Eastern District of California
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Bay Area Defendants Plead Guilty to Bank Robberies in the Eastern District of California and the East BayRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dontae Jerome Jones Jr., 20, and JoMya Mauriyne Futch, 21, each pleaded guilty today to one count of bank robbery, and Futch pleaded guilty to one count of perjury, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
On March 13, 2025, co-defendant Yasmin Charisse Millett, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery.
According to court documents, between June 2023 and September 2024, Jones and Millett conspired to commit at least 10 bank robberies in Sacramento, Vallejo, Suisun City, Benicia, Concord, and Antioch. Jones and Millett worked together and with others, primarily women they recruited, such as Futch, to facilitate a patterned series of bank robberies. The participants drove to bank and credit union branches, entered the branches with threatening notes demanding money, presented the notes to branch employees, took cash, and exited the branches to a waiting getaway car. Generally, the notes would instruct the bank employees to provide money or “I will kill everyone in here.” After a successful robbery, the members of the conspiracy distributed the stolen money amongst themselves.
Jones and Millett actively sought and groomed recruits to act as the note passers. Millett advertised the conspiracy on Instagram in videos and photographs of herself and other participants holding large amounts of cash. Jones and Millett sometimes directed recruits to wear dark sunglasses during the robberies to conceal their identities and carry purses in order to carry the stolen money away from the banks and credit unions.
On July 17, 2023, Jones and Millett used a stolen white Audi A7 with dark tinted windows to pick up Futch and commit a bank robbery at a credit union in Suisun City. Jones and Millett provided Futch with instructions on how to commit the robbery. Jones and Millett waited in the vehicle while Futch entered the bank and handed an employee a note demanding money, threatening to shoot the employee if the employee did not comply with the demand. After reading the note, the employee gave Futch money. Futch returned to the waiting getaway vehicle and Jones, Millett, and Futch each took a portion of the stolen money.
The next day, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the stolen white Audi A7. Millett was driving the stolen car and Jones was the front seat passenger. During the traffic stop, law enforcement officers found bait money on Millett and Jones from the bank robbery that occurred the day before in Suisun City. The officers also found a crumpled post-it demand note on the driver’s seat that stated, “Don’t Make eye contact Don’t look suspicious Don’t Push emergency Button Put smile on your face or I will shoot.”
On Aug. 15, 2024, Futch appeared as a witness under oath before a grand jury and knowingly made false statements. During her testimony, Futch stated that on July 17, 2023, she believed that she was going to open up a bank account for Millett—not commit a robbery. Futch further claimed that she had no clue that she was committing a bank robbery, and maintained throughout her testimony that she did not know about any plan to commit a bank robbery. However, these statements were false because Millett informed Futch about her plans to commit a bank robbery in the days leading up to July 17, 2023, and Futch had agreed to commit bank robberies with Millett and Jones.
This case is the product of an investigation by FBI field offices in San Francisco and Sacramento, with assistance from the Police Departments of Sacramento, Vacaville, Suisun City, Vallejo, Antioch, Benicia, Concord, Hayward, and Fremont, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.
Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley is scheduled to sentence Jones and Futch on Aug. 7, 2025. Jones and Futch face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the bank robbery conviction. Futch faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for her perjury conviction. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Mexican National Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Trafficking 230 Pounds of Methamphetamine and 5 Pounds of FentanylRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Isaac Abraham Sandoval Lopez, 36, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to four years and nine months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on June 26, 2024, officers stopped Sandoval Lopez for a traffic infraction while driving northbound on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. A subsequent search of his car revealed several bags, suitcases, and backpacks throughout the car containing different types of narcotics. In total, officers seized approximately 230 pounds of methamphetamine, 5 pounds of fentanyl, and 2 pounds of heroin.
This case was the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
Fresno County Podiatrist and Sales Representative Indicted for Conspiracy to Submit Millions of Dollars in False Claims Related to Skin GraftsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Felipe Ruiz, 51, of Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, 52, of Clovis, charging them with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Ruiz was a podiatrist at West Coast Podiatry Inc. (WCP), a podiatric medical practice with locations in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties.
Aguirre was a sales representative for several companies that sold skin grafts. Aguirre used his name, his wife’s name, and the name of a corporation registered to his wife to sell the skin grafts.
Between June 2021 and January 2024, Ruiz purchased skin grafts from Aguirre and permitted Aguirre, who was not a licensed health care provider, to apply the skin grafts to Medicare and Medi-Cal beneficiaries without Ruiz being present. Ruiz and Aguirre also allowed beneficiaries to refer to Aguirre as “Dr. Gabe,” though he was not a doctor.
Ruiz and Aguirre subsequently submitted claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal that falsely represented that Ruiz had applied the skin grafts to the beneficiaries, when Aguirre had actually rendered the services. As a result, Medicare and Medi-Cal paid Ruiz millions of dollars for the false claims. Ruiz then made payments to Aguirre. Ruiz and Aguirre used the money for their own benefit and for personal expenditures.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Ruiz and Aguirre face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Founder and Top Executive for Fresno-Based Business American Labor Alliance Receive Multi-Year Prison Sentences Following Fraud TrialRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fresno residents Marcus Asay, 69, and Antonio Gastelum, 53, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years in prison and two years in prison, respectively, for committing a long-running pension fraud scheme through their company, Agricultural Contracting Services Association dba American Labor Alliance (ALA), Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
ALA also received a corporate fine of $2.5 million. Asay and ALA were each ordered to pay $69,250 in restitution.
On June 18, 2024, Asay, Gastelum, and ALA were convicted of the pension fraud scheme following a five-week jury trial. Asay and ALA were also convicted of committing a worker’s compensation fraud scheme, a hardship exemption fraud scheme, and money laundering. The hardship exemption fraud scheme involved a supposed exemption from the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that people obtain health insurance or pay a significant shared responsibility payment when they file their taxes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Asay was the founder and chairman of ALA, and Gastelum was the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Compliance Officer. From 2011 through 2019, the defendants offered three sham products: retirement plan, worker’s compensation coverage, and hardship exemption.
Pension Fraud Scheme
For the pension fraud scheme, Asay, Gastelum, and ALA falsely represented to more than 3,000 people that they would protect and invest their retirement money through a 401(k) Plan when, in fact, they used the money for improper business and personal expenses. The improper expenses included restaurants, travel, credit cards, rare coins, transfers to Asay’s personal retirement account, online companion websites, and rent for Asay’s lakefront mansion in Fresno. Asay, Gastelum, and ALA then covered up the fact that the retirement money was gone by taking money the company received from the worker’s compensation fraud scheme and holding those funds out as pension funds. The loss caused by the pension fraud scheme was more than $620,000.
Asay’s money laundering conviction resulted from this scheme because he moved pension funds through multiple bank accounts to conceal the source of the funds before using them for improper expenses.
Workers’ Compensation Fraud Scheme
For the worker’s compensation fraud scheme, Asay and ALA falsely represented that national insurers backed the worker’s compensation coverage that the company offered in several states, including California. Asay and ALA did so by listing the national insurers on the certificates of insurance and policy declarations that the company issued to customers. The accuracy of the certificates of insurance and policy declarations was important to the customers because they needed to present these items to their own customers and regulators as proof of having worker’s compensation coverage in order to continue doing business. When government authorities began investigating the workers’ compensation fraud scheme, Asay and ALA sent letters to customers telling them not to cooperate. The worker’s compensation fraud scheme generated $2.25 million in premiums.
