On June 24, 2009, Tulare County Superior Court Judge Darryl Ferguson imposed a 12-year prison sentence on 25-year-old David Ayala of Visalia for assault with a firearm, multiple counts of transportation of narcotics, and evading a police officer.

On March 11, 2006, Ayala was with a group that entered a market in Visalia with a rifle. Ayala pointed the rifle at an employee in the store. Ayala pled to that case in 2006 and received felony probation with an 8 year suspended prison sentence.

On July 27, 2007, Ayala was arrested for transportation of methamphetamine. This case was pending with dates set for trial when the defendant refused to stop for a traffic violation in November of 2008. Officers followed Ayala on a chase in Visalia, during which he failed to stop at multiple stop signs, ran red lights, and reached speeds up to 70 m.p.h. within the city. During the chase, Ayala threw methamphetamine out of the vehicle.

On February 27, 2009, Ayala pled to two counts of transportation of methamphetamine and one count of felony evading. On February 23, 2009, the Judge found the defendant to be in violation of his probation relating to the 2006 assault with a firearm.

Judge Ferguson sentenced the defendant to 12 years in state prison for all three cases. He was ordered to pay restitution fines and court fees and register as narcotics offender, based on his convictions.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Peter Zerbib and investigated by Officer Casey, Officer Gilson, and Detective Brown of the Visalia Police Department.

Contact Person: Shani Jenkins, Assistant District Attorney (559) 733-6411