Eastern District of California
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Bakersfield Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against James Escandon, 39, of Bakersfield, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 18, 2023, Escandon was found in possession of a stolen semi-automatic handgun. Escandon has prior convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for possession of a controlled substance and is prohibited from possessing guns and ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bakersfield Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Escandon faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Vallejo Parolee Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Bruce Lamont Walker, 55, of Vallejo, was sentenced today to five years and four months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Walker was convicted in 2014 for a domestic violence offense and sentenced to 11 years in prison. Walker had only been on parole for three months when a parole search resulted in the discovery of an AR‑15 style “ghost gun” (privately made without a serial number) in his bedroom. Also found was an extended magazine with 27 rounds of ammunition. Walker is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition on account of seven prior felony convictions, including two felony crimes of violence and multiple firearms related felonies.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Division of Adult Parole Operations, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Enforcement Team, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
This case was 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.
Federal Court Shuts Down San Joaquin County Pharmacy and Orders $1 Million in Civil PenaltiesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nor-Cal Pharmacies Inc., doing business as Lockeford Drug, and pharmacist/owner Lawrence Howen have agreed to pay $1 million in penalties to resolve allegations of violations of the Controlled Substances Act, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
In the settlement announced today, the defendants agreed to the entry of a permanent injunction against them that permanently bars them from dispensing controlled substances, owning a company that dispenses controlled substances, or employing another person that dispenses controlled substances.
The injunction, signed by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba today, includes findings that the defendants knew or deliberately ignored that they were dispensing controlled substances pursuant to prescriptions that were not for a legitimate medical purpose. Specifically, the injunction states that the defendants dispensed 116,330 pills, including more than 100,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, based on invalid prescriptions presented by Joe Anthony Bernal, a defendant charged in the Northern District of California in a separate criminal case (4:19-cr-00585). They did so despite circumstances that were highly suggestive that Bernal was not presenting them with legitimate prescriptions. As also stated in the injunction, the defendants took no steps to determine the validity of Bernal’s purported prescriptions and were not concerned if those medications caused patient harm. Bernal is charged with conspiring with several others to illegally acquire and distribute oxycodone and hydrocodone. The charges against Bernal are pending and are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
“As a pharmacy that fills prescriptions for opioids and other dangerous drugs, the defendants had an obligation to fill only legitimate prescriptions,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “The defendants failed to comply with that obligation, and thereby failed in their responsibility to prevent the opioids from being diverted into illicit channels. This case demonstrates our firm commitment to enforcing federal laws involving prescription drugs.”
“The defendants went from pharmaceutical provider to drug dealer when they knowingly provided controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. “This egregious behavior by a trusted individual and entity not only fuels the fire of the opioid epidemic, but also wreaks havoc on the community they serve. DEA is committed to keeping our communities safe and healthy and will hold registrants accountable by ensuring they are in compliance with the law.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Board of Pharmacy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven S. Tennyson handled the case.
South Lake Tahoe Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Timothy Mackey, 42, of South Lake Tahoe, was sentenced today to five years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Mackey was a member of chat groups that shared child pornography on the social media platform LiveMe, including a group named “No Limit!!!” On two occasions in February 2020, Mackey, using the username “bag of rock,” posted nine images of child pornography in the “No Limit!!!” group. Mackey was also the administrator of at least one LiveMe chat group devoted to the exchange of child pornography, meaning he moderated the chat and was able to decide who entered the chatroom.
Mackey had worked as a snowboarding instructor and applied to become a foster parent prior to his arrest in April 2020.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department and South Lake Tahoe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Sacramento Resident Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Child & Other OffensesRead the Press Release
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].
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Nov. 9, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Dakota Jeremiah Pevino (aka Dakota Jeremiah Viggiano), 35, of Sacramento, charging him with sexual exploitation of a child and distribution and possession of visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in the summer of 2023, 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. Other images of a prepubescent child being sexually exploited were found on Pevino’s phone and were taken in his home. Finally, the court documents allege that Pevino sent images and videos of himself sexually abusing a minor victim on messaging applications like Grindr and Telegram.
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 Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, Pevino faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison (with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years), a lifetime of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of distribution of visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, Pevino faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison (with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years), a lifetime of supervised release, plus restitution and a fine. If convicted of possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, Pevino faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, plus restitution and a fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Bitwise Industries Founders Irma Olguin Jr. and Jake Soberal Charged for $100 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Irma Olguin Jr. and Jake Soberal, the founders and leaders of the failed Fresno-based technology company Bitwise Industries, self-surrendered today on a federal complaint charging them with conspiring to commit wire fraud and taking more than $100 million from various businesses and individuals, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
“The defendants could have chosen simply to admit the failure of Bitwise’s business model. Instead, they used lie after lie to pull over $100 million into a dying venture through fraud,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “Olguin and Soberal fabricated bank statements, lied to investors, provided false financial information to their board of directors, forged documents, and used buildings Bitwise no longer even owned as collateral for loans, all while lining their own pockets. Our office will continue to investigate and prosecute those responsible for such financial crimes, and we are grateful for the hard work of the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation, as well as the civil enforcement work of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.”
“The alleged deceptive business practices of Mr. Soberal and Ms. Olguin Jr. have directly and negatively impacted over 900 families from the Fresno and Bakersfield communities. Today’s complaint is a starting point toward justice for those families,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Silva of the Oakland Field Office. “These sorts of white-collar crimes often root from greed and mismanagement and leave hard working tax paying citizens damaged in their wake. Let me say this to any would be fraudulent business owners in pursuit of ill-gotten proceeds: The talented and motivated special agents from IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners from the FBI will catch you.”
“Deceptive practices within the corporate world, as alleged in this case, have far-reaching consequences. Our dedicated team of special agents and professional staff worked tirelessly to uncover a complex web of misconduct,” stated Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “We value our strong partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the IRS Criminal Investigation. Together, we are resolute in our commitment to upholding justice, ensuring transparency, and breaking the cycle of financial wrongdoing. The collaboration between our team and our partners underscores the importance of holding wrongdoers accountable, reinforcing ethical leadership, and empowering individuals to report misconduct. It is through these efforts that we aim to make a meaningful difference in the fight against financial crimes.”
According to court records, Bitwise abruptly collapsed earlier this year despite recent reports the company was worth over $500 million and was financially sound. All of the company’s approximately 900 employees and apprentices were immediately furloughed and later laid off, and the company’s board of directors fired Olguin and Soberal.
The complaint filed this week alleges that beginning no later than January 2022, Olguin and Soberal agreed to lie to board members, investors, lenders, and others about Bitwise’s finances to obtain investments, loans, and other funding. They did so by fabricating financial information in board presentations and investor materials, and altering and forging bank statements, audits, and other financial records to inflate Bitwise’s revenues, cash balances, and property holdings. Much of the money went towards paying Bitwise’s payroll and fringe benefits, including Olguin and Soberal’s $600,000 per year salaries, outfitting the company’s office spaces, and repaying debts owed to prior lenders.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Olguin and Soberal each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
complaint_olguin_soberal_.pdfMan Sentenced for Advertising and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material on Dark WebRead the Press Release
An Oklahoma man was sentenced yesterday to 21 years and 10 months in prison for advertising and distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, Austen Peppers, 36, of Lawton, sold and offered to sell images of minors being sexually abused. Peppers conducted the transactions on the dark web with cryptocurrency, and used platforms and applications that he believed were secure and protected him from law enforcement scrutiny. Peppers also engaged in sexually explicit communications with persons believed to be minors and encouraged those apparent minors to create sexually explicit images of themselves. Peppers amassed thousands of images and videos of children being sexually abused.
