Eastern District of California
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Lassen County Residents Face Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury in Sacramento returned two indictments yesterday against two Lassen County residents, and three others were arrested on drug and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Joseph Preston Vanmear, 33, of Susanville, was charged by indictment with distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was arrested during a traffic stop, and officers found a .22 caliber revolver under his seat, which matched the .22 caliber ammunition that officers found in the pocket of the jacket that Vanmear was wearing. Vanmear has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms. If convicted of the methamphetamine offenses, Vanmear faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, and a $10,000,000 fine. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on the firearms charge.
Erika Louise Schmid, 44, of Ravendale, was charged by indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, officers executed a search warrant on Schmid’s home in October 2018. Officers found multiple firearms as well as body armor in and around the home. Schmid has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms. If convicted, Schmid faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
In three unrelated cases, three other Lassen County residents were arrested this week and appeared in federal court yesterday on criminal complaints.
Darrel Kratzberg, 42, is charged with five counts of distributing methamphetamine and three counts of distributing heroin. According to court documents, federal and local law enforcement agencies identified Kratzberg as a long-time source of supply for both methamphetamine and heroin in and around Susanville. If convicted of the current charges, Kratzberg faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each of the eight counts with which he is charged.
Michael Brandon Spillers, 30, is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Court documents describe two purchases of handguns by a law enforcement informant from Spillers and others. Spillers has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Any sentence for each of these defendants 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 unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are products of coordinated investigations by the Susanville Police Department, the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Corrections, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly is prosecuting the cases.
These cases were brought as a 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. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’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.
San Jose Man Indicted for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon in Solano CountyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Brandon Edward Nichols, 27, of San Jose, charging him with possessing a firearm as a felon, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on December 12, 2017, Nichols’ car was stopped for a vehicle code violation. During the contact with the officer, Nichols produced various credit cards and identification issued in other people’s names. When the officer arrested Nichols for possessing these items, she found a gun in the driver’s‑side door. During a subsequent search of Nichols’ hotel room, officers found a second firearm. Nichols was previously been convicted of a felony and cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fairfield Police Department with special assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office.
If convicted, Nichols 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 charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as a 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. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’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.
Sacramento Man Indicted for Possessing Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and FirearmsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Ou Vern Saeteurn, 23, of Sacramento, charging him with possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and possessing two firearms in furtherance of his drug crimes, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on September 6, 2018, law enforcement agents searched Saeteurn’s Oak Park home. In his bedroom closet, they found about 1 kilogram of methamphetamine and about 1 kilogram of cocaine. They also found two loaded firearms, additional ammunition, and about $9,400 in cash. In the rest of this home, officers found more methamphetamine, cocaine base, heroin, opium, about 16 firearms, magazines, and ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Saeteurn 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 was brought as a 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. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’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.
North Highlands Man Convicted of Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a two–day trial, a federal jury found William Lamar Blessett, 39, of North Highlands, guilty Wednesday of one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, between mid-2016 and October 2017, Blessett possessed multiple electronic images of child pornography in a Dropbox cloud storage account and on devices including a laptop computer, two smartphones, and two tablet computers. Blessett knew these images showed minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Blessett accessed the pornographic images on the internet using links he obtained on the Kik instant messaging application. Blessett viewed the images and downloaded them to a Dropbox account that he owned and operated. Blessett then used the account to organize and view the images and transfer them to his electronic devices.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Central Investigative Division, Hi-Tech Crimes Bureau, the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant Rabenn and Amy Hitchcock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Artuz are prosecuting the case.
Blessett is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on February 19, 2019. Blessett faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Madera and Fresno Residents Indicted for Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Diblaim Alan Valdez-Araux, 31, of Madera, and Fresno residents Erick Lizarraga, 28; Perla Ramos, 29; Brittany Martinez, 26; David Martinez, 66; Rosemarie Martinez, 64; Jesus Bueno, 27; Noyra Gonzalez, 41; and Maricela Castellanos, 54, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, the defendants were involved in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in the Fresno – Madera area, as well as sending methamphetamine to Denver, Colorado. Lizarraga allegedly arranged two shipments to Denver that were seized by law enforcement. On October 13, 2018, David and Rosemarie Martinez had 30 pounds of methamphetamine with them that they were taking to Denver via Amtrak. On October 15, 2018, after Lizarraga arranged for Diblaim Valdez-Araux to get another 30 pounds, Noyra Gonzalez and Maricela Castellanos were arrested while taking the 30 pounds to Denver after their car was stopped and searched by the California Highway Patrol. Jesus Bueno purchased approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine from Lizarraga that he sold to customers in the Fresno area. On November 4, 2018, Valdez-Diblaim was stopped in Selma by the Fresno Sheriff’s Department with approximately 54 pounds of methamphetamine while returning from the Los Angeles area. Perla Ramos and Brittany Martinez are believed to have assisted Lizarraga in delivering drugs and collecting profits.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of ten years to life in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
The OCDETF program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Benicia Man Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Steven Brian Homan, 62, of Benicia, pleaded guilty today to concealment of bankruptcy assets, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Homan sought protection from, and discharge of, more than $1.3 million in personal and business debt. In order to protect a non-exempt cabin in Redding from liquidation to pay his creditors, Homan arranged to sell it to a relative for $100,000. However, Homan concealed from the bankruptcy trustee that the cabin had been destroyed by fire before he offered the sale to the trustee and before the trustee accepted the offer.
After the fire, Homan filed an insurance claim that settled for more than $258,000 in losses associated with the cabin and personal property contained in the cabin at the time of the fire. That money constituted property of the bankruptcy estate, which Homan concealed from the trustee. After the sale was complete, the bankruptcy trustee learned of the fire and the insurance settlement.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney André M. Espinosa is prosecuting the case.
Homan is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on March 11, 2019. Homan faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
West Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Zaid Bader Jacob, 49, of West Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to seven years and one month in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
In addition to the prison sentence, Jacob was ordered to pay $5,000 in fines and $11,000 in restitution to two victims.
According to court documents, between January and April 2015, Jacob used a peer‑to‑peer file sharing program to search for and download pictures and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Jacob was identified by law enforcement after they identified an IP address at Jacob’s residence that was making child pornography available over the internet via the peer-to-peer program.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 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 Shelley D. Weger prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who 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.
Tulare County Man Indicted for Theft of Social Security Income Benefit FundsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Reynaldo Villalobos, 37, of Tulare, charging him with theft of public money and making false statements regarding right to Social Security benefits, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Reynaldo Villalobos applied for Social Security Income benefits for his son in 2002. In 2007, his son moved out of the country and has lived in Mexico ever since, making him ineligible for Social Security Income benefits. Nonetheless, Reynaldo Villalobos, as his son’s designated representative payee, never informed the Social Security Administration about the move and continued to fraudulently represent to that agency that his son was still living in the United States in order to continue to collect the Social Security Income benefits. Between August 2007 and September 2017, Reynaldo Villalobos collected at least $80,872 in Social Security Income to which he and his son were not entitled.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Villalobos 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.
