Eastern District of California
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Elk Grove Man Sentenced for Selling Firearms and NarcoticsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — David Guevara-Pimentel, 24, of Elk Grove, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for dealing firearms without a license, illegal possession of a machine gun, and distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between August 11, 2014, and April 29, 2015, on 19 separate occasions Guevara-Pimentel met with an undercover agent and sold him a variety of firearms, including a short-barreled shotgun, an unserialized AR-15-style rifle, and handguns. On many of these occasions, Guevara-Pimentel sold the agent methamphetamine, cocaine, or heroin. In all, Guevara-Pimentel sold the undercover agent 49 firearms, many of which lacked a serial number or other identifying markings. When he was arrested in January 2016, Guevara-Pimentel possessed a fully automatic machine gun.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the West Sacramento Police Department, and the Woodland Police Department.
Two Northern California Women Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Fraudulently Obtain Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Denna Chambers, aka Denna Rice, 35, of Fairfield, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to defraud the United States, United States Attorney McGregor Scott announced. Co-defendant, Starsheka Mixon, 34, of Pinole, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge on February 8, 2018.
“The harm caused by these defendants goes beyond simply cheating the government,” said Michael T. Batdorf, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Stealing identities and filing false tax returns is a serious crime that has a devastating impact on the victims whose identities they stole to perpetrate this crime. CI will continue to investigate these crimes and hold those responsible fully accountable.”
According to court documents, between approximately January 2011 and June 2013, Chambers and Mixon conspired together and with others to fraudulently obtain tax refunds by filing false tax returns in the names of other people with the Internal Revenue Service. The tax returns included false statements about the taxpayers’ income, dependents, and occupations in order to obtain refunds and tax credits to which the taxpayers were not entitled, including the Earned Income Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit. Some of the fraudulent tax returns used the name and personal information of individuals without their knowledge or consent. The fraudulently obtained refunds were typically placed on prepaid debit cards controlled by Chambers, Mixon, or their associates. In their respective plea agreements, Chambers and Mixon both admitted that in all, approximately 174 false federal income tax returns were filed seeking over $880,000 in tax refunds, of which approximately $477,348 were paid out by the IRS.
This case was the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.
Chambers and Mixon are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Morrison C. England, Jr. on May 24, 2018. Both Chambers and Mixon face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, restitution, and a fine of $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The continued effort by the IRS to combat identity theft and refund fraud has led to steep declines in tax-related identity theft. The IRS, state tax agencies, and the tax industry have started their third filing season working as the Security Summit, a private-public sector partnership formed in 2015 to combat identity theft. Summit partners have put in place multiple behind-the-scenes safeguards that are helping protect the nation’s taxpayers. Because the IRS and Summit partners have stepped up efforts to stop suspected fraudulent returns from entering tax processing systems, there continues to be a substantial decline in the number of taxpayers reporting that they are victims of identity theft. In 2017, the IRS received 242,000 reports from taxpayers compared to 401,000 in 2016 and 677,000 victim reports in 2015. Overall, the number of identity theft victims has fallen nearly 65 percent between 2015 and 2017.
These efforts go hand-in-hand with the work done by IRS Criminal Investigation, where special agents continue working to bring identity thieves to justice across the nation.
Three Stockton Men Indicted for Trafficking in FirearmsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Stockton residents Arturo Napoles, 29; Raymond Morin, 31; and Raul Diaz, 23, charging them with unlawful dealing in firearms, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Napoles was also charged with 19 counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, five counts of possession of a machinegun, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of distribution of cocaine.
U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott said, “The illegal manufacture and trafficking of firearms poses a serious threat to our communities. Because of this threat, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has prioritized the prosecution of these crimes, and through our partnership with the ATF and local law enforcement, we have managed to seize large amounts of contraband weapons and to bring those who inject them into the community to justice. We are committed to keeping our communities safe by continuing these partnerships and focusing on cases like the one indicted today.”
“At ATF we are committed to making all our communities a safe place,” said Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Firearms trafficking is a dangerous activity. It results in guns ending up in the hands of criminals and gang members who engage in criminal activity regardless of whether that endangers lives. It only takes one round from one gun to end a life. Our efforts to combat gun related crime has spanned across the district. From 2016 to 2018, ATF agents seized 1,890 firearms within Stockton, Fresno and Sacramento areas. That is 1,890 that were involved in criminal activity and are now off the streets of our community.”
Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones stated: “The results of this investigation made Stockton a safer community. I’m committed to these types of operations and investigations with our Federal law enforcement partners because getting gang members, violent criminals, weapons, and narcotics off our streets is an on-going process to make Stockton the best it can be.”
According to court documents, between April 27, 2017, and February 1, 2018, Napoles allegedly sold approximately 50 firearms, including machine guns, stolen firearms, firearms with obliterated serial numbers, and assault rifles manufactured from unfinished lower receivers with no serial numbers. At the time of his arrest, he possessed one handgun, eight machineguns, and five machine gun-conversion devices. Napoles is prohibited from possessing firearms and is not licensed to deal in firearms.
Between April 27, 2017, and November 29, 2017, Diaz allegedly manufactured and sold approximately 15 assault rifles. He manufactured the firearms in his garage from unfinished lower receivers. Diaz is not licensed to manufacture and deal in firearms.
Between June 1, 2017, and January 4, 2018, Morin allegedly sold eight firearms, including five assault rifles manufactured from unfinished lower receivers with no serial numbers. Morin is not licensed to deal in firearms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Napoles faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted, Morin and Diaz face 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The following are summaries of some of the recent cases brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office involving the illegal sale of firearms:
On January 25, 2018, a grand jury indicted James Bowen with engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 1:18-CR-0015-DAD
On December 12, 2017, Sharrod Gibbons was sentenced to over two years in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms. 2:15-CR-00158-JAM
On September 20, 2017, Jason Prom was sentenced to twelve years in prison for conspiring to deal firearms without a license, dealing firearms without a license, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. 2:16-CR-134-KJM
On September 8, 2017, Joseph Latu was sentenced to nine years in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms. 2:15-CR-00209-GEB
On September 7, 2017, Christopher Gonzales, Jake Phillip Jines, and Samuel Elijahsidney Scott were indicted for dealing firearms without a license. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 2:17-CR-162-TLN.
On July 14, 2017, Charles Tucker was sentenced to five years in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms. 2:15-CR-00209-GEB
On May 25, 2017, a grand jury indicted Robert Guthrie, Prado Andres Corona, Marcos Hernandez, Joseph Quirarte and Orasio Fierro for conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and other charges. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 1:17-CR-00135-LJO
On March 28, 2017, Alphonso Harris was sentenced to ten months in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms. 2:16-CR-00011-JAM
On December 9, 2016, Emiliano Cortez-Garcia, was sentenced to six years in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms, possession of a machinegun, and possession of an unregistered firearm. 2:13-CR-00353-GEB
On August 24, 2016, Felix Saldivar was sentenced to over four years in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms. 2:16-CR-00109-KJM
On May 2, 2016, Gerardo Barraza was sentenced to almost two years in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms. 2:14-CR-00040-WBS
On March 10, 2016, James Malcolm was sentenced to five years in prison for unlawful possession of a toxin, unlawful dealing in firearms, possession of a machinegun. 2:14-CR-00158-TLN
On February 17, 2016, Daniel aka “Dr. Death” Crowninshield was sentenced to nearly three and a half years in prison for unlawful dealing in firearms and possession of an unregistered machinegun. 2:14-CR-00164-TLN
On February 17, 2016, Brandon Johnson was sentenced to ten years in prison for selling firearms without a license and distributing methamphetamine. 2:13-CR-036- KJM
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together federal, state and local law enforcement to combat gun and gang crime. At the core of PSN is increased federal prosecution to incapacitate chronic violent offenders as well as to communicate a credible deterrent threat to potential gun offenders.
Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of A ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Ricky Lee Richardson, Jr., 41, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking of a child, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in November 2011, Richardson recruited a minor victim to engage in prostitution. Between December 2011 and March 2012, Richardson caused the then 16-year-old victim to engage in prostitution in Stockton and elsewhere in Northern California. Richardson arranged for photos to be taken of the victim and he posted prostitution advertisements on the internet that contained nude photos of the victim. Richardson drove the victim to motels and gave her false identification cards that she used to rent rooms for the prostitution activity. Richardson took the money that the victim obtained from that activity.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Stockton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty and Jill M. Thomas are prosecuting the case.
Richardson has been in custody since his arrest in April 2016.
Richardson is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Troy L. Nunley on May 17, 2018. Richardson faces a maximum statutory penalty of life 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.
Folsom Man Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Jason E. Mininger, 50, of Folsom, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and money laundering, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Mininger was an investment broker and advisor in Folsom. Beginning in January 2014, and continuing until May 2017, Mininger misrepresented to his clients that he needed to use their previously invested funds as part of a new series of investments to be made or managed by Mininger. In truth, Mininger, after depositing the clients’ funds into his own bank account, used the investors’ money on his personal expenses. Mininger caused at least $870,000 in losses to his clients. Mininger also created false investment account statements to conceal his embezzlement of his clients’ funds.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Services-Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Todd A. Pickles is prosecuting the case.
Mininger is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Troy L. Nunley on May 31, 2018. Mininger faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count and 10 years in prison on the money laundering charge. He also faces a fine or $250,000 or twice the gross loss or gross gain. 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.
Multi-Agency Collaboration Leads to 69 Searches and over 25 Arrests in Effort to Fight Coordinated Criminal Activity in Northern CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced the arrest of 18 federal defendants on narcotics and weapons-related charges as part of a multi-agency law enforcement investigation into coordinated criminal activity in Woodland, California. The U.S. Attorney was joined in announcing the results of the operation by FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Scott Kernan, Woodland Chief of Police Luis Soler, Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig, and Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto.
