“Thankfully this illegal activity was called in and law enforcement officers responded promptly and were able to take this stolen rifle from the hands of someone it didn’t belong to. I’m grateful no one was injured in the process.” – CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

FRESNO COUNTY – On July 19, 2021 a Facebook post by the Fresno County Sherriff’s Office reported that deputies were recently dispatched to the town of Friant regarding a man who was attempting to sell a rifle to a citizen passing through the area. The man was hiding a M-16, 22-caliber rifle in the bushes.

Deputies, along with California State Parks rangers contacted Curtis Williams, 37, of Friant and arrested him. He was booked into the Fresno County Jail on multiple gun charges. A woman who was detained with Williams was later released after it was determined she had not committed a crime.

A record check of the rifle revealed it was stolen out of Madera County in 2018.