Orange County District Attorney’s Office Launches Multi-County Public Safety Advertising Campaign to Make it Clear Crime Doesn’t Pay in Orange County, Thieves will be Prosecuted to the Fullest Extent of the Law #crimedoesntpayinOC Full Press Release:

In celebration of Black History Month, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office will showcase the extraordinary courage and contributions of African Americans who have profoundly impacted our nation's history. Constance Baker Motley made history as the first Black woman to present a case before the Supreme Court, and in 1966, she became the first Black woman to serve as a federal judge. As a key attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Motley played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement, working on significant cases including Brown v. Board of Education, which helped dismantle racial segregation in public schools. As we honor her contributions during Black History Month, we are reminded of the enduring impact that one determined individual can have on society.

Can you tell which pill is fake? More than 60% of illicit street drugs contain fentynal. Only a small amount of fentanyl is enough to kill you and there is no way to ensure fake pills don’t contain this lethal substance. The District Attorney's Office has prosecuted drug dealers, run ad campaigns, and worked with the DEA to reduce fentanyl deaths. Stay safe and don’t take the risk of overdosing - avoid counterfeit pills. . . . Answer: B

69-year-old Man Charged with Raping 93-year-old Nonverbal Bedridden Woman who Suffers from Dementia Full Press Release: SANTA ANA, Calif. – A 69-year-old caretaker has been charged with raping a bedridden 93-year-old woman who is nonverbal and suffers from dementia while he was supposed to be caring for her. Phuong Hoang Khong, 69, of Anaheim, has been charged with one felony count of rape by force, one felony count of sexual penetration by a foreign object by force, one felony count of forcible oral copulation, and one felony count of elder abuse. He faces a maximum sentence of 75 years to life plus four years if convicted on all counts. On the morning of January 6, 2025, Khong, who serves as a caretaker for the woman three times a week, is accused of arriving for his scheduled caretaking shift and covering the woman’s eyes with a medical mask before removing the woman’s diaper. He is accused of tightening medical restraints around the woman’s wrists before sexually assaulting her in her medical bed. Khong had a prior association to the woman. Khong turned himself into the Orange Police Department on February 3, 2025, after the woman’s family threatened to turn him in to the police. “He targeted the most vulnerable of victims, knowing that she was so helpless she couldn’t even cry out for help,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “This is another tragic example that sexual predators do not age out of their sadistic deviancies, and we must never stop fighting to protect the defenseless from the predators who wish to prey on them for their sick and twisted sexual gratification.” Deputy District Attorney Elise Levy of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.

The Orange County District Attorney's Office was joined by our Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT) to attend the Commercial Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) Caregiver Workshop, where we connected with local parents and caregivers to discuss the critical issue of human trafficking in our community.  In 2023, there were 297 cases of Human Trafficking in the State of California involving children according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.  According to the Orange County Human Trafficking Taskforce (OCHTTF), 32% of sex trafficking victims in Orange County were children.  In addition to raising awareness about trafficking, we also addressed the dangers of sextortion, teen dating violence, and the importance of being actively involved in your child’s life. Through insightful conversations and educational resources, we shared valuable strategies and warning signs to help prevent the exploitation of vulnerable children. The fight against human trafficking and exploitation begins with informed, proactive communities, and we are proud to be part of this important effort in Orange County.  If you would like to report an instance of  human trafficking please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888

