NEWPORT BEACH, CA – On Tuesday morning at the Harbor Justice Center, Judge Derek G. Johnson presided over a pretrial hearing involving a woman charged with multiple counts of second-degree commercial burglary. The charges stemmed from incidents in which the accused entered several Target stores with the intent to steal merchandise valued at $950 or more, qualifying the offenses as grand theft. She was also found guilty of altering license plates.
Following proceedings, Judge Johnson reduced all charges to misdemeanors but ordered the accused to complete Caltrans labor as part of her sentence.
Retained attorney April Gilbert explained that the accused had changed her previous plea, which prompted the court to lower the charges. However, despite the reduction, Judge Johnson imposed a requirement of 10 days of Caltrans labor—equivalent to 80 hours—as a condition of the ruling.
In line with current California policy, Caltrans labor is increasingly being used as a term of probation. This development follows broader debates surrounding forced labor and its role in the criminal justice system. According to CalMatters, Proposition 6—which would have ended involuntary servitude in state prisons—failed to pass during the November election. The article notes that while the proposition targeted forced labor, it notably omitted the word “slavery” from its language.
Assemblymember Wilson, quoted in the same CalMatters article, criticized the language used in Proposition 6, arguing that it stripped the measure of the historical weight and moral urgency that the word “slavery” conveys. Observers suggested that the wording may have affected voter perception and ultimately the proposition’s defeat.
This case underscores how evolving state policy—shaped by a combination of legislative action, voter opinion, and judicial discretion—can directly influence real-world outcomes in criminal proceedings.
After reading the accused her rights, Judge Johnson sentenced her to one year of probation. He cautioned that any violation of probation terms could result in up to five years in jail.
Before adjourning, Judge Johnson advised the accused to visit the court’s self-help center to better understand the requirements of her Caltrans labor. At the defense’s request, he granted her permission to report to the center the following day.
