Traffic stop in Porterville leads to 4 arrests

PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A traffic stop in Porterville on a man on active probation led to four arrests Wednesday, police said.

Officers said a traffic stop was initiated on 35-year-old Salvador Sierra’s vehicle on Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the area of Cricklewood Avenue and Kensington Street. Sierra is on active Tulare County probation.

While officers contacted Sierra, they determined him to be operating a vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance. Officers said they discovered that he had a controlled substance, drug paraphernalia and burglary tools.

He was taken into custody while detectives continued with the investigation.

As the investigation continued, detectives responded to Sierra’s residence in the 2200 block of W. Cricklewood Avenue to conduct a probation search. During the search, a stolen inflatable water slide and air blower were located.

While at the residence, detectives encountered two other people who police said were identified as Bryan Rocha and Brandon Rocha. Detectives said they found 30 grams of cocaine, along with additional drug paraphernalia, which was determined to belong to both of them.

Both of them were taken into custody. Additionally, while detectives were on the scene, they noted a flatbed trailer that was attached to a GMC Yukon that was reported as stolen. Detectives began inspecting the Yukon and confirmed that the trailer and Yukon were indeed the reported stolen vehicle.

Through further investigation, two additional residences were located that were believed to be involved in the thefts.

Detectives authored a search warrant and located the suspect vehicle that had been in possession of Luiz Hernandez, who was contacted on scene and initially provided a false identity to detectives.

Hernandez was taken into custody and detectives say they also linked Sierra to the stolen vehicle.

Police say that Sierra has been arrested and accused of various incidents, including being in possession of operating seven different stolen vehicles, burglary, three times for grand theft, twice for receiving, possessing stolen property, physically resisting a peace officer, and making a false bomb report.

All four of them were arrested and will be facing charges of various crimes.