Clovis police seize 1,000 illegal fireworks, arrest local man

Clovis police seized about 1,000 illegal fireworks, with a street value of more than $50,000, after a same-day investigation that began with a request to dispose of fireworks in Old Town Clovis. Officers say the case shows how quickly a routine call can turn into a public safety threat as holiday celebrations approach.

On May 7, Clovis police responded to a home in Old Town and brought in investigators from the department’s Bomb Squad. They found a large amount of dangerous, illegal fireworks that appeared to be stored, and possibly sold, from the property. That investigation led officers to serve a search warrant later the same day at a home in Fresno, where Bomb Squad members found more illegal fireworks, including some that appeared to be homemade.

Police arrested 28-year-old Nickolas Cropper of Clovis on several charges, including felony child endangerment and charges tied to the possession, transportation and sale of illegal fireworks. The department said the seizure was the largest in Clovis in several years. Officials also said the fireworks were dangerous because illegal products are often manufactured without safety regulations or professional training, making them volatile and unstable.

The arrest lands in a season when neighborhoods across Fresno County are preparing for louder nights, higher fire risk and more enforcement. Clovis allows only “Safe and Sane” fireworks, and each legal firework must carry the California State Fire Marshal logo. Illegal fireworks include aerial shells, bottle rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers and any firework that explodes, flies into the air or moves on the ground in an uncontrolled way.

Residents who see illegal fireworks in Clovis can report them to the Clovis Police Department’s non-emergency number, 559-324-2800. City officials have also warned that violations can carry steep consequences. Clovis residents can face a $1,000 fine for each illegal fireworks offense, and state officials say violators can face penalties of up to $50,000 and a year in jail. Governor Gavin Newsom said on June 30, 2025, that more than 600,000 pounds of illegal fireworks had already been seized statewide that year, with fireworks causing more than $35 million in property damage across California since 2024 and sparking 1,230 fires.

As the Fourth of July nears, Clovis police are urging people to leave the big shows to professionals and to keep neighborhoods safer, quieter and less vulnerable to fire.