Full Notification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2025          

CONTACT: Public Affairs
[email protected]

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SHERIFF RESPONDS TO
COMMENTS BY LOS ANGELES COUNTY
DISTRICT ATTORNEY NATHAN HOCHMAN

SAN BERNARDINO, CA – In response to recent social media remarks and Southern California News Group reports by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman referencing San Bernardino County in a statement on regional crime, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus issued the following statement:

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and our local law enforcement agencies have led from the front in the fight against organized crime, gun violence, and intimidation campaigns that masquerade as activism while profiting off threats and chaos. Our proactive, intelligence-led approach—combined with strong collaboration with District Attorney Jason Anderson and our federal partners—has made us one of California’s most aggressive counties in tackling ghost guns and violent offenders.

In 2023 alone, San Bernardino County law enforcement seized 1,563 ghost guns, or 7.16 per 10,000 residents—the highest rate in the state, according to the California Department of Justice. While Los Angeles County seized a higher total (1,914), their per capita rate was far lower at 1.93 per 10,000. San Bernardino County has 2.2 million residents, and Los Angeles County has 9.6 million residents. We have achieved this through proactive traffic stops, probation checks, and targeted enforcement operations. Our strategy is simple: stay ahead of threats and intervene before tragedy strikes.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen firsthand the dangers of ghost guns. Three of our deputies have been shot with ghost guns in the last three years, including Sergeant Dominic Vaca, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on May 31, 2021. This issue is not theoretical to us – it’s personal. Our deputies and law enforcement officers are on the front lines, and we owe it to them and the public to keep up the fight.

One notable example of cross-county crime is the prosecution of the Justice 8, a loosely affiliated group that presented themselves as advocates for street vendors and marginalized communities but in reality used fear, violence, and media manipulation to enrich themselves.

These individuals operated across both San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, engaging in violent assaults, kidnappings, and criminal conspiracy—all while falsely claiming to be acting in the name of social justice. Among the charges filed were assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit a felony, and felon in possession of a firearm. These weren’t isolated incidents – they were part of an organized pattern of criminal behavior that targeted businesses, bystanders, and security personnel alike.

What made this case especially concerning was the group’s calculated effort to doctor video footage to portray themselves as righteous activists defending the oppressed. Their actions were clickbait-driven violence layered with racially charged activist rhetoric used to manufacture outrage and drive social media engagement for personal profit. The truth was clear: they weren’t helping vulnerable communities; they were exploiting them for online attention and ad revenue. While they operated with impunity in Los Angeles County under soft-on-crime former District Attorney, the moment they crossed into San Bernardino County, they were arrested and prosecuted. Here, deceitful, criminal, and predatory behavior is not ignored—it’s met with serious consequences.

Our commitment to justice knows no boundaries—especially when it comes to protecting children. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, through our Crimes Against Children Unit, remains relentless in pursuing predators who exploit the vulnerable. We continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies across Los Angeles and surrounding counties to identify and bring offenders to justice. During a recent two-week operation led by the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, 265 arrests were made. Our Department led the region with 73 arrests, including several high-profile suspects. When it comes to protecting children, jurisdictional lines don’t matter—collaboration does. 

I value the strong working relationships with Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, both of whom have shown unwavering dedication to public safety. Their leadership has been instrumental in ensuring operations like this one succeed.

Los Angeles County voters sent a clear message in the last election. They were fed up with years of policies that emboldened offenders and left victims behind. With District Attorney Nathan Hochman’s election, passage of Prop 36 with 68 percent of the vote, Los Angeles has an opportunity to reset. I appreciate his efforts to restore trust in the rule of law, and I look forward to working with him directly – especially on cross-county cases that require swift, coordinated enforcement.