Eastern District of California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment today against Bruce Lamont Walker, 53, of Vallejo, charging him with 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 is 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 is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Walker 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.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Joseph Hill, 40, of Mount Vernon, Washington, and Brigit Marie Bissell, 27, of Bothell, Washington, charging them with conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 14, 2022, Hill and Bissell were traveling northbound on Interstate 5 in Fresno County, when stopped by police for speeding. When the officer had his narcotics detection dog run a sweep around the car, the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics. A subsequent search revealed three bags containing approximately 75 pounds of fentanyl or over 300,000 fentanyl pills.

This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno High Impact Investigations Team, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Hill and Bissell face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jaswinder Singh, 59, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty today to one count of attempted obstruction of an official proceeding when he tried to influence the testimony of a potential trial witness, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in August 2021, Singh instructed the witness to tell law enforcement that the witness knew nothing, not to mention anything about him or his participation in the conspiracy to help others obtain fraudulent commercial driver licenses, and not to name any names. Singh also told the witness not to talk on the phone and said that it was very important for them to make sure their stories were similar to one another.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rosanne L. Rust and Christopher Hales are prosecuting the case.

Singh is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on May 5, 2022. Singh faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Alejandro Cabrera-Gallegos, 40, of Porterville, was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on May 2, 2019, Cabrera distributed 1 pound of methamphetamine to an individual in Tulare County. On May 14, 2019, Cabrera was arrested in Tulare County attempting to distribute 5 pounds of methamphetamine. An additional 1 pound of methamphetamine was seized during a search warrant executed at Cabrera’s residence in Porterville on May 14, 2019.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Porterville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Schuh prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 15-count indictment today against Eric Michael Jaklitsch, 40, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, charging him with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

On Dec. 8, 2021, Jaklitsch was arrested on a federal criminal complaint at his home in New Jersey. He made his initial appearance in the District of New Jersey and was ordered detained for transport to the Eastern District of California.

According to court documents, between October 2020 and December 2021, Jaklitsch executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing at least 78 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Jaklitsch collected personally identifiable information (PII) of numerous individuals — including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers — and used their identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The filings represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because, for example, the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Jaklitsch did not have authority to file claims on their behalf.

Since at least October 2021, EDD has partnered with ID.me — a private company used by the EDD for ID verification of claimants — to implement a system for verifying claimant identities before EDD can process unemployment insurance claims. An internal investigation conducted by ID.me identified Jaklitsch as a person conducting a fraud scheme and referred the case to federal law enforcement.

In executing his fraudulent scheme, Jaklitsch also submitted false information to ID.me that allowed his fake and stolen identities to be verified. This false information included images of fake driver’s licenses that contained photos of Jaklitsch and the names of the purported claimants. He also submitted live photos of himself that were used to verify the photos on the fake driver’s licenses. Once these false identities were verified, Jaklitsch filed the fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD under the same identities.

In the fraudulent unemployment insurance applications, Jaklitsch requested that the unemployment insurance benefits be mailed to various addresses under his control, including his residence in New Jersey. EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out EDD debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Jaklitsch then activated the EDD debit cards and used them to withdraw the benefits at ATMs throughout New Jersey. The scheme sought over $2,500,000 in unemployment insurance benefits and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $900,000.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General – Covid Fraud Unit, and the California Employment Development Department (EDD) – Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Jaklitsch faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the 14 wire fraud counts. He also faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence if convicted of aggravated identity theft, which must run consecutive to any sentence received on the wire fraud counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Joshua David Harrington, 35, of Modesto, charging him with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on April 2, 2021, Harrington discarded a backpack with two firearms while fleeing from law enforcement officers. Harrington is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Officers also located methamphetamine possessed by Harrington for distribution in the garage at his residence. On Aug. 14, 2021, Harrington possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it in Modesto.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office; the Stanislaus County Probation Department; and the Modesto Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Harrington faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the felon in possession charge, and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison up to a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine on each drug trafficking 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Martin Cervantes, 26, of Corcoran, charging him with four counts of distributing narcotics and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, from October to December 2021, Cervantes mailed three packages each containing over 500 grams of fentanyl powder and one package containing over 2,000 grams of methamphetamine from post offices in Fresno. The packages were destined for addresses in the Midwest, but were intercepted. On January 6, 2022, Cervantes also possessed over 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Cervantes faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison up to a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine on 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Elizabeth Marie Acuna, 34, of Sparks, Nevada, charging her with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2021, a law enforcement officer observed Acuna driving over 90 mph on Highway 395, in an unincorporated area of Mono County. The officer initiated a traffic stop by activating his overhead lights. In response, Acuna slowed her speed but did not immediately pull over. Instead, she drove her vehicle over the double yellow lines, driving north in the southbound lanes of the highway, before coming to a stop. Acuna admitted to the officer that she had drugs in the back of her vehicle. A subsequent search located 762.3 grams of cocaine wrapped in two cellophane packages.

At the time of the stop, Acuna was on federal pretrial release on a pending August 2021 drug charge in Oregon.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Acuna faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Desmond Lamar Divine, 20, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Nov. 8, 2021, Divine fled from officers when they spoke with him. A gun fell from his pocket as he fled. Divine was on parole at that time, and because of his prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jean Berger is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Divine 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.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. —Four defendants who were Sureno gang members and associates have been indicted today by a federal grand jury in Fresno, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Jonathan Gallegos, 31, of Ivanhoe; Andres Perez, 19, of Visalia; Jesus Angulo, 33, of Woodlake; and Malachai Serrano, 31, of San Antonio, Texas, have been indicted for distributing methamphetamine (Gallegos and Perez), conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Gallegos, Perez, and Serrano), using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense (Gallegos, Perez, and Serrano), conspiring to use a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense (Gallegos, Perez, Serrano), and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine (Gallegos and Angulo).

