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

The FBI has arrested a Fresno police cadet and placed two other department employees on leave in connection with illegally manufactured weapons allegedly in the cadet's possession, according to police and a federal court filing Thursday.

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

Two other department staff members have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing. A department spokesperson told the Bee they could not disclose whether those staff members were sworn officers.

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

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

Both guns were loaded and officers discovered later that day that they were in working order, the filing states.

The court records say investigators searched Brown's social media and saw posts showing what appeared to be the same weapons. The records say he admitted the weapons belonged to him.

Interim Chief Mindy Casto released a statement Thursday.

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