Christopher Michael Jackson, 32, of Riverside, California was arrested Wednesday night and booked into the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on suspicion of multiple counts of burglary. According to police, Jackson has been involved in more than 70 burglaries since July 2021.
The suspect was recently ordered to serve six sentences of 16 months in jail after pleading guilty to 23 felonies. He is currently being held on $100,000 bail. Police allege that Jackson continued his burglary spree since his last release from custody in November. A private security patrol service spotted him outside a closed store in the 3900 block of Tyler Street, peering inside the establishment and tampering with a window.
"The probationer was taken into custody without incident," said Officer John Smith (name changed for privacy), "based on seven outstanding felony arrest warrants."
The main justification for AB 109 - also known as "realignment" - signed into law by then-Gov. Jerry Brown in 2011, was to reduce prison overcrowding. However, critics argue that it may have allowed repeat offenders like Jackson back onto the streets sooner than they should have been released.
Riverside Police Department spokesperson Lt. Jane Doe (name changed for privacy) stated: "We are committed to keeping our community safe and will continue working diligently to apprehend criminals who pose a threat."
Local business owners expressed their relief at hearing about Jackson's arrest but remained concerned about potential future incidents resulting from AB109 policies.
"I'm glad he's off the streets," said John Johnson (name changed for privacy), owner of one burglarized store near Tyler Street. "But I worry there might be others out there just like him because this policy seems too lenient."
As authorities continue investigating Christopher Michael Jackson's alleged activities since his previous release from custody and assess whether any additional charges should be filed, the debate over the effectiveness of AB 109 and its impact on public safety is likely to persist.