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A San Joaquin County jury previously found Scott Sherman, 40, guilty of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Felix Makinano in Lodi on October 3, 2023. Today, Sherman was sentenced to 50 years to life plus 3 years in state prison, the maximum allowable by law. The jury had also found true a firearm enhancement under Penal Code § 12022.53(d) and convicted Sherman of carrying a loaded firearm (P.C. § 25850) and possession of a controlled substance (H&S § 11377, misdemeanor).

The California Board of Parole Hearings has ordered a rescission hearing for James Dennis Lynch, the convicted murderer, rapist, and torturer responsible for the 1996 killing of 75-year-old Stockton resident Hilda Armanino Boggiano.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announces that Andrew Collazo has been sentenced to 102 years to life without the possibility of parole for the May 15, 2018, murder of Rodrigo Ignacio. The sentencing, handed down by the Honorable Judge Barrera, marks the conclusion of a complex legal journey for a family that has waited eight years for justice.

Defendant Manvir Singh was held to answer on all counts following a preliminary hearing on June 10, 2026, in connection with a fatal multi-vehicle collision that occurred on May 19, 2026, on northbound Highway 99 near Harney Lane in Lodi.

Defendant Brett Blaisure resolved three active cases in San Joaquin County by pleading no contest to multiple felony charges involving illegal firearms and narcotics.

Roxanne Helus, owner and operator of a licensed residential daycare facility in Manteca, pleaded guilty on June 8, 2026, to felony child abuse/endangerment, involuntary manslaughter, and misdemeanor driving under the influence. The convictions stem from the death of a five-month-old child and the endangerment of multiple children entrusted to her care while operating the daycare facility.

District Attorney Ron Freitas announced that Alejandro Duran Mercado has been sentenced to 40 years to life in state prison for the second-degree murder of 29-year-old Cenobio Nicholas "Nick" Gallegos. The sentencing, held before the Honorable Judge Mallett, finalized a case involving a senseless 2021 daylight shooting in Lodi.

Defendant Jesus Antonio Tovar, 28, was sentenced on May 29, 2026, by the Honorable Roy Hashimoto to 24 years in state prison after pleading guilty to three counts of Forcible Lewd Acts with a Child (Penal Code section 288(b)), felonies and strike offenses under California’s Three Strikes Law.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announces that defendant Adam Lopez has been held to answer on charges following a preliminary hearing regarding a violent attack involving gasoline and fire on July 10, 2025.

District Attorney Ron Freitas announced the arraignment of Manvir Singh this afternoon in the San Joaquin Superior Court. Singh faces multiple felony counts following a fatal multi-vehicle collision that occurred on May 19, 2026, on Northbound Highway 99 near Harney Lane in Lodi.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced today that state charges against Steven Rodriguez, 57, have been dismissed in lieu of the defendant being referred for federal prosecution.

A violent and unprovoked attack at a Tracy AMPM in the early morning hours of May 21, 2022, has resulted in a life sentence for defendant Rene Vega.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced that Joseph Estrada, a convicted felon, has been sentenced to six years in state prison following a substantial narcotics investigation.

A convicted violent offender who was granted compassionate release from state prison after claiming he was terminally ill has now been arrested again after allegedly being found driving with a sawed-off shotgun, ammunition, and stolen license plates.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced that a jury has found Kenneth Ernesto “Ernie” Mejia, 23, guilty on multiple felony counts, including second-degree murder and attempted murder, stemming from a November 2024 wave of violence against his own family members.

On April 21, 2026, defendant Joshua Ramirez entered a plea to multiple felony charges.

The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office announced that Alejandro Duran Mercado has been convicted of second-degree murder following a retrial.

San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced today that Draygo Peraza has been sentenced to 21 years in state prison, following the recent conviction of Rosantito Castaneda for the January 2022 robbery and murder of Remo Serbo.

On April 18, 2026, officers with the Tracy Police Department conducted a traffic enforcement stop on an SUV traveling southbound on Interstate 5. During the stop, K9 Officer Niko alerted to the presence of narcotics.

Arraignment in People v. Donald Lee Clark for the 1994 murders of Lawrence "Larry" Loehr and Eugene Cates