Hardship Exemption Fraud Scheme
For the hardship exemption fraud scheme, Asay and ALA falsely represented that for a few hundred dollars they could provide people with an exemption that would protect them from the Affordable Care Act’s shared responsibility payment for not having health insurance when, in fact, only government agencies could issue such exemptions. Moreover, the exemptions were free to those who qualified.
Asay and Gastelum received enhanced sentences because they both testified in their own defense at trial and were found to have perjured themselves.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration and Office of Labor-Management Standards, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Tierney, Joseph Barton, and Stephanie Stokman prosecuted the case.
Sacramento County Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Bank Fraud, Possession of Stolen Mail, and Possession of Mail Keys or LocksRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Senior U.S. District Court Judge John A. Mendez sentenced Adam Lee, 38, of Orangevale, to five years and four months in prison for bank fraud, possession of stolen mail, and possession of mail keys or locks, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Lee obtained and counterfeited postal keys, which he used to steal mail from mailboxes. From the stolen mail, Lee obtained identifying information, financial information, and bank checks of other people. He then attempted to negotiate, deposit, or cash the stolen checks. Lee and his co-defendant, Windy Lund, possessed more than $273,000 in stolen checks that they either attempted to negotiate or possessed with the intent to negotiate.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong prosecuted the case.
Lund is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2025, before Judge Mendez.
Sutter County Man Indicted for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On March 13, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Thomas Michael Davis, 39, of Yuba City, charging him with receipt of child sexual abuse material, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following his arrest.
According to court documents, between May 2023 and January 2024, Davis used the internet to download child pornography. Davis has previously been convicted of having sex with a minor.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Yuba City Police Department, and the Sacramento Valley Hi Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of receipt of child sexual abuse material, Davis faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Sacramento County Woman Indicted for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment on March 27, 2025, charging Monique Marie Gonzales Grado, 31, of Sacramento, with five counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Gonzales Grado unlawfully used the identity of another person to obtain a car loan to buy a Jaguar and a personal loan for purported “medical expenses.” In a credit union account associated with these loans, Gonzales Grado also deposited two checks that had been stolen and altered to reflect the name of the identity-theft victim as payee, thus allowing Gonzales Grado access to the funds. Separately, Gonzales Grado deposited another stolen check that had been altered to reflect her name as payee in a different bank account that she opened in her own name.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Gonzales Grado faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each of the bank fraud charges, as well as a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for the aggravated identity theft charges. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Arizona Man Convicted of Crimes Arising Out of Plot Targeting Christian ChurchesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After an 11-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday against Zimnako Salah, 45, of Phoenix, Arizona, convicting him of strapping a backpack around the toilet of a Christian church in Roseville with the intent to convey a hoax bomb threat and to obstruct the free exercise of religion of the congregants who worshipped there. The jury’s verdict included a special finding that Salah targeted the church because of the religion of the people who worshipped there, making the offense a hate crime.
According to the evidence presented at trial, from September to November of 2023, Salah traveled to four Christian churches in Arizona, California, and Colorado, wearing black backpacks. At two of those churches, Salah planted those backpacks, placing congregants in fear that they contained bombs. At the other two churches, Salah was confronted by security before he got the chance to plant those backpacks.
While Salah had been making bomb threats by planting backpacks in Christian churches, he had been building a bomb capable of fitting in a backpack. During a search of Salah’s storage unit, an FBI Bomb Technician seized items that an FBI Bomb Expert testified at trial served as component parts of an improvised explosive device (IED):
IED bomb components seized from Salah’s storage unit
A search of Salah’s social media records revealed that he had consumed extremist propaganda online. Specifically, those records showed that Salah had searched for videos of “Infidels dying,” and he had watched videos depicting ISIS terrorists murdering people.
“This Department of Justice has no tolerance for anyone who targets religious Americans for their faith,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “The perpetrator of this abhorrent hate crime against Christians will face severe punishment.”
“Planting a hoax bomb at the Roseville church was not an isolated incident or a prank for this defendant,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. “His actions were designed to threaten and intimidate the congregation because he disagreed with their religious beliefs. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of federal and local law enforcement and the attorneys from my office and our DOJ partners in Washington D.C., our communities are safer with yesterday’s verdict. People of all religions should be able to worship freely and exercise their First Amendment rights in this country without fear of violence.”
“The Sacramento Division of the FBI is proud of our collaboration with our local partners in bringing Mr. Salah to justice. His deliberate targeting of multiple places of worship and calculated efforts to spread panic were intended to terrorize people of faith and disrupt the peace of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI remains committed to protecting the American people and will continue to work within the confines of the law to hold individuals accountable for acts of terrorism whether those acts are true threats or intended as hoaxes.”
Salah is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins. Salah faces a maximum statutory penalty of six years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Roseville Police Department, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Harbor Police Department, and the Arapahoe County (CO) Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea Kenny for the Eastern District of California.
Fresno County Resident Charged with Federal Gun and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today against David Joseph Yama, 41, of Reedley, adding charges of possession of alprazolam (commonly known as Xanax) with intent to distribute, three counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, and one count of carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Yama continues to be charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl as charged in the original indictment.
According to court documents, on Sept. 1, 2020, police officers went to a gas station in Clovis after a report of suspicious activity and contacted Yama and two associates. A search of the car that Yama had been driving uncovered a large amount of cash, ammunition, plastic baggies, vials containing fentanyl, more than 200 fentanyl pills, and more than 100 alprazolam pills. A search of Yama’s residence on the same day revealed additional controlled substances and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Several months later, in January 2021, Yama was stopped driving the same car. A search of the car resulted in the seizure of more alprazolam pills, ammunition, and a ghost gun. Prior to September 2020, Yama had been convicted of five felony drug trafficking and firearms offenses, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi-agency team composed of the DEA and the Homeland Security Investigations, the California Department of Justice, and the Clovis, Reedley and Fresno Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Karen A. Escobar are prosecuting the case.
If convicted on the drug-trafficking counts, Yama faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each count. For the count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug offense, he faces a mandatory, consecutive five-year penalty and a maximum of up to life in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
This case is also being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Two Fiji Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Carrying Out Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Short Sale FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jyoteshna Karan, 52, and Praveen Singh, 45, both of Modesto, were sentenced for leading a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Karan received three years and four months in prison, and Singh received two years.
According to court records, from 2006 through 2015, Karan and Singh conspired to make straw purchases and short sales of approximately 15 homes from Modesto to Sacramento. A straw purchase is where one person buys a home on behalf of another person to get around certain restrictions. Straw purchases are generally illegal in the real estate industry because they compromise lenders’ risk management practices. A short sale is where a homeowner sells their home for less than the amount they owe on their mortgage, with lender approval, to avoid foreclosure. Short sales must generally be arm’s length transactions in the real estate industry because that helps protect buyers and sellers from undervaluation, overpayment, and bias.
After Karan and Singh acquired the homes, they allowed them to go into foreclosure and arranged for short sales with the lenders. They then quickly resold, or flipped, the homes to other people at market rates and therefore reaped significant profits. In doing so, they caused the lenders to suffer over $3,000,000 in losses.
