Reedley man sentenced to 54 years to life
Part of Operation Red Sol gang sweep
Judge Joseph Kalashian of the Tulare County Superior Court sentenced a Reedley man to 54 years to life in prison for gang crimes related to 2015’s Operation Red Sol gang sweep, which became the largest criminal filing in county history, the Tulare County District Attorney’s office reported. The conviction was the first jury trial conviction of a defendant charged in the case.
On Feb. 24, Pedro Lopez, 35, of Reedley, was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit home invasion robbery, one count of criminal street gang conspiracy, one count of attempted home invasion robbery, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Each count is a felony and is enhanced with gang allegations.
Lopez was also found to possess a prior felony assault strike and prison term from 2008.
On Aug. 24 and 25, 2015, local law enforcement, along with the California Department of Justice, was engaged in conducting a largescale wiretap operation targeting the Tulare County Norteno criminal street gang. On these dates, it became apparent that several subjects were plotting to commit multiple home invasion robberies in Visalia. On Aug. 25, gang members, including Lopez, set out to commit the robberies, but were stopped by the Visalia Police Department following a highspeed pursuit and foot chase through an east Visalia neighborhood.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Kirk Davis of the Major Crimes Division and investigated by Detective Jeremy Rose of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.