Eastern District of California
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Tehama County Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eduardo Castillo, 39, of Corning, was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison for online enticement of a minor for sexual purposes, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Castillo had previously fled to Mexico to avoid prosecution; however, he was returned to the United States in August 2023 thanks to the collaboration of the FBI, Mexican law enforcement officials, and Mexican immigration officials.
According to court documents, between July 13, 2020, and Aug. 27, 2020, Castillo used a cellphone and the internet to entice at least five minor victims into sending him images and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
During that timeframe, Castillo posed as one or more teenage girls on social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram. Using images of teenage girls that he had downloaded from the internet, Castillo initiated chats and then exchanges of images with his male victims. Castillo then asked for child sexual abuse material in return, assuring his victims that the images and videos would be deleted. In reality, Castillo screen-recorded the videos and images and saved them on his devices.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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.
Project Safe Neighborhoods News for September 2024Read the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, 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. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announces the following actions in federal PSN cases.
Indictments
Anthony Carter, 22, of Elk Grove, and Isaiah Rowland, 28, of Antelope, were indicted on Aug. 15, 2024, each charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment was unsealed following their arrests on Sept. 5. According to court documents, Carter is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions for reckless evasion of a peace officer, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a person on probation. Rowland, too, is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions for robbery, failure to appear on a felony charge, and carrying a loaded firearm. This case is the result of the ongoing collaboration between the Sacramento Police Department and its local, state, and federal partners as part of a Public Safety Partnership (PSP) to address violent crime in the community. Started in 2022, the Sacramento PSP is a multi-faceted violence-reduction strategy that relies on innovative data-driven strategies to promote public and community safety. Participating PSP partners include: the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office, Sacramento FBI, Sacramento DEA, Sacramento ATF, the Sacramento U.S. Marshals, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zulkar Khan is prosecuting the case.
Richard Lee Dazo, 38, of West Sacramento, was indicted on Sept. 12, 2024, charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to court documents, on Aug. 13, 2024, Dazo was found to be in possession of a loaded Remington 870 shotgun and a pellet gun loaded with live ammunition. Dazo is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions for assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and criminal street gang activity, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of metal knuckles, and possession of a concealed dirk or dagger. This case is the product of an investigation by the West Sacramento Police Department, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and Yolo County District Attorney’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, defendants Carter, Rowland and Dazo face 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Guilty Plea
Sean Arthur Robinson, 37, of Stockton, pleaded guilty on Sept. 10, 2024, to illegal possession of a firearm. According to court documents, law enforcement officers recovered a loaded Glock 27 semi-automatic firearm and a loaded 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. 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 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 are prosecuting the case.
Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025. He 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.
Sentencings
Jacob Harding-Abeyta, 31, of Vallejo, was sentenced on Sept. 10, 2024, to four years and nine months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of cocaine for sale. According to court documents, on Oct. 7, 2020, a parole search of Harding-Abeyta’s residence resulted in the discovery of a loaded .45-caliber Springfield XDS firearm in his bedroom. Harding-Abeyta is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he was previously convicted in Solano County for attempted murder in 2014. Officers also discovered 39 grams of powder cocaine, a digital scale, plastic baggies, and other drug paraphernalia. A search of the defendant’s phone revealed that he was selling this and other cocaine. Additionally, Harding-Abeyta also admitted in his plea agreement that he committed obstruction of justice by attempting to suborn perjury of a witness during a prior evidentiary hearing in this case. This case was the product of an investigation by the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the ATF, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Haddy Abouzeid, Jason Hitt, Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
Sovan Leng, 34, of Stockton was sentenced on Sept. 10, 2024, to two years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Oct. 16, 2023, Leng was found to be in possession of a Glock-17 9 mm pistol. Leng is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to several prior felony convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of a stolen vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a controlled substance. This case was the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alstyn Bennett and Zulkar Khan 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.
San Joaquin County Skydiver Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Running Unauthorized Tandem Skydiving Instructor CoursesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Robert Allen Pooley, 49, of Acampo, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to two years in prison for wire fraud related to tandem skydiving instructor courses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Pooley was convicted by a federal jury in May 2024 after a seven-day trial.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2010, Pooley obtained ratings as a “tandem examiner” with the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA) and with Uninsured United Parachute Technologies LLC (UPT), a manufacturer of tandem parachute systems. He then began conducting training courses for candidates seeking to obtain their USPA Tandem Instructor ratings and/or their certifications to use UPT tandem parachute systems. The Tandem Instructor certifications Pooley provided enabled students to conduct tandem jumps with members of the public throughout the United States and abroad. Pooley charged money for these courses and conducted them at a skydiving business located in Acampo.
In August 2015, USPA and UPT suspended Pooley’s tandem examiner ratings, which meant that he could no longer conduct the tandem instructor courses on his own. Nevertheless, he continued running USPA and UPT tandem instructor rating courses without authorization, and he concealed his suspensions from tandem instructor candidates. Pooley falsely told students that he was a tandem examiner, led them to believe they could obtain USPA and UPT tandem ratings through his courses, hid the fact that he had been suspended, and helped students fill out USPA and UPT rating paperwork to further the impression that the students would legitimately get their tandem ratings through his courses.
As part of the scheme, Pooley used a digital image of the signature of another properly rated USPA and UPT tandem examiner to sign off on training that Pooley himself had conducted when the other tandem examiner was not even in the country. In 2016, Pooley accepted numerous students in this manner from around the world, including the Republic of Korea, Chile, and Mexico. Each student paid approximately $1,100 for these courses. The signed documents that Pooley provided some of the students led them to believe they were certified to conduct tandem skydives with members of the public. On Aug. 6, 2016, one such student fell to his death in a tandem skydiving accident with a customer who also perished. After those deaths, numerous victims of Pooley’s scheme asked for their money back, but he did not repay them, and several students had to pay for entirely new tandem instructor courses at other locations. In sentencing Pooley, Judge Shubb found that Pooley’s offense involved a conscious or reckless risk of death or serious bodily injury and, based on that finding, applied a sentencing enhancement.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Dhruv M. Sharma prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Finds Fresno Woman Tied to M30 King of Fresno Guilty of Trafficking Fentanyl, Cocaine, and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Friday, Sept. 27, after a four-day trial, a federal jury found Alma Lucia Garza, 23, of Fresno, guilty of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine as well as possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Garza was a trusted assistant of the self-proclaimed M30 King of Fresno, Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr. Between Nov. 2, 2021, and March 31, 2022, Garza conspired with Torrecillas Urias and others to obtain, directly from sources in Mexico, tens of thousands of counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills and large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine. The conspiracy included the distribution of these illicit drugs to drug dealers inside and outside of California. On Jan. 27, 2022, Garza mailed a package containing cocaine and methamphetamine to a co-defendant in New Mexico. Law enforcement seized the package before it arrived at its destination. On Feb. 9, 2022, Garza traveled with Torrecillas Urias to Sanger to deliver thousands of pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine. Those pills were seized by law enforcement during the execution of a residential search warrant two days later.
At the conclusion of the investigation, the United States charged Garza, Torrecillas Urias, and 17 others. With the verdict in today’s case, all defendants have pleaded or been found guilty. Sentencing in Garza’s case is set for Jan. 6, 2025. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years 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.
The case is the result of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Clovis Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca 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.
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.
Former UC Davis and Davis Club Water Polo Coach Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Distribution of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Daniel Joseph Noble, 28, residing in San Diego County, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to seven years and three months in prison for knowing distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Noble was also ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
According to court records, between March 10, 2022, and April 12, 2022, Noble participated in a Kik private group chat dedicated to sharing videos of children being sexually abused or exploited. Noble shared over a dozen video files with the Kik group. Some of those files that Noble shared showed prepubescent minors being sexually and sadistically abused by adults. At the time he engaged in this conduct, Noble was working as the assistant water polo coach for UC Davis men’s team and the associated youth team.
“This sentence of more than seven years sends a clear message that this content and the horrific abuse it depicts is neither legal nor acceptable in our society,” Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office stated. “The FBI continues to make the pursuit of individuals who produce, share, and consume content that is the result of abuse of a child a top priority. We are deeply committed to working with our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in an effort to protect children.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Sacramento and in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall 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 exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Mexican National Gets 6 Years in Prison for Leading $25 Million Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Miguel Martinez, 39, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, was sentenced today to six years in prison for leading a $25 million fraud against the IRS, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
“Martinez sought to steal millions in taxpayer funds meant to provide services for us all,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Today’s sentence is fitting for someone who embodies such reckless disregard for the law. This office will continue our efforts to bring to justice those who would organize and lead such schemes.”
