Suspect Arrested During Law Enforcement Sweep for Assault of Young Girl

LEMOORE – An 18-year-old was captured by authorities doing a law enforcement sweep and put into custody in connection to the assault of a young girl.

Benjamin Zamora

Police arrested Benjamin Zamora, 18, who is a gang member involved in a feud with a rival gang. The feud turned violent in April, which led to several arrests on assault, firearms and criminal threat charges.

Zamora was wanted in connection with the assault of a girl on April 14. Authorities say the assault was allegedly payback for a prior gang incident. The Kings County Task Force was looking for Zamora for the past few weeks. He turned up during a law enforcement sweep through Hanford, and an issue to arrest him on sight was immediately ordered.

Zamora was booked into jail where he remains with his bail set at $150,000.

Zamora was part of one of the gangs involved in a violent gang rivalry that has led to many arrests. In April, two gang members were arrested for vandalizing a rival’s home. That rival then was arrested for threatening another gang member with a gun while riding in the back of a sedan. Two others in the vehicle, a juvenile and 19-year-old Brandon Grissom, were also arrested.

The following week deputies arrested 26-year-old Irwin Fabian Paez when he allegedly went into a woman’s home uninvited and accused her of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend.