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Posted on 04/11/2026 12:18:30 PM PDT by Libloather
A former Yolo County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant is one of five people charged with murder following a fireworks warehouse explosion that killed seven workers in the rural Northern California community of Esparto last summer, authorities said.
Samuel Machado is accused of illegally having 1 million pounds of fireworks on his property at the time of the blast and using his law enforcement position to shield the illicit operation from scrutiny for years, according to the Yolo County district attorney’s office.
Machado was placed on administrative leave following the violent July 1 explosion, which was felt by residents up to 20 miles away, destroyed a family farm and sparked a 78-acre grass fire.
Devastating Pyrotechnics LLC and Blackstar Fireworks, Inc., are accused of manufacturing and storing explosives — including some too powerful to even be legally considered fireworks — on Machado’s property. On Friday, Yolo County Dist. Atty. Jeff Reisig announced a 30-count felony indictment had been filed against seven people connected to the blast, following the largest investigation he’s seen in two decades at the office. A separate five-count felony indictment was filed against an eighth defendant, Machado’s wife.
The most serious counts are seven second-degree murder charges — one for each of the warehouse workers who died.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
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wow. That’s a lot of ‘splodey stuff!
Blowed up real good .
I looks like it blew the doors off of that one warehouse and the walls were buckled too. Must have been one heck of blast
I wonder if his insurance is good...............
Hence Yolo County.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article315320339.html
Esparto fireworks owner also accused of suspected payroll fraud, cheating the state
Eight people were arrested Thursday in connection to the Esparto blast that killed seven people last year. Also behind the these criminal charges was an investigation into another matter: insurance premium fraud.
Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article315320339.html#storylink=cpy
“Samuel Machado is accused of illegally having 1 million pounds of fireworks on his property at the time of the blast”. Sam, don’t smoke near the merchandise.
Chee was arrested at Disney World and faces felony charges, including seven counts of murder.
Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article315320339.html#storylink=cpy
“I have no idea how that got on my property!”
He took the TV advice and bundled everything so he could pay only for the insurance he really needed.
You gotta wonder in 2026, how many LEO do this and get away with it. Gotta be in the thousands.
Blowed Up Real Good !
.
RIP
People like to have fireworks.
Ones that go Boom!
You can regulate and sell them legally,
or let the black market do it’s thing,
which is dangerous.
Outright outlawing them doesn’t work
despite what American Karen’s believe.
Prohibition doesn’t work in America!
Better to regulate, control, and accept some
“Bad stuff”, than to let it go
uncontrolled.
Freedom has a price. Having no freedom is
way more expensive! In the long run.
Oh yeah, real big booms .
WTH Sheriff !?!
I guess so!
Quite.
I have a friend that regularly changes his ‘job title’ on Facebook.
Lately it’s been, ‘HR Manager at Three Fingers Fireworks Factory.’
“I wonder if his insurance is good...............”
Insurance does not cover illegal activities ...
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