SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, CA — Three months after a major crackdown on illegal sideshow activities in Stockton, nearly 90 vehicles remain impounded at the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, held as crucial evidence in the ongoing investigation.
In a significant operation led by the San Joaquin County Sideshow Taskforce this past February, 150 individuals were detained and 90 vehicles were impounded. During the searches, authorities discovered six illegal firearms. The taskforce, a collaboration among the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol, Lodi Police Department, and Stockton Police Department, has been active in responding to the sideshow issue that has plagued the county.
Detective Sergeant Richard Garcia of the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office played a key role in the operation. "We had about 18 hours to prepare after receiving a tip about a planned sideshow event in Stockton," Garcia explained. He described the gatherings as uncontrolled and criminal, noting that sideshow activities are classified as felony vandalism under local law.
The impounded vehicles will remain in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings. To date, the sheriff's office has forwarded 100 referrals to the San Joaquin District Attorney's Office for review, a process that is time-consuming and meticulous.
Interestingly, it has been over 100 days since the last recorded sideshow in San Joaquin County—a statistic that the taskforce views as a direct result of their stringent enforcement actions. Garcia's stern warning resonates, "Sometimes if you do the crime, you gotta do the time."
While there are no direct costs for parking the vehicles on sheriff's office property, vehicle owners might face fees and possibly restitution payments pending the outcome of court proceedings.
The success of the February operation has caught the attention of other law enforcement agencies across the country and internationally, with departments from Los Angeles County, Philadelphia, and even the United Kingdom looking to the San Joaquin County model for guidance on handling similar issues.
As the community waits for the final resolutions and legal outcomes, the message from local law enforcement remains clear: illegal sideshow activities will not be tolerated, and those involved will face serious consequences.