Karan and Singh were experienced real estate professionals who used unwitting participants, fabricated documents, and shell companies to carry out their fraud. For example, they used Singh’s mother as one of the straw purchasers, fabricated documents to make it appear as though the straw purchasers worked for their shell companies making six figure salaries, and fabricated documents to make it appear as though the transactions were arm’s length. This was all done to convince the lenders to go through with the deals.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, FDIC OIG, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Red Bluff Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Austreberto Santamaria-Valencia, 29, of Red Bluff, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to four years and three months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 6, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a suspected overdose by a motel guest in Red Bluff. When officers entered the room, they found Santamaria-Valencia sitting in a chair, unconscious but breathing. On the bed near him, officers saw multiple plastic bags containing what appeared to be blue pills, of the type sold as counterfeit oxycodone pills, but which often contain fentanyl. Officers were able to wake Santamaria-Valencia. In response to their questions, Santamaria-Valencia indicated that he had taken fentanyl. Medical personnel tended to Santamaria-Valencia and confirmed he was not in danger of overdosing. A records check indicated that Santamaria-Valencia had a warrant out for his arrest, and officers arrested him at that time.
Officers searched Santamaria-Valencia’s room and car and seized approximately 1,000 counterfeit M-30 oxycodone pills, a loaded Taurus G3C 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, two bottles containing a total of 170 Farmapram (alprazolam-Xanax) pills, five packets of suboxone strips, 90 grams of marijuana, approximately $7,000 in cash, and other items commonly used in street sales of narcotics.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Red Bluff Police Department, and the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Placer County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Randy Anger, 57, of Carnelian Bay, was sentenced today to five years in prison and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and $10,200 in special assessments for distribution and receipt of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in May 2021, Anger distributed and received child sexual abuse material on the Kik Messenger app while communicating with Brent Hooton. Hooton was separately charged and convicted in the Eastern District of California with production and distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. In November 2021, Anger also received several images of child sexual abuse material on the Wickr app.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance by Homeland Security Investigations and the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Transporting over 200,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Miguel Obed Romero Reyes, 25, of Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to trafficking large amounts of fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Romero Reyes was pulled over by law enforcement officers while driving north on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. Deputies searched his vehicle and discovered a large duffel bag containing 48 pounds (21.8 kilograms) of blue counterfeit M-30 pills in 20 separate 1-gallon Ziploc bags. In total, Romero Reyes was transporting more than 200,000 fentanyl pills in his car. Romero Reyes had picked up the pills in Arizona and was transporting them to Washington state for distribution.
21.8 Kilograms of Fentanyl Pills Seized from Romero Reyes’s Vehicle
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.
Romero Reyes is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 30, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Man Sentenced to over 16 Years in Prison for Trafficking 10 Pounds of Fentanyl Pills and over 60 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Adolfo Montiel, 46, of Lancaster, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 16 years and four months in prison for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Montiel’s case arose out of Operation Toxic Waste, an investigation into a sophisticated drug trafficking ring, that resulted in the seizure of more than 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 50 pounds of fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. As evidenced by thousands of recorded communications, the organization smuggled methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl (powder and pills) in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also secreted thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi‑trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars and brought it across the border. The Mexican-based organization monitored the narcotics with the use of GPS tracking devices hidden with the smuggled drugs. Montiel was sentenced for his role in storing, packaging, and redistributing drugs on behalf of the larger organization. When law enforcement officers searched his residence in 2023, they found over 10 pounds of fentanyl pills and over 60 pounds of methamphetamine, as well as several firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Jury Convicts Vallejo Man of Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a five–day trial, a federal jury found Darren Tramaine Tony Mitchell, 35, of Vallejo, guilty on Friday of one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The trial was held before Senior United States District Judge William B. Shubb.
According to evidence presented at trial, including recordings of his telephone conversations, Mitchell negotiated a transaction for 1,000 methamphetamine pills with a buyer who testified at trial. Federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Mitchell’s Vallejo residence a few days following these recorded calls. Inside Mitchell’s residence, agents recovered methamphetamine-laced pills and an industrial pill pressing machine. Hidden inside the residence’s dishwasher, agents recovered a loaded AR-15 assault-style rifle and a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol with an obliterated serial number:
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron Desmond and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.
Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Shubb on July 7, 2025. Mitchell faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Amador County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Illegal Marijuana CultivationRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Timothy Charles Wilson, 76, of Pioneer, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years in prison and ordered him to pay $24,778 in restitution for manufacturing marijuana, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Wilson illegally manufactured 238 marijuana plants inside and around his residence in Pioneer. He grew these plants as part of a larger conspiracy with his three co-defendants to grow marijuana in the Tomhead Mountain area in Shasta-Trinity National Forest that consisted of 1,054 marijuana plants. In furtherance of this conspiracy, co-defendant Filemon Padilla Martinez recruited, trained, and supplied Oscar Francisco-Diego and Francisco Gomez Sanchez, the other two co-defendants in this case, whom he left to live and work on the site while he stayed either at a nearby stash house or at his residence in Ione. Wilson paid Padilla Martinez and funded the supplies.
According to court documents, surveillance captured Wilson and Padilla Martinez visiting the marijuana grow on Tomhead Mountain on Aug. 2, 2019. A subsequent search of Wilson’s residence in Pioneer resulted in the discovery of a multiple receipts for marijuana supplies, carbon copies of checks to Padilla Martinez, marijuana cultivation supplies, 238 marijuana plants, and other evidence of illegal marijuana cultivation.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the Tehama County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, with assistance from the Amador County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
Padilla Martinez, Francisco-Diego and Gomez Sanchez have been previously sentenced for their roles in the offense. There were each sentenced to 10 years, 19 months, and 22 months of incarceration, respectively.
Yuba City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gabriel Quintero, 32, of Yuba City, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in August 2024, Quintero possessed multiple firearms and methamphetamine that he intended to distribute to another person. Quintero was driving in Sacramento when he led law enforcement officers on a high-speed pursuit for 10 minutes before crashing into another car that was parked at a stoplight. Quintero got out of his car and ran, but law enforcement officers apprehended him. Quintero possessed more than $30,000 in cash, multiple loaded firearms, including one equipped with a machine gun conversion device and loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition, 646 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills, 109 grams of cocaine, a digital scale; and six cellphones. Quintero is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Manuel Greenhalgh, 32, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to three years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Greenhalgh is among eight federal defendants charged with drug trafficking offenses as part of a multi-agency operation targeting cocaine and heroin traffickers. In May 2020, Greenhalgh was heard during a wiretap discussing sourcing heroin from Mexico and the difficulties of getting people and drugs across the border. Thereafter, agents watched Greenhalgh meet with a co-defendant and pulled Greenhalgh’s vehicle over after he left the co-defendant’s house. Greenhalgh, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, possessed 1,986.6 grams of heroin that he intended to distribute.
Co-defendant Albert Gurley was sentenced to seven years in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Co-defendants Delanious Ward, Agustin Gonzalez, Craig Hunter, David Byrd, and Kevin Yancy previously pleaded guilty to various drug trafficking crimes and are scheduled to be sentenced at later dates.
Charges are pending against co-defendant Jorge Mejia-Nolasco for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute heroin. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron L. Desmond and Emily G. Sauvageau are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.
