In response to the recent criminal filing against two Visalia Police Department officers, Bryan Ferreira and Shane Logan, the Office of the District Attorney has created a conviction review application for defendants who believe that investigations performed by the officers affected a legal resolution. “When this office announced criminal charges against these two officers, we…
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District Attorney Tim Ward has announced criminal charges against Porterville resident Victor Lopez, age 33, stemming from an incident on November 27, 2018, which resulted in the death of his 31-year-old wife. Lopez is charged with one count of murder and one felony count of injuring a spouse with the special allegation that he inflicted…
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Tulare County runners and walkers are invited to raise awareness and assist victims of human trafficking at the 2019 Justice Run: Run for Freedom 5K and one mile walk on January 19, 2019, at Mooney Grove Park in Visalia. Set during Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the run will benefit Family Services of Tulare County and the Central…
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Yesterday afternoon in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Joseph Kalashian presiding, a jury convicted Tommy Ponce, Sr., age 53,of rape of an intoxicated person and rape of an unconscious person. Ponce’s extensivecriminal history includes a 2013 conviction for unlawful sex with a minor and domestic violence, a 2007 conviction…
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On November 14, 2018, in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Brett Alldredge sentenced Roger Lee Hepner, age 38, to 48 years in prison for child molestation. Hepner will also be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. On October 16, 2018, Hepner pleaded…
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Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Kathryn Montejano sentenced Northern gang member Eric Jimenez, age 34, of Strathmore, to death for murder. On June 13, 2018, Jimenez was found guilty of first-degree murder with the special circumstances that the murder was committed in the commission of a robbery,…
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Yesterday in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, Viviano Maduena, age 20, of Porterville, and Angel Padilla-Maduena, age 19, of Terra Bella, were sentenced to 25 years and 29 years respectively in prison for a string of robberies in the south county in 2017. On October 12, 2018, the…
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For the second straight year, District Attorney Tim Ward is pleased to announce the award of a $117,546 California Office of Traffic Safety Grant to help prosecute cases of driving under the influence. The grant will continue to fund a Vertical Prosecution team, primarily for felony DUI with injury cases, as well as attorney training.…
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Yesterday in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, Kory Tapia, age 41, was sentenced to 136 years-to-life in prison. On October 10, 2018, Tapia was convicted of two counts of forcible rape, two counts of forcible oral copulation, one count of sexual penetration by a foreign object, one count…
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Late yesterday afternoon in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Joseph Kalashian presiding, a jury convicted Andres Espindola, age 35, of second-degree murder with the special allegation that he used a deadly weapon. Espindola also admitted a prior prison term for sexual battery, burglary, felony evading, and vehicle theft. On…
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Yesterday in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Joseph Kalashian sentenced John Torales, age 29, of Visalia and Farmersville, to 81 years and 8 months for armed robbery. On June 7, 2017, Torales was convicted of six counts of robbery and six counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, each…
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