California Gov. Newsom should take 'no-brainer' action to crack down on wildfire lawlessness, DAs say District attorneys asked Newsom to protect people from price gouging surrounding the LA wildfires Southern California district attorneys are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to extend price gouging protections to further aid wildfire victims, calling it "a layup for the governor." "I mean, this to me seems like a no-brainer," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told Fox News Digital. "I think the governor would absolutely want to protect the fire victims if they're trying to find housing in surrounding counties." Newsom, a Democrat, issued an executive order in mid-January fast-tracking temporary housing aid to people displaced by the Southern California wildfires in Los Angeles County. California Attorney General Rob Bonta also said at the time that his office would prosecute those engaging in price gouging amid the natural disaster. "This is a layup for the governor. I mean, this to me seems like a no-brainer," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told Fox News Digital. Spitzer, along with Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin, San Bernardino District Attorney Jason Anderson, and Santa Barbara District Attorney John Savrnoch, sent Newsom a letter in late January asking the governor to extend the price gouging protections to the surrounding areas but have stated they have not yet heard back from the governor. "Time is of the essence, because right now, in order for us to charge price gouging in California, we have to have an emergency declaration," Spitzer said. "We don't presently have an emergency declaration for our counties." In the letter, dated Jan. 28, the district attorneys requested Newsom issue an additional declaration of emergency for the surrounding counties of Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Santa Barbara. The letter states that such a declaration would allow them to "aggressively prosecute those who seek to profit from victims who have lost everything in these unprecedented fires." "Thank you for your continued partnership in holding these individuals accountable and supporting our fellow Californians in the darkest hours of their darkest days," the letter continues. Currently in California, price gouging protections only come into play during a state of emergency and bars sellers, contractors, business owners, and other similar entities from charging more than 10% more than what they were charging or advertising before the crisis. View the full story here:

Members of the Orange County California District Attorney’s Office were in Washington, D.C. this week discussing the ongoing issues involving a dangerous loophole in the Department of Homeland Security’s ESTA visa waiver program which allows more than 350,000 Chilean nationals into the United States without the required criminal background checks. Organized crime rings from Chile have been exploiting Chile’s years-long refusal to provide criminal background checks, funneling thousands of criminals, including murderers and other violent criminals, into the United States to commit residential burglaries, commercial burglaries, and other crimes. Hundreds of millions of dollars in jewelry, designer purses and other luxury items have been stolen and thousands of Americans have been unnecessarily victims. Yesterday Orange County California District Attorney Todd Spitzer sent a letter to newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reiterate our request to have Chile immediately suspended from the ESTA visa waiver program until it fully complies with the program requirements. That same day FBI agents raided a pawn shop in New York City’s Diamond District and arrested two Chilean nationals involved in a fencing operation to offload luxury goods stolen by Chilean criminal organizations. One of the suspects has been connected to the recent break-in at Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home by four Chilean nationals tied to Chilean organized crime. Americans are going to continue to be terrorized in their own homes unless the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State insist Chile plays by the rules and provides criminal background checks for all ESTA visa waiver applicants. @SecRubio @Sec_Noem @GobiernodeChile @DHSgov @StateDept

Members of the Orange County California District Attorney’s Office were in Washington, D.C. this week discussing the ongoing issues involving a dangerous loophole in the Department of Homeland Security’s ESTA visa waiver program which allows more than 350,000 Chilean nationals into the United States without the required criminal background checks. Organized crime rings from Chile have been exploiting Chile’s years-long refusal to provide criminal background checks, funneling thousands of criminals, including murderers and other violent criminals, into the United States to commit residential burglaries, commercial burglaries, and other crimes. Hundreds of millions of dollars in jewelry, designer purses and other luxury items have been stolen and thousands of Americans have been unnecessarily victims. Yesterday Orange County California District Attorney Todd Spitzer sent a letter to newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reiterate our request to have Chile immediately suspended from the ESTA visa waiver program until it fully complies with the program requirements. That same day FBI agents raided a pawn shop in New York City’s Diamond District and arrested two Chilean nationals involved in a fencing operation to offload luxury goods stolen by Chilean criminal organizations. One of the suspects has been connected to the recent break-in at Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s home by four Chilean nationals tied to Chilean organized crime. Americans are going to continue to be terrorized in their own homes unless the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State insist Chile plays by the rules and provides criminal background checks for all ESTA visa waiver applicants. @SecRubio @Sec_Noem @GobiernodeChile @DHSgov @StateDept