Fresno Man Convicted at Trial for Running Catalytic Converter Theft Ring That Stole Millions of Dollars’ Worth of ConvertersRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Following a four-day jury trial, George Thomas, 72, formerly of Fresno and Clovis, was convicted today of selling thousands of stolen catalytic converters for more than $2.7 million, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Thomas was also convicted of structuring the money that he received for the converters out of his bank accounts through cash withdrawals to conceal his activities from the government. Generally speaking, banks are required to report cash withdrawals over $10,000 to the government. Structuring is the intentional withdrawal of cash in increments under $10,000 to avoid that reporting threshold.
“Catalytic converter theft is a nationwide problem that has affected tens of thousands of Californians,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud of its continuing effort to disrupt and dismantle this type of organized criminal activity that impacts so many victims.”
“Today’s verdict sends a message; catalytic converter theft conspiracies will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners relentlessly pursue those who exploit hard working community members for whom these thefts are a financial hardship to extract the precious metals within them for personal gain.”
“This collaboration exemplifies the power of teamwork between local and federal agencies in combating organized crime and ensuring justice for our community. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Deputy District Attorney Adam Kook for his initiative in engaging with federal authorities to drive a coordinated investigation in this case,” said District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp. “Thanks to collaborate efforts of the agencies involved, the ringleader behind the catalytic converter theft operations across the Central Valley is now facing significant fines and jail time for his wrongdoing.”
“The Fresno Police Department is proud to have participated with our partners, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Clovis Police Department, in this investigation and successful prosecution,” said Chief Mindy Casto. “Mr. Thomas’ criminal actions impacted countless members of our communities, both financially and emotionally. Through solid investigations by officers and detectives and the determined prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Thomas will finally be held accountable.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, between January 2021 and November 2022, Thomas purchased stolen converters from a group of habitual thieves in the Fresno area who cut the converters off of vehicles. The sales occurred in the parking lots of motels, gas stations, and similar places at all hours of the day and night.
Thomas gave the thieves instructions on the types of converters that he was looking for and how to best cut the converters off vehicles. Thomas also loaned the thieves money to pay for their motel rooms, saws, and bail. The loans were contingent on the thieves continuing to steal converters for him.
After an initial search warrant was executed at Thomas’ home in mid-2021, Thomas continued with the illegal sales but tried to cover it up. The cover-up included taking a photograph of the thief and an identification card each time he made a sale, requesting a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for the vehicle from which the converter was supposedly cutoff, and having the thief sign a piece of paper stating that the converter was not stolen.
But Thomas did not actually change anything. For example, Thomas continued doing cash buys in the same places with the same thieves. He allowed the thieves to use fake and stolen IDs and provide him with false VINs. He also completed undercover sales where he said that he did not care where the VINs or converters came from.
The following is an example of an incriminating photograph taken during the search warrant at Thomas’ home.
Thomas drove the stolen converters to Oregon where he sold them to a metal recycling company for $2.7 million. The recycling company paid Thomas by wire transfer. He then withdrew the money through 386 cash withdrawals that were each under the $10,000 reporting threshold. He often made the withdrawals on his way to and from Oregon.
Importantly, after Thomas was arrested in April 2023, reports of converter theft in the Fresno area decreased by more than 60 percent.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Justin Gilio are prosecuting the case.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of his convictions The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Court Sentences Felons for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Ammunition in Project Safe Neighborhoods CasesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence. At the core of PSN is setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place. Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announces the following PSN prosecutions that resulted in sentences in the beginning of 2025.
Arturo Talamantes, 31, of Fresno, was sentenced today to four years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Dec. 16, 2023, police responded to a 911 call from a crowded bar in Fresno reporting a man with a gun. When officers arrived, Talamantes had a loaded black Kahr P40 handgun that he carried through the crowded bar, ignoring officer commands to stop. Once inside, he hid the gun in a hallway storage area where officers found and seized it. Talamantes is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions for manufacturing a short-barreled rifle and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant. This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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David Diaz, 48, of Bakersfield, was sentenced on March 3, 2025, to eight years and eight months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, on Sept. 20, 2023, Diaz and co-defendant Jesus Alejandro Lopez, 47, of Bakersfield, drove to Fresno after agreeing to sell 35 pounds of methamphetamine. Both men were armed when they arrived. Shortly after arriving, police arrested the men and seized a stolen Rock Island Armory .45 caliber handgun loaded with seven rounds from Diaz. Diaz is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to three prior felony convictions involving possession and transportation of a controlled substance and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant.
On March 10, 2025, Lopez pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on June 23, 2025. Lopez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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Tionte Beard, 25, of Fresno, was sentenced on March 3, 2025, to three years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. According to court documents, on Oct. 28, 2023, police conducted a probation compliance check at Beard’s apartment after Beard posted pictures of guns on his social media. Police seized an Anderson Manufacturing model AM-15 .223-caliber rifle, a Sig Saur model P320 9 mm handgun, and several rounds of ammunition hidden in a laundry basket in a closet. Beard is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior felony convictions for carjacking, illegally possessing a firearm, and inflicting corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant. This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Amed Taylor Muhammad, 24, of Fresno, was sentenced on Jan. 13, 2025, to two years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Sept. 26, 2023, police responded to reports of a shooting in southwest Fresno near a high school and middle school. Officers stopped Muhammad near the location of the shooting after eyewitnesses spotted him from the location with others while holding something in his waistband. After a brief struggle, officers detained Muhammad and seized a loaded black Taurus PT140 G2, .40 caliber pistol from his front waistband. Muhammad is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions for assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury, vehicular theft, and illegally possessing a firearm. This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The above cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple.
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Felix Alejandro, 38, of Delano, was sentenced on Jan. 6, 2025, to four years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, on Aug. 2, 2023, police pulled Alejandro over for violating traffic laws. Alejandro consented to a search of his car and police found a 0.40 caliber semi-automatic Polymer 80 pistol wedged between the driver’s seat and center console. The handgun was loaded with 10 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. Alejandro was on federal supervised release for a prior drug trafficking felony conviction and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. This case was the product of an investigation by the Delano Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Jeffrey A. Spivak prosecuted the case.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Bakersfield Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Burglarizing a Kern County Post OfficeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Shawn Van Dixon, 39, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez for burglarizing a U.S. Post Office in Caliente, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 28, 2023, Van Dixon forcefully broke into the U.S. Post Office in Caliente by smashing in a glass door with a black hatchet. Van Dixon broke in just before working hours when the post office was empty. Once inside he stole several mail items, including envelopes, letters, and packages, from P.O. boxes and other locations belonging to more than 10 victims before driving off in a stolen truck.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
San Joaquin County Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison on Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Alphonso Jimenez, 34, of Stockton, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl and for possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in 2021, a team of local and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Jimenez and co-defendant Erik D. Mendoza-Contreras, 33, of Stockton. On multiple occasions during the investigation, confidential sources working with law enforcement purchased several pounds of narcotics from Mendoza and Jimenez. On Feb. 23, 2022, Jimenez delivered 28 pounds of methamphetamine to Mendoza for further distribution to a customer. A subsequent search of Jimenez’s home recovered 69.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 62.8 pounds of cocaine, 15 pounds of heroin, 9 ounces of counterfeit M-30 pills containing fentanyl, approximately $297,000 in cash, and a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.
