Eastern District of California
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Fresno Felon Indicted for Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Kevron Marques Byrd, 21, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Byrd, who was on supervision following a prison sentence for a 2019 conviction for a firearms offense, was stopped by officers on July 7, 2021. Officers found a backpack that Byrd had dropped inside an apartment that contained a ghost gun, a privately made firearm with no serial number, equipped with a high capacity magazine and 32 rounds of ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jean Berger is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Byrd 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.
Federal Charges for Fresno Man Caught with Approximately 9,000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Salvador Ortiz-Padilla, 24, of Fresno, charging him with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl pills, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 22, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence of a suspected fentanyl-pill dealer, Ortiz-Padilla. During the search of the residence, agents found approximately 9,000 fentanyl pills hidden in a safe that Ortiz-Padilla controlled.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi‑agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Ortiz-Padilla faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Dark Web Narcotics ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — David Lee White, 56, of Chandler, Arizona, pleaded guilty on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, to two counts of distribution of heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, White and co-defendants Jason Keith Arnold, 47, and Alicia McCoy, 33, both also of Chandler, Arizona, operated the vendor accounts SICKNESSVERSION2 and 23MIGHTYMOUSE23 on the dark web marketplace known as Dream. These vendor accounts distributed heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and other federally controlled substances on the dark web.
Law enforcement agents working undercover purchased heroin and other controlled substances from these vendor accounts on various dates in 2018, and had them sent to an address in the Eastern District of California. Agents subsequently executed a search warrant at a motel room in which White and McCoy were staying and seized at least 315 grams of heroin, 45 grams of cocaine, 593 grams of methamphetamine, and 30 grams of marijuana. Agents also seized a loaded and unregistered Kel-tec 9 mm handgun from a nightstand in the motel room.
This case is 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 U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. 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 U.S. Attorneys Paul Hemesath and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.
Arnold pleaded guilty on March 5, 2020, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2021. Charges are pending against McCoy, and a status conference is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2021. The charges against her are allegations; she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
White is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. on Jan. 6, 2022. White faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each count to which he pleaded guilty. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Vallejo Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm After a High-Speed ChaseRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Johnathan Shane Blakeley, 27, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 20, 2019, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Blakeley for a traffic violation, but Blakeley refused to yield and led police on a high-speed chase through Vallejo. Blakeley crashed his car on Interstate 80 and got out of his car and ran through several lanes of traffic. He tried to get into the passenger seat of a car that stopped. After police apprehended Blakeley, they found a Glock 9 mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine in his car. Blakeley cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of three felony offenses. When the current offense took place, Blakeley was on federal probation. He had just been released from federal prison less than 30 days prior, after having served a 30-month sentence for possessing a firearm as a felon. During his guilty plea, Blakeley also admitted that he violated the terms of his federal supervision by committing this new offense while on supervised release for his previous federal offense.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department, with assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Blakeley is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2022, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Blakeley 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.
Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Monday, Oct. 4, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd sentenced Doroteo Gonzales Jr., 26, of Turlock, to two years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 23, 2021, Gonzales was arrested in Modesto after a firearm was located under his clothes during a parole search. Gonzales was previously convicted of several felonies and was on parole for robbery at the time of his arrest.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Modesto Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Schuh 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 Man Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Prison for Dealing Fentanyl Pills and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Morgan Wency Ventura Sanchez, 24, of Fresno, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for possessing hundreds of fentanyl pills with intent to distribute them and illegally possessing a firearm in furtherance of the offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in August 2020 federal and local law enforcement officers were investigating Ventura Sanchez for dealing fentanyl pills. On Aug. 24, 2020, officers searched Ventura Sanchez’s car, person, and residence and found hundreds of fentanyl pills, as well as other controlled substances, including heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Officers also found a loaded firearm close to Ventura Sanchez’s drug stash. Ventura Sanchez was arrested and pleaded guilty to federal drug and gun charges.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi‑agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
This case was 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.
Former Director of Operations at Stockton Biofuel Company Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegally Dumping Industrial WastewaterRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher Young, 45, of El Dorado Hills, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 18 months in prison and a $50,000 fine for tampering with monitoring equipment, unlawful discharge of industrial wastewater, and conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Young was Director of Operations for Community Fuels from 2010 to 2016. Community Fuels is registered in San Joaquin County by American Biodiesel Inc. and manufactured biodiesel fuel on property leased from the Port of Stockton
According to court documents, Young participated in a scheme to discharge hundreds of thousands of gallons of polluted wastewater by various unlawful means, including the discharge of wastewater directly into Stockton’s sewer system after tampering with pH sensors and discharge flow monitors to hide evidence of the dumping. Young also directed others to cause a discharge on various dates using improvised hidden hoses and pipes that ultimately connected to the city’s sewer system.
The City of Stockton issued wastewater permits to American Biodiesel that allowed the limited discharge of wastewater into the sewer system under specific standards—a limitation on the total volume discharged per month, an allowable range of pH readings, and a restriction on the concentration of methanol. American Biodiesel had previously represented to the City of Stockton that unpermitted wastewater would be transported offsite to an appropriate facility for treatment. Young’s actions circumvented these restrictions through equipment tampering and unauthorized dumping.
In one instance in 2016, the City of Stockton conducted a surprise inspection and found plant personnel engaged in a procedure that misreported the pH level data and the flow rate of wastewater being discharged into the Stockton sewer system. The City issued an immediate cease and desist order. Young then met with the city inspectors and told them that the discharge was an accident and employees had been disciplined for the act. But later, Young sent an email instructing an employee to restart the wastewater dumping into the sewer because inspectors were unlikely to appear after hours.
“Violating the environmental laws of the United States can carry criminal consequences, potentially including time in prison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Protecting the environment for our community and future generations is critical, and those who violate our environmental laws will be held accountable.”
“Our nation’s environmental laws are designed to protect our communities, natural resources, and critical infrastructure from hazardous pollutants,” said Special Agent in Charge Scot Adair of EPA’s criminal investigation program in California. “The sentencing outcomes in this case demonstrate that companies and individuals that intentionally violate those laws will be held responsible for their crimes.”
On July 8, 2019, Judge Mueller sentenced American Biodiesel for violations of the Clean Water Act when it allowed the discharge of industrial wastewater into the City of Stockton sewer system. American Biodiesel admitted to tampering with monitoring devices and methods designed to detect such violations, and admitted that employees tampered with pH recordings and flow meters for the purpose of underreporting acid and pollutant levels and volumes that would have exceeded the figures allowed under the city’s regulations.
