KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) — Operation “Blue Trigger” was a months-long, multi-agency investigation to combat local and statewide gang activity.
It led to the arrest of three teens, 6 men and one woman in Kings County.
The underage arrests include a 16-year-old from Avenal and two Hanford 17-year-olds.
The adults arrested are, 18 year-olds Domingo Ayala and Victor Hernandez, 19 year-old Criss Castaneda, 23 year-old Elvis Rodriguez, 32 year-old Nancy Terrones and 43 year-old Karay Frazier.
Police are still looking for two other individuals, Jeffrey Harris and Jayden Rivas.
“Felony charges include firearm possession, assault weapon violation, machine gun possession, felons in possession of firearms, welfare fraud, conspiracy, resisting officers and deputies, perjury, unlawful firearms transfers, and participation in criminal street gangs,” explains Kings County Sheriff Dave Putnam.
Detectives served 10 search warrants and several arrest warrants across Kings County on Wednesday, August 26.
Several agencies helped in the operation, including local Police Departments from Hanford, Lemoore, Corcoran and Avenal.
Also, SWAT teams from across the valley, including Tulare Police SWAT, Clovis Police SWAT, Hanford Police Department’s Regional SWAT and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team.
During the arrests, Sheriff Dave Putnam says they seized dozens of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, “Including 6 shotguns, 4 AR-15 platform rifles, 3 ghost guns, one ak 47 platform rifle, 8 hunting rifles, 13 handguns, 2 revolvers and 11 semi-automatic handguns, as part of that 13, and over 5,000 rounds of ammunition.”
Kings County District Attorney Sarah Hacker credits the Avenal Police Department and Officer Matthew Ramos with writing over 50 search warrants in this case.
She says the city of about 13,000 residents was the starting point for Operation Blue Trigger.
“There was an individual in Avenal that ended up catching the attention of our gang investigators and from that point on we started working backward, and that involved multiple warrants for social media, so we started building up a case and we quickly realized that there was an interconnection between two separate and distinct gangs here in Kings County,” explains Hacker.
Kings County does say the investigation is not over, as police are still looking for Jeffrey Harris and Jayden Rivas.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Kings County Sheriff’s Office at 559-852-2720.
In the meantime, arrested individuals are expected to appear in court on September 24.
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Listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern.