Charges are pending against Mendoza; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Riverside County Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking 44 Kilograms of Cocaine and 10 Kilograms of HeroinRead the Press Release
37 kilograms of cocaine and 10 kilograms of heroin hidden in car’s roof
FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Miguel Perez, 42, of Corona, pleaded guilty today to cocaine and heroin trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Perez was pulled over by law enforcement officers while driving north on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. Deputies seized 56 kilograms of various narcotics in the car’s two hidden compartments. Seven kilograms of cocaine were hidden in the ceiling of the car, while an additional 37 kilograms of cocaine, 10 kilograms of heroin, and 2 kilograms of ketamine were seized from a hidden compartment in the car’s roof.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.
Jose Miguel Perez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23, 2025. Perez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Mexican National Living in Sacramento Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Luis Vasquez-Lopez, 47, a Mexican national residing in Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 10 years and one month in prison for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on May 22, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a stop of Vasquez-Lopez’s vehicle in Sacramento. During the stop, they located a large brick of fentanyl, a digital scale with residue on it, and a loaded 9 mm handgun.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt prosecuted the case.
Inmate Pleads Guilty to Assault with a Deadly Weapon in USP AtwaterRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jarvell Kent, 30, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to assault with a deadly weapon in the U.S. Penitentiary at Atwater, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on April 28, 2024, Kent chased another inmate around a cell block at USP Atwater while holding a knife-like, jail-made weapon. Kent, along with another inmate, used his jail-made knife to stab the victim, wounding him and requiring medical attention.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
Kent is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23, 2025. Kent faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of Ammunition in Ghost GunRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Donald Henderson, 30, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition in connection with his possession of a loaded ghost gun, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 4, 2024, Henderson arranged to sell a rifle to an undercover police officer in Clovis while believing the undercover officer was a prostitute. When officers arrived, Henderson quickly entered a vehicle as a passenger, at which point officers engaged in a high-speed chase during which Henderson threw a rifle out the window. The rifle was a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun,” with a loaded high-capacity magazine. Henderson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions in Fresno County, including for burglary and illegal possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
Henderson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23, 2025. Henderson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Carson Tahoe Health System Agrees to Pay over $8.8 Million to Settle Allegations over Pandemic-Related LoansRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carson Tahoe Health System, which owns Carson Tahoe Physician Clinics and Carson Tahoe Continuing Care Hospital, has agreed to pay $8,876,475.45 to settle allegations that they were not eligible for the four Paycheck Protection Program loans that they obtained, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, to provide relief to small businesses experiencing economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. To qualify for a loan, businesses were required to meet certain eligibility requirements accounting for any affiliated entities. The United States contends that Carson Tahoe Health System and its affiliated entities were ineligible to receive PPP loans because they exceeded the size limitations in the Small Business Administration’s affiliation rules.
In May 2020, Carson Tahoe Health System, Carson Tahoe Physician Clinics, and Carson Tahoe Continuing Care Hospital each received a PPP loan, totaling $5,077,011 in loan disbursements. After receiving their loan forgiveness applications, the Small Business Administration forgave these loans. In February 2021, Carson Tahoe Physician Clinics applied for a second PPP loan of $2 million. After Carson Tahoe Physicians Clinic requested loan forgiveness in September 2021, the SBA forgave this PPP loan. The four loans resulted in the United States paying $7,267,009 including forgiven loan principal and interest, and lenders fees.
“This settlement returns millions of taxpayer dollars to the government and reflects our ongoing commitment to enforce the requirements of the Paycheck Protection Program and ensure that only eligible businesses received this critical pandemic relief,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith.
SBA’s General Counsel Wendell Davis stated, “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and SBA’s Office of Inspector General to pursue recovery from those who obtained essential government program funds when they were ineligible to do so.”
The settlement stems from allegations originally brought in a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties, known as relators, to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. In connection with the settlement, the relator will receive a percentage of the recovery.
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Amin for the Eastern District of California.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
carson_tahoe_settlement_agreement_final_v.1.pdfFresno-Based Bank Fraud Scheme Recruited Participants on FacebookRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Abreiana Rogers, 29, of Los Angeles, made an initial appearance in federal court in Fresno Thursday for charges stemming from her participation in a year-long bank fraud scheme that sought to defraud credit unions of nearly $1 million, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Five co-defendants in the scheme made their initial appearances in November 2024: Fresno residents Nyric Hinton, 26; Zion Brewer, 39; Zorian Temple, 23; Davonntae Barfield, 30; and Harry Cooper Neal, 29.
All six defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Rogers was also charged with four counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Hinton was charged with one count of bank fraud. Temple and Barfield were also each charged with two counts of bank fraud.
According to court documents, between April 2022 and Jan. 31, 2023, the defendants used Facebook and Facebook Messenger to recruit bank account holders, promising these account holders a cut of any fraudulent funds deposited into their accounts. The defendants then used those individuals’ bank accounts to deposit stolen and fraudulent checks. Brewer, a U.S. Postal Service employee, assisted by stealing mail containing checks and other financial information, and by providing that information to his co-conspirators.
The defendants and others would then rapidly deplete the fraudulently deposited funds from the account holders’ accounts using electronic transfers and cash withdrawals. The defendants then shared the proceeds among themselves and other co-conspirators. To circumvent financial institutions’ fraud protection systems, the defendants shared information about known weaknesses in the financial institutions’ fraud protection systems. To conceal the fraud, the defendants instructed account holders to claim that their accounts had been compromised if contacted by the financial institutions about the fraudulent deposits.
The defendants are alleged to have attempted at least $1 million in fraudulent transactions with financial institutions, fraudulently used over 100 bank accounts, and obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars from the financial institutions.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.
The case is set for a status conference on June 4, 2025.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and for any count of bank fraud. Rogers also faces a two-year mandatory consecutive prison sentence for aggravated identity theft if convicted. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two California Doctors Agree to Settlements Totaling $375,000 to Resolve Allegations of Fraud Schemes Related to “Electroacupuncture” DevicesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Zachary J. Lipman MD, of Chico, has paid $290,000 to the United States and Michael Woo-Ming MD, of Murrieta, has agreed to pay $85,000 to the United States to resolve allegations arising from a fraud scheme that caused the submission of hundreds of false claims to Medicare, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.
Both settlements relate to a fraud scheme orchestrated by Riverside County chiropractor Kevin Brown, in which Brown used various companies he owned to seek and receive reimbursement from Medicare for surgically implanted neurostimulators at multiple locations within and beyond California, even though the companies did not perform surgery or implant neurostimulators. In a prior settlement with the United States, Brown stipulated that he and his companies instead taped a disposable “electroacupuncture” device called “Stivax” to their patients’ ears. Stivax devices do not require surgical implantation and are not reimbursable by Medicare. The United States alleges that this scheme violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute.
With respect to the settlement with Dr. Lipman announced today, the United States had alleged that Lipman solicited and received unlawful kickbacks from Brown in return for Lipman referring his patients to Brown for the furnishing of Stivax devices paid for by Medicare. The settlement with Dr. Woo-Ming resolves allegations that his companies Revive Medical of San Diego, which Woo-Ming co-owned with Brown, and Medical Wellness Group submitted false claims to Medicare for surgically implanted neurostimulators.
“These physicians took part in a fraud scheme at the expense of hardworking taxpayers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “My office is committed to working with our partners to address fraud schemes like these that divert funds from important federal health care programs like Medicare.”
