“[This is] El Dorado, bro. They want to make a statement. They’re hard on crime.” – phone conversation with an El Dorado County Jail inmate being told why he is being kept behind bars after committing a crime.
The out-of-county resident who was recently booked into the El Dorado County Jail by El Dorado County Deputies seems surprised that he was not simply let right out of jail for his offenses.
From time to time I’ve pointed out the reality of criminals changing their behavior based on their perceptions of a community’s commitment to criminal accountability. Most notably was the convicted murderer Phillip Dorsett toasting George Gascon and his early release directives last year. Or just a few months ago another convicted murderer Luis Hernandez from LA so happy with Gascon’s policies that he proclaimed he wanted Gascon’s name tattooed on his face.
They are not celebrating here.
Yes, the message to criminals is “no love” in El Dorado County.
As we enter this week of Thanksgiving, please join me in giving thanks to all of our members of law enforcement and their commitment to criminal accountability. And a special note of gratitude on the eve of the retirement of Sheriff John D’Agostini, thank you for your steadfast service to the People of California.
-Vern Pierson, El Dorado County District Attorney