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Ceres Police Face Multiple Charges from Ceres Community
Ceres Police are now under a large contingent of people, who in the post-Andres Raya gang sweeps, feel that their civil rights, (and very lives), were threatened and violated by police gone wild.
As reported by John Holland in the Modesto Bee yesterday, "Ten people have filed claims alleging that Ceres police violated their rights in gang sweeps that followed the January shooting death of Sgt. Howard Stevenson.
The claims, a precursor to possible lawsuits against the city and the officers involved, accuse police of improper searches and arrests, sometimes at gunpoint, as well as discrimination against Latinos and excessive force.
Police Chief Art de Werk declined Thursday to comment in detail about the claims.
"We do our jobs professionally, and I will leave it at that," he said."
The gang sweeps took place in the wake of Andres Raya shooting two police officers, one of whom died. Raya was then shot to death by police. His actions are still vague, however he stated that he didn't want to go back and fight in Iraq, and made anti-Bush and war comments during the shooting. Raya was also involved in a school breakin before the shooting, where in a video tape he cut up an American flag and wrote "Fuck Bush" with it. With the help of the Justice Department, the police created a spin that pointed the finger at possible gang ties as the cause of the shooting, not the political connections that were very clear.
In the aftermath, police raided homes, harassed people that knew Raya, (friends/family), got automatic weapons and started doing patrols and stops of young latinos in baggy clothes, and generally made life a living hell for many people living in the poor latino areas of Ceres.
As the Bee reported: "The claimants include Esteban Diaz of Ceres, a friend of Andres Raya, the Marine and alleged gang member who killed Stevenson and wounded officer Sam Ryno outside a liquor store Jan. 9.
Diaz complains of being detained by officers for no valid reason more than a dozen times since January. He claims that police also broke up two vigils in honor of Raya, who was killed Jan. 9 in a gunfight with other officers.
"I just want the police to get off my back, to tell you the truth," Diaz said Thursday. He added that he has not had problems with police in the last month.
The claims were filed through the Modesto office of California Rural Legal Assistance, which helps low-income people with legal matters. Staff attorney Maria Jaime, who signed the claims, could not be reached for comment.
The claims, each seeking at least $10,000 in damages, are on the agenda for Monday night's meeting of the Ceres City Council. Typically, claims against cities are denied without comment, clearing the way for the claimants to file lawsuits in Superior Court.
The claimants said police went too far. One of them, Ramona Flores, said officers threatened her and frightened her children during a Jan. 17 search of her Ceres home. She told The Bee in January that they searched the room of her 20-year-old son, who was suspected of associating with Raya, but left with nothing.
"The claimant experienced loss of liberty, humiliation, embarrassment, mental suffering and violation of constitutional rights," Flores' claim says.
The claims, one to two pages each, also came from:
Niceforo Flores, who cited the same incident as Ramona Flores, as well as a Jan. 14 traffic stop in Ceres.
Ruben Flores, who claims that police assaulted and illegally detained him and his son Feb. 5 at a home west of Modesto.
Cecelia Flores, who claims that police pointed weapons at her and two children, also at the home west of Modesto.
Rosemary Musino, who says police searched a south Modesto home without a warrant in January, along with pointing weapons at her family and threatening to kill their dogs.
Ignacio Musino, for the same incident.
Eduardo Gutierrez Jr. of Ceres, who claims several instances of illegal searches and excessive force by police.
Eduardo Gutierrez Sr., who has the same address as Eduardo Jr. and accuses police of improper searches and surveillance.
Maria Gutierrez, also at the same address, who complains of illegal searches, excessive force and improper surveillance."
For more info on the situation in Ceres, read these past articles: http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/02/1720915.php - "Living in the Wake of a Cop Killer"
http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/03/1724843.php - "Ceres Walks out of City Meeting"
The claims, a precursor to possible lawsuits against the city and the officers involved, accuse police of improper searches and arrests, sometimes at gunpoint, as well as discrimination against Latinos and excessive force.
Police Chief Art de Werk declined Thursday to comment in detail about the claims.
"We do our jobs professionally, and I will leave it at that," he said."
The gang sweeps took place in the wake of Andres Raya shooting two police officers, one of whom died. Raya was then shot to death by police. His actions are still vague, however he stated that he didn't want to go back and fight in Iraq, and made anti-Bush and war comments during the shooting. Raya was also involved in a school breakin before the shooting, where in a video tape he cut up an American flag and wrote "Fuck Bush" with it. With the help of the Justice Department, the police created a spin that pointed the finger at possible gang ties as the cause of the shooting, not the political connections that were very clear.
In the aftermath, police raided homes, harassed people that knew Raya, (friends/family), got automatic weapons and started doing patrols and stops of young latinos in baggy clothes, and generally made life a living hell for many people living in the poor latino areas of Ceres.
As the Bee reported: "The claimants include Esteban Diaz of Ceres, a friend of Andres Raya, the Marine and alleged gang member who killed Stevenson and wounded officer Sam Ryno outside a liquor store Jan. 9.
Diaz complains of being detained by officers for no valid reason more than a dozen times since January. He claims that police also broke up two vigils in honor of Raya, who was killed Jan. 9 in a gunfight with other officers.