This case was the product of an investigation by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, the City of Stockton Municipal Utilities Department, the San Joaquin County Environmental Health Department, the Port of Stockton, and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Scarborough and Paul Hemesath prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Residing in Bakersfield Sentenced to Prison for Selling 12 Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Rodolfo Cardenas-Lara, 44, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Bakersfield who has been removed from the United States on five occasions, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for unlawfully distributing methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
On July 16, 2021, co-defendant Cesar Larios-Ortega, 40, also a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Bakersfield, was sentenced to seven years in prison.
According to court documents, during two meetings in May 2019, Cardenas-Lara and Larios-Ortega sold 12 pounds of methamphetamine to a customer in Kern County at a negotiated price of $1,750 per pound.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.
Santa Ana Man Arrested for Sexual Exploitation and Online Enticement of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Marcos Lucero, 30, of Santa Ana, charging him with sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child pornography, and coercion and enticement, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 13 and 19, 2021, Lucero asked an 11-year-old girl for explicit pictures, and she sent them to him via email. Lucero continued communicating with her when unbeknownst to him, an undercover law enforcement agent took over the minor victim’s account. Lucero suggested meeting up for sex, and traveled from Santa Ana to Fresno to have sex with the 11-year-old on Sept. 15, 2021.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Lucero faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for sexual exploitation of a child, and a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the coercion and enticement charge. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
San Joaquin County Man Sentenced for Selling Drugs on the Dark Web Under the Moniker PhantomlabRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lauren Horwood
Thursday, September 30, 2021
Public Affairs Officer
EDCA.gov | @EDCAnews
San Joaquin County Man Sentenced for Selling Drugs on the Dark Web Under the Moniker Phantomlab
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cody Boyd, 26, of Woodbridge, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to three years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute testosterone, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in December 2017, law enforcement agents began monitoring PhantomLabs, an online storefront on Dream Market, a dark web sales site. Agents identified Boyd, as the owner and operator of this store, which sold, among other things: anabolic steroids (including testosterone, deca durabolin, oxymetholone (Anadrol), oxandrolone (Anavar), methandrostenolone (Dianabol), and boldenone (Equipoise)), cocaine, Xanax pills, and pound-quantities of marijuana.
PhantomLabs had joined Dream Market on May 27, 2017. Less than 10 months later, on March 23, 2018, it had 620 customer reviews presenting an average satisfaction rating of 4.9 on a five-point scale.
On March 26, 2018, agents executed search warrants at Boyd’s home and business. In total, agents found more than 100 pounds of steroids – at least 1,500 vials of liquid steroids and approximately 10 pounds of powder steroids. They also found approximately 20 pounds of marijuana and 50 Xanax pills. Additionally, agents found more than $26,500 in cash, an AR-15-style rifle registered to him, more than 10 fraudulent drivers licenses bearing Boyd’s photo and false names, various items bearing the PhantomLabs brand logo, packets of suspected butane honey oil, and an electronic money counter. Agents also found a Sig Sauer handgun in Boyd’s truck. At Boyd’s business unit, agents found a digital scale, about 50 U.S. Postal Service parcels, and a folder containing indicia for Boyd and Team Phantom.
Agents seized Boyd’s Ford Shelby GT 350, which he valued at $120,000, about $95,000 in currency and bank accounts, and about 2.2 bitcoins.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy Task Force (NCIDE), composed of agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and IRS Criminal Investigation. The NCIDE Task Force is a federal task force focused on targeting all forms of dark web and cryptocurrency activity in the Eastern District of California. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Hemesath prosecuted the case.
Rancho Cordova Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tyler Shayne Nelson, 28, of Rancho Cordova, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to 15 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in June 2018, following a tip concerning child pornography trading, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Nelson’s home. During an interview, Nelson stated that he had communicated with underage girls using the Snapchat and Kik apps. On May 27, 2021, Nelson pleaded guilty to the charges and admitted that he had contacted a 12-year-old victim and requested and received explicit pictures of her.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a federally and state-funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department with agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The Sacramento ICAC investigates online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Jury Convicts MS-13 Member of Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A jury found Lorenzo Amador, 23, of Mendota, guilty of one count of assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering and one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, 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 Aug. 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 by a 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 the California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 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). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson, Michael Tierney, and Kimberly Sanchez prosecuted the case.
Several of Amador’s co-defendants have been sentenced, and others have pleaded guilty and are scheduled for sentencing later this year.
Amador is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Dec. 17, 2021. Amador faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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.
Madera County Woman Sentenced for Dealing Heroin that Caused Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ashley Michelle Hill, 33, of Coarsegold, was sentenced today to 11 years and three months in prison for selling heroin that resulted in the overdose death of another Coarsegold resident, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 22, 2019, Hill and Georgia Nicole Dean, 38, of Coarsegold, drove to the victim’s residence because he had contacted Dean asking for heroin. They arrived after midnight and met with the victim outside his residence on the street. Hill gave approximately .3 grams of heroin and a syringe to Dean, who then gave it to the victim. The victim died later that day as a result of using that heroin.
On April 19, 2021, Dean was sentenced to 12 years in prison for distributing heroin.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen A. Servatius and Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
Fresno County Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd sentenced Alejandro Chavarria, 34, of Mendota, on Friday, Sept. 24, to five years and four months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Oct. 10, 2020, Chavarria was arrested in Oakhurst in possession of a handgun with a loaded extended magazine, two disassembled AR-style rifles, and numerous rounds of ammunition. Chavarria attempted to flee from police at the scene. Chavarria has been convicted of attempted carjacking, drug possession and robbery, and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. He was on parole for robbery at the time of his arrest.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Schuh 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.
Former Fresno Resident Charged with Sending Interstate Threats with Intent to Extort Money from Former Employer and CoworkersRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — William Lee Robinson, 40, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was arrested today after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging him with sending interstate threats with intent to extort, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to the indictment brought on Aug. 12, 2021, Robinson worked at a business in Fresno from June to November in 2017. After the business fired him, Robinson began sending threatening messages to his former supervisor and other coworkers in an attempt to extort them for money. These threats included graphic statements threatening to physically harm the supervisor’s daughter. Robinson made the threats because he wanted the company to pay him between $10,000 and $20,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincente A. Tennerelli is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Robinson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of 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.
