Plea Results in Minimal Punishment for False Identification
By Armando Alonzo
WOODLAND – Myisha Jones, facing a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Yolo County Superior Court, changed her plea from not guilty to no contest to the charge of giving false identification to a police officer.
The incident occurred around September 12, 2019, in which Jones allegedly committed a misdemeanor by giving a police officer the false identification information about herself.
Representing Jones, Jose Gonzalez-Vasquez waived the right of arraignment for judgment and sentencing. He indicated that the defendant is currently not working so she would not be able to pay for 
any current or future fines, noting that, given the circumstances with the pandemic, it is also generally more difficult to find a job in the economy.
Gonzalez asked the court if they could clear any fines with the use of jail day credit. He noted that Jones does have credit for eight actual county days and eight good conduct days for a total of 16 days. Gonzalez asked the court to use her credit for 15 days of time served in jail and use one additional day to pay for the fines imposed on her.
Michael Vroman, representing the People, did not oppose the suggestion/motion.
Judge Paul Richardson finalized the sentencing by ordering that Jones be placed on one year of summary or informal probation. During that time, she must obey all laws, and will serve 15 days in the jail and pay a fine of $125. However, using the credits, those 15 days have now been considered served, and the $125 price will be offset by the additional day of jail credit.
Yolo Man Charged with Stalking, Threatening to Burn Down Entire Street Where Victim Lived; Judge Axes 2nd Charge
By Lea Barrios
WOODLAND – A man allegedly stalked a woman he met at a yard sale by showing up at her house several times, occasionally with a burrito and flowers and once with an erection—but the woman was most concerned when he threatened to burn down the street where she lived, and was yelling her name outside her home.
At a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Yolo County Superior Court, Larry Tillman was charged with felony threats to commit a crime resulting in death or great bodily injury, felony stalking and misdemeanor trespassing.
Deputy District Attorney Alvina Tzang called James Allen, a detective who interviewed the alleged victim, as a witness, who said the victim—identified only as T.S.—told him she met the defendant at a yard sale she was having. He spoke to her and her father about items she was giving away for free in August 2019.
T.S. told the detective she went for a walk with the defendant in her neighborhood once because he suggested it. She agreed because they would be in public around her neighbors, but she said he wasn’t respectful of her personal space and he was “handsy” with her.
In September 2019, the defendant allegedly came to her home wearing gym shorts that showed he had an erection. He said from her yard, when she was in her doorway, “Don’t you see how excited you make me?” He left a burrito near her front door with a paper he wrote his phone number on.
Det. Allen said that the alleged victim never invited the defendant into her home, asked for his number, or welcomed the defendant’s advances.
She expressed once that she felt sorry for him, the detective said
On April 11, 2020, said Det. Allen, the defendant showed up at the alleged victim’s house again with a burrito, flowers and scissors, while yelling her name from the street and threatening to burn the street down—including her home.
Deputy District Attorney Tzang called Detective Ken Fellows, the officer who arrived at the scene.
He stated that when he arrived the defendant was in front of the alleged victim’s house but began walking down the street when he saw the patrol car, checking over his shoulder to see if he was being followed. Knowing that the defendant had scissors, the officer waited for another patrol car to arrive before arresting the defendant.
Joseph Gocke, the appointed public defender, downplayed the scissors and said they were only for cutting the flowers.
The alleged victim told the detective she would only talk to the defendant through her front door because she feared for her safety. When she told the defendant she didn’t want to talk to him he would become angry. An audio recording the victim made was played in court. On the recording the defendant said, “I’ll be out here all day waiting for you…Call the cops…You’re being so mean to me when I’m being so nice to you.”
Defense counsel Gocke noted that his client is not heard in the recording threatening to burn the street down. He also asked Det. Fellows how difficult it would be to burn the street down, as opposed to an environment full of dry vegetation.
Gocke said he didn’t believe there was sufficient evidence to support the charge of threats to commit a crime resulting in death or great bodily injury, and asked for that charge to be dismissed.
DDA Tzang argued that the defendant conveyed intent on burning down the street and that should be used to determine whether he should be charged.
The defendant told the police that he and the alleged victim had a dating relationship and have been on dates, but the prosecution denied they ever had a relationship of that nature or went on a date.
Judge Paul Richardson ruled that there was enough evidence to support the charges of stalking and trespassing, but not for the charge of threats to commit a crime resulting in death or great bodily injury.
He said the behavior of the defendant is bizarre and the increasing seriousness of his unsolicited attention to the alleged victim is sufficient cause for concern.
