San Francisco DA allowing ‘open air drug market,’ California official argues
Humboldt County Supervisor Rex Bohn and Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal slam San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin and his policies on fentanyl and other drugs.
Officials in one California county called on San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin to get tough on drug offenders, Friday, blaming the city's crisis for a rise in fentanyl deaths in their jurisdiction.
Humboldt County, nearly 300 miles north of the city, reported seeing a spike in fentanyl arrests and deaths in 2021 linked back to San Francisco, with one incident resulting in three deaths in one hour.
"Drug dealing fentanyl is not a victimless crime," Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal told "Fox & Friends." "This is something [Boudin] has to take seriously."
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Honsal and County Supervisor Rex Bohn sent a letter to Boudin's office, Tuesday, arguing the city's soft-on-crime policies and lack of prosecution are enabling fentanyl to be sold openly without repercussions. Boudin's office, which claims it never received the letter, called the accusations "misinformation" in a statement.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 24: Homeless people consume illegal drugs in an encampment along Willow St. in the Tenderloin district of downtown on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 in San Francisco, CA. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
"He can spin this however he wants to spin it," Honsal responded. "We know boots on the ground in San Francsico… are saying he is not doing his job."
Bohn pointed out Humboldt is a small county, but it has had seven arrests in three weeks for fentanyl coming directly from San Francisco. Bohn said the sheriff's department is already understaffed, and the drug task force only has six members.
"It's uncalled for," Bohn said, asking for accountability from Boudin's office. "We do need some help."
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Progressive prosecutors like Boudin, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon and Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner have faced increased scrutiny over spiking crime rates. Boudin faces a recall election on June 7.
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