Peppers was also ordered to pay a special assessment of $11,200 and restitution totaling $57,000 to his victims.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Tatum King of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco made the announcement.
HSI Fresno, Chicago, and Oklahoma, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated the case, with assistance from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Tactical Team.
Trial Attorney James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Second Owner of Fresno Sleep Clinic Pleads Guilty to Submitting over $1.5 Million in Fraudulent Claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal for Sleep StudiesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jeremy Gober, 42, of Hanford, pleaded guilty today to health care fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for submitting more than $1.5 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal for sleep studies, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Gober co-owned and co-operated Got Sleep Inc., which operated sleep clinics in Fresno and Orange Counties in California. Sleep clinics perform diagnostic sleep studies to identify disorders like sleep apnea and narcolepsy.
According to court documents, between August 2016 and July 2020, Gober caused Got Sleep to submit thousands of claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal for sleep studies that were not actually performed on patients. The claims also stated falsely that the patients had been referred for the sleep studies by physicians with whom Gober had previously worked. This was done because Medicare and Medi-Cal will not pay for a sleep study unless the patient was referred by a physician.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba is scheduled to sentence Gober on March 4, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for the health care fraud conviction and an additional, mandatory two years in prison for the identity theft conviction. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
In September 2023, Jeremy Gober’s brother, Travis Gober, pleaded guilty to similar health care fraud and aggravated identity theft charges related to other sleep clinics in the Central Valley.
Oklahoma Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison for Advertising and Distributing Images of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Austen Peppers, 36, of Lawton, Oklahoma, was sentenced today to 21 years and 10 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for advertising and distributing child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
He was also ordered to pay restitution to 19 victims totaling $57,000.
According to court documents, between March 2018 and August 2019, Peppers sold and offered to sell images of minors being sexually abused. He conducted transactions on the dark web with cryptocurrency, using platforms and applications that he believed were secure and protected him from law enforcement scrutiny. Peppers also engaged in sexually explicit communications with persons he believed to be minors and encouraged those apparent minors to create sexually explicit images of themselves. Peppers amassed thousands of images and videos of children being sexually abused.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations offices in Fresno, Chicago, and Oklahoma as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with assistance from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Tactical Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case with Trial Attorney James Burke IV of the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
Peppers has been in custody since his initial appearance in this case on Nov. 14, 2019.
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.
French National Pleads Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar Fraud Scheme Targeting California State Controller’s OfficeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gabriel Adrien Lobe Diop, 35, a French national previously residing in Agoura Hills, California, pleaded guilty today to nine counts of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Diop orchestrated a scheme to illegally obtain millions of dollars of Unclaimed Property Division funds from the California State Controller’s Office. Diop did so by assuming the identities of victims for whom the Controller’s Office was holding significant amounts of unclaimed property, and then submitting fraudulent applications for that property. Diop concealed his involvement in the fraud using a combination of post office boxes, mail forwarding requests, counterfeit notary stamps, and falsified driver licenses issued by numerous states. Starting in January 2019, Diop attempted to steal at least $9 million from the Unclaimed Property Division.
Law enforcement agents executed search and arrest warrants at Diop’s residence in Agoura Hills in June 2021. Inside his residence, agents seized counterfeit stamps that Diop used to “notarize” his fraudulent applications for unclaimed property, twelve falsified driver licenses, bank cards and check books in his victims’ names, and at least six change-of-address packets issued by the United States Postal Service.
This case was the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the California State Controller’s Office, the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.
Diop remains in federal custody and is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge William B. Shubb on January 29, 2024. Diop faces a maximum statutory penalty of twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the nine counts of mail fraud to which he pleaded guilty. Diop also faces a mandatory and consecutive statutory penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count to which he pleaded guilty. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Assistant Branch Manager at Tulare Credit Union Pleads Guilty for Stealing over $60,000 from Members’ Accounts to Spend on TikTokRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Esther Andrade Olson, 49, of Kings County, pleaded guilty today to embezzling over $60,000 from multiple members’ accounts at a Tulare-based credit union where she was previously employed, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Olson, while serving as an assistant branch manager, made several unauthorized withdrawals from four members’ accounts from July through August 2022. Olson made unauthorized cash withdrawals by bringing up the victims’ accounts while assisting other credit union members who were at the teller window to make it appear as though she had legitimate reasons to access the credit union’s cash stores. When confronted by credit union officials, Olson claimed that one of the victims was “doing some remodeling,” but told another employee that she was “done” and abruptly resigned from her position. Olson spent most of the money that she stole on TikTok, gifting much of the funds to an out of state individual with hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chan Hee Chu and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.
Olson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on March 4, 2024. Olson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 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.
Arrest Made in Bakersfield Firearms Trafficking Investigation Involving over 100 Guns Found at Crime ScenesRead the Press Release
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Joshua Ruic Kimball, 40, of Bakersfield, was arrested today on a criminal complaint for unlawful trafficking of firearms controlled by the National Firearms Act and for unlawful trafficking of firearms in violation of state law, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
“Under the guise of operating a legal firearms shop, Kimball was selling firearms in bulk without recording transactions through the ATF or complying with state background check or waiting period requirements,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “Over one hundred firearms traced to his operation have been recovered at crime scenes throughout the district, California, and other states. Our office is grateful for the strong federal, state, and local partnerships that made this investigation successful.”
“There is no higher priority than protecting our communities from firearms violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani of the ATF. “Crime gun intelligence was a key factor in being able to identity the firearms dealer in this investigation, and we will continue in our collaborative efforts with the Central Valley Crime Gun Task Force to strategically target and identify illegal firearms sales, trafficking patterns, and sources of crime guns.”
“The results of Operation Last Member are not only impressive, but they highlight the profound impact of combating illegal and indiscriminate sales of firearms to criminals,” Fresno Police Department Chief Paco Balderamma said. “The recovery of at least 102 firearms used in crimes from a single source in the western United States is a significant achievement. These guns will no longer pose a threat to our community, and the individual responsible for their distribution will be held accountable. I commend the Central Valley Crime Gun Task Force, a collaboration between the Fresno Police Department and the ATF, for successfully conducting this large-scale and complex investigation. I am also very appreciative of the work by our US Attorney’s Office for taking this case on and prosecuting it at the federal level. I look forward to future investigations by this task force which will work closely with our federal partners to eradicate illegally purchased firearms from the hands of criminals. This type of proactive enforcement will undoubtedly enhance the safety of our community, making it a better place to live.”
According to court documents, the investigation began when law enforcement began discovering firearms traced to Kimball that had been seized in connection with crimes. Over 100 such firearms have been traced to Kimball since 2021. Undercover agents then contacted Kimball at his place of business, Show Off Sports LLC, at which point Kimball sold undercover agents multiple weapons, including a short-barreled rife and several silencers. All of the weapons were sold without background checks or documentation as required by law.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Veneman-Hughes and Stephanie M. Stokman are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Kimball faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine for trafficking in firearms; 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for unlawfully trafficking in controlled firearms; and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for unlawfully trafficking in firearms in violation of state law. 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.
