04/09/2025
Solano County Officials Named in Explosive Federal RICO and Land Takings Lawsuit: Sheriff Ferrara, Wetlands Director Chappell, and Disgraced Judge Carringer Accused of Multi-Million Dollar Conspiracy
Fairfield, CA – April 8, 2025 – A federal civil rights and racketeering lawsuit filed this week has rocked Solano County’s political and judicial establishment, naming Sheriff Tom Ferrara, Suisun Resource Conservation District (SRCD) Director Steven Chappell, and Judge Christine Carringer as key figures in an alleged land theft and environmental fraud scheme spanning over two decades.
Filed by landowners John Donnelly Sweeney and Jennifer Frost, the complaint seeks $665 million in damages for what it calls a “deliberate and coordinated conspiracy” to seize private land, fabricate wetlands data, and retaliate against whistleblowers who exposed it. Leading to over a Decade of lawsuits.
Central to the case is the forced sale of Point Buckler Island in January 2025—executed by Sheriff Ferrara under an expired writ, with no valid judgment creditor, no notice, and no opportunity for legal defense. According to the suit, this was not an isolated act but part of a broader, orchestrated land taking operation.
SRCD Director Steven Chappell is accused of falsely listing more than 2,500 acres of private and military land in the Suisun Marsh—including Point Buckler, Chipps Island, Mallard Farms, Honker Bay, Atlantis Duck Club, San Souci Duck Club, Roe Island, Freeman Island, and Ryer Island—as completed “restored tidal wetlands for fish” in the SFEI EcoAtlas database since 1999. The lawsuit states no actual restoration work has ever occurred on these properties, yet Chappell and associates used these phantom projects to secure millions in environmental grants and regulatory benefits ultimately benefiting Solano County.
Judge Christine Carringer, previously reassigned from family court following a DUI arrest and two failed recall efforts and impeachment, is charged with abusing her authority to block the plaintiffs from legal counsel, unlawfully jail them, and enable the sheriff’s sale in coordination with Chappell and California Attorney General lawyers. The lawsuit cites her conduct as “grossly unethical, procedurally defective, and part of a deliberate plan to silence dissent.”
“Solano County weaponized its court, sheriff, and wetlands agency to destroy us,” said Sweeney. “This case isn’t about protecting fish or marshland—it’s about protecting power and fraud.”
The federal complaint seeks:
$665 million in RICO and civil rights damages
A court-ordered reversal of the Point Buckler sale
A full audit of 2,500+ acres of fraudulent wetlands listings
Immediate referral to the FBI, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and DOJ Inspector General