Orange County California District Attorney Todd Spitzer sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio today urging them to immediately suspend Chile from participating in the ESTA Visa Waiver Program until it fully complies with the program’s requirements, including providing criminal background checks on its citizens. Hundreds of thousands of Chilean nationals enter the United States through the ESTA program each year and organized crime rings from Chile are exploiting the lack of criminal background checks to funnel criminals into the United States to commit residential burglaries, resulting in millions of dollars in losses and thousands of Americans being unnecessarily victimized. @DHSgov @StateDept @GobiernodeChile

On June 10, 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard was kidnapped while walking to a school bus stop in Meyers, California. Law enforcement never stopped looking for Jaycee. And after 18 long years, they finally found her – and rescued her and the two daughters she had with her kidnapper and rapist. National Missing Persons Day is a powerful reminder to never give up hope that the missing will be found. And to support the dedicated law enforcement officers everywhere who never give up the search for the missing. To report a missing person, contact the Orange County Sheriff's Office at (407) 254-7000 or after 5:00 PM please call (407) 836-4357.

Today we celebrate the USO for creating a home away from home for our warriors. The USO is the lifeline connecting our armed forces to the homeland, providing celebrations, care packages, and much more to our brave soldiers. Their support for our troops during and after deployment is worthy of the highest praise.

District Attorney Todd Spitzer has raised concerns about a loophole in the Department of Homeland Security’s ESTA visa waiver program. Chilean organized crime rings exploit this loophole to come the U.S. to commit residential and commercial burglaries, follow-home robberies, and thefts across the country. In a recent article, Daily Journal highlighted the shared concern from house lawmakers urging the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to evaluate Chile’s participation in the visa waiver program and to finally close the loophole. Full Daily Journal article below: Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer is calling on the federal government to tighten restrictions on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waiver program, citing its role in enabling organized crime from Chile. House lawmakers have echoed his concerns, urging an evaluation of Chile's participation. Law enforcement officials warn that sophisticated burglary networks are exploiting the system to target homes across the U.S. Orange County District Attorney wants the federal government to tighten up the Electronic System for Travel Authorization visa waiver program, which he says is allowing Chilean gangs to operate in the U.S. "For the last 18 months, I have been sounding the alarm about a dangerous loophole in the ESTA Visa Waiver program that is being exploited by organized crime rings from Chile to enter the United States unlimited times over a two-year period without background checks," Spitzer said. "These criminals aren't coming to the United States to visit Disneyland and other tourist destinations - they are coming here to steal, terrorizing Americans in their own homes. From Orange County to San Diego to Maine and everything in between." A group of U.S. House representatives sent a letter Wednesday to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking that they evaluate Chile's participation in the visa waiver program. The letter, penned by Rep Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove), drew extensively from testimony provided by Orange County Senior Deputy District Attorney Bradley Schoenleben before the House Judiciary Committee in July 2023. Schoenleben told lawmakers about sophisticated criminal tactics, including advanced counter- surveillance and electronic tracking devices used by Chilean gangs for targeted burglaries. He said Orange County law enforcement agencies have arrested more than 100 individuals identified as transnational organized burglary suspects during the past three years. A federal grand jury in California indicted Juan Carlos Thola-Duran and Ana Maria Arriagada, alleging they used Driver Power Rentals to facilitate "burglary tourism" and pandemic-relief fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs. U.S.A. v. Juan Carlos Thola-Duran et al., 2:24-cr-00471-MWF, (C.D. Cal., filed Aug. 01, 2024) "These criminals were running a burglary operation with a sophistication that rivals Amazon," Spitzer said at the time of the indictment. "Instead of dispatching delivery drivers, they were dispatching trained thieves throughout Southern California to steal from what should be where we are safest -- our homes." Law enforcement has tracked similar coordinated crimes in 25 jurisdictions nationwide, linking 175 Ventura County burglaries to transnational theft groups from 2019 to mid-2023. Roy and McClintock have proposed statutory reforms to close loopholes in the visa waiver program. Argentina was removed from the program in 2002 over similar organized crime concerns. The State and Homeland Security Departments can suspend nations for program violations but have not yet responded to the congressional inquiry. Spitzer pointed out that Chile remains the sole South American nation in the visa waiver program. "Until the U.S. government revokes Chile from the ESTA program or Chile provides criminal background checks, communities across our nation will continue to be terrorized by these burglary crews," Spitzer said. @SecRubio @KristiNoem @GobiernodeChile

Crime doesn’t pay in Orange County.

