SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Sacramento County Superior Court judge set bail at $45,000 Thursday for an accused facing nonviolent drug-related charges, despite defense arguments that his employment, housing stability, and willingness to comply with release conditions justified pretrial release.
At the bail review hearing, Deputy Public Defender Courtney Dier spoke on behalf of the accused, offering numerous justifications for pretrial release. According to DPD Dier, the accused is currently employed cleaning storage units, has access to a phone, is not a flight risk, and has a current residence in Sacramento.
DPD Dier also noted the accused would be amenable to wearing an ankle monitor and would comply with all other conditions of release.
DPD Dier stated that the accused had several failures to appear; however, she noted that some were due to the accused’s incarceration in other counties on court dates.
The accused would also be seeking residential rehabilitation, according to DPD Dier, again stressing the importance of release.
Deputy District Attorney Lee argued against allowing pretrial release for the accused, citing a risk to public safety. She also noted the accused’s multiple failures to appear, prior probation violations, and multiple prior felony convictions.
Judge David Bonilla recognized that the three cases involving the accused were “not felony acts of violence” nor were they “threats of violence to any person or entity.”
Judge Bonilla’s disposition was not in alignment with DDA Lee’s assertion that the accused posed a threat to public safety. However, Judge Bonilla said he did not have sufficient confidence that the accused would abide by the conditions of pretrial release.
The accused had already violated one Level 5 release, and therefore any such imposed restrictions would be insufficient, according to Judge Bonilla.
Despite the nonviolent nature of the accused’s charges, Judge Bonilla set bail for the two felony charges at $20,000 each, and the misdemeanor at $5,000.
Judge Bonilla also noted that, should DPD Dier obtain proof that the accused could be conditionally admitted to a residential treatment program as part of his release, he would be willing to consider it a “change of circumstance,” and DPD Dier would have the opportunity to have the accused’s custody status reheard expeditiously.
While DPD Dier seeks residential treatment, the accused will remain incarcerated on $45,000 bail, with further proceedings set for May 14, 2026.
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