July 12, 2024
OAKLAND, CA— Today, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price updated the potential sentence exposure for Mr. Clarence Esteen (31), who is charged with five counts of second-degree robbery for allegedly robbing 5 victims at 3 different fast-food restaurants in Oakland.
If convicted and sentenced of all charges, Mr. Esteen faces up to 5 years for each of the 3 robberies for a potential sentence exposure of up to 15 years in state prison. As currently charged, based on his prior criminal history, that sentence could be doubled to raise the sentence to 30 years.
The criminal complaint alleges that on or about July 5, 2024, Mr. Esteen entered a McDonald’s on the 6600 block of San Pablo Avenue and demanded money from an employee. The complaint further alleges that about 30 minutes later, Mr. Esteen entered a Papa John’s restaurant on the 5400 block of San Pablo Avenue and demanded money from the employees working at the cash register at that location. According to the complaint, five minutes later, Mr. Esteen entered Cassave Restaurant & Taqueria, located at the same address as the Papa John’s restaurant, and demanded money from the workers there.
Regarding Mr. Esteen’s prior criminal history, in 2009, at the age of 16, he was convicted at trial of shooting and wounding a victim during a robbery in Oakland. Mr. Esteen was sentenced to 5 years for the robbery conviction, an additional 3 years for the injury to the victim, and 25 years to life for the firearm enhancement. California State Law regarding mandatory gun enhancement has changed, allowing the court to use its discretion. Also, under the new Penal Code 1385, the court could consider additional facts before sentencing the defendant, which the court could not consider when Mr. Esteen was sentenced at the age of 16. In May, the District Attorney’s office filed a motion to reduce the 25-year gun enhancement to 10 years, and the Court reduced his sentence to 18 years. Mr. Esteen served 15 years of the original 30-year sentence and received 3 years credit for good behavior.
The District Attorney’s reentry recommendations were not mandated by the court. The key recommendations were that Mr. Esteen be required to stay in transitional housing for at least one year and engage in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for at least six months, enroll in adult education to complete his diploma or show evidence of completion, engage in a College Technical Education or Trade School Program during the transitional housing period, and submit to drug testing for at least one year.
Mr. Esteen was released from prison on June 24, 2024.
Contact: damedia@acgov.org
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office (DAO) is one of California’s largest prosecutors’ offices and is led by Alameda County’s first Black woman District Attorney Pamela Y. Price. Price brings her vision to this office to fairly administer justice in the pursuit of thriving, healthy, and safe communities for every person who steps foot in Alameda County, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, or zip code. Price has been recognized as one of the most progressive prosecutors through her forward-thinking, innovative strategies to interrupt cycles of violence and crime and bring change to a criminal justice system rooted in systemic racism. Follow Madam DA on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and @AlamedaCountyda on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.