A team of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers recently partnered in an investigation of the Tulare County Surenos. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Gallegos and Angulo were traveling to Southern California and into Mexico to obtain illegal drugs, including kilograms of cocaine. Gallegos and Perez were then shipping kilograms of illegal drugs from the local post office in Ivanhoe to residences associated with Serrano, in San Antonio. Serrano and his associates were then selling those illegal drugs in Texas and using some of the proceeds to purchase firearms. Serrano is a felon and cannot lawfully buy firearms himself. He was directing others in Texas to buy firearms for him. Serrano and his associates then shipped firearms back to Gallegos and Perez in California, as payment for the narcotics they had received. Gallegos planned to sell those firearms to his drug suppliers. Gallegos is also a felon who cannot lawfully possess firearms.

Over 8 kilograms of cocaine, several pounds of marijuana, and more than 20 firearms were seized.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office; the Tulare County Area Regencies Gun Enforcement Team; the Visalia Police Department; the California Department of Justice (Bureau of Investigations), the California Highway Patrol (Special Operations Unit), and the Tulare County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the case.

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

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Castellanos, 38, of Whittier, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine from Mexico destined for Modesto, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Castellanos and co-defendants Genaro Serrato-Calles, 49; Antonio Valencia-Hernandez, 66, both of Michoacán, Mexico; and Jose Reyes-Pineda, 49, of Anaheim were charged with conspiring over a two-year period to distribute methamphetamine in Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties. Castellanos worked with individuals in Mexico to distribute methamphetamine in the United States and, on one occasion, coordinating the shipment of over 20 pounds of crystal methamphetamine to Serrato-Calles in Modesto.

“Violent drug traffickers continue to seek new ways to smuggle methamphetamine into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “This sentence demonstrates the commitment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to work together to prevent this deadly drug from reaching the streets. Prosecuting methamphetamine traffickers remains a top priority for our office.”

“Castellanos’ actions allowed large amounts of methamphetamine to make its way from Mexico to the Central Valley and today’s sentencing ensures the defendant will serve a lengthy prison sentence for his role,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon. “DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively target all those involved in the distribution chain of this poison in our communities.”

“ATF is focused on working assiduously to honor our commitment to the cities we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Our mission is to protect the public, and the focus of this joint task force is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States. ATF works alongside our law enforcement partners to fulfill the goals of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. This case is a result of those unified efforts. ATF will continue to work diligently with our partners to dismantle criminal organizations.”

The sentencing of Castellanos sends a message to anyone who deals in illicit narcotics that drug traffickers will be held accountable,” said Tatum King, Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge, San Francisco. “We’re thankful for our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office who help bring individuals like Castellanos to justice and hold them accountable in our courts.”

Serrato-Calles and Valencia-Hernandez were each sentenced to 12 years in prison. Reyes-Pineda was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force, the Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.

This effort was 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Jorge Chavez, 36, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, when Chavez was arrested in Bakersfield on Sept. 12, 2020, he was found to possess approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 23.5 pounds of marijuana, approximately 2 pounds of cocaine, and approximately 66 grams of heroin. On three separate occasions between February and April 2020, Chavez sold to a purchaser a total of five firearms — including four rifles with high-capacity magazines — and approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine. On June 4, 2020, Chavez offered to sell to the same purchaser 1 pound of methamphetamine for $3,400, and 1 ounce of heroin for $750. In his plea agreement, Chavez agreed to forfeit to the United States more than $25,000.

At the time of his arrest, Chavez was serving a term of federal supervised release after serving more than seven in years in prison for his 2016 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Steven Martin, 39, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison for burglarizing U.S. Post Offices, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in December 2018, Martin burglarized eight different post offices in Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties. He stole cash registers, packages containing clothes, and other mail, and caused damage to the post offices. The total loss was $8,800.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — London Webb, 34, of Oakland, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $691,973 in restitution for his participation in a conspiracy to commit armed robberies of jewelry stores for the specific purpose of stealing Rolex watches, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Webb’s participation in the robbery crew was first identified after an Oct. 14, 2014, robbery of Grebitus Jewelers in the Palladio Mall in Folsom. Webb and another man entered the jewelry store dressed in black and with their faces masked. Webb walked to a glass display case and smashed it using a sledgehammer. The other man pointed a gun at employees and ordered them to lie face down on the floor. In the process of removing Rolex watches from the smashed display case, Webb cut himself and left blood on the display case. Webb and the other man ran out of the jewelry store with $310,800 worth of watches. Law enforcement officers later found their abandoned getaway car. Webb’s blood was also found in the getaway car.

On Oct. 14, 2021, Webb pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery. He also admitted to participating in similar smash and grab robberies of Kirk’s Jewelry in Chico (Nov. 21, 2014); Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Arizona (Jan. 16, 2015); and Churchill Jewelers in Santa Barbara (Jan. 30, 2015).

On Oct. 7, 2021, co-defendant Dion Johnson II, 33, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty on April 14, 2021 to conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery and bank robbery.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the California State Threat Assessment Center, the Folsom Police Department, the Chico Police Department, the Scottsdale Police Department, and the Santa Barbara Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley sentenced David John Alcock, 48, of Citrus Heights, today to 24 years and four months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Alcock sexually abused a 13-year-old victim for months, producing multiple visual depictions of those acts. Alcock sent at least one video recording of the victim engaging in sexual acts to another person over the internet in exchange for different files depicting children engaged in sexual acts. On the date of his arrest, over 200 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, some as young as toddlers, were found on Alcock’s iPhone.