Rancho Cordova Pair Indicted for Selling Narcotics Through Social Media Accounts and Receiving Payment in BitcoinRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment today against Nathan Paul Barnes, 23, and Tiarra Maureen Jackson, 22, both of Rancho Cordova, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and psilocybin, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Barnes and Jackson operated a drug distribution enterprise called “Fine Cali Herb” over various social media platforms, including Instagram and Snapchat. Barnes and Jackson sold large quantities of marijuana, THC products, and psilocybin mushrooms to customers throughout the United States and abroad. Barnes received payment for the narcotics in several forms, including Bitcoin. In July 2018, law enforcement agents conducted an undercover purchase of marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms from Barnes through his Snapchat account. Case agents also conducted surveillance of Barnes and Jackson dropping off mail parcels containing narcotics at post offices throughout the Sacramento area.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, consisting of agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force targets all forms of dark-web and cryptocurrency criminal activity in the Eastern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant B. Rabenn and Paul A. Hemesath are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Barnes and Jackson face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Modesto Man Sentenced to Prison and Another Pleads Guilty to Burglarizing Fresno Firearms StoreRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Johnny Sanchez, 22, of Modesto, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 11 years and eight months in prison for stealing 50 firearms from a Fresno gun store last year, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Co‑defendant Nathan Creel, 22, also of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with Sanchez and three others in connection with the burglary of the firearms store.
According to court documents, on October 20, 2017, Sanchez, Creel, and co-defendants James Britt, David Avina, and Luis Galvan broke into the Fresno firearms store by cutting a chain and lock with bolt cutters and prying open the door. The defendants stole 50 firearms, including numerous foreign and domestic rifles. After the theft, the defendants sold most of the firearms to others.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Christopher D. Baker are prosecuting the case.
Creel is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge O’Neill on February 11, 2019. Creel faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 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.
James Britt pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2019. Charges are pending against David Avina and Luis Galvan. The charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to 15-Pound Methamphetamine Deal in Kern CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Oscar Ivan Salazar-Avalos, 28, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Salazar and his co-defendant Jose Manuel Sotelo-Mendoza, 26, of Ceres, delivered 15 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Delano after Salazar negotiated with the officer to sell the drug for $3,400 per pound. In pleading guilty, Salazar acknowledged that he and Sotelo had met his source of supply in Castaic in the northern part of Los Angeles County to obtain the 15 pounds of methamphetamine. In addition, Salazar indicated that they intended to make $51,000 on the deal.
Salazar is scheduled for sentencing on February 19, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Salazar faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with 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.
Charges are pending against Sotelo. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, consisting of law enforcement officers of Homeland Security Investigations, California Highway Patrol, Bureau of Investigation of the California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Woman Behind Dixon, Vallejo Movie Studio Scams Sentenced to 6.5 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carissa Carpenter, 55, formerly of Malibu, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to six years and six months in prison and ordered to pay $3,642,755 in restitution in connection with her conviction for mail fraud and lying to a federal agent, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from 1997 until October 24, 2014, Carpenter represented to investors and others that she had a project to build a movie studio in Northern California. As a result of the scheme, investors, firms who did work for Carpenter, and municipalities collectively lost millions on the project.
According to her plea agreement, Carpenter claimed that her projected movie studio complex was supported by well-connected people in the entertainment industry and that she had invested hundreds of millions of dollars of her own money in the project. She also claimed that she had arranged financing for the project but needed investment or bridge loans until the alleged financing was complete. The purported locations of the project varied: El Dorado Hills, north of the Sacramento International Airport in Sutter County, Lathrop, the former naval base on Mare Island in Vallejo, and Dixon, among other places. Additionally, Carpenter represented that reputable architecture, construction, design, and public relations firms were involved in the project, and that she had or was in the process of finalizing the purchase of the land where the studio would be built. As a result, investors gave Carpenter millions of dollars to invest in her studio project.
In fact, Carpenter used investor money to fund her personal expenses and extravagant lifestyle. Contrary to her claims, the Hollywood people were not involved in the project at all or had little involvement. Similarly, the architecture, construction, design, and public relations firms were not involved or had done only preliminary work on the project. Carpenter also did not own or purchase property for the studio.
Further, during the investigation in July 2013, Carpenter told an FBI agent that she told investors that she was going to use their money for personal expenses and that she had used 50 to 75 percent of investor money for the project. These statements were false.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd A. Pickles and Rosanne L. Rust prosecuted the case.
Vacaville Man Indicted for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Matthew Michael Fraticelli, 39, of Vacaville, charging him with possessing a firearm as a felon, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on September 30, 2018, Vacaville police stopped Fraticelli for various traffic violations. As the officer approached Fraticelli’s car, the officer noticed what he believed to be an ammunition magazine near the driver’s side floorboard. Police searched Fraticelli’s car and located two pistols and a high-capacity drum magazine loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition. Fraticelli cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of a felony offense.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department with assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office.
If convicted, Fraticelli faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the district court after considering any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as a 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. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’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.
Vacaville Man Indicted for Possessing Methamphetamine for DistributionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Christian Henry Dorsch Jr., 49, of Vacaville, charging him with possessing methamphetamine for distribution and possession of a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on September 6, 2018, law enforcement officers stopped Dorsch while he was driving in Vacaville and had a warrant to search Dorsch, his home, and his cars for evidence of drug trafficking. When the officers searched Dorsch’s car, they found approximately one-half pound of methamphetamine in the center console, as well as a small amount of cocaine elsewhere in the vehicle. When the officers searched Dorsch’s home later that day, they found a small amount of methamphetamine in his bedroom.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department with special assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office.
If convicted of the most significant charge, Dorsch faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the district court after considering any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Indicted for Arranging the Shipment of over 400 Pounds of Marijuana to Kansas City, MissouriRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Patrick Maldonado, 42, of Madera, and Elias Zambrano Jr., 43, of Fresno, charging them with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and being felons in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Maldonado is also charged with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.
According to court documents, Maldonado and Zambrano coordinated the shipment of over 400 pounds of marijuana to Kansas City, Missouri. Following the seizure of one load in Kansas City and a second in Arizona, agents executed search warrants at Maldonado’s residence in Madera and Zambrano’s residence in Fresno. At Maldonado’s residence, agents found four kilograms of cocaine, a firearm, and $45,281 in cash. Processed marijuana was located throughout Maldonado’s residence. At Zambrano’s residence, agents found two loaded firearms and packaged bags of processed marijuana. Because Maldonado and Zambrano were previously convicted of felony offenses, they are prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case was 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, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sheriff’s Offices of Tulare, Kings, and Fresno Counties, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the drug conspiracy, Maldonado and Zambrano face a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, a minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison, and up to a $5 million fine. Maldonado faces the same penalty if convicted of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. If convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms, both defendants 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.
