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Press Releases and News :: 2006

12/26/06 - Dennis Blair, age 52, of Modesto, was recommitted to Napa State Hospital for another two-year involuntary commitment after a court trial on December 20, 2006. 12/21/06 - Jesse Wayne Hernandez, age 44, of Modesto, was found unsuitable for parole at a hearing of the State Board of Prison Terms at California State Prison, Solano. 12/21/06 - Rodrigo Orozco, age 39, of Snelling, was found unsuitable for parole at a hearing of the State Board of Prison Terms at California State Prison, Solano. 12/19/06 - Mick Vito Rubalcava was sentenced yesterday to jail and felony probation in the shooting that occurred last August 4th, 2006 at the California Beauty School on 15th Street in Modesto. 12/04/06 - Edwin Chambers, age 53, of Modesto, was sentenced on December 4th, 2006 to 25 years to life under California’s “Three Strikes Law” for a bank robbery committed earlier this year in Modesto. 12/01/06 - Ernest Eugene Fader, age 26, of Modesto was sentenced to 13 years in state prison after a hearing held on December 1, 2006 11/30/06 - Manuel Barcello, age 46, was found unsuitable for parole after a hearing before the State Board of Prison Terms held on November 29th, 2006 at the state prison in Avenal, California. 11/28/06 - Thursday, December 14th at 6 p.m., the District Attorney’s Office Victim Services Program will sponsor the 9th annual lighting of the Homicide Victims’ Memorial Tree and Candlelight Vigil. The ceremony will be held on the Courthouse Lawn located at 1100 I Street, Modesto. District Attorney Birgit Fladager will be hosting the ceremony. 10/31/06 - Mick Vito Rubalcava, age 23, of Modesto, was convicted today after pleading guilty to all charges in the Complaint: bringing a loaded firearm on to school grounds, a felony, and misdemeanor charges of concealing a firearm on his person and carrying a loaded firearm in a public place. 10/11/06 - Benjamin Kaharik of Ceres was found unsuitable for parole after a hearing before the State Board of Prison Terms held in Lancaster, California on October 11th 2006 09/29/06 - Effective on Monday, October 2nd 2006, the District Attorney’s Office will be housed in a new building located at the corner of 12th and I streets in Modesto. The address of the building is 832 12th Street, Modesto, California 95354. 09/26/06 - Augustine Ruiz Jr., age 20, of Hughson, was sentenced to six years in state prison after being convicted by a Stanislaus County Superior Court jury of first degree residential burglary. 09/22/06 - Michael Weatherwax, age 46, of Modesto was sentenced to 10 years in state prison for Arson and Attempted Arson after a jury convicted him on March 22, 2006 09/21/06 - Gerald Duane Welsh, 36, of Ceres was convicted by jury trial of two counts of Lewd and Lascivious Acts with a Child, Possession of Child Porn, and Showing Harmful Matter to a Child. 09/20/06 - Mark Edward Davidson, age 46, of Modesto, was convicted in a jury trial of Auto Theft and felony evading a peace officer. 08/14/06 - Daniel Garcia, age 24, of Hanford, CA was convicted on Friday of three felony counts of child molestation, and 1 misdemeanor count of child exploitation, after a 5-day jury trial. 08/09/06 - George Carlos Ochoa-Barriga, age 23, of Turlock was convicted at jury trial on August 4th, 2006 of robbery while personally using a knife. 08/08/06 - Michael Wells, 43, of Modesto, was sentenced to state prison after being convicted of felony evading the police with willful and wanton disregard for safety. 07/24/06 - James Helm, age 55, of Modesto, was determined to be a Sexually Violent Predator at the conclusion of a four-day trial that ended on July 21st, 2006. 07/19/06 - Antonio Montano, age 47 of Modesto, was found unsuitable for parole after an appearance before the State Board of Parole Hearings held at the California State Prison in Corcoran. 07/14/06 - Eddie Henry Zarate, Jr. age 38, of Riverbank, was convicted on July 13, 2006 after a 3 day jury trial, for the felony crime of attempted theft from an elderly adult. 07/14/06 - Leopoldo Paul Velasquez, age 22, of Modesto, was charged with first degree murder for the shooting death of Jason Bender, along with related gang and gun charges. 07/14/06 - Efrain Ceja-Rodriguez of Modesto was found unsuitable for parole at a hearing of the State Board of Parole Hearings held July 10th, 2006 at Corcoran State Prison. 07/12/06 - Carmen Sabatino: We presented all of our evidence to the jury during a lengthy trial and were unable to convince all 12 jurors to vote for conviction. 07/10/06 - Mohamed Abdalla of Modesto was found unsuitable for parole at a hearing of the State Board of Prison Terms held July 5th, 2006 at Corcoran State Prison. 07/07/06 - The preliminary hearing for defendant Columbus Allen, Jr. has been continued to October 2nd , 2006 at 9:30 a.m. in order to give defense attorneys involved in the death penalty case more time to prepare. 06/28/06 - Douglas Warner, age 55, was convicted of first degree murder after a week-long jury trial in Stanislaus County Superior Court before Judge Hurl Johnson. 06/16/06 - Edward Deandre Mitchell, age 19, and Laron Tavon Davis, age 22, have been charged with the June 7, 2006, murder of Balbir Boyal at the BK Liquors, 150 Riverside Drive in Modesto. 