According to Pleasant Hill PD Lt. Dan Connelly, the investigation into Jewell began when Martinez Police Detective Dave Mathers received a tip from an unknown source; he and his colleagues conducted an "undercover operation … [that] identified Jewell as a … resident who received and distributed child pornography." Mathers did not immediately return calls seeking additional information into the genesis of the case and the PHPD is now the lead agency for the case. Jewell maintained a visible presence on the Web; his Facebook page and company website are easily located. In addition to his CCHS employment since January of 2002, as stated on his Facebook page, Jewell operated a consulting business – aimed at both adults and teens – entitled YES Enterprises since January of 2003. As the homepage describes, "YES ENTERPRISES offers individualized Anger Management Courses, workshops, trainings, life coaching, and mentoring to Troubled Teens, Awakening Adolescents, and Juvenile Offenders. What's more, we offer Life Coaching, consultations, integral workshops and trainings for Adults, Parents, Counselors, School Sites, Teachers, Administrators, Probation Officers, Juvenile Hall Counselors, Residential Treatment Facilities, Group Homes, and Community Organizations." The site states Jewell's business is based in Martinez with a satellite office in San Antonio, Texas, and offers to "travel the United States and the world," in order to offer his advertised expertise and workshops in the areas, among others, of aggression, replacement, goal setting, self-esteem building, moral reasoning, parenting classes and self-awareness. Under the section ‘Meet the Teacher,' Jewell describes himself as "a teacher for the past twenty-eight years [who] has taught every grade level from Kindergarten to University," and who "discovered his passion for teaching while a Peace Corps Volunteer in Gabon, Africa. Mr. Jewell's current teaching assignment for the past six years has been teaching a variety of Life Skills to the Community Day students in Contra Costa County."
Gabon RPCV Thomas L. Perez Jewell, a mental health counselor working with youth at the Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall in Martinez for the past several years faces life in prison after the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office charged him with 49 counts of child molestation and possession of child pornography
Martinez juvenile hall counselor charged with 49 counts of child molestation and possession of child pornography
By
Staff Reporter
December 6, 2010
A mental health counselor working with youth at the Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall in Martinez for the past several years faces life in prison after the Contra Costa District Attorney's Office charged him with 49 counts of child molestation and possession of child pornography on Monday.
Police and the District Attorney's Office said more victims are expected to come forward as news of the man's incarceration and details of the charges circulate.
Thomas L. Perez Jewell, 53, of Pleasant Hill was arrested on one count of possession of child pornography on November 18 and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility; his initial bail was set at $1 million.
An ensuing investigation by Pleasant Hill Police, aided by the F.B.I., into Jewell's home computer files led the D.A.'s office to amend the original single complaint to 46 separate counts of child molestation and one count each of child porn possession, posing a child for the purposes of taking pornographic pictures and showing pornography to a minor, said Assistant District Attorney Dana Filkowski on Monday afternoon.
"Given the defendant's profession, he had access to children and we want to make sure that anybody that may be a victim or witness has an avenue to immediately report that. There might be more victims, and we need to seek justice," said Filkowski.
According to Pleasant Hill PD Lt. Dan Connelly, the investigation into Jewell began when Martinez Police Detective Dave Mathers received a tip from an unknown source; he and his colleagues conducted an "undercover operation … [that] identified Jewell as a … resident who received and distributed child pornography." Mathers did not immediately return calls seeking additional information into the genesis of the case and the PHPD is now the lead agency for the case.
Filkowski said she couldn't comment directly on whether Jewell had a criminal record, however, she specified she "didn't have any information that [Jewell] has a prior criminal history relevant to the charges. He is not charged with any enhancements," which would occur if Jewell had a prior strike on his record.
A week before Thanksgiving, just after 7 a.m., Martinez, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek detectives served a search warrant on Jewell's home on Massolo Drive to look into allegations of child pornography possession.
"Detectives found a very large amount of child pornography on digital storage devices at the residence," said Connelly. Area F.B.I agents were brought in to sift through what police described yesterday as thousands of photographs and videos depicting child porn.
One minor in particular is discussed in the amended criminal complaint, identified under the pseudonym John Doe, and Filkowski said the molestation occurred over the past three years. Doe is now aged 15; Filkowski declined to state whether the victim was a past or present resident at the John A. Davis Juvenile Hall facility at 202 Glacier Drive, where Jewell worked.
"Jewell worked closely with at-risk children throughout Contra Costa and other neighboring counties and has likely been in contact with hundreds of kids," said Connelly and reiterated in a press release issued by the Pleasant Hill PD Monday evening. "Investigators want to speak to anyone who may have been a victim, or who may have accepted gifts, money, traveled with, been invited to Jewell's home, or witnessed any suspicious behaviors by Jewell."