"I just want the police to get off my back, to tell you the truth," Diaz said Thursday. He added that he has not had problems with police in the last month.
The claims were filed through the Modesto office of California Rural Legal Assistance, which helps low-income people with legal matters. Staff attorney Maria Jaime, who signed the claims, could not be reached for comment.
The claims, each seeking at least $10,000 in damages, are on the agenda for Monday night's meeting of the Ceres City Council. Typically, claims against cities are denied without comment, clearing the way for the claimants to file lawsuits in Superior Court.
The claimants said police went too far. One of them, Ramona Flores, said officers threatened her and frightened her children during a Jan. 17 search of her Ceres home. She told The Bee in January that they searched the room of her 20-year-old son, who was suspected of associating with Raya, but left with nothing.
"The claimant experienced loss of liberty, humiliation, embarrassment, mental suffering and violation of constitutional rights," Flores' claim says.
The claims, one to two pages each, also came from:
Niceforo Flores, who cited the same incident as Ramona Flores, as well as a Jan. 14 traffic stop in Ceres.
Ruben Flores, who claims that police assaulted and illegally detained him and his son Feb. 5 at a home west of Modesto.
Cecelia Flores, who claims that police pointed weapons at her and two children, also at the home west of Modesto.
Rosemary Musino, who says police searched a south Modesto home without a warrant in January, along with pointing weapons at her family and threatening to kill their dogs.
Ignacio Musino, for the same incident.
Eduardo Gutierrez Jr. of Ceres, who claims several instances of illegal searches and excessive force by police.
Eduardo Gutierrez Sr., who has the same address as Eduardo Jr. and accuses police of improper searches and surveillance.
Maria Gutierrez, also at the same address, who complains of illegal searches, excessive force and improper surveillance."
For more info on the situation in Ceres, read these past articles: http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/02/1720915.php - "Living in the Wake of a Cop Killer"
http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/03/1724843.php - "Ceres Walks out of City Meeting"
For more information:
http://www.modanarcho.tk
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My children ages 6,12 and 14 and myself have experienced a nightmare that won't go away. The Ceres Police Officers and Sargeant entered my home illegally and searched my house for drugs. I'm a Realtor not a drug dealer, since they didn't find the drugs they fabricated a dui, vandalism and obstructing an officer. We went to trial and we won 8 not guilty 4 guilty. Five days later the same officer came to my neighborhood for retaliation and impounded my SUV and again fabricated the case to traffic court at 9:30. Since I know there dirty scams, I called the traffic ourt 7 weeks later and was told that it wasn't filed. So when I called the chief of police to complain he got to work immediately and opened a criminal case at the Superior Court the same exact day I called him. Only that I wasn't notified I had to do it myself. They were hoping that I'd go to the wrong court and have a bench warrant but again, I'm on top of them. I know their game. I'm filing a lawsuit in federal court against the City of Ceres, Stanislaus County and maybe the DMV for covering up the officers fabrication and ruining my career and my life and taking away my driving privileges. The officer also fabricated the address and phone number as well as the garage supervisors badge number. I wonder if they are on drugs.
The Ceres Police are trying to put my mom away with their malicious fabrication and now that we beat them at rial they are retaliating with their hatred, harrassing threats, doing it again. We put our house on the market and can't hardly wait to get out of this landfil town with all those malicious cops. The officers arrested my mother on Christmas Eve at our house without a warrant, and broke into our home without anyone letting them in. My mom was at her friends for a while and when she got home at 7:30 p.m. They asked us who she was and when we told them it was my mother they immediately handcuffed in front of us and took her to jail all on a false police report that my uncle's girlfriend made to the Ceres Police Dept based on Jealousy since my mom is a single mother of three ages 6,12 and 14, just cause she makes alot more than my uncle. She doesn't work she's a dead beat who enjoys hurting others. The officers and the sargeant left us home alone and in danger, they didn't want the child protective services involved because that would reveal their crime they committed with us children as well as the fabrication. We turned them into the Grand Jury hoping for justice soon, before they hurt other innocent people like us. They deserve to be locked up.
Ceres needs to get rid of Hitler ( Art DeWerk) and his Modern-day Nazi's who are bringing down this biggot town with their evil, rascism, malicious officers. This is why the revenue in Ceres is drying up, all the businesses in Ceres are leaving this biggot town, Ceres Flea Market, Raley's Supermarket, Big Lots, car dealers, etc. Crowslanding Road is hopping comparing to Ceres. They ruined our lives and had to get their evil ways that I beat them twice in court for the same case over and over. The third time they all ganged up on me. The public deffender was incompetent to handle my case and instead acted like a prosecuter, everytime I asked for a speedy trial, Judge Donald Shaver would take my civil rights away for being a Latina. Detective Randall Moore needs to be investigated for his hatred evil misconduct. I demand they have cameras 100% of the time, or they need to fired. Why pay these evil-doers, Moore is a fat nasty "Roasted Pig" who weighs 350 pounds and is unfit for his job. Instead of chasing the criminals he targets innocent children, women and minorities, since he's an obese and an unfit fat slob detective, who will some day burn in hell. Kamila Hariss the General Attorney should investigate and prosecute, these criminals.
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