March 28, 2026 – Fresno County Sheriff's Office officials report that detectives assigned to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Ag Task Force have arrested 35-year-old Salvador Silva Valdovinos of Huron. He has been booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges of possession of firearms by a felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number and auto theft. His bail is set at $362,500. At the time of this arrest, the suspect was out on bail from a previous copper wire theft case.
On March 24, deputies responded to Howard and Palmer Avenues near Huron for a report of grand theft of copper wire. Deputies arrived at the farm and discovered copper wire had been stolen from an irrigation well and an electrical panel. The theft and damage created a loss of $40,000.
Surveillance cameras on the property recorded a pickup truck, along with a man who appeared to be carrying a rifle. Ag Task Force detectives responded and took over the investigation.
On March 25, detectives spotted a similar looking pickup truck in Huron. They made a traffic stop and identified the driver as Salvador Silva-Valdovinos. The truck was reported stolen and Silva-Valdovinos matched the man seen in the surveillance video. He was detained and detectives served a search warrant at his apartment with the assistance of FSO patrol, CHP and the Kings County's Rural Crime Task Force.
They found a small amount of suspected stolen copper wire and three firearms. This included a privately manufactured "ghost gun" Glock style pistol, a bolt action rifle and an AR15, which matched the one seen in the video.
The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind the public to never confront a suspect, as they may be armed like in this case. Instead, call law enforcement right away and allow deputies who are trained and equipped to contact the suspect. Also, consider investing in surveillance cameras, especially in rural areas that are often left unoccupied.
This remains an ongoing investigation. Although an arrest has been made, if you have additional information about Salvador Silva Valdovinos, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at 559-600-3111 or Crime Stoppers at 559-498-7867, www.valleycrimestoppers.org. Reference case #26-3359.
Source & photos: Fresno County Sheriff's Office