“Miguel Martinez’s involvement in this complex tax scheme ultimately earned him six years in prison. IRS-CI special agents worked extremely hard day in and day out to dismantle this group of bad actors who preyed on innocent, hardworking taxpayers, and the United States government,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. “Today’s sentencing is a true reflection of the collaborative commitment between IRS-CI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the people in our communities, uphold a fair tax system, and bring justice to light.”
According to court records, from November 2019 through June 2023, Martinez led a scheme to file hundreds of fraudulent tax returns that claimed millions of dollars in refunds. Martinez used stolen identities to create fake businesses and report phony wage and withholding information for the businesses to the IRS. He then submitted hundreds of individual income tax returns to the IRS in the names of still other individuals whose identities he had also stolen, claiming that those individuals worked for the fake businesses and were owed tax refunds based on the phony wage and withholding information that had been reported.
Martinez used several people to help him carry out the scheme. This included Martinez’s co‑defendant, Victor Cruz, who was a tax return preparer in Bakersfield and is alleged to have helped to file some of the fraudulent tax returns. It also included a former IRS tax examiner who gave Martinez advice on how to avoid the IRS’ fraud detection systems. In exchange, Martinez paid them thousands of dollars and took them out to lavish dinners.
As a result of the scheme, the IRS paid out $2.3 million in tax refunds. When federal agents arrested Martinez and searched his three homes, he was found with $750,000 in fraudulent tax refund checks, identification cards for more than 200 individuals, and multiple firearms that he could not lawfully possess due to his illegal status in the United States.
Importantly, Martinez lied to government agents when he was first interviewed in the beginning of the investigation. Martinez initially said that he had no knowledge of, or involvement in, tax preparation for others, and that he just sold gold and ran a party rental business. He also said that he did not know others who were involved in the scheme and that he did not have any relevant text messages or other evidence. Those statements, however, were later contradicted by his conviction in this case.
This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Henry Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.
Victor Cruz is awaiting trial. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Aryan Brotherhood Prison Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Corbett, 52, of Paradise, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to life in prison for murder in aid of racketeering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between 2011 and 2016, Aryan Brotherhood (AB) members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. AB members oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their California prison cells using smuggled cellphones to direct drug trafficking activities, order murders, and oversee other criminal activities inside and outside of the prisons.
According to Corbett’s plea agreement, on July 28, 2018, Corbett murdered an inmate at High Desert Prison as part of an AB-related killing. Corbett admitted that he committed the murder because the victim falsely claimed to be an AB member and had run up a significant drug debt at his previous prison — both violations of the AB’s expected codes of conduct. Corbett willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation, murdered the victim in order to maintain his status within the gang.
On Jan. 3, 2024, Corbett’s co-defendant in the murder, Pat Brady, 54, pleaded guilty to the same murder in aid of racketeering. He was sentenced to life in prison on Aug. 5, 2024.
In April 2024, following a nine-week trial, a federal jury found three of Corbett’s co-defendants guilty of RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to murder, murder in aid of racketeering, and multiple counts of drug trafficking. Ronald Yandell, 62, and Billy Sylvester, 56, are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller on Nov. 19, 2024. Danny Troxell, 71, will be sentenced at a date to be set by the Court.
During a status conference today, Kathleen Nolan, 70, of Calimesa, entered a guilty plea for her part in the drug trafficking conspiracy with AB members and associates. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17, 2024. Charges are pending against Kevin MacNamara, 44, of La Palma. The charges against him 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 Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer are prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. 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.
Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ricardo Sanchez, 32, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 20, 2023, law enforcement officers found Sanchez to be in possession of a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. Sanchez is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions, including conspiracy to commit a crime and inflicting injury on a spouse/cohabitant or fellow parent.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.
Sanchez is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2025, by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb. Sanchez 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 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 the result of the ongoing collaboration between the Sacramento Police Department and its local, state, and federal partners as part of a Public Safety Partnership (PSP) to address violent crime in our community. Started in 2022, the Sacramento PSP is a multifaceted violence-reduction strategy that relies on innovative data-driven strategies to promote public and community safety. Participating PSP partners include the Sacramento County’s District Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins with Federal Bar Association and Law Schools to Hold Third Annual Sacramento Region Diversity Career FairRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — For the third year running, the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair, held Sept. 21, 2024, connected employers with diverse legal candidates for future and current job openings in the greater Sacramento area. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, the UC Davis School of Law, and the Federal Bar Association Sacramento Chapter made the joint announcement following today’s event.
The Diversity Career Fair provided law students and attorneys with the opportunity to connect in person with over 65 employers from the private and public sectors. Starting with a panel discussion that featured state and federal judges as well as the managing partner of a national law firm, the day continued with employer table talks, and concluded with a reception during which students, attorneys, and employers could relax and continue their conversations. The Diversity Career Fair is the first legal career fair in the Sacramento region with an online platform where employers can post legal jobs and law students and attorneys can submit applications. In addition to the opportunity to talk to employers at their tables, this year the Diversity Career Fair included both interview and résumé collection components. A wide variety of employers, bar associations, law students, attorneys, and judges attended the Diversity Career Fair held at the McGeorge School of Law campus.
“The Sacramento region has amazing public and private legal employers, and the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair shows the strength of that community and its commitment to diversity,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “This annual program proves the importance of working with our law schools, bar associations, and the larger legal community, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to sponsoring it.”
“The Diversity Career Fair is a wonderful opportunity for our students and legal employers to meet on our beautiful campus and get to know each other,” McGeorge School of Law Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz said. “For a law school like McGeorge that is one of the most diverse law schools in the country and is in a city, Sacramento, that is one of our country’s most diverse cities, this fair is a perfect fit.”
“It is truly an inspiration to see so many employers committed to diversifying the legal profession,” UC Davis School of Law Dean Jessica Berg said. “Equity and inclusion are driving principles at UC Davis Law, and it is an honor to be included with our incredible partners in this groundbreaking Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair as we work together to create invaluable opportunities for our students.”
“FBA Sacramento is proud to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the law schools, and local affinity bar associations to enrich our legal community by welcoming diverse applicants into the Sacramento Region’s legal workforce,” said Victoria Boesch, President of the Sacramento Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
The panel discussion featured Sacramento Superior Court Judge Jerome Price, U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison Claire (E.D. Cal.), and Stoel Rives LLP Managing Partner Melissa A. Jones.
The Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair was co-sponsored by all of the affinity bar associations in Sacramento, including the Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento (ABAS), Cruz Reynoso Bar Association, the Disability Bar Association of Sacramento (DIBAS), Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association, Sacramento Filipino American Lawyers Association (SacFALA), South Asian Bar Association (SABA), SacLegal Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, Wiley Manuel Bar Association (WMBA), Women Lawyers of Sacramento (WLS), the Yolo Unity Bar, and by the Sacramento County Bar Association.
For more information: https://www.sacramentodiversitycareerfair.org/..
Former Registered Sex Offender in Fresno Indicted for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against Darren Keith Sever, 55, of Fresno, charging him with receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April 4, 2024, and June 4, 2024, Sever received at least one visual depiction of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Sever has a prior conviction that required him to register as a sex offender up until April 17, 2024.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Sever faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, and up to 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 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.
Inmate and Others Indicted for Committing More Than $550 Million in Tax FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Kristopher Thomas, 36, Charmane Dozier, 44, Kettisha Thompson-Dozier, 55, and Sharon Vance, 36, with conspiracy to commit tax fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Thomas is currently serving a 50-year to life sentence at the Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) in Delano, California, for a gang-related murder that he committed in the Los Angeles area in 2010. Dozier is married to Thompson-Dozier, who is Thomas’ mother, and they live in Waldorf, Maryland. Vance is one of Thomas’ girlfriends and lives in Hawthorne, California. The defendants were previously arrested in February 2024 on a federal criminal complaint.
According to court records, in mid-2022, a DEA investigation found that Thomas was leading a drug trafficking organization operating in Delano from his prison cell at KVSP using contraband cellphones and prison-issued tablets.
Intercepted drug-related communications to and from Thomas’ cellphones and tablets showed that he was also running a multimillion-dollar tax fraud scheme with Dozier, Thompson-Dozier, and Vance. The DEA requested assistance from IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI on the tax fraud scheme.
