Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden presiding, a jury found Joseph Baltezor, age 42, of Visalia, guilty of child molestation. Baltezor was convicted of 20 counts of lewd act on a child under the age of fourteen, one count of lewd act on a child aged…
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On March 30, 2018, Governor Jerry Brown reversed the decision of a California parole board’srecommended release of convicted murderer Gerardo Zavala, age 46. The Office of the District Attorney strongly objected to Zavala’s release at his most recent parole hearing on November 8, 2017. On January 24, 2001, Zavala and two others lured a 17-year-old African-American minor…
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Today in Department 19 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, Judge Antonio Reyes presiding, a jury convicted John Moisa IV, age 26, of Porterville, of one count of first-degree premeditated murder with the special allegation of intentional discharge of a firearm. Around 1:30 in the morning on August 25, 2013, the…
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Yesterday in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Joseph Kalashian sentenced Frankie Hernandez, age 27, of Tulare, to 40 years-to-life in prison for murder. On January 24, 2018, a jury found Hernandez guilty of second-degree murder with the special allegations of using a gun and committing the murder for the…
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The public is invited to observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2018 at the District Attorney’s annual memorial quilt unveiling at 6 pm on Tuesday, April 10 at the Visalia Convention Center Charter Oak Ballroom “A.” Speakers will include Ed Milam, the father of Sanger native Jessica Milam, who survived the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting…
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Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden sentenced Fernando Prado, age 21, of Cutler, to 65 years-to-life in prison for murder. On August 10, 2017, Prado pleaded guilty to first-degree premeditated murder with the special allegations of intentional use of a firearm causing great bodily injury for…
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Today in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Brett Alldredge sentenced Juan Manual Martinez, aka, Eddie Martinez, age 35, of Bakersfield, to two-hundred and ten days in jail plus restitution for real estate fraud. On December 11, 2017, Martinez pleaded no contest to one felony count of grand theft, one…
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On Monday, March 26, 2018, in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Pedro Sanchez, age 34, of Lindsay, was arraigned on a grand jury indictment on sixteen felony counts including murder. The grand jury handed down its indictment on March 12, 2018. Sanchez is charged with five counts of first-degree murder…
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District Attorney Tim Ward has announced criminal charges against Frank Higareda, age 29, related to a series of vandalism incidents that occurred in downtown Visalia on March 17, 2018. Higareda is charged with nine felony counts of vandalism over $400 in damage. If convicted on all counts, Higareda faces the possibility of over 8 years…
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In the evening of March 16, 2018, in the City of Visalia, the Tulare County Human Trafficking Task Force participated in an undercover operation organized by the Visalia Police Department. As a result, law enforcement arrested five individuals: Zoe Nachbar, age 24, Norma Alvarez-Garcia, age 19, Katrina Currey, age 22, Alonie Black, age 23, for…
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Investigators from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office Workers’ CompensationFraud Unit conducted a two-day workers’ compensation insurance compliance check onMarch 7th and 8th, 2018, in Visalia and Porterville. The purpose of the compliance check was to inform and educate local employers of the requirements of carrying the proper state-mandated contractor’s license and workers’ compensation insurance. Investigators contacted…
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Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Kathryn Montejano sentenced Steven Curbow, age 40, of Strathmore, to 38-years-to-life in prison for child molestation. Curbow will also be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. On December 20, 2017, Curbow pleaded no contest to…
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District Attorney Tim Ward has announced criminal charges against Teresa Ann Madrigal, age 48, related to a March 5, 2018, incident on a Greyhound bus passing through Tulare County. Madrigal is charged with one count of attempted murder with the special allegations of use of a deadly weapon and infliction of great bodily injury, three…
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Yesterday at Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, a California parole board denied parole for Angelo Morales, age 43, for murder. Morales received a three year denial and is not eligible for another hearing until 2021. On July 2, 1994, in Visalia, Morales stole an Oldsmobile sedan belonging to the victim, who was the ex-boyfriend of Morales’ girlfriend.…
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Yesterday in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Kathryn Montejano sentenced Frank Luna, age 49, of Farmersville, to 35 years-to-life inprison under California’s Three Strikes law. On January 22, 2018, a jury found Luna guilty of assault with a deadly weapon. On January 23, 2018, the Court also found true…
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On Friday, February 9, 2018, in Department 19 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, Judge Antonio Reyes presiding, a jury convicted Jose Magana Ibarra, age 32, of Lindsay, of one count of indecent exposure and one count of lewd acts in public. Both counts are misdemeanors. At 6:30 in the morning…
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Yesterday in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Gary Paden committed Jessie Pritchett, age 44, of Visalia, to the Coalinga State Hospital as a Sexually Violent Predator. Following trial, Pritchett was found to have a mental disorder that makes it likely he will engage in sexually violent behavior without treatment.…
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In the evening of January 25, 2018, in the City of Tulare, the Tulare County Human Trafficking Task Force executed a sting operation in an attempt to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking. As a result of the operation, law enforcement arrested 34-year-old Tulare female Jessie Dailey on charges of pimping an adult family…
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Yesterday in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Joseph Kalashian presiding, a jury found Frankie Hernandez, age 27, of Tulare, guilty of second-degree murder with the special allegations of using a gun and committing the murder for the benefit of a criminal street gang. On August 22, 2013, Tulare Police…
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Yesterday in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Kathryn Montejano sentenced Cristian Renteria, age 22, of Tulare, to 46 years-to-life in prison after being found guilty of two counts of shooting at inhabited dwellings with the special allegations of personal discharge of a firearm, and that the crime was committed…
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On January 22, 2018, in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, Judge Kathryn Montejano presiding, a jury found Frank Luna, age 49, of Farmersville, guilty of assault with a deadly weapon. On January 23, 2018, the Court also found true the special allegations that Luna has been previously convicted of two…
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On January 18, 2018, in Department 19 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, Judge Antonio Reyes presiding, a jury convicted Patrick Lee Baca, age 41, of Exeter, of second-degree murder for his involvement in the stabbing death of his cousin. Baca has previously been convicted of armed robbery of a taxi…
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On January 16, 2018, in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, Judge Michael Sheltzer presiding, a jury found Michael Yocom, age 51, of Strathmore, guilty of attempted premeditated murder on a peace officer, assault on a peace officer, criminal threats, resisting an executive officer, firearm removal from a peace…
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District Attorney Tim Ward announced murder charges have been filed against Porterville resident Angelica Castro, age 20, stemming from an incident on January 15, 2018, which resulted in the death of a nearly 6-month-old baby. Castro is charged with one count of murder and one count of assault on a child causing death. Each count…
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On Thursday, January 11, 2018, at Salinas Valley State Prison, a California parole board denied parole for Gerald Daniel Walker, age 86, for murder. Walker received a 5 year denial and is not eligible for another hearing until 2023. On February 27, 1973, deputies at the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Beverly Hills…
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