News

Detectives Arrest Home Invasion Robbery Suspects, Recover Stolen Property

FRESNO COUNTY - Property crimes detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office have arrested 21-year-old Demetrius Williams and 19-year-old Joseph Lepe, both of Fresno. The suspects have been booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges of robbery. Their bails are set at $280,000 each.

On January 24th, 2024, deputies responded to a home invasion robbery on the 8000 block of S. Bryan Ave. near Raisin City. Two men held the victim at gunpoint and robbed him of his vehicle, cash and cell phones. Both fled the house. The victim was not physically injured.

Fresno City College Police Nabs Copper Wire Thief on West Campus

FRESNO - The Fresno City College West Fresno Campus suffered a significant amount of copper wire theft in recent weeks, causing thousands of dollars in damage and impacting parking lot lighting as well as lighting alongside walking trails and bike paths.

The State Center Community College District (SCCCD) Police Department developed a plan to catch and arrest the perpetrator(s), which resulted in an arrest on Friday, Feb. 9.

The Grand Opening of The Arthur @ Blackstone, an Affordable Housing Development

FRESNO - A new chapter begins in Fresno's history with the grand opening of The Arthur @ Blackstone, a transformative, affordable housing development. This innovative project, located on the site once home to the beloved "Arthur's Toys" store and AJ's Tuxedo Shop, marks a significant milestone in addressing the housing needs of the community, especially young people transitioning from foster care.

The Arthur @ Blackstone will offer a welcoming community with 1, 2, and 3- 3-bedroom units for a total of 41 units in the City of Fresno. The property will provide an affordable and permanent housing community for residents, with half of the units reserved for transitional-aged youth.

Professional Rock Climber Convicted of Sexual Assaults in Yosemite National Park

SACRAMENTO - A federal jury found Charles Barrett, 39, guilty today of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact that occurred during a weekend in Yosemite National Park, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the victim went to Yosemite for a weekend of hiking, and Barrett, who was working and living in the park, sexually assaulted her three times. During the trial, three other women testified that Barrett also sexually assaulted them. These assaults were not charged because they were outside federal jurisdiction but were admitted at trial as relevant to the charged assaults.

One Sentenced, One Pleads Guilty in 2 Separate Cases Involving Debit and Credit Card Skimming Schemes

FRESNO - Artak Vardanyan, 40, of Burbank, was sentenced today to 11 months in prison for conspiring to commit credit and debit card fraud, and Christos Mavrokelos, 37, a Romanian national operating in Fresno and elsewhere, pleaded guilty today to using counterfeit debit cards and skimming devices, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Vardanyan used credit and debit card Skewers at gas stations to steal nearly $200,000 in Fresno and Southern California.

According to court records, in November 2015, Vardanyan and his co-defendant, Akop Dongelyan, went on a crime spree in Fresno and Southern California, where they stole multiple victims’ credit and debit card information through skimmers placed at gas stations.

Prison Officials Investigating the Death of an Incarcerated Merced Murderer as a Homicide

SAN DIEGO - The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is investigating the Feb. 3, 2024, death of an incarcerated Merced man at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD) as a homicide. At approximately 2:20 p.m., officers responded to an altercation between incarcerated persons Michael Mendoza and Maurice Vasquez against incarcerated person Guy Perez.

Responding staff arrived and observed Mendoza and Vasquez striking Perez in the upper torso with inmate-manufactured weapons. Staff orders to stop were ignored. Chemical agents were then used to quell the attack.

Prison Officials Investigating the Death of Prisoner as a Homicide

COALINGA – California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials are investigating the Jan. 24, 2024, death of an incarcerated person at Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP) as a homicide. At approximately 10:15 p.m., officers were conducting security rounds and approached a cell occupied by Jaime Ambriz and Roberto Briseno.

The officer observed Ambriz unresponsive in the cell and immediately summoned for medical response. Responding staff initiated lifesaving measures, summoned an ambulance, and transported Ambriz to the prison’s triage and treatment area. He was pronounced deceased at 10:48 p.m. by Coalinga Fire Paramedics.