Filkowski told the Gazette her office filed the amended criminal complaint before Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Clare Maier on Monday morning. Jewell was represented by a private attorney and chose to postpone entering a plea. He is scheduled to return to court for plea entry on January 6 at 9 a.m.
"It is common in cases like this, when the case is still developing, to wait to enter a plea until they see what all the charges will be," explained Filkowski. "We'll try to have as much of the investigation concluded as possible [by Jan. 6]."
The accused was employed by Contra Costa Health Services, the agency that staffs medical and mental health personnel at various county-run facilities such as the Martinez jail, Contra Costa County Regional Medical Center and juvenile hall.
Chief County Probation Officer Philip Kader is in charge of operations at the Contra Costa Juvenile Hall and said Jewell was working in a unit of "older males" at the facility at the time of his arrest.
"All I can tell you is people who commit these types of crimes are very good at hiding these kinds of things and there was no indication [of the allegations] between his work and what he did in his personal life," Kader said yesterday. "Juvenile Hall has several mental health counselors and there is not much we know [about the case]. An hour after his arrest we got a call from police indicating he had been arrested. All we've been made aware of is that the investigation is still in progress."
Kader said Jewell would not have been employed by CCHS if he had any kind of criminal background, nor would he have been allowed to work at the facility.
After Jewell's arrest, Kader said he met with ‘some other mental health clinicians,' Juvenile Hall Superintendent Bruce Pelle and Deputy Superintendent Paula Hernandez at the 290-bed maximum security detention facility to discuss Jewell's absence with the minor inmates, referred to by staff as ‘residents.'
"The youth were notified what [Jewell] was arrested for … the employees were quite shaken by the news. Not one youth has come forward, as far as I know, [to report victimization]. Obviously it is of great concern to us as we hope we aren't going to disappoint these kids as much as they already have been in the past. It is very ugly."
Pelle clarified that the youth detention facility has its own staff but onsite mental health workers were employees of CCHS. He estimated the current population at the facility was 175 residents, and said he did not have any further statements.
Jewell maintained a visible presence on the Web; his Facebook page and company website are easily located.
In addition to his CCHS employment since January of 2002, as stated on his Facebook page, Jewell operated a consulting business – aimed at both adults and teens – entitled YES Enterprises since January of 2003.
As the homepage describes, "YES ENTERPRISES offers individualized Anger Management Courses, workshops, trainings, life coaching, and mentoring to Troubled Teens, Awakening Adolescents, and Juvenile Offenders. What's more, we offer Life Coaching, consultations, integral workshops and trainings for Adults, Parents, Counselors, School Sites, Teachers, Administrators, Probation Officers, Juvenile Hall Counselors, Residential Treatment Facilities, Group Homes, and Community Organizations."
The site states Jewell's business is based in Martinez with a satellite office in San Antonio, Texas, and offers to "travel the United States and the world," in order to offer his advertised expertise and workshops in the areas, among others, of aggression, replacement, goal setting, self-esteem building, moral reasoning, parenting classes and self-awareness.
On the calendar section, the site indicates Jewell was scheduled to conduct workshops in Los Angeles and Orange Counties from November 22-26; San Antonio, Texas on January 15-19, 2011 and on the island of Guam in February of 2011.
The site also emphasizes how Jewell was honored as a "Man of Merit 2009" by the organizations California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, ZERO TOLERANCE for Domestic Violence and STAND! Against Domestic Violence.
"For the past four years, The DELTA Project has presented the ‘Men of Merit Awards.' Recognition is given to outstanding men of character and compassion who show a strong commitment to being a positive influence in the lives of boys and young men in Contra Costa County. Men of Merit are from a variety of backgrounds and professions who have one thing in common: a commitment to their community and mentoring young boys to become compassionate men," states the STAND! website.
One of 14 men honored in October of 2009, the website states, "Thomas Jewell models for 28 young men, and staff on a daily basis, how to be strong yet humble, work through present problems and moral decisions, and squarely confront past mistakes to heal old wounds."
Under the section ‘Meet the Teacher,' Jewell describes himself as "a teacher for the past twenty-eight years [who] has taught every grade level from Kindergarten to University," and who "discovered his passion for teaching while a Peace Corps Volunteer in Gabon, Africa. Mr. Jewell's current teaching assignment for the past six years has been teaching a variety of Life Skills to the Community Day students in Contra Costa County."
Jewell's website states he received a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University in 2000 and a B.A. in Philosophy from San Jose State University in 1985.
On Monday, Jewell's bail was increased to $5.8 million and he remains in custody. Investigators urge anyone with information on the case or possible victims to call a dedicated PHPD tip line at 925-676-1273.
"People can call and leave a message and a detective will get back to them within one business day," said Connelly.