Woman Pleads Guilty to $77,000 FEMA Fraud in Connection with the Paradise Camp FireRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Deborah Laughlin, 64, formerly of Paradise, pleaded guilty today to making false statements in an application for FEMA benefits in connection with the 2018 Paradise Camp Fire, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, FEMA provided disaster benefits to certain qualified individuals whose primary residence was damaged or destroyed in the Camp Fire. On Nov. 15, 2018, Laughlin falsely claimed 7209 Skyway in Paradise as her primary residence at the time of the Camp Fire. In fact, at the time of the Camp Fire, other individuals were renting and residing in the mobile home located at this address. Based on her false statement, she received $7,886 to replace essential items damaged by the disaster and $1,788 for two months of rental assistance. In addition, Laughlin received temporary housing from FEMA in a manufactured home from June 24, 2019, until April 7, 2021. The money and housing Laughlin received caused an actual loss to the United States of at least $77,249.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.
Laughlin is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Dec. 20, 2021. Laughlin faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 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.
Members of the public who suspect fraud involving disaster relief efforts, including California wildfires or COVID-19 relief efforts, or who believe they have been a victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. Alternatively, information can be submitted via email to [email protected].
Valley Woman Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Multi-State Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Alecia Trapps, 58, of Manteca, was sentenced Sept. 17, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 21 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Trapps was the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was sending multiple pounds of methamphetamine and heroin to Juneau, Alaska, where the profits were much greater. The drugs were sourced in the Modesto area then transported to Alaska at Trapps’ direction utilizing numerous couriers as well as various methods and modes of transportation. In at least one instance, drugs from Modesto destined for Juneau were seized in Washington state as the courier tried to board the ferry.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Modesto Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the Whatcom County (Washington) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie L. Alsworth and Laurel J. Montoya prosecuted the case.
Trapps is the last defendant to be sentenced in this case. Co-defendants were sentenced as follows: Jimmy Brantley was sentenced to 10 years in prison, Carmen Conejo was sentenced to five years of probation, Ernest Westley was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, Sheena Taylor was sentenced to 10 years, three months in prison, and Joseph Vasquez Jr. was sentenced to 26 years, eight months in prison.
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 Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd sentenced Hector Kioni Gongora, 44, of Fresno, today to 10 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of a felony crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Jan. 11, 2021, Gongora was arrested on a felony warrant and found in possession of a firearm and methamphetamine. A search of his residence recovered over 300 additional rounds of ammunition. He was charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and pleaded guilty on June 29, 2021.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.
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.
Delano Resident Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Christopher Howard, 33, of Delano, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. 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 9 mm 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 U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.
Howard is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Dec. 13, 2021. Howard faces a maximum term 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.
Modesto Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Ramiro Cervantes, 24, 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 May 29, 2021, police officers attempted to stop a vehicle that Cervantes was riding in as a passenger. Cervantes, who was on parole, attempted to flee the scene and struggled with police. A loaded semi-automatic Colt M4, .22‑caliber rifle was located in the passenger compartment where Cervantes had been seated. Cervantes has prior felony convictions and cannot lawfully possess firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 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, Cervantes 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 Men Indicted for Being Previously Convicted of Violent Crimes in Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against two Fresno residents, Edward Page, 32, and Trayvon Smith, 31, charging each with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in the late-night hours of June 24, 2021, police officers received a tip that two individuals in a parked car were in possession of a firearm. The officers responded to the parking lot and found Smith and Page in the car. Page was quickly detained, but Smith fled, was chased, and eventually was caught and arrested. Inside the car, officers found two loaded semi-automatic firearms, one of the firearms was a privately manufactured weapon, sometimes referred to as a “ghost gun,” with no serial number, but with an extended magazine attached to the firearm. Both Smith and Page have prior violent felony convictions and cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Page and Smith 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.
Butte County Woman Pleads Guilty to FEMA Fraud in Connection with the Paradise Camp FireRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Kristen Canapary, 53, of Butte County, pleaded guilty today to making false statements in an application for FEMA benefits in connection with the 2018 Paradise Camp Fire, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, FEMA provided disaster benefits to certain qualified individuals whose primary residence was damaged or destroyed in the Camp Fire. Canapary filed a claim for FEMA disaster benefits falsely listing a rental home she formerly lived in as her primary residence at the time of the fire in November 2018. According to the property owner, Canapary vacated the home earlier in the year, and the home had remained vacant while undergoing renovations. As a result of Canapary’s claim that her primary residence was damaged by the Camp Fire, she was given money for rental assistance and the replacement of essential personal property purportedly destroyed with her home. She was also provided with approximately 13 months of temporary FEMA housing.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.
Canapary is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Dec. 16, 2021. Canapary faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 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.
Members of the public who suspect fraud involving disaster relief efforts, including California wildfires or COVID-19 relief efforts, or who believe they have been a victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. Alternatively, information can be submitted via email to [email protected].
Guilty Plea in a Mail Theft and Bank Fraud Scheme Committed Throughout Northern CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Richard Beldon Waters III, 29, of Contra Costa County, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and possession of stolen U.S. mail, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between April and August 2020, Waters and co-defendant Desiree Brianna Bello perpetrated a mail theft and bank fraud scheme throughout Northern California. The scheme involved stealing U.S. mail from residential mailboxes and harvesting bankcards, identification documents, financial information, checks, and personally identifiable information (PII) for use in fraudulent activity. Waters and Bello used the identification and PII of the mail theft victims to obtain money and property from banks and businesses.
On several occasions, Waters and Bello used identification documents and financial instruments of mail theft victims to purchase and lease vehicles from car dealerships. For example, on June 25, 2020, Bello entered a Hyundai dealership in Stockton to lease a new Hyundai Genesis G80 using a stolen identity. She made an initial $7,000 payment with a check in the victim’s name, and also submitted a lease application using the victim’s name, date of birth, California Driver’s License number, and Social Security Number. The dealership ultimately approved the application. Bello was able to drive the new G80 off the lot, which was valued at approximately $55,490. Bello committed these acts with Waters’ knowledge and in furtherance of their bank fraud scheme, of which Waters was a knowing participant.
