Eastern District of California

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

FRESNO, 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.

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.

FRESNO, 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.

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.

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.

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.

SACRAMENTO, 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. 

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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pat Brady, 53, of Lake Forest, 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 Brady’s plea agreement, on July 28, 2018, Brady murdered an inmate at High Desert Prison as part of an AB-related killing. Brady 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. Brady willfully, deliberately, and with premeditation, murdered the victim in order to maintain his status within the gang.

On Jan. 17, 2024, Brady’s co-defendant in the murder, Jason Corbett, 52, pleaded guilty to the same murder in aid of racketeering. His sentencing is set for Nov. 25, 2024.

In April 2024, following a nine-week trial, a federal jury found three of Brady’s co-defendants guilty of RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to murder, murder in aid of racketeering, and multiple counts of drug trafficking. Ronald Yandell, 61, Danny Troxell, 71, and Billy Sylvester, 55, are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller on Sept. 11, 2024.

Charges are pending against Kevin MacNamara, 44, of La Palma, and Kathleen Nolan, 69, of Calimesa. A status conference is set for Sept. 23, 2024. The charges against them are only allegations; they are 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). 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 53-count superseding indictment today adding new charges for Alberto “Beto” Alvarado, Freddy Alvarado, Yerlly Vega, and Roberto Soria-Cuevas, and newly charging Tulare County residents Manuel Diaz, Daniel Alvarado, and Rafael Alcala Jr, for their participation in the drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

The initial indictment in the case charged 28 individuals. The addition of Manual Diaz, Daniel Alvarado, and Rafael Alcala Jr. brings the total number now charged in the case to 31.

According to court documents, beginning in July 2023, investigators gathered evidence regarding individuals involved in the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other narcotics in Tulare County using investigative tools that included confidential sources, surveillance, and wiretaps.

Operation SLO Ride ultimately resulted in the dismantling of a criminal organization operating in Tulare County. In March 2024, law enforcement executed numerous search and arrest warrants in a coordinated takedown. In the course of the operation, law enforcement seized more than 936 pounds of methamphetamine, 8.6 pounds of cocaine, 5.5 pounds of heroin, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl, more than $600,000 in currency, and 50 firearms. The 31 individuals now stand charged with various drug trafficking, money laundering, continuing criminal enterprise, and illegal possession of firearms offenses.

The superseding indictment adds charges against Alberto “Beto” Alvarado for operating a continuing criminal enterprise and conspiring to commit money laundering. If convicted, Alberto “Beto” Alvarado faces a mandatory minimum of life in prison.

Freddy Alvarado is additionally charged with conspiring to commit money laundering and international money laundering. Vega is additionally charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Soria-Cuevas is also now charged with conspiring to commit money laundering. Diaz, Alcala, and Daniel Alvarado are each newly charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiring to commit money laundering.

According to court documents, Alberto Alvarado, Freddy Alvarado, Daniel Alvarado, Diaz, Vega, Alcala, and Soria-Cuevas conspired to launder the proceeds of narcotics trafficking by transporting and transferring the proceeds from the United States to Mexico.

On April 29, 2024, Francisco Garcia, 28, of Tulare, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Sentencing is scheduled to occur Sept. 30, 2024.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County Tactical Narcotics Team, which is a part of Central Valley California HIDTA, the Tulare Police Department, the Visalia Police Department, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, the Porterville Police Department, the Woodlake Police Department, the Clovis Police Department, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Tulare County District Attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Pataca is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face a range of sentences from 10 years in prison to life in prison, and some face mandatory minimum sentences of five and 10 years for drug trafficking offenses. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Jordan Hughes, 24, of Sacramento, charging him with production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between February and September 2022, Hughes convinced at least two underage victims to send him images and videos depicting themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Hughes also distributed images of child sexual abuse conduct, and, in November 2022, possessed child sexual abuse material, including images of at least four underage victims engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, which includes the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department as well as Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Hughes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of production of child sexual abuse material. 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 U.S. 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rahman Lakhani, of Naperville, Illinois, was sentenced today to four years in prison for a tobacco-related excise tax fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta sentenced Lakhani and his two corporations, N. Ali Enterprises Inc. and 21st Century Distribution Inc., for a total of 20 counts of mail and wire fraud. In addition to Lakhani’s prison term, his companies were each sentenced to three years of probation and all defendants were ordered to pay over $5.9 million in restitution.