Help Keep Orange County California's Safest Large County – Join the Orange County District Attorney’s Office Crime Doesn’t Pay in Orange County – and we need you to help keep it that way. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is the sixth largest prosecutorial office in the nation. We have earned a national reputation for aggressive crimefighting while also investing in mental health, recidivism reduction, and combatting hate motivated crimes. We are leading the charge against retail theft, burglary tourism, and fentanyl deaths. If you're looking for a place where your legal prowess can truly shine, the Orange County California District Attorney's Office is hiring Deputy District Attorneys I, II, III, IV. Find out more about our job opportunities: #crimedoesntpayinoc #notallheroeswearcapes #justice

This morning, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office connected with numerous parents at Andy and Aiden Safety Group’s Communities Come Together Tustin event, a community event dedicated to supporting children in Orange County. Through our informational booth, we provided families with essential resources and important information on victim rights. Alongside our booth, @ocfireauthority and @tustinpolice provided training to parents and children to handle a variety of emergency situations. We are also very grateful to Senator Steven Choi for recognizing our commitment to the community with a special certificate of recognition. Thank you to Andy and Aiden Safety Group. for hosting a wonderful and insightful gathering!

Black History Month is a time to reflect on the enormous courage and contributions of African Americans who have shaped our nation's history. By honoring the struggles and triumphs of African Americans throughout history we can build towards a better future for everyone. Thurgood Marshall—perhaps best known as the first African American Supreme Court Justice—played an instrumental role in promoting racial equality during the civil rights movement. As a practicing attorney, Marshall argued a record-breaking 32 cases before the Supreme Court, winning 29 of them. In fact, Marshall represented and won more cases before the high court than any other person. During his 24-year term as Supreme Court justice, Marshall’s passionate support for individual and civil rights guided his policies and decisions. Most historians regard him as an influential figure in shaping social policies and upholding laws to protect minorities. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954): This landmark case was considered Marshall’s greatest victory as a civil-rights lawyer. A group of Black parents whose children were required to attend segregated schools filed a class-action lawsuit. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.”

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT) was honored to educate local middle school students how to protect themselves from human trafficking and exploitation. Using a spinner and raffle tickets, we helped the students of Orange County learn terms such as “Consent,” “Harboring,” “The Three P’s,” and more. Thank you @vanguardu for allowing us, law enforcement, and survivor advocates to share our mission with the community—to end human trafficking. #knowmoredobetter

@GobiernodeChile

Tragedy shouldn’t equal profit. As families are grappling with the loss of loved ones and the loss of their homes and the memories made in those homes as a result of the devastation unleashed on Southern California by the Palisades and Eaton fires, unscrupulous people are seizing on these tragedies as an opportunity to profit through price gouging of rental housing. District Attorneys from across Southern California, including Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, are asking Governor Newsom to expand a Declaration of Emergency order to include the neighboring counties of Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Santa Barbara so that price gouging can be prosecuted in there. Current law does not allow price gouging to be prosecuted unless there is an emergency declaration – and that is putting vulnerable fire victims at risk as they look to other nearby counties for a place to live while they look to rebuild their lives – and their homes. Thank you to Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin, San Bernardino District Attorney Jason Anderson, and Santa Barbara District Attorney John Savrnoch for joining Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer in continuing to stand up for victims and protect them from people attempting to profit from these devastating fires. @CAgovernor @RivCoDA @DASantaBarbara @sbcountyda

Today, we wish a Happy Lunar New Year to the East Asian and Southeast Asian residents of Orange County. The year of the snake ushers stability and transformation for a time of renewal, family reunions, and cultural reflection. Look for your lucky signs and embrace your journey to self-improvement.