Local News

Chowchilla Police Officer Dies in On-Duty Traffic Crash.

CHOWCHILLA - Late Friday evening, the Merced Communications Center of the California Highway Patrol received a call of a two-vehicle traffic collision involving a police vehicle on State Route 152 at Road 13. CHP Madera Area officers responded to the scene to investigate and found a Chowchilla Police vehicle and a Freightliner truck pulling doubles loaded with tomatos, involved in a fatal collision.

A 36-year-old man from Firebaugh was driving a Freightliner, traveling southbound on Road 13, traversing the intersection at SR-152. An on-duty Chowchilla Police Officer was driving a marked Chowchilla Police Department patrol vehicle (a Ford Explorer) eastbound on SR-152, in the number one lane, approaching the intersection at Road 13. As the Freightliner attempted to cross the eastbound lanes of the intersection, the front of the patrol vehicle struck the right side of the Freightliner’s rear trailer.

Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Aiming a Laser Pointer at Fresno County Sheriff’s Helicopter

FRESNO - Martin Joseph Avila, 66, of Longmont, Colorado, pleaded guilty today to aiming a laser pointer at a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on May 28, 2024, Avila aimed the beam of a dangerously bright laser pointer at a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office helicopter while the aircraft was on routine patrol. The laser pointer’s total output power of laser light was 92.8 milliwatts (mW), which is more than 18 times more powerful than what is legally permissible for a laser pointer.

Former Sanger Police Officer Sentenced to Five Consecutive Life Sentences for Sexually Assaulting Women While on Duty

FRESNO - Former Sanger Police Department Officer J. DeShawn Torrence, 41, was sentenced today by visiting U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson to five consecutive life sentences for sexually assaulting four women whom he encountered during the course of his official duties. After a two-and-a-half-week trial in January 2025, a federal jury in the Eastern District of California convicted Torrence of eight counts of deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law. The jury found that five of the counts involved kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, or attempted aggravated sexual abuse.

“The defendant’s conduct was premeditated and depraved. He repeatedly abused his official authority to exploit women who expected the police to protect them,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “While no prison sentence can undo the extraordinary pain and suffering the defendant caused these women, today’s sentence of five consecutive life sentences holds the defendant accountable for his heinous conduct and sends a clear message that the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who violate the constitutional rights of the people they are sworn to protect.”

Fresno County Man Sentenced to 12.5 Years in Prison for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

FRESNO - Michael Dickens, 59, of Clovis, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 12.5 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between Oct. 21 and Oct. 30, 2020, Dickens used his cellphone and social media to communicate with a person he believed to be a 12-year-old minor, but who was in fact an undercover law enforcement officer. Dickens communicated his desire to engage in sexual activity with the minor, including by sending images and a video of his genitalia to the undercover officer. Dickens drove to an agreed-upon location to meet with the minor and was arrested by law enforcement.

Madera Man Indicted for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Fentanyl

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Jose Tobias Jimenez-Martinez, 35, a Mexican national residing in Madera, charging him with trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on March 4, 2025, probation officers arrived at Jimenez’s residence in Madera to conduct a probation search. Jimenez is on probation for a prior state felony conviction. During the search, officers found and seized several thousand fentanyl pills and more than 75 pounds of methamphetamine. Jimenez later admitted to transporting the methamphetamine from San Diego and was planning to distribute it in Reno, Nevada. The methamphetamine was individually packaged in several plastic bags.