News

Additional Charges Filed in Case of Seven Aliens Who Conspired to Harbor Newman Police Officer’s Alleged Killer

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a nine-count superseding indictment today against Erik Razo-Quiroz, 29, of Merced; Adrian Virgen-Mendoza, 25, of Fairfield; Conrado Virgen Mendoza, 34, of Chowchilla; Erasmo Villegas-Suarez, 36, of Buttonwillow; Ana Leydi Cervantes-Sanchez, 31, of Newman; Bernabe Madrigal-Castaneda, 59, of Lamont; and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57, of Lamont, adding six new charges relating to fraudulent identification documents to the previous charges of conspiring to harbor an alien and, as to Razo, being a felon and an alien in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, between December 26, 2018, and December 28, 2018, the defendants conspired to harbor and conceal Paulo Virgen Mendoza as he attempted to flee from California to Mexico to avoid prosecution for the murder of Newman Police Corporal Ronil Singh. It is alleged that in the early hours of December 26, 2018, Mendoza, an alien not lawfully present in the United States, shot and killed Corporal Singh.

Ceres Man Pleads Guilty To 15-Pound Methamphetamine Deal In Kern County

FRESNO - Jose Manuel Sotelo-Mendoza, 26, of Ceres, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, Sotelo and his co-defendant Oscar Ivan Salazar-Avalos, 28, a citizen of Mexico, delivered 15 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Delano after Salazar negotiated with the officer to sell the drug for $3,400 per pound.

In pleading guilty, Salazar acknowledged that he and Sotelo had met his source of supply in Castaic in the northern part of Los Angeles County to obtain the 15 pounds of methamphetamine. In addition, Salazar indicated that they intended to make $51,000 on the deal.

Indiana Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation Involving a Minor from Madera County

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Scott Matthew Trischler, 24, of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, charging him with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of enticement of a minor, and one count of receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to a criminal complaint, Trischler developed a relationship with a minor in Madera County while playing an online game with her. Trischler then communicated with the minor through Kik Messenger, Skype, TextNow, and Google Hangouts. He convinced her to create and transmit to him images of herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct from approximately December 2017 through March 2018.

Madera Bank America ATM Robbery Suspects Arrested

MADERA – Two individuals are now behind bars following a series of ATM robberies at the Madera Bank of America. Detectives have been actively investigating two robberies that took place at the East Yosemite Avenue bank but their big break came from video of an earlier robbery of a Valero gas station in Tracy California.

The first ATM robbery occurred on February 10th, and the most recent on February 17th. The suspect would walk up to patrons as they approached the ATM and demand the money they withdrew, even going as far as to demand they withdraw more on one occasion.

Missing Person “At-Risk” Mother Who Left Her 4 Month Old Child Unattended Found: Child Endangerment Charges Pending

MADERA – A Madera woman who was reported missing under suspicious circumstances on Valentine’s Day was found the next day. Yesinia Toledo (29) was last seen at her home on North Lake Street. in the County of Madera. Yesinia was described by the Madera County Sheriff’s officials as “at risk”.

After receiving information regarding her whereabouts, the five foot tall, 140lbs Hispanic female with no tattoos was found alive and well on February 15^th at approximately 11:30 pm at a residence in the 1300 block of Concord Avenue in the city of Madera. Based on evidence gathered during the investigation, it does not appear that Toledo was kidnapped nor held against her will, but voluntarily left her 4 month old child unattended.

Coalinga Police Chief, and Former Madera County Undersheriff Michael Salvador Accepts Same Position with Atwater PD

ATWATER – Former Madera County Undersheriff Michael Salvador, who has served the west valley city of Coalinga as their police chief, has been named the new chief of police for the city of Atwater.

The Coalinga Police Department announced last week that Chief Salvador has accepted a 3-year contract from the City of Atwater to become its Police Chief. The Atwater City Council ratified the contract and there will be a swearing-in ceremony during the Atwater City Council meeting on February 25, 2019.

Prisoner Convicted of Mailing Threats to Murder a Federal Judge

FRESNO - After a two-day trial, a federal jury found Cyrus Dennis Braswell, 57, guilty today of three counts of mailing threatening communications, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, a federal judge in the District of Alaska sentenced Braswell in 1998. Thereafter, while an inmate at Mendota Federal Correctional Institute in Fresno County, Braswell mailed communications to Alaska in which he threated to murder the judge after he got out of prison.