“Today’s sentence reflects the extremely serious and disturbing nature of Alcock’s criminal conduct, which targeted children,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The defendant engaged in repeated sexual abuse of the victim over the course of many months, while simultaneously trafficking in videos and images of children being sexually abused and exploited. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating, prosecuting and stopping those who prey upon the most vulnerable members of our society.”

“Sexual abuse against children is a pervasive and unfathomable crime that impacts innocent victims and threatens the safety of our youth, who are the future of our communities,” Citrus Heights Police Chief Alexander A. Turcotte said. “The Citrus Heights Police Department is committed to bringing the defendants in these cases to justice. We are especially grateful for the collaborative efforts with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the US Attorney's Office, who assisted with ensuring that Mr. Alcock was held accountable for his actions and that justice was sought for the involved victims.”

“This is one of many cases where our office worked jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to successfully hold sex offenders accountable for the horrific crimes committed against children,” states Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert. “Our office’s Cybercrimes Unit and the Citrus Heights Police Department worked together to investigate a cyber tip, which resulted in child molestation charges. Given the additional resources and increased sentencing potential in federal court, we are grateful the U.S. Attorney’s Office took the lead on the prosecution of this case.”

“This case exemplifies the work the FBI and our law enforcement partners at the Citrus Heights Police Department do to identify and investigate child predators who exploit innocence and trust in our community,” said Special Agent in charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “David Alcock used his position as a trusted neighbor in his community to prey upon the innocence of a child who lived nearby. Not only did Alcock sexually abuse this child, he distributed videos of his abuse to others on the internet. Additionally, Alcock admitted to collecting child pornography for two decades. His actions revictimized the minors featured in these images and videos all over again. The FBI is committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure anyone who sexually abuses children and/or produces, obtains or shares images of such abuse faces justice.”

This case was the product of an investigation by the Citrus Heights Police Department, the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office, 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.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.

 “The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”

“Every child deserves a safe childhood and that includes a safe environment at school,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.  “The grants that the Department of Justice announced today will help ensure our students can learn and thrive in school.”

The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.

The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines and websites.

The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.

The full list of SVPP awards can be found here:  https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award.

A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.

The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. 

The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.

FRESNO, Calif. —Lorenzo Amador, 23, of Mendota, was sentenced on December 17, 2021, by United States District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years and three months in prison for assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. 

According to court documents, Amador was a member of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a violent criminal street gang that engages in racketeering activity, including murder, kidnapping, extortion, and drug trafficking. On August 12, 2018, Amador and fellow MS-13 members kicked, hit, and stabbed a member of a rival gang in the back with a knife, slicing his diaphragm and sending him to the emergency room where he had to have life-saving surgery.

After the attack, Amador logged on to his Facebook account and used coded language to send word of the attack to his fellow MS-13 members. His message was intercepted pursuant to lawful wiretap on the Facebook account of one of his fellow MS-13 members. In the days following the stabbing, Amador’s fellow MS-13 members called each other in frantic efforts to warn Amador that police might be closing in on him and to try to help him flee Mendota, which he did. Police eventually caught him two months later.

Amador also joined a drug conspiracy, which he participated in by driving to Los Angeles to help the gang pick up drugs, returning to Mendota with the drugs, and selling them for the gang.

The investigation was conducted by the California Department of Justice and California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Special Services Unit (SSU). The CHP Special Operations Unit is a collaborative investigative effort between the California Department of Justice and California Highway Patrol that provides statewide enforcement to combat violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers. Assistant United States Attorneys Ross Pearson, Michael Tierney, and Kimberly Sanchez prosecuted the case.

Several of Amador’s co-defendants have been sentenced. One remaining defendant will be sentenced in 2022.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violewnt crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Johnnie Earl Ross III, 21, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday by United States District Judge John A. Mendez to 6.5 years in prison for conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and possession of an unregistered machine gun, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between Oct. 10, 2019, and Oct. 22, 2020, Ross and his co-conspirators sold at least 13 firearms to an undercover agent or confidential source on behalf of the Everybody Killa (EBK) street gang in Stockton. Many of the firearms were obtained out of state in Reno, Nevada, and some were obtained by a straw purchaser from federally licensed firearms dealers in Reno. One of the firearms was a Glock handgun with a switch that converted it to a fully automatic firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.

Charges remain pending against co-defendant Vin Whealen Gaines Jr. He is in custody and scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 18. The charges against Gaines are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher Kegan Williams, 26, of Sacramento, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John A. Mendez to 2.5 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between Sept. 2019 and March 2020, Williams brokered the sale of a total of approximately 480 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone M-30 pills to a confidential source in three separate transactions.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force (NET-5), the California Highway Patrol, the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Manteca Police Department, the Yuba City Police Department, and the West Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.

Co-defendant Mateo Elias Guerrero-Gonzales pled guilty to distribution of fentanyl on Dec. 14, 2021.  Guerrero-Gonzales is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5, 2022.  Charges remain pending against 14 co-defendants. A status hearing is set for Jan. 25, 2022.  The charges against the remaining defendants are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Genaro Serrato-Calles (“Serrato”), aka “Alejandro,” aka “Meno,” 49, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced Tuesday to 148 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. 

His sentencing follows his guilty plea, which was entered last summer, along with the guilty pleas of his co-defendants, Antonio Castellanos, 38, of Whittier, Calif., Antonio Valencia-Hernandez (“Valencia”), 65, of Michoacán, Mexico, and Jose Reyes-Pineda (“Reyes”), 48, of Guerrero, Mexico. According to court documents, Serrato, who was convicted in 2006 in Stanislaus County of possessing ephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine, began working with sources in Mexico in 2014 to import and distribute drugs in the Modesto area. In April 2015, he coordinated with Valencia to pick up approximately 13 pounds of methamphetamine from Reyes in Anaheim for distribution in Modesto. Gualberto Agustin-Gomez, 45, a citizen of Mexico, also assisted in the packaging and transferring of the methamphetamine. In June 2015, Serrato coordinated the shipment of over 20 pounds of high-purity crystal methamphetamine to a stash house in Modesto. Serrato also supplied Valencia with approximately one half-pound of heroin for redistribution. 

