KCSO arrests man wanted in connection to homicide
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man in connection to a homicide on Saturday.
Deputies went to the area of Gibson Street and Rosedale Highway for a victim of a shooting, the KCSO stated in a news release. They found Diego Soto, 24, with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Hall Ambulance and Kern County fire personnel pronounced Soto dead at the scene, the KCSO added.
Homicide detectives arrested Alfredo Perez, 22, on Monday.
Anyone with information can contact the KCSO at 661-861-3110 or the Secret Witness line at 661-322-4040.
A Mexican citizen unlawfully residing in Bakersfield was sentenced Monday to nine years in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, the Acting U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
Quintero Beltran, 31, arranged to meet a man at a Bakersfield shopping mall and sell him 20,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl for $42,000 on March 31, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Beltran also offered to sell a customer methamphetamine, the U.S. Attorney’s office added.
Law enforcement searched Beltran’s vehicle and found 51,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, packages with 15 kilograms of fentanyl, one kilogram of cocaine and about one pound of pure meth, according to the news release.
The case is a product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
A Bakersfield woman died after being struck by a vehicle Friday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
A Chrysler was traveling west on Norris Road approaching California Street, preparing to make a left turn onto California Street. A Toyota was traveling east on Norris Road approaching California Street, according to the CHP’s news release.
A Chrysler turned left into the path of the Toyota, where minor injuries occurred, according to the CHP’s news release. Minutes later, an Acura was traveling toward the collision. The driver attempted to avoid a crash, but instead drove through the crash and hit a pedestrian, according to the news release.
The pedestrian, identified by the coroner to be 37-yearold Samantha Sharp, died at the scene, according to the coroner’s office.
Alcohol or drugs to not appear to be a factor in this crash, which remains under investigation, CHP said.
The coroner’s office released the name of a Bakersfield man who died in a traffic accident on Highway 178.
Frederick Matthew Macias, 39, died at 5:15 p.m. Oct. 12, at the scene.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office requests assistance finding a missing man, last seen June 14.
James Halvorsen, 53, is at risk because of mental health issues, KCSO said. He is approximately 5 foot, 9 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds. He has blue eyes and is a white man.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the KCSO at 661-861-3110 or the Secret Witness line at 661-322-4040.