Local News

Twelve Defendants Charged in 5 Indictments with Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

FRESNO - Due to the efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies working together over the course of the past 18 months on an investigation targeting local criminal street gangs in Bakersfield, 12 defendants were indicted for drug trafficking and firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

On Nov. 17, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment against William Arthur Poush, 43, of Bakersfield; Rosa Fernandez, 43, of Bakersfield; Timothy Robert Hingston, 39, of North Hollywood; Spencer Matthew Hopper, 35, of Montrose; and Dale Vincent Perez, 39, of Bakersfield. According to court documents, on Jan. 20, 2022, and Feb. 24, 2022, Poush and Fernandez sold over 50 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. On May 11, 2022, Poush sold over 50 grams of methamphetamine and several fentanyl pills to a confidential informant. On Aug. 13, 2022, Hingston and Hopper distributed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and over 400 grams of fentanyl to Poush, and Poush possessed that same quantity with the intent to distribute. On Aug. 19, 2022, Poush and Perez conspired to possess with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine, and Perez possessed that same quantity with intent to distribute it. And on Sept. 1, 2022, Poush possessed over 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Modesto Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Numerous Children Using Snapchat

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment yesterday against Jacob Jacobsen, 27, of Modesto, charging him with four counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Jacobsen came to the attention of law enforcement in Memphis, Tennessee, when the mother of a 13-year-old girl reported that Jacobsen had been communicating with her through Snapchat, requesting sexually explicit content. Investigators with the Memphis Police Department and the Memphis FBI Office executed numerous search warrants.

Fresno Bank Employee Arrested for Stealing Over $70,000 from Customers’ Accounts

FRESNO - Lladira Hernandez, 23, of Fresno, was arrested today on charges that she stole over $70,000 from multiple customers’ accounts at a Fresno-based bank where she was previously employed, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in April 2022, Hernandez was hired by the bank as a customer service representative. She began stealing the bank account information of customers she helped over the phone and used it to pay bills for herself and her associates. This included mortgage payments, car payments, and phone bills.

Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Using a Stolen Identity to Steal Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Banks and the Federal Government

FRESNO - Brian Stoffel, 38, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for using a victim’s identity to steal money from the victim’s bank accounts and get fraudulent loans in the victim’s name, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between September 2020 and August 2021, Stoffel obtained personally identifiable information for an individual and used it to drain the victim’s savings and apply for loans in the victim’s identity. This included a Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) loan for disaster assistance related to a wildfire.

Tulare County Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

FRESNO - Andras Daniel Lee, 33, of Visalia, pleaded guilty today to failure to register as a sex offender, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in March 2017, Lee was convicted in Tulare County of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Shortly after his release from prison, Lee moved to Liberal, Kansas. In March 2018, Lee moved back to California and intentionally did not register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) as required due to his prior conviction for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.