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TCDA Bureau of Investigations Makes Arrests for Welfare, Auto Insurance Fraud

Earlier this week, criminal investigators from the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations served 32 total felony arrest warrants on suspects wanted for allegedly committing welfare and auto insurance fraud in Tulare County. The following individuals were arrested and booked into the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility or cited for welfare fraud: -Mayra Alcauter, 22, of Tulare           …
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Tulare Man Sentenced to State Prison for Child Molestation

On July 10, 2019, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden sentenced Mauro Gallo, age 44, of Tulare, to 32 years in prison for child molestation. In addition to his sentence, Gallo must register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. On April 30, 2019,…
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Visalia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child Molestation

This afternoon in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden sentenced Pedro Salinas, age 47, to 122 years-to-life in prison for child molestation. On June 12, 2019, a Tulare County jury found Salinas guilty of one count of forcible lewd act upon a child under the age of 14,…
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Lindsay Man Found Guilty of 41 Counts of Child Molestation

Late yesterday afternoon in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Juliet Baccone presiding, a Tulare County jury found Aristeo Sampablo, age 30, guilty of child molestation. Sampablo was convicted of six counts of sexual intercourse with a minor under the age of ten, three counts of sodomy with a minor…
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Court Sentences Former Police Officer to Jail and Probation for Sex Crime against Minor

Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden sentenced former Porterville police officer Wayne Martin, age 34, to 180 days in jail and three years probation. On June 4, 2019, Martin pleaded no contest to one felony count of meeting a minor for a lewd purpose. The crime…
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Strathmore Mother Charged with Murder of Child

District Attorney Tim Ward has announced criminal charges against Sherri Telnas, age 45, for an incident occurring on June 29, 2019, resulting in the drowning death of her 12-year-old son and the injury of her 7-year-old son. Telnas is charged with one count of murder with the special circumstance of lying in wait, one count…
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Cutler Gang Member Sentenced to Life Without Parole for 2015 Murder

On Monday, June 24, 2019, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden sentenced Pedro Nunez, age 27, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murder. On September 24, 2018, a jury found Nunez guilty of first-degree murder with the special circumstance that the crime was…
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Visalia Man Convicted of Smash and Grab at Mall

On Wednesday, June 19, 2019, in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, a jury found Jason Hounihan, age 42, guilty of burglarizing a Visalia jewelry store. Hounihan was convicted of one count of burglary and two counts of vandalism causing over $400 in damage. Each count is a felony. Hounihan has…
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Tulare Human Trafficker Sentenced to State Prison

On Monday, June 17, 2019, in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Juliet Boccone sentenced Myron Johnson, age 21, to 30 years and 8 months in prison for human trafficking. On May 30, 2019, Johnson pleaded no contest to four felony counts of human trafficking of a minor. Johnson possesses…
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Lindsay Man Convicted of Murder

Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, a jury convicted Joshua Stepp, age 30, of second-degree murder with the special allegation of using a deadly weapon (knife). A 2017 jury previously convicted Stepp of arson, but was unable to reach a unanimous decision on the charge of murder. Stepp possesses…
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Goshen Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for First-Degree Murder

Yesterday in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Juliet Boccone sentenced Allen Horsley, age 26, to 50 years-to-life in prison for killing a man at a Goshen RV park. On February 11, 2019, a jury found Horsley guilty of premeditated first-degree murder with the special allegation of using a firearm,…
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Visalia Man Found Guilty of 14 Counts of Child Molestation

Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden presiding, a Tulare County jury found Pedro Salinas, age 47, guilty of one count of forcible lewd act upon a child under the age of 14, seven counts of lewd act upon a child under the age of 14, one…
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Career Porterville Criminal Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Multiple Felonies, Police Evasions

Today in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, Judge Michael Sheltzer sentenced Michael Anthony Chavez, age 40, to 14 years in prison for multiple felonies and a string of dangerous and life endangering evasions of law enforcement. In a consolidation of four separate cases, Chavez pleaded no contest to…
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Repeat Offender Convicted of Auto Theft