The defendants’ tax fraud scheme exploited the IRS Employee Retention Credit (ERC). The ERC was enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage businesses to retain their employees by giving the businesses thousands of dollars in refundable tax credits per employee retained from March 2020 through December 2021. The amount of the ERC was determined by the number of employees the businesses had and the wages paid to those employees. The credit was claimed and paid out based on payroll tax returns that were filed quarterly.
The defendants filed fraudulent payroll tax returns for fabricated, existing, and defunct businesses that misrepresented the number of employees the businesses had, and the wages paid to those employees to increase the amount of the ERC that the businesses received to claim large tax refunds. They obtained the information for the businesses through various means, including from their family members, friends, acquaintances, and, at times, engaging in identity theft. They also solicited businesses to let them apply for the ERC on their behalf in exchange for exorbitant commissions.
Altogether, from January 2022 through July 2023, the defendants filed hundreds of fraudulent payroll tax returns claiming over $550 million in tax refunds. The refunds were sought on behalf of over 100 businesses and several million dollars was actually paid out. The money was used for personal expenditures, including jewelry and trips to Disney World and Las Vegas. For the Las Vegas trip, Thomas paid to have attendees driven to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, party for the night at a luxury penthouse, and fly back to Los Angeles on a private jet.
This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Jeffrey Spivak are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants each face maximum statutory penalties of 10 years in prison. Thomas has also been indicted in a separate, federal methamphetamine trafficking case where he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
thomas_et_al._tax_fraud_indictment.pdfIndian National Indicted for Possessing Methamphetamine in BakersfieldRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Darmanjot Singh, 29, an Indian national residing in Ontario, California, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Singh engaged in a high-speed pursuit with law enforcement officers that ended when Singh crashed his car. A search of Singh’s car resulted in the discovery of two packages containing approximately 5 pounds of methamphetamine.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bakersfield Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Singh faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million 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.
Former Susanville Nurse Practitioner Charged in Superseding Indictment with Additional Counts of Sexual Crimes Against ChildrenRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today against Bradley Earl Reger, 68, of Susanville, charging him with seven additional violations of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and coercion and enticement, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Reger sexually abused more than a dozen victims under the guise of conducting purported medical examinations at his nursing clinic in Susanville, and in hotel rooms and camp sites all over the world. Reger was a licensed nurse practitioner with the California Board of Registered Nursing from 2003 until Oct. 18, 2023, when the Board of Registered Nursing revoked his license.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina McCall and Roger Yang are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Reger faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison for the most serious charged count and a $250,000 fine per count, plus up to a lifetime 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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Sacramento Division and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are seeking to identify potential victims of Bradley Reger. If you believe that you and/or your minor dependent(s) were victimized by Reger at any time, in the United States or abroad, or have information relevant to this investigation, please complete the online form available at: www.fbi.gov/RegerVictims. Additionally, if you know of someone else who may have been victimized by Bradley Reger, please encourage them to complete the form.
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.
Tracy Woman Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Fraudulent Scheme to Steal California Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kaymeisha Keyes, 33, of Tracy, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to nine years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Keyes was also ordered to pay $1,116,683 in restitution.
According to court documents, between April 2020 and August 2021, Keyes executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing more than 70 fraudulent unemployment benefit claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Keyes collected personally identifiable information of numerous individuals — including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers — and used their identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The filings represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because, for example, the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Keyes did not have authority to file claims on their behalf.
Since at least October 2021, EDD partnered with ID.me — a private company used by the EDD for ID verification of claimants — to implement a system for verifying claimant identities before EDD can process unemployment insurance claims. In executing this fraudulent scheme, Keyes submitted false information to ID.me that allowed fake and stolen identities to be verified. This false information included images of fake driver’s licenses that contained photos of Keyes and co-schemers and the names of the purported claimants. She also submitted photos of herself and co-schemers that were used to verify the photos on the fake driver’s licenses. Once these false identities were verified, Keyes filed the fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD under the same identities.
In the fraudulent unemployment insurance applications, Keyes requested that the unemployment insurance benefits be mailed to various addresses under her control, including her residence in Tracy. EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out EDD debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Keyes then activated the EDD debit cards and spent the benefits on herself. The scheme sought over $2 million in unemployment insurance benefits and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $1.1 million.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Office of Correctional Safety, and the California EDD – Investigation Division with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Anthony Coates, 28, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Coates distributed 1 pound of methamphetamine in March 2024 and 3 pounds of methamphetamine in April 2024.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from members of the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Citrus Heights Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.
Coates is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Coates 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.
Modesto Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Five MinorsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Daniel Vincent Salazar Jr., 28, of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between December 2018 and January 2020, Salazar used Instagram and Snapchat accounts to contact minor females and coerce them into creating and sending to him images of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. 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.
Salazar is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 13, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Salazar faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum of-30 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 and a possible lifetime of supervised release. He will also be ordered to pay restitution to victims. 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 Patterson Police Services, the Los Banos and San Jose Police Departments, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Division of Adult Parole Operations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting 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.
Armenian National Sentenced for Assaulting an Immigration Detention OfficerRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Arsen Tonoyan, 48, an Armenian national formerly residing in Los Angeles, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution for assaulting a federal officer or employee that inflicted bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on March 7, 2022, Tonoyan assaulted a detention officer at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Golden State Annex detention center in Kern County. Tonoyan walked up to the detention officer and hit the officer multiple times. He punched the officer, put the officer into a chokehold, and took the officer down to the ground. The officer suffered bodily injuries as a result of the attack, including a concussion, back injuries, and other injuries requiring immediate medical attention.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple prosecuted the case.
Arizona Man Indicted for Offenses Involving Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Thursday, charging Anthony Dalton Wolff, 42, of Surprise, Arizona, with distribution of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and attempted coercion and enticement, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between March 16, 2023, and July 30, 2024, Wolff met and then communicated with an undercover federal agent on a forum on the dark web dedicated to discussion of child sexual abuse. The undercover agent had established a profile for a mother with a seven-year-old daughter. Wolff contacted the agent and immediately stated that he had a long-standing sexual interest in girls, and he hoped to have a sexual relationship with the agent and her purported daughter. Wolff moved the communications to Telegram, a fully encrypted application that does not cooperate with law enforcement, and frequently sent videos of himself while viewing and commenting on some of his favorite child exploitation videos. He planned to meet the agent and her daughter in California and described in graphic detail how he wanted to sexually abuse the girl and to have another child with the mother so he could sexually abuse that child.
On Aug. 28, 2024, federal agents served a search warrant at Wolff’s residence and seized the devices that had been used to commit the charged offenses. A federal magistrate judge in Phoenix, Arizona, ordered Wolff detained as a danger to the community, and he will appear before a magistrate judge in Fresno as soon as he arrives in the Eastern District of California.
Law enforcement believes there may be additional victims in this case and urges anyone with information to come forward by calling the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's (NCMEC) website.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, principally Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the distribution count, Wolff faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of the attempted coercion count, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to a maximum of life in prison and a fine of up to $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. 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.
Texas Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Children OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today, charging Thomas Henry Lopez, 49, of Spring, Texas, with two counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between June 2024 and July 2024, Lopez contacted two minors in California through TikTok and then communicated with them through text messages and the encrypted application JusTalk. Lopez purported to be a 12-year-old male from Texas and requested that the victims create and then send to him still and video images of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. While communicating with the victims, Lopez sent them images of adults and minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct as well as images of himself masturbating. Investigators were able to identify Lopez by determining that he was using internet connections at his residence and at his Houston workplace, where he was the principal wells engineer for an oil and gas company, when communicating with the victims. FBI agents arrested Lopez on Sept. 3, 2024, just as he was leaving on a work-related trip to Singapore, and numerous electronic devices were recovered during a search of his residence. He will appear before a federal magistrate judge in Houston, Texas, on Sept. 13, 2024.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, principally the Kingsburg, California Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.
If convicted Lopez, faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the counts of sexual exploitation of children, and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for distribution of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted of the transfer of obscene material to a minor count, Lopez faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $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. 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.
Placer County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation ChargeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Paul Hughes, 41, of Colfax, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between September 2018 and June 2019, on three separate occasions Hughes created visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hughes used a cellphone to surreptitiously record at least three videos containing child sexual abuse material and saved them on an external hard drive. In addition to these videos, agents recovered over 3,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material on Hughes’s external hard drive and Google account.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.