Sacramento County Men Indicted for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment last week against brothers Denis Gutsu, 31, of Antelope, and Maxim Gutsu, 26, of Rancho Cordova, charging them with conspiracy to commit money laundering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between December 2017 and March 2019, Denis Gutsu and Maxim Gutsu bought gift cards for a national retailer from persons who had obtained the gift cards using stolen credit card numbers. The Gutsu brothers bought these gift cards at a significant discount and then, usually within a day, sold the gift cards to an online gift card exchange. The brothers agreed with the exchange to sell these gift cards at a discount. In return, the online exchange passed on the discount to buyers who would quickly spend the gift cards. This sequence allowed the fraudulently obtained gift cards to be spent before the national retailer could void them due to fraud.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Denis Gutsu and Maxim Gutsu each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the money laundering. 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.
Rancho Cordova Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Importation and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Adan Navarro, 29, of Rancho Cordova, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to import heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl pills, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl pills, and conspiracy to launder money to Mexico, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 2, 2020, Navarro coordinated and received a $20,000 cash payment on behalf of a Mexico-based drug trafficker in order to pay down a multi-kilogram heroin debt and to facilitate future larger shipments of heroin. On July 24, 2020, U.S. border agents seized a drug load that Navarro partially owned and coordinated. The load was seized immediately after it crossed from Mexico into the United States and contained approximately 21 pounds of pure methamphetamine, 2 kilograms of heroin, and 977 fentanyl-laced counterfeit prescription pills. Following this seizure, Navarro and an associate arranged to send additional money to a Mexico-based source of supply to coordinate a new shipment of drugs.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Rancho Cordova Police Department, the Citrus Heights Police Department, and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.
Co-defendant Lionel Chavez pled guilty on March 21, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12, 2023.
Navarro is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Dale A. Drozd on March 19, 2024. Navarro faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine on each of three drug trafficking counts, and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for conspiracy to launder money. 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 prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.
Dallas Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography from Butte CountyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cameron Andrew Garcia, 29, of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty today to two counts of receipt of visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Garcia formed an online relationship with a minor victim from Butte County and instructed the minor victim to send him sexually explicit photos and videos, which the victim did. Garcia later sent Instagram messages to the same victim, threatening to post sexually explicit images and videos of the victim to public websites unless the victim produced new sexually explicit images and videos for him and sent him money. Garcia also used the Instagram app and the internet to communicate with a second minor victim who he knew was under the age of sixteen, and solicited and received multiple videos of that victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. When this second minor victim was not forthcoming with an additional picture, Garcia again resorted to extortion by threatening to post explicit content of the victim publicly.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez is scheduled to sentence Garcia on Feb. 13, 2024. On each count of conviction, Garcia faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison (with a minimum sentence of five years in prison), mandatory restitution, up to a lifetime of supervised release, 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 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.
Yosemite National Park Squatter Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Devin Michael Cuellar, 29, of Oakhurst, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition while squatting on private property in Yosemite National Park, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, during the summer of 2021, Cuellar broke into a private residence on Koon Hollar Road in Wawona within Yosemite National Park and resided there for several months without permission of the owner. During that time, the residence was trashed and stolen items were found. Cuellar possessed a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition that were found in the residence. Cuellar was previously convicted of carjacking and possessing controlled substances for sale and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by the National Park Service with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic Services, and the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar 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.
Kern County Man Trafficking Fentanyl Sentenced to over 17 YearsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Santana, 47, of Shafter, was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Nov. 16, 2021, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on Santana’s motel room in Bakersfield, and also searched Santana’s vehicle with his consent. As a result, law enforcement seized about 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl, 2.5 kilograms of heroin, two firearms, and approximately $5,000 in cash.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Sacramento Area Tax Preparer Convicted of Presenting False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a five–day trial, a federal jury found Leticia Tyshalle Marie Reed, 47, of Sacramento, guilty Monday of six counts of making false claims to the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The trial was held before U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta.
According to evidence presented at trial, Reed was a paid tax preparer who was registered with the IRS. In 2014 and 2015, Reed prepared and submitted federal income tax returns for Sacramento-based clients, relating to tax years 2013 and 2014. These tax returns requested tax refunds to which the clients were not entitled. Reed deliberately manipulated the reported income on each tax return by either inflating it or fabricating it altogether, in order to qualify her clients for the maximum refundable tax credits available. Based on these falsehoods, each return that Reed submitted sought thousands of dollars in tax refunds from the IRS. At times, the refunds requested were almost half of the annual income claimed. Reed would then take a substantial portion of any tax refunds that issued as compensation for preparing her clients’ Form 1040s.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shelley D. Weger and Kristin F. Scott are prosecuting the case.
Reed is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Calabretta on Feb. 1, 2024. Reed faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the six counts. 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.
Placerville Man Sentenced to 15-Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jordan T. Piper, 38, of Placerville, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison to be followed by seven and a half years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in 2019, Piper made approximately 30 surreptitious recordings of a minor victim while living in Groveland. Piper created screenshots from surreptitious video recordings that focused on the minor victim’s genitals and pubic area. During the execution of a search warrant, law enforcement found approximately 433 nude images of the minor victim on Piper’s cellphone.
This case was the product of an investigation by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact in Sequoia National ParkRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Luis Eduardo Sanchez-Azpeitia, 46, a Mexican national who was working in Sequoia National Park on a work visa, pleaded guilty today to abusive sexual contact with a female co-worker, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on July 31, 2023, Sanchez-Azpeitia entered the victim’s cabin in Sequoia National Park and committed non-consensual acts of abusive sexual contact, including touching her breasts, inner thighs, and vagina. The victim did not consent to any of the defendant’s sexual conduct, repeatedly told the defendant no, and tried to make him stop his sexual advances.
This case is the product of an investigation by the National Park Service with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katrina Brownson and Karen Escobar are prosecuting the case.
Sanchez-Azpeitia is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Feb. 26, 2024. Sanchez-Azpeitia faces a maximum statutory penalty of two 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.
Vallejo Man Convicted of Methamphetamine Trafficking and Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a six-day trial, a federal jury found Henry Benson, 42, of Vallejo, guilty on Thursday of conspiracy to distribute and manufacture methamphetamine-laced pills, four counts of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine-laced pills, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from January 2015 until his arrest in February 2019, Benson made and sold thousands of methamphetamine-laced pills. He made the pills using pill presses, which are machines that compress powders into pills of various shapes and sizes. Benson made pills to look like traditional Ecstasy pills—colorful, candy-like pills in the shape of cartoon characters, well-known company logos, and other popular designs. On two occasions in July 2018, Benson’s co-conspirator, Rafael Ruiz, sold thousands of methamphetamine-laced pills to an undercover agent in furtherance of the conspiracy. On Feb. 7, 2019, agents searched Benson’s living quarters, which were in the back rooms of a licensed elder-care facility in Vallejo, and found a pill press, methamphetamine-laced pills, bags of powders and other items for pressing pills, and a 12-gauge shotgun. The next day, agents searched Benson’s storage unit in Vacaville and found five more pill presses.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Vallejo Police Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Spencer and Ross Pearson, and Cameron Desmond are prosecuting the case.
On April 25, 2022, Ruiz was sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit robbery, and assault on a federal officer.
Co-defendant Roselle Cipriano, 39, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and manufacture methamphetamine-laced pills.
U.S. District Judge Dale. A Drozd is scheduled to sentence Benson and Cipriano on Jan. 9, 2024. Benson and Cipriano face 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine for the methamphetamine trafficking counts. Benson faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, up to life in prison, and a fine up to $250,000 for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 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 effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Carmichael Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Sam Moss Kerfoot, 27, of Carmichael, charging him with sexual exploitation of a minor, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in April and May 2022, Kerfoot sexually abused a minor and produced visual depictions of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, Kerfoot is alleged to have distributed child pornography in April 2022 and possessed child pornography in June 2023.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force Internet Crimes Against Children unit including the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Sauvageau and Alstyn Bennett are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the charges as alleged, Kerfoot faces a minimum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison, a maximum of 50 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine for sexual exploitation of a minor; a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine for distribution of child pornography; and a minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine for possession of child pornography. 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.
