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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Today in Department 20 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, the court sentenced Douglas Paul, age 32, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murder. TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Paul in early December. On the night of March 16, 2022, Porterville Police Department officers were…
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On December 16, 2025, via video conference, TCDA prosecutors secured a 5-year denial of parole for Alexander Mendez, age 28, who is serving a life sentence for attempted murder. Mendez is currently incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. At approximately 12:36 am on February 13, 2016, Tulare Police Department officers were dispatched to reports of…
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District Attorney Tim Ward has announced criminal charges against Ralph Holloway, age 36, of Porterville, for wire theft at a public utility substation. Halloway is charged with felony grand theft, receiving stolen property over $950, and misdemeanor possession of an ingestion device. The felony counts are enhanced with aggravating circumstances that the crimes involve great…
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Today, via video conference, TCDA prosecutors secured a 3-year denial of parole for Timothy Hissong, age 59, for crimes against children. Hissong is currently serving a life sentence at Pleasant Valley State Prison. Hissong committed the crimes against three victims under the age of 14 between November 2000 and August 2001 in the city of…
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On December 11, 2025, via video conference, TCDA prosecutors secured a 3-year denial of parole for Jacob DeMasters, age 44, for the 2003 carjacking and kidnapping of a mother and her child in Porterville. DeMasters is currently serving a life sentence at California State Prison Sacramento. Around 8 am on September 2, 2003, in Porterville,…
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On Thursday, December 4, 2025, in Department 11 of the Tulare County Superior Court, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict for Richard Bomhard, age 80, for crimes against children. A Tulare County jury convicted Bomhard of 11 counts of child molestation against a single female minor victim. The crimes are alleged to have been committed…
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Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Francisco Javier Valdivia, age 45, to life in prison for the 2016 murder of Cecilia Bravo Cabrera. “I commend the prosecution team for remaining steadfast in the pursuit of justice for Cecelia Cabrera,” said District Attorney Tim Ward. “Securing justice is even…
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On Monday, December 8, 2025, in Department 11 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Gabriel Izquierdo, age 41, to life in prison for multiple sex crimes. In November 2025, Izquierdo pleaded guilty to six counts of lewd act upon a child under 14 and two counts of sexual battery. Izquierdo…
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Yesterday in Department 20 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Douglas Paul, age 32, of Porterville, for the 2022 shooting murder of a woman in the south county. On the night of March 16, 2022, Porterville Police Department officers were dispatched to a call…
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Today in Department 20 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Edward Lee Dias, Jr. age 45, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2017 torture and murder of 2-year-old boy Bryce and the torture of Bryce’s 3-year-old cousin. Two co-defendants, Shania Alamillo, age 32, and sister Adriana Alamillo,…
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For the 9th straight year, District Attorney Tim Ward is pleased to announce the award of a California Office of Traffic Safety Grant to help prosecute cases of driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. The $257,000 grant will continue to fund a Vertical Prosecution team through September 2026, primarily for felony DUI with…
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On November 20, 2025, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Pauline Penaloza, age 54, to 4 years in prison for child abuse. Her husband, Jesus Penaloza, 50, was sentenced to life in prison in September 2025. In late February 2019, Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of child abuse.…
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The Office of District Attorney is proud to announce the launch of its first podcast, Voces de Justicia (Voices of Justice), a Spanish language podcast exploring the inner workings of the DA’s office and the criminal justice system, cold cases, crime prevention, and culture. “We are excited to introduce a new way to reach our…
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On Wednesday, November 12, 2025, in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Derli Ramirez, age 26, to life in prison for crimes against children. Ramirez pleaded no contest to crimes in two separate cases. PCF411736 – On December 25, 2020, a California Highway Patrol officer responded to concerned…
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On November 5, 2025, TCDA prosecutors secured a 3-year denial of parole for Rogelio Barrera, age 34, in the 2015 murder of his roommate. Barrera is currently incarcerated at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad. On June 27, 2015, Barrera and the male victim got into an argument at their rented residence in Cutler. Barrera,…
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On October 28, 2025, TCDA prosecutors secured a 5-year denial of parole for Salvador Lopez, age 65, who is currently serving a life sentence for crimes against children. Lopez is serving his sentence at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione. Between 1999 and 2001, Lopez sexually assaulted two minor female children aged 11 to 13…
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On Friday, October 17, 2025, in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Pablo Calderon, age 34, to 60 years-to-life in prison for child molestation. The crimes were committed against three minor female victims between 2009 and 2017 in Tulare and Kern counties. Each victim was eight years old or younger…
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Today in Department 3 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Dinuba man Tomas Jimenez, age 61, to 24 years in prison after pleading to numerous sexual assaults in the Dinuba area. “The essence of this case can be described in one word – courage,” said Tulare County District Attorney Tim…
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District Attorney Tim Ward has announced criminal charges against Sean Hofmann, age 36, for an October 10, 2025, incident in which he allegedly sprayed gasoline on his wife in their home and lit her on fire. Hofmann is charged with attempted murder, torture, mayhem, arson causing great bodily injury, and domestic violence. The charges are…
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Today in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, the court sentenced James Myron Mitchell, age 23, of Tipton, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder. Shortly before 2 am on July 13, 2023, at a residence in Tulare, Mitchell shot the adult male victim…
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