Several suspects of illegal gambling and narcotics charges have been arrested.
Mark Keoninh, 42 of Porterville, Sandra Gonzalez, 36 of Porterville, Kathy Saefong, 42 of Visalia, David Car, 35 of Visalia, Ernie Hernandez, 57 of Strathmore, and Kham Khamsouk, 50 of Visalia, were all arrested.
Shortly after 7 p.m. Friday Porterville Police Officers responded to a business in the 1300 Block of West Henderson Avenue regarding a subject who attempted to make multiple fraudulent purchases using a stolen credit card. The subject had left the area prior to Officers arriving but his vehicle was indentied.
At about 11:30 p.m. Officers located the vehicle parked at an abandoned business in the 100 block of West Orange Avenue. Officers checked the business and contacted Keoninh, Gonzalez, Saefong, Carr, Hernandez, and Khamsouk inside. Keoninh was positively identified as the individual who attempted to make the fraudulent purchase earlier in the day and he was found to be in possession of numerous fraudulent checks and additional stolen credit cards. Officers also observed evidence of an illegal gambling operation within the business.
Porterville Police Detectives responded and assumed the investigation. A search warrant was obtained for the residence. A search warrant for the business was authored and endorsed by a Tulare County Superior Court Judge. During the service of the search warrant, Detectives located illegal gambling machines, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and additional evidence of illegal gambling. All of the above-mentioned individuals were arrested for various gambling and narcotics related charges.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence of Keoninh in the sub-100 block of North F Street. During the service of the search warrant, Detectives located hundreds of items of evidence, including stolen and altered checks, stolen bank cards, stolen mail, fraudulent social security cards, and equipment used to alter and produce fraudulent documents.
Keoninh was booked at the South County Detention Facility and is being held in lieu of $102,500 bail.
Gonzalez was booked at the South County Detention Facility and is being held in lieu of $125,000 bail.
Saefong was booked at the South County Detention Facility and is being held with in lieu of $60,000 bail.
Carr, Hernandez and Khamsouk were all booked at the South County Detention Facility.
The report was submitted to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office for review. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Porterville Police Department at (559) 782-7400 or through its departmental Facebook or Instagram page. Those who have information may also provide it anonymously.