[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 172 (Friday, October 19, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1429]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN MEMORY OF BENJAMIN MARIO BELTRAMO

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ERIC SWALWELL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 19, 2018

  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with 
Congressman Jimmy Panetta to honor the life and memory of Benjamin 
Mario Beltramo who recently passed away.
  Ben was the middle child of five born to Mario and Linda Beltramo. He 
grew up in Fresno where he attended catholic schools throughout his 
lower education. Upon graduating from high school, Ben decided to 
follow in his father's footsteps and attend the University of Notre 
Dame, where he majored in English. After completing his undergraduate 
studies, Ben again followed in his father's footsteps and chose to 
become a lawyer by gaining entrance into Berkeley's prestigious Boalt 
Hall School of Law. Soon thereafter, Ben accepted a job with the 
Alameda County District Attorney's Office, to begin after completing a 
clerkship with a federal court judge in southern California.
  On November 12, 2002, Ben officially began serving the citizens of 
Alameda County and the State of California as a Deputy District 
Attorney. He joined his brother Matt there, who in part had inspired 
him to join the District Attorney's Office. In less than a year, Ben's 
work ethic, intelligence and commitment to justice was recognized when 
Ben was asked to sit second chair on a high-profile case involving 
corruption in a local police department. Ben impressed not only the 
Senior District Attorney assigned to the case but gained the respect of 
the defense attorneys and the judge presiding over the case. Ben played 
an active role in the prosecution of that case and was subsequently 
assigned to the Felony Trial Team at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse in 
Oakland. During his career, Ben held a variety of important 
assignments; specifically, he was assigned to the Law and Motion 
division, the Strike Team which targeted dangerous felons within the 
City of Oakland, and Felony Trial Staff on three separate occasions. He 
also headed the Narcotics Task Force, and on November 22, 2013, was 
assigned to the Alameda County Gang Team. He served on the Gang Team 
until his untimely death.
  An effective trial lawyer is equal parts effort, determination, 
intelligence and charm. In all of these aspects, Ben excelled. Even 
before his untimely passing, Ben was often described as ``the best of 
us'' by many of his friends and colleagues. Ben successfully handled 
several high-profile cases as a trial lawyer. In August 2006, Ben 
obtained a guilty verdict in the brutal beating death of a homeless 
woman in Berkeley. In February 2010, Ben prosecuted the murder of a 17-
year-old young man who was tragically killed a short time before he was 
scheduled to attend the University of Oregon on a football scholarship. 
In May 2014, Ben prosecuted two gang members responsible for the fatal 
shooting of three-year-old victim Carlos Nava. Ben treated victims and 
their families, defense attorneys and their clients and the process 
with the utmost professionalism.
  Even with the professional accolades and quiet contentment Ben 
received from his accomplishments, he would argue, and convince 
everyone, that his real success was in his personal life. On October 7, 
2006, Ben married his amazing wife Shara Mesic Beltramo. The two of 
them met at work as Shara was also a Deputy District Attorney. Ben 
often remarked how lucky he was to have found Shara. From their union, 
Mateo, age 8, and Luke, age 6, were born. Anyone who saw Ben with his 
boys knew that he had no greater joy than being a father. Ben loved 
spending time with his family and was always the proud father and 
husband. In addition to all of these remarkable qualities, Ben was a 
bit of a renaissance man. He really enjoyed the outdoors and working 
with his hands. He worked diligently to remodel his family home, 
removing and replacing most of the woodwork in the house, as well as 
installing skylights in his master bedroom. Making his and Shara's 
house a home was foremost among Ben's many goals.
  On October 8, 2018, Benjamin Beltramo's family, the citizens of 
Alameda County and everyone touched by Ben's life, suffered a 
tremendous loss. Despite this loss, we are made better by having known 
Ben.

                          ____________________