News

MADERA -  Isaac Bellinger, age 72, was denied parole for a period of three years in a hearing that took place on April 10, 2019, at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton, California. The Madera County District Attorney’s Office sent an attorney representative to argue against release. Despite being eligible for “Elder Parole”, the Board of Prison Terms ruled that Mr. Bellinger lacked insight into his life crime and, as such, parole was denied.

On January 10, 1980, Isaac Bellinger entered Joaquin Club Bar on Yosemite Avenue in Madera. He confronted Roy Gaines who was in the bar enjoying the evening with his wife. Upon entry into the bar, the bartender stated to Mr. Bellinger, “You’re not going to cause any trouble tonight, are you?” Shortly thereafter, Mr. Bellinger confronted Mr. Gaines.

FRESNO - A Madera pharmacist and two others were arrested today in connection with a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and hydrocodone, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. On April 11, a federal grand jury returned a 42-count indictment, charging Ifeanyi Vincent Ntukogu, 44, of Fresno, a pharmacist, with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and 17 counts of distribution of controlled substances.

Kelo White, 38, of Fresno, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and 12 counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Donald Ray Pierre, 50, of Fresno, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, 10 counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and two counts of identity theft.

MADERA – Two people were killed following a head on automobile collision late Saturday afternoon near the Madera Rancho’s on Avenue 12. According to the California Highway Patrol a black Audio traveling eastbound when it drifted into the westbound lane colliding with a Toyota 4-Runner.

The seventeen year old driver of the Audi was pronounced dead at the scene. He has been identified as Troyce Raqueno of Madera. He was a student at Madera High School in the senior class graduating in just three months. An 11 year old passenger of the Toyota also died. The young man was identified as Christian Lopez (11) of Madera. He was also from Madera and a student at Washington Elementary School.

SACRAMENTO -  Claudia Humphrey, 62, of American Canyon, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to six months in prison and ordered to pay $71,423 in restitution for theft of public money and falsifying records in a federal investigation, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Judge Nunley ordered Humphrey to self-surrender on May 23 to begin serving her sentence.

According to court documents, Humphrey was the executive director of LIFT3 Support Group Inc., a non-profit organization in Fairfield that offered transitional shelter assistance and other services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and dating violence, primarily serving residents in Solano County. Humphrey, through LIFT3, sought and received federal grants from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in 2011 and 2012.

MADERA – This weekend a blast from the past reopens in Madera for their spring and summer run. Something that only 18 other communities in California can say they have, we have had in Madera since 1948. Of course I am referring to the Madera Drive-In Theater on Lincoln Avenue two blocks off of Cleveland Avenue on Madera’s east-side.

The seventy-one year old theater has been owned since 1972 by the Gran family who also operate Madera’s indoor theater, Movies Madera, on North Gateway Drive. In the early eighties the Gran’s expanded the one screen El Rancho Drive-in, the oldest in the state of California, to the two screen theater it is today. Each screen offering two movies for the price of one.

FRESNO -  Erin Elizabeth Peterson, 41, of Bakersfield, was sentenced Monday to seven and a half years in prison for possession of stolen U.S. mail and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Peterson was also ordered to pay $92,908 in restitution. According to court documents, from July to December 2017, Peterson made fraudulent transactions at various retail establishments in Bakersfield using credit and debit cards stolen from the mail.

Peterson was identified from photographs obtained from the stores where the stolen cards were used. On December 28, 2017, a federal search warrant was executed at Peterson’s residence and 428 pieces of stolen mail, 31 stolen credit/debit cards, over a hundred personal and business checks and a counterfeit arrow key used to access U.S. community mailboxes were found. Also located in the residence were approximately 140 grams of methamphetamine, $1,400 in cash, drug packaging material, and a digital scale.