You’ve probably never heard of Raquel Betti or Robert Rench.
And you likely haven’t given much thought to electronic benefit transfer (EBT) theft.
It’s a $10 million a month crime in this country.
And it was $150,000 month crime in San Joaquin County.
Today, the county’s monthly losses are down to an average of $25,000 a month.
It’s all the result of the two criminal investigators in the San Joaquín County District Attorney’s office effectively tackling a new crime, cracking the technology foreign nationals are using at ATM machines and point of purchases devices in stores to steal EBT benefits, and effectively educating store owners, the welfare recipient community and other law enforcement agencies throughout the state.
It is why the two were among the six men and women of law enforcement honored by the Manteca Rotary Thursday by being bestowed the Donald Asher Memorial Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award during Law Day ceremonies at the Manteca Transit Center.
The officers honored may not handle cases that get splashed across cable news channels or social media.
They are, however, sterling examples of dogged, meticulous, dedicated, and successful law enforcement work that the vast majority of those that put their lives on the line every time they step up to do their job of serving and protecting the community day in and day out.
The learning curve on EBT theft via debit-style cards was steep for Betti and Rench as it was a new crime.
Since October 2021, thieves have stolen more than $1 million from welfare recipients in San Joaquin County.
The two have worked tirelessly to protect the resources that are meant to assist and benefit the county’s most vulnerable population.
To date, they have made 10 arrests, secures arrest warrants in many more, and have removed a substantial number of skimming devices.
Sgt. Jason Bonetti was selected as the Manteca Police Department’s Officer of the Year.
He started with the department in 2001. Bonetti has served as field training officer, detective, gang investigator, street crime unit investigator, SWAT team member, and firearms instructor.
Bonetti has led efforts to keep the department up to date on current trends involving active shooters and tactics needed to better prepare officers for such circumstances.
He has taken the lead for several years addressing the needs for the County Wide Active Threat Protocol.
Bonetti has developed a positive working relationship with the Manteca Fire Department and Manteca Ambulance identifying needed equipment and training for them to have a better understanding of their role in such incidents.
Josh Case was the California Highway Patrol officer chosen for the honor.
He spent all of 2022 working the swing shift.
During that time he made 42 arrests with 27 of them for driving under the influence, six felony arrests for offenses including vehicular homicide, hit and run, felony evading, and domestic violence.
Case issued 546 citations, 469 of those being for moving violations.
He investigated 119 accidents including 46 cases involving injured motorists, 10 uninvolving DUI drives and two fatalities.
Case is also a member of the CHP’s special response team that requires extensive training in civil unrest and natural disasters. That has resulted in him working at the State Capitol during protests and assisting with evacuations during wildfires.
Detective Osvaldo Ramirez was honored as the officer of the year for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department. He is currently assigned as a gang investigator.
During 2022, he handled 18 cases involving violent gang members, recovered 10 firearms, and made 20 arrests.
In September of 2022, he handled an attempted homicide investigation.
Ramirez quickly identified both shooters based on his knowledge of active gang members in the community.
During the investigation, he was able to place the suspects in Sacramento, Stockton, and the Bay Area.
Additional evidence tied them to three other shootings.
Various search warrants were written and executed by the sheriff’s office.
The primary suspect was located and arrested plus the firearm used in the shooting was recovered. An additional suspected was located and arrested by Ramirez during a vehicle stop.
San Joaquin County Probation Department probation unit supervisor Christian Chavez was recognized as that agency’s officer of the year.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
