On Tuesday, February 21st, 2023, at 12:46 pm, the Turlock Police Department was dispatched to a reported shoplift in progress at The Home Depot, 2800 Countryside Dr, Turlock, after a known shoplifter had been spotted by a loss prevention officer inside the business selecting merchandise.
While officers were responding, the suspect, Ricky Agundez, 42, of Turlock, discarded the merchandise he had selected and exited the business. He then got into a vehicle being driven by a female accomplice and they took off northbound through the parking lot.
An officer then arrived and was flagged down by the loss prevention officer who pointed out the vehicle Agundez was in as it was in front of Target.
The officer quickly caught up to the vehicle and made a traffic stop on it based on the reasonable suspicion he had that Agundez was in it and knowing that he had warrants.
The officer made contact with and identified the vehicle’s driver, while also confirming that Agundez was in it.
The officer had his dispatcher run the two, and sure enough, Agundez returned with three felony no-bail bench warrants and 23 misdemeanor bench warrants or warrants of arrest. 22 warrants were from various agencies from here within Stanislaus County, while four were from various Bay Area agencies. The charges within the warrants included grand theft, forgery, shoplifting, possession of burglary tools, attempted burglary, and petty theft.
Agundez was arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on his warrants, while his female accomplice was released after it was determined that she had not committed any crimes.
Agundez is a well-known shoplifter by the Turlock Police Department and other various agencies within the area. A majority of the things that Agundez steals end up online for sale, typically on the website OfferUp. Since April 2021, he has made 10 different sales on the website and currently has advertisements up for brand-new never-opened items on sale for prices significantly less than retail value.
Agundez managing to rack up 26 warrants is a perfect example of California’s politics causing a failing justice system. The cases Agundez’s warrants stem from go all the way back to January 2020, however, he has yet to be convicted and sentenced for his crimes and continues to be released on his own recognizance. At least this time Agundez has three no-bail warrants and his next court date is set for May, which will give him some time in jail.
Proposition 47 was passed by California voters in 2014 after it was strategically masked by the extremely misleading name, “The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act.”
Prior to Prop 47, any person who entered a business with the intent to steal was committing second-degree burglary, a felony punishable by up to three years in state prison. Prop 47 made shoplifting its own crime, only punishable by up to six months in county jail, although even that is extremely rare.
Prop 47 also turned drug possession offenses into straight misdemeanors rather than wobblers and upped the grand theft threshold to $950 from $450.
Recently, Assembly Bill 335 was introduced by California Assembly Member Juan Alanis. Alanis is a recently retired Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Sergeant and represents California’s newly reorganized 22nd Assembly District, which includes Turlock, some other parts of Stanislaus County, and parts of Merced County. AB335 repeals Prop 47 in its entirety, with the exception of marijuana-related offenses.
AB335 will be heard by the California State Assembly Committee on Public Safety on Tuesday, March 7th, at 9:00 am. To show your support for it, you can submit a position letter to the committee by visiting https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/.
Discover more from Turlock Area News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I’m sorry , I’m not the smartest . BUT if this article is worded correctly, and this is how it happened , I would like to know how LEGALLY the officer pulled this woman’s vehicle over ? Except the word of another
“civilian” the loss prevention officer ??? Simply curious ???
In order for an officer to detain someone, he simply needs to have reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot. It’s a degree of evidence less than probable cause, which is what is required to arrest someone. There is no clear cut definition of when an officer develops reasonable suspicion, it’s something that depends on the totality of the circumstances. There was definitely reasonable suspicion in this situation because the loss prevention officer stated that Agundez was in the vehicle, pointed out the vehicle, stated that he had attempted to shoplift but discarded the items, the officer was familiar with Agundez’s history, and the officer knew Agundez had warrants.
If you were to call the police and claim that someone is committing or attempting to commit a crime and they found that person, there is definitely enough reasonable suspicion for them to detain that person to conduct an investigative detention. It’s something the Supreme Court has already ruled on several times. The most notable case is Terry v. Ohio.
So proud of our officers with the Turlock Police Dept. No matter if it is in the middle of the night or during the day time they are protecting all of us and our great town.
Please stop these people fro. Getting away with these crimes and more its awfull decent people can’t live here anymore is that what this state wants??? How many more of us who work and live here have to leave.??
Bye.,how hard is it when we really need help but don’t get it. I spent 33 years of my life for 3 Pedi thefts due to the strike law.
Never had a serious or violent felony never hurt anyone or used a weapon or ran away or to bed anyone
With a weapon,I was a young single mother of 2 at 18 and I had a drug problem so they took my freedom and sent me to crc as a drug program it’s a prison. And not till I was 50 was I released I did 25 years flat as a striker.got out 2014 and off parole.2018
But I’m 57 now never married never had a job or a home or a life,I was in prison from 20 to 50 for stealing from a store a 20$
Pocshsuntus video cassette.for Xmas I got 25 years on strike law.i lost my daddy my kids grew up and had kids all alone,and now they are used to me being gone so we don’t even have a relationship or visit or even know my grandkids.its a very sad thing that I spent 30 years in a 4 level prison for Pedi thefts .
Where’s the justice there. I’m no saint but I did prison with Susan Adkins Betty Broderick Patricia krinwinkle Diane downs ,and even holga the woman who killed for ssi checks,
I was friends with krini and talked to Susan Atkins about the night she did that to that young girl,she was dieing of Cancer and
Was so afraid of demons yuppp trust that evil woman died with fear,but God forgives,CDC does not. I’d like to write a book or even get help to get off the street. I’m homeless and I try so hard to do what I’m supposed to do,but I can’t get a break.
Anyways it’s not no one’s fault but I was a kid and I needed a little help.not prison with serial Killin females.down but not done.AT.
Sounds like you need to talk to someone in the media. Try getting ahold of a news outlet, I believe KCRA has a department you can reach out to.
Keep your head up beautiful God is working out his plan for you. I know what you mean about Ca and it’s practice’s.o was basically guilt by association for who my family was and was giving a wobbler on a straight misdemeanor but anyone who was in the house over 18 got charged. It’s a nightmare when you get out and you have all these in realistic expectations put on you. If you don’t come from money or have a helpful family you are SOL and it should not be this way in 2023. I’ll keep you in my prayers sis stay strong