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Domestic Abuse Investigation Leads to Discovery of Puppy Mill

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MODESTO – Detectives with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit served a warrant on a property in relation to a domestic abuse case, leading to the discovery of nearly 150 dogs inside a duplex Thursday afternoon.

The incident happened at a property near the intersection of Roselawn and South Avenues. Investigators were in the process of serving a warrant related to the investigation that began April 30th.

The victim in the case allegedly suffered burns from a butane torch, was beaten with an ash tray, and even had a shock collar placed on her. She was able to escape and call for help. According to a neighbor, several deputies in patrol cars arrived at the home and called for someone to come out of the home, but later left. The neighbor said he saw the resident exit the home at a later time. Authorities opted not to confront the suspect that time to reduce the chances of a violent outcome.

Detectives with the Special Investigations Unit picked up the case and arrested 38 year old Nicholas Dean Baugh at his mother’s house in Modesto.

The puppies were discovered as detectives served the warrant on the duplex. A fire briefly ignited at the home, but was quickly extinguished by deputies. Firefighters with Burbank-Paradise Fire Department responded to ensure the fire was completely out.

Nearly 150 dogs were found in the home. One of them died as a result of the fire, which was said to have started on the stove.

Baugh was booked into the Stanislaus County Jail on several charges including domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon, torture, rooster fighting, and 146 counts of animal abuse. A hold was also placed on his bail, indicating if funds for bail come from suspected criminal activity, they would not be accepted.

Carlos Rodriguez is an Emmy Award winning photojournalist specializing in public safety and natural disasters. His passion for local news stems from a deep commitment to his community, with a selfless mission to inform the citizens of the valley. As he worked on assignment for 19 days at the devastating Camp Fire in Paradise, California, he spent most of his time helping survivors contact their loved ones to let them know they were ok. Carlos is a veteran of Univision, FOX, and Telemundo TV stations and a native of Modesto, California.

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Former Teacher Previously Investigated For Relationship With Student, Arrested For Lewd Acts With A Minor

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TURLOCK – James Hooker, the man who gained national attention after it was revealed that during his time as a teacher had been in a relationship with one of his students, was arrested by police Tuesday night on charges of lewd acts with a minor.

Hooker, 54, had been under investigation by the Turlock Police Department since May 17th. The victim in this case who is now an adult, was in contact with authorities on an unrelated matter when she disclosed to police that her relationship with hooker began when she was a 15 year old middle school student. The victim told authorities that they had met on social media, and their relationship continued until she turned 18, when they were married. Turlock authorities then began their investigation.

Evidence and statements were gathered by Detective Navarro, which led to the issuing of an arrest warrant for Hooker. He was arrested Tuesday by the Ceres Police Department and booked into the Stanislaus County Jail. As of time of publication, he did not appear in jail records.

Because of the attention Hooker gained previously, including an appearance on the Dr. Phil Show, authorities believe there could be additional victims, and are asking for anyone who may have come into contact with Hooker to come forward.

“Getting James Hooker off the streets is a victory for the community and especially for potential victims who may have been at risk,” said Detective Navarro in a press release. “This is an important step, but our work is far from over. We believe there could be other victims out there, and we will continue to follow every lead to ensure justice is served.”

Hooker faces charges of lewd acts with a minor 14-15 years old and possession of material depicting sexual conduct of a person under 18.

Below is a video of an interview we shot with James Hooker during his first investigation.

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Thief Breaks Into Coffee House, Steals Register

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MODESTO – A man broke in to the Queen Bean Coffee House overnight, causing damage to the building and stealing the register.

A heartbreaking message was posted on the business’ social media pages, reporting the incident.

“We were robbed last night! This is devastating news. They ransacked the back of house and stole our register and Clover POS system. We have called the police and will be dealing with this terrible news today. Unfortunately, we will be closed until further notice. We have no register to ring up customers and we have damages to clean up.”

“If this individual looks familiar please report him or let us know. He appears well dressed with a groomed beard and jewelry, white jacket and a beanie. We will be looking at our other cameras to find more pictures of this terrible person. Anything you could do to help is appreciated.”

New owner Sam Pierstorff recently purchased the business with his wife, much to the enthusiasm and support of the community. The patio was recently undergoing removal to make way for a new build.

Anyone with information regarding this individual is encouraged to contact the Modesto Police Department and refer to incident number MP24025995.

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Two Injured in West Modesto House Fire

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MODESTO – A fire at a duplex home in West Modesto late Friday afternoon injured two people.

At about 4:40pm firefighters were dispatched to a duplex home on the 1700 block of Erie Avenue for a report of a fire. The duplex sits just east of Robertson Road Elementary School.

Arriving fire personnel reported heavy smoke conditions from the front of one of the duplex units. Additional firefighters responding to combat the blaze soon encountered heavy fire.

Within 15 minutes, the fire appeared to be under control, but not before also damaging the neighboring unit. A damage estimate was not available at time of publication.

A man and a woman were assisted by medical personnel into waiting ambulances for care of unspecified injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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