Deputies arrested Fernando Thomas Vasquez-Bernal after an Armona woman reported armed threats, later finding two firearms and methamphetamine in a Lemoore motel room. (Shutterstock)
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A man accused of pointing a gun at a woman inside her Armona home and threatening to shoot deputies was arrested early Thursday at a Lemoore motel, according to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies began investigating after receiving a text-to-911 message about 7:38 p.m. Wednesday from a woman in the 14000 block of Walnut Avenue. She reported that Fernando Thomas Vasquez-Bernal was inside her residence with two guns and that she was afraid of him, authorities said.
The woman told deputies Vasquez-Bernal had arrived about an hour earlier, banging on doors and windows and unplugging exterior cameras before being invited inside.
Once inside, he pointed a firearm at her and waved it around while saying, “You’re gonna regret this,” according to the sheriff’s office.
As he left, Vasquez-Bernal told the woman not to contact law enforcement and threatened to shoot deputies if they contacted him, authorities said. He also said he was going to kill someone.
Deputies discovered Vasquez-Bernal had an active no-bail bench warrant for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sheriff’s detectives took over the investigation.
About 1 a.m. Thursday, investigators located Vasquez-Bernal in a room at the Kings Rest Motel, 9129 Highway 41 in Lemoore. He exited the room with Lacie Danielle Lafferty and was arrested on the warrant and in connection with the reported threats.
A search of the motel room uncovered a revolver, a Glock-style firearm, an extended magazine, 42 grams of methamphetamine, and two smoking pipes, authorities said.
Vasquez-Bernal and Lafferty were interviewed and booked into the Kings County Jail.
Vasquez-Bernal was booked on suspicion of assault with a firearm, dissuading a victim from reporting a crime, making criminal threats, and possessing a controlled substance while armed with a firearm. He was held without bail.
Lafferty was booked on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Her bail was set at $10,000.
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