A Reedley College student has agreed to stay away from all State Center Community College District sites for three years after being accused of threatening students and faculty with violence, The Bee has learned.
According to Fresno County Superior Court records, SCCCD petitioned for a workplace violence restraining order against Israel Mosqueda Estrada, 21, of Dinuba in May, citing evidence a district employee found at Reedley College.
Specifically, a groundskeeper found a discarded notebook allegedly attributed to Estrada in late April, and the district says excerpts from the writings suggest a violent plan may have been underway, according to court records.
SCCCD petitioned to specifically keep Estrada away from Melanie Highfill, Reedley College’s VP of administrative services, and Jesus Vega, the school’s VP of student services, court records indicate..
According to portions of the notebook submitted as evidence, Estrada fantasized about different ways of killing people, including with firearms and a drone.
Other excerpts describe ideas of burning dead bodies in vehicles to dispose of evidence, luring cars to park in secluded areas while hiding in wait with a shotgun, shooting a police officer and committing acts of necrophilia, according to the portions of the notebook that were submitted to the court. There were also names referenced in the excerpts.
The same groundskeeper found at least five other notebooks with the same handwriting and similar content, according to a declaration from Highfill.
The district said faculty members were fearful that Estrada would act on these writings, according to court records. Additionally, the district said in a restraining order petition that these fears were compounded by Estrada being arrested for recklessly discharging a handgun shortly before the notebooks were uncovered.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s office said Estrada faces misdemeanor charges of unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm inside his vehicle and driving under the influence of alcohol. The criminal complaint indicates these charges stem from an interaction with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office on April 27 — just three days before the Reedley College employee found the first notebook, according to the district’s petition.
Israel Mosqueda Estrada’s mugshot following his April 27 arrest.
“Taken together, (Estrada’s) detailed violent writings, identification of specific potential targets, and recent access to and use of firearms establish a credible threat of violence and an immediate risk to the safety of students, employees, and the broader Reedley College community,” chancellor Carole Goldsmith wrote in the petition.
Diana Ramirez, a spokesperson for the district, said the incident did not warrant a campus notification under the Clery Act, which requires colleges to provide timely warnings of crimes that pose a continuing threat to the campus community.
On May 4, about two weeks before Goldsmith filled out the petition for a workplace violence restraining order, Estrada was placed on a long-term suspension for the rest of the year, though he would be allowed to reapply for the Spring 2028 semester upon meeting with the Dean of Students and getting mental health support, court records show.
In a response filed July 20, Estrada disagreed with the district’s restraining order petition, calling the situation a “mischaracterization of an isolated event.”
“Those writings were explorations of thought meant to develop a writing process,” Estrada’s response reads.
An agreement between the parties was ultimately finalized Aug. 24. The 21-year-old agreed to stay off all SCCCD campuses until mid-2029, according to court records.
The agreement is specifically a non-CLETS stay-away order, meaning it is not entered into the state’s law enforcement database.
“Throughout this matter, the District acted promptly and appropriately based on the facts and circumstances presented and worked through the available legal processes to protect the safety of students, employees, and the campus community. Decisions regarding the filing of criminal charges are made by law enforcement, not the District,” Ramirez said.