Crime

Sexual Exploitation Case Dropped Against City of Richmond

Published

7 years ago

February 9, 2018

The woman at the center of the explosive police sex scandal in 2016 has dropped her lawsuit against the City of Richmond, as of Jan. 17.

Jasmine Abuslin, who went by the name Celeste Guap, dropped an almost-identical lawsuit against Contra Costa County and its sheriff last year.

John Burris, Abuslin’s current attorney, said that the case was dropped because Abuslin was tired of testifying.

Abuslin received a $989,000 settlement from the City of Oakland in May, though her claim was for $66 million. Councilmember Desley Brooks was the only person to vote no on the lesser settlement figure, because she believed it to be too low.

“I believe this settlement is yet another example of Ms. Guap being abused by the system. A young girl was victimized, and morally we don’t see that it is wrong, that we can vote for this settlement,” Brooks said.
The original complaint against the City of Richmond kept Abuslin anonymous; the plaintiff was called JANE DOE.

Her true name was revealed in August, following her arrest in Florida. She had fled from a rehab facility that the City of Richmond sent her to in Miami to treat her heroin and sex addiction.

Many at the time were concerned that Richmond police sent her out of state and placed her in a facility at a time when she was a key witness in investigations involving numerous police departments, including Richmond.

Although she checked in voluntarily, she was not allowed to call her family or leave.
Just a few days after her arrival, Abuslin fled and began “flashing” cars on the street until armed security guards brought her back inside. She then bit a staff member as he attempted to inject her with a sedative and was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery.

Her attorney at the time, Charles Bonner, got it reduced to a misdemeanor, and helped return Abuslin to the Bay Area.

Her lawsuit against the City of Richmond cited seven violations, naming five police officers and accusing them of using their power to coerce Abuslin, a sex-trafficked minor, “with the intention of retaining her services for themselves,” the complaint states.
Her claim against the City of Richmond was for $30 million, but that case was dropped this month.

The complaint also stated: “Each of the five officers knew that [Abuslin]was a sex worker and had been trafficked as a sex worker while a child. A reasonably prudent and properly trained police officer having met [Abuslin] would have provided support or resources to [Abuslin]. The fact that each of the five DEFENDANT OFFICERS decided to exploit the young and vulnerable [Abuslin] is evidence of a widespread and persistent custom of exploiting sex workers by providing protection in exchange for sexual favors.”

Several cases against officers have been dismissed, though many were suspended or fired.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Kevin de Leon Clashes With SoCal Activist Group Over Donation to Victims of Sex Assault

Don't Miss

Shot Fired Through Window of Post Publisher Paul Cobb’s Home

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 28 – April 1, 2025

Published

6 days ago

March 28, 2025

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Group Takes First Steps to Recall District Attorney Diana Becton

The group, called “Recall Diana Becton,” says they have lost faith in her prosecution decisions and her lack of transparency. On their social media post, they say: “We the victims of crime, their families, local business owners and employees, as well as residents of Contra Costa County, have reached our limit and are initiating the recall of District Attorney Diana Becton,” the notice states. “We are increasingly concerned about the persistent cycle of unaddressed criminal activity. We are frustrated by her continuous empty promises to victims and their families that justice will prevail while she permits criminals to roam free.” Becton, 73, is a former judge who was appointed district attorney in 2017 by the Board of Supervisors and then won election in 2018 and again in 2022.

Published

1 week ago

March 24, 2025

Oakland Post

Diana Becton has served at the Contra Costa County District Attorney since 2017. Richmond Standard photo.

By Post Staff

After gathering more than 100 verified signatures, a group led by crime victims delivered a ‘notice of intent’ to the offices of Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton seeking her recall.

The group, called “Recall Diana Becton,” says they have lost faith in her prosecution decisions and her lack of transparency.

On their social media post, they say:

“We the victims of crime, their families, local business owners and employees, as well as residents of Contra Costa County, have reached our limit and are initiating the recall of District Attorney Diana Becton,” the notice states.

“We are increasingly concerned about the persistent cycle of unaddressed criminal activity. We are frustrated by her continuous empty promises to victims and their families that justice will prevail while she permits criminals to roam free.”

Becton, 73, is a former judge who was appointed district attorney in 2017 by the Board of Supervisors and then won election in 2018 and again in 2022.

Becton has seven days to respond. According to the East Bay Times, her office spokesperson said her “answer will be her public comment.”

After Becton responds, according to the Contra Costa County Elections Office, Recall Diana Becton must then finalize the petition language and gather signatures of a minimum of 10% of registered voters (72,000) in 160 days before it can go on the ballot for election.

She is the third Bay Area district attorney whose constituents wanted them removed from office. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was removed from office in 2021 and last year, Pamela Price lost her position in a recall election.

Of the top 10 proponents of Becton’s recall, three are the families of Alexis Gabe, Thomas Arellano, and Damond Lazenby Jr.

In each of those cases, the families say Becton failed to pursue prosecution, allowed a plea deal instead of a trial in a slaying and questioned the coroner’s report in a fatal car crash.

Some political science experts suggest that, in the Bay Area there may be a bit of copycat syndrome going on.

In many states, recalls are not permitted at all, but in California, not only are they permitted but the ability to put one into motion is easy.

“Only 10% of registered voters in a district are needed just to start the process of getting the effort onto the ballot,” Garrick Percival, a political science professor told the East Bay Times. “It makes it easy to make the attempt.”

But according to their website, the Recall Diana Becton group express their loss of faith in the prosecutor.

“Her lack of transparency regarding crime in this county, and her attempts to keep her offenders out of jail have left us disheartened,” the recall group wrote.

Petitioners say they are acting not just for themselves but other crime victims “who feel ignored, exasperated and hopeless in their pursuit of justice for themselves or their loved ones.”

KRON TV, The East Bay Times, and Wikipedia are the sources for this report.