Jury Finds Sacramento Man Guilty of Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal jury found Benjamin Macias, 40, of Sacramento, guilty today of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in 2014 and 2015, Macias supplied Sergio Ambriz, 29, of Sacramento, with cocaine. On four occasions, Ambriz sold this cocaine to an undercover agent in Sacramento and El Dorado Counties. Agents planned to arrest Macias and Ambriz at a fifth transaction on June 9, 2015. Shortly before they could do so, Macias sped away from the scene at about 90 miles per hour. Agents searched Macias’s car after they apprehended him. In the glove compartment, they found a Ruger 9 mm pistol loaded with hollow-tipped bullets; they also found more than 1 pound of cocaine in the trunk. On the same day, agents searched Macias’s Sacramento home and found ammunition, a 35-round magazine, and more cocaine.
Ambriz previously pleaded guilty to using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense and was sentenced on November 4, 2016, to four years in prison.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Hemesath and Amanda Beck are prosecuting the case.
Macias is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. on February 8, 2018. Macias faces a maximum statutory sentence of 40 years in prison and a $5 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.
Carmichael Man Indicted for Identity and Mail Theft and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against Manuel Campos Rodriguez, 41, of Carmichael, charging him with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of credit and debit card making equipment, possession of stolen mail, unlawfully possessing 15 or more credit or debit cards, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Rodriguez stole mail and obtained and stored for use credit and debit cards, credit card numbers, social security numbers, and driver’s license numbers. Rodriguez used the credit cards of one victim to make purchases at stores, such as Home Depot and Macy’s. Rodriguez also created fake driver’s licenses for victims, which had Rodriguez’s picture on them but the victim’s actual driver’s license number. When arrested, Rodriguez was found in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Folsom Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Bickley is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Rodriguez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as a 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. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’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.
Stockton Tax Preparer Convicted on Eight Counts of Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a six-day trial, a federal jury found Paola Bedoy, 64, of Stockton, guilty today of all eight counts of preparing fraudulent tax returns, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. The trial was held before U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller.
According to evidence presented at trial, for years Bedoy ran a tax preparation business in Stockton called Javez Enterprises, and she assisted numerous taxpayers in preparing fraudulent federal income tax returns by claiming thousands of dollars in earned income credits and child tax credits based upon ineligible dependents. Among other things, Bedoy listed a child as disabled when he was not, added dependents to returns that clients did not know, and repeatedly sought tax credits based on non-citizen children living in Mexico who she knew did not qualify for those tax credits, all to inflate tax refunds.
Evidence at trial revealed that Bedoy often directed her clients’ refund checks to her home and to a post office box in Stockton, and on multiple occasions, she stole portions of her clients’ refunds for her own personal benefit. The evidence also revealed that Bedoy would inflate her clients’ tax refunds so that they could pay her tax preparation fees, which she would sometimes increase in exchange preparing a fraudulent return.
This case is the product of an investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher S. Hales and Matthew M. Yelovich are prosecuting the case.
Bedoy is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller on February 11, 2019. Bedoy faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of conviction. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Second Defendant Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Series of Armed Robberies in Tulare and Kern CountiesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ulises Medina, 25, of Earlimart, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Medina was a member of a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies of gas stations, convenience stores, and liquor stores from May 19, 2016, until July 26, 2017. Medina and his conspirators committed at least seven armed robberies in Tulare and Kern Counties between May 2016 and January 2017. The next month, Medina and his associates travelled to Nebraska, where they committed two more robberies. They then returned to California, where they committed three more armed robberies.
In his guilty plea, Medina admitted that he was part of this conspiracy, and that he robbed Joe’s Westside in Porterville, on January 18, 2017. Prior to the robbery, Medina and other conspirators stole a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer by pushing a hole in the driver’s side lock, cracking the steering shaft, and starting the vehicle without a key. They drove the vehicle to Joe’s Westside where they entered the store wearing masks and carrying guns.
Inside the store, Medina and other co-conspirators ordered the store clerk to the ground at gunpoint, forced the clerk to open the cash register, and stole over $8,000. Then they fled in the stolen Chevrolet Trailblazer, which they abandoned approximately half a mile away with the engine still running.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Porterville Police Department, Lindsay Police Department, Bakersfield Police Department, Fremont (Nebraska) Police Department, and Dodge County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Kathleen Servatius are prosecuting the case.
Medina is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on February 25, 2019. Medina 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.
Co-defendant, Javier Beltran, 34, of Strathmore, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Beltran is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge O’Neill on January 14, 2019.
This case was brought as a 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. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’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.
Bakersfield Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Receiving and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — David John Cannon, 47, of Bakersfield, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to nine years in prison and a $5,100 penalty assessment for receiving and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Cannon received and distributed child pornography using a computer from approximately July 2012 until August 2016. He received and distributed over 1,016 images and 32 videos that depicted minors, some of which were prepubescent, engaging in sexual activity.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. S. Richards prosecuted the case.
Cannon was ordered to surrender to serve his sentence beginning on January 2, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Two Delano Residents Sentenced for Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Raul Oropeza Lopez, 51, and Ana Maria Oropeza, 45, both of Delano, were sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill. Raul Oropeza Lopez was ordered to serve three years and one month in prison and to pay $1,283,160 in restitution. Ana Maria Oropeza was sentenced to three years of probation, and ordered to serve eight months on house arrest. The defendants were also ordered to forfeit over $167,00 in seized cash.
According to court documents, Raul Oropeza Lopez obtained social security numbers, names, and other personal identifying information of U.S. citizens and legal residents and then fraudulently used such information to provide undocumented workers with false identities required to work in the United States as farm laborers. Then, when the undocumented workers were laid off at the end of the growing season, Raul Oropeza Lopez and his wife filed fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in the names of the assumed identities, relying on the work performed by the undocumented workers to fraudulently claim unemployment insurance benefits. Over a period of six years, the couple submitted more than 520 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims on behalf of over 70 individuals.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations; Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the California Employment Development Department, Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorney Mark J. McKeon prosecuted the case.
Stockton Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Timothy Stout, 31, of Stockton, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to four years and nine months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on March 6, 2018, Stout unlawfully possessed four firearms, including a stolen handgun and an AR-15-style .223-caliber rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to Stout in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Stout also possessed two 30-round, high-capacity rifle magazines, and more than 160 rounds of rifle and handgun ammunition. Stout cannot lawfully possess firearms because he previously was convicted of felony offenses, including in Alameda County in May 2016 for grand theft and in June 2016 for exhibiting a firearm in the presence of an officer.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as a 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. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’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.
Kings County Woman Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Nancy Lopez Perez, 44, of Lemoore, pleaded guilty today to distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Perez obtained and delivered methamphetamine and two assault rifles during an undercover transaction on the side of the road in rural Fresno County. Three additional firearms were seized from Perez’s residence during a follow-up search. As a convicted felon, Perez was prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Kings County Narcotic Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case. The mission of the OCDETF Program is to reduce the supply of illegal drugs in the United States and diminish the violence and other criminal activity associated with the drug trade. To accomplish this mission, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its federal law enforcement agency members, including the FBI and ATF.