06/12/06 - Jose & Willie Torres (Modesto) and Lawrence Mejia (San Jose), for multiple counts of robbery, committing a crime for the benefit of a street gang, and personal use of a firearm. 06/07/06 - Ricky Lynn Newton, age 47, of Ceres, was convicted after a jury returned verdicts of guilty on charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of precursors to manufacture methamphetamine, transportation of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine. The jury returned a verdict on June 5, 2005, after a trial that stretched over 2 weeks. 06/05/06 - Mario Ordaz, 30, of Modesto, was sentenced to eleven years in prison for brandishing a firearm while fleeing a peace officer and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 05/18/06 - Nathan Souza, 29, of Modesto, was sentenced to six years in prison for receiving a stolen car and receiving stolen property that was in the car. 05/15/06 - Monica Arias, age 21, of Modesto and Ramon Guardado, age, 22, of Modesto were arraigned for the murder during a robbery of Joseph Badal on Wednesday May 10, 2006 05/12/06 - Anthony Craig Richardson, age 19, of Modesto, entered guilty pleas to six counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery in Stanislaus County Superior Court. Lois Elaine Akins, a codefendant in the case, also 19 years old, entered a guilty plea to one count of robbery. 05/12/06 - Terrance Lamont Griffin, age 22, of Modesto, was convicted of Murder committed for the Benefit of a Criminal Street Gang after a jury trial on May 10, 2006. 05/12/06 - Jesse Hernandez Garibay, Jr., age 18, of Modesto, was sentenced to 12 years in the California Department of Corrections on 4/20/2006 for his part in the attempted armed robbery of several individuals. 05/10/06 - Rodney Cruzon of Modesto was found unsuitable for parole at a May 3, 2006 hearing of the State Board of Prison Terms in San Luis Obispo. 05/02/06 - Senate Bill 1328, a Victims’ Rights bill, carried by Senator Jeff Denham (R-Merced), did not make it out of the Senate Public Safety Committee after a hearing today. The bill was sponsored by the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office in order to address significant concerns for the rights of crime victims that became even more evident during the high-profile trial of Scott Peterson. Sharon Rocha and Chief Deputy District Attorneys Birgit Fladager and Dave Harris testified in support of the legislation. 04/28/06 - Joseph Lawrence Elliott Jr., 37, of Riverbank, was arraigned April 27, 2006 on 10 felony counts of Diversion of Construction Funds and 10 felony counts of Grand Theft. 04/28/06 - Ruben J. Gutierrez, 45, of Turlock, will be arraigned on 5-11-06 on charges of Grand Theft, Advertising as a Licensed Contractor without holding a valid Contractor’s License and Contracting without a License. Francisco Alvarez will be prosecuting the case. 04/10/06 - Michael Wells, 43, of Modesto, was convicted on April 5 after a jury trial of evading the police with willful and wanton disregard for safety and driving on a suspended license. 04/10/06 - April 6, 2006, Terry Clark, age 54, of Modesto, was found unsuitable for parole at a hearing of the State Board of Prison Terms at California State Prison, Solano. 04/07/06 - Shelli Athena Thomason, age 39, of Modesto, was convicted of causing injury while driving under the influence of alcohol and causing injury while driving with a blood alcohol level of .08% or more, misdemeanors, in violation of the California Vehicle Code, after a jury trial on April 6, 2006. 03/30/06 - Fabian Fong Acosta, age 38, of Modesto, was sentenced on March 29, 2006, to 9 months in jail and was ordered to do a parenting class as a condition of his four years of felony probation by Judge Lacy. A jury previously found him guilty of Child Endangerment, Attempting to Dissuade a Victim from Testifying, and Resisting Arrest on March 1, 2006. 03/28/06 - John Adams, formerly of Modesto, was found unsuitable for parole at a March 22, 2006 parole hearing of the State Board of Prison Terms at Solano State Prison in Vacaville. Deputy District Attorney Richard Gore appeared at the hearing and argued for continued confinement based on the callous nature of the crime and the risk to public safety Adams would pose should he be paroled. The Board of Prison Terms agreed and denied parole for one year. 03/28/06 - Ruth Willmon, formerly of Modesto, was found unsuitable for parole at a subsequent parole consideration hearing of the State Board of Prison Terms at the California Institution for Women in Corona, CA on March 24. Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Casey appeared at the hearing and argued for continued confinement based on the prisoner being an unreasonable risk to society. The Board of Prison Terms agreed and denied parole for two more years. 03/27/06 - Greydon Galas, 46, of Modesto pleaded guilty to eight robberies committed in 2004. Mr. Galas was scheduled for trial starting Monday, March 27, but instead pled guilty to all charged robberies. 03/27/06 - Craig Leon, 44, of Modesto, was sentenced under California's Three Strikes law to 25 years to life for possession of heroin for sale and transportation of heroin. Mr. Leon was sentenced by Judge John G. Whiteside on March 23, 2006. 