The 2024 Silver Star medal is awarded for acts of bravery under extraordinary or unusual circumstances.
The employee shall display courage in the face of potential peril while saving or attempting to save the life of another person or distinguish himself or herself by performing in stressful situations with exceptional tactics or judgement.
2024 Silver Star recipients
Two correctional officers and two sergeants are being awarded the 2024 Silver Star for their off-duty actions.
Sierra Conservation Center, Jamestown
Joseph Masterson, Correctional Officer
Christopher Castanon, Correctional Officer
Jesse Winslow, Correctional Sergeant
In April 2023 around 5 a.m., three staff members were separately commuting to Sierra Conservation Center when they happened to be at the same place at the same time. Through this coincidence, they saved someone’s life and averted a potentially larger disaster.
As Officer Masterson, Officer Castanon and Sgt. Winslow approached a traffic light, they saw a huge cloud of smoke and half of a dark-colored car in the middle of the highway. The car had just been sheared in half by another vehicle when it ran a red light.
Immediately, the each pulled over. Masterson quickly called 911 while all three checked scene safety and ran to the vehicle. There was a single female driver in the sheared car, pinned inside and semiconscious. They assessed her injuries, asking if she had any passengers with her. The driver was disoriented and did not provide clear answers. The back half of her four-door sedan was 50 to 75 yards away in a ditch.
Rendering aid, directing traffic, ensuring safety
Masterson stayed with the victim, rendering aid. Castanon grabbed his flashlight and started flashing cars to slow down. In a vulnerable position, in the middle of a six-lane highway, there were dozens of vehicles and 18-wheelers flying by, unable to see them because of a blind corner and it still being dark outside.
Winslow ran to the other vehicle, about 100 years away, to check on any potential victims. He assessed the male driver and female passenger for significant injuries, then moved them to a safer location away from their vehicle and highway. Winslow then quickly confirmed there were no other passengers in the vehicle.
He then ran across the highway to the other half of the victim’s car and confirmed there was no one in the back seat. There were also no signs of anyone being ejected from the vehicle.
As the three waited with the victim for emergency responders, another vehicle came around the blind corner, locked up its breaks and slid directly toward Masterson. The officer didn’t have time to react or even get out of the way because he was focused on rendering aid to the victim. Thankfully, the skidding vehicle came to a stop less than 15 feet from striking the officer and victim.
The officers displayed courage, heroism without hesitation, and selflessness by putting themselves in dangerous circumstances for the community.
Centinela sergeant saves neighbor during attack
Jumel Moises, Correctional Sergeant
Centinela State Prison
Sgt. Jumel Moises used his CDCR training to save a neighbor during an attack.
In May 2023, Moises was taking his dogs for an evening walk around his Chula Vista neighborhood.
During his walk, he spotted three men attacking a male victim, striking him with their feet and hands while the victim appeared defenseless on the ground.
Drawing on his correctional training and experience, he intervened. Moises approached the attackers, announced himself as a peace officer, and yelled out to stop the attack. The assailants fled the area.
After scanning the scene and confirming it was safe, Moises checked the condition of the victim and discovered he was profusely bleeding from his right side. The victim said the attackers had stabbed him.
Moises immediately called 911 while applying pressure to his stab wound to minimize bleeding. He remained at the scene with the victim until medical responders arrived and took charge.
Moises, who provided a statement to the police, was later contacted by the investigator assigned to the case. He was told the victim survived and was no longer in critical condition.
Read more stories of bravery on Inside CDCR’s Above the Call series.