News

Former Redevelopment Director Passes: James Taubert (71)

MADERA - James “Jimbo” Taubert (71) unexpectedly passed away on March 20, 2024, at the age of 71 in Marina, California. It was on the day of his late mother’s birthday and the day after his wedding anniversary to his loving wife, Mardi, of 41 years. Jim’s parents, Bette and Ron, had four kids, Jim being the only son. He will be remembered by his sisters Cheryl (Steve), Joni (Danny), Candi, and their families.

Jim and Mardi started their adventure in Madera in 1983 and soon created a family with three beautiful children: Jared, Courtney, and Cameron. As they’ve spent time together since his passing, they realize they were blessed with the most amazing father and life mentor a child could ask for. Jim showed his dedication to his family in many ways, from coaching them in sports to supporting their ambitions and dreams.

“Operation SLO Ride” Dismantles Major Drug Trafficking Organization in Tulare County

FRESNO - Operation SLO Ride has resulted in the dismantling of a criminal organization operating in Tulare County, charging 28 individuals with drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms.

Announcing the results of Operation SLO Ride today are U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, Central Valley California High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Director John Martin, Tulare Police Chief Fred Ynclan, Visalia Police Chief Jason Salazar, and Porterville Police Chief Jake Castellow.

Tulare County Man Pleads Guilty to Falsely Marketing Products as Effective in Treating Medical Conditions

FRESNO - Huu Tieu, 61, of Porterville, pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Tieu was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Sunrise Pharmaceutical Inc. and Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical Inc. (collectively, “Golden Sunrise”). Golden Sunrise manufactured, marketed, and sold products that claimed to treat various medical conditions effectively.

Former Fresno Sleep Clinic Owner Sentenced to 19 Months in Prison for $1 Million in Fraudulent Claims

FRESNO - Travis Gober, 45, of Hanford, was sentenced to 19 months in prison today for committing health care fraud and aggravated identity theft by submitting more than $1 million in fraudulent sleep study claims to Medicare, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court records, Gober owned the VIP Sleep Center, which operated sleep clinics in Fresno and Tulare Counties. Sleep clinics perform diagnostic sleep studies on patients to identify disorders like sleep apnea and narcolepsy.

Federal Jury Convicts Fresno Man of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

FRESNO - A federal jury has found Todd Eric Mumma, 60, of Fresno, guilty of actual and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mumma used hidden digital video recording devices in a residence to create sexually explicit images of a minor. He edited recordings on a computer and then transferred the most sexually explicit images onto a cellphone, where the images were stored in a password‑protected application and viewed numerous times.

Homicide Victim Identified; Detectives Seek Public’s Help to Identify Killer

FRESNO COUNTY - Members of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Unit have identified 43-year-old Cesar Quezada (pictured) of Sanger as the victim of a recent homicide

Around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, 2024, deputies responded to a call of shots fired on the 3100 block of S. Indianola Ave. in Sanger. Outside a home, they found a man with gunshot wounds. Deputies and EMS provided life-saving efforts, but the man died. Family members of the victim lived at the home where he was shot.

Air Force Police Officer Convicted of over $150,000 in Unemployment Insurance Fraud

FRESNO - Trevon Miller, 31, a former Air Force Police Officer at Edwards Air Force Base, pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges today for submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between April 2020 and June 2020, Miller submitted fraudulent claims in several states using his former name Trevon Rodney. Miller told the state agencies that administer the unemployment insurance system that he was unemployed when he was an active-duty Air Force Police Officer the whole time. The claims were worth over $150,000, and the money was put into debit cards mailed to Miller.