03/22/06 - Michael Weatherwax, age 46, of Modesto was convicted on March 22, 2006 of Arson and Attempted Arson after a jury trial. Deputy District Attorney Jeff Mangar prosecuted the case. The case arose out of events which occurred on November 29, 2005. An Arson Task Force consisting of members of the Modesto Police Department and Modesto Fire Department was organized after twenty-one arson fires were set within a one-mile radius of each other between July and November of 2005. 03/16/06 - Cassandra Hunt, age 54, formerly of Modesto, was sentenced after a hearing in front of the Honorable Ricardo Cordova on March 10, 2006. Judge Cordova sentenced Hunt, who had no criminal history, to 5 months in the county jail and ordered her to pay restitution in the amount of $28,765 for committing the crime of Theft from an Elder. Deputy District Attorney Carolyn Matzger prosecuted the case. 03/15/06 - Salvador Guzman Alvarez, age 22, of Modesto, was convicted of murder on March 15, 2006 following a jury trial. Deputy District Attorney Shawn D. Bessey prosecuted the case for the People. 02/27/06 - Ernest Barela, age 51, of Fresno, was found unsuitable for parole at a hearing of the State Board of Prison Terms at Deuel Vocational Institute in Tracy. Deputy District Attorney (DDA) Thomas Brennan appeared at the hearing and argued for continued confinement based on the cruel and callous nature of the crimes and the emotional trauma inflicted on the victims which they suffer to the present day. 02/21/06 - John Rosas Sabala Jr. was sentenced on February 17, 2006 by Superior Court Judge Edward M. Lacy, Jr. to 12 years in State Prison. Sabala had been convicted after a jury trial on 1-12-06 of first degree burglary. Judge Lacy also found that Sabala had a prior conviction for first degree burglary on January 17,1995 which caused Sabala's current sentence to be doubled pursuant to California's "Three Strikes Law." 02/14/06 - Edward Sandner was convicted of first degree murder in a trial heard before Judge Rick Distaso last week. The jury returned its verdict on Friday afternoon, February 10th . Defendant Sandner was accused of stabbing Alan Colossio to death on June 15, 2003, on West Main Street in Turlock, in concert with two co-defendants. After stabbing the victim, the defendants then took his car and personal effects. The defendants were later apprehended in Modesto. 02/07/06 - Jonathon McIntyre of Modesto was found unsuitable for parole at a February 1 hearing of the State Board of Prison Terms in Soledad, California. Deputy District Attorney Richard Gore appeared at the hearing and argued for continued confinement based on the callous nature of the crime and the potential danger that McIntyre poses to the community should he be released. The Board of Prison Terms concurred and denied parole for McIntyre. 02/02/06 - Pedro C. Mota, 42, of Modesto, was convicted of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or greater after a jury trial that concluded February 1, 2006. 02/01/06 - Craig Leon, 44, of Modesto, was convicted of possession of heroin for sale and transportation of heroin and after a jury trial which concluded February 1. Defendant also had two separate prior robbery convictions found true, and three separate prior commitments to prison found true. 01/23/06 - Jose Benito Salidivar, formerly of Modesto, age 34, was sentenced by the Honorable Nancy Ashley to four consecutive 25 years-to-life terms plus fourteen years for a total sentence of 114 years. Saldivar had been previously convicted by a jury on December 8, 2005 of the following crimes: Participation in a Street Gang, Auto Theft, Receiving Stolen Property, Evading a Peace Officer, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, Possession of a Needle & Syringe & Narcotics Pipe. In addition, the jury found that the enhancements alleging that he committed Auto Theft, Receiving Stolen Property, Evading a Peace Officer, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, for the benefit of a Criminal Street Gang to be true. The Judge then conducted a Court Trial on the defendant's prior convictions, and found that he had committed three separate strikes for Burglary of an Inhabited Dwelling, and also had been sentenced to prison on two prior occasions. Judge Ashley denied the defendant's motion to have his strikes stricken due to his lengthy criminal history and the danger he poses to society as an armed gang member. 01/17/06 - Robert James Lininger of Hickman guilty of driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol level of .08% or greater, violations of California Vehicle Code sections 23152(a) and 23152(b). Lininger was involved in a single car accident after driving off the roadway and crashing into the Hickman canal. 01/13/06 - Enrique Gomez, aka "SOLDIER," age 31, of Turlock, was convicted yesterday by a Stanislaus County Superior Court jury of strong arm robbery and participating in a criminal street gang. The jury also found true an enhancement that the robbery was committed for the benefit of the "Norteno" criminal street gang. 01/03/06 - Russell Trunzo, of Modesto, was found unsuitable for parole at a December 30th hearing of State Board of Prison Terms.

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