Le Grand man behind bars after Merced manhunt

A Le Grand man with a lengthy criminal history remained behind bars Monday, five days after evading capture and leading deputies on a short manhunt, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Department.

Jason Farnsworth, 41, was arrested Thursday following a manhunt that led deputies from Le Grand to Merced, Sgt. Delray Shelton said.

According to authorities, Farnsworth evaded deputies around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday after they surrounded a building in the 1200 block of East Childs Avenue in Le Grand. Deputies believe Farnsworth may have been armed when he went into the building.

Investigators were looking into an incident in which Farnsworth was allegedly harassing an employee in the area.

Deputies arrested another man who was also in the building, Wyatt Allen Tullett, 30, of Le Grand.

Investigators and members of the sheriff’s Supervised Release Team tracked Farnsworth to his girlfriend’s home in the 2100 block of Gettysburg Avenue in Merced, Sgt. Kevin Blake confirmed.

Deputy Hugo Bucio stopped Farnsworth’s girlfriend, Marisa H. Gamez, 41, Thursday afternoon on Highway 140, heading toward Planada, Sgt. Dustin Witt said.

“While speaking with Gamez and during the course of investigation, deputies learned she was less than truthful and knew the whereabouts of Farnsworth,” Shelton said.

Investigators said Gamez then sent Farnsworth a text message telling him to “leave now.”

Deputies spotted Farnsworth coming out of Gamez’s home and arrested him. Gamez was also arrested “due to her involvement in helping him hide and trying to help him elude us,” Shelton said.

No weapon has been recovered, Witt confirmed, and the case remains under investigation.

Farnsworth was booked into the Merced County Main Jail without bail on a warrant charging him with parole violations and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was still in custody Monday, according to booking records.

Gamez was booked into the Merced County Main Jail on suspicion of being an accessory to a crime. She posted bail and was released a few hours later.

Farnsworth’s criminal history in Merced County dates back to 1992 and includes convictions for negligently discharging a firearm and evading police, both felonies, and numerous misdemeanor convictions, including escaping custody of court security, assault, resisting arrest, obstructing police and public intoxication, according to Merced County Superior Court records.

This story was originally published November 24, 2014 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Le Grand man behind bars after Merced manhunt."