“Improper financial arrangements can compromise medical judgment, adversely influencing the medical decision-making process,” stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of federal health care programs and those served by those programs.”
The investigation was conducted with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emilia P.E. Morris handled the case for the United States.
The settlement agreements can be found here:
lipman_settlement_agreement_executed_10.25.24.pdf
woo-ming_settlement_agreement-executed_3.5.25.pdf
brown_settlement_agreement-_executed_07.10.24_0.pdfFormer Controller Indicted for Embezzling over $1 Million from Fresno Fruit WholesalerRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Feb. 27, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against Sergio Zacarias Lopez, 57, a Mexican citizen residing in Fresno, charging him with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following his arrest today.
According to court documents, between January 2016 and June 2023, Zacarias Lopez abused his position as the accounting supervisor and controller to defraud a family-run Fresno fruit wholesaler. Zacarias Lopez would write multiple company checks payable to “cash” and then deposit them into his own personal bank account through local ATMs. He signed the fraudulent checks using the signatures of other employees with signatory authority, including one of the founders of the company. Through this scheme, Zacarias Lopez embezzled more than $1 million before he was eventually detected by one of the banks and terminated by the company. To secure his accounting role in the first place, Zacarias Lopez stole a valid social security number and used that along with other falsified employment documents to conceal his lack of legal status. The indictment also states that Zacarias Lopez was previously removed from the United States in 2000 and has not been permitted to return to the United States.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of bank fraud, Zacarias Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted of aggravated identity theft or illegal re-entry of a removed alien, he faces a penalty of two years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing over 100 Pounds of FentanylRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Carlos Jordan Lopez, 29, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 10 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute approximately 107 pounds of fentanyl and approximately 39 pounds of cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 8, 2023, Lopez was stopped for a traffic infraction while driving northbound on Interstate 5 near Shields Avenue in Fresno County. A subsequent search of the trunk revealed a spare tire loaded with 28 packages containing approximately 485,000 fentanyl pills. Officers also located a bag that contained 18 “bricks” of cocaine powder.
This case was the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol, the California High Impact Investigation Team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Gilio and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Lewis prosecuted the case.
Fresno Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Sorondo Jr., 52, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 12 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine and cocaine as well as illegally possessing firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in January and February 2022, Sorondo conspired with others to possess and distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. On Feb. 1, 2022, when law enforcement officers tried to contact Sorondo, he fled and tossed a firearm over a chain-link fence. The officers apprehended Sorondo and then recovered the abandoned, loaded firearm. Two weeks later, a police officer arrested Sorondo in possession of another two firearms and about 100 counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Sorondo is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony convictions.
This case is the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Brown Brotherhood Gang Members Indicted for Drug and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On March 13, 2025, a federal grand jury returned four separate indictments against Brown Brotherhood Gang Members Leo Alphonzo Alonso-Medina, 32, of Vallejo; Jeremiah I’amafana Salanoa, 22, of Vallejo; Doroteo Suastegui, 47, of Vallejo; and Carlos Osvaldo Higuera-Aldana, 22, of Dixon, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, the Brown Brotherhood gang is a subset of the Sureño gang and has been a frequent target of investigations of the Vallejo Police Department and the Solano County Violent Crime Task Force. The primary criminal activities of this gang have included murder, robbery, extortion, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, burglary, and stolen vehicles. The current investigation began in February 2024 and led to searches and arrests on Feb. 27, 2025. FBI agents and task force officers arrested these four members of the Brown Brotherhood gang on that day for federal drug trafficking and firearms charges.
The indictment against Leo Alphonzo Alonso-Medina charges counts of distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, unlawful dealing in firearms, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Alonso-Medina faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
The indictment against Jeremiah I’amafana Salanoa charges three counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Salanoa faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
The indictment against Doroteo Suastegui charges counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and unlawful dealing in firearms. If convicted, Suastegui faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
Finally, the indictment against Carlos Osvaldo Higuera-Aldana charges three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Higuera-Aldana faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
These cases are the product of investigations by the FBI Violent Crime Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fairfield Police Department, the Vacaville Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, and the Solano County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, R. Alex Cárdenas, and Adrian Kinsella are prosecuting these four federal cases.
Any sentence imposed would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Three Men Indicted, Nearly 1,400 Pounds of Methamphetamine Seized, and Two Methamphetamine Labs DismantledRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 3-count superseding indictment today against three defendants, charging them with a drug trafficking conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
Alfredo Alvarez Sanchez, 37, and Raul Munoz Navarro, 54, both of Mexico, were arrested on December 11, 2024, during a coordinated law enforcement operation. Inosencio Cruz, 35, of Visalia, was arrested on March 11, 2025.
According to court documents, coordinated searches conducted on May 17, 2023, led to the seizure of nearly 1,000 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and 14 firearms. The operation involved the search of five properties in Tulare, Earlimart, and Corcoran. During the searches, law enforcement discovered and dismantled two active methamphetamine conversion laboratories. These labs contained numerous 55-gallon drums filled with liquid methamphetamine in various stages of conversion to crystal methamphetamine.
In addition to the seizures described above, law enforcement conducted a series of enforcement actions resulting in the seizure of significant quantities of methamphetamine, firearms, and other contraband destined for distribution in California’s Central Valley and beyond, including:
Nov. 30, 2023: 150 pounds of methamphetamine seized.
- Feb. 24, 2024: 200 pounds of methamphetamine confiscated.
- March 20, 2024: 25 pounds of methamphetamine and 4 pounds of marijuana seized.
Additionally, law enforcement recovered 11 firearms from an individual who attempted to conceal them following the seizure of methamphetamine on March 20, 2024.
Nov. 30, 2023 seizure of 150 pounds of methamphetamine.
Feb. 24, 2024 seizure of 200 pounds of methamphetamine.
March 20, 2024, seizure of 25 pounds of methamphetamine and 4 pounds of marijuana.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento Area Intelligence/Narcotics Task Force (SAINT), Multi-Jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team (Cal-MMET), Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Major Crimes Task Force, Fresno Police Department, Clovis Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Tulare County Tactical-High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (TNT-HIDTA), U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement-ERO. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Three Men Indicted for Conspiring to Distribute 150,000 Fentanyl Pills in Madera CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Jesus Valdez Castaneda, 28, of San Bernardino; Carlos German Fierro, 29, of Caruthers; and Alejandro Soto Mares, 43, of Mexico, charging them with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, the defendants conspired with other individuals to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl. The men arranged to sell 150,000 fentanyl pills in a strip mall parking lot in Madera on Feb. 21, 2025. Castaneda and Soto Mares arrived first and met with a co-conspirator who had agreed to buy the pills. After agreeing on price, Fierro and two other co-conspirators arrived with the pills in a second car.
Before completing the deal, the men went into a nearby Panda Express restaurant to order food. Nearby officers then converged on the men and arrested them. Officers seized 150,000 pills and two firearms.
Fentanyl pills and firearms seized on Feb. 21, 2025 in Madera
This case is the product of an investigation by the High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which is composed of personnel from the California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Madera County Sheriff’s Office, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Arin C. Heinz and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.
