Local News

Merced Man Indicted for Possessing and Manufacturing 10 Destructive Devices

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment today against Wes Parker McDaniel, 52, of Merced, charging him with four counts of possessing unregistered destructive devices, manufacturing destructive devices, impersonating a federal agent, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and malicious destruction of property by means of an explosive, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to the indictment, between Feb. 1, 2021, and June 22, 2021, McDaniel manufactured approximately 10 destructive devices, which were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and possessed those devices on four separate occasions in Merced and Kings Counties. On June 20, 2021, one of those devices is alleged to have caused damage to residential rental properties in Merced.

Madera College & SCCCD to Mandate Vaccinations Beginning October 15th

FRESNO - At a special board meeting held August 23, 2021, State Center Community College District Trustees voted to mandate vaccines for students, employees, contractors, and visitors beginning October 15, 2021. The District’s COVID-19 protective measures are subject to legally required exemptions for sincerely held religious beliefs and medical conditions.

Originally scheduled for Friday, August 20 the meeting was rescheduled when more than 700 participants tried to join the Zoom meeting, leaving some unable to access the meeting due to capacity issues. The meeting was then rescheduled for Monday as a Zoom webinar with live streaming on YouTube to allow for full access and participation. Chancellor Houston shared, “I am very proud of the governing Board for scheduling the meeting in a manner that ensures the broadest possible participation by the public, students, faculty, and staff for this very consequential decision.”

Man Charged with Traveling to Have Sex with Minor and Possession and Production of Child Pornography

FRESNO — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Aldo David Alcaraz, 27, of Long Beach, charging him with production and possession of child pornography, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between December 2020 and January 2021, Alcaraz produced nine videos of himself engaged in sex acts with a minor victim in Tulare County. Alcaraz is also charged with possessing sexual images of minors, including minors under the age of 12 and another set of videos that Alcaraz produced of himself engaged in sex acts with a different minor victim. Finally, according to court documents, in January 2021, Alcaraz traveled to Kern County in an attempt to meet a minor to engage in sex acts, and he sent obscene images to that minor.

Modesto Men Plead Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

FRESNO - Modesto residents Genaro Serrato Calles, 49, and Antonio Valencia Hernandez, 65, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Serrato and Valencia, along with Antonio Castellanos, 38, of Whittier, and Jose Reyes Pineda, 48, of Anaheim, were charged with conspiring over a two-year period to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties. In pleading guilty, Serrato acknowledged that he supplied heroin to Valencia for distribution and also had Valencia pick up about 11 pounds of methamphetamine from Reyes in Anaheim for distribution in Modesto. Serrato also made arrangements with Castellanos to store and repackage for distribution about 20 pounds of methamphetamine at a stash house in Modesto.

Central Valley Fruit Broker Pleads Guilty and Agrees to Pay $1.25 Million to Resolve Criminal Allegations of Fraudulent Crop Insurance Claims

FRESNO - Ralph Hackett, 66, of Clovis, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting mail fraud and agreed to pay $650,000 in criminal restitution for helping another individual submit a fraudulent crop insurance claim for table grapes for the crop year 2013, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

In a civil settlement with the United States, Hackett also agreed to pay another $605,000 to resolve allegations of crop insurance fraud for the crop years 2012 through 2015. According to court documents, Hackett was a member and manager of a Central Valley fruit broker through which the other individual sold various crops, including table grapes, from the individual’s farming operation in Fresno and Tulare counties.