Perez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on February 4, 2019. Perez faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Three Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud Scheme Involving 14 Properties in Elk Grove, Sacramento, Modesto, Stockton, and ElsewhereRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Three Northern California residents were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. for crimes relating to their involvement in a mortgage fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Surjit Singh, 72, of Dublin, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison, his son, Rajeshwar Singh, 44, of Pleasanton, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison on four counts of mail fraud, four counts of bank fraud, and four counts of false statements on loan and credit applications. Anita Sharma, 56, of Gilroy, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison on two counts of mail fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and two counts of false statements on loan and credit applications. Surjit Singh was ordered to pay a $2 million fine, $698,787 in restitution, and $847,000 in forfeiture. Raj Singh was ordered to pay a $1 million fine, $928,287 in restitution, and $838,399 in forfeiture. Anita Sharma was ordered to pay $603,180 in restitution and $30,000 in forfeiture.
According to court documents, in 2006 and 2007, Surjit Singh recruited individuals with good credit to act as straw buyers for residential properties owned by his family members and associates. Rajeshwar Singh, a licensed real estate agent, assisted in the scheme by submitting loan applications for the straw buyers. Anita Sharma, a dental assistant at the time, was one of the straw buyers. Because Sharma and the other straw buyers could not afford the homes based on their true incomes, the Singhs submitted fraudulent loan applications and supporting material to lending institutions that included false statements about the straw buyers’ income, employment, liabilities, and intent to occupy the homes as their primary residences.
At least 14 properties were involved in the scheme. Anita Sharma alone purchased five homes in San Jose, San Ramon, Elk Grove, Sacramento, and Modesto. Other straw buyers purchased or refinanced properties in Stockton, Modesto, Patterson, Lathrop and Tracy. All of these homes were ultimately either foreclosed upon or sold in a short sale where the bank lets homeowners sell their homes for less than is owed on the mortgage.
Sharma was paid for her involvement in the scheme. Rajeshwar Singh received financial benefits through broker commissions for the transactions and as the seller of seven of the properties. He also continued to occupy the San Ramon property at a time when Anita Sharma should have been living there. Surjit Singh benefitted through payments out of escrow directed to shell companies, such as SJR Investments and BK Investments, which were associated with his daughter and significant other, whose initials are SJR and BK respectively. These payments were purportedly for contracting services, which did not occur. He also benefitted through rental payments made to him and his significant other by the renters of the homes, as the straw buyers were not living in the homes. In addition, many of his family members received money by selling properties and had money directed to them out of escrow. According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, the defendants were responsible for the origination of more than $9.3 million in fraudulently procured residential mortgage loans.
Surjit Singh is in custody. Rajeshwar Singh and Anita Sharma are scheduled to self‑surrender on January 9, 2019.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee S. Bickley, Kelli L. Taylor, and Kevin Khasigian prosecuted the case.
Former DMV Employee and Trucking School Owner Sentenced for Bribery and Identity FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. sentenced DMV employee Robert Turchin, 68, of Salinas, California, to six years and six months in prison and sentenced Pavittar Dosangh Singh, 57, of Flowood, Mississippi, to 10 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Turchin was an employee at the Salinas field office for the Department of Motor Vehicles between 2012 and 2015. Turchin was responsible for conducting tests for applicants for commercial licenses to operate 18-wheel tractor-trailers and commercial buses. Truck school owner Mangal Gill offered to obtain commercial licenses for people without having to pass the written tests or even take the required behind-the-wheel tests. Gill worked with Turchin and another DMV employee, Emma Klem, to have them access the DMV database to fraudulently enter test results at Gill’s request.
During the investigation, confidential operatives were able to obtain three official commercial licenses in 2013 and 2014. Collectively, they paid Gill over $12,000 after Turchin and Klem accessed the DMV database to fraudulently enter passing scores for the operatives despite the fact that the operatives did not pass or otherwise take the required tests. The trial evidence also demonstrated that Gill and Turchin continued to be involved in this fraudulent conduct until March 28, 2015, days before agents executed search warrants and found in Turchin’s vehicle slips of paper containing the numbers of fraudulently updated driver license records as well as several envelopes full of cash totaling over $10,000. The trial evidence showed that Turchin and his co-conspirators falsified DMV database records for at least 40 individuals for the purpose of obtaining commercial licenses.
According to court documents, Pavittar Singh owned a trucking school in Sacramento. Between April 2013 and March 2015, Singh paid money, through intermediaries, to employees of the DMV in order to obtain California Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) for individuals without those individuals taking or passing the requisite tests.
This case was the product of a series of ongoing investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and the California DMV, Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd A. Pickles and Rosanne Rust are prosecuting the case.
Mangal Gill was sentenced on November 2, 2018, to four years and three months in prison. Andrew Kimura, a DMV employee, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud and was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison. DMV employee Emma Klem and Kulwinder Dosanjh Singh, a broker, also previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud as part of the same investigation in United States v. Klem, 2:15-cr-139, and United States v. Kulwinder Dosanjh, 2:15-cr-146, respectively. They are scheduled for sentencing on November 16, 2018. They face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Bakersfield Man Indicted for Multiple Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment Thursday against Julian Burmado, 29, of Bakersfield, charging him with one count of unlawfully manufacturing and dealing firearms and five counts of possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registry, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between March 19 and November 6, 2018, Burmado manufactured and sold homemade rifles to a confidential informant. Many of the rifles had barrel lengths of less than 16 inches. Burmado did not have a license to engage in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms, nor were any of the short-barrel rifles registered as required by federal law.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie L. Alsworth is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Burmado faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count involving possession of unregistered firearms, and a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for unlawfully manufacturing and dealing firearm. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bakersfield Trucker Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Darrell Leon Jennings, 51, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Jennings, a trucker doing business in Moreno Valley as Jennings Transportation, assisted Mario Alvarez-Muniz, 50, of Taft, in transporting 6 kilograms of heroin and 11 kilograms of cocaine destined for Chicago. After Alvarez-Muniz arranged for the shipment of the drugs from Mexico to Mira Loma, Jennings picked up the drugs and drove back to Bakersfield where he was stopped by agents. A police dog located the drugs in a customized hidden compartment in Jennings’ truck.
Jennings is scheduled for sentencing on January 28, 2019, by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill. Jennings faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, along with 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. Co-defendant Alvarez-Muniz previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison.
This case is the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, Bakersfield Police Department, and Kern County Probation Office. OCDETF is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and related criminal enterprises. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Names District Election Officer to Oversee the Handling of Complaints of Election Fraud and Voting Rights AbusesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Segal will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of California in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the November 6, 2018, general election. The DEO is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
Counties in the Eastern District are: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba.
U.S. Attorney Scott said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted. Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the cooperation of the American electorate. It is imperative that those who have specific information about discrimination or election fraud make that information available immediately to our office, the FBI, or the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. We will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions of persons designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning or challenging them, or by photographing or videotaping them, under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or illiteracy).
The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, DEO Segal will be on duty in this district while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: (916) 554-2700 and (916) 554-2708, and by email at [email protected].
