Porterville police arrest eight in drug investigation
PORTERVILLE – A two-week drug investigation culminated in the arrest of eight people, one of which was hospitalized when she tried to hide evidence by swallowing three grams of methamphetamine, Porterville police announced Thursday.
Detectives with the Porterville Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, along with the
Tulare County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit and property detectives, served a search warrant at a residence in the 22000 block of West Thurman Avenue in Porterville.
During a search of the house, detectives found stolen checks, credit cards, credit card machines, narcotic paraphernalia and other evidence of drug sales.
Detectives also found a maroon 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse that had been reported stolen to the California Highway Patrol in December 2010.
Police arrested Lisa Penaloza, 41, of Porterville; Vanchay Inthavongsa, 32, of Porterville; Travis Dobson, 22, of Springville; Diana Collis, 44, of Visalia; Brandi Bardonnex, 30, of Porterville; Kara Jones, 23, of Tulare; Mary Garcia, 38, of Tulare; and April Hernandez, 26, of Tulare.
Detectives found a dagger on Inthavongsa and learned that he had two misdemeanor warrants for his arrest.
Dobson, Collis and Bardonnex, who is six months pregnant, were all under the influence of a controlled substance.
Penaloza, who was wanted on unrelated fraud charges, was additionally charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, and maintaining a residence for drug use and sales.
As the search unfolded detectives were contacted via telephone by a female suspect and arranged for the purchase of methamphetamine in Poplar. Detectives found the suspects driving in Poplar and conducted a traffic stop where they detained Jones, Garcia and Hernandez.
Police found methamphetamine ready for sale on Jones and Garcia.
While taking the suspects to be booked into jail, detectives learned that Jones had ingested approximately 3 grams of methamphetamine prior to being arrested. She was immediately taken to Sierra View District Hospital in Porterville to be treated for a severe drug overdose.
