Local News

Three Indicted for Manufacture of Methamphetamine in Madera

FRESNO. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Oscar Rene Marrot-Garcia (Marrot), 26, of Chowchilla, and Mexican nationals Jose Monge Ponce (Ponce), 26, and Francisco Alcantar-Miranda (Alcantar), 30, charging them with conspiring to manufacture, to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, manufacturing methamphetamine, possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, and maintaining drug premises, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Marrot rented a rural residence in Madera in December 2018 and set up a methamphetamine lab there. Joined by Ponce and Alcantar, the three assisted in manufacturing methamphetamine and storing large quantities of other drugs at the unoccupied Madera residence. At the end of January law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence and found all three men there. They also found 22.4 pounds of methamphetamine in solution, 14 pounds of finished methamphetamine, 1 pound of cocaine, 2 pounds of heroin, and 25 pounds of marijuana. A handgun with a fully loaded magazine was also found.

Madera Unified and Madera County Sheriff's Investigate Unsubstantiated Howard School Threats

MADERA - Last month the Madera County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a student at Howard Elementary School making threats. Deputies responded and conducted an investigation, concluding that the reported threats, which were apparently made several months before, did not rise to the level of criminal threats and no arrest was made. School officials will be handling the situation as a disciplinary matter.

On Wednesday, April 3, new concerns about this threat surfaced; it appears at this point that these concerns are likely a result of miscommunications about another completely unrelated incident that occurred at a different school last week.

Fresno PD Arrest John Fernandez For Auto Theft

FRESNO - Detectives from the Fresno Police Department's Career Criminal Auto Theft Team (CCATT) responded Wednesday along with Southeast District patrol officers to the area of University and Woodrow regarding a suspicious occupied vehicle.

When officers arrived, they located the 2009 Buick Enclave which they found to be a reported stolen vehicle out of Southeast Fresno. The driver was identified as John Fernandez (42) of Fresno. Fernandez was booked into the Fresno County Jail for felony auto theft charges.

Fresno PD Nab Convicted Felon Wheeling Gun Taken Off the Streets of Fresno

FRESNO - Northeast District Officer Arthur Deleon from the Fresno Police Department responded to the 3300 block of N. Maple Ave were the victim reported 51 year-old Floyd Dachawn King of Fresno brandished a firearm in a rude and threatening manner.

During the incident, King charged his weapon several times causing live .45 caliber bullets to eject from the firearm and fall to the ground. Officer Deleon learned through his investigation King was on parole with a GPS monitor. Deleon contacted King’s parole agent who confirmed the ankle monitor was active and indicated he was at his residence.

Madera Man Dies in Early Morning Car Fire in Front of Lincoln School

MADERA - Madera Police are investigating the mysterious death of Luis Echevarria from Madera. The thirty-three year was found behind the wheel of his 2004 BMW by Cal-Fire who were responding to a car on fire in front of Lincoln Elementary School on Liberty and Barton Streets.

The fire was reported a little after midnight Tuesday morning on Madera’s west-side. Police and fire arrived on the scene within minutes to a fully engulfed vehicle. Once firefighters put out the fire the victim’s body was discovered in the drivers-side front seat and a fire scene then turned into a crime scene.