Hughes is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Hughes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 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.
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 Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Sell Methamphetamine and Heroin in Sacramento and Solano CountiesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nancy Dalila Escobar Garcia, 35, of Sacramento County, was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiring to possess and distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Nancy Garcia conspired with her husband Michael Garcia (a co‑defendant in this case) to sell methamphetamine and heroin in Sacramento and Solano Counties. Nancy Garcia began this conspiracy with her husband while he was serving a state sentence for narcotics offenses at the Tulare County Jail.
In furtherance of this conspiracy, Nancy Garcia met with an FBI confidential informant on three separate occasions and personally sold the informant a total of 4 pounds of methamphetamine. During these meetings, Nancy Garcia began to negotiate a firearms sale with the informant and was present at the illegal firearms sale described below. Nancy Garcia also admitted that she and her husband bought a home in Arizona with drug proceeds. Nancy Garcia pleaded guilty on May 21, 2024, and as part of her plea agreement, she is assisting the United States in the forfeiture of this home.
Once out of state custody, Michael Garcia continued the conspiracy to sell methamphetamine and heroin. He also set up a deal with co-defendant Tylor Combs to sell firearms to the informant. Nancy Garcia, Michael Garcia, and Tylor Combs were present at this illegal firearms deal, which involved 10 firearms, including an unserialized machine gun sometimes called a “ghost gun” that is untraceable.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Tylor Combs pleaded guilty to to counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. On Nov. 12, 2021, he was sentenced to six years and six months in prison.
Michael Garcia has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody. The charges are only allegations; Michael Garcia 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 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.
Madera Man Convicted of Firearms Violations 3 Months After Being Convicted in Jan. 6 Capitol Breach Trial in Washington, D.C.Read the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Following a one-day trial in Fresno, Benjamin Martin, 46, of Madera, was convicted today of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to evidence presented at trial and other court records, in September 2021, the FBI executed a search warrant at Martin’s residence in Madera and arrested him on charges filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for the breach of the U.S. Capitol that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021. During the search, the FBI found eight guns, including an AR-15 style assault rifle, multiple high-capacity magazines for the AR-15, and more than 500 rounds of ammunition. Martin was prohibited from possessing these items because of his prior domestic violence conviction, and resulting restraining order, for choking his then girlfriend and dragging her back into the house after she tried to flee.
Shortly after his arrest, Martin was caught on a recorded jail call where he instructed his then fiancée to lie to authorities and tell them that the firearms seized from his residence belonged to her and her father and that he did not know about them. She agreed to do so.
Martin also recently went to trial in the Capitol breach case in Washington, D.C., where the evidence showed that he held a door to the Capitol open while officers tried to close it. He kept the door open so that other rioters could spray chemical irritants and throw objects at the officers. Martin was convicted on all counts, which included two felonies for civil disorder and obstructing an official proceeding.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton, Robert Veneman-Hughes, and Michael Tierney are prosecuting the case.
Martin is scheduled to be sentenced in the firearms case in Fresno on Nov. 25, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Martin faces up to 15 years in prison and a 250,000 fine for that case. He is scheduled to be sentenced in the Capitol breach case in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 15, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras. He faces additional imprisonment and fines in that case. The actual sentences, 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 press release for Martin’s conviction in the Capitol breach case can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/california-man-convicted-felony-and-misdemeanor-charges-actions-during-jan-6-capitol
Child Sex Predator Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sean E. Karjala, 53, formerly of Red Bluff, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 30 years in prison and a life term of supervised release for production of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Karjala’s federal sentence will be served concurrently with his state sentence of 36 years to life for the attempted murder of a California Highway Patrol Officer.
According to court documents, in 2013, Karjala engaged in a months-long inappropriate sexual relationship with a minor female victim after she answered an online Craigslist advertisement. Karjala repeatedly raped the minor victim and subjected her to bondage and other physical abuse. Karjala manipulated the victim into sexual activity with another female and took photos of the activity with his cellphone camera.
After Karjala communicated with an undercover police officer whom he believed was another minor female, investigators searched Karjala’s residence. During the search, investigators found multiple sexual bondage materials including a matching pink and white ankle and wrist cuff set and a collar that Karjala had described in conversations with the undercover officer. They also found clothing commonly associated with younger females and a photo of Karjala and the victim. In Karjala’s vehicle, investigators found a duffle bag containing a bondage manual, condoms, and a local high school counseling slip with the victim’s name. Investigators also located numerous images on Karjala’s cellphone of the victim engaged in sexual acts with another female.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Tehama County District Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heiko P. Coppola and Roger Yang 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.
Leaders of Transnational Terrorist Group Charged with Soliciting Hate Crimes, Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials, and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Dallas Humber, 34, of Elk Grove, California, and Matthew Allison, 37, of Boise, Idaho — leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — were charged with a 15-count indictment for soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Humber and Allison were arrested on Friday by law enforcement officials.
“Today’s indictment charges the defendants with leading a transnational terrorist group dedicated to attacking America’s critical infrastructure, targeting a hit list of our country’s public officials, and carrying out deadly hate crimes — all in the name of violent white supremacist ideology,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s arrests are a warning that committing hate-fueled crimes in the darkest corners of the internet will not hide you, and soliciting terrorist attacks from behind a screen will not protect you. The United States Department of Justice will find you, and we will hold you accountable.”
“We allege that the leaders of Terrorgram charged today are a threat to public safety and the rule of law,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Using the Telegram platform, they advanced their heinous white supremacist ideology, solicited hate crimes, and provided guidance and instructions for terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure and assassinations of government officials. Today’s action reaffirms that the Department of Justice will not tolerate this alleged abhorrent conduct. It has no place in America or anywhere else. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, apprehend, and hold accountable anyone who engages in such activity, no matter where they are located.”
“These defendants are alleged to be the leaders of Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that our investigation found is responsible for soliciting hate crimes and the murder of government officials and providing support to terrorists,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Whether motivated by racial bias or antagonism toward government and societal norms, such behavior will not be tolerated. Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and working with our partners we are committed to investigating and holding accountable those who break the laws and assist violent actors in lethal plots.”
“Hate crimes fueled by bigotry and white supremacy, and amplified by the weaponization of digital messaging platforms, are on the rise and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This indictment charges the leaders of a transnational terrorist group with several civil rights violations, including soliciting others to engage in hate crimes and terrorist attacks against Black, immigrant, LGBT, and Jewish people. Make no mistake, as hate groups turn to online platforms, the federal government is adapting and responding to protect vulnerable communities. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Americans, and we will resolutely strive to bring to justice those who seek to threaten, undermine, or extinguish it.”
“As alleged, Humber and Allison, the leaders of Terrorgram, conspired to provide material support and solicited attacks on federal officials and critical government infrastructure, including federal buildings and energy facilities,” said Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division. “Today’s charges demonstrate the Justice Department’s resolve to bring every available tool to bear in countering threats of violent extremists and protecting Americans.”
“The defendants solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “They also doxed and solicited the murder of federal officials, conspired to provide material support to terrorists, and distributed information about explosives that they intended to be used in committing crimes of violence. My office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the Justice Department to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law. I would like to thank the FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and National Security Division for their partnership in support of the common mission to keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.”
According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, Humber and Allison are the leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that operates on the digital messaging platform Telegram, where it promotes white supremacist accelerationism: an ideology centered on the belief that the white race is superior; that society is irreparably corrupt and cannot be saved by political action; and that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government and the rise of a white ethnostate.
The indictment alleges that Humber and Allison, as leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, contributed to and disseminated several Terrorgram videos and publications that provide specific advice for carrying out crimes, celebrate white supremacist attacks, and provide a hit list of “high-value targets” for assassination. The hit list included U.S. federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of private companies and non-governmental organizations, many of whom were targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Humber and Allison are alleged to have operated Terrorgram channels and group chats, where they solicited Terrorgram users to commit attacks in order to achieve Terrorgram’s goals of accelerationism and white supremacy and provided instructions and guidance to equip Terrorgram users to carry out those attacks. These attacks include but are not limited to:
- Bias-motivated attacks against those deemed by Terrorgram to be enemies of the white race;
- Terrorist attacks on government infrastructure, such as government buildings and energy facilities, which Terrorgram believes will ignite a race war and help accelerate the collapse of government and society; and
- Attacks on “high-value targets” — like politicians and government officials — whose murders Terrorgram believes would sow chaos and further accelerate the government’s downfall.
