Local News

FRESNO -  On Thursday, May 2, 2019, at approximately 1950 hours, Northeast Patrol Officers from the Fresno Police Department were dispatched to 4300 block of East Buckingham Way regarding a victim of a shooting.  The 911 call was placed from the Buckingham address and when officers arrived they discovered a deceased male inside the residence.  The male was identified as 42 year old Elden Baker III.  Officers contacted the mother and stepfather who both stated that the stepfather shot Baker in self-defense. 

Detectives learned that during the disturbance, Baker become enraged and began hitting himself in the face and slamming his head into the refrigerator.  Baker turned his anger towards his mother and began assaulting her while forcing her to the floor.  It should be noted; the mother has a medical condition which could become life threatening if attacked in such a manner. 

SACRAMENTO -  Following a nearly two-year international investigation involving U.S. law enforcement and authorities in Germany and the Netherlands, federal prosecutors have charged three German nationals with being the administrators of Wall Street Market (WSM), which was one of the world’s largest dark web marketplaces that allowed vendors to sell a wide variety of contraband, including an array of illegal narcotics, counterfeit goods and malicious computer hacking software. A Brazilian national was also charged for allegedly acting as a moderator for WSM.

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday in United States District Court in Los Angeles alleges that the three defendants, who currently are in custody in Germany, were the administrators of WSM, a sophisticated online marketplace available in six languages that allowed approximately 5,400 vendors to sell illegal goods to about 1.15 million customers around the world.

FRESNO - The warmer weather means a lot more motorcycles will be out on the road across California. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and the Fresno Police Department is taking the opportunity to remind drivers and motorcycle riders to share the road and look out for one another.

During the month of May, the Fresno Police Department will step up enforcement specifically geared toward stopping drivers and motorcycle riders for traffic violations that increase the risk of crashes. A motorcycle safety enforcement operation is planned for May 5th, 2019 to coincide with motorcycle club festivities scheduled in Fresno over the Cinco de Mayo weekend.

MADERA  -  Earlier this year, Brandon Johns (33) called a number expecting to talk to a 13 year old girl who did not know him. Instead, the 13 year old girl’s mother answered the phone. Undeterred, Johns kept contacting the number trying to talk to the 13 year old. Ultimately the 13 year old, very bravely, spoke to Johns on the phone as her mother listened.

When Johns tried to engage in a sexual conversation with the 13 year old, the mother terminated the call immediately and notified law enforcement. The mother ultimately was able to provide information to law enforcement officers that enabled them to identify and arrest Johns, who was previously convicted of sending harmful matter to minors in Fresno County.