Early this morning, a coalition of local, state and federal law enforcement officers conducted 69 searches pursuant to federal warrants and parole or probation search conditions at various locations throughout Northern California. Officers arrested 18 individuals on charges alleged in six separate federal indictments and one federal criminal complaints that were unsealed today. Three additional, related criminal complaints were filed this week, one in the Eastern District of California, one in the Western District of Pennsylvania, and one in the District of Oregon. In addition, local officials arrested more than 10 additional individuals on state charges as part of the operation. The investigation, led by the FBI, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Woodland Police Department, focused on coordinated criminal activity that centered in Yolo County but extended to other Northern California counties and prisons.
Beginning in the spring of 2016, this investigation uncovered organized criminal activity in Woodland, California with ties to criminal organizations located in California’s jail and prison system. Although centered in Yolo County, the investigation revealed that at least 9 other California counties were negatively impacted by these criminal organizatons: Sacramento, Sutter, Colusa, Yuba, Del Norte, Solano, Fresno, Santa Clara, and Siskiyou.
The investigation focused on intercepting communications of those involved in drug and firearms offenses – including cellphone communications, social media communications on Facebook and Instagram, and clandestine communications on Snapchat and other platforms. In several instances, these modes of communication were used to sell weapons and coordinate the sales of cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription drugs. In some instances, it is alleged that prison inmates directed defendants outside the prisons to smuggle drugs into the prison or to sell and distribute narcotics outside the prison.
U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott stated, “Today’s operation is the result of a months-long endeavor involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to disrupt coordinated criminal activity that, although centered in Yolo County, spread to several other Northern California counties. This operation demonstrates how federal law enforcement can join forces with our state and local partners to make our communities safer and stop illegal guns and drugs from flooding our streets.”
“The FBI is committed to joining forces with our state and local partners to effectively combat the gang and drug-related violence that plagues our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Our shared goal is stopping gang violence, getting drugs and weapons off the streets, and helping to bring justice to the victims of crimes committed in our communities. Today’s arrests demonstrate the strength of successful law enforcement collaboration and highlight our shared commitment to the public we serve.”
“Our department is committed to putting a stop to illegal activities conducted by prison gangs in our neighborhoods, schools and communities to further their criminal organizations and instill fear in people,” said Secretary Scott Kernan, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. “The success of this investigation demonstrates how effective our partnerships are with local, state, and federal agencies. When we work together, we effectively are able to target dangerous individuals in and out of prison. I am thankful and proud of the hard work that went into this operation.”
“Over the last several years, many of the defendants who were arrested today and their associates have plagued Yolo County with their criminal activity. This operation has helped to disable their organization at its most basic level and will hopefully have positive long term impacts on public safety,” said Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig.
Operation Silent Night is the product of an investigation by the FBI, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Yolo County District Attorney, Woodland Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol. The following agencies provided substantial assistance: Colusa County Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento Police Department, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, West Sacramento Police Department, Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, Davis Police Department, Yuba City Police Department, Yuba County Sheriff’s Office, Sutter County Sheriff’s Office, Solano County Sheriff’s Office, Vacaville Police Department, the Correctional Intelligence Task Force (CITF), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Owen Roth and Justin L. Lee are prosecuting the cases.
The federal defendants and their charges are listed below. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
• Aldo Arellano, 24, of Marysville, is charged with distribution of methamphetamine.
• Raul Barajas, 21, of Woodland, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Patrick Botello, 31, of Pelican Bay State Prison, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Israel Covarrubias, 25, of Woodland, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances after having been convicted of a felony drug offense, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Milton Escobedo, 28, of Woodland, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, distribution of cocaine, and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Rachel Felix, 38, of Woodland, is charged with distribution of methamphetamine.
• Ashley Habash, 28, of Marysville, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Edgar Jimenez, 19, of Sacramento, is charged with distribution of cocaine and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Justin Johnson, 33, of Sacramento, is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
• Jose Madrigal-Vega, 31, Woodland, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, and distribution of methamphetamine.
• Victor Magana, 24, of Woodland, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, distribution of cocaine, and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• James Masterson, 28, of Newcastle, is charged with using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Brenda Miranda, 21, of Napa, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Reginald Pajimola, 23, of Marysville, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Mercedez Silva-Sims, 21, of Colusa, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Joshua Sims, 24, of Colusa, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, attempted distribution of methamphetamine, using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense, and distribution of cocaine.
• Erica Umbay, 42, of Woodland, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
• Ricardo Villa, 39, of Pelican Bay State Prison, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
• Trevor White, 27, of Sacramento, is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances and distribution of methamphetamine.
Two additional defendants are being charged in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Pennsylvania. The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office continue to review possible charges against additional potential defendants.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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.
This case is brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together federal, state and local law enforcement to combat gun and gang crime. At the core of PSN is increased federal prosecution to incapacitate chronic violent offenders as well as to communicate a credible deterrent threat to potential gun offenders.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Arsons in Long-Running Arson Fraud Scheme and Is Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On February 10, 2018, Jamal Shehadeh, 59, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson to commit a felony in furtherance of a long-running arson and insurance fraud scheme and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to 30 years in prison, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
“Jamal Shehadeh avoided prosecution for decades as he set fire after fire with complete disregard for the lives of anyone nearby including firefighters,” U.S. Attorney Scott stated. “Shehadeh’s time committing the violent crime of arson and insurance fraud for the purpose of enriching himself has come to an end thanks to the hard work of all the federal law enforcement agencies that investigated and assisted with this case, and the local Sacramento authorities who provided tremendous assistance.”
“Jamal Shehadeh intentionally set fires, which threatened the lives and safety of our community members. The FBI is proud to have partnered with the Sacramento Fire Department, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, and our federal partners to investigate the allegations against Shehadeh to ensure justice was served,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The length of Shehadeh’s sentence highlights the seriousness of his admitted crimes and ensures he will not pose a threat to the community for decades.”
“Jamal Shehadeh was a serial arsonist who profited over and over again while concealing those profits through nominees and other means,” said Michael T. Batdorf, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “The scheme netted Shehadeh and his co-defendants over $1.5 million in insurance proceeds while endangering members of the community. Those who line their pockets with profits from these schemes should know that IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to use our financial investigative expertise and work with our great law enforcement partners to bring them to justice.”
According to court documents, from at least December 2009 through September 2013, Jamal Shehadeh participated in an arson fraud scheme with co-defendants Saber Shehadeh and Brian Stone and others. The scheme involved seven fires at six different commercial building locations in Sacramento and Carmichael. The dates and locations of the fires, and the names of businesses at those locations, are as follows:
- 1007 E Street and 427 10th St., Sacramento — December 27, 2009
- George’s Auto Care, 511 Broadway, Sacramento — June 9, 2010
- Tru Value Market, 427 10th St., Sacramento — August 15, 2010
- Galaxy Sacramento, 6964 65th St., Sacramento — April 23, 2012
- Escape Therapy, 5725 Marconi Avenue, Carmichael — September 24, 2012
- Cobblestone Café, 910 University Avenue, Sacramento — October 15, 2012
- Golden Star Auto Supply, LLC, 2764 Fulton Avenue, Sacramento — June 16, 2013
Jamal Shehadeh pleaded guilty to setting or causing to be set the fires at 910 University Avenue on October 15, 2012, and the fire at 2764 Fulton Avenue on June 16, 2013, for the purpose of carrying out insurance fraud. He also admitted to setting or causing to be set the fire on December 27, 2009, at 10th and E Streets in Sacramento, and the fire at 6964 65th Street in Sacramento on April 23, 2012, as a part of the arson and insurance fraud scheme.
According to court documents, the scheme involved numerous forms of fraud, including false statements when acquiring insurance policies, causing damage by fire, and seeking funds from insurance companies using false statements about the cause of the fires, the property and tenant improvements purported to have been damaged in the fire, lost business income resulting from the fires, and the true nature of the entities involved in the demolition and clean-up, as well as the actual clean-up costs. In some cases, the participants used a company named Wolf & Associates Construction Inc. to pursue insurance claims for demolition and cleanup costs while concealing their relation to it, or used Wolf Construction as a front company purporting to do cleanup that was in fact performed by someone else. Jamal Shehadeh meanwhile controlled a bank account associated with Wolf Construction.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Sacramento Fire Department; the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department; and the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Anderson and Christopher S. Hales prosecuted the case.
Defendant Jamal Shehadeh is in custody. Co-defendants Saber Shehadeh and Brian Stone are pending trial. The charges against Saber Shehadeh and Brian Stone are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Illinois Resident Sentenced for Synthetic Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Timothy Ortiz, 47, of Waukegan, Illinois, was sentenced today to three years in prison for conspiring to ship misbranded synthetic drugs in interstate commerce with intent to defraud , U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
On August 14, 2017, Ortiz pleaded guilty. According to court documents, from December 2011 to October 2013, he, along with his co-defendants, Douglas Jason Way, 44, of Evanston, Illinois: Timothy New, 35, of Pensacola, Florida; and Natalie Middleton, 32, of Clovis, California, were involved in the importation of chemicals from China that were substantially similar in structure and pharmacological effect to a Schedule I controlled substance. Ortiz and his associates then diluted the chemicals with acetone and mixed it with dried plant material to produce a smokeable synthetic drug commonly known on the street as “spice.” The drugs were packaged and falsely labeled to say that the contents were legal and were not intended for human consumption, when in fact they were illegal and were intended for human consumption.
Ortiz and his associates then shipped the drug from warehouses in Pensacola, Florida and Millbrae and Stockton, California to smoke shops, gas stations, and retail outlets throughout the United States. Ortiz, utilizing an alias of Michael Fitton, set up and managed the Millbrae processing lab after the synthetic drug company was purchased by the owner of multiple smoke shops in the Central Valley operating under the name of The Stuffed Pipe that sold the synthetic drugs.
According to the plea agreement, Ortiz and his co-defendants shipped at least 24 tons of misbranded smokeable synthetic cannabinoids that contained the synthetic drugs AM-2201 and XLR11 to smoke shops and retail outlets throughout the United States. They generated in excess of $33 million in sales. At the time of the illicit enterprise, AM-2201 was a schedule I controlled substance and XLR11 was a controlled substance analogue that was placed under schedule I as a controlled substance in May 2013. In sentencing Ortiz, District Judge Dale A. Drozd also ordered Ortiz to forfeit $109,590, which Ortiz had derived from his four-month participation in the illegal operation.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with assistance from the Food and Drug Administration and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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. As a result of this investigation, law enforcement agencies seized and forfeited over $6.6 million representing drug proceeds.