They also incited Terrorgram users to commit attacks in furtherance of white supremacist accelerationism, including the following individuals who were allegedly inspired or guided by Humber, Allison, and other members of the Terrorgram Collective to carry out attacks or were planning to do so when they were arrested by law enforcement:
- An individual who shot three people (killing two) outside of an LGBT bar in Slovakia;
- An individual who planned an attack on energy facilities in New Jersey; and
- An individual who stabbed five people near a mosque in Turkey.
The indictment charges Humber and Allison with a total of 15 counts, including one count of conspiracy, four counts of soliciting hate crimes, three counts of soliciting the murder of federal officials, three counts of doxing federal officials, one count of threatening communications, two counts of distributing bombmaking instructions, and one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.
If convicted of all charges, Humber and Allison each face a maximum penalty of 220 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Sacramento Field Office and FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency, investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
View the indictment here.
Leaders of Transnational Terrorist Group Charged with Soliciting Hate Crimes, Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Justice Department announced today that Dallas Humber, 34, of Elk Grove, California, and Matthew Allison, 37, of Boise, Idaho — leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — were charged with a 15-count indictment for soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Humber and Allison were arrested on Friday by law enforcement officials.
“Today’s indictment charges the defendants with leading a transnational terrorist group dedicated to attacking America’s critical infrastructure, targeting a hit list of our country’s public officials, and carrying out deadly hate crimes – all in the name of violent white supremacist ideology,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s arrests are a warning that committing hate-fueled crimes in the darkest corners of the internet will not hide you, and soliciting terrorist attacks from behind a screen will not protect you. The United States Department of Justice will find you, and we will hold you accountable.”
“The defendants solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “They also doxed and solicited the murder of federal officials, conspired to provide material support to terrorists, and distributed information about explosives that they intended to be used in committing crimes of violence. My office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law. I would like to thank the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and National Security Division for their partnership in support of the common mission to keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.”
“The leaders of Terrorgram charged today are a threat to public safety and the rule of law,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “Using the Telegram platform, they advanced their heinous white supremacist ideology, solicited hate crimes, and provided guidance and instructions for terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure and assassinations of government officials. Today’s action reaffirms that the Department of Justice will not tolerate this alleged abhorrent conduct. It has no place in America or anywhere else. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, apprehend, and hold accountable anyone who engages in such activity, no matter where they are located.”
“Hate crimes fueled by bigotry and white supremacy, and amplified by the weaponization of digital messaging platforms, are on the rise and have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This indictment charges the leaders of a transnational terrorist group with several civil rights violations, including soliciting others to engage in hate crimes and terrorist attacks against Black, immigrant, LGBT, and Jewish people. Make no mistake, as hate groups turn to these online platforms, the federal government is adapting and responding to protect vulnerable communities. The Justice Department is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Americans, and we will resolutely strive to bring to justice those who seek to threaten, undermine, or extinguish it.”
“These defendants are alleged to be the leaders of Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that our investigation found is responsible for soliciting hate crimes and the murder of government officials and providing support to terrorists,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Whether motivated by racial bias or antagonism toward government and societal norms, such behavior will not be tolerated. Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and working with our partners we are committed to investigating and holding accountable those who break the laws and assist violent actors in lethal plots.”
According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, Humber and Allison are the leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that operates on the digital messaging platform Telegram, where it promotes white supremacist accelerationism: an ideology centered on the belief that the white race is superior; that society is irreparably corrupt and cannot be saved by political action; and that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government and the rise of a white ethnostate.
The indictment alleges that Humber and Allison, as leaders of the Terrorgram Collective, contributed to and disseminated several Terrorgram videos and publications that provide specific advice for carrying out crimes, celebrate white supremacist attacks, and provide a hit list of “high-value targets” for assassination. The hit list included U.S. federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of private companies and non-governmental organizations, many of whom were targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Humber and Allison are alleged to have operated Terrorgram channels and group chats, where they solicited Terrorgram users to commit attacks in order to achieve Terrorgram’s goals of accelerationism and white supremacy and provided instructions and guidance to equip Terrorgram users to carry out those attacks. These attacks include but are not limited to:
- Bias-motivated attacks against those deemed by Terrorgram to be enemies of the white race;
- Terrorist attacks on government infrastructure, such as government buildings and energy facilities, which Terrorgram believes will ignite a race war and help accelerate the collapse of government and society;
- Attacks on “high-value targets” – like politicians and government officials –whose murders Terrorgram believes would sow chaos and further accelerate the government’s downfall.
They also incited Terrorgram users to commit attacks in furtherance of white supremacist accelerationism, including the following individuals who were allegedly inspired or guided by Humber, Allison, and other members of the Terrorgram Collective to carry out attacks or were planning to do so when they were arrested by law enforcement:
- An individual who shot three people (killing two) outside of an LGBTQI+ bar in Slovakia;
- An individual who planned an attack on energy facilities in New Jersey; and
- An individual who stabbed five people near a mosque in Turkey.
The indictment charges Humber and Allison with a total of 15 counts, including one count of conspiracy, four counts of soliciting hate crimes, three counts of soliciting the murder of federal officials, three counts of doxing federal officials, one count of threatening communications, two counts of distributing bombmaking instructions, and one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.
“The FBI is fiercely committed to protecting the civil liberties and safety of all Americans. Through close collaboration with our partners, the arrests of Humber and Allison reflect our resolve to combat hate crimes and terrorism. This operation reaffirms our dedication to public safety, national security, and our constitutional freedoms,” stated FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel.
“The unfortunate reality is that hate exists, and when someone is willing to fuel their beliefs through fear and violence, it puts the safety of us all at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI. “No community is immune. The FBI is deeply committed to safeguarding Americans from the threat of domestic terrorism and violent extremism.”
If convicted of all charges, Humber and Allison each face a maximum penalty 220 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Sacramento Field Office and FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Civil Rights Investigation into Correctional Staff Sexual Abuse at Two California PrisonsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Justice Department announced today that it has opened an investigation into the conditions of two prison facilities operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR): Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla and the California Institution for Women in Chino.
Based on an extensive review of publicly available information and information gathered from stakeholders, the department has found significant justification to open this investigation. The investigation will evaluate whether CDCR protects people incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility and the California Institution for Women from sexual abuse by correctional staff.
“The Central California Women’s Facility, located in the County of Madera, is the largest state prison in California for adult female inmates,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Ensuring that inmates in the California state prison system are treated consistent with Constitutional standards is a priority of my office since so many of the State’s adult prisons are located in the Eastern District.”
“No woman incarcerated in a jail or prison should be subjected to sexual abuse by prison staff who are constitutionally bound to protect them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Every woman, including those in prison, retains basic civil and constitutional rights and should be treated with dignity and respect. California must ensure that the people it incarcerates are housed in conditions that protect them from sexual abuse. This investigation will determine whether California is meeting its constitutional obligations.”
“Sexual abuse and misconduct will not be tolerated in prisons,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California said. “Together, with our colleagues in the Eastern District and the Civil Rights Division, my office will thoroughly investigate the conditions at Central California Women’s Facility and the California Institution for Women to determine whether California is meeting its constitutional obligations to incarcerated persons.”
- Women have filed hundreds of private lawsuits in the past two years alleging officer sexual abuse of people incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility over the last decade, ranging from allegations of inappropriate groping during searches and genital rubbing to forcible rape.
- This week in state court, a trial is scheduled to begin involving allegations that a former correctional officer at the Central California Women’s Facility engaged in widespread sexual assaults. Of course, these are allegations, and the state process will proceed.
- A civil lawsuit was filed on behalf of 21 women incarcerated at the California Institution for Women and included allegations of forcible rape and penetration, groping, oral copulation, as well as threats of violence and punishment with abusive conduct ranging from 2014 to 2020.
- Correctional staff at both facilities reportedly sought sexual favors in return for contraband and privileges.
- The correctional officers named in these allegations range in rank and have included the very people responsible for handling complaints of sexual abuse made by women incarcerated at these facilities.
- In March, a working group established by the State and composed of advocacy groups and community-based organizations published a report to the California Legislature that identified longstanding cultural deficiencies in addressing staff sexual abuse, including an unsafe and inaccessible reporting process and the absence of staff accountability.