According to court documents, Lakhani and the corporate defendants used warehouses in Illinois, Nevada, and California, to move over $25 million worth of other tobacco products (OTP) across the United States and into California. OTP are tobacco products other than cigarettes, such as cigars and chewing tobacco.

As the defendants moved the OTP from state to state, they submitted false excise tax returns to different state regulators that were designed to hide the size and value of the shipments. Ultimately, the OTP was sold into California on false invoices with the misrepresentation that tax had been paid. In fact, Lakhani and the corporate defendants submitted or caused to be submitted false tax returns to the California Board of Equalization (BOE) and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). As a result of the fraud, Lakhani and the corporate defendants defrauded the State of California of over $5.9 million.

This fraud allowed Lakhani and the corporate defendants to earn additional profit and to undercut competitors who lawfully paid the excise tax. A large percentage of the proceeds of the California OTP excise tax are used to fund California’s early childhood development program, First 5 California.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the former California State Board of Equalization, sections of which are now the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rosanne L. Rust and Michael D. Anderson prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Jamaine Dontae Barnes, 42, of Stockton, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to running a continuing criminal enterprise, multiple counts of manufacturing and distributing pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs, illegal firearms possession, and international money laundering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

One of Barnes’ subordinates, Kavieo Daeshaun Lee Wiley, 28, of Stockton, also pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and U-47700 (a synthetic opioid), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to court documents, from at least September 2015 through May 2019, Barnes led a Stockton-based pill-trafficking operation that regularly made and sold thousands of drug-laced pills. Barnes and his subordinates made the pills using pill presses, which are machines that compress powders into pills of various shapes and sizes. Barnes made pills that appeared to be legitimate prescription pills but in fact contained fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, heroin, and other synthetic opioids that Barnes mixed into them. Barnes also made pills that appeared to be traditional Ecstasy pills, but in fact contained methamphetamine and other illegal stimulants. For years, Barnes obtained pill pressing equipment, materials, and illegal drugs from China, and at his direction, his subordinates made illegal international money transfers to purchase these materials.

In April and May 2019, investigators obtained a court-authorization for a federal wiretap and intercepted communications over Barnes cellphone. During this wiretap investigation, law enforcement seized thousands of methamphetamine-laced pills. On May 16, 2019, during search warrants executed at multiple locations across Stockton that Barnes and his subordinates used to manufacture, store, and distribute pills, investigators seized two pill press machines and other pill manufacturing equipment and materials; thousands of fentanyl-laced and methamphetamine-laced pills; powders containing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other illegal drugs; and three firearms possessed by Barnes.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the San Joaquin METRO Narcotics Task Force, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) Task Force, the Stockton Police Department, the Sacramento County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Spencer and Emily G. Sauvageau are prosecuting the case.

Seven other defendants have pleaded guilty:

• Vincent Isaiah Patterson pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24, 2024.
• Johnesha Denae Thompson pleaded guilty; sentencing is set for Nov. 12, 2024.
• Kadrena Latrice Watts pleaded guilty; sentencing is set for Nov. 5, 2024.
• Jeremy Jerome Barnett pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 57 months in prison.
• Chevele Bernard Richardson pleaded guilty; sentencing is set for Nov. 5, 2024.
• Tashawn Terrell Dickerson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 46 months in prison.
• Lamont Montez Thibodeaux pleaded guilty; sentencing is set for Nov. 12, 2024.

