Trending Now - Charges Filed in Connection With Fatal Fireworks Warehouse Blast
WHO:
AP News - Tammy Machado faces charges of mortgage fraud, filing a willfully wrong tax return, and endangering a child by storing illegal explosives next to a family pool.
AP News - Craig Cutright, owner of Blackstar Fireworks, was also arrested and is listed as a volunteer firefighter for the Esparto Fire District.
AP News - Five people charged with murder: Samuel Machado, Kenneth Chee, Jack Lee, Gary Chan Jr., Douglas Tollefsen.
AP News - Samuel Machado was a lieutenant at the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department.
AP News - Tammy Machado, Samuel's wife, was a non-sworn administrative employee at the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office.
AP News - Ronald Botelho III has been in custody since December 2025.
WHAT:
AP News - A total of 30 charges have been filed against eight individuals in connection with the case, including seven second-degree murder charges for the deaths of the warehouse workers.
AP News - The families of the victims filed a $35-million claim against the county and state fireworks regulators alleging negligence.
AP News - Five people have been charged with murder in connection with a fireworks warehouse explosion that killed seven people.
AP News - The explosion injured two others and occurred at an illegal fireworks warehouse.
AP News - A total of eight people face 30 charges, including murder, conspiracy, possession of illegal assault weapons, illegal explosives possession, insurance fraud, child endangerment, and animal cruelty.
AP News - The grand jury concluded that the initial blast caused the death of seven people.
WHERE:
AP News - The explosion occurred near the community of Esparto, California, approximately 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Sacramento.
AP News - Samuel Machado's warehouse property was a 5,000-square-foot (465-square-meter) facility used for storing and selling fireworks.
WHEN:
AP News - Kenneth Chee appeared in a Florida courtroom on April 10th, 2026, and was informed he would be extradited to California within the week.
AP News - The explosion occurred on July 1st, 2025.
AP News - The arraignment for those charged is scheduled for Monday, April 13th, 2026.
AP News - Kenneth Chee was arrested on April 10th, 2026, in Florida.
WHY:
Los Angeles Times - An investigative report stated that top county authorities were aware of the illegal operation for at least three years prior to the explosion but failed to take action.
AP News - Samuel Machado illegally stored more than 1 million pounds (453,000 kilograms) of fireworks at his property.
AP News - The operation expanded from 13 fireworks storage containers in 2015 to 50 in 2025.
HOW:
Los Angeles Times - The illegal operation allegedly imported more than 11 million pounds of explosives and related materials onto the site near residents and a family pool.
AP News - Samuel Machado used his position as a trusted lieutenant to evade scrutiny as the illegal fireworks operation grew.
AP News - The explosion was described as so strong that it blew open the doors of homes in the vicinity.
(UPDATED April 11, 2026 07:16 UTC)
Tammy Machado is facing serious charges including mortgage fraud, filing a willfully wrong tax return, and endangering a child by storing illegal explosives next to a family pool, while Craig Cutright, the owner of Blackstar Fireworks and a volunteer firefighter, has also been arrested. A total of 30 charges have been filed against eight individuals related to this case, which includes seven second-degree murder charges for the deaths of warehouse workers, and the families of the victims have filed a $35-million claim against county and state fireworks regulators for negligence. Kenneth Chee appeared in a Florida courtroom on Friday and is set to be extradited to California within the week, as investigations reveal that top county authorities were aware of the illegal operation importing over 11 million pounds of explosives for at least three years prior to the explosion.
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(UPDATED April 11, 2026 03:48 UTC)
Five people, including Samuel Machado, a lieutenant at the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department, have been charged with murder in connection with a fireworks warehouse explosion near Esparto, California, that killed seven people July 1stst, 2025. The explosion, which injured two others, occurred at an illegal warehouse where more than one million pounds of fireworks were stored, and a total of eight individuals now face 30 charges, including conspiracy and child endangerment. The arraignment for those charged is set for April 13th, while Kenneth Chee was arrested in Florida on Friday.