All defendants were detained and are in custody awaiting trial. If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years and maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine for the drug charge. Fierro faces an additional minimum statutory penalty of five years for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Postal Robberies While Armed with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — William Carl Jackson, 36, pleaded guilty to robbing a postal carrier while armed with a dangerous weapon, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Jackson robbed postal carriers on July 11, 2024, and July 31, 2024. During in each robbery, he brandished a fake pistol at the victim and then ordered the victim to turn over his postal keys. After taking the victim’s keys, he then fled from the scene on a bicycle.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Elliot C. Wong is prosecuting the case.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison and a maximum statutory fine of $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Oakland Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Yasmin Charisse Millett, 22, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, from June 2023 through September 2024, Millett and coconspirators committed at least 10 bank note robberies across a string of California cities, including Sacramento, Vallejo, Suisun City, Benicia, Concord, and Antioch. As part of the conspiracy, Millett would recruit and instruct others to enter banks or credit unions with sunglasses, a purse, and a threatening demand note. Generally, the demand notes would instruct the bank employees to provide money or “I will kill everyone in here.”
On July 17, 2023, Millett and two coconspirators used a stolen white Audi A7 with dark tinted windows to commit a bank robbery at a credit union located in Suisun City. Millett provided one of the coconspirators with instructions on how to commit the robbery. Millett waited in the vehicle while the coconspirator entered the bank and handed the threatening demand note to the credit union employee. The note demanded money and threatened to shoot the employee if the employee did not comply with the demand. After reading the note, the credit union employee gave the coconspirator money. After the coconspirator received money from the credit union employee, she returned to the waiting getaway vehicle. Millett and the coconspirators each took a portion of the stolen money.
The next day, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the stolen white Audi A7. Millett was the driver of the stolen car. During the traffic stop, law enforcement found bait money on Millett from the bank robbery that occurred the day prior in Suisun City, California. Law enforcement also found a crumpled post-it demand note on the driver’s seat that stated, “Don’t Make eye contact Don’t look suspicious Don’t Push emergency Button Put smile on your face or I will shoot.”
Charges remain pending against codefendants Dontae Jones Jr., 20, residing in Northern California with no fixed address, and JoMya Mauriyne Futch, 21, of Richmond. Those charges are only allegations, and Jones and Futch are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by FBI field offices in San Francisco and Sacramento, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department, Vacaville Police Department, Suisun City Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, Antioch Police Department, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Benicia Police Department, Concord Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Hayward Police Department, and Fremont Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.
Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley is scheduled to sentence Millett on June 26, 2025. Millett faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Stockton Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sean Arthur Robinson, 38, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday by Senior United States District Judge John A. Mendez to serve two years in prison followed three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, law enforcement officers recovered a Glock 27 semiautomatic firearm and a loaded high-capacity magazine inside a vehicle while serving a search warrant at Robinson’s residence in Stockton in September 2022. The firearm had previously been reported stolen from Sacramento. On the same day in September 2022, law enforcement officers also recovered two Glock switches inside a separate residence associated with Robinson in Fairfield. Robinson is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior convictions for elder abuse and for carrying a loaded firearm in public.
Law enforcement’s investigation into Robinson began at least as early as May 2021, when surveillance footage captured him engaging in a violent shootout at the Grand Hyatt Hotel near San Francisco International Airport. During this incident, Robinson and a compatriot attempted to carjack at least two other vehicles. Following the shootout, law enforcement officers seized a black duffel bag that surveillance footage captured Robinson carrying just before the firefight began, and that contained three illegal firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Lee and Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Roseville Man Sentenced to Three Years and Ten months in Prison for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Alex Altoh, 64, of Roseville, was sentenced Tuesday to three years and ten months in prison for money laundering conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Altoh was also ordered to pay $1,478,068.99 in restitution.
According to court documents, between January 2021 and November 2021, Altoh and his co-defendant Oumar Sidibe, 31, were involved in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds from two large business email compromise schemes, in which two corporate victims were tricked into making payments to bank accounts controlled by Altoh and another person, rather than to the intended beneficiaries of the payments. Altoh, Sidibe, and others then quickly withdrew a large portion of the funds by way of check deposits, which effectively transferred the funds, concealed their unlawful nature, and prevented them from being clawed back.
For instance, on October 26, 2021, an employee of a victim company was tricked into wiring approximately $3.5 million to Altoh’s account at Wells Fargo. That same day, in a span of less than two hours, Altoh withdrew money from the Wells Fargo account by depositing five checks in five separate transactions at multiple bank branches in the Sacramento area. One transaction included a check for $248,000 that Altoh wrote to himself and deposited into his own Chase bank account. In that one day, Altoh successfully withdrew approximately $1.1 million of the funds out of his Wells Fargo account, which was never recovered. Law enforcement traced Altoh and Sidibe to almost $3.9 million in laundered fraud proceeds.
Sidibe is yet to be apprehended. The charges against Sibide are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise N. Yasinow and Matthew Thuesen prosecuted the case.
Calaveras Man Pleads Guilty to Interstate Communication of Violent ThreatsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cedar Sky Montgomery, of Calaveras County, pleaded guilty today to three counts of interstate communication of threats of violence, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Montgomery used a cellphone and the internet to make threats to multiple different victims. In one instance, he threatened to kill a victim and have the victim “watch members of your family hanging from trees while your famil[y’]s Houses Burn to ground … .” On another occasion, Montgomery sent text and multimedia messages that threatened to kill a second victim and that victim’s brother, specifically threatening to “kill as many members of your family as I can find!” Montgomery also told the second victim that he would cut the victim’s fingers and hands “off your physical body.” With a third victim, Montgomery sent threatening voicemail messages saying, “the bomb maker is going to kill everybody in your [expletive] family, I’m going to burn your property down, I’m going to slit your [expletive] throat and I’m going to kill everybody in your family.”
Additionally, from late November 2023 through early January 2024, Montgomery used his mobile phone to repeatedly call and send hundreds of unwanted text and multimedia messages to a fourth victim’s mobile phone. Montgomery sent obscene cartoons and photos and told the victim he was trying to find the victim and threatening to kill the victim’s romantic partner. Montgomery similarly sent hundreds of unwanted messages to a victim, along with angry voicemails and images of a man’s throat being sliced by a sharp blade, combined with claims that Montgomery would find the victim and cut the victim into pieces.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Ripon Resident Agency of the Sacramento Field Office, the Los Angeles Field Office, and the Washington Field Office, with assistance from the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian T. Kinsella and Christina McCall are prosecuting the case.
Montgomery is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on June 9, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 per count of conviction, and the parties agree to recommend a total sentence of 30 months in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Benicia Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for $3.2 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Euan David MacGregor, formerly known as David Joseph Bean, 54, of Iowa City, Iowa, was sentenced by Senior Judge John A. Mendez to 41 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release for defrauding his former employer out of over $3.2 million, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. In addition, MacGregor was ordered to pay $3,217,456.41 in restitution to his victim.
According to court documents, between approximately November 2014 to January 2020, Euan MacGregor, then known as David Bean, used his position as a Chief Administrative Officer to execute a scheme to defraud his employer.
