Deputies with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Ag Task Force arrested a Huron man on multiple felony charges following a rural copper wire theft that caused $40,000 in damage, authorities said.

Detectives arrested Salvador Silva Valdovinos, 35, on Wednesday after spotting a pickup truck in Huron that matched surveillance footage from the previous day’s theft at a farm near Howard and Palmer avenues.

Deputies said the video showed a man carrying a rifle and a pickup truck leaving the scene of the theft.

Silva Valdovinos was booked into Fresno County Jail on charges including possession of firearms by a felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and auto theft. His bail was set at $362,500. At the time of the arrest, he was out on bail from a prior copper wire theft case.

Sheriff’s investigators served a search warrant at Silva Valdovinos’ apartment with the assistance of the California Highway Patrol and Kings County’s Rural Crime Task Force.

Authorities recovered a small amount of suspected stolen copper wire and three firearms, including a privately manufactured “ghost gun” Glock-style pistol, a bolt-action rifle, and an AR-15 similar to the one seen in surveillance footage.

The sheriff’s office reminded the public not to confront suspects, especially in rural areas where thieves may be armed. Deputies encourage residents to report suspicious activity and invest in surveillance systems to help protect remote properties.

Got a Tip?

The investigation remains active. Anyone with information on Silva Valdovinos is asked to contact the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 600-3111 or Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867, referencing case No. 26-3359.

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