Arrest Made in Central California Bio-Lab InvestigationRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jia Bei Zhu, aka Jesse Zhu, aka Qiang He, aka David He, 62, a citizen of China who formerly resided in Clovis, was arrested today on a criminal complaint for manufacturing and distributing misbranded medical devices in violation of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and for making false statements to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
“As part of his scheme, the defendant changed his name, the names of his companies, and their locations,” U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “The disarray at the Reedley lab led to the glare of publicity he was trying to avoid, and the ensuing investigation unraveled his efforts to circumvent the requirements that are designed to ensure that medical devices are safe and effective.”
“Providing materially false information to FDA inspectors regarding medical device manufacturing and distribution impedes the agency’s ability to protect public health, especially when those false statements relate to unauthorized and misbranded COVID-19 tests. Consumers who unknowingly use these misbranded COVID tests run the risk of incorrect results about their COVID status, which can lead to further spread of the virus,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who jeopardize the health of U.S. consumers.”
According to court documents, between December 2020 and March 2023, Zhu and others manufactured, imported, sold, and distributed hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 test kits, in addition to test kits for HIV, pregnancy, clinical urinalysis, and other conditions in the United States and China. They did so through the companies Universal Meditech Incorporated (UMI) and Prestige Biotech Incorporated (PBI), which were based in Fresno and Reedley. UMI and PBI did not obtain the required authorizations to manufacture and distribute the test kits and mislabeled some of the test kits. When questioned by FDA officials, Zhu made false statements about his identity, his ownership and control of UMI and PBI, and the activities of UMI and PBI.
According to the criminal complaint, Reedley Code Enforcement officials received a complaint regarding a warehouse in Reedley for using non-permitted plumbing that was visible from outside the warehouse. When code enforcement officials went to the warehouse the next day, they saw various types of in vitro diagnostic test kits, related manufacturing equipment, and shipping supplies.
Further investigation found that UMI first registered as a medical device manufacturer with the FDA in November 2015 in Tulare and moved to Fresno in 2018. FDA records show that its registration lapsed in 2022, and it is no longer permitted to manufacture or import any in vitro diagnostic test kits in the United States. Any test kits that the company manufactured or imported after that date are considered misbranded medical devices.
To manufacture, import, and distribute COVID-19 test kits in the United States during the pandemic, a company must have applied for, and ultimately received, an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA. According to FDA records, UMI applied for an EUA for its COVID-19 test kits, but never received it due to major deficiencies in UMI’s test studies.
In November 2022, Fresno County officials notified UMI that they were going to inspect UMI’s Fresno facility to ensure everything was up to code following a fire that occurred at the facility. FDA officials then received an email from UMI’s attorney saying that the company had gone out of business and sold its assets to PBI, a company that was formed in Las Vegas, Nevada. PBI was never registered with the FDA to manufacture or import any in vitro diagnostic test kits in the United States, and never received an EUA to manufacture and distribute COVID-19 test kits. Therefore, any such test kits would be misbranded medical devices.
According to the criminal complaint, during the investigation, Zhu made several false statements to FDA officials, including that his name was Qiang “David” He; that he was hired by UMI as a COVID-19 consultant in 2021; that he was hired by PBI just a couple of weeks ago to communicate with government agencies and dispose of property at the warehouse as requested by those agencies; that he did not know anything about the manufacturing or distribution histories for UMI or PBI; and that he knew nothing about an Amazon webpage showing PBI‑branded pregnancy test kits for sale or a shipment of 47,500 pregnancy test kits from China to UMI at an address in Las Vegas.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Public Health – Food and Drug Branch. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton, Arelis M. Clemente, and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting this case.
If convicted, Zhu faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison for the misbranding of medical devices charge, and five more years in prison for the false statements charge. 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.
zhu_criminal_complaint.pdfTulare County Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Miguel Deniz, 33, of Farmersville, was sentenced today to 17 years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of firearms, and possession of a machine gun, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on May 1, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Deniz’s residence and found more than a pound of methamphetamine, an AK-style rifle, a Mossberg pump action shotgun, six handguns, 18 magazines, two handgun silencers, a ballistic vest, thousands of rounds of live ammunition, and firearm accessories. During the search, law enforcement officers also found “auto-sear” devices that are used to convert semi-automatic firearms to fire as fully automatic machine guns. Deniz is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the California Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Sanchez 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.
Three Defendants Plead Guilty to a $38 Million Catalytic Converter Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Three Sacramento family members pleaded guilty today to charges related to their participation in a nationwide catalytic converter theft conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Brothers Tou Sue Vang, 32, and Andrew Vang, 28, and their mother Monica Moua, 58, all pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport stolen catalytic converters from California to New Jersey in return for over $38 million in wired payments. Tou Sue Vang also pleaded guilty to an additional 39 charges related to money laundering.
In October and November 2022, federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for over $600 million dollars. Nine of 21 defendants were charged in the Eastern District of California.
Catalytic converters are part of an exhaust system that reduces toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle’s internal combustion engine. Catalytic converters use precious metals in their center, or “core,” and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially the precious metals palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Some of these precious metals are more valuable per ounce than gold, and their value has been increasing in recent years. The black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 each, depending on the type of vehicle and what state it is from. They can be stolen in less than a minute. Last year, approximately 1,600 catalytic converters were reportedly stolen in California each month, and California accounts for 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims nationwide.
According to court documents, the defendants pleading guilty today operated an unlicensed business from their residence in Sacramento where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to DG Auto Parts LLC (DG Auto) in New Jersey for processing. They sold over $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto.
Also charged in the 2022 indictment were co-defendants Navin Khanna, aka Lovin Khanna, 40; Tinu Khanna, aka Gagan Khanna, 36; Daniel Dolan, 45; Chi Mo, aka David Mo, 37; Wright Louis Mosley, 50; and Ishu Lakra, 25, all of New Jersey who operated DG Auto in multiple locations in New Jersey. According to court documents, they knowingly purchased stolen catalytic converters and, through a “de-canning” process, extracted the precious metal powders from the catalytic core. DG Auto sold the precious metal powders it processed from California and elsewhere to a metal refinery for over $600 million. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Davis Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, the Livermore Police Department, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría is prosecuting the case.
Tou Sue Vang, Andrew Vang, and Monica Moua are not yet scheduled to be sentenced. Andrew Vang and Monica Moua each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The 40 counts to which Tou Sue Vang pleaded guilty carry various maximum penalties per count ranging from 20 years in prison to five years in prison, and fines that range from $500,000 to $250,000 per count or twice the gross gain or loss from the crimes. 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 effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former Navy IT Manager Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Hacking a Computer Database, Stealing over 9,000 People’s Identities, and Selling the Information for $160,000 in BitcoinRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Former Navy IT Manager Marquis Hooper, 32, of Selma, California, was sentenced today to five years and five months in prison for hacking a computer database that contained personally identifiable information (PII) and selling it, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, in August 2018, Hooper opened an online account with a company that runs a database containing the PII for millions of people. The company restricts access to the database to businesses and government agencies that have a demonstrated, lawful need for the PII. Hooper, however, opened his database account by falsely representing to the company that the Navy needed him to perform background checks.
