Resident urges investigation into local death and sex‑offender registration; council took no action

A Modesto resident told the City Council on Jan. 14 that he had gathered information he believes shows criminal wrongdoing involving a local family and an individual he named, and urged officials to “do something,” saying he planned to pursue the district attorney’s office.

Samuel Tavaki (identified in the meeting transcript as a public commenter) said he learned about the case through court records and the Megan’s Law registry and said the person he named, Jeffrey Miller, “is supposed to register” under Penal Code requirements. Tavaki described the matter as connected to a woman’s death and said he had received documents he believes support reopening the investigation. “I finally called the district attorney's office, went on Megan's law, found out that this gentleman under 2 18, AB 2 18 is supposed to register as a *** offender,” Tavaki said in public comment (transcribed language redacted where graphic in the record). He added that he would “throw the kitchen sink at you if you guys don't do something.”

Why it matters: The commenter raised criminal allegations naming a private individual in open session. The council did not take public action on the claim during the meeting; no staff response or referral is recorded in the clerk’s readout for the Jan. 14 meeting.

What the council said: There is no record in the meeting transcript of council members or staff responding substantively to the allegations during the public comment period. The speaker said he had already contacted the district attorney’s office.

Context and caution: The statements reported here are allegations made by a member of the public during the council’s public-comment period. They were not presented to council as formal evidence and the council meeting record does not show any official investigation or council direction resulting from the speaker’s remarks. Modesto City Council did not discuss or vote on the matter on Jan. 14.