Major Cases Prosecuted by Richard Nixon

By Richard T. Nixon

As a Deputy District Attorney for Riverside County, Richard T. Nixon handled thousands of criminal cases. He successfully prosecuted career criminals, gang members, drug dealers, and developers contaminating our land, air and water.

THE FACTS: This very dangerous gang member committed two armed robberies - one at a pharmacy and the other at a supermarket in Corona. At the pharmacy he terrorized the employees and stole cash and other property at gunpoint. At the supermarket he forced the manager and a box boy onto the ground to execute them. As he was about to shoot them he was distracted by a sudden influx of shoppers into the store. He took the money from the safe and fled. After his capture, he was prosecuted for these crimes and two prior strikes by Richard Nixon.

THE VERDICT: GUILTY Tanzy was convicted and sentenced to 82 years in state prison.

THE CASE: People vs. Warren

THE FACTS: The 43rd Street Gangster Crips had taken over sections of Riverside, terrorizing neighborhoods and establishing a thriving illegal drug sales business.

Through the use of informants, undercover buys and other sophisticated law enforcement techniques the defendant was arrested and prosecuted by Richard Nixon as part of a joint federal-local gang task force prosecution.

THE VERDICT: GUILTY Warren was convicted and sentenced to the maximum prison sentence under California's Street Terrorism Enforcement and Prevention Act.

THE CASE: People vs. Ranpac

Real estate developer Ranpac excavated lead contaminated soil at a potential building site and transported it to the Soboba reservation. Thinking that state law could not be enforced on tribal lands, 1,147 truckloads of lead contaminated soil were illegally mixed with lime to disguise the contamination and then dumped on the reservation near agricultural fields, a flood channel and homes where children lived. Ranpac was prosecuted for these crimes by Richard Nixon.

THE VERDIT: GUILTY The prosecution of Ranpac resulted in record criminal penalties, civil fines and reimbursement for the costs of the investigation. It marked the first instance of environmental crimes committed on Native American lands being prosecuted under California law.

THE CASE: People vs. Toro

THE FACTS: The defendant operated his own demolition business. He disposed of asbestos contaminated material on the Morongo reservation also thinking he would be immune from prosecution under California law. He was charged with felony disposal of hazardous waste and prosecuted by Richard Nixon.

VERDICT: GUILTY Upon conviction, the defendant was sentenced to state prison.

Richard Nixon's expertise in prosecuting environmental crimes was utilized by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office to establish its Environmental Crimes Prosecution Program.

From 1992 to 1994, working with the United States Department of Justice, Nixon was assigned to the American Prosecutors Research Institute. He developed a national center to support local environmental crime enforcement throughout the United States. During that time he was called to testify before the U.S. House of Representatives regarding illegal hazardous waste dumping and other environmental crimes.