Local News

ACLU Claims Madera County Violated California’s Sanctuary Law in Complying with ICE: Demand $750,000 in Restitution

MADERA — The ACLU Foundation of Northern California filed a complaint Wednesday with Madera County for illegally re-detaining and transferring former resident Ivan Santos Cuevas to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which then deported him to Mexico.

According to the ACLU the Madera County Jail officers’ actions were a flagrant violation of the California Values Act. Santos Cuevas’ case is just the latest example of a local law enforcement agency violating California’s sanctuary law, which prohibits alerting federal immigration agents of an individual’s release date from county jail and transferring him unless he has been convicted of certain crimes. These include a serious or violent felony or criminal offenses that can be charged as a felony or misdemeanor.

Fresno Man Arrested in Hit-n-Run of 15 Year Old Madera Girl

MADERA – Madera Police have made an arrest in the June 14^th hit and run that left a 15-year-old high school girl in the hospital in critical condition with major injuries. The incident occurred at the intersection of Monterey and Olive Avenue.

With the benefit of several surveillance cameras along Howard Road and Olive Avenue, Madera Police identified their suspect as Paul Cano (27) of Fresno. The very same black 2016 Hyundai Elantra that struck the high school girl is also featured in several advertisements for Cano’s business VFF (Valley Family Fitness) In-Home Fitness.

Twenty-One Drug Traffickers Associated With Nuestra Familia Arrested On Federal Charges In Kings And Tulare Counties

FRESNO - As part of a multi-agency operation, over 50 individuals were arrested in California on federal and state charges in connection with their drug-trafficking activities after investigation into the criminal activities of individuals associated with the Nuestra Familia prison gang.

The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office, Kings County District Attorney Keith Fagundes, Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward, Kings County Sheriff David Robinson, and Hanford Police Chief Parker Sever.

Felony Arrest of Madera County Man Illegally Discharging a Firearm

MADERA COUNTY - On June 10, 2019 at approximately 10:38am, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call in the 17000 block of Avenue 12 regarding a man who was outside of his home shooting a gun into the air. Corporal Matt Kutz and Detective Richard Gutierrez arrived at the scene and contacted witnesses who reported the subject had been indiscriminately firing a small semi-automatic handgun into the air less than 20 feet from where they had been sitting. The subject, later identified as Liverato Zavala, went inside the home when deputies arrived.

Sergeant Mark Stritzel and Deputy Marcos Plascencia arrived on scene and established a perimeter outside the residence. Numerous announcements, in English and Spanish, were made requesting that Zavala exit the residence.

“Drfrosty” Indicted for Distribution of Methamphetamine from Modesto Using the Darknet

SACRAMENTO - On June 6, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Modesto resident Omar Isho, 37, charging him with distributing methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Isho allegedly sold methamphetamine on darknet marketplaces such as the Dream Market, Empire Market, and Silk Road 3.1 using the vendor name “DrFrosty.” Federal agents conducted undercover purchases of methamphetamine from his accounts. Surveillance and postal records linked Isho to the parcels, which contained methamphetamine hidden inside jigsaw puzzle boxes.