7 arrested, including sheriff's lieutenant, in deadly Esparto fireworks explosion
7 arrested in Esparto fireworks explosion
Seven people were arrested on Thursday in connection to the deadly fireworks explosion in Yolo County last year, including two with ties to the Bay Area. The series of charges facing the suspects includes murder.
YOLO COUNTY, Calif. - Seven people were arrested on Thursday, including a Yolo County Sheriff lieutenant, in connection to the deadly fireworks explosion in Yolo County last summer.
The suspects are facing a series of charges, including murder.
New arrests in Esparto explosion
What we know:
Seven people were killed, and two others were injured in last July's deadly explosion.
The number of charges against each person arrested ranges from 12 to 26.
Five of the suspects are facing murder charges.
Yolo County Deputy District Attorney Clara Nabity said Friday the charges stem from a grand jury indictment that found five people responsible for the explosion.
California suspends pyrotechnic licenses after deadly Yolo County explosion
California officials have pulled the pyrotechnic licenses of two people following the explosion at a fireworks facility in Esparto.
Yolo County Sheriff employees arrested
Dig deeper:
Among those indicted are Yolo County Sheriff's Lt. Samuel Machado and his wife Tammy, who was a civilian employee for the sheriff.
Machado is facing seven counts of murder, records show.
Also arrested were Craig Cutright, who owned Blackstar Fireworks, which kept fireworks at the facility, and Kenneth Chee, owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics, whose illegal fireworks were stored at the site.
He was arrested in Florida at Walt Disney World. Law enforcement officials shared his booking photo. Chee is charged with seven counts of murder.
Jack Lee, longtime Devastating Pyrotechnics operations manager, and Gary Chan Junior, whose name is associated with the company's federal license, were both arrested.
One of Cutright's employees, Ronald Botelho III, was arrested in December for reckless possession of explosives and now faces 13 additional charges.
The blast burned dozens of acres and damaged nearby homes.
The seven victims killed in the July explosion were identified as:
- Carolos Rodriguez Mora, 43, of San Andreas
- Neil Li, 41, of San Francisco
- Angel Voller, 18, of Stockton
- Christopher Bocog, 45, of San Francisco
- Jesus Ramos, of San Pablo
- Jhony Ramos, 22, of San Pablo
- Joel Melendez, 28, of Sacramento
(From L-R) Jesus Ramos, 28; John Ramos, 22; and Joel Jr. Melendez, 28, all worked for Devastating Pyrotechnics in Esparto, Yolo County, when an explosion hit the fireworks storage warehouse they were working in on July 1, 2025.