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The FBI can be reached by the public in the Eastern District of California at (916) 746-7000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, DC by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint form at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
Mexican National Residing in Merced County Pleads Guilty to Large Toxic Marijuana Grow in Sequoia National ForestRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Maximiliano Farias-Martinez (Farias), 49, a Mexican national residing in Stevinson, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to cultivate marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Farias supervised Jose Manuel Sanchez-Zapien (Sanchez), 38, of Dos Palos, who delivered supplies to growers at a marijuana cultivation site in the Sequoia National Forest. The drop point has been used numerous times in the past to supply marijuana growers in the Slick Rock Creek drainage. Law enforcement officers found over 20,000 marijuana plants at the site.
The cultivation operation caused significant damage to public land. Approximately three acres were stripped of vegetation and the ground was terraced to accommodate the marijuana plants. Large amounts of ammonium nitrate and other fertilizers were found at the site. Insecticide containers were found scattered around the site and trash was scattered throughout the grow site. The cost to clean up the area is $8,665. Farias has agreed to make restitution to the Forest Service in that amount.
Farias is scheduled for sentencing on January 22, 2019, in federal court in Fresno by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. He faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with 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.
Earlier this year, Sanchez pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy and was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution to the Forest Service.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Office of Investigations of Social Security Administration, Drug Enforcement Administration, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET). Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Granite Bay Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Product Substitution Fraud on Federal Government AgenciesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jim A. Meron, 54, of Granite Bay, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud related to a government-procurement fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between May 2011 and July 2017, Meron used two office supply businesses he operated to defraud federal government agencies out of as much as $3.5 million, in thousands of transactions, by substituting and delivering cheaper, generic versions of expensive, name-brand products his customers ordered, and pocketing the price difference. As part of his plea, Meron agreed to forfeit more than $1.7 million in assets seized during the investigation of his crimes.
Meron’s companies, WOW Imaging Products LLC and Time Enterprises LLC, contracted to sell office supplies to federal agencies through two web-based government sales portals, GSA Advantage, operated by the General Services Administration, and DOD EMall, operated by the Department of Defense. After Meron received payments for the premium products his customers ordered, he obtained compatible products from his suppliers that cost him a fraction of what his customer paid for the brand-name products they ordered. Meron then substituted and delivered those cheaper products for the more expensive products his customers ordered, and retained the difference in cost. Over time, Meron extended his substitution scheme to nearly all orders for those name-brand products, and never intended to deliver what his customers ordered.
This case is the product of an investigation by the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys André M. Espinosa and Kevin Khasigian are prosecuting the case.
Meron is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on February 4, 2019. Meron faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count of conviction. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Defendant in $1.1 Million Nationwide Fraud Scheme Targeting Casinos and Credit Card Companies Is SentencedRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Vivian Wang, 55, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to two years in prison for wire fraud related to a nationwide casino and credit card fraud scheme and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between August 2008 and August 2014, Wang participated in a scheme to defraud casinos and credit card companies across the country. The scheme involved using false identities in the names and Social Security numbers of migrant workers to apply for casino credit called “markers” and to open credit card accounts. A marker is a cash advance provided by a casino to a patron, and it is often secured by a check from the patron’s bank account.
Wang, working in concert with her co-defendant, Frank Luo, initially timely repaid several markers at different casinos and several credit cards in order to give the impression of creditworthiness to future casinos and credit card companies. Wang and Luo recruited “clients” to the scheme to induce the casinos and credit card companies to part with even more money under fraudulent pretenses.
Wang and her co-schemers coordinated their gambling activity in order to give the appearance of losing money (and thereby encouraging the casinos to issue future markers) when in fact one schemer would “lose” money while another would gain the same. In other instances, one schemer would surreptitiously deliver the issued gambling chips to another in order to give the appearance of having spent them. At the end of the scheme, Wang and her co-schemers did not repay the casino markers or the significant outstanding credit card balances accrued in a short amount of time once creditworthiness had been established. The combined fraud led to over $1.1 million in losses to casinos and credit card companies.
Wang used an Illinois state identity card in the name of a particular migrant worker to achieve various parts of the scheme, including presentation of that identification at a Placerville-area casino in August 2013 to obtain a $30,000 marker.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Gambling Control. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew M. Yelovich prosecuted the case.
Luo was sentenced to three years in prison.
Vallejo Business Owner Sentenced for Multimillion Dollar Mortgage and Foreclosure Rescue Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sergio Roman Barrientos, 64, of Poway, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to 14 years in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution and bank fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from about September 2004 through February 2008, Barrientos and co-conspirators Zalathiel Aguila and Omar Anabo operated an entity named Capital Access LLC, in Vallejo. They preyed on homeowners nearing foreclosure, convinced them to sign away title in their homes, spent any equity those homeowners had saved, and used straw buyers to defraud federally insured financial institutions out of millions of dollars in home loans obtained under false pretenses. The equity stripped from the distressed homeowners’ properties was then used for operational expenses of the scheme and personal expenses of Barrientos and his coconspirators. Vulnerable homeowners across California lost their homes and savings as a result of the scheme, and lenders lost an estimated $10.47 million from the fraud.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Yelovich and Todd A. Pickles are prosecuting the case.
Co-defendant Zalathiel Aguila pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on November 16, 2018. Aguila faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Trucking School Owner Sentenced to over Four Years for Conspiring to Commit Bribery and Identity Fraud with Dmv EmployeesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Mangal Gill, 58, of San Ramon, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell, Jr. to 4 years and 3 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Gill owned Central Truck Driving School, which had locations in Fremont, Lathrop, Fresno, and Salinas. Between April 2012 and April 2015, Gill conspired with employees of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and others to fraudulently obtain commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) for Gill’s truck school students and others who did not take or pass the written or the behind-the-wheel driving examinations. Gill received money from those wishing to obtain a CDL and, in turn, paid bribes to the DMV employees, who would access the DMV’s database to alter records indicating that the individuals had passed tests when, in fact, they had not passed them or, in some instances, taken any examination at all. As a result, individuals were able to obtain driver’s licenses, including commercial licenses to operate tractor-trailer trucks and passenger buses, without having taken and passed the requisite written or behind-the-wheel driving tests.
In sentencing Gill, Judge Burrell referred to the criminal conduct as “egregious” and potentially endangering the safety of the public.
This case is the product of a series of ongoing investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and the California DMV, Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd A. Pickles and Rosanne Rust are prosecuting the case.
Co-defendant Andrew Kimura, a DMV employee, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud and was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison. Co-defendant Robert Turchin, a DMV employee, was convicted after a jury trial and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9, 2018. Co-defendant Pavittar Dosangh Singh pleaded guilty and is also scheduled for sentencing on November 9, 2018. Emma Klem, another DMV employee, and Kulwinder Dosanjh Singh, a broker, also previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud as part of the same investigation in United States v. Klem, 2:15-cr-00139 GEB, and United States v. Kulwinder Dosanjh, 2:15-cr-00146 GEB, respectively. They are scheduled for sentencing on November 16, 2018.
