News

SACRAMENTO -  U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott, Chief Deputy Lasha Boyden and Chief Inspector Bert Tapia of the U.S. Marshals Service, and Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones announced a U.S. Marshals Service-led operation to reduce violence in Stockton.

Operation Take Back aimed to provide the city of Stockton with immediate relief from the increasing rate of violent crime. After 21 days of focused effort, Operation Take Back concluded on August 30th, targeting and arresting violent fugitives, gang members and criminal offenders who have committed crimes such as homicide, shooting into dwellings, felony assault, sexual assault, illegal possession of firearms, illegal drug distribution, and robbery.

FRESNO  -  Edgar Hernandez, 34, of McFarland, pleaded guilty today to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Hernandez, who is also known as “Dopey,” sold methamphetamine on Jan. 17, Feb. 28, and March 6, 2019, in the McFarland area. When Hernandez was arrested on March 6, he was found to be in possession of a firearm and narcotics.

FRESNO STATE - Fresno State announced last week that Sigma Chi has been placed on suspension through Feb. 3, 2020, arising from underage drinking of alcohol, several instances of physical assault and noise violations at a fraternity-sponsored event on May 5, 2019.

If the fraternity satisfies certain University-imposed conditions, such as completing a risk-management program, the chapter will regain recognition and most of the privileges that come with full recognition by Feb. 3, 2020. It will not regain its right to serve alcohol to students of legal age at its functions until May 25, 2020.

MADERA - Hailing from Hollywood, CA, via Juarez, Mexico, METALACHI is a musical/comedy stage show that somehow seamlessly blends the world of Spinal Tap and Cheech & Chong into an over-the-top stage spectacle. The band is comprised of a five-piece ensemble of classically trained mariachi musician siblings, that have been fused together with the power of heavy metal.

Fans can expect an unlikely meshing of metal classics from artist such as Metallica, Slayer, Ozzy Osbourne and more with traditional mariachi standards from the likes of Vicente Fernandez and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan... all played with traditional mariachi instrumentation but with a stage show that strays far from traditional!

FRESNO  -   Sherman Smith, 73, of Monterey, was indicted today on seven counts of wire fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, Smith was the executive pastor of a church in Clovis.

Smith allegedly induced investors, including church congregants, to give money to the church by representing that the money would be used to finance a real estate development project for the benefit of the church. Smith made appeals from the pulpit, via email, and in person for monies to pay off the church’s mortgage and fund an income-generating development.

FRESNO  -   A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Lester Eduardo Cardenas-Flores, 23, and Luis Madrigal-Reyes, 36, illegal aliens from Mexico, charging them with conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, manufacturing marijuana, and damaging public lands and natural resources, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, law enforcement officers located over 1,000 marijuana plants in the Dutch Oven Creek area of the Sierra National Forest in Madera County. Both defendants were found in a processing area near growing marijuana plants and fled when law enforcement officers arrived to investigate.