FBI arrests Fresno police cadet with illegal guns, cops confirm. 2 employees on leave

The FBI arrested a Fresno police cadet and two other department employees were placed on leave related to illegally manufactured guns allegedly in possession of the cadet, according to police and a federal court filing on Thursday.

Joshua Eric Brown, 27, was in custody at Fresno County Jail on Thursday on a “federal marshal hold,” according to jail records.

Two other department personnel were placed on administrative leave as that investigation was ongoing. A department spokesperson told The Bee they could not disclose if the personnel were sworn officers.

Brown was a cadet with the Fresno Police Department and was hired in September 2023, according to Fresno police. He has been terminated, police said in a news release.

Brown had been under investigation by the FBI since June and he was arrested Tuesday at his apartment in northwest Fresno after agents used a search warrant to find a fully-automatic MP5 machine gun, an “AR-15 style rifle” and several unregistered suppressors, the court filing said.

Both guns were loaded and agents later in the day found them to be in working order, the filing says.

The court filing said investigators searched Brown’s social media and saw posts with what appeared to be the same weapons. The filing says he admitted the guns belonged to him.

Interim Chief Mindy Casto issued a statement on Thursday.

“The Fresno Police Department takes its responsibility to those living and working in our city very seriously,” the statement said. “Allegations of misconduct will be thoroughly investigated in an ongoing effort to build and maintain the trust of our community.”