They face a maximum statutory penalty of 5 to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Mexican National Convicted of Being A Previously Removed Alien Found in the United StatesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — After a three–day trial, a federal jury found Rolando Felix-Carrazco, 45, of Tulare County, guilty of one count of being a Deported Alien Found in the United States, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, Felix-Carrazco was born in Mexico and entered the United States illegally. He was removed in February 2015 and again in July 2015. Felix-Carrazco returned to the United States without permission to reenter and was encountered by Tulare County Sheriff’s deputies in March 2018.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Kathleen A. Servatius are prosecuting the case.
Felix-Carrazco is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Drozd on February 4, 2019. Felix-Carrazco 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.
Federal Court Strikes Down Two California Statutes as UnconstitutionalRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California entered orders in two cases during the last two weeks declaring California statutes unconstitutional because they discriminated against the United States in violation of the United States Constitution. The cases are United States v. California, No. 2:18-cv-721, and United States v. Kernen Construction, 2:17-cv-1424.
In United States v. California, decided yesterday, the court struck down California Senate Bill 50 (“SB 50”), enacted in October 2017 for the express purpose of “discourag[ing]” conveyances of federal land. The statute provided that any conveyance of a property interest in federal land would be void unless the State Lands Commission was given a right of first refusal over government proposals to sell federal land. After the United States filed suit last spring, California amended the statute, narrowing its application to federal lands managed by the National Forest Service, the federal Bureau of Reclamation, the federal Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or the National Park Service; and federal lands containing national monuments, national marine sanctuaries, national conservation lands, or lands in the National Register of Historic Places. Nonetheless, the court ruled that the statute both regulated the United States and discriminated against persons with whom the United States deals, in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.
The order explains that SB 50 directly regulates the United States and “trespasses on the federal government’s ability to convey land to whomever it wants” by requiring it to offer a right of first refusal. In addition, the court found the statute discriminates against purchasers and grantees of federal lands, because only they must present a certificate of compliance from the Lands Commission in order to record conveyance documents, and only they are subject to monetary penalties if they fail to do so. In addition to declaring the statute unconstitutional, the court permanently enjoined California and the Lands Commission from enforcing it.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a statement following the district court’s ruling declaring SB 50 unconstitutional. He stated, “The court’s ruling is a firm rejection of California’s assertion that, by legislation, it could dictate how and when the federal government sells federal land. This was a stunning assertion of constitutional power by California, and it was properly and promptly dismissed by the district judge. It is unfortunate that, in the interim, California forced both the Justice Department and the court to spend valuable time and resources to dispose of its baseless position.”
In United States v. Kernen Construction, the court entered an order on October 16, 2018, ruling that California Health & Safety Code § 13009.2 is unconstitutional because it unconstitutionally discriminated against the United States in violation of the Supremacy Clause. Section 13009.2 was specifically intended to reduce damages the United States may recover for wildfires caused by the neglect of other parties. The statute imposed four different limitations on compensation for the United States but did not impose any of those limitations on recoveries by private landowners. The court found that Section 13009.2 “systemically undervalues damage to National Forest Land,” and explained that when private parties are excluded in this way from the burdens imposed by a state statue, there is no political check against abuse of the statue’s regulatory authority, and the federal government’s operations may be unfairly burdened. The court found no “sensible distinction” to justify disparate treatment of the United States as a landowner seeking damages caused by wildfires.
“Since the founding of the Republic, it has been fundamental to our constitutional system that a state may not discriminate against the United States or those with whom it deals,” said U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott for the Eastern District of California. “We have vigorously defended this principle in these cases, and we will continue to do so as necessary.”
In United States v. California, the United States is represented by Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, with lead counsel Deputy Assistant Attorney General Eric Grant, Justin Heminger, Stacy Stoller and Peter McVeigh, and Civil Chief David Shelledy and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Frueh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. In United States v. Kernen Construction, the United States is represented by Civil Chief Shelledy and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Kennedy and Benjamin Wolinsky.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Commit Murder in Aid of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — William Lee, 41, of Fresno, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Lee conspired with other members of the Dog Pound Gangsters (DPG) enterprise to kill a rival gang member for the purpose of gaining or maintaining status within the DPG organization. DPG is a criminal street gang based in southwest Fresno. DPG engaged in criminal activities, including conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, prostitution, drug trafficking, and access device fraud. After DPG member and co-defendant Kenneth Wharry was shot by rival gang members, Lee and others conspired to conduct a retaliatory shooting against rival gang members. The conspiracy culminated in an April l7, 2018, shooting at Fink White Park in Fresno, where a DPG member opened fire in the park.
This case is the product of an investigation by the California Department of Justice, California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit; Fresno Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC); the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office; and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez, Jeffrey A. Spivak, and Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN 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.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Running California-Based Synthetic Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Douglas Jason Way, aka Jason Way, 45, of Evanston, Illinois, was sentenced Monday to 11 years in prison following his conviction by a jury on five felony drug charges and two fraudulent misbranded drug charges, announced U. S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Nielsen, Drug Enforcement Administration, San Francisco Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Oakland Field Office.
The convictions concerned the manufacture and distribution of 24 tons of synthetic cannabinoids or designer drugs, commonly known at the street level as “spice,” “K2,” “herbal incense,” or “potpourri.”
Way was convicted following a four-week jury trial in federal court in Fresno in June and July 2018. Following his release from prison, Way will serve a three-year term of supervised release. As a further part of the sentence, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd ordered a money judgment of $589,199.48 against Way. In addition to this money judgment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office previously forfeited more than $6.5 million of drug proceeds: $6,488,000 in cash and $191,000 in other assets, including a 2013 Ford F350 pickup truck and a 2014 Airstream travel trailer.
“Way led an illegal business manufacturing and distributing large quantities of harmful, mislabeled synthetic cannabinoids nationwide for profit,” said United States Attorney Scott. “The sentence imposed today reflects the seriousness of that crime and the danger these drugs pose to our communities. I am grateful to the dedicated efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, who conducted an intensive two-year investigation that led to Way’s prosecution and conviction, as well as the disgorgement of his illegally-gotten gains. We will continue to investigate and prosecute drug traffickers who masquerade as legitimate businessmen.”
“Synthetic cannabinoids are dangerous designer drugs that destroy lives. Today, Way is being held accountable for producing this poison and distributing it in communities throughout the country,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen. “The success of this extensive investigation can be attributed to strong law enforcement partnerships and good police work.”The trial evidence established that Way was the Executive Leader of ZenBio, LLC, a company that manufactured and distributed misbranded synthetic cannabinoids throughout the country, including to Stuffed Pipe smoke shops and other retail establishments in the Central Valley. The processing labs were located in Millbrae and Stockton, California, where raw synthetic drugs from China would be diluted with acetone and mixed in cement mixers with flavoring and smokeable dried plant material. The finished product would be packaged in opaque metallic bags and sold as “potpourri” or “incense” under various brand names, including Bizarro, Headhunter, Neutronium, Sonic Zero, and Orgazmo. Documents found at the processing labs and in their computers showed that Way understood that XLR11, also known as 5-F-UR-144, one of the synthetic substances used in ZenBio products, were controlled substance analogues, that is, designer drugs that were substantially similar in chemical composition and pharmacological effect to a schedule I controlled substance. Way took significant steps to evade detection by law enforcement. After law enforcement seizures of raw chemicals and finished synthetic cannabinoid products, he would reship the substances using a different carrier. He would not disclose the ingredients or potential adverse effects of the products. In fact, he would send lab reports with purchased goods that indicated what substances were not contained in the shipment. When confronted by DEA and IRS agents, he insisted that he was selling incense and that the drugs in China were added for a “smoldering” effect.
