District Attorney Tim Ward is pleased to announce the promotions of three veteran prosecutors to upper-level management positions in the Office of the District Attorney. Jessica Weatherly is promoted to Chief Deputy District Attorney, with Noelle Niayesh and Adam Clare promoting to Assistant District Attorney. “These three prosecutors have shown what it takes not only…
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On November 14, 2024, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Jerome Avilez, age 60, of Visalia to 150 years-to-life in prison for child molestation. On September 3, 2024, Avilez was found guilty on 9 felony counts of lewd act upon a child under the age of 14.…
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On November 12, 2024, TCDA prosecutors secured a significant guilty verdict against Sean Michael Pelton, age 52, of Sacramento, for a series of high-volume thefts of catalytic converters in Visalia. In three separate instances from March 2020 to September 2020, and an additional instance in July 2021, Pelton targeted utility trucks in the AT&T service…
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Today in Department 11 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, judge Michael Sheltzer presiding, the court sentenced former Healthcare Conglomerate Associates CEO Yorai “Benny” Benzeevi, age 62, for crimes related to public corruption. On February 9, 2024, Benzeevi pleaded no contest to six felony counts and two misdemeanor counts found in the complaint:…
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In yet another history making moment in Tulare County, Tulare County District Attorney law clerk Sophia Park, 17, has become the youngest person to pass the rigorous California bar exam, breaking her brother Peter’s record set last year. Park was 17 years, 8 months old when she passed the exam on November 8, 2024, with…
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On November 8, 2024, in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Nathaniel Lujano, age 23, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for two 2022 gang murders. In the early morning hours of August 19, 2022, Lujano approached a young man at a Tulare gas station and inquired…
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On November 5, 2024, via a virtual hearing, TCDA prosecutors secured a 3-year denial of parole for Cameron Byars, age 56, who is currently serving a life sentence for child molestation. This was his second such hearing. In April 2003, Byars pleaded no contest to the felony abuse of four male minors under the age…
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In a resounding victory for stricter accountability in the criminal justice system, California voters passed Proposition 36, also known as the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, in last night’s pivotal election. This proposition makes significant changes to criminal punishments outlined in Proposition 47 (2014). “The passage of Proposition 36 is a significant…
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