Former deputy linked to deadly Esparto fireworks warehouse blast

A former Yolo County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant, Samuel Machado, is among seven people charged in connection with a July Esparto fireworks warehouse explosion that killed seven workers. Prosecutors allege Machado illegally stored millions of pounds of explosives on his property and used his position to shield the illicit operation for years, as part of a decade-long conspiracy involving Devastating Pyrotechnics and Blackstar Fireworks. A 30-count indictment covers seven defendants; Machado’s wife faces separate charges in a second indictment, and investigators say the operation imported and stored unlicensed explosives near homes, raising questions about local enforcement.