Family Protection Division
The Family Protection Division prosecutes crimes of murder, domestic violence, stalking, crimes against children, and elder abuse. The division strongly supports victims of crime and works closely with criminal justice agencies and community partners. The division is led by Chief Kimberlee Lagotta.
In 2009, there were 631 domestic violence felonies filed in San Diego County and 2,095 domestic violence misdemeanors filed. A total of 303 Child Abuse cases and 20 Internet Crimes Against Children cases were prosecuted in the Family Protection Division. 198 Elder Abuse cases were filed by our office.
Domestic Violence
Today’s misdemeanor can be tomorrow’s homicide. The DA’s Office has specially-trained DDAs across the county handling only misdemeanor domestic violence, from the earliest stage (issuing) all the way through the trial. This vertical handling of the caseload ensures better courtroom efficiency, better perpetrator accountability, and better victim safety.
In 2009, The District Attorney’s Office sponsored and produced a 26-minute training video for law enforcement, which is available to the public. The video educates officers about children exposed to domestic violence, as well as provides legal updates and emphasizes a coordinated community response to holding batterers accountable. The training video was provided to each law enforcement agency in our county.
Elder Abuse
In a true community-partnering effort, our office (along with Adult Protective Services, San Diego Police Department, and San Diego State University) works within the Archstone Project and provides one-on-one personal services to elderly victims, such as home visits, advocacy, assistance with health and other home-care projects, and court-accompaniment. Specially trained DDAs and victim advocates have proven that rapport and relationships with our elder victims endure well beyond the prosecution of any particular case.
Child Abduction Unit
The Child Abduction Unit was busy with 647 contacts that led to 212 cases being opened and 129 children recovered. Our specially trained investigators and DDAs not only recover children locally, but consult and assist internationally, with countries such as Russia, France, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Peru, Columbia, Guam, Venezuala, Marianna Island, and Taipei.
Internet Crimes Against Children
The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) is comprised of law enforcement officers and prosecutors from the local, state, and national levels who work together to reduce the online sexual exploitation of children. The unit has deputy district attorneys specially-trained in prosecuting the exploitation of children on the internet. Efforts include full-time online investigation of Internet predators, aggressive prosecution of offenders, as well as community outreach to schools and parents.
Cases of note in the Family Protection Division during 2009 include:
People v. Haraszewski
Registered sex offender befriended multiple boy
victims, encouraged them to accompany him to the beach, went camping with
them, and repeatedly molested them. He possessed enormous amounts of child
pornography, and communicated with the boys on “My Space” and other social
network sites. The defendant pled not guilty by reason of insanity. A jury
convicted defendant of molesting multiple victims, and found he was sane
at the time. He faces life in state prison.
People v. Dennis Potts
The defendant
strangled his 10-month old infant and former lover for no other apparent
reason than to hide from paternity. He used his friend to fake a DNA sample
and to obstruct law enforcement during the investigation. Defendant was
convicted of two counts of first degree
murder and serves fife without the possibility of parole.
People v. Castaneda
The
defendant systematically abused a 2-year-old little boy over
the course of months, ultimately killing the boy. A jury convicted defendant
off first degree murder with special circumstances of torture. Defendant was
sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
People v. Nelson
The
defendant forced
82-year-old victim into the back of her own car, and held her captive there for
26-hours. She was bound, beat, and heroically survived the ordeal. Defendant
was convicted of torture and faces life in the state prison.
People v. Man
A mother abducted
her 10-year-old and 12-year-old children from San Diego to Austrailia in
violation of a court order. The boys had lived in San Diego their entire
lives. The father did not see his children for an entire year. Our Child
Abduction Unit assisted the father in the complex process of retrieving
children internationally. Finally, the boys were returned home to their
father.
AWARDS
Our Director of Elder Abuse Prosecutions, DDA Paul Greenwood, was recognized by a local Licensing organization with the Edwin H. Sullivan Award for Professional Achievement.