After Hooper opened his database account, he added his wife and co-defendant, Natasha Chalk, to the account. They then stole over 9,000 people’s PII and sold it to other individuals on the dark web for $160,000 in bitcoin.
At least some of the individuals to whom Hooper and Chalk sold the PII used it to commit further crimes. For example, one individual used the PII to create a fake driver’s license and then tried to withdraw money from the victim’s bank account.
In December 2018, Hooper’s database account was closed for suspected fraud. Thereafter, Hooper, Chalk, and an unindicted co-conspirator tried to regain access to the database. Hooper instructed the unindicted co-conspirator to open a new database account by representing that the Navy needed him to perform background checks just like Hooper had done. Hooper offered to pay the unindicted co-conspirator $2,500 for each month that the database account was opened. The unindicted co-conspirator submitted an application to open the database account and the company told him that a supply officer had to sign the contract. Navy supply officers have contracting authority to purchase certain services and supplies for the Navy.
Hooper then sent the unindicted co-conspirator multiple documents falsely identifying an identity theft victim as the supposed Naval supply officer. These documents included a false contract, a fake driver’s license for the identity theft victim, and a forged letter purporting to be from a commanding officer in the Navy. The unindicted co-conspirator submitted the fake documents to the company, but the company decided not to open the new database account.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Chalk is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20, 2023. She faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $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.
Fairfield Man Indicted for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Sept. 28, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Steven Daniel Miller, 47, of Fairfield, charging him with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Yesterday Miller made his first appearance in federal court on the case.
According to court documents, in October 2018, Miller used another person’s social security number to complete a credit application with a bank in order to purchase a 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat at a car dealership in Yuba City. Based on the false information on the credit application, the bank approved the loan and paid approximately $75,754 to the car dealership. Miller left the dealership with the vehicle, and it was subsequently seized by law enforcement.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service with assistance from the California Highway Patrol, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Rocklin Police Department, the Gilroy Police Department, and the Fairfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Miller faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Nigerian Nationals Based in Maryland Sentenced for Schemes to Steal California and Other States’ Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nigerian nationals Quazeem Owolabi Adeyinka, 22, and Ayodeji Jonathan Sangode, 25, currently both residing in Maryland, were sentenced today to 26 months and 14 months in prison respectively for their roles a fraud conspiracy during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Sangode pleaded guilty in October 2022 to access device fraud, and Adeyinka pleaded guilty in November 2022 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. A third co-conspirator, Olamide Yusuf Bakare, 26, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced in July 2023 to four years and nine months in prison.
According to court documents, between June 2020 and July 2021, Adeyinka, Sangode, Bakare, and others participated in a conspiracy to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims to the State of California. More than 200 individual applications were filed with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) indicating that the claimants’ address was the Hyattsville, Maryland, apartment that the co-defendants shared.
During the conspiracy, the conspirators obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of persons who were not eligible for UI or PUA benefits or who did not authorize the conspirators to act on their behalf with respect to seeking such benefits. Such PII included names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. The conspirators then used the PII to submit dozens of fraudulent UI and PUA claims to EDD under the putative claimants’ identities and without their authorization.
The underlying benefit applications contained false representations, including, for example, that the claimants had worked for certain employers and supervisors; had specific annual incomes; worked during certain time periods; were self-employed in various occupations; were laid off and had no work; were newly unemployed due to a disaster including the COVID-19 pandemic; and were currently available to work. Most, if not all, of these claims were false because the claimants were not so previously working, employed, newly unemployed, or seeking new employment.
The conspirators knew that these representations were false or lacked the knowledge and authority to make such representations. These actions caused EDD to approve fraudulent UI and PUA claims.
For each approved claim, EDD deposited benefit funds into a debit card account administered by Bank of America and under the identity of the putative claimant. Bank of America then mailed unauthorized debit cards to addresses under the control of the defendants. Under the direction of Bakare and others, Adeyinka and Sangode then obtained these debit cards and their PINs and used these cards to withdraw cash at ATMs for the benefit of themselves and coconspirators.
At least 15 debit cards that Adeyinka used during the conspiracy were linked to bank accounts that received approximately $237,911 in fraudulent UI and PUA benefits. Adeyinka was personally involved in $793,844 in attempted loss. And at least 53 debit cards that Sangode used during the conspiracy were linked to bank accounts that received approximately $752,142 in fraudulent UI and PUA benefits.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General – Covid Fraud Unit, and the California EDD – Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Former Fresno Resident Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking and Sending Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — William Lee Robinson, 43, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, pleaded guilty today to five counts of sending threatening interstate communications and three counts of cyberstalking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Robinson worked at a business in Fresno from June to November in 2017. After the business fired him, Robinson began sending threatening messages to his former supervisor and other co-workers in an attempt to extort them for money. These threats included graphic statements threatening to physically harm co-workers and a former supervisor’s daughter. Robinson made the threats because he wanted the company to pay him between $10,000 and $20,000 to cover the cost of relocating to a different city.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston is scheduled to sentence Robinson on Feb. 12, 2024. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the five counts of sending threatening communications. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the cyberstalking counts. 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.
DC Solar Attorney Indicted in the DC Solar Billion Dollar Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Oct. 5, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a 23‑count indictment against Ari J. Lauer, 59, of Lafayette, charging him with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, bank fraud, and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, for his role in the biggest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the Eastern District of California, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Lauer is an attorney licensed to practice law in California, and from approximately 2009 to January 2019, he was outside counsel to DC Solar and provided legal and business advice concerning DC Solar’s operations. The indictment was unsealed today following Lauer’s arrest.
According to court documents, between 2011 and 2018, DC Solar manufactured mobile solar generators that were mounted on trailers. The company touted the versatility and environmental sustainability of the generators and claimed that they were used to provide emergency power to cellphone towers and lighting at sporting and other events. A significant incentive for investors were generous federal tax credits due to the solar nature of the generators. Jeff Carpoff, 52, Paulette Carpoff, 49, both of Martinez, and their co-conspirators solicited investors to invest in the generators in large multimillion-dollar transactions using a variety of fraudulent techniques.
A key part of the fraud was that investors would never actually take possession of the generators. Instead, DC Solar typically leased those generators back from the investors, and claimed to sublease them to third parties to generate revenue. In reality there was very little actual third-party rental demand for the generators, yet when Lauer and the other co-conspirators learned this, they continued to represent falsely to investors that the rental market for the generators was robust.
In June 2012, Lauer, Jeff Carpoff, and others met to discuss the failure to generate third-party lease revenue sufficient to meet their financial obligations to the investors. The conspirators agreed to conceal that lack of third-party lease revenue from current and prospective investors, by, among other things, making periodic transfers of investor money from one account to another while misrepresenting the flow of funds as third-party lease revenue. Lauer and other members of the conspiracy created a circular payment system they referred to as “re-rent.” In 2014, they created a “re-rent agreement,” backdating the document to 2011, and used it to explain the large sums of money being transferred from one account to another. In fact, the real source of money was new investor money, which was being used to pay obligations to existing investors. The indictment further alleges that Lauer and other members of the conspiracy prepared sublease agreements with “concealed addendums” that materially altered the terms of the contracts. They used the sublease agreements to defraud investors.
Between March 2011 and Dec. 18, 2018, investors collectively invested approximately $759,400,000 and several financial institutions and other investors transferred collectively $152,700,000 to DC Solar as part of related transactions for the purchase and lease of generators. In total, DC Solar closed transactions with investors that contributed an aggregate of more than $912 million to purchase generators. Those transactions purportedly involved approximately 17,000 generators, at approximately $2.5 billion in purported value.