Last month, Valencia and Reyes were sentenced to 12 years and 3 months and one and a half years in prison, respectively. Agustin-Gomez was previously sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. Castellanos is scheduled for sentencing on January 18, 2022.  Castellanos faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a statutory mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Homeland Security Investigations; Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force; San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force; Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency; and Orange County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Bureau. Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar and Melanie Alsworth are prosecuting the case.

The case was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

FRESNO, Calif. — Jesus Adrian Pena-Gamez, 33, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Pena-Gamez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on March 14, 2022.

According to court documents, on April 7, 2021, Pena-Gamez and codefendant Carlos Ivan Campana met in the parking lot of a Bakersfield restaurant to sell to a person 15,000 counterfeit M-30 pills containing fentanyl. During the meeting, Pena-Gamez and Campana were arrested and law enforcement officers recovered from Pena-Gamez’s vehicle approximately three pounds of pills containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.

Codefendant Campana is charged in the indictment with distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine on three prior occasions between November 2020 and April 2021. He is scheduled to appear for a status conference on March 9, 2022. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.

Pena-Gamez faces a minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum term of life in prison, and a $10,000,000 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Christopher Howard, 33, a Delano resident, was sentenced Tuesday to 57 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in the evening of April 28, 2021, police officers encountered Howard in Delano while he was carrying a bag that contained a loaded 9mm caliber handgun and an additional loaded high-capacity magazine. Howard cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he has sustained numerous felony convictions, including for possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, escape, and twice for second degree burglary.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Delano Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher D. Baker 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Hunter Daniel Secrest, 27, formerly of San Francisco, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. 

According to court documents, Secrest and his co-conspirators operated the dark web vendor account TheCommission on the Empire marketplace. TheCommission joined Empire in April 2020; by June 2020, TheCommission had completed over 800 verified sales that law enforcement agents calculated to total over $200,000 worth of narcotics.

Over the course of the conspiracy, Secrest and his co-conspirators distributed and possessed with intent to distribute at least the following: 752 grams of heroin, 11 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, 600 grams of cocaine, 1.6 kilograms of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, 45 grams of morphine, 93 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, 277 grams of valium, 285 grams of alprazolam, and 35 grams of Adderall.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, which includes agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of illicit dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California and beyond. Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Hemesath and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.

Secrest is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Court Judge John A. Mendez on March 22, 2022. Secrest faces a maximum statutory penalty of twenty years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — A five-count indictment was unsealed today following the arrest of Trevon Miller, 28, a military police officer at Edwards Air Force Base, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Miller is charged with mail fraud for submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in over 30 states during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. From at least April 2020 through June 2020, Miller submitted the fraudulent claims using his former identity of Trevon Rodney and told the state workforce agencies that administer the unemployment insurance system that he was unemployed when he was enlisted in the Air Force the whole time. In 2016, Miller had legally changed his last name from Rodney before he joined the Air Force. The state workforce agencies and the United States were subject to a potential loss of more than $250,000. Miller used the money for his own benefit, including making cash withdrawals.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Miller faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the mail fraud counts. Any sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account several variables. The charges are only allegations. Miller is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — Bakersfield residents Spencer Manning, 27, and Jeremy Albert, 24, were charged today by a federal grand jury in separate indictments with firearm offenses, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 21, 2021, Manning, a self-admitted member of the Country Boy Crips criminal street gang since as early as 2015, was observed by a grocery store security guard attempting to steal merchandise and placing it in his backpack. Manning physically resisted the security guards’ attempts to detain him as he exited with the stolen merchandise. Responding police officers found a stolen Glock .40-caliber handgun loaded with a high-capacity magazine in Manning’s backpack. Manning is charged with  one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He may not lawfully possess firearm because he has a prior felony conviction.

According to the court documents in a separate case, on Oct. 13, 2021, Albert was stopped as he was driving in Bakersfield because his vehicle did not have license plates. Law enforcement officers discovered the vehicle’s registration was expired, Albert did not have a driver’s license and was the subject of outstanding arrest warrants. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded 9 mm handgun under the driver’s seat, which Albert may not lawfully possess because he has two prior felony convictions for firearms offenses.

These cases are the product of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the cases.

If convicted, Manning and Albert face 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Foresthill couple pleaded guilty today to tax-related offenses, and have agreed to pay over $605,000 in restitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Virendra (Vic) Maharaj, 55, pleaded guilty to willfully failing to file tax return information with the U.S. Treasury related to his receipt of cash while engaged in trade or business. Maharaj’s wife, Rosalin R. Prasad, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to the Internal Revenue Service’s assessment of income taxes.

