On January 23, 2026, via video conference, TCDA prosecutors secured a 5-year denial of parole for Ronald Thomas, age 68, who is currently serving a life sentence for sex offenses. Thomas is incarcerated at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad. In early 2019, Thomas, an area transient and convicted sex offender, would frequently park his…
Read more
Today, via video conference, TCDA prosecutors secured a 3-year denial of parole for Rodolfo Garza, age 68, who is serving a life sentence for murder. Garza is currently incarcerated at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran. On July 22, 1979, Garza, his brother, and two other men drove a fifth man…
Read more
Late yesterday afternoon in a bifurcated trial, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Oscar Zavala, age 29, for the 2023 gang murder of a rival gang member in Porterville. At approximately 1:45 am on July 10, 2023, at a Porterville motel, Zavala shot and killed the victim who was also at the motel. Using…
Read more
The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office has filed approximately 678 Proposition 36 eligible cases since the law went into effect in December 2024. In the November 2024 general election, California voters in all 58 counties approved the new law increasing treatment and punishment options for drug and theft crimes. “When Proposition 36 was overwhelmingly approved…
Read more
Yesterday in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Erwin McDarment, age 37, to life in prison for multiple sex crimes. McDarment was also sentenced on other felony charges. In December 2025, McDarment pleaded no contest to crimes in two separate cases. VCF374047A- In September 2018, the Tulare County…
Read more
Late yesterday afternoon in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Angel Ramiro Pando, age 28, for drug and firearm crimes. On March 19, 2024, Pando transported approximately 6,000 “M30” counterfeit fentanyl pills to a Visalia UPS store. The pills were destined to a location…
Read more
Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Armando Montero, age 34, to 58 years and 8 months in prison for child molestation. On December 4, 2025, Montero pleaded no contest to 11 counts of child molestation and two counts of possession of child pornography. Eleven counts are…
Read more
