News

Neighbors Pull Guns During Fresno Argument

FRESNO - Early Sunday morning officers with the Fresno Police Department’s Southeast Policing District were dispatched to the 3200 block of East McKenzie Ave regarding a disturbance between neighbors. The victim involved in this incident called police and advised Fresno Police Dispatch that he was confronted by two neighbors and they were both armed with handguns.

When officers arrived they contacted the victim and discovered the victim had gone to the neighbor’s house in an attempt to get a key that belonged to a mutual friend. During this contact an argument ensured and the two neighbors pulled out handguns. The suspects threatened to shoot the victim if he did not leave the property. The victim immediately left and called police to report it.

Tulare County Man Indicted for Theft of Social Security Income Benefit Funds

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Reynaldo Villalobos, 37, of Tulare, charging him with theft of public money and making false statements regarding right to Social Security benefits, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, Reynaldo Villalobos applied for Social Security Income benefits for his son in 2002.

In 2007, his son moved out of the country and has lived in Mexico ever since, making him ineligible for Social Security Income benefits. Nonetheless, Reynaldo Villalobos, as his son’s designated representative payee, never informed the Social Security Administration about the move and continued to fraudulently represent to that agency that his son was still living in the United States in order to continue to collect the Social Security Income benefits. Between August 2007 and September 2017, Reynaldo Villalobos collected at least $80,872 in Social Security Income to which he and his son were not entitled.

First Camp Fire Wrongful Death Case Against PGE

SACRAMENTO - Today, attorneys at Kershaw, Cook & Talley filed a complaint in Sacramento County Superior Court, in what is expected to be the first of many wrongful death lawsuits to be filed on behalf of victims of the Camp Fire that recently struck Paradise, California. At last count, the fire is suspected of causing more than 88 deaths and is one of the deadliest wildfires in United States history.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of family members whose father perished in the fire. In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges that the Camp Fire was caused by the negligent conduct of Pacific Gas & Electric ("PG&E"). Specifically, it asserts that PG&E failed to sufficiently manage and maintain its power lines and that a downed power line sparked the deadly fire. The lawsuit also asserts that PG&E should have cut power to the Paradise area given the forecasts of extreme fire danger that were received days before the fire was ignited.

AFTER COURT: No Winner, No Loser, No Decisions on MUSD Area 5 Trustee Race - Just Extended Deadlines

MADERA COUNTY – The election which seems it will never end between Lucy Salazar and Steve Duncan for the Madera Unified School District Area 5 Trustee position will have to wait a few more months for a winner to be decided.

This morning Madera County Clerk Rebecca Martinez along with Attorney Michael Linden of the Madera County Counsel’s Office (Lozano Smith) went to court in order to extend the deadline for certification of the November 6^th election from December 6^th 2018 to June 6^th, 2019. The matter was heard before the Honorable Judge James Oakley in Department 45 of the Madera County Superior Court.

TJ Cox Declares Victory in CA-21

SELMA – Today, TJ Cox, Democratic candidate for the 21^stCongressional District, extended his lead over Republican Congressman David Valadao. When Kings County released its final vote totals, Mr. Cox gained a net 70 votes and now leads Congressman Valadao by 506 votes.

Previously, votes in Kings County heavily favored Congressman Valadao who received 62.7%, compared to 37.3% for Mr. Cox. In the recent update, Mr. Cox won 52.4% of the 1,438 remaining votes. While there are outstanding ballots in Fresno and Kern counties, these votes have heavily favored Mr. Cox in the updates since Election Day.

Mexican National Pleads Guilty to 15-Pound Methamphetamine Deal in Kern County

FRESNO - Oscar Ivan Salazar-Avalos, 28, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Salazar and his co-defendant Jose Manuel Sotelo-Mendoza, 26, of Ceres, delivered 15 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Delano after Salazar negotiated with the officer to sell the drug for $3,400 per pound. In pleading guilty, Salazar acknowledged that he and Sotelo had met his source of supply in Castaic in the northern part of Los Angeles County to obtain the 15 pounds of methamphetamine. In addition, Salazar indicated that they intended to make $51,000 on the deal.

Modesto Man Sentenced to Prison and Another Pleads Guilty to Burglarizing Fresno Firearms Store

FRESNO - Johnny Sanchez, 22, of Modesto, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 11 years and eight months in prison for stealing 50 firearms from a Fresno gun store last year, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Co‑defendant Nathan Creel, 22, also of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with Sanchez and three others in connection with the burglary of the firearms store.

According to court documents, on October 20, 2017, Sanchez, Creel, and co-defendants James Britt, David Avina, and Luis Galvan broke into the Fresno firearms store by cutting a chain and lock with bolt cutters and prying open the door. The defendants stole 50 firearms, including numerous foreign and domestic rifles. After the theft, the defendants sold most of the firearms to others.