According to court documents, MacGregor defrauded his former employer in two ways. First, he diverted at least 122 checks made payable to his employer to bank accounts that he controlled. MacGregor did this by creating a shell corporation that had a business name similar to the name of his employer and depositing the checks into bank accounts that he opened in the name of the shell corporation. MacGregor then presented false financial information to the company’s president and shareholders, causing them to believe they had received the monies he diverted. In addition, MacGregor falsely represented to his employer that he was outsourcing his employer’s bookkeeping work to a third party, a company named Essential Business Services. In reality, Essential Business Services was another shell company that MacGregor created and controlled. MacGregor’s false representations caused his employer to pay Essential Business Services thousands of dollars each month for bookkeeping services that it did not perform. MacGregor used the money he fraudulently obtained to pay for personal expenses for him and his family, including mortgage payments, the payment of credit cards, educational expenses, travel, and the purchase or lease of vehicles.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Isaias Aroldo Contreras, 26, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Contreras’s Folsom residence in January 2023. During the search, law enforcement seized 992 fentanyl-laced pills that were made to look like oxycodone “M-30” pills, a loaded Glock 9mm pistol, over $31,000 in cash drug proceeds, a money counter, and numerous items of custom diamond jewelry including a Rolex watch with full-cut diamonds. On Contreras’s seized cell phone, law enforcement found messages from at least March 2020 through December 2022, between Contreras and drug suppliers and customers regarding the purchase and sale of counterfeit M-30 pills (in quantities ranging from hundreds of pills to thousands of pills) and cocaine in kilogram quantities.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Sacramento Area Intelligence/Narcotics Task Force (SAINT). Assistant United States Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.
Contreras is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge William B. Shubb on May 27, 2025. Contreras faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. As part of his plea agreement, Contreras also agreed to forfeit to the government $31,154 in cash and numerous items of seized jewelry that was seized from his residence.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Modesto Man Sentenced to Prison for 45 Years for Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. – Daniel Vincent Salazar, Jr., 29, of Modesto was sentenced today to 45 years in prison for his convictions on five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. After serving his prison sentence, Salazar will be subject to a 25-year term of supervised release during which his access to minors, electronic devices, and the internet will be restricted. He will also be required to register as sex offender.
According to court documents, Salazar used Instagram and Snapchat accounts on dates between December 2018 and January 2020 to contact minor females and coerce them into creating and sending to him images of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The females Salazar targeted were typically 12 to 14 years old. If victims refused to cooperate with Salazar’s demands, he threatened to send explicit images that he had already received to classmates and family members of victims. When one victim expressed suicidal thoughts in their chats, Salazar made comments such as “[t]hat’s on you. Not my fault,” and “[t]he cops can’t do nothing trust me.” Salazar has been in custody since his arrest on January 20, 2020.
The investigation was conducted by Patterson Police Services, the Los Banos and San Jose Police Departments, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Division of Adult Parole Operations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. – Peter Yang, 34, of Fresno, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor today, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, on dates between November 2021 and March 2022, Yang communicated with a 15-year-old victim in Missouri on the gaming platform Among Us, and then through Discord and FaceTime calls. Yang coerced the victim into creating and then transmitting sexually explicit images to Yang. Yang also discussed traveling from California to Missouri to meet the victim in person at a motel near the victim’s residence.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Christian County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case.
Yang faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for sexual exploitation of a minor when he is sentenced on July 14, 2025. Any sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Bakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing a Bomb and Being a Felon in Possession of a Destructive DeviceRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Robert Lawrence Hunt, 40, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to being a convicted felon in possession of a destructive device and manufacturing a destructive device, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between July 4 and 5, 2022, Hunt constructed a destructive device containing metal screws and explosives, which was likely to cause injury if detonated. The device was found at a community pool in a residential neighborhood. The defendant was residing at a home closest to the pool. Hunt, a convicted felon, was previously convicted in Kern County Superior Court of two robberies and a burglary and is prohibited from possessing or manufacturing firearms, including destructive or explosive devices.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Hunt, who has been detained pretrial since September 2024 as a danger to the community, is scheduled for sentencing on July 14, 2025. For being a felon in possession of a destructive device, Hunt faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 for and manufacturing a destructive device. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Vallejo Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Jeffrey Caldwell, 36, of Vallejo, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Caldwell was arrested after a standoff with the Vallejo Police Department SWAT Team. The arresting officers found that Caldwell was in possession of a privately manufactured firearm and accompanying ammunition. Caldwell is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to more than ten prior felony convictions in California and Arizona, including for assault, burglary, and stalking. This case was the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Caldwell faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Bakersfield Man Charged with Laser Strikes of Police HelicopterRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Brett Curtis Hair, 22, of Bakersfield, was arrested today for aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to the indictment, on Sept. 11, 2024, Hair aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter (Air One).
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), laser exposure can result in visual impairment and therefore poses a serious hazard to the safe operation of an aircraft. In 2024, the FAA received 12,840 reports of laser strikes from pilots.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Hair faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Stockton Man Pleads Guilty for His Role in Large-Scale Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jose Manuel Ontiveros Verdugo, 39, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess and distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between July 2019 and December 2019, Verdugo conspired with his co-defendants and others to distribute methamphetamine both in Stockton and throughout the country. During the investigation, an undercover source bought a total of 11 pounds of methamphetamine and a half pound of heroin from this drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement interdicted the group’s shipments of 50 pounds of methamphetamine destined for Nebraska, as well as a 21‑pound shipment destined for Pennsylvania.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, San Joaquin County Probation, the Stockton Police Department, and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Charges are pending against co-defendants Jorge Omar Arredondo Garcia, 46, of Lodi; Gregorio Ontiveros Verdugo, 41, of Morada; Alberto Navarro Zapata, 50, of Stockton; and Wilfredo Reyes, 48, of Manteca. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Verdugo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on June 16, 2025. Verdugo faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Kern County Resident Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Mark Garcia, 25, of Lamont, was sentenced today to two years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, in March 2021, Garcia and co-defendant Jorge Calderon-Campos, 44, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, received 26 pounds of methamphetamine from co-defendant Alberto Gomez-Santiago, 39, a Mexican national. Law enforcement officers later seized the drugs from Garcia’s vehicle during a traffic stop.
According to court documents, this drug transaction was one of many involving Calderon-Campos, who was the target of a federal wiretap investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than 86 pounds of methamphetamine and one kilogram of heroin. The wiretap investigation also uncovered an illegal cockfighting enterprise involving Calderon-Campos, who was charged in a second indictment with violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
Garcia was prosecuted for the 26-pound methamphetamine transaction in state court but was sentenced to only four days in jail. Both Gomez and Calderon-Campos pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and were sentenced to four years and nine months and eight years and one month in prison, respectively. Calderon-Campos was also sentenced to five years in prison for the animal fighting venture.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Clovis CPA Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $800,000 from a BankRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Kenneth Gould, 68, formerly of Clovis, pleaded guilty to bank larceny for stealing more than $800,000 from a bank, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.
According to court records, Gould was a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and operated a payroll services company in Clovis. From October 2017 through March 2018, he initiated several fraudulent electronic payments from one of his clients’ accounts to his payroll company’s account at the bank. Gould then withdrew the money in cashier’s checks while the payments were pending. After the bank had credited the fraudulent payments to the payroll company’s account for a short period of time, it realized there were insufficient funds to cover the payments, denied the payments, and attempted to recover its money, but it was too late. Approximately $830,000 of the credited funds was already gone. Gould gave the funds to the client from whose account he initiated the fraudulent payments because he had loaned that individual money and was hopeful that the individual would pay him back. Instead, the client gambled the money away.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Gould is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on June 2, 2025. Gould faces maximum statutory penalties of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.