During the brief lifespan of ZenBio, Way made $589,199.48 in three months, and the company earned over $32 million. ZenBio employed about 200 employees who manufactured, shipped, and sold their products. The evidence at trial also showed that Way negotiated for the purchase of large quantities of XLR11 from China to manufacture the finished smokeable product.
At Way’s sentencing, Dr. Jordan Trecki, a DEA pharmacologist, testified that XLR11 can cause severe toxic effects, including acute kidney damage, organ and respiratory failure, rapid heartbeat, hypothermia, and death. The drug first made its appearance in the United States in 2011 and was scheduled by the DEA as a Schedule I controlled substance in May 2013.This case was the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the DEA, IRS Criminal Investigations, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Numerous other law enforcement agencies assisted in follow-up investigation, including the St. Cloud, Minnesota Police Department; Mars Hill, North Carolina Police Department; Montgomery County, North Carolina Sheriff’s Office; Buncombe County, North Carolina, Sheriff’s Office; and Willis, Texas Police Department.
The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. This OCDETF investigation was also part of a nationwide law enforcement effort coordinated by the DEA’s Special Operations Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Karen A. Escobar and Vincenza Rabenn prosecuted the case.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Identity and Mail Theft in Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus CountiesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Derek Hillgert, 29, of Carmichael, and Jeffrey Wilhite, 31, of Linden, pleaded guilty today to committing access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of stolen mail, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Hillgert and Wilhite worked together to steal United States Mail and conduct transactions with stolen identities. On the day of their arrests, they possessed over 200 pieces of stolen mail addressed to over 100 victims. With Wilhite’s assistance, Hillgert used a stolen identity to purchase a van at a dealership in Modesto. Hillgert presented a fraudulent driver’s license in the other person’s name but with Hillgert’s photograph, and he obtained a loan in the other person’s name for over $39,000. Wilhite opened a Target debit card account using a second stolen identity, and the defendants made more than $3,000 in purchases with it.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Miriam R. Hinman is prosecuting the case.
Hillgert and Wilhite are scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on January 14, 2019. Both defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of stolen mail. Each count of access device fraud carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. For the aggravated identity theft, each defendant faces a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Access Device Fraud, Identity Theft, and Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Ahmad Nassar, 31, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft, access device fraud, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from August 2015 through June 2017, Nassar was engaged in identity theft, unauthorized bank account takeovers, and obtaining and using unauthorized and counterfeit access devices in the form of credit cards, debit cards, account numbers, and other financial account information. On May 10, 2017, the execution of search warrants at two properties in Sacramento associated with Nassar led to the seizure of a loaded .22 caliber handgun from underneath a pillow in a bedroom of one of the properties in which Nassar himself was found. In addition, agents seized numerous boxes containing credit cards; debit cards; mail (some with “forwarding” address labels); and federal and state government-issued identification cards, which bore the names of people other than Nassar; and at least 55 electronic devices, including computers, cellular phones, thumb and storage media drives, and other electronic devices, including a “CelleBrite” device commonly used by law enforcement to conduct forensic examinations of cellular phones. Nassar stipulated to using intricate techniques to obtain victims’ personal identifying and financial information, including online account takeovers, that continued even after search warrants were executed on his properties. Nassar’s conduct caused at least $558,276.38 in actual loss.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew M. Yelovich is prosecuting the case.
Nassar remains out of custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled before United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on February 25, 2019. Nassar faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the access device fraud and firearm possession offenses, and an additional two-year mandatory sentence for aggravated identity theft, to be served consecutively to any other sentence received. 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.
Mexican National Enters Guilty Plea to Marijuana Cultivation Operation in Sequoia National ForestRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Alan Fernando Gomez-Paniagua, 26, a citizen of Mexico residing in Delano, California, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to cultivate, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Gomez-Paniagua fled from law enforcement officers investigating a large marijuana cultivation site in the McFarland Creek area in the Sequoia National Forest. He was ultimately stopped in a vehicle as he attempted to escape from the area. At the grow site, officers found and eradicated 15,852 marijuana plants, over 1,000 marijuana seedlings, and a loaded short-barreled shotgun with a pistol grip.
The marijuana cultivation operation had a devastating impact on the environment. Numerous oak trees had been cut down and the hillside was terraced to make room for the marijuana plants. Pesticide containers, trash, and thousands of feet of irrigation line were strewn throughout the site. In pleading guilty, Gomez-Paniagua agreed to make restitution to the U.S. Forest Service in the amount of $3,826 to cover the cost of cleaning up the grow site.
Gomez-Paniagua is scheduled for sentencing in federal court in Fresno on January 22, 2019. He faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years and a maximum term of life, along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Southern Tri-County Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and California Multi-jurisdictional Methamphetamine Enforcement Team (CalMMET), a task force administered by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Bakersfield Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ladaireus Jones, 25, of Bakersfield, was sentenced by United States District Dale A. Drozd today to more than four and a half years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Jones, a documented member of a Bakersfield criminal street gang known as the West Side Crips, possessed a loaded, stolen .38 caliber revolver on October 25, 2017. The complaint filed in this case alleged that telephone calls intercepted pursuant to a court-authorized federal wiretap indicated that Jones and another individual possessed weapons located in a backpack at the scene of a car accident. Officers responded to the scene and seized two firearms from the backpack, including the .38 caliber revolver. Jones later pleaded guilty to possessing that weapon.
According to the indictment and Jones’s subsequent plea agreement, at the time he possessed the revolver, Jones had been convicted of two felonies in Kern County, a 2009 conviction for Assault with Force Likely to Produce Great Bodily Injury, and a 2012 conviction for being felon in possession of a firearm. Consequently, he had been prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation of the West Side Crips by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Justice, the Bakersfield Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Angela Scott and Vincenza Rabenn are prosecuting the case.
Two Mexican Nationals Indicted for Growing Marijuana on Public Land in Modoc CountyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Agustin Rodriguez-Sandoval, 44, and Gustavo Barraza-Barboza, 33, both Mexican nationals, charging them with conspiracy to grow marijuana, growing marijuana, and damaging public lands, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court records, the two men were arrested on October 12, 2018, following a raid on a marijuana-cultivation site on public land near Likely, California, in the Modoc National Forest, in Modoc County. Agents eradicated over 3,300 growing marijuana plants at the site and seized another recently harvested 800 marijuana plants.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
If convicted of either of the marijuana charges, both defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of damaging public lands, the defendants face a maximum 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. These charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Indicted for Firearm Offenses in Sacramento and Solano CountiesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As part of its strategy to reduce violent crime, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California announced the following indictments involving illegal firearms offenses.