Co-defendant New previously entered a guilty plea to the fraudulent shipment of misbranded drugs and is currently serving a 30-month sentence. Middleton previously entered a guilty plea to money laundering, was sentenced to four months in prison, and is currently under supervised release for two years. Way has requested a jury trial, which is set for June 16, 2018. Way is charged with multiple controlled substance offenses, in addition to the misbranding charge, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $10 million. The charges against him are only allegations; Way is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal Jury Finds Bay Area Methamphetamine Traffickers GuiltyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal jury found Donnie Phillips, 64, of Concord, and Gordon Miller, 60, of Clayton, guilty today of multiple methamphetamine-trafficking counts, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
After a five-day trial, Phillips and Miller were found guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Phillips was also found guilty of eight counts of distribution and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Miller was found guilty of two counts of distribution and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to trial evidence, between June 2014 and February 2015, Phillips and Miller supplied methamphetamine to co-defendant Phyliss Mosher, 51, of Vallejo, who supplied it to an undercover agent. The drug deals took place in the counties of Solano, Contra Costa, Yolo, Shasta, and San Joaquin. On January 25, 2018, Mosher was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to the methamphetamine conspiracy on May 9, 2017.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the Vallejo Police Department, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt and Jill Thomas are prosecuting the case.
Phillips and Miller are scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2018, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 20 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.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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.
Roseville Wealth Advisor Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lee Loomis, aka Lawrence Leland Loomis, 60, of Granite Bay, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 12 years in prison for schemes that caused millions of dollars in losses to more than 183 investors, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
On January 29, 2016, Loomis pleaded guilty to wire fraud. According to court documents, from 2006 through 2008, Loomis was president of Loomis Wealth Solutions, a business operating in California, Illinois, Washington and elsewhere. Through seminars and face-to-face meetings, he induced individuals to invest money in the Naras Funds, which he claimed were liquid savings account-like investments that yielded a 12 percent annual return. He also claimed the investment was secured by a third party that was using the money to make loans secured by residential properties.
In fact, Loomis and his co‑defendants used the funds to pay for ongoing business expenses and to pay previous investors. Loomis took in more than $10 million in investor funds as part of the Naras scheme. He also took in money through other means, including a mortgage fraud scheme. At the time law enforcement executed search warrants at the business, only $4,313 was left in investor accounts.
“Loomis Wealth Solutions was built on a foundation of lies and deceit,” stated U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott. “The sentence imposed today helps to ensure that Loomis won’t again be in a position to cause financial harm to others, and represents some measure of justice for the many victims who were lured into trusting Loomis with their hard-earned money.”
“The FBI is committed to working with its partners to ensure people who defraud the American people—often devastating their financial future in the process—face justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Dozens of investors who trusted Lee Loomis suffered significant financial losses. Many of these victims withdrew funds from retirement accounts accrued over the course of decades, forcing then to restart the process of preparing for retirement.”
“Lee Loomis was the leader and architect of a scheme that resulted in millions of dollars of losses to dozens of families,” said Michael T. Batdorf, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “He lied to investors, stole their hard earned savings and spent it within months of receipt. His conduct led to ruined credit and home foreclosures. While this sentence cannot reverse the damage caused by Loomis and his co-defendants, it highlights the ongoing commitment of IRS-CI to hold accountable those involved in these types of crimes.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and the California Bureau of Real Estate. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Hemesath and Jared Dolan prosecuted the case.
Loomis has been in custody since September 14, 2012. Co-defendants John Hagener, 79, of Granite Bay; Joseph Gekko, 47, of Yorba Linda; Dawn C. Powers, 45, of Lincoln; and Peter Woodard, 47, of Ventura, have previously pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2018.
Tulare County Resident Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Tax and Investment FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Marie E. Sherrill, 57, of Porterville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to four years in prison for wire fraud and tax fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. She was also ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution to the fraud victims and $255,900 to the IRS.
According to court documents, Sherrill was a registered tax return preparer operating a bookkeeping and tax preparation business in Porterville under the name Sherrill Financial Services. Between January 2011 and December 2014, Sherrill prepared false tax returns for her clients containing false deductions to maximize their tax refunds, which caused a loss to the IRS of approximately $255,900.
Sherrill also used the intimate financial knowledge she gained from the clients of her bookkeeping and tax preparation business to identify victims she could lure into an investment fraud scheme. She told victims of this scheme that their money would be put into “pooled investments” with the money of other investors to earn a high rate of return. The money was, in fact, never put into any investment, but was used instead to pay Sherrill’s personal expenses or to make lulling payments to earlier investors in order to make them believe their money was earning a profit. As a result of this scheme, the victims were defrauded of at least $1.3 million.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McKeon is prosecuting the case.
Fresno County Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Mail Carrier and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — James Gonzales-Gay, 35, of Sanger, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill to 12 years and six months in prison for assaulting a mail carrier with the intent to commit robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on September 15, 2017, a mail carrier delivering mail in the area of Maple and Huntington, in Fresno, felt someone jump onto the bumper of his mail delivery truck. Gonzales-Gay appeared at the driver’s door, pulled the mail carrier from the truck, and began driving it away. After Gonzales-Gay drove the mail truck a short distance, the carrier was able to catch up to the truck and disable it. Gonzales-Gay elbowed the mail carrier in the face while struggling over control of the vehicle. After taking the keys from the ignition, the carrier was able to escape. Gonzales-Gay was soon thereafter stopped by law enforcement officers, who found parts of a Taurus handgun on Gonzales-Gay’s person. Gonzales-Gay is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya prosecuted the case.
Stockton Man Charged with Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Jason Solomon, 42, of Stockton, charging him with distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in July 2016, Solomon distributed images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On January 9, 2018, Solomon also possessed a video depicting a child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Solomon has been in custody since his arrest on January 9, 2018.
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.
If convicted of distribution of child pornography, 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 possession of child pornography count carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Jury Finds Butte County Man Guilty of National Guard Recruiting FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After an eight-day trial, a federal jury found Steel A. Davis, 45, of Chico, guilty today of all eight counts of wire fraud in a scheme to obtain bonuses for referring individuals to enlist in the California National Guard, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the United States Army contracted with a company called Document and Packaging Broker Inc. (DOCUPAK) to administer the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP). Under G-RAP, members of the California National Guard served as Recruiting Assistants. If a Recruiting Assistant referred a potential Guard member to a recruiting office and that person ultimately enlisted, the Recruiting Assistant was eligible to receive a $1,000 payment when a person enlisted and a second $1,000 payment when the recruit left for boot camp.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Davis was a recruiter with the California National Guard and was ineligible to participate in the G-RAP program. Davis, however, realizing the potential to make money through G-RAP, gave recruits’ information to his co‑conspirators who had signed up to be Recruiting Assistants. The RAs would then file false claims with DOCUPAK that they had referred the recruits to join the Guard when, in fact, the recruits had joined on their own initiative. When the compensation was received, Davis split the proceeds of the fraud with the Recruiting Assistants.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Army Criminal Investigative Command Major Procurement Fraud Unit, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew G. Morris and Katherine T. Lydon prosecuting the case.
Davis is scheduled to be sentenced on May 10, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Davis 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.
Other National Guard members and recruiters have been charged in similar schemes in the Eastern District of California. The following defendants have been convicted:
- 2:14-cr-153 TLN — Brian Kaps, 44, of Chico, pleaded guilty on November 21, 2014, to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 22, 2018.
- 2:14-cr-152 TLN — Sarah Nattress, 30, of Paradise, pleaded guilty on October 23, 2014, to one count of wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on February 22, 2018.
- 1:14-cr-107 DAD — Leonardo Pesta, 49, of Mountain View, pleaded guilty on July 27, 2015, to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to two years of probation.
- 1:14-cr-108-LJO — Nicholas Huerta, 36, of Fresno, pleaded guilty on September 14, 2015, to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to four years of probation.
- 2:14-cr-151 JAM — Richard C. Sihner, 55, of Elk Grove, was convicted on January 22, 2016, of 18 counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements following a seven-day jury trial and was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
- 1:14-cr-106 DAD — Joaquin Cuenca, 40, of San Diego, was convicted on February 1, 2016, of three counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements following a seven-day jury trial. He was sentenced to six months in prison.
- 1:14-cr-109-LJO — Jimmy D. Maldonado, 37, and Mayra L. Maldonado, 31, both of Fresno, were each convicted by a jury on January 29, 2018, of three counts of wire fraud after a four-day trial. They are scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2018.
- 2:18-cr-12 TLN — Jason M. Hair, of Paradise, pleaded guilty on January 18, 2018, to one count of wire fraud and one count of making false statements. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, 2018.
Social Security Administration Employee Found Guilty of Conspiring to Commit Immigration Fraud and Falsifying Government RecordsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A claims representative for the Social Security Administration in Sacramento, was found guilty today in federal court for conspiring to commit immigration fraud and falsifying government records, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
After four days of trial, a jury convicted Nelli Kesoyan, 45, of Rancho Cordova, of one count of conspiring to make false statements in a matter related to naturalization and citizenship and to obstruct, impede, or influence a pending agency proceeding, and one count of falsifying government records. The trial was held before U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr.
According to evidence presented at trial, in January 2014, Kesoyan conspired with others to make false statements in Vanik Movsesyan’s application for naturalization, submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Kesoyan’s co-conspirators included her husband, Grigor Kesoyan and Movsesyan, both of whom pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.
Kesoyan and her co-conspirators agreed to make false statements under oath to USCIS regarding Movsesyan’s residence. Kesoyan used her position with SSA to repeatedly access Movsesyan’s SSA file and create fraudulent letters to support Movsesyan’s naturalization application. When a USCIS immigration officer continued to question whether Movsesyan actually lived in Sacramento (in fact he lived in Burbank, California), the conspirators began creating and submitting additional false documents to support the lies. Kesoyan again used her job at SSA to, access Movsesyan’s SSA file and create yet another fraudulent letter in September 2014, submitted in support of the lies to USCIS. Kesoyan also had another individual, who could not read or write in English, notarize an affidavit written in English that claimed Movsesyan lived at his house in Sacramento; this affidavit was also submitted to USCIS.
