News

Brandon Johns Sentenced to State Prison

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.

Delano Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography

FRESNO - Steven Andrew Dobson, 33, of Delano, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for receiving and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, from approximately March 1, 2016, through November 11, 2016, in Kern County, Dobson was found to have received and distributed through the internet between 150 and 300 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images also involved depictions of violence, and included depictions of prepubescent minors.

Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Cultivation in Wilderness Area

FRESNO - Mauricio Vaca-Bucio (Vaca), 31, of Michoacán, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, Vaca and his co-defendants Felipe Angeles Valdez‑Colima, 35, and Rodolfo Torres-Galvan, 29, also of Mexico, were apprehended after a two-month investigation in the Kiavah Wilderness, a federally designated wilderness area in the Sequoia National Forest. Law enforcement officers saw Torres and Valdez emerge from the forest and enter a Camaro driven by Vaca.

They were subsequently stopped in Weldon. Officers found freshly harvested marijuana in the Camaro and located over 1,800 marijuana plants at the grow site on the trail that led to the drop point. The officers also found deadly illegal pesticides, including carbofuran and zinc phosphide, in both the vehicle and at the grow site. In pleading guilty, Vaca agreed to pay over $7,000 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the damage he caused to the National Forest.

Madtown Robotics World Championship Parade Celebration

MADERA - Madera High School’s Madtown 1323 Robotics team won the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston. This is the second time that a team from the Central Valley has ever won the World Championship. A parade was held on Saturday morning to celebrate the World Championship.

The parade began at the Madera Unified District Office and end at N street by the Memorial Stadium on Olive Avenue. Trucks and Jeeps from Gill Dodge transported the Robotics Team with elected officials from the Madera City Council, Madera County Board of Supervisors and the Madera Unified Board of Trustees traveled down Howard Road to the HOPY Intersections, then continued to the backside of Madera High School.

Madera County Plane Crash Kills Two

MADERA – The National Transportation Safety Board investigators are at the scene of yesterday’s plane crash near the Madera Municipal Airport, across the street from the Madera Municipal Golf Course. The crash, that claimed the lives of two Fresno residents, occurred shortly before 1:00pm Thursday afternoon.

The California Highway Patrol received a report of a plane crash in the area of Avenue 17 and Road 23 in Madera County. CHP Troopers and county sheriff’s deputies along with Madera Police, and CAL Fire responded to the scene. Upon arrival, it was confirmed that an ultra-light single engine aircraft crashed into an empty field. Public Information Officer Kayla Serratto with the Madera County Sheriff's Office says both victims died at the scene.

Fresno Couple Indicted for Drug Possession and Conspiracy

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Edilberto Vidrio, 53, and Elena Castillo, 46, both of Fresno, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Fresno police officers assisted Monterey County District Attorney’s Office to serve a search warrant unrelated to narcotics at Vidrio and Castillo’s apartment. They found approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine, a pound of cocaine, and 1.8 pounds of heroin packaged for sale in their apartment. Scales and other items associated with the sale of narcotics were also found in their apartment.

Former IRS Employee Arrested Today After Being Indicted for Filing False Tax Returns

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned an 18-count indictment on April 11 against Deena Vang Lee, 38, of Fresno, charging her with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns, and making and subscribing false and fraudulent tax returns, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, between February 2012 and February 2016, Lee prepared tax returns for a fee for friends, family, and other acquaintances that claimed thousands of dollars in tax credits for education and child care expenses that were not actually incurred. Lee also submitted fraudulent tax returns on her own behalf, failing to report the income from her tax preparation services.