STOCKTON — Ronald Freitas was sworn-in Tuesday as the 42nd San Joaquin County District Attorney.
“There is work to be done in order to ensure the safety of neighborhoods and communities in every corner of San Joaquin County,” Freitas said after being sworn in by San Joaquin County Superior Court Presiding Michael Coughlin. “I look forward to the next six years and bringing common sense back to the criminal justice system in our county."
Freitas’ goals for the administration include promoting public safety by removing career and violent offenders, fighting for victims through all stages of the criminal justice process, and providing early and effective intervention and education for juveniles and first-time offenders.
Freitas defeated two-time incumbent Tori Verber-Salazar with 53,912 votes to 44,975 in the June 2022 primary. This is the first time an incumbent San Joaquin County District Attorney has been unseated in 36 years when John Phillips was first elected.
San Joaquin County records do not show a two-term District Attorney incumbent ever being unseated in the 170-year history of San Joaquin County.
Freitas is a career prosecutor who rose through the ranks at the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office.
He had served as the Assistant District Attorney, the Chief Deputy District Attorney of the Homicide and Gang Divisions, and the Supervising Deputy District Attorney of the Gang Violence Suppression Unit.
Freitas was the first to use DNA evidence after a scientific admissibility hearing and tried the first two dual-jury trials in the county. Freitas also argued before the California Supreme Court and won. He has taught thousands of students across the nation, throughout the state and in San Joaquin County.
Freitas served 10 years on the Lodi Unified School District Board of Education and was twice elected Board President. He was Chairman of the Yes on Measure U School Bond Measure that raised $280 million and built over 150 new classrooms for the District.
He is a Past President of the GOT Kids Foundation that has provided over $500,000 so “at-risk” kids have a exceptional education experience.
Freitas was awarded the California District Attorneys Association Instructor of the Year in 2017 and has been twice awarded the San Joaquin County Probation Officers Court Employee of the Year.
He is a graduate of the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Freitas ran a campaign focused on community values, common sense, with collaboration of all community stakeholders. His platform promoted public safety by removing career and violent offenders off our streets, fighting for victims through all stages of the criminal justice process, and having early and effective education and intervention for juvenile and first-time offenders.
Freitas was endorsed by victims’ advocates including California Crime Victims United and Citizens for Law and Order. He was also endorsed by all San Joaquin public safety organizations including the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Probation Officers Association, Stockton, Lodi, Manteca, Tracy and Ripon police officers associations, and the firefighters of Stockton, Lodi, Manteca and Tracy.