As the evidence at trial showed, Kesoyan engaged in additional misconduct. When USCIS’s Fraud Detection and National Security officers conducted a November 17, 2014, site visit at Movsesyan’s purported Sacramento residence, Kesoyan got on the phone with the actual resident and directed him to lie to USCIS officers. Concerned that the resident was not saying what he was supposed to say, Kesoyan also sent her husband, Grigor Kesoyan, and another individual to the residence to make statements to USCIS officers.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nirav K. Desai and Jeremy J. Kelley are prosecuting the case.
After the verdict, Kesoyan was taken into custody. Movsesyan and Grigor Kesoyan previously pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. On March 3, 2017, Grigor Kesoyan was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release.
Nelli Kesoyan and Movsesyan are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Burrell on April 27, 2018. Kesoyan faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Final Defendant Pleads Guilty in Nationwide Scheme to Defraud Casinos and Credit Card CompaniesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Vivian Wang, 54, of Alpharetta, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft related to a nationwide casino and credit card scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between August 2008 and August 2014, Wang and co-defendant Frank Luo, 49, of Las Vegas, Nevada, 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 and 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 participate in the scheme to induce the casinos and credit card companies to part with even more money under fraudulent pretenses.
Wang, and others working with her, 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.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Gambling Control. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Yelovich is prosecuting the case
Co-defendant Luo pleaded guilty, and on August 23, 2017, he was sentenced to three years in prison. Wang is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on May 16, 2018. Wang faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for wire fraud, and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for aggravated identity theft. 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.
Government Contractor Charged in $2.6 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Charges were unsealed today against a government contractor following his arrest in St. Louis, Missouri, for his role in allegedly carrying out a $2.6 million scheme to defraud at least 35 subcontractors located across the United States.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott of the Eastern District of California, Special Agent in Charge David A. House of the Department of Interior Office of Inspector General’s (DOI-OIG) Western Region Office of Investigations, Special Agent in Charge Ray Park of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s (Army CID) Pacific Fraud Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI’s Sacramento Division, Director Timothy N. Ries of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations’ (Air Force OSI) Office of Procurement Fraud Investigations and Special Agent in Charge Chris Hendrickson of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Western Field Office made the announcement.
Chester L. Neal Jr., 43, of Fresno, California, was charged in an indictment filed in the Eastern District of California with two counts of mail fraud. Neal will have his initial court appearance later today before Magistrate Judge David D. Noce of the Eastern District of Missouri.
According to the indictment, Neal established and controlled several companies through which he secured at least 105 government contracts to provide various goods and services to federal agencies including the Department of Interior, U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. The indictment alleges that Neal subcontracted the work to other vendors who provided all of the goods and services to the contracting federal agencies. Neal allegedly made several misrepresentations in order to induce the subcontractors to perform the contractually required work. The indictment further alleges that Neal did not pay his subcontractors even though he was paid by the government for his subcontractors’ work. Instead, Neal allegedly kept the money for his personal use. In total, between July 2008 and December 2017, Neal allegedly defrauded his subcontractors out of at least $2.6 million.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
DOI-OIG, Army CID, the FBI, Air Force OSI and DCIS are investigating this matter. Trial Attorney Kyle Maurer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Rabenn of the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
Jury Finds Fresno Couple Guilty of National Guard Recruiting FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Jimmy D. Maldonado, 37, and Mayra L. Maldonado, 31, both of Fresno, guilty of three counts of wire fraud in a scheme to fraudulently obtain payments from a military recruitment program for the California Army National Guard, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, Jimmy Maldonado, a former full-time recruiter for the National Guard in the Fresno area, and his wife Mayra Maldonado, a former member of the Guard, defrauded a military recruiting program out of tens of thousands of dollars. The program, the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP), offered a financial incentive to members of the Guard who, on their own civilian time, recruited new soldiers. Guard members, also called Recruiting Assistants, who successfully recruited new soldiers into the Guard were typically eligible to receive $1,000 when a new solider enlisted and another $1,000 when the solider left for basic training.
Mayra Maldonado participated in the G-RAP program as a Recruiting Assistant. Based on documents and testimony presented at trial, Jimmy Maldonado was a full-time recruiter who was ineligible to participate in G-RAP as a Recruiting Assistant and was therefore forbidden to receive G-RAP incentive payments. However, he provided information about new soldiers to his wife Mayra Maldonado. Mayra Maldonado then used that information to claim G-RAP payments for those soldiers, even though she had never met the soldiers and played no role in their decision to join the Guard. In exchange for Jimmy Maldonado giving her information about new soldiers, Mayra Maldonado, on numerous occasions, shared G-RAP money she received with Jimmy Maldonado.
Jimmy and Mayra Maldonado are scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on April, 23, 2018. The Maldonados each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud. The actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of factors.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Army Criminal Investigative Command Major Procurement Fraud Unit, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Tierney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacklin Chou Lem prosecuted the case.
Other National Guard members and recruiters have been charged in similar schemes in the Eastern District of California. The following defendants have been convicted:
- 2:14-cr-153 TLN — Brian Kaps, 44, of Chico, pleaded guilty on November 21, 2014, to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on February 22, 2018.
- 2:14-cr-152 TLN — Sarah Nattress, 30, of Paradise, pleaded guilty on October 23, 2014, to one count of wire fraud. She is scheduled to be sentenced on February 22, 2018.
- 1:14-cr-107 DAD — Leonardo Pesta, 49, of Mountain View, pleaded guilty on July 27, 2015, to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to two years of probation.
- 1:14-cr-108-LJO — Nicholas Huerta, 36, of Fresno, pleaded guilty on September 14, 2015, to one count of wire fraud and was sentenced to four years of probation.
- 2:14-cr-151 JAM — Richard C. Sihner, 55, of Elk Grove, was convicted on January 22, 2016 of 18 counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements following a seven-day jury trial and was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
- 1:14-cr-106 DAD — Joaquin Cuenca, 40, of San Diego, was convicted on February 1, 2016, of three counts of wire fraud and one count of making false statements following a seven-day jury trial. He was sentenced to six months in prison.
Lake County Woman Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Laundering Money from Cocaine and Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michelle Troung, 34, of Clear Lake, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to six-and-a-half years in prison for conspiracy to launder money, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Troung conspired with co-defendants Dustin Wilson and Brandon Roberts to distribute marijuana and cocaine from Sacramento to the Southeastern United States. They also conspired to conceal the proceeds of their drug trafficking through various monetary transactions. On January 13, 2017, Troung pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd A. Pickles prosecuted the case.
Co-defendant Brandon Roberts was sentenced to three years and one month in prison. Co-defendant Dustin Wilson has pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing on February 23, 2018.
Kings County Man Indicted for Arranging a Murder-for-HireRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment Thursday against Johnny Jaramillo, 50, of Hanford, charging him with using interstate facilities (a cellphone) with the intent to commit murder for hire, providing a firearm to a felon, possession of a firearm after being convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence, and possession of an unregistered firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on December 15, 2017, Jaramillo met with an undercover agent in Selma in order to sell him three firearms. During the sale, Jaramillo asked the undercover agent to kill a person with whom he was involved in a lawsuit. After some discussion of how the murder would take place, the undercover agent told Jaramillo that he would accept firearms as payment for the murder. On January 12, 2018, the agent and Jaramillo exchanged texts and arranged to meet that day. During the meeting, Jaramillo gave the undercover agent a 9mm pistol and ammunition and assured the undercover agent that the firearm could not be traced back to him. He also confirmed that the picture sent in a text was the man he wanted killed. Jaramillo was arrested on January 17, 2018, and is currently detained pending trial. The intended victim is unharmed.
Jaramillo is also alleged to have knowingly sold a firearm to a person who had a prior felony conviction in October 11, 2017. He allegedly possessed an unregistered short-barreled rifle and three pistols. Jaramillo is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.
This case is part of the PSN (Project Safe Neighborhoods) strategy, a nationwide strategy for using existing resources to most effectively combat violent crime in partnership with state, local and tribal law enforcement and the communities we serve. This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC) whose members come from the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Kimberly A. Sanchez are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Jaramillo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fresno Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing and Dealing FirearmsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against James Bowen, 39, of Fresno, today charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, and possession of an unregistered firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
“The injection of firearms into our communities through illegal sales like the ones charged in today’s indictment pose a serious public safety threat,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to collaborate with our state, local and federal partners to enforce gun laws that keep guns out the hands of criminals.”
“Public safety is at the forefront of ATF’s mission,” said Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder, ATF, San Francisco Field Division. “It is our duty to make this community a safer place for families. When law enforcement agencies create a unified front against violent crime, operations, like this one, will be successful.”
According to court documents, between February 23, 2017, and January 16, 2018, it is alleged that Bowen was engaged in the business of dealing firearms without a license. On January 16, 2018, a search warrant was issued for Bowen’s residence and 221 firearms were seized: 85 rifles, 35 shotguns, 94 pistols, five suspected silencers, one suspected machine gun, and one full auto sear. Bowen has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
If convicted, Bowen faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing an unregistered firearm. The maximum statutory penalty for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license is 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.
This case is part of the PSN (Project Safe Neighborhoods) strategy, a nationwide strategy for using existing resources to most effectively combat violent crime in partnership with state, local and tribal law enforcement and the communities we serve. This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC) whose members come from the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez is prosecuting the case.
Former New York Giants Player Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison in Connection with a $1.5M Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Marcus Buckley, 46, of Weatherford, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to two years in prison and ordered to pay over $1.58 million in restitution, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Buckley played professional football in the National Football League for seven seasons between 1993 and 2000 with the New York Giants. During this time, the Giants had workers’ compensation insurance coverage through Pennsylvania Manufacturer’s Association Insurance Group (PMA).
