Earlier, we reported that Mono County Court sentenced Jack Colby of Mammoth Lakes to three years in “local prison” after he pleaded guilty to possession for sales of cocaine. Questions have come in about what “local prison” actually means. Mono District Attorney Tim Kendall explained that 2011 legislation changed the way some individuals convicted of felonies are incarcerated.
Kendall said that the law generally known as realignment reduced the number of individuals that can be sentenced to state prison. He said the law now places that burden on counties to house their own inmates. In the case of Jack Colby, he will spend his time in the Mono County Jail in Bridgeport. However, a prison commitment will show up on Colby’s criminal record and can be used as a prison enhancement if he should commit a new crime.
The DA said the law changed primarily because of the State’s financial crisis. The shift of prisoners to county jails also shifted the costs. Kendall said California reduced the number of inmates in state lockups to comply with federal court orders to reduce overcrowding in the State’s prisons.
Bottom line, according to the DA, counties now house the majority of their own felons. He said only very serious or violent felony offenders go to state prison. Kendall said those convicted of murder, serious assaults, sex crimes and a few others head to state prison. The DA said that most drug offenders stay in local county jails.
Another issue of public questions in the Colby case – what happens to possessions that are forfeited? Colby forfeited $20,000 cash and a Harley Davidson motorcycle. DA Kendall said that first an investigation must determine if the items were purchased with drug proceeds. With a conviction, the DA’s office then proceeds to liquidate these kinds of possessions. Kendall said that vehicles and residences are sold at auction.
All money received is distributed by Health and Safety Code. 24% goes to the State General Fund. 1%, to a private nonprofit organization for ethics training of prosecutors and law enforcement. 15% goes into a special fund for funding programs designed to combat drug abuse, gang activity and for public education. 10% goes to the District Attorney’s office for prosecution of drug cases. The remaining 50% is divided up between all law enforcement agencies to supplement their drug programs and operations.
Kendall said there is a full accounting and yearly audit by the State for all of these funds.
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didnt sean penn choose bridgeport when he had to do time?
Yes. He did. Many years ago.
BK
Sean Penn is a class act. He cares about people. What charge was he doing time for?
It was around 1987. He assaulted a photographer in some scenario. Was married to Madonna at the time.
BK
I believe it was only his fifth or sixth bout near the beginning of a successful amateur pugilist career in which, if memory serves, he remains undefeated to this day. A real class act. Which no doubt is why the ever elegant Madonna snagged him when she got the chance.
Ok, you ARE being sarcastic, lol. I was worried for a second.
Really, the guy has devoted himself to helping the people first in New Orleans and still is helping people in Haiti . Who cares if he beat up some journalist?
Thanks for following up on the confiscated assets question!
Yeah Sierragrl .. you could probably pick that hawg up for cheap at the auction.
Sounds like the war on drugs is going bankrupt also.
Like I said earlier, a further financial drain on the county that prosecuted him. Now they get to feed, clothe, and look after his medical and dental needs for the next 3 years, PLUS, his family won’t have to go far for a visit. I hope whoever replaces Ralphie works his #ss off.
(wishful thinking)
I hear ya Big Rick … a drain .. but it was the MLPD that arrested him, yeah be it … it is in Mono county. But they had to arrest him right? Can’t have him out on the streets pushing meth? Wayne will back me up on this, I’m sure.
The big difference here, as I pointed out in an earlier article on this, is that the sate now no longer has too many vacancies at the big house. They are putting the bigger share of the burden onto the counties and cities.
Trouble is .. with Mono county, they do not have a facility big enough, now they have to try to put them up at another county’s jail. Paying like Inyo county to house prisoners that they can not incarcerate. Pay to have these inmates transported to these other jails and back.
Maybe Mono county should build a new jail facility out where the old Mammoth high school used to be on Hot Creek Road?
I don’t think the area where the old school was is very big…not to mention, its so close to the Hot Creek Hatchery residential area. I’d go with the old sub-station area, but that’s not very big either. I do agree a south county jail would be an improvement….It would save a lot of man power from transporting arrestees up to bridgeport. I also hear that the old jail is in very bad condition.