The Porterville Recorder
By GLEN FAISON

Five people were arrested today and four children were taken into protective custody after a police search netted drugs, weapons and cash at a Porterville home. Authorities are also alleging criminal gang activity against two of the suspects.

Officers from the Tulare County Sheriff's Department's Narcotics Division and the department's tactical team served a search warrant shortly after 7 a.m. in the 600 block of West Pioneer Avenue in Porterville.

During the search, officers reportedly found two loaded firearms, four and a half ounces of suspected methamphetamine with a street value of more than $10,000, marijuana, scales commonly used to weigh and sell narcotics, material used to "cut" drugs prior to sale, narcotics paraphernalia and more than $6,000 in cash, the Sheriff's Department reports.

Four children, ages, 2, 3, 4 and 7, were taken into protective custody through Child Protective Services due to "the dangerous environment" they were living in, the Sheriff's Department reports.

Those taken into custody were:

-- Robert Turrey, 22, on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance for sale, child endangerment, possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony, maintaining a residence for the sale or use of a controlled substance, conspiracy, criminal gang activity and a no-bail warrant. Bail on the new allegations was set at $500,000.

-- Raul Vargas, 45, on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance for sale, possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony, child endangerment, maintaining a residence for the sale or use of a controlled substance, conspiracy and an active arrest warrant. His bail was set at $500,000.

-- John Lopez, 34, on three active arrest warrants.

-- Cindy Plygonan, 42, on suspicion of child endangerment, possession and possession for sale of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and maintaining a residence where illegal narcotics were used or sold from. Her bail was set at $500,000.

-- Christina Turrey, 24, on suspicion of child endangerment, possession and possession for sale of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, maintaining a residence for use or sales of drugs and criminal gang activity. Her bail was set at $500,000.

All suspects were booked at the Porterville substation.

-- Contact Glen Faison at 784-5000, Ext. 1040, or gfaison@portervillerecorder.com.