district attorney

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - An El Dorado County jury of five women and seven men deliberated about two hours Wednesday, coming back with a quick verdict in the case of Nolen Keith Buchanan, the Benicia, California teen that had been accused of killing his family and setting their cabin on fire to cover his tracks.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - At 10:00 a.m. on September 13, 2015, Garden Valley Fire Department personnel responded to a wildland fire in the community of Greenwood in western El Dorado County, on Highway 193 between Cool and Georgetown. Upon arrival they found a residence still smoldering, but burned to the ground.

In the ashes were found the charred remains of Adam Buchanan, 38, his fiancée Molly McAffe, 37, and their 8-year-old son Gavin Buchanan. All three were shot before the cabin was burned down.

100 percent of the precincts have been counted and there are just some mail-ins waiting for be tabulated and counts can be changed until count is final.

County Supervisor Area 5

Sue Novasel - 1604 Votes or 36.90%
Kenny Curtzwiler - 1419 Votes or 32.64%
Jeffrey Spencer - 718 Votes or 16.52%
Norma Santiago - 597 Votes or 13.73%

County Supervisor Area 4

Michael Ranalli - 3599 votes or 50.03%
Lori Parlin - 2698 votes or 37.50%
Bogdan Ambrozewicz - 888 votes or 12.34%

County District Attorney

Murder charges have been filed against a South Lake Tahoe man, almost ten years after the death of his three-week old baby boy.

On November 14, 2008, officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) arrived at a home after a call about a baby who was found unconscious. The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department arrived shortly after and transported the infant to the hospital where he was declared deceased. Both the baby's mother and father were present at the time police arrived.

The last few months have been some of the most difficult for our City Council, for our City and for our community. Similar to the national conversation, with immediate access to social media in many forms, controversial opinion pieces go immediately out to the public, even before the accused have an opportunity to hear the allegations. Soon after, public comment and “opinion” on the opinion begins with little interest in whether there is truth.

If you had walked onto the LTCC campus on Tuesday, April 3, you would have never guessed that there were 325 6th grade youth and 220 agency and volunteer workers throughout the corridors, all learning information on how and why to keep themselves safe from drugs. “Choices, what are yours?” was the theme of our efforts in keeping our youth drug free. With the country’s attitudes and norms about drug use changing, times are even more difficult for our kids.

MEYERS and SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The El Dorado County Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Don Ashton has been making the rounds to communities throughout the county, explaining the budget through an informative presentation and discussion.

Most of the communities Ashton has visited have had 15-20 citizens in attendance, all asking questions and giving input in the budget process as Ashton and the Supervisors figure out how to save $20M over the next four years to meet CalPers pension liabilities.

South Lake Tahoe resident Patrick Bryan Baker was sentenced to seven years in state prison after he pleaded no contest to one felony count driving with a blood alcohol level over .08% and causing injury.

Candidate season has already started for not only the State of California but also El Dorado County.

So far, for the El Dorado County Supervisor representing Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Tahoma and Pollock Pines (District 5) four candidates have taken out papers.

Current Supervisor Sue Novasel, local businessman Ken Curtzwiler, former Supervisor Norma Santiago, and transportation technology and land use expert Jeffrey Spencer have all taken out papers during the filing period which began February 12.

Veteran El Dorado County prosecutor, Trish Kelliher will launch her campaign for El Dorado County District Attorney at a special event scheduled for Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. at the Placerville Town Hall, 549 Main Street in Placerville. This event presents an opportunity for the public to meet the candidate and hear her vision for the office where she has worked for the past twenty years. Kelliher also welcomes citizens to share their concerns about public safety issues in the County.

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The man injured in January 14th's honey oil lab explosion in Gardnerville has been identified.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said 22-year-old Adam Fitzgerald-Wermes suffered third-degree burns after an explosion stemming from an illicit Butane Hash Oil (BHO) extraction process.

At 2:40 p.m., emergency personnel responded to a call of fire at the Crestmore Apartments. Upon arrival they located an extinguished appliance fire and an injured male with third degree burns.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - Detectives from South Lake Tahoe Department (SLTPD) posing as potential buyers on Craigslist have uncovered a painting stolen from a gallery in the Heavenly Village.