Charges are pending against Jamar Deontae Barnes, who is scheduled for a jury trial on Dec. 2, 2024. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Jamaine Barnes is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Dec. 3, 2024. Jamaine Barnes faces a minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. Wiley is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Drozd on Nov. 12, 2024. Wiley faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. 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 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 OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jose Cruz Ivan Aispuro, 39, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 10 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $42,066 to the United States for conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and the distribution of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between November 2018 and December 2019, Aispuro and co‑defendant Frank Guzman, of Stockton, conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 1 kilogram of heroin and at least 400 grams of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl. As part of this conspiracy, Aispuro supplied heroin that Guzman sold to an undercover agent and another person on three occasions and supplied 500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that Guzman also sold to the undercover agent. Approximately 4.5 kilograms of heroin and $42,066 in cash were seized from Aispuro’s residence. Approximately 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and 2.8 kilograms of heroin were seized from Guzman’s residence.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service and the San Joaquin Metropolitan Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.

Guzman also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Judge Mendez on Dec. 12, 2023.

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 OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — William Lesley, 34, of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, law enforcement officers conducted a parole search in Galt, at the residence of Lesley’s co-defendant, Dexter Weeks, a known felon on parole. While clearing the residence, officers encountered Lesley as he was coming out of a bedroom. In the bedroom where Lesley had exited, officers found a loaded Ruger pistol located in a backpack on the floor near the bed. Weeks and Lesley are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because they each have 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 is prosecuting the case.

Lesley is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Weeks pleaded guilty on Jan. 30, 2024, and is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 6, 2024. Both defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 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 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.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

FRESNO, Calif. — Marco Pergis, 42, of Wasco, was sentenced on July 26, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer to three years in prison for assault on a federal employee with bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on June 21, 2023, Pergis assaulted a United States postal carrier by striking him in the face, causing serious bodily injury. Pergis admitted to assaulting the postal carrier without any provocation.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Services and the Kern County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Jose Pataca and Chan Hee Chu prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Elmer Yusay Ngo, 28, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Ngo utilized social media to sexually exploit female minors. This sexual exploitation included attempting to coerce, entice, and persuade the minors to produce child pornography for Ngo.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from state and local police departments nationwide. Assistant United States Attorney Kristin F. Scott is prosecuting the case.

Ngo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Nov. 4, 2024. Ngo faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, supervised release and restitution. 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 U.S. 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Karina Arceo, 34, of Wasco, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for her role in a long-running credit card fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court records, from February 2016 through August 2022, Arceo and her partner and co-defendant, Miguel Leyva, stole the personally identifiable information (PII) for over 125 victims. They stole much of the PII from patient files at health care providers in Kern County where Arceo worked. Leyva previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years and five months in prison.

Arceo and Leyva used the stolen PII to open thousands of fraudulent credit cards in the victims’ identities. They used false identification documents to open the credit cards and provided billing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses over which they had control so that any communications related to the credit cards would go to them instead of the victims. They then made hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent purchases on the credit cards in Kern County and elsewhere. The fraudulent purchases included home appliances, automobile accessories, designer clothing, tickets to concerts and sporting events, and travel, among other items.

Arceo and Leyva often resold the items that they fraudulently purchased for cash and reaped a windfall because they did not actually pay for the items. They also used checks that had been stolen from companies in Kern County to access the companies’ bank accounts and make fraudulent payments towards the credit cards so as to keep their scheme going. Altogether, their scheme caused a total actual loss of more than $825,000.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Arelis Clemente are prosecuting the case.

Arceo is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6, 2024. She faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge, and a mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to other counts, for the identity theft charge. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of the applicable statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Marcus Tatum, 32, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 12 years and five months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $45,000 in restitution, for receipt and distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between February 2012 and March 2018, Tatum used a laptop computer to knowingly receive and distribute over 600 files containing visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The files contained images of children under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct, as well as engaging in sado-masochistic conduct.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. 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 U.S. 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Dario Mata-Manzo, 32, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in June 2022, Mata-Manzo negotiated for the sale of crystal methamphetamine for $1,200 per pound and subsequently delivered 8 pounds of the drug to undercover officers in Fresno.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Initiative (HIDTA), which consists of personnel from the California Department of Justice, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Mata-Manzo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 20, 2024. Mata-Manzo faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

FRESNO, Calif. — Two Bakersfield residents pleaded guilty today, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Jorge Calderon-Campos, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of animals for an animal fighting venture in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.

