News

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned an 18-count indictment on April 11 against Deena Vang Lee, 38, of Fresno, charging her with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns, and making and subscribing false and fraudulent tax returns, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, between February 2012 and February 2016, Lee prepared tax returns for a fee for friends, family, and other acquaintances that claimed thousands of dollars in tax credits for education and child care expenses that were not actually incurred. Lee also submitted fraudulent tax returns on her own behalf, failing to report the income from her tax preparation services.

FRESNO -  Oscar Ivan Salazar-Avalos (Salazar), 29, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to six years and nine months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. 

Salazar’s sentence follows his guilty plea last November.  According to court documents, Salazar and co-defendant Jose Manuel Sotelo-Mendoza, 26, of Ceres, delivered 15 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Delano after Salazar negotiated with the officer for the delivery of the drug for $3,400 per pound for a total of $51,000. Salazar and Sotelo met the source of supply in Castaic in the northern part of Los Angeles County to obtain the methamphetamine. 

MADERA - Late Friday night officers from the Madera Police Department responded to calls of reckless driving in the Home Depot parking lot. when officers arrived and spotted a Ford Mustang doing donuts in the parking lot. Officer Short conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and when he exited his patrol car to make contact with the driver, the vehicle fled through the parking lot at a high rate of speed.

The Ford Mustang exited the parking lot onto Kennedy and collided with another vehicle. The Ford Mustang fled the scene of this accident. Thankfully, the driver of the other vehicle was not injured. Officer Smith arrived in the area to assist and located the Ford Mustang and the suspect in the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex.

FRESNO - Haitham Eid Habash, aka Eddie Habash, 55, of Hawthorne, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for his role in supplying synthetic drugs to wholesale internet drug traffickers, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Habash was also ordered to forfeit over $193,000 in proceeds derived from drug trafficking.

According to court documents, in 2015, Habash manufactured smokeable synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as “spice,” which contained AB-Chminaca, AB-Pinaca, and XLR11, all of which are Schedule I controlled substances. Habash personally negotiated with and obtained the raw chemicals directly from Chinese suppliers.

MADERA -  Isaac Bellinger, age 72, was denied parole for a period of three years in a hearing that took place on April 10, 2019, at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton, California. The Madera County District Attorney’s Office sent an attorney representative to argue against release. Despite being eligible for “Elder Parole”, the Board of Prison Terms ruled that Mr. Bellinger lacked insight into his life crime and, as such, parole was denied.

On January 10, 1980, Isaac Bellinger entered Joaquin Club Bar on Yosemite Avenue in Madera. He confronted Roy Gaines who was in the bar enjoying the evening with his wife. Upon entry into the bar, the bartender stated to Mr. Bellinger, “You’re not going to cause any trouble tonight, are you?” Shortly thereafter, Mr. Bellinger confronted Mr. Gaines.

FRESNO - A Madera pharmacist and two others were arrested today in connection with a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and hydrocodone, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. On April 11, a federal grand jury returned a 42-count indictment, charging Ifeanyi Vincent Ntukogu, 44, of Fresno, a pharmacist, with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and 17 counts of distribution of controlled substances.

Kelo White, 38, of Fresno, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and 12 counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Donald Ray Pierre, 50, of Fresno, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, 10 counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and two counts of identity theft.