Location: Tulare County and Los Angeles County

Incident Date: 1-24-22

Posted by: Media Relations

In July of 2021, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Visalia Police Department and Department of Justice launched “Operation

Trailblazer” in an effort to solve a triple murder at Golden West High School in Visalia. During the investigation, Detectives learned the main suspects were believed to be Sureno gang members.

As part of Phase Two of “Operation Trailblazer”, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Detectives served additional search warrants in Tulare County and Los Angeles County during a three-day operation. This part of the investigation involved a nationwide drug trafficking ring. The primary suspects were identified as 30-year-old Joe Carmona and 30-year-old Sirjoe Carmona, both of Ivanhoe. The Carmona brothers were not only involved with local southern gang members, but were also transporting and selling large amounts of marijuana in numerous states.

In collaboration with several federal and state agencies, TCSO Detectives served 53 search warrants and seized 14,763 marijuana plants, 773 pounds of processed marijuana, 53 firearms, $358,000 in cash and $300,000 in assets during this five-month investigation.

This case is still active. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Bari Molyneux with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at 1-800-808-0488, or anonymously at tcso@tipnow.com or by text or voicemail at 559-725-4194