DATE: May 7, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Lisa A. Smittcamp, District Attorney
SUBJECT: Adopt Resolution Accepting Monetary Donation to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office to Fund the Identification Theft Prosecution Unit
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Adopt Resolution accepting and expressing gratitude for the donation of $300,000 from Table Mountain Rancheria for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Identification Theft Prosecution Unit for FY 2018-19.
REPORT
Since 2010, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Identification (ID) Theft Prosecution Unit has received generous donations from the Table Mountain Rancheria. With your Board’s acceptance of the $300,000 donation, Table Mountain Rancheria will have donated a total of $8,100,000 in support of the District Attorney’s ID Theft Unit. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the continuation of the District Attorney’s ID Theft Prosecution Unit at the current level may not be possible.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost or ongoing costs associated with the recommended action. Table Mountain Rancheria provided a $300,000 donation on March 18, 2019, and it was deposited into the ID Theft Special Revenue Fund 0060, Subclass 17208, and will be used to offset costs associated with the District Attorney’s ID Theft Unit for FY 2018-19 once accepted by your Board. Appropriations of $1,322,612 and estimated revenues in the amount of $1,322,612 for the ID Theft program are included in the District Attorney-Grants Org 2862 Adopted Budget for FY 2018-19.
DISCUSSION:
ID theft is taking the personal identifying information of another and using it for any unlawful purpose (Cal. Penal Code § 530.5). It is a serious crime with serious consequences.
According to the Department of Justice, ID theft is the future of crime. There were 12.7 million U.S. adult victims in 2014, or nearly one victim every 2.5 seconds. That figure represents 4% of U.S. adults, including 1.5 million Californians. The total cost of ID theft to victims and businesses in 2014 was $16 million, down from $18 million in 2013. The decrease continues to be the result of a greater share of fraud involving existing credit/debit card accounts, which is less costly than other forms of identity theft. ID thieves do many things in a victim’s name, from using a credit card account to opening new accounts, filing false tax returns, taking out loans, getting medical services, or even committing a crime, and as a result creating a criminal record for the victim.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office (DA) has a specialized unit dedicated to prosecuting ID theft in our community. Since the Unit’s inception in 2007 (with State Indian Gaming funds, which were discontinued in 2010 for this program), the DA has accepted 2,972 felony cases. The ID Theft Unit works closely with other law enforcement agencies, and performs community outreach on the dangers and prevention of ID Theft.
On August 7, 2018, December 4, 2018, and February 26, 2019 your Board accepted donations in the amount of $300,000 each from Table Mountain Rancheria for the ID Theft Unit. This is the fourth generous donation of $300,000 from Table Mountain Rancheria and its Tribal Membership, for a total of $1,200,000 received during the current fiscal year. These donations allow the DA ID Theft Unit to continue to combat the growing threat of ID theft, and allows this critical program to continue to be staffed with three Deputy District Attorneys, two Senior DA Investigators, one Investigative Technician, and one Legal Assistant positions for FY 2018-19.
If the donations for this program are discontinued, the associated positions will be deleted.
DONOR DISCLOSURES:
To satisfy reporting requirements under Administrative Policy 30 for donations greater than $7,500 in value, the following is provided:
• Table Mountain Rancheria is not a County contractor or principal in a business, agency, or organization providing contracted services within the County.
• Table Mountain Rancheria is not a contractor that has bid on a County contract in the last 12 months.
• The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has no knowledge that the donor will bid on any County contract within the next 12 months.
• Table Mountain Rancheria, 23736 Sky Harbour Road, Friant, CA 93626, has provided a $300,000 donation, which was deposited into the ID Theft Special Revenue Fund 0060, Subclass 17208, and will be used to offset costs associated with the District Attorney’s ID Theft Unit for FY 2018-19.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI No. 25 - February 26, 2019
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Resolution
CAO ANALYST:
Jeannie Z. Figueroa