New Task Force Targets Chronic Crime Among San Diego’s Unhoused

San Diego authorities recently announced successful felony prosecutions resulting from the efforts of the newly formed San Diego Accountability Renewal and Community Health Task Force.

SD ARCH launched late last year to focus on criminal offenses most negatively impacting unhoused individuals and surrounding communities. These offenses include repeated drug sales, drug use, theft and vandalism.

Four defendants have been convicted and sentenced in connection with the task force’s work. They include Frederick Johnson, 59, who was found with methamphetamine for sale and was later rearrested with more drugs and cell phones in his possession.

In a second case, defendants Della Infante, 59, Angel Bernardo Reyes, 55, and Ramon Julio Byars, 44, were all convicted of sales of a controlled substance after undercover officers repeatedly bought methamphetamine from them. In the months prior to the incidents, there were more than 21 narcotics-related crime cases and over 25 arrests and citations for narcotics related incidents in the area around Sports Arena Blvd.

“It is unacceptable to allow blatant and repeated criminal activity to continue unabated without consequences,” San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said. “Offenders who commit the types of crime negatively impacting residents, business owners and other unsheltered individuals are a small but active percentage of the homeless population. Our goal is not to simply incarcerate members of that community but, instead, compel them to accept the treatment and services they need and thus, assist them in ending the cycle of crime and homelessness.”

Two years of data show the overdose rate for people experiencing homelessness is 118 times higher than the general population, authorities said.

The SD ARCH task force meets monthly and comprises representatives from the district attorney’s office, city attorney’s office and San Diego Police Department.