By Shady Gonzales
MODESTO, CA – The accused, a pregnant woman facing drug and other felony charges, asked the judge in Stanislaus County Superior Court this week for a reduction in her bail—it was reduced but it’s still a hefty number.
The accused is currently employed as a caretaker and told the court she takes home roughly $5,000 per month. She claims that she is not able to afford the cost of bail as it is currently set. The accused also receives CalWorks in the form of $600 per month for her pregnancy.
The defense attorney arguing in favor of the accused’s request argued the accused is not a flight risk. She is a native to Stanislaus County and currently lives within the county premises, defense counsel contended, adding the accused also has multiple family members living within the county premises alongside her.
Judge Dawna Reeves then asked the accused’s attorney if he had prepared the financial declaration that is typically required in the Stanislaus Superior Court Department 1 in bail reduction cases.
Apologizing for his mistake, the defense attorney revealed that he did not prepare the paperwork.
Deputy District Attorney Sara Sousa argued why a reduction in bail is not appropriate in the accused’s case. Although much of Sousa’s argument was incomprehensible through the zoom livestream, she revealed that the accused has a significant criminal history—most of which are misdemeanor charges.
Surprising to all counsel present in the hearing, it was also revealed that the accused has an outstanding felony warrant in San Joaquin County.
Sousa explained that the felony charges made against the accused were in relation to possession of controlled substances and false impersonation of another individual. These substances have not been tested by the Department of Justice for identification.
However, one of the substances in the accused’s possession was identified as fentanyl. 
Judge Reeves raised the following questions in response to Sousa: “Are we talking about pills? Are we talking about powder? If so, are we talking about grams, ounces, or pounds?”
From what could be heard in Sousa’s statement, the accused had four grams of an unidentified substance, 49 grams of another unidentified substance, and 2.4 grams of another unidentified substance in her possession at the time of her arrest in the felony case. There were more quantifications given that could not be heard.
Following Sousa’s arguments, Judge Reeves asked the accused’s attorney where the accused would reside if her bail were to be reduced. The defense attorney testified that the accused would reside at her residence in Stanislaus County that is owned by the father of her child.
Judge Reeves declared she would reduce the accused’s $350,000 bail to $150,000.
Judge Reeves stated that this reduction would also require the accused to submit her person, vehicle, residence, and any property under her control to search for controlled substances and drug paraphernalia.
The next hearing in the accused’s case will be on June 28, 2022.
