News

Chowchilla Drive by Shooting Puts One in the Hospital

CHOWCHILLA - Last Wednesday afternoon officers of the Chowchilla Police Department responded to the 200 block of Alameda Ave. for reports of gun fire and a subject shot inside of a vehicle. Upon arriving on scene, officers located a vehicle which had wrecked into a residential fence.

The solo occupant driver inside of the vehicle, was found to have suffered from several gun shot wounds. Officers began rendering life saving procedures while awaiting for the arrival of paramedics. Once the paramedics arrived on scene, the driver was immediately transported to a hospital for the life threatening injuries.

Swatting Call Lands Fresno Man in Jail

FRESNO COUNTY - Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies have booked 27 year old Jesus Lopez-Zucilla of Fresno into the Fresno County Jail. He faces a misdemeanor charge of making a false emergency report. He is also being held on two unrelated misdemeanor warrants. Zucilla has a total bail amount of $26,200.

Around 11:30 pm on May 18, 2019, dispatchers at the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 phone call from a man saying a physical fight had broken out between approximately 20 people at the party he was hosting. The man, later identified as Jesus Zucilla, claimed it was happening in the backyard of his home located on the 5000 block of E. Grant Ave. in Fresno. Zucilla went on to say that one of the people was armed with a large butcher knife and there were children in danger of getting hurt.

Fresno DUI Checkpoint Nets 8 Arrests

FRESNO - The Fresno Police Department net 5 DUI arrests while conducting a DUI/Driver’s License checkpoint on May 25, 2019. The checkpoint was at W. Shaw ave at W. Shaw Lane between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. In addition,19 drivers were cited/arrested for operating a vehicle unlicensed or with a suspended/revoked license, 1 Suspect was arrested for illegal drugs, 2 were Arrested on other Criminal Charges, 44 Citations issued, 27 vehicles towed.

DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. In 2017, the Fresno Police Department investigated 360 DUI collisions that killed 15 people and injured 121 others. Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be approximately $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses not to mention possible jail time.

Madera County Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Abetting Production of Child Pornography

FRESNO - A Madera County woman pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of children, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott. Ashley Maddox, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the production of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd.

According to court documents, in June 2017, Maddox came to the attention of law enforcement during a child pornography investigation of a man in Florida. An examination of the Florida man’s electronic devices revealed that between November 2015 and April 2016, he and Maddox had communicated, via the internet and on their cellphones, about their mutual sexual interest in minors.

Tulare County Man Indicted On Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Alejandro Cabrera-Gallegos, 37, of Porterville, charging him with distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on May 2, 2019, Cabrera distributed one pound of methamphetamine to an individual in Tulare County. On May 14, 2019, Cabrera was arrested in Tulare County attempting to distribute five pounds of methamphetamine. An additional one pound of methamphetamine was seized during a search warrant executed at Cabrera’s residence in Porterville on May 14, 2019.

Clovis Man Sentenced to Almost 3 Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

FRESNO - Johnny Kajitani Jr., 47, of Clovis, was sentenced Monday to two years and 10 months in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. In addition, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd ordered Kajitani to pay almost $44,000 in restitution to his various victims.

According to court documents, Kajitani obtained the social security number of an individual without her knowledge. In October 2012, he used that social security number to apply for membership with a local credit union. Kajitani then used that social security number to apply for and obtain from the credit union a $30,000 vehicle loan and a Platinum Visa credit card with a $7,500 limit. The credit union ultimately suffered a loss of over $30,000.

Former Fresno Resident Charged with Illegally Brokering the Sale of Military Arms to a Foreign Government and Money Laundering

FRESNO - Ara Dolarian, 58, was arrested on Wednesday, May 15, in Fresno on a criminal complaint charging him with illegally brokering the sale of military-grade arms and munitions, money laundering, and conspiracy, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Dolarian was the owner and president of Dolarian Capital Inc. (DCI), an arms brokering company operating in Fresno; Washington, DC; and Sophia, Bulgaria. Dolarian is a United States citizen residing in Sophia, Bulgaria. Beginning in 2013 and continuing through 2014, the U.S. Department of State denied DCI licenses to broker international arms deals.