WOODLAND, Calif. — During a review hearing in Yolo County Superior Court, a dispute arose over whether the accused should remain in custody while awaiting placement in a residential treatment program, despite having met the terms of a plea agreement.
Deputy Public Defender Roberto Villa said the accused was releasable to Walter’s House, a treatment center, on Wednesday, but probation clarified that a bed would not be available until Monday, Dec. 29.
According to probation officer Diana Fong, the accused’s original plea agreement required release directly to a residential treatment program. Because no bed was available at the time of sentencing, Fong explained that additional custody time was added to the sentence to ensure the accused would remain incarcerated until placement became available.
Fong told the court that probation initially contacted Walter’s House and was informed a bed would be available to the accused on Wednesday, Dec. 23, but a follow-up call revealed the program would not be able to accommodate the accused until Monday, Dec. 29.
Villa acknowledged the delay in securing a treatment bed but asked whether the accused could be released in the interim, noting that the accused had sufficient custody credits for time served. Deputy District Attorney Daniella Dunham confirmed that was accurate.
Fong opposed release, telling the court that because the accused had a history of leaving treatment facilities, the accused should remain in custody until placement was secured.
Judge Bradley Nelson said he understood probation’s concerns but noted the plea agreement required the accused to serve 60 percent of the sentence in custody, a threshold both the defense and prosecution confirmed had been met.
Ultimately, Nelson honored the plea agreement, finding the accused had exceeded the 60 percent custody requirement.
The accused was placed on supervised own-recognizance release and ordered to report to probation on Friday, Dec. 26, and to Walter’s House on Monday, Dec. 29.
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