OAKLAND — An Oakland man who’d allegedly been working security for an illegal casino was caught with a gun that had been used in an unsolved killing just 17 days earlier, federal prosecutors revealed Thursday. In recent court filings, an assistant U.S. Attorney revealed that 25-year-old Ray D. Gilbert was arrested last Aug. 16 on … Read more
Though the filing deadline is still months away, former Antioch City Manager Rowland “Ron” Bernal has confirmed that he wants to be the city’s next mayor. Bernal, who said he has been thinking about it for awhile, did not announce his candidacy but rather sent out invitations to his private kickoff event, which will be … Read more
SAN FRANCISCO — In the first federal guilty plea to come since the wide-ranging indictments of current and former East Contra Costa cops, an ex-Antioch community services officer has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge. Samantha Genoveva Peterson pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring to fraudulently receive pay bumps through a city incentive … Read more
ANTIOCH — A 50-year-old man who was implicated in a notorious 1996 slaying on Contra Costa College’s campus has now been charged in connection with two shootings that occurred two months apart, court records show. Samuel Paul Cox Jr., of Antioch, was charged with negligent discharge of a firearm and illegal gun possession in connection … Read more
In a sea of highs and lows, 2023 left the world and the United States celebrating and reeling. Hamas brutally attacked Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, sparking a new war in the Middle East. The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 emergency finally over. Taylor Swift and Beyonce packed stadiums. Bruce Bochy won another World … Read more
PITTSBURG — A former policemen with both Antioch and Pittsburg pleaded no contest to felony conspiracy and misdemeanor evidence tampering charges in a Thursday court hearing, marking the first conviction that has come from a massive criminal investigation that led to charges against 14 East Contra Costa police officers. Timothy Manly Williams pleaded no contest … Read more
MARTINEZ — An alleged prison gang leader accused of ordering the murder of a man over his gang’s attempts to take over an Antioch “money block” has been released from jail after a judge lowered his bail to $200,000 in a pending murder case, court records show. William Pree, 41, faces unresolved charges of murdering … Read more
ANTIOCH — New videos released by the city — in what federal prosecutors now allege was an incident of police abuse — show an Antioch police officer fire a less-lethal launcher at a transgender woman whose hands were raised as a half-dozen officers, some with guns drawn, surrounded her. In the video, Officer Devon Wenger … Read more
ANTIOCH — Time and time again, Antioch police supervisors reviewed reports detailing the use of a less-lethal gun and K9 deployments on civilians and reached the same conclusion: The violence conformed with department guidelines and no discipline nor extra training was needed. The FBI and a federal grand jury reached a markedly different conclusion: that … Read more
MARTINEZ — In a case that partially hinged on messages between gang members in an Instagram group chat, a Contra Costa jury convicted a 20-year-old man of murder and conspiracy in the shooting death of a 17-year-old boy. Anthony McCoy was convicted Thursday of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the Sept. 4, 2022 … Read more