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Life Sentence in South County Domestic Violence Assault

On April 12, 2024, in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Jeffrey Spears, age 45, to life in prison for domestic violence and other violent crimes. Around 9:30 in the morning on September 26, 2023, Tulare County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence in east Porterville for a report…
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AB 481 Public Meeting

The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office will be holding a public meeting on April 30, 2024, to discuss the AB 481 2023 Annual Military Equipment Report and its funding, acquisition, and/or use of military equipment as defined by the bill. The meeting will be held from 2 pm to 3 pm. Location: Tulare County District…
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District Attorney to Host 24th Victims of Crime Memorial Ceremony

The public is invited to observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2024 at the District Attorney’s annual memorial quilt unveiling at 6 pm on Thursday, April 25 at the Visalia Convention Center Charter Oak Ballroom. Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has brought attention to the millions of Americans impacted by crime and the…
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Porterville Predator Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child Molestation

Yesterday in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Luis Fernando Bernal, age 25, to life in state prison for child molestation. On March 6, 2024, Bernal pleaded no contest to one count of oral copulation with a child ten years of age or younger and one count of…
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Child Predator Sentenced to 575 Years-to-Life in Prison

Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced convicted child molester James Mills, age 59, to 575 years-to-life in prison for crimes against a child. On January 29, 2024, a Tulare County jury found Mills guilty of eleven counts of lewd act upon a child under the age of fourteen…
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Early Release Denied for Child Molester Serving Life Sentence

On March 19, 2024, TCDA prosecutors successfully argued against the early release of Luis Gonzalez, age 76, despite his 2010 violent felony criminal conviction and a 195 years-to-life sentence for the aggravated sexual assault of two children between 2002 and 2006. Gonzalez petitioned the court for compassionate release. TCDA victim advocates assisted 20 family members…
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Goshen Man Found Guilty of Child Molestation

On March 18, 2024, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, a Tulare County jury found Tony Debem, age 30, guilty of child molestation. Debem was convicted of two felony counts of sexual intercourse or sodomy of a child aged 10 or under and two felony counts of lewd act upon…
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Life Sentence for Attempted Murder, Sexual Assault

Yesterday in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Wesley Anderson, age 24, to life in prison for attempted murder and sexual assault. On November 2, 2022, Visalia Police Department officers responded to a 911 call of an assault in progress. When officers arrived at the residence, they contacted an adult…
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Visalia Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder

Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Swarndeep Basra, age 25, to life in prison for murder. On May 12, 2021, after an altercation in the kitchen of their shared Visalia residence, Basra stabbed his sister-in-law while her two children ate breakfast and proceeded to kick her while she…
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Sexually Violent Predator to Remain in State Hospital

On March 10, 2024, in Department 10 of the Visalia Division of the Tulare County Superior Court, a Tulare County jury again found true that Rickie Silguero Coronado, age 59, of Porterville, is a Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) under the Sexually Violent Predator Act. Coronado appealed his original SVP conviction from 2015. In 2002, Coronado…
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Homicide Conviction Secured in 2018 DUI Crash

Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Visalia man David Edma, age 29, for DUI murder. On June 15, 2018, around 9:30 pm, California Highway Patrol officers were dispatched to a collision on SR 63 south of Ave 392 near Cutler. When they arrived, they…
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Life Sentence in North County Murder

Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced Marc Briseno, age 27, to life in prison for the 2020 stabbing murder of a man near Dinuba. In the afternoon of September 27, 2020, Tulare County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of Avenue 400 near Road 104 regarding a…
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Conviction Secured in South County Domestic Violence Assault

On February 9, 2024, in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, TCDA prosecutors secured multiple felony convictions against Jeffrey Spears, age 45, for a 2023 domestic violence incident. Around 9:30 in the morning on September 26, 2023, Tulare County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence in east Porterville for a report of…
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Guilty Plea in Tulare Hospital Case

Today in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, judge Michael Sheltzer presiding, former Healthcare Conglomerate Associates CEO Yorai “Benny” Benzeevi, age 61, pleaded no contest to six felony counts and two misdemeanor counts found in the complaint. Count 6 – Felony Conflict of Interest (Contract related to funding lawsuit against Dr.…
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Parole Denied in 1991 Bar Fight Homicide

On January 31, 2024, via a virtual hearing, TCDA prosecutors secured a 3-year denial of parole for Roman Cortez, age 55. Cortez is currently serving a life sentence at Mule Creek State Prison for murder. Around 1:30 am the morning of February 17, 1991, Cortez was involved in the beating death of a 22-year-old male…
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Parole Again Denied for Tulare Defendant in Drive-By Murder

On January 30, 2024, via a virtual hearing, TCDA prosecutors argued against parole for Jose Maria Ramirez, age 44, for second-degree murder committed in 2000. Parole commissioners denied his parole for three years. Ramirez is currently serving a life sentence at Avenal State Prison. Between January 28 and January 29, 2000, in Tulare, Ramirez and…
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Life Sentence for Elder Murder

Today in Department 18 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, the court sentenced Anthony Barra, age 27, to life in prison for murder. At approximately 6:15 am on January 20, 2022, Tulare Police Department officers responded to a trailer home fully engulfed in flames. Neighbors told officers a 74-year-old female resided…
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Tulare Man Convicted On 12 Counts of Child Molestation

On Monday, January 29, 2024, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, a Tulare County jury found James Mills, age 59, guilty of eleven counts of lewd act upon a child under the age of fourteen and one count of attempted lewd act upon a child under the age of fourteen.…
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Tulare Third Striker Sentenced to Life in Prison, Prop 57 May Intervene

On January 24, 2024, in Department 17 of the South County Justice Center, Luis Nuno, age 38, was sentenced to 56 years-to-life in prison for the third strike offense of threatening to kill people while armed with a knife. However, Proposition 57 may reduce that sentence significantly. On March 6, 2023, Tulare County Sheriff’s deputies…
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Conviction Secured in South County Attempted Murder, Arson

Yesterday in Department 22 of the South County Justice Center, TCDA prosecutors secured a criminal conviction against Charles Joseph Fisher, age 51, for the attempted murder of multiple victims and arson of a residence. In the evening of June 14, 2023, Fisher, in violation of a restraining order, barged into a Porterville residence and doused…
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South County Child Abuser Receives Life Sentence

Yesterday in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Jacob Gamboa, age 35, to life in state prison for child molestation. On October 18, 2023, Gamboa pleaded no contest to two counts of oral copulation with a child ten years of age or younger and three counts of lewd…
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Porterville Child Abuser Sentenced to Life in Prison

Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Luis Gutierrez, age 26, to life in prison for child molestation. On December 11, 2023, Gutierrez pleaded no contest to three counts of felony child molestation with the special allegations that there was substantial sexual contact and that there were…
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Porterville Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child Molestation

Today in Department 3 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Eusebio Ramos, age 67, to life in state prison for child molestation. On December 4, 2023, Ramos pleaded no contest to one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of fourteen and one count of lewd…
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District Attorney Awarded Office of Traffic Safety DUI Prosecution Grant

For the seventh 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 $215,128 grant will continue to fund a Vertical Prosecution team through September 2024, primarily for felony DUI with…
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Two Life Sentences for Porterville Defendant Who Murdered Parents

Today at the South County Justice Center, the court sentenced Kenneth Charles Smith, age 65, to two consecutive sentences of life without the possibility of parole for the 2015 murder of his parents. On October 4, 2015, Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence in Porterville for a welfare check. Upon searching a semi-trailer on…
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