Additionally, on two separate occasions in May 2020, Waters knowingly possessed stolen U.S. mail. On May 11, 2020, he was arrested in Folsom where he possessed over 300 pieces of stolen mail. Similarly, on May 18, 2020, he was arrested in El Dorado Hills where he possessed five large trash bags of mail that he and his co-schemers had just stolen minutes earlier from a residential complex.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Stockton Police Department, the Folsom Police Department, the Concord Police Department, the Pittsburg Police Department, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.
Waters is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on Nov. 29, 2021. Bello pleaded guilty in this case to the same charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 25, 2021. Waters and Bello face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for bank fraud and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of stolen U.S. mail. 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 consider a number of variables.
Charges Added in Eastern District of California for Madera Man Previously Charged in Washington D.C. District Court Related to Jan. 6 Capitol BreachRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Benjamin Martin, 43, of Madera, was charged today by criminal complaint for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 2, 2021, Martin was arrested at his residence in Madera on a criminal complaint issued by the District Court for the District of Columbia for charges related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The FBI also executed federal search warrants at Martin’s residence and found that he possessed several firearms, including a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun and Kimber 1911 pistol. Martin has a prior conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Martin 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, and Martin is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fresno Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Daniel Santos Galaviz, 27, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 24, officers arrested Galaviz after he fled on foot from a vehicle during an attempted traffic stop. Officers recovered a loaded magazine from Galaviz during his arrest. Galaviz is prohibited from possessing ammunition because of his prior criminal record.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.
Galaviz is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Galaviz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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.
Former Inmate Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Jailhouse COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Christina Smith, 38, who was formerly incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla, was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiracy and aggravated identity theft charges for the submission of fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to the California Employment Development Department (EDD) in the names of current CCWF inmates, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, another CCWF inmate sent Smith her own and several other inmates’ personally identifiable information (PII) to submit the unemployment insurance claims in their names. The underlying applications represented that the inmates had been working various jobs, which was untrue because they were incarcerated and therefore ineligible for benefits. The intended loss to the EDD and the United States was over $250,000. Smith split the proceeds with her co-conspirators.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Investigative Services Unit, and the EDD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted March 29 that is designed to provide emergency financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
Bakersfield Resident Pleads Guilty to Trafficking NarcoticsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jorge Chavez, 36, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 12, 2020, Chavez was arrested in Bakersfield and was found to be in possession of approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 23.5 pounds of marijuana, approximately 2 pounds of cocaine, and approximately 66 grams of heroin. Prior to that date, on three separate occasions between Feb. 18, 2020, and April 27, 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.
This case is 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 is prosecuting the case.
Chavez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Dec. 3, 2021. Chavez faces a maximum term 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.
Yolo County Insurance Broker Charged with Defrauding ClientRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment today against Robert Kirby Wells, 62, of Woodland, charging him with 10 counts of wire fraud and three counts of aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Wells served as an insurance broker for a company located in Denver, Colorado, that owned multifamily and commercial properties throughout the United States. As the company’s broker, Wells was responsible for obtaining several types of insurance coverage for the company’s properties, including umbrella liability coverage. As part of his fraudulent scheme, Wells represented to the company that he obtained umbrella coverage for properties when, in fact, he did not. Although Wells did not obtain the coverage, he invoiced and was paid for purported premiums associated with adding the properties to umbrella liability policies.
At times, after he received full payment for premiums associated with coverage he obtained for the company, as well as umbrella coverage he did not obtain, Wells secured loans purportedly to pay for the same premiums. He did so by falsely representing that he was financing the premiums on the company’s behalf and using the identities of a managing principal and employee of the company without their authorization.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General, the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Wells faces maximum statutory penalties of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and a mandatory term of two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss for each charge. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Third Madera Defendant Added in Superseding Indictment for Trafficking Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count superseding indictment today adding Josue Morales, 23, to an April 29, 2021, indictment, that charged Madera residents Emilio Hernandez Yesca, 27, and Jorge Perez, 24, with trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, the charges arose out of a months-long investigation into a drug trafficking organization. Between October 2020 and March 2021, the three conspired to distribute pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills. These fentanyl pills are clandestinely manufactured pills that are made to resemble pharmaceutical oxycodone pills, but instead contain fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 100 times stronger than morphine. Morales is alleged to have supplied thousands of fentanyl pills and several pounds of methamphetamine to Hernandez and Perez on two occasions. Hernandez and Perez are alleged to have then distributed some of those narcotics and possessed the remainder with intent to distribute them.
Associates of the trafficking ring, Madera residents Eli Quiroz Hernandez, 26, and Jorge Luis Hernandez Gonzalez, 30, were indicted in related cases in April 2021.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Chowchilla Police Department, the Madera Police Department, and the Madera Narcotics Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the charged offenses, Hernandez, Perez, and Morales each face a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison up to a maximum 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.
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 Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Registered Sex Offender in Fresno Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. – A federal grand jury has returned a three-count indictment against Andrew Michael Alonso, 31, of Fresno, charging him with sexual exploitation of a minor, receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and committing a felony offense involving a minor while being a registered sex offender, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today.
According to court documents, Alonso is a registered sex offender who was on California parole supervision with GPS location monitoring. He contacted a 13-year-old victim on Instagram and then communicated with the victim through text messages in May and June 2021. Alonso repeatedly asked the victim to create and send to him images of the minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Alonso received still and video images of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He has been ordered detained as a danger to the community and risk of flight.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes the Fresno Police Department and the Fresno office of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor, Alonso faces a statutory penalty of 15 to 30 years in prison, a potential $250,000 fine, and a possible lifetime term of supervised release. If convicted of being a registered sex offender who is convicted for sexual exploitation of a minor, Alonso faces a mandatory 10-year consecutive sentence in prison. If convicted of receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, Alonso faces five to 20 years in prison, a potential $250,000 fine, and a possible lifetime term of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Central Valley Optometrist Indicted for Submitting over $1 Million in False Claims to MedicareRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment today against optometrist Carole Sachs, O.D., 76, of Delhi, charging her with health care fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Sachs was an optometrist and practiced out of offices in Turlock and Modesto. Between November 2016 and February 2021, Sachs fraudulently billed Medicare for optometry services she did not provide. Sachs billed over $1 million and received over $700,000 in payments from Medicare from these false and fraudulent claims. The fraudulent claims included claims for performing ultrasounds and for placing amniotic membranes on patients’ eyes despite the fact that Sachs did not perform these procedures.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincente A. Tennerelli and Joseph D. Barton are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Sachs 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.
