Federal grand jury returns one-count indictment against Ralph Zavala, 39, of Woodlake
FRESNO, CALIF. – A Woodlake man was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of a firearm and ammunition earlier this month.
On Dec. 10, the federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Ralph Zavala, 39, of Woodlake, charging him with being a felon in possession of a loaded gun.
According to court documents, Zavala was arrested on Sept. 1 as part of a law enforcement effort to apprehend parolees who have absconded from parole supervision conducted by the FBI, as well as the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Woodlake Police Department, and the Visalia Police Department. Officers observed Zavala in a vehicle, and when they moved in to apprehend him, Zavala drove into an agent’s vehicle. Zavala was eventually arrested and found to be in possession of a loaded Cobra Denali semi-automatic .380 ACP pistol. Zavala has several felony convictions in Tulare County and is prohibited from possessing either a firearm or ammunition.
If convicted, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott said Zavala faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
