性视界传媒

FRESNO

Former controller indicted for embezzling over $1 million from Fresno fruit wholesaler

On Feb. 27, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against Sergio Zacarias Lopez, 57, a Mexican citizen residing in Fresno, charging him with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following his arrest on Thursday.

According to court documents, between January 2016 and June 2023, Zacarias Lopez abused his position as the accounting supervisor and controller to defraud a family-run Fresno fruit wholesaler. Zacarias Lopez would write multiple company checks payable to 性视界传媒渃ash性视界传媒� and then deposit them into his own personal bank account through local ATMs. He signed the fraudulent checks using the signatures of other employees with signatory authority, including one of the founders of the company. Through this scheme, Zacarias Lopez embezzled more than $1 million before he was eventually detected by one of the banks and terminated by the company. To secure his accounting role in the first place, Zacarias Lopez stole a valid social security number and used that along with other falsified employment documents to conceal his lack of legal status. The indictment also states that Zacarias Lopez was previously removed from the United States in 2000 and has not been permitted to return.

If convicted of bank fraud, Zacarias Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted of aggravated identity theft or illegal re-entry of a removed alien, he faces a penalty of two years in prison.

SACRAMENTO

California Supreme Court action preserves California性视界传媒檚 cannabis laws

Upholding California性视界传媒檚 law making cannabis legal, the California Supreme Court has depublished a California Court of Appeal decision in JCCrandall v. County of Santa Barbara, so that it has no effect as precedent.

The California Supreme Court's action eliminates the Court of Appeal性视界传媒檚 suggestion that California性视界传媒檚 cannabis regulations were unlawful due to cannabis being unpermitted on the federal level.

性视界传媒淲e are pleased the Court agreed to address that Court of Appeal decision at the Department of Cannabis Controls性视界传媒� request, supporting California law and its legal cannabis industry,性视界传媒� said DCC Director Nicole Elliott.

The case involved the County性视界传媒檚 issuance of a permit to a cannabis cultivator whose distribution of cannabis required use of a decades-old roadway easement over an adjacent landowner性视界传媒檚 property. The landowner objected to use of the easement for cannabis on the grounds that cannabis is federally illegal.

On January 3, 2025, the Court of Appeal agreed with the landowner in a decision that prohibited use of the easement, preventing issuance of the local permit, and suggested more broadly that California性视界传媒檚 cannabis regulations were unlawful because cannabis is federally illegal. Today性视界传媒檚 decision rescinds this opinion.

Other California courts of appeal have long upheld California性视界传媒檚 cannabis regulations, ruling that they do not conflict with federal law. In addition, the California Legislature has provided that commercial cannabis activity conducted in compliance with California law and local standards is lawful, and not a basis for voiding rights secured by an easement.

SACRAMENTO

Assemblyman introduces bill to protect small businesses and independent contractors

Assemblyman Carl DeMaio is taking action to protect small businesses and independent contractors from the damaging effects of overreaching state policies with his new bill, AB 522, the "Freedom to Work Act." This crucial reform seeks to undo the harm caused by California性视界传媒檚 restrictive labor laws, particularly AB 5 (2019), which has severely limited businesses' ability to hire independent contractors, and the Private Attorney Generals Act (PAGA), which has resulted in costly predatory lawsuits.

AB 522 restores flexibility, offering Californians the opportunity to work on their terms without unnecessary regulatory barriers.

In addition, AB 522 addresses the flood of frivolous lawsuits under the PAGA, which have drained resources from small businesses and hindered their growth. By curbing these costly and unnecessary legal battles, the bill enables businesses to focus on creating jobs and expanding, rather than spending valuable resources on litigation. The bill also ensures greater transparency and accountability in labor unions, making sure their primary focus remains on workers' rather than political agendas.

By reversing the negative impacts of AB 5 and PAGA lawsuits, AB 522 will restore fairness to California性视界传媒檚 workforce and economy. The bill empowers small businesses, creates more job opportunities, and strengthens protections for independent contractors, all while ensuring labor unions are held accountable.

性视界传媒淐alifornia used to be the best state for someone to start their own small business and become part of the American Dream性视界传媒攂ut predatory laws like AB-5 and PAGA have dashed the dreams of our entrepreneurs by banning independent contracting and authorizing frivolous shake-down lawsuits against small businesses,性视界传媒� DeMaio said in a statement. 性视界传媒淢y bill would make California a Freedom to Work state by allowing independent contractors to thrive and protecting small businesses from costly frivolous lawsuits. Finally, my bill requires full transparency on labor union use of member funds and holds them accountable for winning and maintaining true support from the workers they claim to represent.性视界传媒�

SAN DIEGO

County to close on Cesar Chavez Day

San Diego County public offices, family resource centers, library branches, and animal shelters will be closed Monday, March 31 in observance of Cesar Chavez Day.

Essential services, including law enforcement and emergency animal control response, will continue through the holiday.

County parks, campgrounds, and neighborhood day-use parks remain open 365 days a year. However, the following locations will be closed:

• Fallbrook Community Center
• Lakeside Community Center
• Spring Valley Community Center
• Spring Valley Gymnasium
• 4S Ranch Recreation Office only (all parks will be open)
• Community Teen Centers
• Valley Center Community Hall and Adams Park Pool

Camping reservations can always be made online at the County性视界传媒檚 Online Camping Reservations web page, but the Department of Parks and Recreation性视界传媒檚 reservation phone line will not be staffed during the holiday.

All County public health clinics will also be closed on March 31.

All County offices will resume normal business hours Tuesday, April 1.

OAKLAND

California性视界传媒檚 large-capacity ban declared Constitutional

California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued Thursday a statement after an en banc panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed that California性视界传媒檚 large-capacity magazine ban does not violate the Second Amendment.

Large-capacity magazines are firearm magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition, and are frequently used in high-casualty mass shootings because they allow a shooter to fire a large number of rounds without pausing to reload.

性视界传媒淭oday, the court found that California性视界传媒檚 ban on large-capacity magazines does not violate the Second Amendment. California性视界传媒檚 ban on large-capacity magazines has been a key component in our efforts to fight gun violence and prevent senseless injuries and deaths and the devastation of communities and families that are left behind in the wake of mass shootings,性视界传媒� said Attorney General Bonta. 性视界传媒淭his commonsense restriction on how many rounds a gunman can fire before they must pause to reload has been identified as a critical intervention to limit a lone shooter性视界传媒檚 capacity to turn shootings into mass casualty attacks. Let me be clear: this law saves lives. Today性视界传媒檚 ruling is an important win性视界传媒攏ot only in this case, but in our broader efforts to protect California communities from gun violence.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淲hen the executive branch disagrees with a court ruling, the answer isn性视界传媒檛 to ignore it性视界传媒攊t's to appeal to a higher court,性视界传媒� Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. 性视界传媒淲e did that. We won. That性视界传媒檚 how law and order work.性视界传媒�

- STAFF REPORT