Vacaville High-Speed Chase Leads to Federal Conviction of Hayward Felon for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Thursday, Aug. 26, after a three–day trial, a federal jury found Eligio Nunez, 42, of Hayward, guilty of being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
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 is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Vacaville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt and Paul A. Hemesath are prosecuting the case.
Nunez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Nov. 23, 2021. Nunez 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.
Former Federal Protective Service Commander Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Wire Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joshua Bilal George, 38, of San Diego, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the United States and wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
This is the third and final defendant to plead guilty in this case involving a conspiracy and scheme to defraud the Social Security Administration (SSA). Co-defendants Eric Lemoyne Willis and Darron Dimitri Ross pleaded guilty to similar charges in June 2019 and February 2020, respectively.
According to court documents, George worked for the Federal Protective Service (FPS) in Sacramento between 2011 and 2015, and in San Diego thereafter where he was promoted to the position of Area Commander. Willis worked as an SSA Operations Supervisor in Sacramento and Lodi from at least 2015 until his departure in January 2018. George met Willis through his work at FPS in Sacramento and knew Ross from his childhood in North Carolina.
Between January 2016 and October 2018, George, Willis, and Ross conspired to steal public money from the SSA. Willis used his authority as an SSA employee to access the confidential Social Security records of numerous beneficiaries. These records contained personally identifiable information (PII) including names, addresses, social security numbers, dates of birth, account numbers, family information, and benefit payment amounts. Additionally, Willis sought out PII for beneficiaries who used direct deposit for payment of large benefits. He then transferred this information to Ross in North Carolina, who in turn transferred it to George.
Ross and George’s roles in these crimes included calling numerous SSA field offices across the country and using the stolen PII to impersonate the beneficiaries. The conspirators opened at least 70 online bank accounts under fraudulent identities to receive diverted SSA benefit payments. During these calls, Ross and George convinced some of the SSA representatives that they were the identity-theft victims and caused the representatives to change the direct deposit account numbers to the fraudulent account numbers. Before the fraud could be detected, the SSA deposited the benefit payments into the fraudulent accounts. The conspirators were then free to withdraw the funds at ATMs and spend the money using debit cards.
SSA has identified over 200 beneficiaries nationwide who were targeted by these crimes, and the total loss has exceeded $695,000. The defendants spent the proceeds of their crimes on trips to Las Vegas, luxury items such as Rolex watches, and other things.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.
George is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Nov. 15, 2021. Willis and Ross are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 6, 2021, and Jan. 31, 2022, respectively. George faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison and a $500,000 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.
Tennessee Woman Sentenced to over 2 Years in Prison for Submitting False Claims for Unclaimed PropertyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Marilyn Cook (also known as Marilyn Powell and Marilyn Sunset), 58, of Alcoa, Tennessee, was sentenced today to two years and five months in prison for filing false claims for unclaimed property held by the California State Controller’s Office Unclaimed Property Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in August and September 2014, Cook, using the alias Marilyn Sunset, committed a scheme to defraud by filing false claims with the Division of Unclaimed Property for properties belonging to the United States Marshals and others. For each claim, Cook certified under penalty of perjury that she was entitled to claim the identified properties. Cook used a State of Tennessee Identification Card that she obtained in the name Marilyn Sunset to have certain claim forms notarized as required by the Unclaimed Property Division. Cook also submitted fictitious documents in support of her claim, including a letter on Department of Justice letterhead that falsely purported to have been signed by a former Assistant Attorney General, authorizing Sunset to collect properties on behalf of the U.S. Marshals. In all, Cook falsely claimed 128 properties totaling $398,537. The Unclaimed Property Division identified the claims as fraudulent and did not disperse any property to Cook.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Shelley D. Weger prosecuted the case.
Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Angel Jesus Sanchez-Manriquez, 22, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to 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 prostitution website, each of which contained images of a 16-year-old victim and advertised the victim’s availability to perform commercial sex acts for sex buyers. Sanchez-Manriquez paid for motel rooms in and around the Stockton area for that purpose. Following execution of search warrants, law enforcement agents determined that Sanchez-Manriquez also used his cellphone to record images and videos of his victim engaged in sexual acts with adults such as himself.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Fogerty and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.
Sanchez-Manriquez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Dec. 2, 2021. Sanchez-Manriquez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison (with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison), a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release. 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.
Chico Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Alfred David Villasenor, 38, of Chico, was sentenced Wednesday to three years and one month in prison for being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Villasenor was also ordered to pay a $7,000 fine.
According to court documents, on Nov. 20, 2019, law enforcement officers conducted a welfare check at Villasenor’s residence. They located Villasenor hiding underneath a blanket on the floor of the master bedroom with a shouldered, loaded non-serialized AR-15 rifle on a bipod. Villasenor had been pointing this rifle at the door officers had used to enter the room. Officers seized approximately 900 rounds of ammunition of various sizes and additional firearms from the home. At that time, Villasenor was subject to a domestic violence restraining order that prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
“Villasenor aimed a loaded, chambered weapon at police officers who were responding to his house to conduct a welfare check for his own safety and that of his family,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Villasenor violated a domestic violence temporary restraining order by acquiring dangerous firearms and ammunition. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his offense and will hopefully deter him from acquiring firearms or ammunition again.”
"This case highlights the concerns the FBI and our law enforcement partners have when entering a building to apprehend a person,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI's Sacramento Field Office. “We are grateful that this welfare check did not result in the injury or loss of life of Villasenor or responding Chico Police Department officers. We also thank the department for bringing this case to our attention.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Chico Police Department, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Butte County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James R. Conolly and Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
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.
Redding Restaurant Owners Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Forced LaborRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California couple pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit forced labor. According to court documents, Nery A. Martinez Vasquez, 53, and his wife Maura N. Martinez, 53, both of Shasta Lake, are naturalized United States citizens, originally from Guatemala. They owned and operated Latino’s, a restaurant, and Redding Carpet Cleaning & Janitorial Services, a cleaning company that serviced various businesses, including multiple car dealerships, in the Shasta Lake area.
In their plea agreement filed in federal court, the defendants admitted that if the matter proceeded to trial, the government would prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they convinced a Guatemalan relative and her two minor daughters to come to the United States in August 2016 by falsely promising them a better life. The defendants arranged for the victims to enter the United States using temporary visitor visas and then compelled them to overstay their visas and work long hours at Latino’s restaurant and Redding Carpet Cleaning & Janitorial Services for minimal to no pay between September 2016 and February 2018. The defendants conspired with one another to manufacture an inflated debt that they told the victims they owed and instructed them that they could not leave until they repaid this fictious debt. The defendants also abused the legal system by threatening to call the authorities on the victims and have them arrested for overstaying their visas if they did not comply with their requests.