During the conspiracy, approximately 94% to 95% of the supposed lease revenue on the books was actually intercompany transfers disguised as new investor money. In truth, third-party end-user demand for generators never exceeded 5% of the revenue that was claimed.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey Hemesath is prosecuting the case.
On Nov. 9, 2021, Jeff Carpoff was sentenced to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $790,600,000 in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. His wife Paulette Carpoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and money laundering. She was sentenced on June 28, 2022, to 11 years and three months in prison.
On Nov. 16, 2021, Joseph W. Bayliss, 48, of Martinez, was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $481,300,000 in restitution for securities fraud and conspiracy in connection with the DC Solar scheme. On April 12, 2022, DC Solar CFO Robert A. Karmann, 57, of Clayton, was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to pay $624 million. On May 31, 2022, Alan Hansen was sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and aiding and abetting money laundering. Ryan Guidry, 48, of Pleasant Hill, was sentenced on Jan. 31, 2023, to six years and six months in prison and ordered to pay $619,415,950 in restitution for to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and aiding and abetting money laundering.
Ronald J. Roach, 55, of Walnut Creek, pleaded guilty to criminal offenses related to the fraud scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14, 2023. Roach faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
lauer_indictment.pdfBakersfield Men Indicted for $25 Million Tax Refund Fraud Scheme Using Stolen IdentitiesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Sept. 21, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment charging Bakersfield residents Miguel Martinez, 39, and Victor Cruz, 38, for their involvement in a $25 million tax refund fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.
Martinez and Cruz were each charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and submission of false claims to the Internal Revenue Service. Martinez was also charged with identity theft. He has been in custody since his arrest in June 2023 on a criminal complaint. Cruz was arrested Monday at the Los Angeles airport upon his arrival from Mexico.
According to court documents, between November 2019 and June 2023, the defendants and others participated in a scheme to file hundreds of fraudulent individual federal income tax returns that claimed over $25 million in refunds. The defendants used stolen identities to create fake businesses and reported phony wage and withholding information to the IRS that the businesses never actually paid. The purported owners of the businesses listed on these documents were unaware that the businesses even existed. The defendants then submitted hundreds of individual income tax returns to the IRS in the names of the individuals whose identities they had stolen, claiming tax refunds based on the income and withholding information. Cruz was a tax preparer in Bakersfield who filed a significant number of the fraudulent returns. In many cases, the fraudulent tax returns resulted in tax refunds being paid out through checks issued by the IRS. The checks were primarily cashed at businesses in Kern County.
According to court documents, at arrest, Martinez was in possession of more than $750,000 in fraudulent tax refund checks and identification cards for more than 200 people.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Martinez and Cruz each face a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each of the false claims counts. Martinez also faces a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the identity theft count. 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.
martinez_criminal_complaint.pdf martinez_cruz_indictment.pdfBakersfield Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $160,000 in COVID-19 Relief MoneyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jaswinder Bhangoo, 50, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to stealing $163,750 in COVID-19 relief money, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between May 2020 and November 2021, Bhangoo applied for over $250,000 in COVID-19 relief loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. In the applications, Bhangoo falsely represented that he owned multiple businesses with several employees and substantial revenues. He also represented that he had not been convicted of a felony in the previous five years when, in fact, he had been convicted of insurance fraud. Based on Bhangoo’s false representations, some of his loan applications were approved, and he received approximately $163,750 in federal funds to which he was not entitled.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.
Bhangoo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on Feb. 20, 2024. Bhangoo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $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.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Mother and Son from Sacramento Indicted for False Income Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Sept. 28, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against Dominic Davis, 38, and Sharitia Wright, 59, both of Sacramento, charging them with conspiring to obtain payment of false claims against the United States, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
The indictment also charges Davis with six counts of filing false claims against the United States and Wright with three counts of filing false claims. Wright is Davis’s mother. The indictment was unsealed following their arrests today.
According to court documents, between March 2019 and April 2022, Davis and Wright caused at least nine fraudulent income-tax returns to be filed with the IRS claiming more than $2 million in income tax refunds.
This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Davis and Wright each face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to obtain payment of false claims count. The maximum penalty for each count of filing false claim against the United States is five 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Washington Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from Sutter County BusinessRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tamara Mannisto, 58, of Ocean Park, Washington, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from February 2007 through November 2016, Mannisto worked for a company located in Rio Oso that was in the business of mechanical food processing and farming. In her role at the company, Mannisto’s duties included preparing checks for the owners to sign. Beginning in at least January 2012, and continuing through October 2016, Mannisto carried out a fraudulent scheme to steal over $900,000 from her employer. As part of the scheme, Mannisto created company checks and made them payable to herself, without authorization and for amounts not due her. To make the checks appear legitimate, Mannisto forged the owners’ signatures on the checks or stamped them with one of the owners’ signatures. Falsely posing as the checks’ lawful payee, Mannisto deposited the checks in bank accounts she controlled.
This case is a product of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley is scheduled to sentence Mannisto on March 28, 2024. She faces a sentence of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the court’s discretion after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Kern County Residents Charged with Federal Explosives ViolationsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Joseph Roy Vigneault, 20, of Lake Isabella, and Michael Roy Anglin, 21, of Wofford Heights, charging them with the receipt and transportation of explosives without a license and distributing explosives to a non-licensed person. Vigneault was also charged with stealing explosive materials from a licensed manufacturer, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in May 2023, Vigneault is alleged to have been involved in the theft of over 700 pounds of Hydromite, an explosive and blasting agent, from Austin Powder West LLC, a licensed explosives manufacturer. The Hydromite contained ammonium nitrate, which is used militarily as an explosive and has been used in several terrorist acts, including the Oklahoma City bombing. Vigneault then recruited Anglin to assist in selling the Hydromite to another individual for a profit. The buyer resided in Wofford Heights. Neither Vigneault, Anglin, nor the buyer were licensed to handle or transport explosives as required by federal law.
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.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. 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.
Bay Area Couple Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Victims of over Half a MillionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kendra Dennaoui, 67, of San Mateo, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Dennaoui and her spouse Dennis Moore (who has already pleaded guilty to the same charge) defrauded their victims by promising to invest their money into real estate deals, but they actually used the victims’ money to continue their fraud schemes and pay for personal expenses. Dennaoui and Moore misappropriated approximately $516,529 in funds from their victims.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley is scheduled to sentence Moore and Dennaoui on Feb. 29, 2024. Dennaoui and Moore each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss. 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.
Owners of Mobile Phlebotomy Company Each Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gabriella Santibanez, 59, and her sister Lisa Hazard, 55, both of Temecula, were sentenced Monday to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay over $7.5 million in restitution for health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Dec, 1, 2015, and Dec, 1, 2020, Santibanez and Hazard ran a mobile phlebotomy company, PhlebXpress Inc. that provided phlebotomy and other medical collection services at patients’ homes and long-term care facilities in Sacramento and elsewhere. Santibanez and Hazard agreed to bill Medicare for services provided that were not reimbursable by Medicare. Santibanez and Hazard also agreed to bill Medicare for overstated mileage that PhlebXpress phlebotomists traveled. On average, Santibanez and Hazard caused false billing to Medicare of over 140 miles for each patient seen by PhlebXpress. Santibanez and Hazard caused a loss to Medicare of at least $7.5 million based on false billing by PhlebXpress.
In November 2020, due to “credible allegations of fraud” at PhlebXpress, Medicare instituted a payment suspension for PhlebXpress under which Medicare ceased paying PhlebXpress for the services it continued to bill Medicare.