According to court documents, Prasad conspired with Maharaj to defraud the IRS in the IRS’s attempts to assess the couple’s tax obligations for the years 2005, 2006, and 2007. Maharaj worked at car dealerships in Sacramento and Woodland in those years and earned substantial income. Several actions were taken to further the conspiracy to thwart the proper assessment of income taxes. Among other things, part of Maharaj’s wages were paid directly to Prasad; part of Maharaj’s compensation was paid directly to Prasad and Maharaj’s creditors through indirect payments; Maharaj took compensation in the form of currency; Prasad improperly deferred around $270,000 in capital gains related to her purchase of a $1.9 million residence; Prasad caused false tax returns to be filed in each of those years; and Prasad made false statements during an IRS audit. Prasad conspired to underreport over $819,000 in income and, in turn, underpay over $184,000 in federal income taxes. She received substantial tax refunds in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

According to court documents, Maharaj was an owner, general manager, and salesperson of Maharaja Motors LLC, which operated a used car lot in Woodland, from approximately 2007 through 2016. In 2015, Maharaj sold a vehicle to a customer and, in turn, received a cash payment of over $10,000. Maharaj willfully failed to file information with the U.S. Treasury, specifically an IRS Form 8300, which is required to be filed by a person engaged in certain trades or businesses, including an automobile sales business, who receives a cash payment exceeding $10,000.

These cases are the product of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nirav Desai and Audrey Hemesath are prosecuting the case.

The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on April 28, 2022. They each face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $25,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Ryan Brandon Bailey, 40, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 14, 2021, Bailey possessed a rifle in Modesto. Bailey was previously convicted of second degree burglary in 2012 and being a felon in possession of ammunition in 2015 and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office; and the Modesto Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Bailey 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.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Andrew Paul Satariano, 41, of Modesto, charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 4, 2021, Satariano fled from officers at speeds of approximately 100 miles per hour during an attempted traffic stop in the City of Waterford in Stanislaus County. Satariano was apprehended hiding nearby, and deputies discovered approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine and two loaded handguns in the driver’s area of the vehicle. Satariano is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office; the Modesto Police Department; and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of the methamphetamine distribution charge, Satariano faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of the possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, Satariano faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Chhoun Douring, 35, of Long Beach, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on May 6, 2021, at approximately 3:30 p.m., officers on patrol at Fashion Fair Mall in Fresno approached Douring. Douring admitted to carrying a firearm in a shoulder pouch. Officers seized the firearm, a loaded Ruger semi-automatic 9 mm handgun. Douring is a convicted felon having previously been convicted of second degree robbery and is prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jean Berger is prosecuting the case.

Douring is scheduled to be sentenced on March 11, 2022. Douring 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 being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Doug Gines, 50, of Hanford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in June 2019, Gines was arrested as part of a multi-agency gang sweep in the Central Valley that focused on the Nuestra Familia prison gang and Norteno street gang members in Kings County. Wiretaps on several drug dealers in Kings County showed Gines to be a drug dealer. Gines was ultimately charged with distributing methamphetamine on two occasions, including the charge he was sentenced on today, distributing 216 grams of actual methamphetamine on May 26, 2019.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Kings County Gang Task Force; the Special Operations Unit of the California Highway Patrol; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio, Katherine E. Schuh, and Kimberly A. Sanchez are prosecuting 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 being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Randal Jason Newell, 41, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Dec. 5, 2020, Newell drove from Bakersfield to Mexico to obtain and smuggle narcotics from Mexico to Bakersfield, which he agreed to do for $7,000. On Dec. 7, 2020, Newell drove to the San Ysidro port of entry crossing from Mexico into the United States. Law enforcement officers inspected Newell’s vehicle at the border crossing and discovered approximately 98 packages containing approximately 111 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the vehicle’s gas tank, the rear compartment wall, the driver- and passenger-side exterior frame pillars, and underneath the floor.

On April 8, 2021, Newell and eight other defendants were charged in three related indictments for trafficking and purchasing to sell methamphetamine from a conspiracy orchestrated by Omar Alberto Navarro, 38, of Arvin. The other defendants are: Daniel Armendariz Mercado, 42; David Delgado Gonzalez, 38; Miguel Angel Martinez, 27; Amayrani Jared Arreguin, 25; and Yvette Gallegos, 23, all of Bakersfield; Lizette Mendez, 32, of Delano; and James Scott Gordon, 47, of Chico. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Shafter Police Department, the Kern County Probation Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Baker and Laura J. Berger are prosecuting the case.

Newell is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Feb. 28, 2022. Newell faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison up to a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Joseph D. Sanford, 74, of Ceres, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act by operating a cockfighting and fighting-bird breeding business, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Sanford was the owner and operator of Joe Sanford Gamefarm in Ceres, where he bred and sold gamecocks for cockfighting. Sanford also fought his own roosters. Following an undercover purchase of a trio of fighting game birds, federal agents searched Joe Sanford Gamefarm, where Sanford resides, and found a large cockfighting enterprise consisting of 2,956 game fowl. In pleading guilty, Sanford acknowledged that he had shipped game fowl within the United States and to Mexico, Peru and the Philippines for cockfighting.

“The gruesome act of animal fighting has no place in a civilized society and will not be tolerated,” said Dusty Cladis, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General. “Our agency has prioritized dismantling animal fighting organizations as we continue to pursue those who would take pleasure and profit in inflicting misery and death upon these defenseless creatures.”

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General (USDA-OIG); with assistance from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; the IRS Criminal Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Forest Service; and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. Assistance was also provided by the Humane Society of the United States, the Placer County Animal Services, and the El Dorado County Animal Services. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Marshals Service also lent assistance in the disposal of the fighting roosters and placement of the hens in an animal sanctuary. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Sanford is scheduled for sentencing on March 11, 2022. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Angel Jesus Sanchez-Manriquez, 22, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 11 years and three months in prison for sex trafficking of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.  

According to court documents, between October and December 2020, Sanchez-Manriquez posted approximately 70 advertisements on a website, each of which contained photos of a 16‑year-old victim, advertising the victim’s availability to perform commercial sex acts. Sanchez-Manriquez referred to the victim as his “Snow Bunny.”

