FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Officials have released more information about how a 38-year-old Fresno man was arrested 10 times in nearly a month, according to the Clovis Police Department.

Keith Chastain was booked into the Fresno County Jail on Tuesday, for the tenth time since Feb. 19, 2023.

According to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Chastain’s arrests were made by the Clovis Police Department, the Fresno Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol.

Tony Botti with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office says six arrests were for auto theft (often coupled with other charges of drug possession) – but most of his releases were Federal Court Order Releases, meaning his bed was needed for a more serious offender being booked into jail based on the classification guidelines of types of crimes.

Unfortunately, this is not as unique of a situation as it seems.  California has watered down the laws so much over the years for property criminals and repeat offenders that they are not held accountable like they should be.  Sadly, it is our community members who suffer due to these soft-on-crime policies.

Tony Botti, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office

Additionally, Chastain was cited and released twice (trespassing and DUI) and on an auto theft case, but Botti says that Fresno Police did not file Chastain’s case with the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office in time, so those charges were dropped.

YourCentralValley.com has reached out to the Fresno Police Department for a statement in response.