Eastern District of California
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Bakersfield Resident Pleads Guilty to Aiming a Laser at a Sheriff’s HelicopterRead the Press Release
Alejandro Galvan-Silvestre, 26, pleaded guilty today to knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, Air One, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2021, Galvan-Silvestre was drinking with his family and friends outside his residence when he noticed the Sheriff’s helicopter. Galvan-Silvestre then began to shine the laser pointer toward the helicopter, which was conducting routine patrol in the area.
In the year of Galvan-Silvestre’s laser strike, there were 9,723 reported incidents involving laser strikes of aircraft across the country. At the time, that was an annual record high according to data kept by the Federal Aviation Administration.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Galvan-Silvestre is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 17, 2025. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Vallejo Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Jeffrey Caldwell, 37, of Vallejo, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to 14 years and seven months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
On May 13, 2025, following a two-day trial before Judge Coggins, a jury found Caldwell guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Caldwell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his 14 prior felony convictions, which include convictions for assault, burglary, and stalking.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 16, 2024, when multiple guests of a motel in Vallejo called 911 to report that Caldwell was firing a gun inside the building. Officers from the Vallejo Police Department (VPD) quickly responded and evacuated the building, at which point Caldwell barricaded himself in his room and refused to surrender. The Vallejo Police deployed their SWAT and Hostage Negotiation Teams, beginning a multi-hour standoff which lasted into the early morning of the next day.
The standoff finally ended when the SWAT Team deployed chemical agents into Caldwell’s room, which forced him out. Caldwell attempted to flee but was quickly arrested. A search of Caldwell’s person did not locate the firearm, but when the officers entered his room, they found a large hole in the bathroom wall. Stuffed inside the hole were multiple items, including a shower curtain, clothing, a canister of bear spray, and a pistol. Officers inspected the gun and determined that it was a privately manufactured firearm, commonly referred to as a ghost gun due to its lack of a traceable serial number. Caldwell had left the gun with a single round of ammunition still in the chamber.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vallejo Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Campbell and R. Alexander Cárdenas prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Vacaville Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Armond Bass, 40, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty Thursday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on two days in October 2024, Bass possessed and sold illegal firearms and ammunition in the parking lot of a softball field in the city of Vacaville. On the first day, October 23, Bass sold an AR-15-style privately manufactured firearm and more than 200 rounds of ammunition. Less than a week later, Bass returned, this time to sell a Colt M16 semi-automatic rifle. Bass is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his multiple prior felony convictions, including two felony convictions for domestic violence.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vacaville Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.
Bass is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Dec. 11, 2025. Bass faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Stockton Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Trafficking Firearms on InstagramRead the Press Release
Julian Arellano-Taylor, 21, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to nine years in prison for dealing firearms without a license and distribution of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between May 3, 2023, and March 3, 2024, Arellano-Taylor advertised and sold firearms on Instagram. Unbeknownst to Arellano-Taylor, one customer was a confidential informant and purchased 11 firearms from him. These firearms included ghost guns without serial numbers that were designed to replicate Glock pistols and AR-15-style rifles. At the same time as he was selling firearms, Arellano-Taylor was also selling cocaine.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department, the Lodi Police Department, the Stockton Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Gang Suppression Unit, and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Former California Superior Court Judge Charged with Sexual Assault and Obstruction OffensesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that a federal grand jury in Fresno returned a five-count indictment yesterday charging former California Superior Court Judge Adolfo Corona, 66, with federal offenses for sexually assaulting a court employee (Victim 1), making false statements to cover up the assault, and with obstructing the investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted another court employee (Victim 2) in his chambers.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.
The indictment alleges that on March 14, 2024, Corona, while serving as a California Superior Court Judge, led Victim 1 into a courthouse stairwell where he sexually assaulted her. The indictment further alleges that Corona, during separate interviews with the FBI and court administrators, made false statements about the circumstances of his assault on Victim 1. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Corona obstructed the investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted Victim 2. Corona was alone with Victim 2 in his chambers for approximately two hours on Dec. 5, 2023, and she was later found alone in the judge’s chambers after being passed out. The indictment charges that Corona falsely told the FBI that he left Victim 2 alone in his chambers while he drove to pick up a motorcycle. Corona allegedly attempted to persuade a motorcycle dealership employee to change company records to falsely reflect that he had picked up his motorcycle in order to corroborate his alibi.