According to court documents, between July 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2021, Santibanez and Hazard agreed to circumvent the payment suspension by representing to Medicare that services provided to Medicare patients were done by another company, Phlebotomy Solutions, when they were in fact being provided by PhlebXpress through its contractors and employees from PhlebXpress’s offices. Through Phlebotomy Solutions, Santibanez and Hazard agreed to bill Medicare for a non-reimbursable service, misrepresenting that it was for another reimbursable service and overstating the mileage traveled by phlebotomists in order to receive additional money from Medicare. For example, in September 2021, Phlebotomy Solutions billed Medicare for 124.6 miles of travel by a phlebotomist when in fact the phlebotomist travelled 1.4 miles. Santibanez and Hazard caused a loss to Medicare of at least $50,000 based on false billing by Phlebotomy Solutions.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Bickley prosecuted the case.
Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to 3.5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Juan Valentin Manriquez, 21, of Antioch, was sentenced today to three years and eight months in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, co-defendant Andrew Jace Larrabure-Tuma used Snapchat to advertise narcotics and guns for sale. Law enforcement used undercover officers and a confidential informant to buy guns from Tuma. Tuma was 19 years old and could not legally purchase a gun in the state of California. Tuma ultimately introduced the informant working for law enforcement to his gun supplier, Manriquez. During the course of the following month, Manriquez sold the informant nine guns in exchange for cash.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sacramento Police Department, and the Western El Dorado Narcotics Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee prosecuted the case.
Tuma pleaded guilty to unlawful dealing and manufacturing firearms and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
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.
Sanger Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Fentanyl Analogues in Operation Killer HighRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Abel Lozano, 29, of Sanger, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing detectible amount of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl analogue, and 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, after a series of overdoses in the Fresno area caused by counterfeit oxycodone M30 tablets containing fentanyl, or M30s, an investigation began to find the drug dealers suppling the toxic pills. The investigation, named “Operation Killer High,” uncovered a large drug-trafficking ring led by Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr., the self-proclaimed “M30 king of Fresno.”
According to court documents, in February 2022, investigators learned that Urias planned to deliver several thousand fentanyl pills to Lozano. Two days later, federal officers searched Lozano’s home and found about a kilogram of fentanyl analogue, over a kilogram of fentanyl mixture, about a kilogram of methamphetamine, over 3 kilograms of marijuana, and a small amount of cocaine. Lozano was interviewed and admitted that the drugs were his and that he was regularly buying and reselling them in large quantities, including to customers in other states.
Lozano and 17 others were indicted by a federal grand jury in 2022. Lozano is the first defendant to be sentenced. Marvin Carreno, 24, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Feb. 12, 2024.
Twelve co-defendants have previously pleaded guilty to fentanyl or cocaine distribution charges and are now awaiting sentencing.
- Henry Cox, 23, of Sanger;
- Justin Riddle, of Las Cruces, New Mexico,
- Erica Ramirez, of Fresno;
- Alejandro Guzman, of Fresno;
- Agustin Hernandez, of Fresno;
- Christian Harris-Blanchette, of Fresno;
- Oscar Jaramillo-Cortez, of Fresno;
- Jacob Valles, of Fresno;
- Cody Fyfe, of Fresno;
- Juan Valencia Jr., of Fresno;
- Amadeo Sarabia Jr., of Fresno; and
- Alex Garcia, of Fresno.
Charges are pending against the remaining four defendants: Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr., Alma Garza, Brayan Cruz, and Victor Yair Torrecillas-Urias. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (FORT), an agency composed of officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno and Clovis Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Laurel J. Montoya are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Joined with Federal Bar Association and Law Schools to Hold Second Annual Sacramento Region Diversity Career FairRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The second annual Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair, held on Sept. 30, 2023, connected employers with diverse legal candidates for future and current job openings. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, the UC Davis School of Law, and the Federal Bar Association Sacramento Chapter made the announcement following today’s event.
The Diversity Career Fair is the first legal career fair in the Sacramento region with an online platform where employers can post legal jobs and law students and attorneys can submit applications. The Diversity Career Fair grew significantly this year to include 70 participating employers and was expanded to include an interview component. The Diversity Career Fair also provided employers, law students, and attorneys with the opportunity to connect in person, and included a panel discussion featuring federal and state court judges and the Circuit Executive for the U.S. Courts for the Ninth Circuit. A wide variety of employers, bar associations, law students, attorneys, and judges attended the Diversity Career Fair held at McGeorge School of Law campus.
“The Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair has been groundbreaking, and its successful expansion has strengthened our legal community and commitment to diversity,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “We are committed to making the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair an annual program to continue this important work with our law schools, bar associations, and the larger legal community.”
“McGeorge is pleased and honored to be hosting the second annual Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair, and we cannot thank the participating employers enough,” said Michael Hunter Schwartz, Dean of McGeorge School of Law. “A majority of our students at McGeorge are members of marginalized racial and ethnic identities, making the Diversity Career Fair not only a vital step towards fostering a better legal profession but also providing our student body with invaluable opportunities to connect with employers who share our commitment to our students and the needs of California’s diverse communities.”
“The Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect with employers who prioritize diversity in the legal profession,” UC Davis School of Law Dean Kevin R. Johnson said. “We were so pleased to participate and continue to advance the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion that are the foundation of our school. Many thanks to the outstanding employers who participated and to our partner organizations for allowing us to take part in this important event for our region.”
The panel discussion featured Sacramento Superior Court Judge Bunmi Awoniyi, U.S. District Judge Daniel Calabretta (E.D. Cal.), California Court of Appeal Associate Justice Elena Duarte (3DCA), and U.S. Courts for the Ninth Circuit, Circuit Executive Susan Soong.
The Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair was co-sponsored by all of the affinity bar associations in Sacramento, including the Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento (ABAS), Cruz Reynoso Bar Association, Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association, Sacramento Filipino American Lawyers Association (SacFALA), South Asian Bar Association (SABA), SacLegal Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, Wiley Manuel Bar Association (WMBA), and Women Lawyers of Sacramento (WLS), the Yolo Unity Bar, and by the Sacramento County Bar Association.
For more information: https://www.sacramentodiversitycareerfair.org/.
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Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Bryan Tamblyn, 39, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court records, between July 2018 and August 2019, Tamblyn used a BitTorrent client to knowingly receive thousands of files containing visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Some of those files included children under the age of 12.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case.
Tamblyn is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Tamblyn faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Fresno Man Indicted for EscapeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Doroteo Gonzales, 28, of Fresno, charging him with escape, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in October 2021 Gonzalez was sentenced to federal prison after a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Jan. 9, 2023, Gonzalez was transferred to the Turning Point Residential Reentry Center (RRC) in Fresno to finish serving his sentence. On Jan. 23, 2023, two weeks after Gonzalez arrived at the RRC, staff discovered that Gonzales was not present while conducting a count of the RRC’s residents. Gonzales was not authorized to leave the RRC and was not scheduled to be released until months later on April 11, 2023. The RRC Staff conducted a search of the facility and contacted local hospitals and jails attempting to locate Gonzales but were unsuccessful in locating him. Gonzalez is currently in federal custody.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Gonzales faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former California Prison Correctional Officer Indicted for Accepting BribesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Sept. 14, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Stephen Joseph Crittenden, 43, of Suisun City, charging him with bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed following Crittenden’s arrest.
