News

Maxine Berkley: Wife of Former Madera County Sheriff Passes at Age 83

NORTH FORK - Maxine Berkley passed away peacefully on the evening of April 18, 2020, surrounded by those who loved her so very much. She was born on April 14, 1937, in Madera to Ray and Judy Brown, who already had a 5 ½-year-old daughter, Ann. She grew up and attended school in Ripperdan, where her dad milked cows.

When she was in the first grade, she met Ovonual Berkley, who later would become the love of her life. They were high school sweethearts and were married in 1953, at the home of Ovonual’s parents, Finies and Hazel Berkley. During their 67 years of marriage, they had two children – daughter Shella in 1954 and son Randy in 1958.

Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Impersonating an FBI Agent

SACRAMENTO - Daniel Arushanov, 27, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to impersonating an officer or employee of the United States, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, on Feb. 11, Arushanov entered a Red Roof Inn in Sacramento and identified himself to the hotel clerk as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Arushanov claimed to be involved in an investigation into underage prostitution and demanded to see a guest list for the hotel. When asked to show his badge, Arushanov refused and instead told a hotel employee to call the FBI. Arushanov left after the hotel employee called the FBI to report the incident. One of the hotel employees later identified Arushanov as the individual who posed as an FBI agent. Arushanov was arrested for impersonating a peace officer.

CALL OF DUTY: MCCC Student Serving Others In Need During COVID-19 Pandemic.

MADERA - Madera Community College Center student Jorge Orozco has spent a lot of his time out of town during the coronavirus pandemic – helping those in need. Orozco is a Staff Sergeant in the Army National Guard and has served our country for 15 years. He has been in the San Jose and Central Coast areas for almost two months now, packing boxes of produce for food distribution to those in need. Serving others in times of emergency was one of the main reasons he enlisted.

“The National Guard is a State component. This means, in case of a natural disaster or any events that may affect my community, it allows the governor to call upon us to do our part and assist,” said Orozco. “That was the selling point for me, to be part of my community as a citizen-soldier.”

Madera Woman Allegedly Killed By Her Husband in Domestic Violence Incident

MADERA – Early Thursday evening Madera Police Officers responded to a check welfare call in the 3300 block of Winter Way. When they arrived on the scene they discovered the victim of an apparent murder.

Jeffery Olson, the victim's husband, was arrested at the scene and has since been booked at the Madera County Department of Corrections. Madera PD is calling this a domestic violence case, adding there is no outstanding risk to the public.

Federal Judge Orders ICE to Release Two More Detained Immigrants at Risk From COVID-19 Infection

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal judge has ordered the release of two more detained immigrants in ICE detention centers in California on the grounds that their age and medical conditions make them especially vulnerable to a potentially fatal COVID-19 infection. As of today, eight of twelve plaintiffs who sued for their release have been or are scheduled to be freed.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney came in response to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU Foundations of Northern California and Southern California, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, and Lakin & Wille LLP. Olvin Torres Murillo, a native of Honduras and Mauricio Quinteros Lopez, who is from El Salvador, suffer from hypertension—a medical condition which the CDC has identified as placing people at a particularly high risk of contracting a life-threatening COVID-19 infection.

Court-Orders Final Forfeiture of Over $54 Million in Connection with Billion Dollar Ponzi Scheme

SACRAMENTO - On Monday, U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez ordered the final forfeiture of $3.9 million in private jet shares bringing the total court-ordered forfeiture this year to more than $54 million related to the DC Solar Ponzi scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

The assets were seized in the fraud prosecution of the owners of DC Solar, a Benicia-based company, who pleaded guilty in January to charges related to a billion dollar Ponzi scheme. Monday’s order follows an earlier order, on March 24, ordering the final forfeiture of 83 seized assets worth more than $50 million. In total, $120 million in assets have been forfeited so far by the defendants in this investigation and prosecution, which has resulted in the largest criminal forfeiture in the history of the Eastern District of California.

Salomon Barragon Velez to Serve 9 Years in State Prison

MADERA - On February 13, 2020, there was a verbal altercation in the Fresno river bed. During the dispute, the defendant, Salomon Barragon Velez, shot two people. The first victim sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, while the second victim sustained a gunshot wound to the foot. Both victims are expected to fully recover.

The defendant was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Friday, April 3, 2020. Just prior to the hearing, the defendant pled guilty to shooting the two victims. His plea bargain involves him admitting to two “strike” offenses under California’s “Three Strikes” law for a total sentence of 9 years in state prison.