In 2006, Buckley filed a worker’s compensation claim against the Giants for cumulative stress injuries sustained while playing football, in part, in California. During the first week of November 2010, Buckley, the Giants, and PMA settled the Buckley claim for $300,000 pursuant to a “Compromise and Release” Agreement.
After Buckley’s claim had been settled, between late 2010 and June 2011, Buckley prepared and filed numerous requests for additional reimbursement under his claim. As part of these requests, Buckley prepared false invoices and statements from medical providers for medical services purportedly provided to him. Other times, Buckley prepared false credit collection notices from collection agencies purportedly seeking payment from Buckley from various medical providers for past due medical bills. Buckley transmitted the false invoices, statements and credit collection letters to his co-defendant, Kimberly Jones, who was a claims adjuster at Gallagher Bassett Services Inc. in its Sacramento office. Gallagher Bassett was a third-party administrator that managed, among other things, workers’ compensation claims in California on behalf of PMA. Jones was aware that Buckley was not entitled to additional reimbursement under his disability claim and that the submitted documentation and requests were false. Jones caused the issuance of Gallagher Bassett checks payable to Buckley, and Buckley ultimately received over $1,588,000 in funds to which he was not entitled.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nunley found that Buckley engaged in a massive amount of fraud and caused serious reputational damage to the victim, Gallagher Bassett. Judge Nunley also said that Buckley’s actions were rooted in greed.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael M. Beckwith is prosecuting the case.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on February 8, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Jones faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss in the case, and a three-year term of supervised release. The actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory sentencing factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Sacramento Woman Sentenced for Failure to Appear for SentencingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Maria Santa, 41, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for failing to surrender for service of her sentence, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller ordered today’s sentence to be served consecutive to Santa’s original sentence.
According to court documents, Maria Santa was previously sentenced to 20 months in prison for mortgage fraud and was ordered to begin serving her sentence in February 2014. When her motion for bail pending appeal was denied, she fled the jurisdiction and left a note at her residence that made it appear that she had committed suicide. On August 26, 2016, Maria Santa was arrested in Sacramento as a passenger in a vehicle her husband Virgil Santa was driving. She was found in possession of an identification document belonging to her twin sister.
Virgil Santa, 43, also of Sacramento, is charged with harboring a fugitive in relation to Maria Santa’s offense. The charge is only an allegation, he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Dolan and Amanda Beck are prosecuting the case.
Multistate Serial Bank Robber Pleads Guilty to Robberies in California, Nevada, and UtahRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gregory Jerome Brown, 28, of Bountiful, Utah, pleaded guilty today to robbing three banks, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Brown robbed three banks in three different states. Brown wrote his demands on an index card, and in one note, he claimed to have a gun. After the robberies, Brown rode away on his motorcycle. After the Utah bank robbery, Brown fled south and was apprehended in Phoenix, Arizona.
This morning Brown admitted that he robbed the following banks:
- On October 13, 2017, he robbed the Wells Fargo Bank at 338 Elm Avenue, Auburn, California;
- On October 14, 2017, he robbed the Wells Fargo Bank at 2895 Northtowne Lane, Reno, Nevada;
- On November 8, 2017, he robbed the America First Credit Union at 2928 East Mall Drive, Saint George, Utah.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Auburn Police Department, the Reno Police Department, the Saint George Police Department, and the Pleasant Grove Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on April 18, 2018. Brown faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California Collects over $240M in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2017Read the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today that the Eastern District of California collected $82,182,771 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2017. Of this amount, $13,278,653 was collected in criminal actions and $68,904,118 was collected in civil actions. The Eastern District of California also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $162,370,250 in cases pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $15,414 was collected in criminal actions and $162,354,835 was collected in civil actions.
Overall, the Justice Department collected just over $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017.
U.S. Attorney Scott stated: “Every year, we recover far more money for victims and taxpayers than it costs to operate our office. These collections are critical to the Department’s mission of holding wrongdoers accountable, seeking restitution for victims, and pursuing funds that belong to American taxpayers.”
A significant portion of the monies collected were for actions involving allegations of Controlled Substance Act violations, including $150 million from McKesson Corp., $5 million from CVS Pharmacy Inc., and $11.75 million from Costco Wholesale. Other settlements were for health care fraud including a $9.86 million payment by Walgreen Co. to resolve allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act when it knowingly submitted claims for reimbursement to California’s Medi-Cal program that were not supported by applicable diagnosis and documentation requirements. Given the nationwide opioid epidemic, our office will continue to focus on these types of investigations.
Our office will also continue to focus on procurement fraud to ensure that those awarded government contracts comply with all associated requirements for receipt and use of that money. This year Sierra Nevada Corporation, a Nevada corporation that provides services to federal agencies, paid $14.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the federal False Claims Act when it knowingly misclassified certain costs, resulting in inflated overhead rates being paid in various defense and space contracts. Cityside Management Corporation paid $4.3 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by improperly billing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the work of Cityside’s subcontractors.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud, fire, or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Eastern District of California, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $10,377,430 in asset forfeiture actions in fiscal year 2017. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Buying Children and Other Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Carey Clemans, 57, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to life in prison for buying children, attempted travel and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, conspiracy to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, conspiracy to produce child pornography, attempted production and production of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography.
This case is the latest in a multi-year trend of child exploitation prosecutions focusing on defendants with prior sex offenses and those who abuse and record the sexual abuse of children. U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, and Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims joined forces today to highlight their sustained and collaborative efforts to identify and vigorously prosecute those who exploit and abuse children and trade in images depicting the sexual abuse of children.
U.S. Attorney Scott stated, “In the last four years, over 40 federal defendants prosecuted by this office have received sentences ranging from 15 years up to life in prison for crimes against children. Many of those defendants were repeat offenders or, like Clemans, were responsible for the recorded sexual abuse of their victims. Advances in technology have escalated both the heinous nature and pervasiveness of these violent crimes that affect the most vulnerable members of our communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to continuing its collaboration with our state, local and federal partners to locate these offenders and ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Child pornography is the product of horrifically violent acts perpetrated against children who are powerless to escape their attackers. The victims not only bear the physical and emotional scars of the crime throughout their lifetimes; evidence of the criminal acts that harmed them are shared again and again by consumers of illicit content. All children deserve to be safe from harm,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Sacramento field office. “The FBI is committed to working with our local, state, federal, and international partners to identify and investigate those who both produce and consume content that depicts the violent abuse of vulnerable children to ensure they face justice for their crimes.”
U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez sentenced Clemans today after a federal jury found Clemans guilty on September 5, 2017, of buying children, attempted travel and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and conspiracy to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. On the first day of trial, Clemans pleaded guilty to three additional counts: conspiracy to produce child pornography, attempted production and production of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, beginning in June 2014, Clemans conspired with a woman in the Philippines to produce child pornography. During much of the conspiracy, Clemans was temporarily residing in Bangkok, Thailand, where he worked as an airline pilot. In April 2015, Clemans returned to his Sacramento residence and continued his overseas conspiracy using his online account to chat with the Filipino woman. In these chats, Clemans discussed various strategies to obtain minor girls whom he could rape. Clemans instructed the Filipino woman on how to find vulnerable victims, directing her to look for orphans and victims of typhoons. Clemans paid nearly $6,000 to the woman so she could buy photographic equipment and find discreet locations to conduct sexually explicit photo shoots of the victims, who were as young as seven years old. On multiple occasions, Clemans paid a co-conspirator to obtain temporary custody of the children in the Philippines and produce child pornography for him.
According to evidence introduced at trial, Clemans engaged in another scheme with separate individuals in November 2013, in which he traveled from the United States to Manila for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors after requesting and receiving pornographic images of minors whom he expected to rape.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys André M. Espinosa and Colleen M. Kennedy prosecuted the case.
The following are summaries of Project Safe Childhood cases from January 2014 to present in which sentences of 25 or more years were imposed.
On October 13, 2015, Shawn Joseph McCormack, 34, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and producing child pornography involving two toddlers. McCormack traveled to a couple’s residence in Bakersfield and stayed as an overnight guest on multiple occasions. During several of the overnight stays, in the middle of the night, McCormack snuck the couple’s toddlers out of the house and recorded his sexual abuse of them. 1:11-cr-324 AWI
On March 23, 2017, Jesse Davenport, 42, of Chico, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for conspiring with a Connecticut woman to produce a video of a child being sexually abused. The woman made a video with a child she was babysitting following Davenport’s instructions and sent it to him two times. Davenport then distributed the video to another person. Davenport had prior convictions for sex offenses against minors. 2:13-cr-399 MCE
On April 30, 2014, Neng Yang, 49, of Clovis, was sentenced to 38 years in prison for producing child pornography. While working as a teacher, Yang used an iPhone and a computer to record and store videos depicting his sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl under his supervisory control.
1:12-cr-037 AWIOn August 25, 2014, Christopher David Robinette, 48, a U.S. citizen living in the Netherlands, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for traveling to Fresno to sexually exploit a minor. He abused the minor in California, Nevada, Mexico and Costa Rica and produced digital still and video images of the abuse. 1:13-cr-003 AWI
On January 18, 2018, Jeffrey Miles Hayes, 55, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 33 years and four months in prison for receiving over 2,000 images of children engaged in sexually explicit acts, including images showing sadistic abuse and the sexual abuse of an infant. He also possessed links to cloud storage accounts containing child pornography. At the time of the offense, Hayes had a prior conviction related to child pornography and was a registered sex offender. 2:16-cr-190 TLN
On April 12, 2016, Shane Paul Young, 47, of Fresno, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sending and receiving hundreds of videos and images of child pornography with users across Europe and North America. The voluminous amount of child pornography included graphic images of infants and toddlers being sexually abused. Both the nature of Young’s offense and his significant prior criminal history factored into his sentence. 1:13-cr-126 DAD
On July 29, 2016, Jason Wymer, 46, of Citrus Heights, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children. A parent accidentally sent a picture of her child to a wrong number who turned out to be Wymer. When Wymer responded requesting more pictures, the parent brought the cellphone to the FBI. An undercover employee, pretending to be a child, continued the dialog until they were able to locate and arrest him. Photos of Wymer molesting a three-year-old were found on his phone, and Wymer also admitted to molesting a four-year-old child. 2:13-cr-086 GEB
On January 19, 2017, Bret Allan Nichols, 33, of Paradise, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for paying a Florida couple to produce and record child pornography. A forensic search of Nichols’s computer seized during the subsequent search of his residence found multiple videos that Nichols had recorded of five additional child victims in Colombia and the Philippines.
