On Thursday December 3, 2009, thirty-three year old gang member Michael McGee of Exeter was sentenced to twenty years prison for his participation in two separate cases involving two stolen vehicles, possession of a firearm by a felon, and criminal threats. These crimes occurred in August and September of 2004.

On August 15, 2004 officers from the Exeter Police Department were called to investigate a stolen vehicle in the driveway of the residence where McGee, who was on active parole, lived with family. Officers observed McGee and Nathan David, also associated with the gang, drive off in the stolen vehicle. They led police on a high-speed chase that ultimately ended in an orange grove when the two were able to leg bail from the stolen car and escape due to the low visibility created by the dust thrown up by the vehicle. Law enforcement apprehended David in the grove that night and he was ultimately sentenced to forty-four months prison in connection with this case. However, McGee was able to elude authorities that night when another individual associated with the gang drove to the area and picked him up. Law enforcement discovered two loaded firearms in the recovered stolen vehicle.

On September 7, 2004, deputies from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to a victim’s home for a crime that had just occurred. Upon arrival law enforcement discovered that McGee had crashed a second stolen vehicle on the victim’s property. The victim, who had seen the vehicle driving on his private property, went to investigate. When the victim saw the disabled vehicle he attempted to offer McGee assistance. Instead, McGee pointed a handgun at the victim and threatened to kill him. The victim backed away allowing McGee to flee into an orange grove and escaped before law enforcement arrived on scene.

McGee pled to two counts of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of criminal threats using a firearm. Because of McGee’s criminal history and the plea in this case the Honorable Judge Paul Vortmann sentenced him to a total of twenty years prison.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Samantha Arnerich with assistance by Deputy Scott Ballantyne from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, Detective Mike Clark of the Woodlake Police Department, Officer Mark Frick of the Exeter Police Department and Officer Mark Berlin of the California Highway Patrol.

Contact Person: Don H. Gallian, Assistant District Attorney (559) 733-6411.