Justice Department officials have informed California state officials of the investigation. The department has not reached any conclusions regarding the allegations in this matter. The investigation will be conducted under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act. This statute gives the department the authority to investigate systemic violations of the rights of individuals in institutional settings, including prisons.
The Civil Rights Division’s Special Litigation Section is conducting this investigation jointly with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Eastern and Central Districts of California. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via phone at 1-888-392-9490 or by email at [email protected].
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work regarding correctional facilities is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt/rights-persons-confined-jails-and-prisons.
Bakersfield Felon Charged in Connection with Destructive DeviceRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Aug. 29, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Robert Lawrence Hunt, 40, of Bakersfield, with being a felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm, and manufacturing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in July 2022, Hunt possessed a destructive device that consisted of parts designed for conversion into an explosive and incendiary device containing screws, which meet the federal definition of a firearm. Hunt was previously convicted in Kern County Superior Court of two robberies and a burglary and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
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.
If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, 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 if convicted of possessing an unregistered firearm and manufacturing a firearm. 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 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.
The “M30 King of Fresno” Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr., 23, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, the investigation began after a series of fentanyl-pill overdoses in the Fresno area. These overdoses were caused by counterfeit oxycodone M30 tablets containing fentanyl, referred to on the street as M30s. Similar to authentic oxycodone M30 tablets, they are small, round, and light blue or green in color with “M” stamped on one side and “30” on the other. The investigation, dubbed “Operation Killer High,” aimed to search for the drug dealers believed to have supplied the toxic pills that caused the spike in fentanyl-related overdoses. The operation uncovered a large drug-trafficking ring led by Torrecillas Urias, the self-proclaimed “M30 king of Fresno.”
Torrecillas Urias was obtaining, directly from sources in Mexico, tens of thousands of counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills and large quantities of fentanyl powder, cocaine, and methamphetamine. He and his co-defendants were then distributing these illicit drugs to dealers inside and outside of California. During the investigation, federal, state, and local law enforcement agents conducted traffic stops, intercepted packages, and executed residential search warrants that resulted in the recovery of over 55,000 counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills, 6 pounds of fentanyl powder, 10 pounds of methamphetamine, a pound of cocaine, 25 firearms, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Operation Killer High resulted in charges for 17 other defendants, and all but one have now pleaded guilty. The remaining co-defendant, Alma Garza, is set for trial on Sept. 24, 2024.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Clovis Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Bakersfield Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
Torrecillas Urias is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Dec. 2, 2024. Torrecillas Urias faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence 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.
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 about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Sacramento Woman Indicted for Fraudulent Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 32-count indictment against Maria Dickerson, aka Dulce Pino, 47, of Sacramento, charging her with 24 counts of wire fraud, one count of securities fraud, and seven counts of money laundering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed following her arrest.
According to the indictment, from 2020 through 2024, Dickerson created an investment scheme, selling interest in her illusory shell company, Creative Legal Fundings of California, to investors. Dickerson promised investors that their investments were safe and secure and backed by substantial starting capital. Dickerson promised approximately 140 investors a fixed percent of return per month on their principal investment with additional compounding monthly interest if they left their money invested with her. In reality, Dickerson used new investor money to pay off prior investors, to fund a lavish lifestyle, and to purchase Mercedes-Benz vehicles and a home in Sacramento. Dickerson did not register the sale of her securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Dickerson took money from investors and collected millions of dollars in investment funds solicited with her false promises and representations.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Alabama Securities Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin F. Scott and Rosanne L. Rust are prosecuting the case.
The Securities and Exchange Commission is filing a parallel action against Dickerson. The Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency of the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation previously filed a Desist and Refrain Order against Dickerson.
If convicted, Dickerson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud. Additionally, she faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of money laundering. On the securities fraud charge, Dickerson faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Siskiyou County Woman Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Shasta Lea Schnittker, 42, of Montague, was sentenced Aug. 26 by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to eight years and one month in prison for possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 22, 2022, Schnittker possessed 1,142 images and 110 videos of child sexual abuse material, or child pornography, on her computer. The child sexual abuse material included depictions of minors and toddlers involved in sexually explicit conduct and of sadistic and masochistic abuse. Law enforcement also found a video depicting Schnittker, which she had recorded, wherein she held up a flash drive and said, “This is where I keep all my CP.” In the self-recorded video, Schnittker then used the flash drive to play a video of child pornography.
This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, and the Siskiyou County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily G. Sauvageau and Denise 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.
Project Safe Neighborhoods News for August 2024Read the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, 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. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announces the following actions in federal PSN cases.
Sophondara Hun, 28, of Stockton, was sentenced on Aug. 8, 2024, to three years and four months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a prowler at an apartment complex. The caller advised there was a man inside her apartment and that he possibly entered through a window. When officers arrived, they saw an open window and observed Hun sleeping on a bed in the apartment. Officers arrested Hun and upon searching Hun, noticed a .22 caliber bullet on the ground in front of Hun’s leg. Two .22 caliber bullets were found in Hun’s pocket and an additional .22 caliber bullet on the ground. Hun is prohibited from possessing ammunition because he has multiple state felony convictions, including assault on a person with a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon with force–possible great bodily injury, vandalism, and evading law enforcement in a vehicle. This case was the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and ATF, with assistance from the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case.
Ramon Garcia Jr., 32, of Vacaville, was sentenced on Aug. 22, 2024, to seven years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, when law enforcement officers responded to a report of a domestic violence incident involving Garcia, he fled and eventually jumped over a barbed wire fence before being taken into custody. In Garcia’s vehicle, officers found a Glock 17, 9 mm handgun and an unloaded high-capacity, 31‑round Glock magazine hidden in the floorboard under the interior plastic molding on the passenger side. Garcia was on Post Release Community Supervision for a prior felony offense and is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has multiple state felony convictions, which include two prior domestic violence convictions. This case was the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case.
Dexter Weeks, 35, of Galt, was sentenced on Aug. 27, 2024, to seven years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, law enforcement conducted a parole search of Weeks’ residence, a known felon on parole. They found a loaded Glock 20, 10 mm semi-automatic pistol on the floor next to the bed in the master bedroom where officers located Weeks. The gun had previously been reported stolen. Weeks is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has multiple state felony convictions. This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid 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.
Three Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics in Prison Following the Death of USP Atwater StaffRead the Press Release
indictment.pdfFRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals for conspiracy to distribute narcotics and introducing a controlled substance into prison as a result of an ongoing investigation into the death of a Supervisory Correctional Systems Specialist at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between July 15, 2024, and Aug. 9, 2024, Jamar Jones, 35, an inmate at USP Atwater; Stephanie Ferreira, 35, of Evansville, Indiana; and Jermen Rudd III, 37, of Wentzville, Missouri, conspired to introduce narcotics into USP Atwater for Jones to sell. As part of that scheme, Jones and Ferreira had Rudd mail a letter laced with narcotics to Jones that was fraudulently labeled as legal mail.
On Aug. 9, 2024, two correctional workers at USP Atwater opened the letter and minutes later began to feel ill. After evaluation by medical staff, the Supervisory Correctional Systems Specialist was subsequently taken to the hospital where he passed away. The other staff member, a Correctional Systems Officer, recovered.
The indictment charges that the narcotics in the letter consisted of two varieties of synthetic cannabinoids sold under the street name “Spice.” Synthetic cannabinoids are lab created chemicals that can be distributed in liquid form and are designed to produce a psychoactive effect.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California also received assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Missouri and the Southern District of Indiana. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
Following an initial appearance in the Southern District of Indiana, Ferreira remains in custody and is pending transfer to the Fresno. Following an initial appearance in the Eastern District of Missouri, Rudd is also in custody and pending transfer to Fresno. Jones will appear Thursday in Fresno for his initial appearance.
If convicted of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance, Jones and Rudd face a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If Jones is convicted of being an inmate obtaining or attempting to obtain narcotic drug, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Ferreira, if convicted of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted of providing or attempting to provide an inmate with a narcotic drug, Ferreira and Rudd face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Marysville Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Brent Hooton, 51, of Marysville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 27 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in May 2021 Hooton produced three images of a severely autistic child who was under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hooton shared these images on Kik Messenger with an undercover FBI agent. When Hooton’s phone was searched pursuant to a warrant, agents discovered that in May 2021, Hooton distributed sexually explicit images of the child victim to at least six other users on Kik. Further, in this timeframe, Hooton distributed on Kik at least four images of other children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath and 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 exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Obtains $850,000 Settlement with Fresno Acupuncturist to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Improper BillingRead the Press Release
kim_agmt_fully_executed.pdfFRESNO, Calif. — Fresno medical provider Young Sam Kim has agreed to pay the United States $850,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for health care services that were not in fact provided, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.
