's Office! -Clint Curry

Probation or Prison - what would you have decided if it were up to you? Browns Valley Man Sentenced to Prison On December 14, 2020, Yuba County Judge Julia Scrogin sentenced James Fiske to serve four years and four months in state prison. ... Mr. Fiske, who had a history of drug and theft crimes, committed a series of crimes between October 2019 and July 2020. During that time, Fiske strangled a neighbor's dog to death with a cable, threatened to kill two of his neighbors on separate occasions, burglarized a motorhome, and set fire to a detached garage on Wolf Trail. It was challenging to investigate and prosecute the case due to the lack of responsiveness and cooperation from the victims. However, thanks to the efforts of Cal Fire and the Yuba County Sheriff's Department, Fiske's crime spree came to an end on July 7, 2020, when he was arrested by YCSO deputies in Linda. Fiske, a felon, had a concealed double-shot derringer pistol on him when he was taken into custody. California Rule of Court 4.410 lists eight goals that should be considered when sentencing a defendant for the crimes they committed: (1) protecting society; (2) punishing the defendant; (3) encouraging the defendant to lead a law-abiding life in the future and deterring him or her from future offenses; (4) deterring others from criminal conduct by demonstrating its consequences; (5) preventing the defendant from committing new crimes by isolating him or her for the period of incarceration; (6) securing restitution for the victims of crime; (7) achieving uniformity in sentencing; and (8) increasing public safety by reducing recidivism through community-based corrections programs and evidence-based practices. Balancing these goals can be difficult. Mr. Fiske's offenses were fueled without a doubt by his daily use of methamphetamine. Mr. Fiske asked to be placed on probation so that he could go to a residential drug treatment program instead of prison. Although Mr. Fiske needs drug treatment, we argued that preventing him from committing new crimes by incarcerating him was preferable based on the risk his behavior poses to the community. Before he went on his crime spree, Mr. Fiske had just completed two years of community-based rehabilitation services through probation for theft and drug-related crimes. While I believe wholeheartedly in rehabilitation, I also believe there comes a point when that rehabilitation needs to happen inside a prison rather than in the community. Judge Scrogin agreed and sentenced Mr. Fiske to the maximum term of incarceration for the crimes he admitted. It is now up to Mr. Fiske to choose drug treatment and rehabilitation for himself while in CDCR and when he is released on parole. Clint Curry District Attorney

Please join me in thanking three amazing people for their work on behalf of the People of Yuba County. Melanie Bendorf, Mike Byrne, and Mechele Cook each served Yuba County as a Deputy District Attorney for over two decades. In less than two months I have watched each of them walk out of the office for the last time. We will miss them. ... Melanie - you will dominate the courtroom as The Honorable Judge Bendorf beginning in January. Enjoy a well-deserved break before taking the bench! Mike and Mechele, enjoy retirement! Thank you for your service!

How long a period of sobriety do you want to see before an offender is deemed safe to release on parole? Today I represented the People of Yuba County at the parole hearing for Jose Santos Mendoza. Mr. Mendoza has been incarcerated for 17 years, serving a 15 to Life sentence for the murder of Jose Diego Diaz Pavon. Mr. Mendoza fatally stabbed Mr. Pavon on September 28, 2003, at the former Royal Motel in Linda, California. ... Mr. Mendoza and Mr. Pavon were both 18 years old and had come to the United States from Honduras for work. They were drinking beer together at the Royal Motel when they began to argue and fight. Mr. Mendoza left the hotel with a bloody nose and a bruised ego, and returned a few hours later with a knife. Mr. Mendoza stabbed Mr. Pavon in the chest three times. Mr. Pavon died of his injuries that night at Rideout Memorial Hospital. Mr. Mendoza fled, but detectives from the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department tracked him to Mendota, California, and arrested him within just a few days. Mr. Mendoza, now 35 years old, attended the hearing via videoconference from the Sierra Conservation Center in Jamestown, California. The commissioners questioned Mr. Mendoza for over two hours about the murder, his life while incarcerated, and his parole plans. Although Mr. Mendoza is far more mature today than he was at 18, I argued that he was not ready for parole based on a relapse on methamphetamine while in prison in 2017. The commissioners, however, felt that three years of sobriety was sufficient. Taking into account that Mr. Mendoza was only 18 years old at the time of the murder, the Board found that he no longer poses an unreasonable risk to public safety, and is therefore suitable for release on parole. A parole date will not be set until the suitability decision has been reviewed by the Governor. It is anticipated that on his release date Mr. Mendoza will be transferred to the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation to Honduras. Mr. Pavon was survived by his mother, Norma Pavon. #neverforget

Happy Veterans Day. The Museum of the Forgotten Warriors is open until 2pm today. Stop by and thank a veteran for their service. www.museumoftheforgottenwarriors.org

Happy Birthday Marine Corps! I am proud of our Marines, Investigator James Perin and Chief Investigator Stephanie Johnson, who continue to serve our country by working tirelessly to bring justice for victims of crime. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cb3rP2uiUDg

Thanks to Warden Pirtle and Warden Diehl from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for putting our newest prosecutors, Morgan Luna and Akaash Nagra, through firearm familiarization training. #fighting58th