News

FRESNO -   A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment today against Pilar Rose, 58, of Fresno, charging her with tax evasion, obstructing an IRS tax audit, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Rose, who managed her husband’s orthodontics practice, evaded over $400,000 in taxes in 2014 and 2015. She then altered and produced financial records to the IRS during an audit to make personal expenses appear to be deductible business expenses.

SACRAMENTO -   Jaziz Jesahias Cea, 23, formerly of Galt, pleaded guilty today to transportation of child pornography and receipt of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, Cea used internet communications platforms and social media to commit the offenses. In particular, on May 13, 2018, Cea uploaded to his YouTube channel child pornography videos showing prepubescent girls being abused by adult males.

Cea also separately used his Skype account to receive child pornography videos depicting prepubescent minor females being sexually exploited, to share links to such material, and to communicate with others about his interest in sexually exploiting children.

OAKHURST – Madera County Sheriff’s Detectives are investigating an incident that occurred in Oakhurst during the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 12, 2021. Shortly before 3:30am dispatchers received a report of a stabbing in the area of Road 427 and Road 426 in Oakhurst.

Deputies arrived on the scene and contacted an adult female victim with injuries from a stab wound. The victim was transported via life flight to a regional hospital in Fresno for treatment of her injuries. Based on preliminary details, detectives believe this was an isolated incident.

MERCED COUNTY – Governor Gavin Newsom today proposed a $5.1 billion package of immediate drought response and long-term water resilience investments to address immediate, emergency needs, build regional capacity to endure drought and safeguard water supplies for communities, the economy, and the environment. The Governor’s proposal comes as part of a week-long tour highlighting the Administration’s comprehensive recovery plan tackling the most persistent challenges facing California.

MADERA – The State Center Community College District broke ground Friday for the Academic Village 2 building at Madera Community College, paid for through Measure C funding. The new Academic Village 2 building will house general education classrooms, distance learning classrooms, a student success center, an expanded library, and labs for nursing, computers, and criminology. Plans also include expanded parking on the west side of campus.

In November 2017, Darden Architects was approved as the project architect. Academic Village 2 was approved by DSA on January 26, 2021. BMY Construction Group, Inc. was awarded the contract on April 6, 2021.  The $35M project is anticipated to open in the fiscal year 2022-2023.

MADERA - Madera Police are investigating a shooting Tuesday evening that sent a man to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the neck. The shooting took place in the parking lot of the Madera Walmart on West Cleveland Avenue near the store's entrance where a man brought a knife to a gunfight.

The initial investigation revealed that a verbal argument in the parking lot led to one man brandishing a knife and charging another man. The man brandishing the knife continued advancing on the unarmed man, who backed away approximately 30 feet.