DA Mike Hestrin Announces the 2024 Justice Awards Recipients
March 3, 2025
COUNTYWIDE – The Riverside County District Attorney's Office celebrated its annual awards banquet on Friday, February 28, 2025. The event honored staff members’ outstanding achievements and unwavering dedication to justice and service within the community.
"Each day, the dedicated professionals of the District Attorney's Office strive to ensure that justice prevailed for the victims we served throughout Riverside County,” said DA Mike Hestrin. “The honorees of this year’s Justice Awards exemplified the highest standards of integrity and service, demonstrating a profound commitment to making our community safer.”
The 2024 Justice Awards banquet, formally called Excellence in Justice, took place at the Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs. The cost of the banquet was covered by funds raised through office-led fundraisers and the generous support of local sponsors.
Below are the recipients of the 2024 awards:
Prosecutor of the Year: Amy Zois
Countywide Lifetime Achievement Award: John Aki
Felony Prosecutor of the Year: Kaitlyn Lasater
Appellate Prosecutor of the Year: Kristen Allison
Crime Prevention Prosecutor of the Year: Kristopher Hiraoka
Special Prosecution Region (SPR) Prosecutor of the Year: Cynthia Brewer
Misdemeanor Prosecutor of the Year: Jennifer Ngo
Misdemeanor Prosecutor of the Year: Emily Stowe
Paralegal of the Year: Elaine Albert
Paralegal of the Year: Sue Wesolowski
Investigator of the Year: Claudia Estrada
Technician of the Year: Denise Magdaleno
Victim Services Specialist of the Year: Karla Melendrez
Administration Employee of the Year: Melina Perez-Ramirez
Clerical Employee of the Year: Becky Jewett
Clerical Employee of the Year: Cathryne Flores
Community Hero of the Year: Yvonne Bennett
Countywide DA Achievement/Leadership Award: Race-Blind Filing Team
Countywide Group Award: Communications Division
Admin. Region Group Award: Human Resources Unit
Eastern Region Group Award: Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Integrated Trial Team
Mid-County Region Group Award: Domestic Violence Integrated Trial Team
Southwest Group Award: Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Integrated Trial Team
Western Region Group Award: Clerical in the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Integrated Trial Teams
As the event concluded, District Attorney Mike Hestrin expressed his gratitude to all employees for their relentless dedication and invaluable contributions, reaffirming the office’s mission to maintain justice and serve the community members of Riverside County.