On Saturday December 9, SLTPD received a report of a stolen painting from Pacific Crest Gallery. The painting, Three Bears Playing Golf, valued at $1195, was taken from the stores front sidewalk display by an unknown suspect.

Those arrested for DUI in El Dorado County, especially repeat offenders and those involved in fatal or injury crashes, can expect to face highly trained, specialized prosecutors, funded by a $195,677.00 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). The grant to the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office will fund a Vertical Prosecution team that will work cases from arrest through conviction and sentencing.

The man who led anti-South Lake Tahoe Police, El Dorado County Sheriff, District Attorney and Judge campaigns will be spending the next seven years in prison after he was given the maximum sentence October 27, 2017 in Sacramento Superior Court.

For nearly five years the El Dorado County District Attorney's office has been searching for Javed Noori, a man who had been placed on the federal government's Northern California Most Wanted List.

That search is now over after Noori was returned to the county on October 9, 2017 where he faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon including two special allegations for inflicting great bodily injury and for a prior strike for very similar conduct.

The man who has led anti-South Lake Tahoe Police, El Dorado County Sheriff, District Attorney and Judge campaigns was found guilty on Monday in Sacramento Superior Court on eight felony charges.

Historian Patty Cafferata will present “By Gas, Rope, Bullet or Poison: A History of Capital Punishment in Nevada” on Saturday, July 29, at 10:00 am at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park.

Distinguished Nevada lawyer and former district attorney, Patty Cafferata, will share the fascinating history of the death penalty as practiced within Nevada. Cafferata will describe the methods of execution the state has used since its territorial days in 1860 through the present, including death by hanging, firing squad, lethal injection and the gas chamber.

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Vern Pierson, the El Dorado County District Attorney, testified against the "Sanctuary State Bill" in Sacramento on Wednesday.

Pierson spoke before the California Assembly Judiciary Committee.

"I’m strongly opposed to making California a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants," Pierson said. "Local, state and federal law enforcement officers need to be able to communicate with each other in regard to an important issue like immigration enforcement."

If Senate Bill 54 were to pass, state and local law enforcement would not be allowed to cooperate with immigration authorities.

“Choices, what are yours?” was the theme of our efforts in keeping our youth drug free.

The man believed to be responsible for shooting at and attempting to firebomb the home of a Carson City judge and sending him a threatening Christmas card in the mail has been formally charged for the crimes, officials announced Tuesday.

Carson City District Attorney Jason Woodbury announced Reno area resident Jason Aston, 74, is charged with fourth-degree arson, aggravated stalking and discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling. His bail is set at $250,000 cash.

El Dorado County Deputy District Attorney, Katie Dobler, passed away early Monday morning, February 13, 2017. She was 35 years old.

"The People of the State of California, the residents of El Dorado County, and the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office have lost a passionate and relentless advocate for justice," said District Attorney Vern Pierson. "Katie’s family, friends, and coworkers have lost a loving daughter, sister, and friend who was fiercely loyal and devoted."

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office and several law enforcement agencies are investigating new information related to threats made against a Carson City judge, Sheriff Ken Furlong said Thursday.

On Wednesday, Carson City Sheriff’s Office detectives and Department of Public Safety investigators received information that an inmate at the Washoe County Sheriff’s Detention Center was being held on a 2011 felony contempt of court warrant out of Carson City.

As voters in California prepare to vote either for or against Proposition 64, the legalization of marijuana, the District Attorney of Denver has written a letter warning against "yes" votes, and shares what they learned as a state since legalizing the recreational use of the drug.

Mitchell R. Morrissey said the promises made in the proposition are "lies."

Supervisors have approved a balanced budget for El Dorado County for the fiscal year 2016-17, one totaling $548.92 million.

Investments will be made in infrastructure and public safety, two focuses identified in the County's strategic plan as well as providing for funds to be set aside in reserves for emergencies and deferred maintenance for aging county buildings.

The following are examples of strategic plan investments made in the fiscal year 2016-17 budget:

 $3.075 million for initial costs towards the Sheriff’s Department new Public Safety Facility