Kim is an acupuncturist practicing at the Acuworld Health Clinic in Fresno, and who provided care to a number of Veterans through various federal programs funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, between 2016 and 2020, Kim submitted claims for payments to the VA for acupuncture services that were significantly overstated, including multiple instances in which Kim submitted claims totaling more than 24 hours in a single day.
“The exploitation of federal health care programs designed to help Veterans is inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “We will continue to hold accountable those who defraud such programs for personal gain.”
“The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring veterans receive the quality health care they deserve, and we will continue to work to make certain that VA healthcare services are not compromised by fraudulent billing practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this investigation.”
The resolution announced today was made possible by an investigation conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. Kennedy handled this matter for the United States.
Tehachapi Man Sentenced for Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Blake Wayne Reed, 28, of Tehachapi, was sentenced today to four years and four months in prison and ordered to pay $48,052 in restitution for committing bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between August 2020 and April 2021, Reed obtained hundreds of pieces of stolen mail that included at least 130 checks and approximately 30 debit cards or credit cards belonging to other individuals and businesses. Reed then forged signatures on the stolen checks and used the stolen debit cards to deposit the checks into victims’ bank accounts. He then made cash withdrawals from the accounts. Reed’s scheme caused more than $40,000 in fraudulent transactions to be made on the victims’ accounts.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Joseph D. Barton prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced for Possessing Heroin with Intent to Distribute in BakersfieldRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Beltran-Chaidez, 54, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in January 2022, Antonio Beltran-Chaidez recruited his brother, Jose Beltran-Chaidez, 68, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, to deliver more than 2 pounds of heroin to Jorge Calderon-Campos, 42, of Bakersfield, who was the target of a federal wiretap investigation for distribution to Calderon-Campos’s customers. However, when Calderon-Campos was unable to sell the drug, Jose Beltran-Chaidez retrieved it from Calderon-Campos at Antonio Beltran-Chaidez’s direction and was in possession of the heroin when stopped by a law enforcement officer for a traffic violation.
Calderon-Campos and Jose Beltran-Chaidez recently pleaded guilty to their involvement in a larger drug conspiracy and are scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 21, 2024, and Nov. 4, 2024, respectively. They face a mandatory statutory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentences, 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 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 Task Force, the CHP, 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 about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Kern County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — James Patrick Breedlove III, 34, formerly of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 20 years and 10 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between January 2019 and August 2020, Breedlove knowingly coerced minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images and videos of such conduct. In January 2020, Breedlove posed as a 16-year-old to obtain images and videos of a minor victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct. After receiving one such image, Breedlove threatened to send it to other children at the minor victim’s school if she did not send more images and videos of herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Court documents also indicate that Breedlove used Snapchat to contact multiple other minor victims between the ages of 13 and 17 years old. By misrepresenting his identity and threatening to distribute the images, Breedlove coerced other minor victims to send images and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter 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.
California Lobbying Firm Agrees to Settle Fraud Allegations Involving Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
california_advisors_settlement_agreement_v.1.pdfSACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Advisors LLC, Delaney Hunter, and William Gonzalez have agreed to pay the United States a combined $580,000 in damages and penalties to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act by receiving a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Congress created the 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. Although many businesses were eligible for these loans, some businesses were not, including those primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities.
In April 2020, California Advisors, a lobbying firm, through its partners Delaney Hunter and William Gonzalez, applied for and received a PPP loan in the amount of $144,340. The Small Business Administration forgave the loan in February 2021. This settlement resolves allegations that California Advisors, Delaney Hunter, and William Gonzalez knowingly made false statements in certifying the business’s eligibility for a PPP loan. As part of the settlement, California Advisors agreed to pay approximately $380,000 in damages under the False Claims Act and approximately $150,000 in civil penalties under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act. Delaney Hunter and William Gonzalez have agreed to pay $25,000 each for their involvement in the false certification in California Advisors LLC’s PPP loan application and loan forgiveness application.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was a vital resource to struggling small businesses during the darkest hours of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “This Office will continue to investigate businesses who took advantage of these funds at the expense of other small businesses.”
SBA’s General Counsel Therese Meers 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, SBA’s Office of Inspector General and other Federal law enforcement agencies, as well as private individuals who uncover fraudulent conduct to recover the product of this fraud as well as penalties.”
The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Amin.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across the government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
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.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Bakersfield Resident Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Jose Luis Zambrano, 40, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 12 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Today’s sentence will run consecutive to his state sentence.
According to court documents, from October 2016 to January 2017, Zambrano sold 1 pound of methamphetamine and nearly 12 ounces of heroin in four separate transactions involving a confidential source. A federal wiretap investigation also revealed that Zambrano was the source of drug supply for Manuel Teodoro Aros, 49, of Santa Maria, from whom law enforcement seized another 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine in March 2017, and, in June 2017, was the intended recipient of 5 ounces of heroin from Jesus Burgos-Luna, 43, a fugitive believed to be running the operation from Mexico. The wiretap investigation ended prematurely when Zambrano and another drug co-conspirator were arrested for murder-related charges.
Zambrano was brought to federal court following his conviction in May 2022 in Kern County Superior Court for solicitation to commit murder. Teodoro Aros previously entered a guilty plea for his involvement in the drug conspiracy and was sentenced to 13 years and eight months in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. 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 about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Benicia Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $3.2 Million from His Former EmployerRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Euan David MacGregor, formerly known as David Joseph Bean, 54, of Iowa City, Iowa, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of wire fraud for defrauding his former employer out of more than $3.2 million, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between November 2014 and January 2020, Euan MacGregor, then known as David Bean, used his position as a Chief Administrative Officer to embezzle money from 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, another 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 of vehicles.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.
MacGregor is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 28, 2025. MacGregor 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.
Three Charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Narcotics in Prison Following the Death of USP Atwater StaffRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — An investigation into the death of a correctional officer led to the arrests of three defendants today who are charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute controlled substances and introducing narcotic drugs to an inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atwater, California, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between July 15, 2024, and Aug. 9, 2024, Jamar Jones, 35, an inmate at USP Atwater; Stephanie Ferreira, 35, of Evansville, Indiana; and Jermen Rudd III, 37, of Wentzville, Missouri, conspired to introduce narcotics into USP Atwater for Jones to sell. As part of that scheme, Jones and Ferreira had Rudd mail a letter laced with narcotics to Jones that was fraudulently labeled as legal mail.
On Aug. 9, 2024, a correctional officer at USP Atwater opened that letter and minutes later began to feel ill. After evaluation by medical staff, he was subsequently taken to the hospital where he passed away. Another correctional officer also felt ill after coming into contact with the narcotics-laced letter but recovered.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California also received assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of Missouri and the Southern District of Indiana. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
Following the arrests this morning, Ferreira is set to be arraigned on the complaint in the Southern District of Indiana, while Rudd will be arraigned on the complaint in the Eastern District of Missouri. Jones will appear next week in court in Fresno for his initial appearance.
If convicted of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance, Jones and Rudd face a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If Jones is convicted of being an inmate obtaining or attempting to obtain narcotic drug, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Ferreira, if convicted of conspiracy to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted of providing or attempting to provide an inmate with a narcotic drug, Ferreira and Rudd face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
jones_et_al._criminal_complaint.pdfSacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dakota Jeremiah Pevino, aka Dakota Jeremiah Viggiano, 36, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in July 2022, Pevino took a color photograph of a prepubescent minor victim posed in a sexually suggestive manner without any pants or underwear, with Pevino’s private parts visible in the in the foreground of the photograph. Pevino later knowingly sent this photograph to another person using the internet and an encrypted messaging application. In November of 2022, Pevino took another color photograph of the prepubescent minor victim posed in a sexually suggestive manner with the minor victim’s pants and underwear pulled down.
Additionally, Pevino sent video recordings of adult males sexually abusing prepubescent minors to another user on the Telegram application. Those video recordings accompanied chats of a sexual nature regarding minors.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force/Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case.
Pevino is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 7, 2025. Pevino faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, restitution, 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.
