CountyJail.net

Find Kern County Jail inmates...

Pre-sentencing

Interview with Scott, Carrie, John and Sophie

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Scott: Frist after being booked in to the jail you stay at the down town jail for you first court date. After the first court date you will be transfer to Lerdo Jail. Then your either housed at the lerdo jail or the minimun jail or the max jail. Then you start your court two weeks later.
Carrie: I was originally sent to jail for a 90 day dry out on felony drug court. After the 90 day dry out I was to go to a program for one year. But when I realized that the dry out was the same length of time as the sentence, I changed my plea after being in jail 2 1/2 months
John: I was upset that the public defender lied to me and told me that she was helping me and did not tell me that i would be deported if i plead to a anything less than an infraction.If i had money i would have a better lawyer and not have this awfull time engraved in my head since for 13 years
Sophie: 10/15/12 At central booking facility... Was patted down, signed paper listing all belongings I had on me, taken to see the nurse on duty to setup meds, placed in holding cell, fingerprinted, moved to another holding cell, after several hours was sent to change clothes and placed in a cell, waited in cell (except for nurse call visits for blood sugar checks) until arraignment two days later, day of arraignment handcuffed and shackled then placed in holding cell, taken before judge, unhand-cuffed/unshackled and placed back in cell until transferred by shuttle van to Lerdo Pre-Trial facility 8 days after original booking (handcuffed and shackled), once at Lerdo... placed in holding cell, hours later unhand-cuffed / unshackled and changed to new uniform, placed in another cell (pod) until next court date 10/30/12, had one 5 minute video conference with public defender day before court... on court date, placed in holding cell handcuffed and shackled loaded on bus to be transported back to downtown jail for court, placed in holding cell, taken before judge, spoke with public defender briefly, taken back to holding cell, transported by bus back to Lerdo Pre-Trial, placed in holding cell, unhand-cuffed and unshackled, placed back in cell (pod), two weeks later transferred to a different cell in a different pod (crono for bottom bunk finally came through for medical reasons), stayed in cell (pod) until taken before the judge for sentencing 11/30/12.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
Scott: no
Carrie: My place of residence was raided with a search warrant for possible drug sales in October 2011. I got up in the morning and went to drop off a friends car that I had borrowed. Walked over to Dennys and 4 black SUV's surrounded me in the parking lot and they advised me I was under arrest and that they had a search warrant for my residence.
John: Yes the probation officer and her partner came to my home and since I was was not home they left a note that I a bench warrant would be issued for my arrest. I then turned my self in to local pd. they took me to san mateo county jail and put me in a holding cell from 9pm to 8 am then I was verbaly abused by probation officer for not being home when she came by upsetting her so she then she slammed into a wall hand cuffed me and took me to court.
Sophie: Yes, police did come to my home to question me... once at my mom's house and once at my house for follow up questions. I fully cooperated with the investigation, so when the charges were filed months later the officer was nice enough to call me to let me know and gave me one week to turn myself in

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
Scott: it was like the same is always. it takes along time to get to court. once your there you never know what to expert for that day in court.
Carrie: I went to court quite a few times. When I originally went to court I was placed on Prop 36, Level 1. I gave a dirty test then was eventually send to a rehab for 2 months after completing the rehab. I gave another dirty test and was prop 36 excluded and placed on felony drug court with a 90 day dry out and a one year program after completion all charges would be dismissed.
John: I was given a bunch of papers to fill out all related to how much money i had and if I owned a car how much it was worth. I was told to entered a plea of not guilty. a public defender then told me she was going to contact me later 3 days later she told me that she took care of me and got all charges dropped
Sophie: Arraignment was the first time anyone told me what I was being charged with, was taken into court was not given a chance to talk to public defender (or anyone) to ask questions, only time I was addressed by the judge was to respond to if such and such was my real name. Public defender was entered pleas of "not guilty" for all inmates in custody. Next court date (10/30/12), public defender came to me (in court) told me what the only plea deal being offered was and recommended I take the deal or look at facing 8-10 years in jail, signed plea deal, stood up before judge entered "no contest" plea, told my sentencing dated would be 11/30/12 and that I was not being released on OR. On sentencing (11/30/12), my public defender was not present in the court room as she was in another court room, the public defender that was sent couldn't answer any questions I had, judge was irritated with not having questions answered or having a representative that could represent me. Sentenced to 120 days of work release, 3 years probation, and restitution

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Carrie: original charges were possess controlled substance, possess narcotic controlled substance, possess manufacture sell dangerous weapon, posses paraphernalia, posses controlled substance without a prescription 2 counts. I was convicted of posses narcotic controlled substance
John: I was arrest in jan of 2001 on battery and plead to a misdemer of assult in april of 2001 .I violted probation and recicved time served for that offense. when I was release in late june Immigration then RE Arrested me on a crime of moral turpitude and I was take to Kern County Jail
Sophie: Seven felony counts - 4 counts GRAND THEFT: PROPERTY, EMBEZZLEMENT OVER $400, 3 counts MONEY LAUNDERING , and ALTER/DAMAGE COMPUTER DATA. Took plea deal (nolo) to Embezzlement over $400 (Felony), all other were dismissed

Read about sentencing in the Kern County Jail