Jose Angel Beltran-Chaidez, 68, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin.

According to court documents, on March 30, 2021, Calderon-Campos, who goes by the name “Americano,” supplied 26 pounds of methamphetamine to co-defendants Mark Garcia, 24, of Lamont, and Alberto Gomez-Santiago, 38, a Mexican national. Between Jan. 16 and April 26, 2022, Calderon-Campos also possessed roosters for the purpose of having the roosters participate in an animal fighting venture, in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce. During a search of his residence on April 26, 2022, law enforcement officers found numerous hens and roosters, various cockfighting implements, to include razors and spurs, and six cockfighting trophies, including several with plates inscribed with “Team Amkno” (shorthand for “Team Americano”). At Calderon-Campos’s stash house, law enforcement officers found 14 hens and 77 roosters, cockfighting leashes, a cockfighting trophy, various types of syringes containing substances believed to be related to cockfighting supplements, and multiple pill bottles containing suspected cockfighting vitamins. The majority of the roosters at the property had been modified for cockfighting.

On Jan. 27, 2022, Jose Beltran-Chaidez, at the direction of his brother Antonio Beltran-Chaidez, 54, a Mexican national, delivered more than 2 pounds of heroin to Calderon-Campos for distribution to Calderon-Campos’s customers. However, when Calderon-Campos was unable to sell the drug, Beltran retrieved it from Calderon-Campos and was in possession of the heroin when stopped by a CHP officer for a traffic violation.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston is scheduled to sentence Calderon-Campos on Oct. 21, 2024, and Jose Beltran-Chaidez on Nov. 4, 2024. For the drug offenses, 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. Calderon-Campos faces up to five years in prison for the Animal Welfare Act violation, a $250,000 fine, and forfeiture of the roosters and hens used to breed fighting roosters. 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. 

Antonio Beltran-Chaidez previously entered a guilty plea and is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 26, 2024. Gomez-Santiago pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison. The two remaining co-defendants have requested a jury trial, which is set for Jan. 28, 2025. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is 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 California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff's Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting 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 OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

FRESNO, Calif. — Christos Mavrokelos, 37, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution for illegally using counterfeit debit cards and skimming devices, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court records, from July 2021 through November 2023, in Fresno and Madera Counties and elsewhere, Mavrokelos knowingly and with intent to defraud, used counterfeit debit cards that contained victims’ stolen account information to make unauthorized cash withdrawals from the victims’ accounts. The victims’ account information was stolen through the use of skimming devices, which are devices that can be surreptitiously installed on bank ATMs and card readers that are used to record victims’ information.

In total, Mavrokelos made unauthorized cash withdrawals on at least 40 victims’ accounts. The withdrawals were made from banks whose deposits were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Mavrokelos’s misconduct resulted in a total loss of approximately $149,000.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Cody C. Chapple prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Joseph Roy Vigneault, 21, of Lake Isabella, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for distributing explosives to a non‑licensed person, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in May 2023, Vigneault and his co-defendant, Michael Roy Anglin, 22, of Wofford Heights, sold and delivered six full boxes and one partial box of Hydromite 880 weighing approximately 350 pounds to a non-licensed person. Vigneault knew or had reason to believe that the Hydromite 880 had been stolen. The boxes containing the explosives were labeled “Explosive, Blasting, Type E” and “Blasting Agent.” The sticks of Hydromite 880 were also individually labeled “Danger” and “Explosive.” Hydromite 880 is one and a half times more powerful than dynamite. Austin Powder West LLC, a licensed explosive distributor, confirmed that 295 sticks of Hydromite 880 went missing from its Lake Isabella storage facility sometime between May 6 and May 11, 2023. The missing explosives included the boxes that Vigneault sold. The value of the unrecovered explosives is $7,603. Vigneault agreed to make restitution to Austin Powder in that amount.

Anglin has pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 21, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.