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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Contact: damedia@acgov.org
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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Contact: damedia@acgov.org
Dec 16, 2025 | Press Releases
December 16, 2025
Oakland, CA — Today, Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dixon announced that a criminal grand jury has indicted three Alameda County deputy sheriffs for the in-custody death of Maurice Monk.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office sought grand jury indictments for deputies Robinderpal Singh Hayer, Thomas Mower, and Donall Rowe. All three men were indicted and arraigned on charges of Dependent Elder Abuse, a violation of Penal Code section 368(b)(1) at the Rene C. Davidson courthouse. In addition, Robinderpal Singh Hayer was indicted and arraigned on an additional felony, Falsification of an Official Document, a violation of Government Code section 6200.
All three defendants remain out of custody, having posted bail set by the court.
Contact: damedia@acgov.org
Nov 17, 2025 | Press Releases
DA URSULA JONES DICKSON ANNOUNCES MURDER CHARGES IN THE DEADLY SHOOTING OF COACH JOHN BEAM
Charges Include Gun Sentencing Enhancements
November 17, 2025
Oakland, CA — Today, District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced that the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has filed murder charges against Cedric Irving Jr. (27) for the November 13, 2025, shooting of Coach John Beam (66) on the Laney College Campus in Oakland.
“On behalf of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and my personal family, I wish to express our deepest condolences to Coach John Beam’s family. Coach Beam represents the best of Oakland. Just as Coach Beam’s love for community has been felt for decades, so will his loss,” said DA Jones Dickson.
Mr. Irving is charged with murder and the use of a firearm. If convicted as charged, he could serve a term in state prison of fifty years to life.
DA Jones Dickson also announced mandatory minimums for illegal possession of a firearm.
“There must be more accountability. We will be instituting mandatory minimum sentences for individuals who illegally possess guns. Our schools, students, and teachers need to thrive in a safe gun-free environment. I believe that this will be an important step in that direction to make Oakland and Alameda County safer,” DA Jones Dickson said.
The mandatory minimums, notwithstanding any other charges, are as follows:
Misdemeanor possession – 90 days county jail.
Felony possession – 180 days county jail.
Felon in possession of a firearm – 16 months state prison.
In addition, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office will seek further mandatory jail time for individuals who are found to be in possession of so-called “ghost guns.”
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Contact: damedia@acgov.org