Similarly, the defendants forbade the minor children from attending school because they claimed that immigration authorities were looking to arrest and deport non-citizen children. Instead of attending school, the children worked for the defendants’ businesses. The defendants housed the victims in a dilapidated, unheated trailer with no running water, and degraded and humiliated them in front of others. Finally, the defendants used force and threats of force to intimidate the victims, with Nery Martinez Vasquez even going as far as hitting the minor victims with a stick when angry.
“These defendants used the promise of America to lure the victim and her children to the United States in search of a better life, only to turn around and use that hope to exploit their dreams under cruel conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “There is no place for such cruel conduct in our society, and the Department of Justice remains committed to eradicating human trafficking.”
“These defendants exploited vulnerable victims, forcing them to work in their businesses, failing to pay wages, and depriving them of basic human rights,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues its commitment to protect and defend vulnerable members of our society from human trafficking.”
“This case highlights how the dream of coming to the United States to begin a new, promising life can become a nightmare,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The family worked in public view yet were imprisoned by fear and the lies they had been told by their exploiters. No human being — let alone a family — should be forced to work and live as these victims did. The FBI is committed to identifying and investigating human trafficking. We seek justice for victims, regardless of immigration status. We ask the public to report suspected human trafficking and encourage victims to come forward to escape the cycle of exploitation they may feel trapped within.”
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Nov. 8, 2021. They face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. As part of the defendants’ plea, they have agreed to pay $300,000 in restitution to the victims.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine T. Lydon and Tanya B. Syed and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro are prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Cultivation in the Dutch Oven Creek Area of the Sierra National ForestRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Lester Eduardo Cardenas Flores, 24, of Michoacán, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. He also agreed to pay $48,057 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the damage that the cultivation operation had on public land.
According to court documents, the cultivation operation contained 2,307 marijuana plants and was located in the Basin Creek drainage in the Dutch Oven Creek area of the Sierra National Forest. Cardenas and his co-defendant, Luis Madrigal Reyes, 37, also of Michoacán, Mexico, were apprehended at the grow site during the execution of a search warrant.
The cultivation operation caused extensive environmental damage, which serves as the habitat for the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, an endangered species and the California spotted owl. Agents found lethal banned pesticides, which appeared to have been applied to the marijuana plants. The water from Dutch Oven Creek had also been diverted to irrigate the marijuana plants. Dutch Oven Creek is part of the Chiquito Creek watershed, which drains into the Fresno River before flowing into the San Joaquin River.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) of the California Department of Justice, and the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. The Integral Ecology Research Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and conservation of wildlife and their ecosystems, assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Cardenas is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 15, 2021. Madrigal previously entered a guilty plea and is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 20, 2021. They face a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison, as well as 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.
Anaheim Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy in Stanislaus and San Joaquin CountiesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Reyes-Pineda, 48, of Anaheim, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Reyes and co-defendants Genaro Serrato-Calles, 51, and Antonio Valencia-Hernandez, 65, both of Modesto, and Antonio Castellanos, 38, of Whittier, were charged with conspiring over a two-year period to distribute drugs in Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties. As part of the drug conspiracy, Reyes delivered over 11 pounds of methamphetamine to Valencia for distribution in Modesto.
Reyes is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Nov. 15, 2021. Castellanos, Serrato, and Valencia previously pleaded guilty. Castellanos is scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 18, 2021, and Serrato and Valencia are both scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 8, 2021. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10 million. 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. Attorneys Karen Escobar 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.
Three South Lake Tahoe Residents Charged with Drug Trafficking and Texas Man Charged with Trafficking FirearmsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned three indictments on Aug. 19, charging four individuals with drug and gun crimes committed in and around South Lake Tahoe, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced
The indictment against Joshua Daniel Wilson, 34, of South Lake Tahoe, and Cody Lee Cramer, 39, of Lampasas, Texas, charges them together with one count of dealing firearms without a license. The indictment also Wilson with one count of distributing at least 500 grams of methamphetamine, four counts of distributing at least 50 grams of methamphetamine, and one count of dealing firearms without a license.
According to court documents, Wilson sold methamphetamine to an informant multiple times over the course of five months. During this course of dealing, Wilson also offered to sell the informant other drugs, including LSD and MDMA. During that same period, Wilson and Cramer sold the informant firearms, including an AR-15 style rifle, a shotgun, and several handguns. Some of the weapons had been manufactured without serial numbers. Such weapons are often referred to as “ghost guns,” and the lack of a serial number impairs the ability of law enforcement agencies to trace them.
The grand jury also returned a four-count indictment against Patricia Louise Ekizian, 69, of South Lake Tahoe, charging her with distribution of at least 50 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Ekizian sold methamphetamine to an informant on multiple occasions over several months.
Finally, the grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Frank Ray Bacon, 53, of South Lake Tahoe, charging him with distribution of at least 50 grams of methamphetamine. According to court documents, Bacon sold methamphetamine to an informant on two occasions.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. During a coordinated law enforcement operation earlier this month, agents and officers executed arrest warrants in South Lake Tahoe, related to the illicit interstate drug and weapons trafficking that ultimately resulted in the three indictments. Assistant United States Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Wilson faces a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine for the count of distributing at least 500 grams of methamphetamine. If convicted of distributing at least 50 grams of methamphetamine, Wilson faces a five-year mandatory minimum prison sentence , a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million. If convicted of the charge of dealing firearms without a license, Wilson and Cramer each face a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
If convicted, Ekizian faces a five-year mandatory minimum prison sentence, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million.
If convicted, Bacon faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million for each count. Each count also carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.
Any sentence 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.
Madera and Fresno Men Sentenced for Interstate Drug ShipmentsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Patrick Maldonado, 45, of Madera, and Elias Zambrano Jr., 41, of Fresno, have been sentenced to eight years in prison and two years and three months in prison, respectively, for an interstate drug conspiracy involving shipments of marijuana to the Midwest, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Maldonado and Zambrano pleaded guilty earlier this year. According to court documents, in November 2018, Maldonado coordinated with Tan Minh Vo, 48, of San Jose, to send two shipments of marijuana to Halen Frazier, 34, of Kingsville, Missouri. The first shipment was seized from Frazier during a traffic stop after Tien Van Phan, 56, of Milpitas, delivered 92 pounds of marijuana to Frazier in two suitcases at a hotel in Kansas City.