Sanchez-Manriquez rented motel rooms in and around the Stockton area in which the victim performed commercial sex acts. After executing search warrants, law enforcement agents learned that Sanchez-Manriquez also used his cellphone to take photographs and record videos of the victim engaged in sex acts with adults, including Sanchez-Manriquez.

“The pop-culture imagery of sex work is a far cry from the realities of human trafficking cases like these. Every day, adults and minors are marketed and sold to paying customers by exploiters who control and profit from every aspect of the illegal transactions,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Our agents are deeply committed to working tirelessly with our local, state, and federal partners to recover victims of human trafficking and ensure whose who exploit them face justice. They work closely with victim services specialists to ensure victims are afforded an opportunity to break free from the cycle of exploitation and abuse that is all too common in these cases. No person should ever be trafficked. Please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888) 373-7888 if you or someone you know needs help.”

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty and Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against John William Boland, 38, of Mammoth Lakes, charging him with five counts of bank robbery and two counts of attempted robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, over a period of five weeks, Boland walked into seven banks, in five different counties, and demanded that the teller give him money from the “second” drawer. He also cautioned that the money handed over should not contain any dye packs or electronic tracking devices. On at least one occasion, Boland indicated to the teller that he had a weapon. Police were able to find and arrest Boland a short time after he left the last bank, aided by witness descriptions of the would-be robber and the car in which he drove away.

According to the criminal complaint, the seven alleged robberies are as follows:

March 29, 2021, El Dorado Savings Bank in Sutter Creek;

April 1, 2021, Wells Fargo Bank in South Lake Tahoe;

April 13, 2021, Wells Fargo Bank in Truckee;

April 16, 2021, Union Bank of California in Redding;

May 1, 2021, Wells Fargo Bank in Placerville;

May 3, 2021, Umpqua Bank in El Dorado Hills (attempted); and

May 4, 2021, Wells Fargo in Bank Rancho Cordova (attempted).

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, the Rancho Cordova Police Department, the Redding Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Sutter Creek Police Department, the Placerville Police Department, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, and the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Boland faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conviction. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. —Leah Guillen, 39, of Madera, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. 

According to court documents, in early 2018, Guillen obtained the name, social security account number, and date of birth of an individual. Guillen then used this information to impersonate her and fraudulently gain access to her bank accounts at Golden 1 Credit Union. Using an unauthorized debit card, Guillen drained the victim’s bank accounts over a three-month period between April 18, 2018, and June 30, 2018, causing a loss in excess of $210,449.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Madera Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.

Guillen is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 28, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Guillen 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eligio Nunez, 41, of Hayward, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to nine years in prison for being a felon in possession of three firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

After a three-day trial in August 2021, a federal jury found Nunez guilty of being a felon in possession of firearms. According to evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 7, 2020, Nunez led police in a high-speed chase while driving a stolen Lexus. He ended the pursuit by abandoning the car in a grassy area off of Shelton Lane in Vacaville. After running from police, he was apprehended by officers in a dry creek bed. Just after he fled on foot, the car caught fire, which caused ammunition inside the car to explode. Later, an investigation found three handguns inside the burned car, which the jury found Nunez to have possessed. Nunez was prohibited from possessing firearms a result of his 10 felony convictions, which include assault with a deadly weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, evading a peace officer, and two drug trafficking offenses.

This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Vacaville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt and Paul A. Hemesath prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Moreno, 26, of Hanford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to three years and one month in prison for illegally distributing a machine gun, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on May 22, 2019, Moreno sold a machine gun to an individual in a parking lot in Hanford. Shortly after the meeting, the individual departed in his car and law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop. During a search of the car, officers found a fully automatic handgun with two 16-round magazines. Moreno’s involvement in this machine gun sale and several others was uncovered during a months-long wiretap investigation into the Nuestra Familia Prison Gang operating in Kings and Tulare Counties. The investigation revealed that Moreno was manufacturing and selling machine guns to street gang members.

Moreno pleaded guilty on Aug. 30, 2021. He and co‑defendant Eric Lopez Mercado, 27, of Lemoore, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 14, 2019. Charges are pending against Mercado. The charges against Mercado are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Kings County Gang Task Force; the California Department of Justice’s Special Operations Unit; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; and the Kings County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio, Katherine E. Schuh, and Kimberly A. Sanchez are prosecuting 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Physician Edmund Kemprud, 78, of Dublin, was convicted today of 14 counts of illegally prescribing opioids and other controlled substances patients, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, Kemprud was a physician licensed to practice medicine in California and worked in several locations around the East Bay and Central Valley, including one location in a back room of a nail salon and medi-spa in Tracy.

Kemprud prescribed highly addictive, commonly abused prescription drugs, including Hydrocodone, Alprazolam, and Oxycodone – outside the usual course of professional practice and not for legitimate medical purpose. The controlled substances affect the central nervous system and may only be prescribed when medically required.

Evidence introduced at trial showed that Kemprud ignored indications that his patients were addicts or that they were diverting the drugs. Instead, he wrote more prescriptions for highly addictive and dangerous controlled substances, charging $79 a visit. He churned out prescriptions so quickly that he often spent less than five minutes with a patient and would see 30 patients in less than a day.

Evidence at trial showed that Kemprud was aware that he was practicing outside the usual course of professional practice and intended to keep writing prescriptions so the patients would keep coming back. Several pharmacies were so troubled by Kemprud’s prescriptions that they instituted companywide policies to block his prescriptions.

Trial testimony of undercover officers established that on 14 occasions between Sept. 6, 2018, and March 13, 2019, Kemprud prescribed opioids without determining the patients’ medical and prescription histories, without conducting a proper medical examination, without confirming the legitimacy of the patients’ complaints, and without assessing the risk of aberrant drug behavior.

