News Flash

Sonora, CA--- Tuolumne County District Attorney Laura Krieg announced today that Groveland resident  Joshua Power was convicted by a jury on February 15, 2017 before Judge Donald Segerstrom of eight felony counts and one misdemeanor.  The crimes included:  kidnapping, corporal injury to a spouse,  residential first degree robbery, residential first degree person present burglary,  two counts of false imprisonment by violence, criminal threats, resisting a peace officer, and corporal injury to a person with whom the defendant had or previously had a dating relationship.  Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Novelli prosecuted the case for the People.

All guilty verdicts were derived from events which occurred on 3 separate days.

On January 18, 2016, Mr. Power forced a friend to drive him to where his estranged wife was staying by threatening him while holding a box cutter. When Mr. Power arrived at the house, he entered unannounced, grabbed his wife by the hair and began to assault her while she holding her one year old son. He dragged her in to another room, pinning her down. Later, he threatened to kill her and while holding a box cutter, forcibly took her phone when she reached for it. Mr. Power’s wife was able to escape from the house but fell outside. Outside, Mr. Power was seen holding her down and punching her. When confronted by neighbors, Mr. Power fled the scene.

On January 26, 2016, a multi-agency apprehension team was put together to take Mr. Power in to custody. Tuolumne County Sheriff Officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle. Mr. Power immediately exited the back passenger seat of the vehicle and began to walk backwards while refusing to comply with orders to put his hands up. K9 Cain of the Stockton Police Department was deployed; however, Mr. Power began to fight with the K9 and they both tumbled down an embankment. Authorities were then able to take Mr. Power in to custody.

Mr. Power was charged with multiple charges for the events that occurred on January 18th and 26th; however, he bailed out of custody. While out on bail, on November 5, 2016, Mr. Power had a girlfriend. She confronted Mr. Power at his home with another woman. Mr. Power proceeded to drag her back towards the house by the neck when she was walking away, and then punched her in the nose causing her to bleed. The victim ran down the road where concerned citizens assisted her and called 911.

Unfortunately, as the case in many domestic violence situations, all three victims of Mr. Power’s terror were reluctant to report or testify; one victim refusing to answer any questions at all when called to testify while the other two victims stated they did not remember the events or minimized what had occurred. After a 4 day trial, the jury took approximately 4 hours to return verdicts.  On February 16, 2017, a court trial was held in front of Judge Donald Segerstrom where it was determined that Mr. Power had committed several prior offenses, including prior domestic violence and battery causing serious bodily injury, that could enhance his potential sentence.

The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the members of the jury for their careful attention to the case and their thoughtful deliberations.  A special thank you goes to law enforcement officers from the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work and dedication to solving these crimes.  We would also like to thank the civilian witnesses who did cooperate, ensuring that such a violent and dangerous criminal was brought to justice, Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Novelli stated. Mr. Power is due to be sentenced on April 4, 2017 in Department One of the Tuolumne County Superior Court.  He faces up to 40 years in prison.