Later, agents intercepted calls between Maldonado, Zambrano, and Frazier in which they discussed the shipment of 384 pounds of marijuana to Frazier in Kansas City. Maldonado and Zambrano had packed the load in a hidden compartment of a trailer of a truck driven by David McGowan, 61, of Kansas City. Arizona State Troopers discovered the marijuana and $1,629 in cash after a traffic stop.
Following the seizure of marijuana in Arizona, agents executed a search warrant at Maldonado’s and Zambrano’s residences. At Maldonado’s residence, agents found more than 3 kilograms of cocaine, 20 pounds of marijuana, a handgun, and $45,281 in cash. At Zambrano’s residence, agents found more marijuana, an electronic money counter, an unregistered pistol, and a so‑called “ghost gun.” U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd has ordered the forfeiture of the cash and firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force consisting of agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tulare, Kings, and Fresno County Sheriff’s Offices, the Fresno Police Department, the Arizona Department of Health, and the Kansas City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Phan and Frazier, who also pleaded guilty, were previously sentenced to three and one half years and two years and three months in prison, respectively. Charges are pending against McGowan and Vo, who are scheduled for a status conference on Nov. 10, 2021. As to these defendants, the charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Drug Courier with 32 Pounds of Methamphetamine SentencedRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Alejandro Lopez, 51, of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced today to seven and a half years in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Lopez was stopped for a traffic violation in Merced County as he was driving northbound on Highway 99. Following the stop, law enforcement officers discovered approximately 32 pounds of methamphetamine in a spare tire of the vehicle that Lopez had been driving. Lopez pleaded guilty on Oct. 6, 2020.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
Chicago Area Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Advertise and Distribute Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Eric Leslie, 38, of Park Ridge, Illinois, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 17.5 years of supervised release, for his role in the advertising and distribution of child pornography through a website, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
On Jan. 21, 2020, Leslie pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to advertise child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. As part of the sentence, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd ordered Leslie to pay $3,000 in restitution to one victim.
According to court documents, from approximately October 2017 through December 2018, Leslie agreed with one or more persons to advertise child pornography and then also actually distributed to a website images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. When law enforcement officers served a search warrant at his residence in Illinois in January 2019, they recovered more than 600 images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct some of which involved violence.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) offices in Fresno, California, Chicago, Illinois, and The Hague, Netherlands. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Being Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Simon Meza Jr., 38, of Fresno, was sentenced Friday, Aug. 20, 2021 by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to four years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition that was found in his loaded gun, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 19, 2020, in Fresno, police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Meza. Meza did not yield, but instead, recklessly fled in his vehicle. Officers discontinued the pursuit, but later located Meza’s vehicle abandoned at a business on South Sarah Avenue. Officers located Meza hiding in a nearby park. Surveillance video from the business showed Meza discarding a bag containing a loaded firearm and a wallet with Meza’s California identification card inside. Meza has multiple prior convictions for illegal weapons and drug possession and is prohibited from possessing ammunition.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh prosecuted the case.
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.
Mexican National Sentenced for Toxic Marijuana Cultivation Operation in Stanislaus National Forest and Ordered to Pay for Environmental DamageRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Eleno Fernandez-Garcia, 37, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced today to 4 and a half years in prison for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and ordered to pay $45,688 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the environmental damage that the toxic chemicals and cultivation operation had on public land, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, the cultivation operation contained 9,654 marijuana plants and was located in the Basin Creek drainage in the Stanislaus National Forest in Tuolumne County. Fernandez was found at the grow site in possession of pruning shears and two cellphones, and was covered with marijuana debris. Three other individuals fled from the area, which is near recreational activities and Sugar Pine Springs, a natural spring used by two companies for bottled water.
The cultivation operation caused significant damage to the environment. Within the grow site, investigative agents found the pesticide Weevelcide, which contains aluminum phosphide, a lethal restricted use chemical; two types of rodenticides; 837 pounds of soluble fertilizer; 45.65 gallons of liquid fertilizer; and a dead raccoon. Nearly all of the native vegetation was cut down to make room for the marijuana plants. Besides chemicals and fertilizer, there was over 2,000 pounds of trash and irrigation tubing.
The grow site was in a grazing permit area where cows roamed freely and had access to the plants and chemicals. The Basin Creek complex also lies upstream of several species of conservation concern, including the Central Valley steelhead, federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA); chinook salmon, federally threatened under the ESA; and yellow-legged frog, a candidate for listing as threatened under both the federal and the California ESA.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) of the California Department of Justice, and the California Fish and Wildlife. Assistance was provided by the Integral Ecology Research Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to the research and conservation of wildlife and their ecosystems. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
Arkansas Woman Sentenced for Defrauding California’s State Unemployment BenefitsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Deborah Shannell Hollimon, 44, of West Memphis, Arkansas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to three years and two months in prison and ordered to pay $569,168 in restitution for a California state unemployment insurance benefits fraud and identity theft scheme, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, from September 2012 through September 2015, Hollimon and others filed over 100 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) seeking approximately $882,991 using fictitious businesses. Hollimon created fictitious employers with EDD and then submitted information to EDD reporting employees for the fictitious businesses. Almost all of the individuals reported as employees of the companies were actually victims of identity theft. Hollimon subsequently filed unemployment claims in her own name and in the names of the fake employees in order to collect the benefits. Approximately $569,168 in benefits were paid out by EDD.
“The funds set aside for unemployment insurance and disability insurance are intended to benefit Californians who have earned the right to receive those benefits,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Fraud schemes that damage and deplete the fund undermine the benefit system and cheat those whom the funds are intended to protect. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and stop fraud schemes like this that harm California workers.”
“Deborah Hollimon and her co-conspirators exploited our nation’s unemployment insurance system by filing at least 100 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in the names of identity theft victims. Today's sentencing affirms the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s commitment to working with our federal and state law enforcement partners to investigate identity theft that adversely impacts the integrity of the UI program,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Los Angeles Region.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the California Employment Development Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny prosecuted the case.
