Monterey County District Attorney's Office
| Collaborative Courts | Criminal Prosecutions | Specialty Units | Fraud |
|
Speakers Bureau The Speakers Bureau is a community outreach and education program that matches qualified members of the District Attorney’s staff with community groups and organizations wishing to learn more about various aspects of the criminal justice system. The program is free and available to the public. Entities such as neighborhood organizations, educational institutions, faith-based groups, and clubs or organizations should feel free to request a speaker for meeting or gathering. |
|||
| Suggested Topics | |||
|
|
|
|
| Speaker Request Form | |||
| Multi-Cultural Community Council | |||
|
Community Events
25th Annual Victims' Dedication Ceremony
Annual Police Memorial National Night Out - To be announced Public Safety Night - To be announced |
|||
|
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office will serve as a strong voice for the community on important public safety issues. With a focus on legislative issues, the government relations team will take a proactive role in shaping laws that impact public safety. |
|
|
Legislative Issues Assembly Bill 109 Realignment, which shifted thousands of state prison inmates to local jurisdictions. Proposition 47, which dramatically reduced the crime and consequences for drug users and thieves. Proposition 57, which eliminated prosecutors’ ability to directly send a juvenile accused of a serious or violent offense to adult court and created a new criteria for early release of prisoners from state prison. |
Bills Supported |
|
Programs and Services A Victim Assistance Advocate will speak with you and determine how we can assist you. Program services are provided free of charge and there is no legal citizenship requirement to receive assistance. |
|||
|
|
|
Facility Dogs
Family Justice Center
|
|
Upon the request of the jurisdictional law enforcement agency the
Monterey County District Attorney’s Office will investigate and
independently review an officer-involved shooting incident resulting
in injury or death, as well as all other uses of force resulting in
the death of individuals while in custody or under the control of
law enforcement officers. This review addresses whether the
officers involved committed any violation of criminal law. It
does not consider issues of civil liability, police tactics, or
department policies and procedures.
|
|
Our Mission |
||
|
Policies
|
Frequently Asked Questions |
| Forms | Brochures | Career Opportunities Public Records Act Requests | Local Agencies/Resources |
|
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of
Investigation consists of 32 full time employees and multiple
volunteer interns. The Bureau of Investigation is managed by
Chief Investigator Ryan McGuirk who reports directly to District
Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni and has overall responsibility for
Bureau operations and resource allocation. Chief McGuirk manages the
Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of two (2) District
Attorney Captains. In addition to these command staff, the
Bureau of Investigation has twenty-four (24) Investigators, six (6)
Investigative Aides and several volunteer investigative interns.
|
| Collaborative Courts | Criminal Prosecutions | Specialty Units | Fraud |
|
Speakers Bureau The Speakers Bureau is a community outreach and education program that matches qualified members of the District Attorney’s staff with community groups and organizations wishing to learn more about various aspects of the criminal justice system. The program is free and available to the public. Entities such as neighborhood organizations, educational institutions, faith-based groups, and clubs or organizations should feel free to request a speaker for meeting or gathering. |
|||
| Suggested Topics | |||
|
|
|
|
| Speaker Request Form | |||
| Multi-Cultural Community Council | |||
|
Programs and Services A Victim Assistance Advocate will speak with you and determine how we can assist you. Program services are provided free of charge and there is no legal citizenship requirement to receive assistance. |
|||
|
|
|
Facility Dogs |
|
Upon the request of the jurisdictional law enforcement
agency the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office will
investigate and independently review an officer-involved
shooting incident resulting in injury or death, as well as
all other uses of force resulting in the death of
individuals while in custody or under the control of law
enforcement officers. This review addresses whether
the officers involved committed any violation of criminal
law. It does not consider issues of civil liability,
police tactics, or department policies and procedures.
|
| Press Releases |
| Press Release Archives |
| Social Media Links |
| Press Conference Videos |
|
Our Mission |
||
|
Policies | Frequently Asked Questions |
| Forms | Brochures | Career Opportunities Public Records Act Requests | Local Agencies/Resources |
|
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of
Investigation consists of 32 full time employees and
multiple volunteer interns. The Bureau of
Investigation is managed by Chief Investigator Ryan McGuirk
who reports directly to District Attorney Jeannine M.