2:13-cr-400 MCEOn December 3, 2014, Jeffrey Randall Metcalfe, 50, of Turlock, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for receiving and distributing child pornography. He created at least 17 accounts on a photo-sharing website, posted numerous images to the site and made comments about his interest in child pornography. Metcalfe possessed thousands of printed and digital images of child pornography. This was his second child pornography conviction in federal court in Fresno.
1:14-cr-012 LJOOn August 18, 2014, Allen Kendrick, 51, of Escalon, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for receiving and distributing child pornography. Kendrick was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, and he had a prior 2010 offense for possession of child pornography. 1:14-cr-055 LJO
On September 14, 2017, Raul Gonzalez, 44, of Woodland, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for causing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which he recorded with his cellphone camera. Gonzalez also sexually abused another minor who was less than 14 years old.
2:13-cr-377 MCEOn July 10, 2014, Phillip J. Colwell, 58, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for engaging in a series of cellphone text conversations with a 14-year-old boy and sending him sexually explicit images. Colwell encouraged him to produce sexually explicit images of himself to send to Colwell. Colwell also molested a 16-year-old boy and took explicit photos of him that he then uploaded to a website in order to advertise him for sex trafficking. 2:12-cr-73-GEB
On December 8, 2014, Bradley Allen Vaine, 31, of Fresno, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for receiving and distributing more than 600 images of child pornography, some of which depicted prepubescent minors, and some were of violent or sadistic conduct. 1:12-cr-403 LJO
On March 24, 2014, Frank Charles Reddell, 43, of Madera, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for receiving child pornography. Reddell had a prior conviction for lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor, and he was on parole when an officer found him viewing child pornography in a parking lot. 1:13-cr-090 LJO
On September 9, 2016, Joshua Landon Klipp, 36, of Chico, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for persuading a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct while he recorded and transmitted live visual depictions of it. Klipp received images from the minor, as well as other images through the internet. 2:14-cr-107 GEB
On July 20, 2015, Ricky Davis, 38, of Modesto, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for production of child pornography and attempted sex trafficking of a minor. He took sexually explicit photographs of a 13-year-old girl and posted them online within an advertisement for prostitution. 1:12-cr-056 AWI
These cases were 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.
Red Bluff Woman Is Sentenced to over 2 Years in Prison for Bank Fraud, Identity Theft and Possession of Stolen MailRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Crystal Candiece Cooper, 35, was sentenced Tuesday to two years and five months for a bank fraud scheme, aggravated identity theft, and possession of stolen U.S. Mail, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between December 19, 2015 and March 27, 2017, Cooper obtained financial and identity information, checks, credit cards and bank cards from stolen U.S. mail and used them to get cash, goods, and services. Cooper targeted postal customers in Red Bluff.
One victim of Coopers identity theft scheme had applied for Social Security benefits and expected to receive a debit card in the mail to access the money. Instead, Cooper obtained mail stolen from the victim and found the victim’s debit card and other identifying information. Cooper was able to activate the card and set a PIN to give her access to the funds. She made four separate cash withdrawals using the debit card.
When Cooper was arrested by federal agents on March 27, 2017, she had in her possession stolen mail and identity information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and driver’s license numbers for residents of Tehama and Shasta Counties.
This case was the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Tehama County Sheriff’s Department and Red Bluff Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Rodriguez prosecuted the case.
Former Vallejo Woman Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dionna J. Bradshaw, 37, formerly of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to submit false claims for tax refunds to the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from March 2011 through March 2013, Bradshaw and co‑defendant Porsha Dickens, of Vallejo, participated in a conspiracy to submit false tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service by obtaining personal identifying information of others, and then submitting returns seeking refunds to which the people listed on the returns were not entitled. To pursue the refunds, false statements were placed on the tax returns regarding employers, income, withholding from income, and eligibility for certain tax credits, among other things. The employers listed on most of the fraudulent returns were companies purportedly belonging to codefendant Dickens. The fraudulently obtained tax refunds were frequently directly deposited into the bank accounts of Bradshaw and Dickens. The total amount of refunds claimed in connection with the conspiracy was approximately $301,612.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hales is prosecuting the case.
Bradshaw is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge John A. Mendez on May 1, 2018. Bradshaw faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Co-defendant Dickens is scheduled to go to trial on September 24, 2018, on charges of conspiracy to submit false claims and making false claims. The charges against Dickens are only allegations; Dickens is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Taft Drug Trafficker Receives 10-Year Prison Sentence Distribution of Heroin, Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Mario Alvarez-Muniz, aka Cirilio Cardenas-Alvarez, 49, a citizen of Mexico and former resident of Taft, was sentenced on Monday to 10 years and one month in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Alvarez-Muniz pleaded guilty on October 30, 2017. According to court documents, Alvarez-Muniz, a self-employed tow truck driver, was a long-time distributer of drugs to the Pacific Northwest and Midwest that he obtained from Mexico and Guatemala. Alvarez-Muniz was arrested in Bakersfield after delivering two pounds of methamphetamine during an undercover drug transaction and orchestrating a shipment of six kilograms of heroin and 11 kilograms of cocaine to Chicago; the drugs destined for Chicago were seized in Bakersfield. At the time of his arrest, Alvarez-Muniz was on probation for a prior felony drug conviction.
Co-defendant Darrell Leon Jennings, 49, is charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. He is currently a fugitive. Anyone with information concerning Jennings is encouraged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-800-336-0102.
The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, Bakersfield Police Department, and Kern County Probation Office. 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Second Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing Heroin on Dark Web Marketplace AlphaBayRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Chaudhry Ahmad Farooq, 25, a Pakistani national residing in Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 23 months in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Farooq and co-defendant Abdullah Almashwali, 33, a Yemeni national formerly residing in Brooklyn, New York, distributed heroin and cocaine on the dark web marketplace AlphaBay using the vendor names “Area51” and “DarkApollo.” Dark web marketplaces are operated on computer networks designed to conceal the true Internet Protocol address of the computers accessing the network. Dark web marketplaces allow for payments to be made only in the form of digital currency, most commonly in Bitcoin. AlphaBay was shut down by law enforcement in July 2017.
Farooq and Almashwali accepted orders for heroin and cocaine on AlphaBay, and then mailed the narcotics from post offices in New York to customers throughout the United States. They received payment in Bitcoin. In May 2016, law enforcement agents made two undercover purchases of heroin from “Area51,” which were delivered to a post office box in the Eastern District of California. Postal records revealed that Almashwali purchased the postage for the two heroin parcels mailed to law enforcement, and that Farooq was involved in other mailings. Law enforcement agents were also able to determine that the encrypted email address used by “Area51” and “DarkApollo” was associated with actual Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts used by Farooq.
Farooq was ordered to begin serving his sentence on March 7, 2018. Co-defendant Almashwali was sentenced to six and a half years in prison on July 24, 2017.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant B. Rabenn and Ross Pearson prosecuted the case.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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.
New Jersey Man Indicted for Sex Travel to Placer and El Dorado Counties and for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Thursday, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Michael Anaya-Otero, 21, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, charging him with production of child pornography and interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in April 2016 and again in January 2017, Anaya-Otero allegedly traveled to Placer County in order to engage in sexual conduct with a seventh grader. Anaya-Otero is also alleged to have taken sexually explicit pictures of the victim, which he then transported with him back to New Jersey. Separately, in June 2017, Anaya-Otero had an online relationship over Snapchat and Instagram with a second juvenile victim in El Dorado County, and he is alleged to have maintained sexually explicit images of this juvenile victim on his cellphone.
On January 5, 2018, Anaya-Otero was arrested in New Jersey.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey B. Hemesath is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Anaya-Otero faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
San Francisco Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Bid-Rigging Conspiracy Involving Government ContractsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — John Brewer, 48, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty today to bid rigging, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Brewer and his co-defendant Brent Vinch were the owners of, and senior executives for, a company called Expert Network Consultants (ENC), which submitted bids to the State of California for various government contracts. Brewer admitted that from 2008 through early 2012, he conspired with co-defendants Vinch and Loraine Dixon, among others, to rig the state’s competitive bidding process by creating inflated bids for submission by co-conspirators to state contracting agencies in an effort to ensure that Expert Network Consultants received the contracts. Brewer solicited bids from individuals and companies that had no intention or ability to perform the work called for in the contracts, and Brewer directed Vinch to create and submit non-competitive bids. In total, ENC won over 40 state contracts as a result of the bid-rigging conspiracy from multiple state agencies, including the Employment Development Department, Department of Justice, Department of Motor Vehicles, and Department of Insurance. The value of those contracts exceeded $3 million.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared C. Dolan and Matthew M. Yelovich are prosecuting the case. The United States is grateful for the assistance of the California Attorney General’s Office in conducting the initial investigation into this matter and referring it to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Vinch pleaded guilty to bid rigging on December 14, 2017, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 15, 2018. Charges are pending against Dixon, and she has a status conference scheduled for March 29, 2018. The charges against her are allegations; and she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Brewer is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. on April 26, 2018. Brewer faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 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.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 33 Years in Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jeffrey Miles Hayes, 55, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 33 years in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release for receiving child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Hayes came to the attention of law enforcement through two related tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an individual who was posting images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct to a social media blog. An Internet Protocol (IP) address used to access the blog site was registered to Hayes’s home. During a search of the residence, law enforcement identified an iPad containing a messaging application that Hayes used to send and receive images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hayes had over 2,000 images of children engaged in sexually explicit acts, including images showing sadistic/masochistic abuse and the sexual abuse of an infant, as well as links to cloud storage accounts containing child pornography. At the time, Hayes had a prior conviction in the Sacramento County Superior Court relating to distribution of child pornography and was a registered sex offender.