Thomas Christopher Hilton, 51, of Vacaville, was charged in a one-count indictment today with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hilton cannot lawfully possess firearms because he has previously been convicted of a felony offense. This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department with special assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office.
Asan Durana Hayes, 25, of Antioch, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on August 16, 2018, during a traffic stop, discovered a Glock 9 mm pistol in Hayes’s possession. Hayes cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of a felony offense. This case is the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department, with special assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office.
Ricardo Madrigal, 38, of Stockton, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle. According to court documents, officers executed a search warrant at Madrigal’s home on September 6, 2018, and found 15 firearms, including a short-barreled AR-style rifle with a folding stock, pistol grip, and no serial number. The short-barreled rifle had not been registered as required under federal law. Madrigal has prior felony convictions, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by ATF and the Lodi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Spencer is prosecuting the case.
If convicted Hayes and Hilton face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, Madrigal faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession, and 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle. 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 were brought as 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions 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.
Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jason Solomon, 43, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in July 2016, Solomon used social media to send images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to a then-15-year-old girl. In January 2018, Solomon also possessed additional images of child pornography, some of which depict the sexual molestation of infants.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Fogerty is prosecuting the case.
Solomon is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on January 17, 2019. Solomon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Sacramento Man Indicted for Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution and Possessing Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against A Vern Saeteurn, 30, of Sacramento, charging him with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it, doing so in a location where children were present, and possession of stolen firearms, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, law enforcement agents searched Saeteurn’s home on September 6, 2018. They found about 12 kilograms of methamphetamine, a garage lab for adulterating and packaging methamphetamine, and several guns — two of which had been stolen from law enforcement agencies. Four children were also present in the home.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Saeteurn 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 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN 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.
Fresno Man Found to Be in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Jimmy Euresti, 41, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, during a traffic stop in Fresno, officers found a stolen Glock semi-automatic handgun under a child’s booster seat on the rear passenger seat of the vehicle that Euresti was driving. A records check revealed that Euresti had previously been convicted of a felony offense, which makes him ineligible to possess a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Euresti 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.
Carmichael Man Charged with Escape from Fresno FacilityRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Frankie Thomas Goulding, 39, of Carmichael, charging him with escaping from custody, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Goulding was sentenced to federal prison for distributing methamphetamine in 2014. In March 2017, Goulding was transferred to a residential re-entry facility in Fresno as part of his sentence. On June 27, 2017, officials found he had left the facility.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Goulding faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Recognizes Department Employees and Others for Their Service at the 66th Annual Attorney General AwardsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Attorney General Jeff Sessions recognized 244 department employees for their distinguished public service today at the 66th Annual Attorney General’s Awards Ceremony. Thirty-six other individuals outside of the department were also honored for their work. This annual ceremony recognizes employees and other individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievements, leadership, and service to the Department of Justice and the American people. This year’s award includes an award for exceptional heroism to U.S. Marshal Senior Inspector Basilio S. Perez Jr. for his courageous actions to protect and aid victims of the October 1, 2017, mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“Service in the Department of Justice is more than a normal job; it is a calling to the highest standards of professionalism,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “That is true for all of the 115,000 Department of Justice employees. But it is especially true for these award winners. And so I want to thank them and their families for their exemplary service to this Department and to the American people. They have made this Department proud.”
U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott said: “It was an honor to be part of the ceremony recognizing the team that took down AlphaBay in 2017. This multi-agency team worked tirelessly to disrupt a marketplace that was selling dangerous and illegal goods. We are delighted that the U.S. Department of Justice is recognizing three of our attorneys for their outstanding contributions to the Department and its mission.”
This year’s program honors individuals across the department and our federal, state, local, and tribal partners for their self-less efforts, protecting our national security and our civil rights, addressing rising violent crime in our communities, going after gangs and those trafficking in dangerous narcotics and human beings. The awards also honor the work of civil and environmental litigation, which enforces the rule of law and upholds our Constitution. They also recognize employees whose ideas and efforts save taxpayer dollars and help our government operate more effectively and efficiently, among other contributions to public safety and good governance.
In addition to AlphaBay team members in Washington D.C. and around the world, the Attorney General recognized 10 team members from the Eastern District of California for their work on the AlphaBay case. The multi-agency takedown of AlphaBay, the world’s largest darknet marketplace, was a landmark victory in the Department’s fight against cybercrime. The meticulously planned international operation involved law enforcement partners in Asia, Europe, and North America. AlphaBay had over 200,000 active listings for illegal goods, including fentanyl and heroin, stolen identity documents, computer hacking tools, and illegal firearms. During the takedown, the team was able to seize record amounts of digital currencies, including Bitcoin, Monero, and Zcash, and permanently disable the infrastructure of the site while coordinating with its international partners to simultaneously shutdown Hansa, the second‑largest darknet marketplace. The team also tracked down and seized millions of dollars in assets held by the site’s administrator. The case serves as a model for complex international cybercrime investigations and demonstrates the value in inter-agency and international coordination.
After the takedown, online drug markets were in disarray with just a few disorganized markets struggling to reclaim AlphaBay’s business. The previously thriving Bitcoin exchanges became a fraction of what they once were. The operation was a massive success and a model for future dark-market operations.
The Attorney General presented awards to the following AlphaBay team members from the Eastern District of California: Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Hemesath, Grant Rabenn, and Kevin Khasigian; Sacramento FBI Special Agents Nicholas Phirippidis and Heriberto Cadena; Fresno DEA Special Agent John Rabaut; Fresno IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent Kulbir Mand; Fresno DEA Special Agent Jay Dial; and two Sacramento FBI Computer Scientists.
Arizona Man Indicted for Impersonating an FBI Agent in Order to Defraud a Stanislaus County CoupleRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A four-count indictment was unsealed Tuesday charging Ivan Isho, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, with wire fraud, impersonation of a federal officer, and cyberstalking, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between September 2016 and April 2017, Isho claimed to be a special agent with the FBI to a couple living in Ceres. He claimed that as an FBI agent he could help the couple acquire visas for three family members living overseas. Although they paid him over $6,700 to facilitate the visa process, no visas have issued, and Isho has returned none of the money.
The indictment alleges that between April 2016 and April 2018, Isho harassed and intimidated another victim using the telephone, internet, and internet-based social media platforms in a manner likely to cause substantial emotional distress to this victim.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Isho 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.
Mexican National Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Martin Gasca-Rojas, 49, of Mexico, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison, for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between October 2016 and May 2017, Gasca-Rojas distributed nearly 4 pounds of methamphetamine on three occasions. In October 2016, Gasca‑Rojas sold 1 pound of methamphetamine for $3,300. In November 2016, he arranged a sale of 2 pounds of methamphetamine for $6,500, and had two other individuals deliver the methamphetamine. Finally, in May 2017, he sold 1 pound of methamphetamine for $3,600.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey B. Hemesath prosecuted the case.