On Tuesday, Oct. 15 Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputies responded to the report of a suspicious person and vehicle in the 3800 block of Service Road. Deputy Veronica Esquivez and Deputy Kyle Briggs found Irvin Turpitt, 53 of Modesto who tried to flee when deputies arrived. Turpitt, a well-known career criminal, was immediately apprehended and found to be in possession of a reported stolen vehicle. He was also in possession of illegal narcotics, stolen property and had several outstanding warrants for his arrest.

Deputies searched the stolen truck Turpitt was driving and found horse tack including saddle pads, bridles, cinches, breast collars and billets. Detective Cody Williams and Detective Billy Redding, part of the Sheriff’s Rural Crimes Task Force, responded to the scene to assist, knowing that recent saddle and tack thefts had occurred in the Oakdale area.

The stolen property was photographed and detectives contacted Tom Orvis, Governmental Affairs Director for the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau. The Farm Bureau, in partnership with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office uses social media and email to produce Rural Crime Alerts in which public safety information is shared with the entire Agricultural Community in an effort to promote neighborhood watch and crime prevention.

Detectives sent Orvis the photographs. He posted the photographs of the stolen tack on the Farm Bureau’s Facebook page and sent the alert information out. Within two hours, Detective Williams and Redding received a call from the victim(s) who positively identified all of the stolen property which was used by their children at local junior rodeos.

“This is another example of the tremendous benefit of partnerships and working together,” said Sheriff Adam Christianson. “Tom’s work is invaluable when it comes to protecting the agricultural community and we appreciate our partnership with the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau”.

Turpitt was arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Jail on a variety of felony charges including possession of stolen property, auto theft, possession of dangerous narcotics and outstanding warrants.

The Sheriff’s Office is actively engaged in a variety of community partnerships which benefit the people of Stanislaus County and community safety.