Local News

Former Fresno Resident Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography

FRESNO - Forrest Awbrey, 29, formerly of Fresno, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for receipt and distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. The sentence imposed includes a lifetime term of supervised release during which, Awbrey’s access to minors, computers, and the internet will be restricted. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. A hearing has been scheduled for March 13, 2020, to address restitution to victims.

According to a criminal complaint, Awbrey was detected by law enforcement investigators when he was sharing numerous child pornography files on a BitTorrent file-sharing network from August through November 2016. He admitted to investigating agents that he had used file‑sharing programs for several years to obtain child pornography.

Tulare County Man Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun

FRESNO - Francisco Fernandez, 26, of Earlimart, was sentenced today to two and a half years in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine and possession of an unregistered firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, a search warrant was executed at Fernandez’s residence in April 2019. During the search, federal agents found and seized scales, drug paraphernalia, and cocaine. Fernandez admitted to possessing cocaine for sale to others.

Ceres Gamecock Breeder Indicted on Animal Cruelty Charges

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment on Thursday, Dec. 12 against Joseph D. Sanford, 72, of Ceres, charging him with offenses involving cockfighting, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Sanford was arrested at his place of business this morning and will be arraigned in Fresno at 2:00 p.m. today.

According to court documents, Sanford is charged with conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act, unlawfully possessing animals for an animal fighting venture, and unlawfully selling animals for an animal fighting venture. The indictment seeks the forfeiture of thousands of game fowl at his business, Joe Sanford Gamefarm.

Jury Convicts Former Fresno IRS Employee of Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Tax Fraud

FRESNO - On Thursday, a federal jury convicted Marcela Heredia, 46, of Riverside, of seven counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of making a false tax return, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Heredia worked at the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission’s Transitional Living Center, which houses at-risk youth, until 2014. Heredia also worked at the IRS as a Tax Examiner between 2008 and 2014.

Madera County Board Rejects CAO Offer to Stay On Until 2020: Fleming Gone Immediately

MADERA — At a special closed session meeting of the Madera County Board of Supervisors held on Friday the Thirteenth, the Board accepted the immediate resignation of County Administrative Officer, Eric Fleming.

Fleming had offered the Board his resignation last Friday when an illegally recorded audio-taped phone call came to light following a brief sexual affair with an ex-wife of a Madera County Correctional Officer. Fleming had asked the Board to not only keep him in their employ well into the 2020 year but to also consider keeping the former CAO with the county under part-time status in a position related to economic development.