New details about the deadly Esparto fireworks explosion emerged Thursday as defendants appeared in a Yolo County courtroom, including allegations that a former sheriff’s lieutenant had explosives delivered to his front door and warned operators when inspections were coming.
Samuel Machado, who owned the property where prosecutors say more than a million pounds of illegal explosives were stored, pleaded not guilty to dozens of charges. He is among eight people indicted in connection with the July 1, 2025 blast that killed seven workers at a fireworks facility operating on his property.
Judge Daniel Maguire denied Machado’s request for bail. A second defendant, Craig Cutright, had his bail maintained at $500,000 and remains in custody. Three others remain in Yolo County jail without bail. All will return to court on Wednesday for further arraignment or hearings.
The hearing offered the most detailed account yet of how the operation allegedly functioned and how it evaded scrutiny for more than a decade.
The not guilty plea
Machado’s charges include seven counts of second-degree murder, which have also been filed against four other people. Dressed in a plain white t-shirt instead of striped jail garb, Machado only spoke to acknowledge his plea and confirm he was waiving his right to a speedy trial.
Maguire noted that points raised by Machado’s defense team argued their client was not in the same position as other defendants, and that the former lieutenant was more of a “landlord” instead of being actively involved in the operation.
Deputy District Attorney Deanna Hays said a criminal grand jury had identified Machado as an “aider and abettor in implied malice murder.” She said Machado was a “highly-trained law enforcement official” with knowledge of destructive devices, and had procured explosives himself.
Hays said Machado “did nothing” to stop the company Devastating Pyrotechnics from operating on his property, and actually enabled it to grow. She also said Machado allegedly made false and fraudulent statements to law enforcement agencies, fire departments and county staff that allowed the operation to go undetected.
“Using his credibility, using his position and reputation in the community, [Machado] allowed this deadly and dangerous operation, which he knew existed and knew was operating, to exist in its current format,” Hays said, “while all the time representing under the color of law as a legal and licensed operation, knowing it was not.”
Hays also argued Machado was a flight risk and could evade detection given his contacts with law enforcement.
‘Not a violent crime’
Machado’s lawyer David Fischer said while his client is charged with murder, there was no intent to kill and “this is not a violent crime in the traditional sense of the term.”
Fischer argued Machado was never told that having fireworks on his property was illegal or wrong. He also said the ex-lieutenant’s home was on the property, and was destroyed in the explosion. His wife, Tammy, was home at the time and had to run for her life. The family dog died in the blast.
“If he would have thought that there was any danger whatsoever, he would have shut it down,” Fischer said. “He certainly wouldn't have lived on the property.”
Property damage is shown at the location of a July 1, 2025, fireworks explosion in Esparto, Calif., Friday, April 10, 2026.AP Photo/Jeff ChiuFischer also noted that Machado, through his attorneys, had been in contact with the District Attorney’s Office and had offered to voluntarily surrender if charges were filed.
"He's known that they're looking at him for murder for a long time," Fischer said. “He has done things that you would expect a person to do that would put up a defense to this. He's hired lawyers. He's remained in the area.”
Maguire denied the bail request without prejudice, citing Penal Code 1275C, which says the court cannot reduce bail below schedule for serious felonies without an unusual circumstance finding. In Yolo County, the bail schedule for murder of any type is "no bail."
Bail reduction denied
Defense attorney Darryl Stallworth argued his client, Craig Cutright, should have his bail reduced from $500,000 to $100,000. Cutright is the owner of Blackstar Fireworks, the second company that operated out of the Esparto facility along with Devastating Pyrotechnics.
Stallworth said his 61-year-old client has no criminal history, is not a flight risk and cares for his elderly father, who has dementia and Alzheimer’s. He also noted Cutright was not charged with murder, and that most of his charges involve possession and transportation of explosives and conspiracy.
Deputy DA Hays said Cutright had “extensive education and knowledge and training” in explosives and destructive devices, and ran a “bootleg brand” of fireworks that endangered the lives of residents and employees on the property. She also said these fireworks were stored improperly.
Hays explained Cutright was not charged with murder because evidence suggested the initial deadly blast happened where Devastating Pyrotechnics was storing its explosives. Blackstar’s explosives detonated approximately 45 minutes to an hour later, “causing further damage to property and to the surrounding area.”
‘Doordashing explosives’
New details around the explosion emerged in Thursday’s hearing, particularly during Machado’s arraignment.
Fischer, Machado’s defense attorney, said the incident was caused by an “industrial accident” that happened when workers were inserting electronic igniters or fuses into the fireworks. “Something during that process caused the explosion and fire,” he said.
Other discussions focused on Machado’s level of knowledge about the pyrotechnics on his property, and whether he and others worked to keep authorities in the dark.
Hays said Machado was “literally Doordashing explosives labeled 1.3G to his front yard,” referring to a category of professional-grade fireworks regulated by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). She said there were text messages showing Machado asking to borrow explosives "so that he can shoot them off with his girls or with his wife."
Hays also described text messages where Machado allegedly told the fireworks operators to lower stacks of boxes in the yard “so that people can't see them,” and warned them when inspections were occurring.
Regarding a September 2022 incident, Hays said a truck driver had taken photos of explosives being loaded into an unmarked Sprinter van on the property. The truck driver, a military veteran, reported the activity to the FBI out of concern about a potential “September 11th attack.”
Hays said Machado and Cutright then “formed a conspiracy” to assure the FBI that the operation only involved “safe and sane” fireworks. “The FBI agent had no reason to question a lieutenant with the sheriff's department,” Hays said. “So of course, they didn’t come out.”
Fischer disputed the characterization of the event, calling it “retaliation,” by the truck driver who had been made to wait overnight in his vehicle before unloading the delivery.
Fischer also said Cutright provided a “portfolio of permits” to Machado which included documentation from agencies including ATF and Cal Fire’s Office of the State Fire Marshal. He said Machado offered these documents to the FBI, but “nobody ever came out.”
He also said Machado operated a firearms business out of the property and that officials from ATF or the Department of Justice regularly came for inspections, but never inquired about the fireworks operation.
Fischer also said the fireworks business had been on the property before Machado inherited it from his father-in-law, the late Jerry Matsumura, in 2015 and operated without incident for more than a decade.
A Yolo County civil grand jury report said Matsumura — a former fire commissioner with the Esparto Fire Protection District — was known to put on fireworks displays and described his interest in pyrotechnics as “somewhere between an actual business and a hobby.”
It also said one of Matsumura’s former business partners was Kenneth Chee, the owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics. Chee was arrested in Florida last Thursday and faces multiple charges, including murder.
Hays said prosecutors have evidence of multiple “leases, agreements AKA conspiracies” between Devastating Pyrotechnics and Machado. She said the former lieutenant was receiving “tens of thousands of dollars per month” in cash to lease 83,000 square feet of warehouse space.
Regarding Cutright, Hays said he was located and arrested on the property of the Esparto firehouse. Cutright was a volunteer member of the Esparto Fire Protection District at the time.
Arraignments delayed
Two other defendants — Douglas Tollefsen and Jack Lee — had their arraignments pushed to Wednesday, as their legal counsel remains uncertain. A sixth defendant, Gary Chan, appeared Thursday afternoon and also had his arraignment pushed until Wednesday. All three will remain in custody without bail.
Machado’s wife, Tammy Machado, previously pleaded not guilty. Her next court appearance was set for June 4.
