Category: Press Releases

Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court in Visalia, the court sentenced Visalia man Jorge Rivera, age 29, to 50 years-to-life in prison for the 2019 shooting death of local dairyman Anthony “Tony” Dragt. On September 3, 2019, Rivera, an ex-employee of the victim, shot the victim multiple times with a 9mm…
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Yesterday in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, over the fervent objection of Chief Deputy District Attorney Dave Alavezos, the court sentenced Sarah Garcia, age 45, to time served and felony probation after pleading no contest to gun and drug charges despite having committed the crime while on parole for stabbing…
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Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Thomas Van Es, age 41, to 50 years-to-life in prison for the 2022 murder of his wife. Van Es had separated from the victim, his wife, in January of 2022. On June 9, 2022, he sent her a series of…
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District Attorney Tim Ward is pleased to announce the promotions of Gregg White to the position of Assistant Chief Investigator and Paul Esquibel to Supervising Criminal Investigator in the office’s Bureau of Investigations. Gregg White is a former Marine who started his career in law enforcement with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office in 1996. He…
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At a virtual hearing on March 14, 2023, TCDA prosecutors secured a three-year denial of parole for June Gravlee, age 68, for the 1987 murder of her husband. Gravlee is currently serving a life sentence at the California Institution for Women in Corona. In 1990, Gravlee was convicted of first-degree murder with the special circumstance…
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Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced former law enforcement officer Oscar Robles, age 30, to 10 years, 8 months in prison for a series of sexual assaults. The crimes were committed against two victims between April 2017 and January 2018 in Tulare County. In each crime,…
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On Friday, March 3, 2023, in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, TCDA prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Natharan Giovanni Ruiz, age 30, for child molestation against four separate victims. At trial, the jury found Ruiz guilty of one count of oral copulation with a minor under the age of…
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District Attorney Tim Ward is pleased to announce the promotion of long-time District Attorney staff member Nicole Burnham to the position of Supervising Victim Advocate. A native of Tulare County, Burnham has served in the Office of the District Attorney since 2003. After supporting prosecutors in the office’s juvenile division, Burnham transitioned to the position…
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District Attorney Tim Ward has announced criminal charges related to a homicide and a subsequent violent incident in Visalia on February 20, 2023. Michael Major, age 54, is charged with one count of murder with the special allegations of use of a deadly weapon, and that the incident constituted a hate crime. Against the same…
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On February 14, 2023, at a virtual hearing, TCDA prosecutors secured a three-year denial of parole for Gerald Daniel Walker, age 91, for murder. Walker is currently serving a life sentence at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton. On February 27, 1973, deputies at the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Beverly…
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At a virtual hearing on February 8, 2023, TCDA prosecutors secured a three-year denial of parole for Darrin Little, age 59, for murder and sexual assault. Little is currently serving a life sentence at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla. On the morning of May 2, 1985, first responders were dispatched to a structure fire at…
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Yesterday afternoon in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court in Visalia, prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Visalia man Jorge Rivera, age 29, in the 2019 shooting death of local dairyman Anthony “Tony” Dragt. On September 3, 2019, Rivera, an ex-employee of the victim, shot the victim multiple times with a 9mm handgun…
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At a virtual hearing on February 2, 2023, TCDA prosecutors secured a 3-year denial of parole for Jesus Legaspy, age 41, for the 1998 murder of a 17-year-old. Legaspy is currently serving a life sentence at Folsom State Prison. Around 2:00 am the morning of June 4, 1998, Legaspy, a known gang member, was walking…
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Today in Department 16 of the Tulare County Superior Court in Porterville, Goshen homicide defendant Noah Beard, 25, was arraigned on multiple criminal charges including first-degree murder. Beard entered a plea of not guilty and is being held on no bail. A preliminary hearing conference is scheduled for February 16 at 8:30 am in Department…
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Today in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, prosecutors secured a guilty verdict against Thomas Van Es, age 41, for the 2022 murder of his wife. Van Es had separated from the victim, his wife, in January of 2022. On June 9, 2022, he sent her a series of text messages…
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On January 26, 2023, in Department 18 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, the court sentenced Dominic Casarez, age 24, to 24 years in prison for a DUI crash that took the life of a 58-year-old victim. On September 22, 2021, around 2:30 a.m., CHP officers responded to a traffic collision…
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Today in Department 17 of the South County Justice Center in Porterville, the court sentenced Victor Lopez, age 37, to 25 years-to-life in prison for the 2018 murder of his 31-year-old wife, Samantha Quintanar-Lopez. Around 10 am on November 27, 2018, Tulare County Sheriff’s Department deputies were dispatched to 1127 E Date Ave in Porterville…
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On January 24, 2023, in Department 17 of the Tulare County Superior Court, South County Justice Center, a jury convicted Patrick McNeil, age 65, originally of Lindsay, of child molestation. In 1993, Tulare County law enforcement began an investigation into McNeil after reports of inappropriate conduct with two minor females ages 9 and 14. After…
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Yesterday in Department 5 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Bryan Buhl, age 45, of Visalia, to 19 years in state prison for a DUI crash that took the life of 55-year-old motorcyclist John Bolin. On Thursday, July 2nd, 2020, at 8:30 p.m. while driving his van on Caldwell near…
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On Friday, January 20, 2023, at a virtual hearing, TCDA prosecutors secured a 3-year denial of parole for Henry Borbon, age 85. Borbon is currently serving a life sentence at the California Substance Abuse Facility in Corcoran. In the afternoon of February 28, 1975, Borbon and co-defendant Joe Perez murdered victims Richard Gaither and Rosie…
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Today the Tulare County Superior Court handed down the second of two life sentences in a 2021 Visalia murder.  On July 28, 2021, at the Bowlero Bowling Alley in Visalia, defendant Derick Patel, age 25, and others accused the victims’ group of stealing a wallet. At 11:58 pm at the intersection of Caldwell and Mooney,…
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Today in Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court in Visalia, the court sentenced Noah Fox, age 23, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2017 murder of a 19-year-old man during a drug robbery in Visalia. On May 28, 2017, Fox and Kalvin Solis, age 24, conspired to rob…
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Today in Department 6 of the Tulare County Superior Court, Visalia Division, the court sentenced Armando Martinez, age 37, to 612 years-to-life in prison for child molestation. On October 19, 2022, a jury found Martinez guilty of six counts of sexual intercourse with a child ten years of age or younger, one count of oral…
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