“This defendant displayed a blatant disregard for patient safety and the law,” Acting U.S. Attorney Talbert said. “Although he knew his treatment of patients was unlawful, he continued to pump dangerous drugs into the community. It took the effort of agents, investigators, undercover officers, medical professionals who practiced with the defendant and pharmacists to bring an end to Kemprud’s illicit prescription writing. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue our vigorous pursuit of those who fuel the opioid epidemic for their own personal benefit.”

“For nearly two years, we have all faced the impacts of the global pandemic, but before the pandemic began, we were already fighting a deadly opioid epidemic,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We trust our doctors by putting our health in their hands. When doctors violate their oath to do no harm, we must take action —especially when it comes to illegally prescribing opioids. I’m grateful for our investigative partners at the federal level, and to the U.S. Attorney for successfully putting a stop to this doctor’s harmful practices.”

“Fueled by greed, Edmund Kemprud went from doctor to drug dealer when he began running a prescription pill mill for powerful opioids. Kemprud’s actions not only preyed upon those battling addiction, but also contributed to the ongoing opioid crisis. This verdict underscores our commitment to hold unscrupulous doctors accountable for their actions,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon. “I applaud the efforts of the DEA Oakland Tactical Diversion Squad, the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse Drug Diversion Team, the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of California, who worked diligently on this investigation.”

“The safety of patients can become seriously endangered when medical professionals allow their personal interests to dictate their prescribing decisions,” stated Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “While neglecting his responsibility to deliver appropriate health care services, Kemprud stole funds meant to promote positive health outcomes in our communities. HHS-OIG and our partners are committed to bringing to justice those who harm beneficiaries or cheat the programs that deliver their health care.”

This case is the product of an investigation by the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse Drug Diversion Team, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Office of Inspector General for the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz are prosecuting the case.

Kemprud is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 14, 2022, by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb. Kemprud faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Gary Stephen Maynard, 47, of San Jose, charging him with arson to federal property and setting timber afire, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Maynard engaged in an arson spree in the vicinity of the then ongoing Dixie Fire in areas of the Shasta Trinity National Forest and the Lassen National Forest. Some of the fires Maynard set were new fires behind the firefighters fighting the Dixie Fire. Maynard is charged with setting the following fires during this arson spree: the Cascade Fire (July 20), the Everitt Fire (July 21), the Ranch Fire (Aug. 7), and the Conard Fire (Aug. 7).

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, which received assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, CalFire, the California Highway Patrol, and the Lassen County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Anderson is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Maynard faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of arson. Arson to federal property carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Jose Antonio Nunez De Jesus, 27, of Portland, Oregon, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, a law enforcement officer on routine patrol saw that the vehicle being driven by Nunez De Jesus had committed a traffic violation. After pulling the vehicle over, a narcotics K-9 alerted to the odor of a controlled substance in the vehicle. Officers found approximately 34,020 counterfeit OxyContin pills that weighed a total of 7.5 pounds. Nunez De Jesus told the officer that he had picked up what he believed to be drugs in Los Angeles at the request of a friend and was returning to Oregon with the pills. A presumptive test of the pills showed that they were fentanyl.

This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol and the Fresno High Intensity Investigation Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Nunez De Jesus faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a fine up to $10 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Myron Kilgore, 42, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Kilgore was arrested on Feb. 2, 2021, in Modesto after an unserialized, privately made firearm (or ghost gun) was discovered under the driver’s side floorboard during a search of his vehicle. The gun was loaded with six rounds of ammunition. Kilgore is a convicted felon 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 Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Kilgore 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.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Jose Luis Santana, 43, of Shafter, charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, Acting 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; they also searched Santana’s vehicle with his consent. As a result, law enforcement seized approximately 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 Jessica A. Massey is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Santana faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sacramento, Calif. – The Department of Justice today announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program. The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional fulltime law enforcement professionals. In the Eastern District of California, two cities were awarded funding totaling $2,138,709.

“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”

The following cities in the Eastern District of California received awards: The City of Etna in Siskiyou County received $263,709 to fund one position and the City of Sacramento received $1,875,000 to fund 15 positions.

The COPS Hiring Program is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. The COPS Hiring Program provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus COPS Hiring Program resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based responses to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.

Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. The COPS Hiring Program, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In fiscal year 2021, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For fiscal year 2022, President Biden has requested $537 million for COPS Hiring Program, an increase of $300 million.

To learn more about the COPS Hiring Program, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.

The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Jesus Lepe, 44, of Fresno, charging him with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 16, 2020, Lepe nearly caused a vehicle collision after running a red light. After a traffic stop, Lepe was found in possession of a stolen firearm. On Aug. 18, 2021, Lepe was stopped for speeding and once again found in possession of a stolen firearm. Lepe is prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple felony convictions from 1996 that include robbery, possession of heroin, and other firearms violations.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Lepe 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.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Uriel Ivan Portillo, 35, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Nov. 21, 2019, Portillo distributed 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in exchange for $40,000 during a controlled purchase in Bakersfield.

Portillo is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Feb. 18, 2022. Portillo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Southern Tri-County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force; the Kern County Sheriff’s Department; and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Escobar, Angela Scott, and Melanie Alsworth are prosecuting 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joseph Elijah Cuaron, 21, of Sacramento, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to five years in prison for a fentanyl distribution conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Cuaron supplied approximately 1,000 counterfeit oxycodone M‑30 pills containing fentanyl to two co-conspirators, Joshua Cabanillas, of Woodland, and Gregory Tabarez, 23, of Sacramento, on July 13, 2020, for them to distribute 500 pills to an FBI confidential source. After Cabanillas and Tabarez sold 500 pills to the confidential source, law enforcement stopped them and seized the remaining approximately 500 pills that Cuaron had supplied to them.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Woodland Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Spencer prosecuted the case.

