How can a firefighter with a criminal record and possible ties to a criminal street gang work his way up the ranks of the state’s fire prevention agency? With relative ease, actually, fire officials said. California Department of Forestry officials in Tulare County admitted Friday that a background check is not required to work as a firefighter at the department.
The disclosure comes in the wake of a Recorder story that revealed a former CDF-Tulare County Fire Department firefighter is facing felony vandalism charges for allegedly spray painting gang graffiti on several buildings in the town of Pixley — while in uniform.
Pixley residents said Juan Cardona Valdez, a 32-year-old former CDF engineer, spray painted red Norteno gang graffiti over blue Sureno graffiti in early December.
