Yesenia Sanchez

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Yesenia Sanchez
Sheriff of Alameda County, California
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byGreg Ahern

Yesenia Sanchez (born 1977 or 1978)[1] is the 23rd Sheriff of Alameda County. Sanchez is the first woman and first Latina to hold the office.

Early life[edit]

Sanchez was born in Hayward, California. Her father immigrated from Mexico to California as a child. Her mother moved to California from Texas. At the age of 12, Sanchez's family moved to Patterson, California. When Sanchez was a teenager, her parents separated and her family lost their home. Sanchez and her siblings worked to support their family. Sanchez graduated from Patterson High School.[2] Sanchez returned to Hayward as an adult, living out of her car because she could not afford housing.[3]

Alameda County Sheriff's Office[edit]

Sanchez started in the Alameda County Sheriff's Office in 1997 as an entry-level technician.[3] In 2001, Sanchez became a sworn deputy.[3] In 2020, Sanchez became division commander overseeing Santa Rita Jail.[4][5][6]

Sheriff Election[edit]

In August 2021, Sanchez announced that she would run for Sheriff of Alameda County.[3][7] Sanchez campaigned a reform platform to add more resources for inmates, increase transparency of the office, and train deputies to better approach crises.[6] Sanchez criticized the incumbent, Greg Ahern, over multiple lawsuits at Santa Rita Jail concerning the treatment of mentally ill inmates.[5] Sanchez defeated Ahern 52.8%-31.2% percent in the June 2022 primary election, securing a victory and avoiding a November runoff election.[1] Sanchez will be the 23rd Sheriff, and will be the first woman and first Latina to be elected.[6]

Personal[edit]

As of August 2021, Sanchez lives in Livermore, California.[3] She is married to her husband, Todd, who retired from the Alameda County Sheriff's Department as a sergeant.[3][7] Sanchez is a stepmother to her husband's three daughters from a prior relationship.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Lee, Amber (2022-06-16). "Alameda County Sheriff-Elect Yesenia Sanchez is 1st Latina to hold the office". KTVU FOX 2. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  2. ^ DeBolt, David (2022-06-15). "How Yesenia Sanchez toppled incumbent Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern". The Oaklandside. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Altman, Larry (2021-08-19). "Livermore's Division Cmdr. Yesenia Sanchez Makes Bid for Alameda County Sheriff's Seat". The Independent. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  4. ^ French, Piper (2022-06-16). "Oakland's Sheriff Is Ousted After a Long Tenure Leading Deadly Jail". Bolts. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  5. ^ a b Rodgers, Jakob (2022-06-15). "Yesenia Sanchez declares upset victory in race for Alameda County sheriff". The Mercury News. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  6. ^ a b c Cabanatuan, Michael (2022-06-16). "Alameda County gets a new sheriff — first woman, Latina to head the office". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  7. ^ a b Teague, Courtney (2021-08-11). "Yesenia Sanchez Becomes 2nd Candidate To Challenge Sheriff Ahern". Castro Valley, CA Patch. Retrieved 2022-07-28.