On May 28, 2019, in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, a jury found Visalia man Gabriel Hinojos, age 24, guilty of one felony count of unlawful taking or driving of a vehicle. In a separate court trial on June 3, 2019, the court found that Hinojos possessed prior felony convictions for auto…
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Farmersville Man Charged with Attempted Murder of Wife, Violent Crimes

On May 31, 2019, criminal charges were filed against Randy Lee Scroggins, age 43, for incidents occurring on May 21, 2019 and May 22, 2019, including the attempted murder of his wife as well as other violent crimes. Scroggins is charged with attempted murder, two counts of assault with a firearm, assault with a deadly…
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Ivanhoe Woman Convicted of Robbery, Attempted Carjacking

Late yesterday afternoon in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, a jury convicted Amy Kimble, age 32, of robbery, attempted carjacking, and two counts of misdemeanor petty theft. Around 12:30 am on February 1, 2018, in Ivanhoe, the victim was woken up by her car alarm and barking dogs. Looking through…
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Cutler Man Convicted of Child Molestation

Late in the afternoon of May 24, 2019, in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, a Tulare County jury found Salvador Serna, age 24, guilty of child molestation. Serna was convicted of four counts of lewd act upon a child, with one count including the special allegation of substantial sexual conduct…
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Career Criminal Convicted of Residential Burglary

Late yesterday afternoon in Department 12 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Judge Walter Gorelick presiding, a jury convicted Jose Ignacio Rodriguez, Jr., age 36, of Exeter, of first-degree residential burglary and misdemeanor resisting arrest. In 2004, Rodriguez was convicted and sentenced to state prison for felony possession of a dangerous weapon, stealing a vehicle,…
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Gang Members Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder During Violent Orosi Home Invasion

Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden sentenced three Tulare County gang members to 25 years-to-life in prison for a violent 2014 home invasion in Orosi that left multiple persons wounded and one dead. On August 22, 2018, Rolando Magana, 23, Edgar Picazo, 22, and Francisco Padilla,…
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Visalia Man Sentenced to State Prison for Domestic Violence, Pimping

Today in Department 3 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Nathan Leedy sentenced Roger Weaver, age 26, to seven years in state prison for domestic violence and pimping. On April 2, 2019, Weaver pleaded no contest to all counts filed against him: one count of corporal injury to a spouse, one count…
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Convicted Visalia Murderer, Child Molester Sentenced to Life in Prison

On Friday, May 3, 2019, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden sentenced Hector Gonzalez, age 53, to 119 years, 4 months-to-life in prison for murder and child molestation. On March 19, 2019, Gonzalez was convicted of first-degree murder with the special allegation of use of a sharp…
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Tulare Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder

Today in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Teresa Estrada Mullaney sentenced Kashmer Bailey, age 24, to 82 years-to-life in prison for murder. On March 24, 2019, Bailey was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder with the special allegation that he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm causing…
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Tulare County Death Penalty Conviction Upheld by California Supreme Court

In a decision released on April 29, 2019, the California Supreme Court upheld the conviction and death sentence of Juan Sanchez, age 54, for the 1997 first-degree murders of Ermanda Reyes and Lorena Martinez. In the early morning of August 4, 1997, Sanchez entered the Porterville home of Reyes and her 17-year-old daughter, Lorena. Sanchez…
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Visalia Man Convicted of Burglary, Stealing Safe and Guns

Today in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior, Visalia Division, a jury convicted David Bias, age 48, of first-degree residential burglary, commercial burglary, grand theft of a firearm, and unlawful taking of a vehicle. Each count is a felony. Bias possesses a 2015 auto theft conviction and a 2010 identity theft conviction. On January…
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Visalia Murderer Stipulates to 5 Year Parole Hearing Deferral

On April 19, 2019, at High Desert State Prison in Susanville, Melvin Watters, age 45, stipulated to a five year California parole board hearing deferral for the 1994 murder of a man at a Visalia apartment complex. Around 2:45 am on February 1, 1994, Watters went to the victim’s apartment and knocked on the door.…
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