Fentanyl distribution and conspiracy charges remain pending against co-defendants Tabarez and Severo Reyna. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Charges against Cabanillas were dismissed following his death in November 2020.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joseph W. Bayliss, 46, of Martinez, was sentenced today to three years in prison and ordered to pay $481.3 million in restitution for participating in a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme involving DC Solar, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Bayliss was an electrician that DC Solar hired to pose as a licensed engineer who inspected newly constructed mobile solar generator units (MSG) that were mounted on trailers and were promoted as able to provide emergency power to cellphone towers and lighting at sporting events. The MSGs were sold to investors who were given generous federal tax credits. But in fact, DC Solar had become a fraud scheme that took new investor money to pay older investors. As DC Solar lost vast sums of money with this fraudulent model, the owner of DC Solar, Jeff Carpoff, and other conspirators stopped building the MSGs altogether, selling thousands of MSGs that did not even exist to investors.

According to court documents, Bayliss played a key role in the fraud scheme orchestrated by Carpoff and others. To cover up the fact that no new MSGs were being built, Carpoff provided false reports that newly constructed MSGs had been inspected and tested. In reality, at least half of the approximately 17,000 mobile solar generators claimed to have been manufactured by DC Solar did not exist. From 2016 to 2018, Bayliss personally signed thousands of reports stating that new units had been inspected and tested. He knew the reports were false and he knew they would be used to induce millions upon millions of investor payments. In turn, Carpoff paid Bayliss approximately $1 million. In addition to the reports, Bayliss helped to deceive investors by removing and replacing vehicle identification number (VIN) stickers that were affixed to the MSGs. Finally, after the 2018 search warrants executed at DC Solar, at Carpoff’s direction, Bayliss traveled to a DC Solar warehouse in Nevada and scraped off approximately 200 replacement VIN stickers and destroyed at least 1,000 VIN stickers stored in boxes in the warehouse.

On Nov. 9, 2021, Jeff Carpoff was sentenced to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $790.6 million in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. His wife, Paulette Carpoff, 47, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and money laundering, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22, 2022.

Other defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal offenses related to the fraud scheme and are scheduled for sentencing: Ronald J. Roach, 54, of Walnut Creek, is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 15, 2022. Robert A. Karmann, 54, of Clayton; Ryan Guidry, 44, of Pleasant Hill; and Alan Hansen, 50, of Vacaville, are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14, 2021.

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. Attorneys Christopher S. Hales and Kevin C. Khasigian are prosecuting the case.

Paulette Carpoff, Hansen, Karmann, and Guidry face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison. Roach faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years prison. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jimmy A. Meron, owner of WOW Imaging Products LLC (WOW) and part owner of Time Enterprises LLC (Time), has paid $100,000 to resolve allegations of knowingly overcharging federal agencies for imaging products; Michael J. Lowe, Meron’s co-owner of Time, has paid an additional $120,000, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

These payments are in addition to over $1.7 million dollars forfeited by Meron and Lowe in connection with a criminal investigation that resulted in Meron’s criminal plea to felony wire fraud. Lowe was not charged in the criminal proceeding.

Through their companies WOW and Time, Meron and Lowe contracted to sell office supplies to federal agencies on two web-based government sales portals, GSA Advantage, operated by the General Services Administration, and DoD EMall, operated by the Department of Defense. WOW and Time routinely substituted less expensive printer cartridges for brand-name cartridges ordered by federal-agency customers and retained the difference in cost. In order to evade detection, WOW and Time flagged customers who complained to receive the appropriate product in future orders.

“Those who do business with the government must do so fairly and honestly,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Talbert. “This office will seek appropriate remedies against government contractors who knowingly overcharge United States agencies for products.”

“This settlement reflects the GSA OIG’s commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who seek personal financial gain from fraudulently selling inferior products to the federal government,” said Special Agent in Charge Theresa Quellhorst, General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General.

“The Department of Defense (DoD) maintains a high standard for the quality of the products and supplies utilized to accomplish its important mission,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge for the DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “Today’s settlement demonstrates DCIS’s commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to root out fraud in government procurement and protect the American taxpayer dollars entrusted to the DoD.”

This settlement is the result of work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California with help from the General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Services, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine J. Swann handled the matter for the United States. The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

FRESNO, Calif. — Tanner Joel Hernandez-Fields, 21, of Fresno, pleaded guilty Monday to receipt and distribution of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between March 19, 2019, and April 12, 2019, Hernandez-Fields did knowingly receive or distribute one or more matters containing any visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct using an Apple iPhone. Hernandez-Fields received between 150 and 300 images, including video files. These images included depictions of pre‑pubescent minors including material that meets the definition of sadistic or masochistic conduct.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.

Hernandez-Fields is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Feb.22, 2022. Hernandez-Fields faces a minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.

RESNO, Calif. — Antonio Valencia-Hernandez, 65, and Jose Reyes-Pineda, 48, natives and citizens of Mexico, were sentenced today to 12 years and three months and one and a half years in prison, respectively, for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Valencia, Reyes, and co-defendants, Antonio Castellanos, 38, of Whittier, and Genaro Serrato-Calles, 49, a native and citizen of Mexico, have pleaded guilty to a two-year conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin in the Central Valley. Serrato had Valencia pick up about 11 pounds of methamphetamine from Reyes in Anaheim for distribution in Modesto. In addition, Valencia distributed a half-pound of heroin and a pound of methamphetamine during seven undercover transactions in Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties.

Serrato is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 13, 2021, and Castellanos is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 18, 2022. Serrato and Castellanos face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a statutory mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years, 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 case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force; the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force; the Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency; and the Orange County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Alsworth.

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.