Modesto police arrest 10 in series of shootings lasting months tied to family feud

Ten people were arrested Wednesday in connection with a series of shootings in southeast Modesto tied to feuding families with gang affiliations, law enforcement officials said.

The incidents began New Year's Day when shots were fired into the garage of a home in the 3400 block of Penny Lane, a few blocks south of Creekside Golf Course.

Over the next several months, 11 calls came in with reports of shots being fired into houses. Only once — on Feb. 9 — was a person struck. The victim suffered non-life-threatening wounds from the shooting in the 2800 block of Penny Lane. A 14-year-old was arrested in connection with that shooting.

Investigators with the Modesto Police Department gathered enough evidence over the last few months and on Wednesday, with the help of area probation and parole departments, served 14 search warrants at homes in Modesto, Empire and Ceres.

The searches yielded 12 arrests, 11 firearms and the discovery of methamphetamine, heroin, Xanax and marijuana.

Arrested were:

• Eduardo Gallardo, 27, who was taken into custody in the 400 block of Goldrun Drive. He was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of ammunition. He also had a probation violation.
  
  
• Mary Ellen Klee, 38, was cited in the 500 block of Fort Sumpter Drive on possession of methamphetamine and an outstanding warrant in Turlock.
  
  
• Tyliek Loring, 21, was arrested in the 700 block of Millbank Drive on outstanding warrants tied to assault with a deadly weapon and hit-and-run.
  
  
• Andrew Rodriguez, 21, was arrested on Evalee Lane in Ceres on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm and various drug charges. A handgun and Xanax pills were recovered in the search.
  
  
• Otis Rodriguez, 36, was arrested in the 600 block of Summit Court in Empire on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance and a probation violation.
  
  
• Andrew Hernandez, 24, and Jesse Castaneda, 53, were taken into custody in the 2900 block of Japonica Way on various firearm and drug charges. Two rifles and three handguns were found in the search of that property.
  
  
• Martin Perez, 28, was arrested in a home next door to Hernandez on Japonica Way on suspicion of various weapon and drug charges. Police say a handgun registered to Perez was found in his neighbor's yard. Also at that address, Domingo Perez Jr., 30, was cited for allegedly possessing a controlled substance.
  
  
• In the 200 block of Rosina Avenue, Floyd Long, 41, and Brooke Templeton, 21, were arrested on various drug charges. Found on that property, according to police, were two rifles, a shotgun, a handgun, methamphetamine and heroin.
  
  
• Meanwhile, Grant Mathis, 35, was arrested on suspicion of driving with a suspended license and multiple warrants.
  
  

Police ask anyone with information regarding the shootings to call Crime Stoppers at 209-521-4636.

This story was originally published March 15, 2018 at 9:39 PM with the headline "Modesto police arrest 10 in series of shootings lasting months tied to family feud."