During contentious discussions, the district attorney says his department was underfunded and would need to lay off workers or cut services

By David Danelski / The Press Enterprise
Published: July 26, 2016
Updated:   July 27, 2016 – 7:23 a.m.

Following about an hour of contentious discussions, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved on Tuesday, July 26, revisions to an austere county budget designed to start closing a spending gap of more than $60 million a year.

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By Jeff Horseman / Staff Writer
Published: July 6, 2016
Updated:   July 7, 2016 – 7:25 a.m.

Using the state’s voter registration website, someone with access to voters’ personal information changed their party affiliations without their knowledge or consent, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said Wednesday, July 6.

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Both made the case for public safety spending as supervisors stress need for savings.

By Jeff Horseman / Staff Writer
Published: June 20, 2016
Updated:   June 21, 2016 – 6:59 a.m.

In recent years, Riverside County supervisors have given the sheriff’s and district attorney’s offices extra money on top of the millions they get to protect the public, even as other departments went without new county funding.

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Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin talks about the Beaumont investigation during an interview with The Press-Enterprise in his office in Riverside on Monday. (Stan Lim — Staff Photographer)

By Brian Rokos, The Press-Enterprise
Posted: 05/23/16 – 11:28 PM PDT |

After laying out documents from hundreds of boxes seized from Beaumont City Hall and other locations during raids in April 2015, members of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office’s Public Integrity Unit began the task of poring over the papers, looking for evidence of corruption.

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Published: May 18, 2016 – Updated: 6:22 a.m.

In April 2015, anti-corruption investigators from the FBI and the Riverside County District Attorney’s office raided Beaumont City Hall and other locations.

The investigation led to seven former city officials facing charges of embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, conspiracy and conflict of interest, which Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin announced in a press conference on Tuesday, May 17.

To read Staff Reports in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin.

Published: May 13, 2016 – 4:01 p.m.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said Friday, May 13 that he has returned all campaign contributions from a donor whose chain of auto repair businesses was fined six figures after state officials said customers paid for faulty and unneeded work.

To read article by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

The DA is returning contributions from an auto repair business that’s been penalized for fraud.

Published: April 12, 2016 – Updated: 11:02 p.m.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin on Tuesday, April 12, said he would return donations made to his campaign by Certified Tire & Service Centers and its owner, Jeffrey Alan Darrow, after news surfaced of past penalties for defrauding customers that cost the company at least $750,000.

To read article by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin (Kurt Miller/Staff)

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By Cassie MacDuff
Published: Jan. 5, 2016
Updated: Jan. 6, 2016 – 8:48 a.m.

A very disturbing statistic emerged late last year: The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and one judge approved more wiretaps in 2012, 2013 and 2014 than any other county in California.

Not just a little more – a lot more.

To read column by Cassie MacDuff in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin

Published: Sept. 22, 2015 – Updated: 9:28 a.m.

Riverside County District Attorney Michael A. Hestrin will address the county’s 2015 increase in crime in a discussion at UC Riverside.

To read article by Ali Tadayon in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Thursday, July 16, 2015 – 04:30 p.m.

The Lou Desmond and Company Show is coming to you from the Toyota of San Bernardino Recording Studios!

Tonight, Lou is joined by Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin to discuss the county’s shrinking budget and rising crime rates. How has Prop 47 affected safety in Riverside?

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Supervisors approve $51 million worth of adjustments to the new Riverside County budget.

Published: July 7, 2015 – Updated: 6:43 p.m.

Riverside County’s district attorney said he appreciates the additional $8 million in his budget, but it’s not enough to close a projected budget shortfall in his office.

To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin. (Terry Pierson / File)

Published: July 6, 2015 – Updated: 10:39 p.m.

• The Riverside County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, July 7, will consider $51 million worth of additional spending in the fiscal 2015-16 budget.
• District attorney: An additional $8 million is ticketed. District Attorney Mike Hestrin has said layoffs are an option unless his office gets more money.
• Animal services: Director Robert Miller also asked for more funding to avoid the prospect of pink slips. The county executive office proposes giving his department an additional $3.6 million.

Riverside County has found more money for the District Attorney’s Office and Animal Services Department after leaders of those agencies warned of possible layoffs unless their budgets were increased.

To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Department heads seek additional funding during budget workshop, saying money is desperately needed.

Published: June 15, 2015 – Updated: 10:56 p.m.

Even though Riverside County’s revenues are projected to grow, it’s not enough to pay for major new spending obligations.

For years, many county departments have absorbed higher labor costs with no additional funds from the county budget. The district attorney and animal services chief said their departments are at the breaking point.

To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin (Kurt Miller/File)

Mike Hestrin is getting some pretty powerful help in erasing the debt from his victorious 2014 campaign for Riverside County district attorney.

To read post by Jeff Horseman in The P-E Political Empire Blog, click here.

In April 2013, searches were conducted in the homes of Moreno Valley’s four City Council members, a real estate broker with political connections and the corporate office of Skechers warehouse developer Highland Fairview.

Published: June 1, 2015 – Updated: 10:59 p.m.

After two years under investigation by authorities and suspicion by constituents, the people whose homes and offices were raided during a public corruption probe in Moreno Valley felt vindicated Monday by the disclosure that no criminal charges would be filed.

To read story by Brian Rokos and David Danelski in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Riverside County Deputy District Attorney Mike Hestrin shared an update on his first 100 days in office with the Riverside County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 28. (Kurt Miller/Staff Photographer)

Published: April 28, 2015
Updated: April 29, 2015 1:31 p.m.

After 100 days in office, Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin shared a glimpse with the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday of the steps he has taken so far and his long-term plans to reshape the organization after years of recession-shrunk budgets, staff and resources.

To read story by Gail Wesson in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Mike Hestrin

Published: Jan. 5, 2015 – Updated: 8:50 p.m.

Expressing humility following a bitter campaign and outlining plans to prevent youth crime and crack down on gangs, Mike Hestrin was sworn in Monday as the 15th district attorney in Riverside County’s 121-year history.

To read story by Jeff Horseman in The Press-Enterprise, click here.

Mike Hestrin in front of the victim’s memorial at the patio area of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office headquarters in Riverside on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. Mike Hestrin, who will be sworn in as Riverside County’s District attorney in January after he beat one-term DA Paul Zellerbach in the June primary. (Kurt Miller, Staff Photographer)

Published: Jan. 2, 2015 Updated: Jan. 4, 2015 10:37 a.m.

As Mike Hestrin knocked on doors across Riverside County during his campaign for district attorney this year, he says he learned some important lessons.

To read story by Gail Wesson in The Press-Enterprise, click here.