Riverside DA incentive awards honor 21 attorneys and staff

The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office recognized a handful of attorneys and staff for their outstanding work in 2020 with its annual PRIDE awards.

“We proudly celebrate and recognize the perseverance and resilience of our staff, especially in what certainly has been a very difficult and unprecedented time,” district attorney Michael A. Hestrin said in a statement Thursday.

The Program Rewarding Incentive of District Attorneys and Employees awards were given to each individual and group in small ceremonies so family and friends could attend due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the office announced.

Of the 21 regional and countywide awards, Deputy District Attorney Marcus R. Garrett was named prosecutor of the year and Deputy District Attorney Joshlyn R. Pulliam received the leadership award.

Garrett was recognized for his work in and out of the courtroom, including leading courtroom coordination efforts throughout the pandemic. He was also honored for his work as a liaison prosecutor for the new Menifee Police Department, where he provided training, and for his embodiment of selfless service and leadership.

Pulliam was recognized for her collegial and collaborative nature and dedication to helping attorneys inside and outside of her unit. The office described her as respectful, honest, ethical, kind and always looking to help her colleagues even when she is working on a trial.

Other deputy district attorneys honored were: appellate prosecutor of the year Jesse Male; misdemeanor prosecutor of the year Adelaida Hernandez; juvenile prosecutor of the year Breeanna Fujio; crime prevention prosecutor of the year Evelyn Essenwanger; from the Eastern Region felony prosecution unit, Arthur Hester and Hawlee Valente; from the Western Region, Courtney Breaux, Chris Cook and Jay Kiel; and special prosecution unit recipients Meghan MacDonald, Stephen Merrill, Timothy Mulhere, Jessica Ramirez and Fredric Ignacio.