Three Arrested After Grand Theft 

December 6, 2023 - Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office officials report that on November 20, 2023, at about 1:00 p.m., the Sonora Police Department contacted Salida Community Deputies to let them know a grand theft had occurred at Ross Department Store in Sonora, CA, where over $1,000.00 in merchandise was stolen. During their investigation, they identified the vehicle's license plate involved in the grand theft; the car was registered to a home in Salida, CA. They were also able to provide descriptors for the people involved.

At about 4:00 p.m., Sergeant Berndt and Deputies Delgado and Gutierrez located a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle involved in the grand theft, and a traffic stop was conducted. In the vehicle were one male and two females. Two occupants falsely identified themselves, but during the investigation, deputies positively identified them as Tamica Harvey, a 39-year-old female, and Jesse Vargas, a 40-year-old male. The third person in the vehicle was Guilliam Stephens, 46-year-old female. Through a records check, Harvey was found to be a parolee at large and had a warrant of arrest from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. At one point, Vargas attempted to flee from deputies on foot but was quickly arrested.

During a search of the vehicle, deputies found drug paraphernalia, checks and identification cards belonging to other persons, and an abundance of Ross merchandise consisting of clothing. The clothing had price tags and security devices still attached. Vargas, Harvey, and Stephens were arrested and booked for multiple charges, including feloniously obtaining personal information of another person with the intention to defraud, providing a false name, resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of stolen property. 

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Source: Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office