Pacioni and has overall responsibility for Bureau operations
and resource allocation. Chief McGuirk manages the Bureau of
Investigation with the assistance of two (2) District
Attorney Captains. In addition to these command staff,
the Bureau of Investigation has twenty-four (24)
Investigators, six (6) Investigative Aides and several
volunteer investigative interns.
|
Meet the District Attorney
Ms. Pacioni received her Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Arizona University. After receiving her Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of San Diego, School of Law in 1990, she became licensed to practice law in the states of California and Arizona. In 1990, she worked as a Deputy District Attorney for the Kern County District Attorney’s Office and in 1992 she joined the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
In 2001, she left to raise her family, returning after an 8-year sabbatical during which time she also served as a Grand Juror of the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury, and as President of the Junior League of Monterey County. In 2012, she joined the National Charity League of Monterey Bay, of which she has served as a member of their Board of Directors. Ms. Pacioni was formerly a Board Member of the Monterey Rape Crisis Center, and is currently a member of the Monterey County Children’s Council and the Child Abuse Prevention Council. She is also a member of the Monterey County Bar Association and the California District Attorneys Association and the Monterey County Chief Law Enforcement Officers Association.
Ms. Pacioni has devoted her entire legal career to the pursuit of justice while handling virtually every type of criminal case prosecuted in Monterey County. For 20 years as a prosecutor, she has tenaciously represented victims of crime in numerous high-profile cases involving murder, gang crimes, vehicular manslaughter, assault, robbery, child molestation, adult sexual assault, and elder abuse. On November 21, 2019, Ms. Pacioni was recognized by the Monterey County Women's Lawyers Association as the 2019 recipient of the Lady Justice Lifetime Achievement Award for Legal Advocacy and Community Service.
In 2018, she was elected and became the first female District Attorney in Monterey County.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Press Releases
SALINAS MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN AND DOMESTIC ABUSE
Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni announced that on March 21, 2025, Judge Andrew G. Liu sentenced Jeremy Michael Betancourt, 33 years old and a resident of Salinas, to a term of six years and eight months in state prison for felony child abuse causing injury, felony domestic violence, witness intimidation, and possession of obscene matter depicting persons under age 18 engaged in lewd conduct. At the time of his offenses, Betancourt was on probation for prior allegations of domestic violence. One of the charges, dissuading a witness, is a “strike” for purposes of California’s Three Strikes Law.
On November 11, 2023, Salinas Police officers responded to Jane Doe’s residence where Jane Doe reported that during an argument her ex-boyfriend, Betancourt, pushed her up against the wall while she was holding her two-year-old son. As a result, her child hit his head against the wall and had visible swelling to his head. Jane Doe placed the boy down to prevent further injury, at which point Betancourt attempted to smother her to prevent her from screaming. While Jane Doe attempted to summon help, Betancourt forcefully removed her cell phone from her possession and fled. At around this same time, Salinas Police Detectives were pursuing leads provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which had received a tip from an online service provider that Betancourt had accessed obscene material involving images which depicted minors engaged in lewd acts. Charges were filed and a warrant was issued for Betancourt’s arrest. Before officers could take him into custody, Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies were summoned to Jane Doe’s residence. Jane Doe reported another series of contacts with Betancourt where he battered her and strangled her. Jane Doe had visible injuries from no less than three separate incidents which occurred within days of her call to 911. Betancourt was located and arrested on fresh charges as well as the warrants.
The domestic violence cases were diligently investigated by Salinas Police Officers and Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies. The case involving obscene matter was thoroughly investigated by Salinas Police Detective Scott Sutton. Jane Doe was assisted by District Attorney Victim Witness Program Manager Alma Sanchez and District Attorney Investigator Alicia Cox.
Contact Us
Main Office
142 W. Alisal Street, Suite A, Salinas, California 93901
Monterey Office
1200 Aguajito Rd. Room 301, Monterey, California 93940
King City Office
250 Franciscan Way, King City, California 93960
Phone: (831) 755-5070
Fax: (831) 755-5068
Email: publicinformation@co.monterey.ca.us