Jan 29, 2026 | Press Releases

MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SAN FRANCISCO POLICE OFFICER
Charges Include Multiple Sentencing Enhancements
January 29, 2026
Oakland, CA — Today, District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced that the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has charged Joseph C Willis II (26) with attempted murder of a San Francisco Police Officer and multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer engaged in the performance of duty.
Mr. Willis is charged with multiple felonies, including attempted murder, three counts of assault upon a police officer with a deadly weapon, attempted carjacking, illegal possession of a gun, and ammunition. The charges also include sentencing enhancements for using a deadly weapon, inflicting great bodily injury, and committing this offence while being released on bail or on his own recognizance in an unrelated felony case.
The complaint alleges that on January 27, 2026, Mr. Willis did unlawfully attempt to murder an on-duty San Francisco Police Officer in the city of Oakland. The complaint further alleges that Mr. Willis attempted to carjack a vehicle while he resisted efforts by the police to arrest him.
Joseph C Willis II is scheduled for arraignment on January 29, in Department 112 of the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland.
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Jan 29, 2026 | Press Releases

CHARGES FILED FOR DEADLY SHOOTING AT A GROCERY STORE IN OAKLAND
Each defendant faces multiple felony charges
and the prospect of life in prison
January 29, 2026
Oakland, CA — Today, District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced that the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has filed multiple felony charges against Darrell Tatmon (40) and Angelo Lemelle Pharr (37) in connection with the January 3, 2026, deadly shooting of three victims inside a neighborhood market in East Oakland.
Mr. Tatmon is charged with three counts of murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and felony possession of ammunition. The charges against Mr. Tatmon include sentencing enhancements for causing multiple murders, use of a gun, and committing an offense while out on bail or released on his own recognizance on two separate felony cases. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Mr. Pharr has been charged with assault with a semiautomatic gun and possession of a firearm by a felon. Mr. Pharr’s charges include multiple sentencing enhancements, including prior convictions that qualify as strikes under the three strikes law. It is further alleged that at the time of the shooting, Mr. Pharr used a firearm and was out of custody on bail or released on his own recognizance on a separate felony case.
If convicted as charged, Darrell Tatmon could serve a life term in state prison without the possibility of parole.
If convicted of all charges, Angelo Lemelle Pharr could serve a term of 25 years to life in state prison.
“The gunning down of three innocent men — including two brothers — at a neighborhood grocery store sent a shock wave that was felt through our community. I want to thank the Oakland Police Department for their swift investigation, which led to the identification and prosecution of the defendants,” said DA Ursula Jones Dickson.
Angelo Lemelle Pharr is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday, January 29, 2026, in Department 112 at Wiley W. Manuel in Oakland. Darrell Tatmon has a plea hearing on Friday, January 30, 2026, in Department 112 at Wiley W. Manuel.
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Jan 21, 2026 | Press Releases

January 21, 2026
Oakland, CA —District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced that Victor Dawson (52) has been charged with multiple felonies, including wage theft, tax evasion, and embezzlement from teachers and parents of students of New Horizons (K-8) School in Newark and Mission Hills Middle School in Castro Valley. Mr. Dawson was the principal of both schools and the owner of New Horizons.
Mr. Dawson is charged with 2 counts of felony wage theft, 2 counts of felony tax evasion, 1 count of misdemeanor tax evasion, and 1 count of felony embezzlement.
The criminal complaint alleges that in 2024, Mr. Dawson committed wage theft against 47 teachers and other staff members, the victims. The complaint further alleges that Mr. Dawson embezzled retirement contributions from six teachers, deducting money for the victims’ retirement savings from their paychecks and allegedly using those deductions for his own benefit. Finally, the complaint alleges that Mr. Dawson evaded paying state taxes and payroll taxes by failing to file the necessary tax returns, while allegedly deducting payroll taxes from the teachers’ paychecks and using those deductions for his own benefit.
“Parents trust that school owners will use tuition funds to educate their children and to compensate teachers for their hard work, not to enrich themselves,” said DA Jones Dickson. “This case represents a breach of that trust. My office’s Worker Protection Division is committed to prosecuting cases when workers are fraudulently denied their earned income.”
“Teachers and school staff are often underpaid for the vital work they do. Stealing from their paychecks or retirement accounts is illegal and a profound betrayal of trust that harms workers and destabilizes schools, putting students at risk,” said California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower. “After teachers came forward with wage theft complaints, my office conducted a thorough investigation and referred the case for criminal prosecution. We are committed to robust enforcement of our labor laws and will continue to aggressively investigate wage theft, protect workers who speak up, and work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold employers fully accountable.”
A civil judgment against Mr. Dawson includes wages owed to employees, labor law penalties, and civil penalties totaling $687,986.42.
Victor Dawson was arraigned on January 20, 2026, in Department 112 at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland.
If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of wage theft, fraud, or other economic crimes, contact the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office’s Consumer, Environmental & Worker Protection Division: 510-383-8600 or Fax: 510-383-8615
Contact: damedia@acgov.org
Jan 5, 2026 | Press Releases

ELDERLY MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER IN DEADLY SHOOTING OF WOMAN IN FREMONT
January 5, 2026
Oakland, CA — Today, District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced that the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has filed a murder charge against Richard Hocking (93) for the deadly shooting of his 86-year-old wife in Fremont.
Mr. Hocking has been charged with murder. The charge also includes a sentencing enhancement for the intentional use of a firearm.
The complaint alleges that on January 3, 2026, Mr. Hocking did unlawfully, with malice aforethought, murder the victim, his wife. It is further alleged that Mr. Hocking used a firearm during the commission of this crime.
Richard Hocking will be arraigned at 9 AM on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, in Department 702 at the East County Hall of Justice in Dublin.
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Dec 17, 2025 | Press Releases
DA URSULA JONES DICKSON ANNOUNCES LAWSUIT AGAINST UBER TECHNOLOGIES, INC., AND UBER USA, LLC
Lawsuit Alleges that Uber Used Deceptive Enrollment, Billing, and Cancellation Practices in Offering Its Subscription Service, Uber One
December 17, 2025
Oakland, CA —District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced that the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is part of a coalition of law enforcement agencies representing 21 states and the District of Columbia that joined a lawsuit previously filed by the Federal Trade Commission against Uber Technologies, LLC and Uber USA, LLC, the operators of the popular rideshare and delivery company. The lawsuit is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, with a trial currently scheduled for February 2027.
The lawsuit alleges that Uber used a variety of deceptive and unfair practices in offering and selling Uber One subscription services, which Uber promotes as saving money on rides and deliveries. Among other things, the lawsuit alleges that Uber improperly used negative option marketing tactics when it offered free trial subscriptions – a practice that automatically charges consumers if they do not cancel a free trial. The lawsuit alleges Uber misled consumers about the amounts they could save when subscribing to Uber One and that the company made it extraordinarily difficult to cancel Uber One once enrolled. The complaint also alleges that Uber charged consumers before their billing date, including users whose free trial had not yet ended.
“Consumers deserve honesty and transparency in the marketplace,” said DA Jones Dickson. “We take these allegations seriously and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect consumers from misleading and unlawful conduct.”
For information on filing a consumer complaint, contact the Alameda County Consumer Environmental Worker Protection Division:
Mailing address: 7677 Oakport Street, Suite 650
Oakland, CA 94621
Phone: (510) 383-8600
Fax: (510) 383-8615
Email: askcepd-da@acgov.org
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