News

MADERA -- Workers at Nutrablend, a subsidiary of Land of Lakes, have voted by more than a two-to-one margin to join Teamsters Local 517. The 67 workers are responsible for the production of animal feed.

"These workers stood strong in the face of a nasty anti-union campaign because they knew Land of Lakes was making promises they weren't going to fulfill," said Greg Landers, Local 517 Secretary-Treasurer. "We're looking forward to negotiating a contract that addresses the issues they care about the most – ending favoritism, annual wage increases, improved health care, retirement benefits, protection against unjust retaliation, and more."

FRESNO -  A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against residents of Everett, Washington, Brian Ulises Rangel, 21, and Martin Velazquez, 29, charging Rael with being a felon in possession of a firearm and Velazquez with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 15. 2022, law enforcement officers in Fresno County conducted a traffic stop on a car occupied by Rangel and Velazquez. Because neither individual had a valid driver’s license, the car was towed. During a search of the car, two firearms (one stolen and the other with an obliterated serial number) and ammunition were found.

FRESNO -  Alejandro Galvan-Silvestre, 23, of Bakersfield, was arrested today, charged with knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at Air One, a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment on Aug. 25, 2022. It was unsealed today after Galvan-Silvestre’s arrest. According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2021, Galvan-Silvestre aimed the beam of a laser pointer at Air One.

FRESNO -  A federal grand jury returned a multiple-count indictment today against Richard Best, 68, of Fresno, and Shawn Sawa, 46, formerly of Clovis, charging them with conspiracy and wire fraud. According to court documents, from 2015 through 2017, Best and Sawa stole $4.8 million worth of canola used in cow feed from international food processors. They then sold the canola for a windfall.

Best and Sawa carried out the scheme through Best’s now defunct train-to-truck transloading company, Richard Best Transfer Inc. (RBT). A transloading company transfers commodities from one mode of transportation to another mode. The victims sent hundreds of thousands of tons of their canola and other commodities to RBT for delivery to their customers. Sawa was the manager of one of the victim’s branch offices in Fresno and had a close relationship with Best.

FRESNO -  A federal grand jury returned an indictment against German Antonio Lopez-Velasquez, 55, of Modesto; Marko Antonio Lopez, 27, of Modesto; and Lisa Marie Santos, 48, of Long Beach, charging them with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Lopez-Velasquez was also charged with witness tampering. He is alleged to have attempted to persuade an individual to make false statements to law enforcement officers regarding a mortgage loan under investigation.

FRESNO  -  Marino Cruz Diaz, 24, of Taft, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 10 years in prison for illegally cultivating marijuana in a national forest and ordered to pay over $13,000 in restitution for damage to the land, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in July 2019, law enforcement officers located clandestine marijuana grow site in Sequoia National Forest in Fresno County. On Aug. 2, 2019, officers hiked into the grow site, where they found and arrested Marino Cruz Diaz and Moreno Florez.