Sheriff Jim Cooper

Unfortunately, fear mongering and misinformation appears to be exactly what Sacramento County supervisor candidate Flo Cofer has resorted to regarding Sacramento County’s continued longstanding relationship with the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), formerly known as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF was formed in 1982, and recently just changed their name, but not their mission when working with local law enforcement.

This is not immigration enforcement. California law (SB 54) strictly prohibits local law enforcement agencies from participating in immigration enforcement activities, and nothing in this agreement changes that. My Deputies are not conducting immigration operations, and are compliant with state law.

Just like OCDETF, HSTF is specifically designed to investigate serious transnational criminal organizations and coordinated criminal enterprises with a federal nexus. All HSTF cases investigate organized criminal enterprises involving three or more suspects, and require coordination through a national deconfliction center.

The guidelines also specifically state what is NOT an HSTF case, including immigration enforcement operations, local street-level gang investigations, or other criminal investigations with no transnational nexus.

Sacramento County residents deserve honest leadership rooted in facts, not manufactured outrage designed to stay politically relevant. Spreading misinformation to create fear in our communities is irresponsible and does nothing to improve Sacramento County.





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A 20-year-old, two 18-year-olds, and two 17-year-olds are facing homicide charges. In California, their ages do not just describe who they are; they largely determine what consequences they will face.

Proposition 57, and legislation that followed it, fundamentally changed how this state handles young violent offenders. It removed prosecutors from the decision to try juveniles as adults and shifted that authority to the courts. The practical effect is a juvenile system with built-in limits. In most cases, offenders cannot be held beyond the age of 25. That is not an unintended gap in the law; it was intentional.

But the policy does not stop at 18. California created the youth offender parole program, allowing individuals who committed crimes at a “young” age (18 to 25), including serious and violent crimes, to be considered for early release after serving only a portion of their sentence. That means the 18- and 20-year-olds in this case are not necessarily facing sentences that fit their crimes. They are entering a system designed to move them toward earlier release.

At the other end, the elderly parole program applies the same principle. Different category, same outcome. Whether based on age at the time of the crime or later in life, the policy direction is consistent: shorten sentences for serious and violent offenders.

These laws were created, passed, and expanded with full understanding of how they function together. The result is a system that reduces accountability at multiple stages, from juvenile jurisdiction to adult parole eligibility.

The result is an 18-year-old Sacramento State student shot to death while sitting in the back of an Uber. Her friend survived and will live with the consequences of that night for the rest of his life. They were not involved in any dispute and did not know the people involved. They were simply there.

The law places limits on how long offenders can be held but takes zero ownership of the damage done to victims and their families. This is not a system failing. It is a system operating exactly as designed. If that outcome is unacceptable, then join me and help change the law.

CORRECTION!

I want to correct an earlier post and thank the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for the clarification: Jorge Tinoco is not being considered for release under the elderly parole program.

He is actually up for release under California’s youth offender parole process, expanded following Proposition 57. Because he was 25 years old at the time he committed this crime, he qualifies.

But does it really matter? Both laws are the same in legislative intent. Picking the winners and losers of violent and sexual criminal acts. Clearly, the standards set in the last decade have picked child molesters and rapists as the winners, and, like in this case, 5-year-old girls as the losers.

While the public is told these policies are about rehabilitation and fairness, what’s actually happening is a steady expansion of complicated, technical legal pathways that allow violent offenders, including sexually violent predators like Jorge Tinoco, to work their way back into our neighborhoods.

Call it “youth offender,” call it “early review,” call it whatever sounds best on paper. The end result is the same. Someone capable of committing a horrific crime is being given another opportunity at early release.

This isn’t an isolated situation; it’s a pattern. A system that continues to redefine eligibility, stretch intent, and reopen cases victims were led to believe were settled.

As your Sheriff, I consider it my duty and obligation to inform my constituents about these public safety failures. I will continue to do so. However, it’s important for you to know these reckless early release laws cannot be reversed by the Legislature. They must be changed at the ballot box.

To support reform of Proposition 57:

By Mail:
Protect Our Kids: Reform Prop 57
FPPC ID # 1489856
1700 Tribute Rd, Suite 201
Sacramento, CA 95815

Online Donations:
eFundraising: https://www.efundraisingconnections.com/c/ProtectOurKidsReform57

ActBlue: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/protect-our-kids–reform-prop-57–a-jim-cooper-ballot-meas-1

CHILD RA**ST SET FOR RELEASE UNDER ELDERLY PAROLE – AND THE BALLOT MEASURE TO STOP IT

This video is based on the actual crime reports, interviews and the investigation conducted by our Child Abuse Detectives. In this case, a five-year-old girl was r***d so severely and her injuries were so bad, Deputies had to carry her into the emergency room because she could not walk on her own.

The sexual predator, Jorge Tinoco, was 25 years old at the time of the crime. Today, he is 54 years old; and was granted elderly release (release date still pending).

Throughout the investigation, he blamed the 5 year old girl. He even stated that “she asked for it” (the r**e) and came in to his room.

During his parole hearing, he stated he still sexually fantasizes about young girls, but he “has it under control.” But, who knows? There are no young girls in prison to test his “control” over his fantasies. He was justifiably sentenced to a prison term of 24 years to life, but only served 29. This is just another “experiment” by the Board of Parole Hearings, weighing the hope of monsters changing over potential new innocent victims.

We MUST be serious about public safety and prioritize victims over sexual predators. We MUST demand accountability, and prevent these monsters from going free.

Join me in a ballot measure to reform Prop 57, and prevent sexually violent predators like Jorge Tinoco from ever stepping out of prison. You can donate the following ways:

By mail:
Protect our Kids: Reform Prop 57
FPPC ID # 1489856
1700 Tribute Rd Suite 201
Sacramento CA 95815

eFundraising Donation Link: https://www.efundraisingconnections.com/c/ProtectOurKidsReform57 (https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://www.efundraisingconnections.com/c/ProtectOurKidsReform57___.YzJ1OnNhY3JhbWVudG9jb3VudHlzaGVyaWZmczpjOm86NTkxMjBhOTJmMjg4YmE1YmJiYjNiZWE2MmJhNmVmNDM6NzoxNWI0OmEyNGM0NzdkNTZjNDk2MzFjMmJkZDJhZWYxZDAwOWI4YzU1MzAwNzA2YThmMTgxNWRlNWMxNWFhNTc0MzZjY2Q6aDpUOk4)

ActBlue Donation Link: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/protect-our-kids--reform-prop-57--a-jim-cooper-ballot-meas-1 (https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://secure.actblue.com/donate/protect-our-kids--reform-prop-57--a-jim-cooper-ballot-meas-1___.YzJ1OnNhY3JhbWVudG9jb3VudHlzaGVyaWZmczpjOm86NTkxMjBhOTJmMjg4YmE1YmJiYjNiZWE2MmJhNmVmNDM6NzoyNjUyOjJjNDgyNDRiNjAyNjU5YTZlYzYwMDFlYmZlMjI3MTZhMDQ1YWZmMTExMGIwNWE4Yzk0MmE0M2QxZWEwMDQxNDY6aDpUOk4)