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Joaquin Cruz was sentenced to three consecutive terms of life without the possibility of parole, plus 75 years to life, following his November 2025 conviction for the 2019 gang-related murders of David Connary, Tiffany Connary, and Remilio Castillo in Stockton.

District Attorney Ron Freitas announced today that a San Joaquin County jury found defendant Wesley Brownlee competent to stand trial on six counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and related special circumstances allegations stemming from the 2021–2022 Stockton serial killings.

This morning, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations Political Corruption Unit detained Stockton City Councilmember Brando Villapudua for an investigation and service of search warrants. He was subsequently released without any charges.

On October 19, 2026, the Honorable Judge Smalling sentenced Jose Maria Carranza to 22 years and 4 months in state prison for trafficking 60 pounds of methamphetamine while armed with two loaded firearms.

Peter Zile, 60, and Lisa Hall, 47, were arraigned October 12, 2026, in San Joaquin County Superior Court following their arrests in connection with an auto theft investigation that led to the seizure of 57 pounds of methamphetamine, 16,000 fentanyl pills, $288,142 in cash, and 14 firearms.

The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office announced today that defendant Nickolas Turpen-Arends was arraigned on October 6, 2026, in the San Joaquin County Superior Court.

Henry Heath was sentenced Monday, September 21, 2026, to 55 years to life in state prison following his conviction for the first-degree murder of Derrick Walthall, who was shot multiple times while seated in his wheelchair on March 31, 2026.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced the arraignment of Hector Nunez, 33, following a traffic stop. On September 15, 2026, Nunez was arraigned in Department 8C of the San Joaquin County Superior Court by Judge Chrishna Martinez. He faces drug trafficking charges, including a weight enhancement for possessing an excess of 20 kilograms (over 50 pounds) of fentanyl. Judge Martinez set bail at $500,000. If convicted on all charges, the defendant faces up to 24 years in State Prison.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced that 38-year-old Benjamin Lawless of Indiana pled guilty to human trafficking of a minor and was sentenced to eight years in state prison. Lawless pled guilty to a violation of Penal Code 236.1(c)(1), human trafficking of a minor with the intent to distribute obscene matter, carrying a lifetime mandate to register as a sex offender. Following his term in California state prison, he will be extradited back to Indiana to face separate criminal charges.

De’Arius Wilson and De’Andre Watts have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their roles in the shooting death of Richard Anthony Guerrero outside Cal Park Liquor in November 2024.

D’Angelo Webb has been sentenced to 74 years to life in state prison following his conviction for the first-degree murder of Brandi Hornsby and the violent attack on her mother, Tonya.

The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office announced the formal arraignment of former Stockton City Council Candidate Desiree Lynch following a public corruption investigation. The charges allege that Lynch perjured herself by registering to vote and filing as a candidate using residential addresses where she did not live, resulting in six felony counts filed as follows:

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced that Paul Anthony Thomas was sentenced today to 16 years in state prison. The sentencing follows a June 25, 2026, trial before the Honorable Judge Lance Jacot, where a San Joaquin County jury found Thomas guilty of six felony charges, including manufacturing a controlled substance and the possession for sale of cocaine, cocaine base, methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. Due to a prior 1997 "strike" conviction for continuous sexual abuse of a child, Thomas faced heightened sentencing exposure.

(EDITED TO CORRECT: Lynch’s new court date is September 2, 2026.) On August 19, 2026, San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced the arrest of Stockton City Council Candidate Desiree Lynch following a public corruption investigation. The charges allege that Lynch perjured herself by registering to vote and filing as a candidate using residential addresses where she did not live, resulting in five felony counts filed as follows:

The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office announced that a jury has returned 11 felony guilty verdicts against Antonio Abarca, 33, of Stockton, for the sexual assault of two young victims. The convictions include special enhancements for causing great bodily injury and for committing crimes against multiple victims. With these verdicts, Abarca faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced that 53-year-old Walter Merritt of Los Angeles County was remanded into custody yesterday afternoon, August 11, 2026, facing major narcotics charges that carry a maximum exposure of nearly 20 years in state prison. The Honorable Judge Jose set bail at $300,000 and signed a strict 1275.1 bail hold, ruling that the sheer volume of drugs seized would pose a severe danger to society if released into the community

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas has announced that Vincent Lemus was sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison. The Honorable Judge Hoyt handed down the sentence following a November 2025 trial where a San Joaquin County jury found Lemus guilty of seven felony charges, including elder abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and criminal threats.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced the formal arraignment of Craig Allen Montalvo on 26 felony counts, including lewd acts by force on a child under 14, sexual penetration of a child under 10, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Montalvo is currently being held without bail. There are five charged victims in the case, and the offenses are alleged to span a 25-year period.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced that 61-year-old Rodney Dartanyon Alexis Smith was sentenced on July 20, 2026, to 49 years and 8 months to Life in state prison. The Honorable Richard Mallett handed down the sentence after a jury found Smith guilty of all charged felony counts, including forcible rape, oral copulation of a minor, sexual penetration by force, and multiple counts of lewd acts with a child under 14.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced the formal arraignment of Carla Lockhart and Fernando Reyes Valles following a large drug bust that uncovered dangerous amounts of fentanyl, other street drugs, and a loaded gun. The defendants appeared before Judge Guiliani in Department 8B of the San Joaquin County Superior Courthouse.