According to court documents, Crittenden was a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation correctional officer at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville. In 2021 and 2022 he accepted bribes to smuggle cellphones into the California Medical Facility.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Crittenden faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
crittenden_indictment.pdfModesto Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Myron Kilgore, 44, of Modesto, pleaded guilty Monday to being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 2, 2021, Kilgore was arrested in Modesto after a Glock style P80 handgun was discovered under the driver’s side floormat during a search of his vehicle. The handgun was loaded with six rounds of ammunition. Kilgore is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Modesto Police Department, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chan Hee Chu is prosecuting the case.
Kilgore is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Dec. 18, 2023. Kilgore 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 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.
Mexican National Residing in Stockton Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jose Cruz Ivan Aispuro, 38, a Mexican national residing in Stockton, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and 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 heroin and counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl. As part of this conspiracy, Aispuro supplied heroin that Guzman sold to a confidential source and undercover agent on three occasions. Aispuro also supplied 500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that Guzman sold to the undercover agent on two occasions. Approximately 4.5 kilograms of heroin and $42,066 in cash were seized from Aispuro’s residence. Aispuro has agreed to forfeit the $42,066 to the United States as part of his plea agreement. Approximately 10,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and 2.8 kilograms of heroin were seized from Guzman’s residence.
This case is 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 is prosecuting the case.
Aispuro is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 9, 2024. Guzman is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12, 2023. Aispuro and Guzman each face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and 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 effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former CHP Officer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Timothy Allen Horwath, 53, formerly of Redding, was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison, 10 years of supervised release, $53,000 in restitution and a $5,100 special assessment for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Horwath was serving as a California Highway Patrol officer while, in his nonworking time, he was receiving visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including children as young as three and four years old being sexually abused by adult males. While released on bond, Horwath violated the court conditions that he not use the internet or a device capable of accessing the internet. Investigators caught Horwath with a home internet subscription and an iPhone that he had used to carry out dozens of WhatsApp encrypted conversations with females, many of which were sexual in nature. Horwath’s bond was revoked following execution of a search warrant that confirmed he was violating his bond conditions.
This case was the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol’s Computer Crimes Investigation Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who 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.
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for ID Theft and Attempting to Steal Seized Cars from the FBIRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Quinten Giovanni Moody, aka Christano Rossi, 39, of Dublin, was sentenced today to seven years in prison for aggravated identity theft, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
“This defendant committed felonies involving drugs and identity theft, then doubled down by obstructing justice,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “After making hundreds of thousands of dollars distributing marijuana across the country and fraudulently claiming unemployment insurance benefits during the coronavirus pandemic, he used phony court documents in a failed attempt to get the FBI to release property seized during the federal investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to hold accountable those who engage in such brazen violations of federal criminal law.”
According to court documents, between June 2017 and June 2022, Moody, co-defendant Myra Boleche Minks, 46, formerly of Roseville, and other co‑conspirators generated hundreds of thousands of dollars by transporting marijuana from California to Georgia, Nevada, Texas, and other locations. Moody and others bought marijuana in California and then transported the marijuana to distributors in other states via couriers and baggage traveling on commercial airplanes and commercial shipping services. Once the marijuana was sold, Moody and others caused the proceeds of the marijuana sales to be returned to them in California by using couriers to travel on commercial airline flights carrying cash, using shipping services to ship cash, and causing others at their direction to deposit cash into bank accounts.
Moody and others also committed unemployment insurance fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in August 2020, Moody, Minks, and co-defendant Jessica Tang, 49, of Sacramento, participated in a scheme to submit fraudulent claims of unemployment benefits through the California Employment Development Department (EDD). As part of this scheme, on Sept. 4, 2020, Moody used a Bank of America debit card in the name of an identity theft victim to make purchases at a Cartier store and Louis Vuitton store in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Quinten Moody engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in the names of identity theft victims in order to purchase luxury jewelry and further his criminal enterprise. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to holding perpetrators of UI fraud accountable for their actions. We commend the FBI and the Project Safe Neighborhoods program for leading this joint investigation,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, Western Region.
Moody sought to obstruct the investigation into his activities by using faked court documents. As part of the investigation, the United States applied for seizure warrants for a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro and a 1956 Chevrolet pickup that Moody purchased with the proceeds of his criminal activities. On April 15, 2022, personnel from the FBI seized the two vehicles in Georgia pursuant to the seizure warrants issued in the Eastern District of California. The vehicles were transported to the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office for storage. On May 8, 2022, at approximately 9:30 p.m., a flatbed truck from towing company arrived at the FBI’s Atlanta field office. The tow truck driver informed FBI security personnel that he had been directed to retrieve the vehicles from FBI’s custody. The tow truck driver gave FBI security personnel documents, including a document purporting to be an order issued by the Honorable John K. Larkins III, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Georgia. The documents purported to order the U.S. Marshal and the FBI to release the vehicles. The documents, however, were fraudulent and had been created by Moody and Minks for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining custody of the two seized vehicles.
On May 21, 2022, a tow truck from a different towing company arrived at the FBI’s Atlanta field office. Again, the driver presented a fake federal court order purporting to authorize the release of the seized vehicles. The fraudulent federal court documents had been altered from the previous attempt. FBI personnel did not release the vehicles. Shortly before the arrival of the tow truck, a co-conspirator called personnel at the FBI’s Atlanta field office and pretended to be an FBI Special Agent. While in character, the co-conspirator attempted to contact the employees assigned to the gate outside of the field office to facilitate the tow truck gaining access to the FBI property.
Charges are pending against Minks and Tang. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, the Placer County Probation Department, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, the Colma Police Department, the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the San Francisco Police Department, the Atlanta Police Department, the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the California Employment Development Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Lee and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting 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.
Citrus Heights Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher Campbell, 48, of Citrus Heights, pleaded guilty today to possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in February 2023 Campbell engaged in an online chat with an undercover officer whom Campbell believed was a 13-year-old girl. As a result of the conversations, law enforcement search Campbell’s residence and seized his iPad and cellphone, which contained approximately 517 images and 45 videos of child pornography. Law enforcement also searched Campbell’s Mega cloud storage account, which contained approximately 169 videos of child pornography, including depictions of toddlers and other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau is prosecuting the case.
Campbell is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Feb. 6, 2024. Campbell faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, 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.
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.
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Vallejo Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Raykheem Andrew Guthery, 31, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on June 9, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a vehicle stop on Guthery for driving a car without license plates. Guthery pretended to be someone else, claimed he was not on parole or probation, and denied being armed. In fact, Guthery was on probation for felony assault and had a firearm loaded with an extended magazine concealed on his person. Officers discovered the firearm during Guthery’s arrest. The firearm was a non-serialized, privately manufactured firearm, known as a “ghost gun.” It was loaded with one round of .40-caliber ammunition in the chamber and another 17 rounds in an extended magazine.
Guthery is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has been convicted of at least three felonies, including a 2016 felony conviction for forcible assault likely to cause grave bodily injury. He is also prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he is the subject of a domestic violence protective order issued on April 15, 2021, by the Superior Court of California, Solano County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Guthery is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Dec. 11, 2023. Guthery 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 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.
Tulare County Woman Sentenced to 16 Years and 3 Months in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Alma Sanchez, 50, of Alpaugh, was sentenced today to 16 years and three months in prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Sanchez distributed methamphetamine on two occasions to a co-conspirator, who then immediately sold the methamphetamine. On June 16, 2021, Sanchez distributed a pound and a half of methamphetamine, and on and Jan. 31, 2022, she distributed another 2 pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Coalinga Police Department, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (HIDTA), and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is 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.