A Yolo County deputy sheriff's officer helped to cover up a conspiracy that led to the deadly fireworks warehouse explosion that killed seven people in Esparto last year, authorities said Friday.

Five people, including three Yolo County officials, with ties to the Esparto fireworks explosion that killed seven people last year have been arrested, jail records show.

Samuel Machado is accused of illegally having 1 million pounds of fireworks on his property at the time of the blast and using his law enforcement position to shield the illicit operation from scrutiny for years,

Investigators Friday outlined the indictments against the eight arrested, including murder charges against five of those arrested.

The Yolo County civil grand jury, after eight months of investigation, issued a report last week regarding an Esparto fireworks facility at the center of multiple investigations following an explosion that left seven workers dead in July 2025.