Ex-San Quentin Worker From Vallejo Gets 37 Months for Smuggling

A 36-year-old Vallejo man who worked as a custodian at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center was sentenced Monday in Oakland federal court to 37 months in prison for smuggling methamphetamine into the Marin County facility, while North Bay and regional homeowners tracked a Wednesday vote by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) on 2028 water heater rules.

Vallejo Resident Keith Randle Sentenced to 37 Months for San Quentin Meth Smuggling

As reported by KTVU FOX 2, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers sentenced 36-year-old Keith Randle of Vallejo to 37 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release:

• 301 Grams of Meth Hidden in a Peanut Butter Jar: According to federal prosecutors, correctional officers searched Randle's belongings when he arrived for his janitorial shift at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center on March 4, 2025, and discovered 7 plastic bindles containing 301 grams of methamphetamine concealed inside a jar of peanut butter, along with 2 cellphones, phone chargers, and $1,100 in cash. Investigator searches of his vehicle uncovered 2 additional cellphones and $3,400 in cash.
• Over $100,000 in Bribes Since April 2024: Following his arrest, Randle admitted that he had been smuggling contraband cellphones and narcotics into San Quentin since April 2024 and had collected more than $100,000 in bribes via cash and mobile payment apps from inmates and their associates. Randle pleaded guilty in May 2026 to 1 count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; Judge Gonzalez Rogers ordered him to surrender to begin serving his sentence on January 6, 2027.

BAAQMD Set for November 4 Vote on 2028 Zero-NOx Water Heater Exemptions

Across the 9-county Bay Area air basin—including Napa, Solano, and Marin counties—The Almanac columnist Sherry Listgarten reported that the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) board will vote Wednesday, November 4, 2026, on staff-proposed amendments to its 2023 zero-nitrogen-oxide (NOx) appliance rule:

• $4,000 Cost Cap & Up to 50% Temporary Exemptions Through 2033: While the 2023 regulation remains scheduled to require zero-emission heat pump water heaters for most replacements starting January 1, 2028 (and space heaters in 2029), the proposed amendments allow homeowners to install a replacement gas water heater between 2028 and 2033 if an electric heat pump installation requires an electric panel upgrade, lacks a nearby 240-volt outlet or 277 cubic feet of space, or involves installation costs exceeding $4,000 before incentives. BAAQMD staff estimate that up to 50% of Bay Area homes could qualify for the temporary exemption until 2033, while a proposed $350 dealer noncompliance fee would fund low-income electrification assistance.