Vacaville Felon Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Guy Joseph Bass, 29, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, On Sept. 18, 2020, police officers arrested Bass on an outstanding arrest warrant. During the arrest, Bass admitted he had a firearm on his person. A search of his person uncovered a Glock style privately made firearm, also known as a “ghost gun,” loaded with an extended magazine containing 17 rounds. Bass cannot possess a firearm or ammunition because he was previously convicted of a felony offense.
Additionally, on Nov. 28, 2020, police officers approached a parked vehicle Bass was sitting in. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a different privately made .223 caliber AR-style pistol and a 30‑round magazine loaded with at least nine rounds of ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez is scheduled to sentence Bass on Dec. 7, 2021. Bass faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. 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.
Stockton Woman Convicted of Sex Trafficking ChildrenRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a seven-day trial, a jury found Dawniel Santangelo, 43, of Stockton, guilty today of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a child, three counts of sex trafficking of a child, and one count of transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, between September 2018 and May 2019, Santangelo recruited 15-, 16-, and 17-year-old girls to engage in prostitution throughout Northern California and Southern Oregon. Santangelo enticed the girls to perform sex acts for strangers by providing alcohol, drugs, and creating a party atmosphere in motels in Stockton and Salinas. She then posted online prostitution ads depicting the victims and brought sex buyers to the motels to have sex with the victims in exchange for money that she and co-defendant, Lucious James Roy, 34, of Stockton, took from the victims. Santangelo also took the 17-year-old victim to a Ripon truck stop to engage in prostitution. Ultimately, the minor victims had sex with sex buyers in the motel rooms where Santangelo harbored them and on the streets of the cities where Santangelo took them. After the victims began engaging in commercial sex acts, Santangelo urged them to continue, falsely reassuring the 17-year-old victim that the experience was not that bad and offering to give the 16-year-old victim feminine products to keep her engaging in sex acts when she was menstruating.
In early May 2019, Santangelo and co-defendant Roy, recruited a 15-year-old runaway from the Modesto area to engage in prostitution. They drove the victim from Merced to Medford, Oregon, Santangelo’s former hometown, in order to put the 15-year-old to work engaging in prostitution. Once in Oregon, Santangelo advertised the victim’s commercial sex acts on the internet and harbored her in a motel room that she rented. After a few days in Oregon, the victim called her family for help, and Oregon police subsequently found the victim in Santangelo’s motel room along with Santangelo and Roy.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Stockton Police Department, the San Joaquin District Attorney’s Office, the Medford (Oregon) Police Department, and the Jackson County (Oregon) District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron L. Desmond and Brian A. Fogerty are prosecuting the case.
On April 12, 2021, Roy was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 17 years and seven months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a child.
Santangelo is scheduled for sentencing by Judge Mueller on Nov. 8, 2021. Santangelo faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Her convictions on the sex trafficking of a child and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity counts each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case 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.
Chico Resident Sentenced to over 2 Years in Prison for Filing a False Claim for FEMA Assistance in Connection with the Paradise Camp FireRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Evan Palmer, 32, of Chico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to two years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $26,490 in restitution for defrauding FEMA by filing a false claim for benefits offered to certain survivors of the November 2018 Camp Fire, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in order to obtain Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster benefits, Palmer falsely claimed a trailer located in Paradise, California was his primary residence at the time of the Camp Fire. In both his application for disaster benefits and his subsequent conversation with a FEMA inspector, Palmer claimed he and his family were living in the trailer at the time of the Camp Fire and that it was their primary residence when in fact Palmer and his family resided in a home in Chico. As a result of Palmer’s false statement, he received $26,490 in FEMA disaster benefits, which were intended to be used to repair or replace Palmer’s primary residence and to assist with two months of temporary rental housing. Palmer used this money for other purposes, including the purchase a vehicle.
Following the 2018 Camp Fire, FEMA disaster assistance funds were available to qualified individuals who had emergency needs for housing, food, and other necessities due to losses incurred by the fire. To qualify for assistance based on home ownership, an applicant must have resided in the damaged home as their primary residence at the time of the fire.
Palmer is one of eight individuals indicted in the Eastern District of California for making a false statement about their primary residence in an application for FEMA assistance in connection with the Camp Fire.
“In 2018, in the aftermath of the Camp Fire, we encouraged the public to report any suspected fraudulent activity and promised to aggressively pursue and prosecute fraud and abuse,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Today’s announcement is one example of our efforts to prosecute fraud to receive FEMA disaster benefits that should have gone to real victims of the devastating Camp Fire. We will continue to hold people accountable for fraudulent claims after a disaster to ensure that federal benefits go to those who truly need them.”
“Disasters bring out the best and worst in people, testing the strength of entire communities while providing temptation for criminals. Fraud schemes divert critical resources from disaster victims who are in desperate need and take advantage of communities that have already suffered significant losses,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who commit disaster fraud face justice for taking advantage of aid provided to the residents and businesses devastated by disasters such as the Camp Fire.”
Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari said, “This investigation and today’s sentencing speaks to the strength of our law enforcement partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to ensure fraudsters are held accountable and taxpayer funds are used for their intended purpose.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shelley Weger and Roger Yang are prosecuting the case.
Members of the public who suspect fraud involving disaster relief efforts, including Camp Fire or COVID-19 relief efforts, or who believe they have been a victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. Alternatively, information can be submitted via the Center’s online Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Two Bakersfield Men Charged with Unlawful Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
RESNO, Calif. — Two Bakersfield men were charged today by a federal grand jury in separate indictments with being felons in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, Duwayne Payton, 25, is a documented and active member of the East Side Crips criminal street gang in Bakersfield. On March 11, 2021, Payton possessed in his residence a stolen Glock Model 17 9 mm handgun. Payton may not lawfully possess firearms because of his prior felony convictions, including convictions in Bakersfield in 2014 for first degree burglary and vehicle theft.
According to the indictment in a separate case, on July 8, 2021, as Sabino Ramos, 45, was driving in Bakersfield, law enforcement officers attempted to stop him in order to serve an arrest warrant for probation violations. Ramos led officers on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds up to 90 mph, before losing control of his vehicle while exiting Highway 99 at Ming Avenue. Ramos then ran from pursuing officers but was eventually subdued. Ramos was found to be in possession of two handguns and approximately 30 rounds of ammunition. Ramos may not lawfully possess firearms because of his prior felony convictions, including convictions in 1995 for assault with firearm on a person and in 2017 for possessing controlled substances for sale.
These cases are the product of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 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, the defendants each 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.
These cases are 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.