Local News

Attorney General Announces Justice Department Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking

SACRAMENTO. -- U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today released the Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.

Rooted in the foundational pillars and priorities of the interagency National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which President Biden released on Dec. 3, 2021, the Justice Department's National Strategy is expansive in scope. It aims to enhance the department's capacity to prevent human trafficking; to prosecute human trafficking cases; and to support and protect human trafficking victims and survivors.

Deputy Captures Couple Vandalizing Fresno’s Historic Christmas Tree Lane

FRESNO -A Fresno County Sheriff’s deputy has booked 61 year old Jeffry Haugh and 45 year old Mary Brindle, both of Fresno, into the Fresno County Jail. Haugh faces felony charges of vandalism and grand theft of copper materials. He also had an outstanding warrant for drug possession. Brindle faces felony charges of vandalism and grand theft of copper materials.

Around 4:00 pm on Thursday, a deputy responded to a suspicious activity call on Van Ness Blvd., near Gettysburg Ave. The deputy found a man and a woman using a motorcycle to pull a cart, which was filled with dozens of extension cords.

Kings County Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Through the U.S. Mail

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Martin Cervantes, 26, of Corcoran, charging him with four counts of distributing narcotics and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, from October to December 2021, Cervantes mailed three packages each containing over 500 grams of fentanyl powder and one package containing over 2,000 grams of methamphetamine from post offices in Fresno. The packages were destined for addresses in the Midwest, but were intercepted. On January 6, 2022, Cervantes also possessed over 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

Proactive Traffic Stops Result in Multiple Madera County Arrests

OAKHURST - On January 16, 2022 around 9pm, Madera County Sheriff's deputies observed an older Ford F-250 matching the description of a recently stolen vehicle traveling northbound on CA-41 in Oakhurst. After conducting a vehicle stop, MCSO Dispatch confirmed the vehicle was stolen out of Oakhurst.

The driver, 42 year old Ryan David Osteen of Mariposa County, was determined to have an active felony warrant out of Mariposa County. Osteen was arrested and booked into the Madera County Jail for charges of unlawfully taking/driving a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, burglary tools, forgery, probation violation, and a Mariposa County No bail Felony warrant.

New Jersey Man Indicted in Fraud Scheme to Steal California Unemployment Insurance Benefits

SACRAMENTO - A federal grand jury returned a 15-count indictment today against Eric Michael Jaklitsch, 40, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, charging him with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. On Dec. 8, 2021, Jaklitsch was arrested on a federal criminal complaint at his home in New Jersey. He made his initial appearance in the District of New Jersey and was ordered detained for transport to the Eastern District of California.

According to court documents, between October 2020 and December 2021, Jaklitsch executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing at least 78 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Jaklitsch collected personal identifying information of numerous individuals — including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers — and used their identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.