People v. Dolce CA3

Filed 10/30/25 P. v. Dolce CA3 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT

(Sacramento) ----

THE PEOPLE, C100565

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. 22FE020104)

v.

JAMES DOLCE,

Defendant and Appellant.

A jury found defendant James Dolce guilty of one count of persuading another person to become a prostitute. At trial, the prosecution introduced a series of text messages Dolce exchanged with an undercover police detective who was posing as a sex worker. In one message, Dolce responded to a question about how he was making money by saying, “Weed.” On appeal, Dolce asserts that the trial court erred when it permitted this exchange into evidence, arguing that it should have been excluded under Evidence Code sections 1101, subdivision (a) and 352.1 He also contends that the court incorrectly failed to instruct the jury with CALCRIM No. 375, which would have limited

1 Undesignated statutory references are to the Evidence Code.

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the purposes for which this evidence could be used. We find no prejudicial error and affirm the judgment. BACKGROUND The People charged Dolce with one count of persuading another person to become a prostitute. (Pen. Code, § 266i, subd. (a)(2).) As part of the prosecution case, the People introduced text messages between Dolce and Detective Jason Collins, who was posing as a sex worker named “Jaycee.” At trial, Detective Collins, an expert in pimping, pandering, and prostitution, explained the undercover operation that led to Dolce’s apprehension. Collins posted an advertisement for “in-calls,” or appointments in which the sex buyer goes to the sex worker’s location, and included a contact phone number. Officer Trischelle Love posed for the pictures in the ad. Dolce responded to the ad and initially asked “Jaycee” about her services. Dolce referred to her as a “green ho,” which Collins explained meant an inexperienced sex worker, and said she likely had a “simp,” which Collins said meant a “weak or a fake pimp.” Dolce told “Jaycee” she needed “to get turned out on the blade, so you know how to do some real hoing,” meaning that they should “go out on the blade, on the prostitution stroll, and do some real sex work.” Collins explained that these terms would not be used by a sex buyer and were more specific to the context of a conversation between a pimp and a sex worker. “Jaycee” told Dolce that she was “flying solo,” meaning she did not have a pimp. She told him that her “previous situation got hella weird” to explain why she did not have a pimp. Dolce then told “Jaycee”: “My name is Clever. I’m 49 and a white man. I got lots of bread, and I’m looking for my other half, to take over the world.” Collins explained that the phrase “take over the world” was commonly used by pimps with sex workers to motivate them and meant that the pimp and sex worker could work together. “Jaycee” asked Dolce, “How many bitches you got?” Dolce said, “None[.] I only need one[.] [S]he’ll get more if that’s what we [b]oth decide.” Dolce then said, “I use[d] to