Full Notification

Modesto, Ca -

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce they have made an arrest in a case involving multiple shootings in the east end of the county.  

Arrested was 18-year-old Modesto resident James Ganjeh.  He was safely taken into custody by members of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) on Saturday, April 16th, 2022 at about 10 p.m. in the 1700 block of Albers Rd.  The location on Albers Rd was where the suspect had been living and shooting from.

The shooting incidents involved an assailant firing upon passing motorists as they traveled through the areas of Albers Road between Dusty Lane and Milnes Road in the past few weeks.  Fortunately, nobody was injured in any of the shootings, and victims were at first able to share very little in the way of where the gunfire had been originating.  The other instances took place on March 1st, April 14th and concluded on April 16th.  

Investigators began increasing their presence in the area, working all actionable leads and collecting evidence.  Ganjeh became the target of their focus as yet another shooting was reported during the early afternoon hours of Saturday the 16th.  They were able to obtain search and arrest warrants for their suspect and descended upon the residence on Albers Road.

Ganjeh did not immediately surrender, as he tried to escape towards the rear of the property and discard and dismantle what was later deemed to be a handgun used during the shootings.  Through later interview, Ganjeh admitted to his involvement in each of the instances where occupied and unoccupied vehicles were struck by his dangerous gunfire.  

We are happy this case had a safe outcome with nobody seriously injured or killed.  Ganjeh was later booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center for willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner, shooting at an unoccupied motor vehicle, four counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or vehicle, and four counts of assault with a firearm upon a person.  He is being held in lieu of $1,050,000 bail.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.