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Former Valley School Security Boss Gets Two Year Sentence in Explosives Case
bill mcewen
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 12 months ago on
October 9, 2024

Angelo Jackson Mendiver, 27, of Bakersfield, a former campus security supervisor at Arvin High School, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison for conspiring to make and mail explosive devices and lying to FBI agents. (GV Wire Composite/Paul Marshall)

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Angelo Jackson Mendiver, 27, of Bakersfield, a former campus security supervisor at Arvin High School, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison for conspiring to make and mail explosive devices and lying to FBI agents.

U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced Mendiver’s sentence in a news release.

According to court documents, Mendiver used an Instagram account to sell explosives and explosive materials and worked closely with a male high school student in Bakersfield to mail explosives to residents in other states.

In Instagram messages to the juvenile, prosecutors said, Mendiver sent a photo of an explosive device, followed by two videos of homemade explosive devices that he had made and the statement that “homemade kills all consumer.” He also advised the juvenile to be “super careful bro that homemade s – – t is dangerous.”

Nearly 1,000 Pounds of Explosives Seized

On June 1, 2023, a federal search warrant executed at Mendiver’s residence resulted in the seizure of 536 pounds of uncontained explosives and explosive materials, which presented an extreme safety hazard to the residents, the federal government said.

Agents seized another 440 pounds of uncontained explosives and explosive materials from the juvenile’s residence. At both residences, agents found items used to make explosives.

Mendiver also lied to FBI agents, stating that he did not sell explosives and did not work with anyone in committing explosives offenses.

The Kern County District Attorney’s Office is handling the juvenile co-conspirator’s case.

The FBI and Bakersfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar was the prosecutor.

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Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at bmcewen@gvwire.com

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