This case was investigated by the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a federally and state-funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department with agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The Sacramento ICAC investigates online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney 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 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 Obstruction of Justice and PerjuryRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joseph Woloszyn, 32, of Sacramento, was arrested today after a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment last Thursday charging him with obstruction of justice and perjury, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on June 28, 2017, Woloszyn provided false testimony under oath at an evidentiary hearing in the case of United States v. M.W., 2:13-cr-067 KJM. Woloszyn testified on behalf of the defendant in that case and provided false statements related to his gang tattoos, nickname, phone number, and contacts with the defendant. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Woloszyn 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.
Sacramento Man Indicted for Falsely Claiming to Be an Attorney and Defrauding Couple of over $500,000Read the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment on last Thursday against Derek Bluford, 30, of Sacramento, charging him with wire fraud and money laundering, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Bluford allegedly told a couple that he was an attorney and could represent them in a dispute they were having with their tenant. After the couple agreed, Bluford then told them that they had incurred numerous fines and court costs, as well as costs to repair their rental unit; he also told them he had negotiated a settlement agreement with the couple’s former tenant. Based on these representations, the couple paid Bluford at least $535,000. According to the allegations in the indictment, Bluford, in fact, was not an attorney and there were no fines or court costs imposed. Bluford then allegedly laundered the proceeds from his scheme.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd A. Pickles is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Bluford faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, 10 years in prison on the money laundering counts, and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gross gain. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former El Dorado Hills Resident Pleads Guilty to Theft of VA BenefitsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Julia A. Wilbert, 53, of San Juan Capistrano, pleaded guilty today to theft of government benefits, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from June 2007 through March 2015, Wilbert stole approximately $112,275 in federal government benefit payments intended for her aunt, who died in June 2007. Wilbert’s aunt was an eligible recipient of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation benefits paid by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Wilbert had exclusive access to her deceased aunt’s bank account, was the individual who reported her aunt’s death, and proceeded to perform periodic transfers of thousands of dollars of VA benefit money from that account to her own bank account. When confronted, Wilbert admitted that she had been acting out of “personal greed.” Wilbert has agreed to pay back the full amount to the government as a part of her plea agreement.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Yelovich is prosecuting the case.
Wilbert is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on April 18, 2018. Wilbert faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Dark-Web Drug Traffickers Sentenced in Separate Cases to 80 Months and 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — In separate cases, two defendants were sentenced today for drug trafficking on the dark-web marketplace AlphaBay, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced David Ryan Burchard, 40, of Merced, to six years and eight months in prison. He sentenced Emil Vladimirov Babadjov, 33, a Bulgarian and U.S. dual-national formerly residing in San Francisco, to five years and 10 months in prison.
Dark web sites such as AlphaBay operate on “The Onion Router” or “TOR” network, a special network of computers on the internet, which are distributed around the world. The network is designed to conceal the true Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of computers that access the network, and thus the locations and identities of the network’s users and the computer servers hosting the websites, which are referred to as “hidden services.” The “hidden services” have complex web addresses generated by a computer algorithm ending in “.onion” and can only be accessed through specific web browser software designed to access the TOR network. AlphaBay was shut down by U.S. law enforcement on July 5, 2017, and is no longer in operation.
According to court documents, Burchard, using the moniker “Caliconnect,” was a major narcotics vendor on the Silk Road and other dark-web marketplaces, including Agora, Abraxas and AlphaBay. Burchard accepted orders for marijuana and cocaine on the dark web and then mailed the narcotics from post offices in Merced and Fresno County to customers located throughout the United States. Burchard was paid primarily in Bitcoin. Burchard conducted sales in excess of $1.4 million on the Silk Road before that marketplace was closed, at which point Burchard transferred his narcotics business to Agora and then to AlphaBay.
In a separate case, Babadjov, using the monikers “Blime-Sub” and “BTH-Overdose,” was a heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine trafficker on the dark-web marketplace AlphaBay. Babadjov accepted orders for drugs on AlphaBay and then mailed the drugs from a post office in San Francisco to customers throughout the United States. On October 20, 2016, law enforcement agents made an undercover purchase of heroin from “Blime-Sub,” which was delivered to a post office box in the Eastern District of California. The parcel contained a mixture of fentanyl and heroin.
The Burchard case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Fresno Police Department. The Babadjov case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant B. Rabenn prosecuted the cases.
Babadjov is currently in federal custody, and Burchard was ordered to surrender to federal custody on April 12, 2018.
These cases were part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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.
Bakersfield Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Possess Stolen U.S. Mail and Possession of 15 or More Stolen Credit CardsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Jason Leroy Geiser, 36, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to two years and four months in prison for conspiracy to possess stolen U.S. mail and the unlawful possession of credit and debit cards, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Judge Drozd also ordered the forfeiture of $85,000.
According to court documents, between October 1, 2016, and March 2, 2017, Geiser conspired with others to steal mail and to use information and credit and debit cards obtained from the stolen mail for their own monetary benefit.
According to the plea agreement, on October 17, 2016, Geiser stole mail from a community mailbox. Based on information from an eyewitness, police officers were able to follow Geiser to an empty house where they found him and another person with stolen mail in plain view. More stolen mail and two unauthorized credit cards were found in Geiser’s vehicle. On December 9, 2016, police officers found Geiser at a local hotel with two other individuals in possession of stolen mail and 18 stolen credit and debit cards.
On January 4, 2017, Geiser stole mail from a community mailbox, and based on information from an eyewitness, officers were able to determine that the thief was Geiser and went to his home. They found a large amount of mail in Geiser’s vehicle, his home, and a shed in his back yard. Eighty-four stolen, unauthorized credit or debit cards were seized in this search. On March 2, 2017, he was arrested by officers with the Bakersfield Police Department on an active warrant and a search of his vehicle resulted in the recovery of a large amount of mail and 64 stolen or unauthorized credit and debit cards.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Delaney is prosecuting the case.
Vallejo Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Multimillion Dollar Mortgage and Foreclosure Rescue Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sergio Roman Barrientos, 64, of Poway, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy 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 remains out of custody awaiting trial. The charges against him are allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Omar Anabo, charged elsewhere, is set for sentencing on April 27.
Barrientos is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. on April 6, 2018. Barrientos 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.
Former Roseville Developer Pleads Guilty to $22 Million FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Abolghasseni “Abe” Alizadeh, 59, of Granite Bay, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, bank fraud and making false statements to a federally insured financial institution, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Alizadeh, a Sacramento-area commercial real estate developer, restauranteur and owner of Kobra Properties, came up with a scheme to fraudulently purchase land that he planned to develop. Banks usually loan up to 60–65 percent of the loan-to-value ratio (LTV) on undeveloped commercial property. (LTV ratio is the comparison between the amount of the loan and the value of the property.) To circumvent the banks and fraudulently get a higher level of financing, Alizadeh submitted altered purchase contracts to the banks that greatly inflated the purported purchase price. The banks, which competed for Alizadeh’s business, were unaware that the purchase prices were inflated and sometimes loaned well in excess of the loan-to-value ratio. By concealing the true purchase price from the banks, Alizadeh received substantial amounts of cash, sometimes millions of dollars, at the close of escrow and avoided making the full down payment or, in some instances, any down payment.
Alizadeh was assisted in this scheme by co-defendant Mary Sue Weaver, 64, currently of Scottsdale, Arizona and formerly of Lincoln, California, who was employed at a local title company. According to the plea agreement, Alizadeh would write checks for the down payment, but because he lacked funds to cover the checks, he would call Weaver and ask her to delay depositing the checks until after escrow closed. Once escrow closed, Weaver disbursed funds from the title company’s escrow trust account to Kobra Properties. Kobra Properties then used those funds to cover its down payment and other costs. In this way, it appeared as though Alizadeh was making a substantial down payment when in fact he was not.
On April 29, 2005, Alizadeh submitted a fraudulent purchase contract to Central Pacific Bank, which induced the bank to lend him nearly $4 million for the purchase of 10.3 acres of property. This loan represented over 96 percent loan-to-value ratio. Similarly, on October 21, 2005, Alizadeh received over $22 million in funding and loans to purchase the Turtle Island property, when in actuality, the original purchase price was $10 million. In March 2006, Alizadeh also falsely claimed to Bank of Sacramento that he was paying $36 per square foot for a piece of property where he intended to build a TGI Friday’s restaurant. In reality, Alizadeh was paying only $21 per square foot. This resulted in a $650,000 inflation of the true purchase price. Alizadeh’s entire scheme, involving no fewer than six properties in the Sacramento area, resulted in a loss to various financial institutions of over $22 million.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Anderson and Heiko P. Coppola are prosecuting the case.
Alizadeh is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. on March 30, 2018. Co-defendant Weaver pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud on December 15, 2017, and is scheduled for sentencing on March 23, 2018. Alizadeh and Weaver face a maximum statutory penalty of thirty years in prison on each count 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.
Chico Man Pleads Guilty to Filming Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Nathan Alexander Drury, 39, of Chico, pleaded guilty today to Production of Child Pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between January 1, 2012, and December 1, 2014, Drury filmed a 47-second video of a nude child who was under the age of 12. The video that Drury produced shows the child being sexually abused.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Chico Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Fogerty is prosecuting the case.
Drury has been in custody since he was arrested on March 23, 2015.
Drury is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. on April 6, 2018. Drury faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. The maximum statutory penalty is 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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.
Vallejo Man Indicted for Possessing Cocaine for Distribution and Carrying a Firearm During a Drug-Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Andres Leonardo Melgarejo, 26, of Vallejo, charging him with possessing cocaine for distribution, possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on December 4, 2017, Vallejo Police officers stopped Melgarejo for a traffic violation and found that he was driving on a suspended license. A search of the vehicle revealed powder cocaine, marijuana, and a Glock .40-caliber pistol. The pistol was fully loaded with an extended magazine and a round in the chamber. Melgarejo cannot lawfully possess firearms because he has previously been convicted of a felony offense.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force.
If convicted of possessing cocaine for distribution, Melgarejo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon, Melgarejo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, Melgarejo faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life 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.
