Attorney Allen Sawyer Secures Release of Security Guard Charged After Fatal Sacramento Cannabis Dispensary Shooting
Stockton criminal defense attorney says client acted in self-defense during pre-dawn break-in involving masked intruders
STOCKTON, Calif., June 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stockton Criminal Defense Attorney Allen Sawyer is representing Joseph Lawrence Mills, a Sacramento security guard charged with voluntary manslaughter following a fatal shooting during an alleged break-in at a Sacramento cannabis dispensary.
Mills, 55, is accused in connection with the May 8th shooting at a dispensary in the 8500 block of Thys Court in Sacramento’s Florin Fruitridge Industrial Park. According to reports, prosecutors allege that Mills shot two suspected burglars, one of whom, 22-year-old Kato Lamarzae Mills of Oakland, died at the scene. The two men were not related.
Following a court hearing in Sacramento Superior Court, Attorney Allen Sawyer successfully secured Mills’ release from custody while the case proceeds. Mills and Sawyer are expected to return to court at the end of July.
Sawyer said the charges are unwarranted and that his client acted in self-defense while protecting himself and the property he had been hired to secure.
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“He had to make a split-second decision to defend himself,” Sawyer said. “Imagine being in his situation. It’s 4:30 a.m. and these individuals are storming the building.”
According to Sawyer, Mills lived on the dispensary property and was confronted in the early morning hours by a group of masked individuals who rushed the business. Sawyer said surveillance footage aired by Sacramento television stations shows the dangerous circumstances Mills faced before shots were fired.
“He encountered them and he thought his life was in danger,” Sawyer said. “He definitely didn’t cause the situation.”
Sawyer said he hopes law enforcement will take a “long, hard look” at the surveillance evidence as the investigation continues. He also emphasized that Mills remained at the scene after the shooting and has been deeply affected by the incident.
“This was a traumatic event for Mr. Mills,” Sawyer said. “He was placed in an extremely dangerous situation through no fault of his own.”
The case also highlights the risks faced by legal cannabis businesses, which Sawyer said are frequent targets for break-ins because their locations are publicly known and may be perceived as holding cash or valuable inventory.
“Unfortunately, unlike illegal operations, legal operations are easy to find, and they’re targeted because of that,” Sawyer said.
Mills remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Sawyer said the defense will continue reviewing discovery, surveillance footage, and other evidence as the case proceeds in Sacramento Superior Court.
About Attorney Allen Sawyer
Allen Sawyer is a Stockton, California criminal defense attorney who represents clients in serious felony and high-stakes criminal matters throughout Northern California. Known for his courtroom experience and forceful advocacy, Sawyer defends individuals facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives and works to ensure that their constitutional rights are protected at every stage of the criminal process.
Media Contact:
Attorney Allen Sawyer
LAW OFFICE OF ALLEN SAWYER PC
(209) 645-0556
allen@allensawyer.com
https://www.allensawyer.com
Stockton, California
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