Local News

California & New York Attorney's General Lead Coalition Calling for the Withdrawal of Rollbacks to Environmental Protections

SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood today delivered a multistate letter calling on the Trump Administration to withdraw proposed rules that would weaken restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions for motor vehicles and power plants.

The letter, written to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler in light of new information from a recently-published report, cites dire warnings from the federal government’s recent “Fourth National Climate Assessment” that the harmful effects of climate change will endanger public health, the environment, the economy, and national security. The letter was signed by a coalition of 29 states, counties, and cities.

Active Shooter Incident Training for Houses of Worship

SACRAMENTO - In the aftermath of the deadly shooting that occurred at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 27, 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region, and the Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento have brought together faith leaders to discuss strategies to deal with active shooter incidents in houses of worship. Over 100 are expected to attend today’s presentation.

The Active Shooter training features a lecture by FBI Special Agent Glenn Norling that will teach attendees how to be better prepared, recognize reaction options when faced with a critical situation, and what to expect from a law enforcement response.

Man Arrested Following Loaded Gun Magazine Found on Merced High Campus

MERCED - Officersfrom the Merced Police Department investigated a gun magazine found on the Campus of Merced High Monday morning. A student notified a Merced High School Campus Liaison that they found a loaded magazine in the bushes on the campus but did not tell the Liaison that they were the one that placed it there fearing violating school rules.

Officers concluded that the student who reported the magazine was the person who brought the magazine onto the campus after finding it on their way to school. When officers went to the area of Clearwater Court, where the juvenile said he found the magazine, officers saw two subjects on the ground appearing to be searching for something. When officers tried to contact them, both ran from officers but were caught after a short chase.

Madera Woman Indicted for Credit Card Fraud, Bank Fraud, and Identity Theft

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment Thursday against Leah Guillen, 35, of Madera, charging her with use of unauthorized debit cards, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, in early 2018, Leah Guillen obtained the name, social security account number, and date of birth of a specific victim.

Guillen then used this information to impersonate the victim and fraudulently gain access to her bank accounts at Golden 1 Credit Union. Using an unauthorized debit card, Guillen drained the victim’s bank accounts over a three-month period between April 18, 2018, and June 30, 2018, causing a loss in excess of $210,449.

Final Defendant Pleads Guilty to Supplying Unqualified Armed Guards to IRS’s Fresno Facilities

FRESNO - Scott T. Carlton, 49, of Visalia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the government and making a false statement, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, the IRS’s Fresno campus is a national center for processing federal tax returns. Carlton was an employee of E&A Protective Services, which had the government contract to supply 24-hour-a-day armed security guards to the IRS’s Fresno campus.

When it became apparent that many of the guards could not achieve the firearms shooting score required under the contract, Carlton conspired to falsify scores and supply unqualified guards to the IRS facilities. Over a three-year period, E&A was paid over $2 million on fraudulent invoices submitted to the IRS for security guards who were not qualified to work under that contract.