My View: Yolo County DA’s Office Prioritizes Drug Bust Awards over Justice

Deputy DA Matt De Moura – received an award for “Outstanding Investigation of the Year”

When it comes to criminal justice, Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig’s office seems more concerned with publicity and tough-on-crime optics than with needed attention to local crises.

The latest example? Deputy District Attorney Matt De Moura receiving an award for “Outstanding Investigation of the Year” from the Central Valley High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program for leading an 18-month drug and gun trafficking investigation.

The Yolo County DA’s Office wasted no time in celebrating this “win” on social media, boasting about the millions of dollars’ worth of drug and gun seizures. But beyond the photo ops and self-congratulatory press releases, we must ask: What does this investigation actually mean for Yolo County residents?

While De Moura and the DA’s Office take a victory lap, Yolo County communities continue to struggle with the systemic issues fueling substance abuse, housing instability, and over-policing.

Instead of investing in harm reduction, mental health treatment, and rehabilitation, this administration remains laser-focused on punitive law enforcement strategies that disproportionately target vulnerable communities while doing little to address the root causes of crime.

The War on Drugs Playbook: Prioritizing Prosecutions over Solutions

The DA’s tweet proudly touts the scale of the operation—six counties, two federal districts, and millions in drug and gun seizures. But history tells us that these headline-grabbing busts do little to curb drug use or trafficking in the long run.

The drug war mentality that the DA’s Office embraces has led to decades of over-policing, mass incarceration, and the destruction of communities, particularly those already marginalized. Research has repeatedly shown that aggressive prosecution and incarceration do not reduce drug-related crime—they only fuel a cycle of imprisonment and reentry without addressing addiction or economic desperation. The people arrested in these “sweeps” will likely be replaced by others facing the same economic pressures, while those struggling with addiction are left with fewer resources to recover.

If the real goal were to reduce drug-related harm, the Yolo County DA’s Office would invest in public health strategies, not just more arrests and prosecutions. Harm reduction efforts—like expanding access to medication-assisted treatment, overdose prevention programs, and housing-first initiatives—have been proven to reduce drug-related deaths and improve community well-being. But instead of backing evidence-based solutions, Yolo County’s DA continues to double down on outdated “tough on crime” tactics that do little but fill court dockets and prisons.

The DA’s Misplaced Priorities: Where’s the Accountability for Prosecutorial Misconduct?

While the Yolo County DA’s Office eagerly promotes its role in major drug investigations, it has remained silent on its own ethical failings.

Let’s not forget that under DA Jeff Reisig’s leadership, Yolo County prosecutors have a history of misconduct, wrongful prosecutions, and a lack of transparency. The office has been accused of:

• Overcharging defendants to coerce plea deals

• Blocking criminal justice reforms like Prop 47 and Prop 57, which reduce sentences for nonviolent offenses

• Fighting against the release of wrongfully convicted individuals

• Pursuing harsh sentences against juveniles despite evidence that rehabilitation is more effective

And yet, where are the awards for undoing wrongful convictions or for supporting restorative justice programs? Where are the celebrations for policies that actually reduce recidivism and improve lives?

Instead, we get a photo of Matt De Moura smiling with an award, reinforcing a prosecution-first mentality that has failed communities across the country.

Who Really Pays the Price?

When prosecutors focus on racking up convictions and maximizing sentences, the human cost is immense. This latest drug bust is being framed as a victory, but the reality for those arrested and their families is likely one of devastation—lost jobs, broken families, and a criminal record that makes rehabilitation even harder.

Meanwhile, Yolo County residents continue to struggle with:

• A lack of affordable housing

• Insufficient mental health and addiction treatment services

• Over-policing in marginalized communities

• A DA’s Office that prioritizes punishment over prevention

It’s easy for prosecutors to frame these arrests as a win—but they won’t be the ones suffering the consequences.

A Different Path Forward

If the Yolo County DA’s Office truly wanted to make the community safer, it would:

1. Invest in diversion programs—offering treatment and support for those with substance use disorders instead of incarceration.

2. Expand harm reduction services—such as needle exchanges, supervised consumption sites, and fentanyl test strip distribution.

3. Stop overcharging cases—so that individuals aren’t pressured into unfair plea deals that ruin their futures.

4. Support justice reforms—that focus on rehabilitation, not just punishment.

5. Hold law enforcement accountable—instead of rewarding them with awards while ignoring civil rights concerns.

Prosecutors like Matt De Moura and Jeff Reisig are not making Yolo County safer—they’re just ensuring that the cycle of criminalization continues while collecting accolades along the way.

Yolo County deserves a justice system that prioritizes fairness, accountability, and real solutions—not just another tough-on-crime prosecutor looking for the next award-winning case.

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