Oakland businessman and former council candidate Mario Juarez, embroiled in a legal battle and facing check fraud charges, has levied serious allegations against Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. In a recent court motion, Juarez claims Price sought a $25,000 donation to her anti-recall campaign, and when he refused, it led to vindictive prosecution on her part. This assertion was reported by The San Francisco Chronicle and further detailed by The Oaklandside.
Following his refusal to the alleged $25,000 contribution, Juarez was charged in January with attempting to pass bad checks linked to a mailer in the lead-up to the 2022 election. Despite the severity, the case's legitimacy is under scrutiny, with information obtained by The San Francisco Chronicle indicating that a former assistant district attorney expressed doubts internally about the sufficiency of the evidence.
Amidst these contentions, Juarez's role at the heart of an FBI corruption probe involving several raids, including a key one on Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao's home, has compounded the intrigue and complexity of the situation. The allegations against Price have augmented an ongoing narrative of possible political retribution enveloping Juarez, with his business ventures—particularly Evolutionary Homes, which co-operated with the Duong family—being a flashpoint in the corruption investigation. The Duongs' contractual interests with the city are particularly interesting to federal investigators. As per protocol in pending cases, the DA's office has made no specific comments, asserting they will respond to defense motions in court.
The incident reportedly unraveling after a public service for fallen Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le has added another layer of complexity. Stewart Chen, President of the Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council, cast doubts on Juarez's version of the events, describing them as "laughable." In contrast, Juarez insists, supported by signed declarations from two witnesses, that the alleged extortion attempt by Price did occur. Quoted in The Oaklandside, Chen is adamant, "There was no time at all that I saw Mario and Pamela get up and speak privately."
Further complicating matters, another layer of intrigue has been introduced by Juarez's claim that former Assistant District Attorney Otis Bruce, who has since left the DA's office, also sought to engage in a business partnership with him, offering to resolve potential problems with the DA's office. In an interview with the East Bay Times, Bruce refuted Juarez's accusations as "outright lies." Meanwhile, Juarez continues his quest for exoneration through a motion to dismiss the case while also lodging complaints with the state bar alleging politically motivated prosecution by Price, documented in the complaint obtained by The Oaklandside.