The FBI is seeking to identify potential victims of Pevino. If you believe that you and/or your minor dependent(s) were victimized by Pevino at any time or have information relevant to this investigation, please send an email with your name, contact information, and best time to reach you to [email protected].
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 Man Pleads Guilty to CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Jameson Chand, 32, of Sacramento County, pleaded guilty today to cyberstalking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Chand intentionally engaged in a course of conduct to harass or intimidate the victim, Jane Doe, and used a cellphone and the internet to do so. This course of conduct caused Jane Doe substantial emotional distress, in part, because Chand had previously committed crimes against her. In 2017, Chand was convicted in California for offenses that included eliciting child sexual exploitation material from Jane Doe, who was 15 years old at the time. Chand was sentenced to two years in jail for that conviction.
On Dec. 23, 2019, while on parole, Chand posted a public Facebook post under an alias, including Jane Doe’s full name, falsely claimed that she was dating a murderer, and asking, “please everybody help me get her into a mental hospital if you want her contact info let me know please.” Then, between June and October of 2020, he called her approximately 176 times and left 63 voicemail messages. Many of the voicemail messages contained insults and threats against Jane Doe and her family.
Additionally, Chand created multiple social media accounts, some under aliases, to contact and harass Jane Doe. Using such accounts, he made posts publicly naming Jane Doe, and saying things that were designed to harass and intimidate Jane Doe. For example, in a public Facebook post made on August 5, Chand listed Jane Doe’s full name, her city and state of birth, and included a photo from her social media account, and falsely stated that “she killed her ex [boyfriend].” He also falsely claimed that Jane Doe had planned to move in with and would expose her “baby” to a “rapist,” and wrote, “Please help me find a way to get the poor kid away from her.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian T. Kinsella and Christina McCall are prosecuting the case.
Chand is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 7, 2025. Chand faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 Sutter County Church Administrator Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Chanell Easton, 38, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to five years and one month in prison for a multi‑year embezzlement scheme, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
In October 2023, Easton pleaded guilty to 22 counts of wire fraud, and on March 5, 2024, and following a bench trial, she was found guilty of on two counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2013 to 2018, Easton worked as the church administrator at a church in Yuba City. During her employment, Easton stole over $360,000 from the church, including from its food pantry and youth ministry, during a years-long embezzlement scheme. Easton used credit cards associated with the church to make personal purchases — at a hair salon, retail stores, online retailers, a vacation rental service, and to buy VIP concert tickets — and then paid off the resulting balance with the church’s money. One of the credit cards Easton used during her scheme belonged to the church’s youth minister, and Easton used his identity to make thousands of dollars in unauthorized personal purchases on Zappos.com. Easton’s use of the youth minister’s identity allowed her to obscure her embezzlement and to shift suspicion away from herself, thereby allowing her fraudulent scheme to continue.
Easton also transferred money directly from the church’s bank accounts to her own personal account, paid down the balance of her own personal credit card, and paid her cellphone provider for her personal bills and for new phones. Easton also stole money from the church by writing checks to others for personal expenses and by writing checks to herself, on which she forged the signatures of the church’s treasurer or the head volunteer of the church’s food pantry.
A hearing to determine restitution was set for Nov. 19, 2024.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong prosecuted the case.
Folsom Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Matthew Goyder, 41, of Folsom, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 40 years in prison and a life term of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Goyder used Snapchat to contact and sextort minor victims for sexually explicit images and videos. Goyder claimed to be a teenage boy when first contacting the victims. When agents searched Goyder’s iPhone, they found approximately 120 albums, with many albums labeled with a name and the victims’ age.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Folsom Police Department and the Sacramento Valley Hi-tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang 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.
Conspiracy and Fraud Charges Added Against Operator of Central California Bio-Lab and His Partner in Connection with Sale of Millions of Dollars in COVID-19 Test KitsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — The operator of a Reedley lab, who was indicted in November 2023, faces additional charges of conspiracy and wire fraud after a federal grand jury returned a 12-count superseding indictment today, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Jia Bei Zhu, 62, a citizen of China, was previously indicted for distributing adulterated and misbranded COVID-19 test kits in violation of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and making false statements to authorities about his identity and involvement with the biolabs. The superseding indictment also charges Zhu’s romantic and business partner, Zhaoyan Wang, 38, a citizen of China, who operated the biolabs Universal Meditech Inc. (UMI) and Prestige Biotech Inc. (PBI) in Fresno and Reedley along with Zhu. UMI and PBI distributed COVID-19, pregnancy, and other types of test kits.
According to court documents, from August 2020 through March 2023, Zhu and Wang conspired to defraud buyers of UMI and PBI’s COVID-19 test kits. They imported hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 test kits from Ai De Ltd., which was a company in China that they controlled, and falsely represented to the buyers that the test kits were made in the United States. They illegally imported the COVID-19 test kits, which they were not approved to import, by falsely declaring them as pregnancy test kits, which they were approved to import.
Zhu and Wang also falsely represented to the buyers that UMI and PBI could make up to 100,000 COVID-19 test kits per week in the United States and that the test kits were made in connection with other labs that were certified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Finally, they falsely represented to the buyers that the test kits were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Zhu and Wang made over $1.7 million through their fraud.
When buyers requested to inspect UMI and PBI’s facilities in Fresno and Reedley, Zhu and Wang denied them access and fabricated reasons for the denial. The fabricated reasons included that the facilities were undergoing construction and renovation, and that proprietary and confidential information and technology was inside. In reality, however, they did not want the buyers to know that UMI and PBI were obtaining the COVID-19 test kits from China.
Zhu is currently detained in custody pending his federal trial. His next status conference is scheduled for Sept. 11, 2024. Wang is not in custody.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arelis Clemente, Joseph Barton, and Henry Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Zhu and Wang each face maximum statutory penalties of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy and wire fraud charges, and an additional three years in prison for the distribution of adulterated and misbranded medical device charges. Zhu also faces another five years in prison for the false statements charge. Any sentences, 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. Zhu and Wang are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
23cr219.sup_.ind_.0815.pdfTulare County Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher Sean Lee, 29, of Porterville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to a total of four years and one month in prison for illegal firearm possession, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Lee was sentenced to 46 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and also received an additional sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release in a prior federal case.
According to court documents, on Sept. 15, 2023, while on supervised release from a 2020 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, law enforcement officers encountered Lee during a vehicle stop and found him to be in possession of a loaded firearm. As the officer approached the vehicle where Lee was the front seat passenger, he saw Lee reaching behind the driver’s seat. Officers found a 9 mm Glock 17 semi-automatic firearm on the floorboard underneath and behind the driver’s seat in the area where Lee had been reaching. Officers also found a large capacity magazine containing 24 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fairfield Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall 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.
Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gary Wayne Stuckey, 58, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in June 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Stuckey’s vehicle and observed several pounds of marijuana inside the vehicle. A search revealed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and several items indicative of drug sales, including digital scales, plastic baggies, and hundreds of dollars of U.S. currency in small denominations. Wedged between the driver’s seat and center console of the vehicle was a Polymer 80 handgun, a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” lacking a serial number, that was loaded with a live round of ammunition in the chamber and five additional rounds in the magazine. Stuckey is prohibited from possessing ammunition due to multiple state felony convictions, including a prior conviction for being a felon in possession of ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Stockton Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alstyn Bennett and Whitnee Goins, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura are prosecuting the case.
Stuckey is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Stuckey faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 10 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.
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.
Previously Deported Man Indicted for Transfer of Fraudulent Social Security Cards and Counterfeit Driver’s LicensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment today against Javier Aguilera Rosas, 42, residing in Los Angeles, charging him with transfer of false identity documents, misuse of Social Security numbers, and being a previously deported alien found in the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Rosas transferred to others fraudulent Social Security cards and driver’s licenses that used the identifying information of multiple individuals, including their Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. Rosas was previously deported from the United States in December 2009 after committing an aggravated felony of forgery.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Rosas 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.
Yuba City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Gun TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Aug. 1, 2024, Sukhmanpreet Singh Jawanda, 22, of Yuba City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl pills and illegally dealing firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2022, Jawanda sold fentanyl and at least six firearms to an undercover agent. On March 25, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Jawanda as he traveled on Interstate 5 in San Joaquin County and recovered more than 30,000 fentanyl pills, a kilogram of cocaine, and a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, and the Yuba Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force (NET-5). Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett 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.