News

FRESNO - After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Craig Martin Shults, 48, of New York, guilty on Friday of retaliating against a federal official by threat, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, in 2016 at a federal prison in Taft, California, Shults, then an inmate, made threats to assault a federal judge with the intent to retaliate against the judge for presiding over a prior criminal case involving Shults.

FRESNO -  Thomas Lee Crow, 49, of Fresno, was sentenced today for aiding and abetting an unlawful animal fighting venture involving a large cockfighting enterprise to two years in prison and a 10-year ban on possessing or owning any animals, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

After hearing from an animal cruelty expert from the Humane Society, U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill stated: “This is nothing short of a case of animal torture. His animals were treated without compassion.” Crow was fined $5,500 in addition to agreeing to the forfeiture of $22,800. Fresno County Sheriff’s Office will receive $6,278 of the forfeited funds to pay for the cost of disposal of the fighting roosters.

WASHINGTON -  Many consumers are in a sprint to the finish in terms of getting their holiday gifts and greetings in the mail. This week is expected to be the busiest week of the holiday mailing and shipping season for the Postal Service. The agency expects to process and deliver nearly 3 billion pieces of mail, which includes packages, this week alone. In the two weeks leading up to Christmas, Dec. 10-23, the Postal Service expects to deliver nearly 200 million packages each week.

Overall, the Postal Service anticipates delivering nearly 15 billion total pieces of mail and more than 900 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day — for a total of nearly 16 billion joyful mail and package deliveries this holiday season.

CLOVIS - Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies have booked 39 year old Travis Newton of Fresno and 35 year old Daniel Garcia of Fresno into the Fresno County Jail.  Newton faces several felony charges, including:  Auto theft, possession of stolen property, evading a peace officer, possession of a firearm by a felon, negligent discharge of a gun and committing a crime while out on bail.  His bail is set at $201,000.  Garcia faces felony charges of:  Auto theft, possession of stolen property, evading a peace officer and probation violation.  His bail is set at $64,500.  However, he is not eligible for bail on the probation violation hold.

Around 11:00 pm on December 16th, someone reported suspicious behavior in the parking lot of the Loma Vista Market at Shaw and Academy Avenues.  They saw some men taking items out of a Ford F450 work truck and putting them into a trailer.  As deputies arrived, the men fled in the Ford work truck and another pickup, leaving the trailer behind.  As they left the lot, a deputy noticed one of the suspects firing several rounds from a gun straight into the air.  No one was struck by the bullets.  

WASHINGTON -  California ranks 2nd nationwide in funding programs that prevent kids from using tobacco and help smokers quit, according to a report released today by leading public health groups. California is spending $250.4 million this year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is 72 percent of the $347.9 million recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report challenges states to do more to fight tobacco use – the nation's No. 1 preventable cause of death – and to confront the growing epidemic of youth e-cigarette use in America. In California, 5.4 percent of high school students smoke cigarettes, while 17.3 percent use e-cigarettes. Tobacco use claims 40,000 California lives and costs the state over $13.2 billion in health care bills annually.

IONE-  The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is assisting in the investigation of an active tuberculosis case at Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP).

On November 30, during a hospitalization stay, an inmate was diagnosed with tuberculosis. MCSP working together with the Amador County Public Health Department and the California Department of Public Health, began implementation of positive tuberculosis exposure protocols. In addition, several precautions have been taken, including evaluations of the inmate’s cellmate and other inmates who may have been exposed.  Additionally, CDCR is actively conducting investigations on any potential employee contacts.