Investigations
GENERAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
Rick Bellar, Chief District Attorney Investigator
Randy Ebner, Chief Assistant District Attorney Investigator
Randy Edmonson, District Attorney Investigator, Criminal/Homicide
Eric Anderson, District Attorney Investigator, Criminal/Homicide
Arend LaBlue, District Attorney Investigator, Criminal/Homicide |
General Investigations
The Investigation Division is charged with the responsibility of investigations of criminal and civil matters and is the primary investigative arm of the District Attorney's legal staff. The investigators assist in preparation of cases, which entails investigations beyond the law enforcement initial investigation.
They Investigate crimes arising out of the abuse of the judicial process. These crimes may include perjury, intimidation of witnesses, falsifying evidence and conspiracy to obstruct justice. These crimes are often referred to the District Attorney by judges in whose courts the offense occurred.
The District Attorney Investigation Division provides whatever investigative or technical assistance is necessary when so requested by other law enforcement agencies.
One District Attorney Investigator is assign to the Kings County Gang Task Force. That Investigator works in conjunction with other assigned law enforcement agency officers.
The Investigations Division of the Kings County District Attorney's Office is responsible for the extradition of defendants from foreign jurisdictions when the suspect is being sought pursuant to a case investigated primarily by the by the Investigations Division of the Kings County District Attorney's Office. These cases include family support, child abduction, insurance fraud, and other criminal warrants. The Investigations Division will be responsible for the extradition of defendants charged with welfare fraud in cases primarily investigated by the Kings County Human Services Agency. The Investigations Division may also assist other Kings County law enforcement agencies with the extradition of suspects charged in their cases. |
PRISON INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
Charlie Flores, District Attorney Investigator
Nicole Lucero, District Attorney Investigator
Jeff Stamper, District Attorney Investigator
Prison Investigations
These investigators work with Avenal State Prison and the two Corcoran State Prisons on cases referred to the District Attorney's Office. These investigators conduct investigation of criminal conduct by inmates within the prisons. These investigators work closely with the California Department of Correction (CDC) Investigative Services Units (ISU) at each prison and the Department of Correction (CDC) Office of Internal Affairs (OIA). |
SEXUAL ASSAULT INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
Keith Prewitt DA Investigator SRVP (Statutory Rape Vertical Prosecution)
Sexual Assault Investigations
Sexual Assault Unit consists of one attorney, one investigator and one clerk. The investigator handles all sexual assaults investigations. This grant started on December 1996. This investigator works in conjunction with a Deputy District Attorney and a Legal Clerk specifically in the area of aggressive vertical prosecution of adults who prey on minors. |
WORKERS' COMPENSATION AND AUTO INSURANCE
FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
Dennis Reed, District Attorney Investigator
Karl Anderson, District Attorney Investigator
Workers' Compensation and Auto Insurance Fraud Investigations
The District Attorney's Office has an annual grant from the California Department of Insurance and as a result of this grant, the Investigations Division of the Kings County District Attorney's Office has received primary investigative responsibilities for insurance fraud committed within this county. This responsibility includes the primary investigation of all cases of workers compensation and automobile insurance fraud committed in this county, and coordination of enforcement activities with the California Department of Insurance. It also includes programs to educate Kings County employers and insurers of the existence of the insurance fraud unit. |
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CHILD RECOVERY INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
Trish Hershberger, District Attorney Investigator
Nikki Dollahite, Investigative Assistant
Child Recovery Investigations
The Child Recovery Unit (CRU) exists to enforce child custody and visitation orders and to locate and return children who have been maliciously taken or detained. It is our goal to help ensure peaceful enforcement of court orders so that the children will enjoy a relationship with both parties. We will help enforce existing orders.
Cases are divided into three categories:
1. Abductions
2. Concealments
3. Visitations
If your child has been abducted, the CRU can begin an investigation to locate the child whether or not there was an order in place at the time of the abduction. Concealment cases, or cases in which you are having a problem enforcing visitation, can only be enforced if there is an existing court order. If you are not satisfied with the present court order, you may take the matter back to mediation and/or court.
In some cases, we will criminally prosecute the other party. At no time is the District Attorney representing either party as an individual. The District Attorney represents the People of the State of California and/or the Superior Court. Since we do not represent you, there is no attorney-client relationship. Therefore, any information you provide the District Attorney's Office is not confidential and may be subject to disclosure pursuant to court rules or at the discretion of the staff of the District Attorney's Office.
The following criminal charges may be filed when a child is abducted by a parent or a visitation order is violated:
Penal Code Section 278.5 (Deprivation of Custody) - This is used when one parent deprives the other parent of their custodial right to the child. It is punishable by up to one year in jail, OR 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in prison.
Penal Code Section 207(a) (Kidnapping) - This is used when a person forcibly steals, takes, holds or detains any person in this state and carries them into another country, state or county or into another part of the same county. It is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for three, five or eight years. If the person kidnapped is under 14 years of age at the time of the commission of the crime, the kidnapping is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for five, eight or eleven years.
Penal Code Section 166(a)(4) (Contempt of Court) - This may be used when a visitation order is violated. It is punishable by up to six months in jail.
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