“This law enforcement effort works to reduce gun violence throughout Tulare County by using the resources and expertise of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to remove illegally possessed firearms from our communities.”
CSLEA President Alan Barcelona
VISALIA – On July 13, 2026, the Tulare County Agencies Regional Gun Violence Enforcement Team (TARGET) arrested Markell Martin, 37, of Visalia following a lengthy firearms investigation. During the investigation, TARGET served multiple search warrants at several locations throughout the Visalia. As a result of those searches, investigators recovered a stolen AR-15 style rifle, a Glock pistol, seven large-capacity magazines, and approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
Martin is a convicted felon and is prohibited by law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
He was booked at the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility on the following charges:
- possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (PC 29800(a)),
- prohibited person in possession of ammunition (PC 30305(a)),
- possession of an assault weapon (PC 30605(a)),
- possession of stolen property (PC 496(a)),
- and possession of a large-capacity magazine (PC 32310(a)).
The Tulare County Agencies Regional Gun Violence Enforcement Team (TARGET) is a multi-agency task force comprised of members from the California Department of Justice Bureau of Firearms, Visalia Police Department, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
TARGET’s mission is to reduce gun violence throughout Tulare County by combining the resources and expertise of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate and remove illegally possessed firearms from our communities.