Grand Jury Charges Additional Crimes and Adds One Defendant in Case Involving Bakersfield’s West Side Crips GangRead the Press Release
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — In a case that is the product of the 10-month investigation into the Bakersfield criminal street gang known as the West Side Crips (WSC), a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today against alleged WSC member Jarvis Thomas, 32, charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, as well as possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
An additional narcotics charge was also included against alleged WSC member Tommie Thomas, who was previously charged in the underlying indictment.
According to court documents, on November 1, 2017, alleged WSC members Jarvis Thomas, Tommie Thomas and Augustus Crawford (now deceased) conspired to purchase, and did purchase, at least four pounds of methamphetamine from Luis Fernandez, another co‑defendant charged in the original indictment.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Justice, the Bakersfield Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Scott and Vincenza Rabenn are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Jarvis Thomas, Tommie Thomas and Luis Fernandez face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lodi Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jarod Perdichizzi, 31, of Lodi, was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison for distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in July 2016, Perdichizzi used the Kik messenger service to chat online with someone who, unbeknownst to Perdichizzi, was an undercover federal agent. Perdichizzi sought information about how he could become sexually active with a minor female and also emailed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to the undercover agent. After executing a federal search warrant at Perdichizzi’s residence, agents found a thumb drive containing 88 images and nine videos of child pornography. Perdichizzi has been in custody since his arrest on July 28, 2016.
This case was the product of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Segal prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Bakersfield Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Bakersfield Pipe and Supply Inc.Read the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lynnsi Dunbar, 30, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 12 months in prison and ordered to pay $287,945 in restitution for conspiring to defraud Bakersfield Pipe and Supply Inc. (BPS), U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from March 2014 through October 2014, Kye Dunbar, 32, his wife Lynnsi Dunbar, and Daniel Harte conspired to defraud Bakersfield Pipe and Supply Inc. (BPS), which is headquartered in Bakersfield, by creating false invoices for payment. During this period, Lynnsi Dunbar was an employee of BPS, who with the help of Kye Dunbar and Daniel Harte, created “Harte Trucking,” a fictitious trucking company that was created for the sole purpose of submitting fraudulent invoices to BPS for services that were never performed. As a result of this conspiracy, the defendants were able to defraud BPS out of $287,000.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Delaney prosecuted the case.
Lynnsi Dunbar and Kye Dunbar pleaded guilty and on June 26, 2017, and Kye Dunbar was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison. The case against Harte is still pending.
Three Sentenced to 20, 10, and 5 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking in Tulare and Kern CountiesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Alfonso Rios-Ayon, 44, a Mexican national, was sentenced on Monday by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 20 years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between March 1, 2016, and June 29, 2016, Rios-Ayon conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine to various drug dealers and users in Kern County and elsewhere. On June 29, 2016, law enforcement agents conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 30 pounds of crystal methamphetamine at a ranch where Rios-Ayon lived in Pixley. In the course of the operation, agents arrested Alfonso Rios-Ayon and Daniel Rios, 34, of Riverside. Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at the residence and seized approximately 30 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, three firearms, multiple magazines and ammunition, and approximately $16,850 in cash. Another co‑conspirator, Sergio Ortega-Maldonado, 46, a Mexican national was arrested when he attempted to re-enter the United States at the U.S.-Mexico border.
On March 27, 2017, Rios-Ayon pleaded guilty. His co-defendants pleaded guilty on July 10, 2017. On September 25, 2017, Daniel Rios was sentenced to 10 years in prison and Sergio Ortega-Maldonado was sentenced to five years and four months in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, the Southern Tri-County Task Force of the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the California Department of Motor Vehicles Investigations, the Kern County Probation Department, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Delaney prosecuted the case.
Fresno Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $1.5M from International Food Distribution CompanyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Leslie Michelle Hays, 49, of Fresno pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud for embezzling funds from her employer, Borges USA, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to the plea agreement, Hays was the director of human resources from 2005 through 2014 at Borges USA, a food distribution company based in Spain with regional headquarters in Fresno. To embezzle funds from Borges USA, Hays misreported her salary, expenses, and vacation time to the company’s payroll processor, which then remitted the stolen funds to Hays’s bank account. In total, Hays stole at least $1,535,420 in inflated salary payments and false expenses reimbursements from Borges USA.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant B. Rabenn is prosecuting the case.
Hays is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on May 7, 2018. She faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Modesto Man Indicted for Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, of Modesto, today charging him with attempting provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization and distribution of information relating to destructive devices.
The announcement was made by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott for the Eastern District of California and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office.
“Federal law enforcement deserves our thanks for stopping a potential terrorist attack during the busy holiday season,” said Attorney General Sessions. “The Department of Justice will continue to take every lawful step we can to distrupt plots and to protect our nation from foreign and domestic threats, including the dangerous threat posed by radical Islamic terrorism.”
U.S. Attorney Scott stated: “Our office is committed to investigating potential terrorist threats and working with our law enforcement partners to prevent those threats from being carried out. I am grateful to the FBI for their vigilance and commitment to keeping our communities safe.”
“This case shows our determination to prevent acts of terrorism and to save lives,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the Sacramento Field Office. “We thank our law enforcement partners for their cooperation in this matter. We also remind members of the public that should they see something suspicious indicating a threat of any kind to immediately report it to law enforcement authorities.”
According to the indictment, between Oct. 24, 2017, and Dec. 20, 2017, Jameson offered to work in support of ISIS, knowing that the organization was engaging in terrorist activity and terrorism. Court documents allege that he had several online interactions with a confidential source, and during those interactions, he expressed support for the Oct. 31, 2017, terrorist attack in New York City and offered his services for “the cause.” In subsequent communications with an undercover agent, Jameson noted that his time in the U.S. military had trained him for combat and war. Later, he met with another undercover agent whom he believed to be associated with the senior leadership of ISIS and offered to carry out violent acts and provide financial support for the terrorist organization.
The indictment also alleges that, on Dec. 16, 2017, Jameson described to a person whom he believed was working for ISIS that he was well-versed with the Anarchist Cookbook, described how to build pipe bombs out of PVC pipe, gunpowder, nails and BBs, asked for remote timing devices from that person, and described how to use such destructive devices in an attack on Pier 39 in San Francisco, to funnel people into an area in order to shoot them.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dawrence W. Rice Jr. and Christopher D. Baker are prosecuting the case with Trial Attorney Brenda Sue Thornton from the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.
If convicted, Jameson 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.
California Man Indicted for Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, of Modesto, California, charging him with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and distribution of information relating to destructive devices.
The announcement was made by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott for the Eastern District of California and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office.
“Federal law enforcement deserves our thanks for stopping a potential terrorist attack during the busy holiday season,” said Attorney General Sessions. “The Department of Justice will continue to take every lawful step we can to disrupt plots and to protect our nation from foreign and domestic threats, including the dangerous threat posed by radical Islamic terrorism.”
“Our office is committed to investigating potential terrorist threats and working with our law enforcement partners to prevent those threats from being carried out,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “I am grateful to the FBI for their vigilance and commitment to keeping our communities safe.”
“This case shows our determination to prevent acts of terrorism and to save lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Ragan. “We thank our law enforcement partners for their cooperation in this matter. We also remind members of the public that should they see something suspicious indicating a threat of any kind to immediately report it to law enforcement authorities.”
According to the indictment, between Oct. 24, 2017, and Dec. 20, 2017, Jameson offered to work in support of ISIS, knowing that the organization was engaging in terrorist activity and terrorism. Court documents allege that he had several online interactions with a confidential source, and during those interactions, he expressed support for the Oct. 31, 2017, terrorist attack in New York City and offered his services for “the cause.” In subsequent communications with an undercover agent, Jameson noted that his time in the U.S. military had trained him for combat and war. Later, he met with another undercover agent whom he believed to be associated with the senior leadership of ISIS and offered to carry out violent acts and provide financial support for the terrorist organization.
The indictment also alleges that, on Dec. 16, 2017, Jameson described to a person whom he believed was working for ISIS that he was well-versed with the Anarchist Cookbook, described how to build pipe bombs out of PVC pipe, gunpowder, nails and BBs, asked for remote timing devices from that person, and described how to use such destructive devices in an attack on Pier 39 in San Francisco, California to funnel people into an area in order to shoot them.
If convicted, Jameson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court after considering the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The charges are merely allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dawrence W. Rice Jr. and Christopher D. Baker of the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Brenda Sue Thornton of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
McGregor W. Scott Sworn in as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California announced that McGregor “Greg” W. Scott was sworn in today as the new United States Attorney by United States District Judge Morrison C. England Jr.
Mr. Scott is returning to the position he held from 2003 to 2009 when he was appointed United States Attorney by President George W. Bush. While Mr. Scott is currently serving as the Court-appointed United States Attorney, he has been nominated for the position by President Donald J. Trump, and his nomination is currently before the United States Senate.
Mr. Scott received his B.A. from Santa Clara University in 1985 and his J.D. from Hastings College of the Law, University of California, in 1989. He served as a deputy district attorney from 1989 to 1997 in Contra Costa County, California, and served as the elected District Attorney of Shasta County, California, from 1997 to 2003. After completing his first term as U.S. Attorney, Mr. Scott practiced as a partner with the law firm of Orrick, Herrington, & Sutcliffe LLP, focusing on white collar criminal defense and corporate investigations. In addition, Mr. Scott retired in 2008 from the United States Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel after 23 years of service.
The United States Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of California and is responsible for prosecuting federal criminal cases and representing the United States in civil litigation. The Eastern District covers 34 counties throughout the Central Valley and the Sierras, from the Oregon border in the north to the Los Angeles County line in the south. The office has 92 attorneys and 81 non-attorney staff with offices in Sacramento, Fresno, and Bakersfield.
“I am honored to once again lead the committed public servants in this outstanding office. I look forward to working with them and our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe and to provide the United States with the highest quality legal representation in all the matters we handle,” U.S. Attorney Scott said. He also thanked Phillip A. Talbert for his stewardship in serving as United States Attorney over the last 20 months.