Local News

Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Actual and Attempted Coercion of a Minor

FRESNO - Christopher Contreras, 29, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to one count of attempted coercion of a minor and one count of enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Contreras used the messaging application Skout, text messages, and Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit communications for approximately one week with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old female. He then traveled to a location in Fresno on July 31, 2020, to meet the purported minor for sexual activity. He was actually communicating with undercover law enforcement investigators. They arrested Contreras and booked him into the Fresno County Jail, where he was released on bail.

Fresno Resident Sentenced to Prison for Counterfeit Treasury Check Conspiracy and Identity Theft

FRESNO - Jeffrey Michalk, 44, of Fresno, was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison for conspiracy, theft of public money, and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between June 2020 and January 2022, Michalk worked with Fresno residents Steve Gomez, 41, and Michael Dugan, 49, to cash counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks throughout the Central Valley. The criminal conduct included approximately 264 fraudulent checks and a loss of over $500,000. The trail of counterfeit checks spanned different counties and involved checks forged to be made payable to the defendants and others.

Kern County Man Pleads Guilty to Six-Year, $825,000 Credit Card Fraud Scheme

FRESNO - Miguel Leyva, 36, of Wasco, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for his role in a long-running credit card fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court records, between February 2016 and August 2022, Leyva and his partner and co-defendant, Karina Arceo, stole the personally identifiable information (PII) for more than 125 victims. They stole much of the PII from patient files at healthcare providers in Kern County, where Arceo worked.

Aggravated Assault Leads to Homicide in Madera

MADERA - Last week, the Madera County Sheriff’s Communications Center received a call from an area hospital regarding a patient under their care who had sustained injuries inconsistent with the reported event.

MCSO Deputies initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. They confirmed the victim, 44-year-old Mandy Burriel, was transported by EMS from the 16000 block of Krohn St in Madera on 12/14/23 for a reported fall. The victim’s boyfriend, 52-year-old Scott Allen, was the reporting party.

U.S. Attorney’s Office Enters Settlement with City of Fresno Regarding ADA Compliance at Amtrak Station

FRESNO - The City of Fresno has agreed to resolve findings of violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at the Fresno Amtrak intercity rail station, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The rail station, located at 2650 Tulare Street, is owned by the City of Fresno and serves passengers using trains to reach destinations up and down the San Joaquin Valley.

Under the agreement announced today, the city made accessibility modifications to exterior and interior portions of the station, including repairs to curb ramps, the waiting room, and the station’s restrooms. This agreement is part of a nationwide effort by the Department of Justice to improve accessibility at the nation’s rail stations. In 2020, the Department of Justice also entered into a nationwide settlement with Amtrak regarding ADA compliance at its stations.