If convicted, Corona faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison on the sexual assault charge and 20 years on each of the obstruction charges. 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 the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar for the Eastern District of California and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to contact their local FBI office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or submit a tip to tips.fbi.gov.
Former California Superior Court Judge Charged with Sexual Assault and Obstruction OffensesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that a federal grand jury in Fresno, California, returned a five-count indictment yesterday charging former California Superior Court Judge Adolfo Corona, 66, with federal offenses for sexually assaulting a 33-year-old court employee (Victim 1), making false statements to cover up the assault, and with obstructing the investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted a 43-year-old court employee (Victim 2) in his chambers.
The indictment alleges that on March 14, 2024, Corona, while serving as a California Superior Court Judge, led Victim 1 into a courthouse stairwell where he sexually assaulted her. The indictment further alleges that Corona, during separate interviews with the FBI and court administrators, made false statements about the circumstances of his assault on Victim 1. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Corona obstructed the investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted Victim 2. Corona was alone with Victim 2 in his chambers for approximately two hours on Dec. 5, 2023, and she was later found alone in the judge’s chambers after being passed out. The indictment charges that Corona falsely told the FBI that he left Victim 2 alone in his chambers while he drove to pick up a motorcycle. It also charges that Corona attempted to persuade a motorcycle dealership employee to change company records to falsely reflect that he had picked up his motorcycle in order to corroborate his alibi.
If convicted, Corona faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison on the sexual assault charge and 20 years on each of the obstruction charges. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar for the Eastern District of California and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Elk Grove Man Charged with Covid Relief FraudRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed Thursday, charging Oleg Gregorvich Fursov, 52, of Elk Grove, with wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Fursov fraudulently obtained more than $1 million as part of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program to purportedly assist his business in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, Fursov used the funds for his own personal use.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Fursov 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.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Atwater Prison Inmate Indicted for Threatening to Kill Prosecutor’s FamilyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against Stanislav Yelizarov, 35, an inmate in the United States Penitentiary, Atwater, charging him with threatening the family of a federal official, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Yelizarov had been previously convicted in the District of Maryland and was undergoing further proceedings in the District of Maryland and the Fourth Circuit. The prosecutor in those cases was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Maryland.
On March 23, 2024, Yelizarov, using a recorded prison telephone line, communicated a threat to the Assistant U.S. Attorney that he intended to kill the prosecutor’s “whole family.” Yelizarov had previously sent threatening letters to the prosecutor.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California was assisted by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Maryland and the Eastern District of Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Yelizarov faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Vacaville Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
Michael Keith Rubino, 37, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Rubino used his iPhone to record a video of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a 17-year-old girl who resided with him for approximately six weeks in late 2024. After his victim was admitted to a local hospital, Rubino told law enforcement officers that he never engaged in sexual conduct with her despite knowing that he had done so while she was seventeen.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.
Rubino is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Nov. 11, 2025. Rubino faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
Drug and Gun Charges Brought Against Fresno Man with Prior Drug Trafficking ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Manuel Cisneros, 48, of Fresno, appears for arraignment today after a federal grand jury indictment charged him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 20, 2025, Cisneros possessed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and several rounds of .40-caliber ammunition. Cisneros is prohibited from possessing ammunition because of prior felony drug trafficking convictions in Fresno County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Cisneros faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Vallejo Man Arrested for Distributing and Possessing Depictions of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging Marcos Gonzalez-Reyes, 43, of Vallejo, with distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in December 2024, Gonzalez-Reyes used a peer-to-peer software client known as eMule to distribute hundreds of depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct to undercover law enforcement agents over the course of only three days. Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Gonzalez-Reyes’s Vallejo residence in May 2025 and seized electronic devices containing thousands of additional depictions of children—including toddlers—engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of distributing child sexual abuse material, Gonzalez-Reyes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material, Gonzalez-Reyes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe 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.
Yolo County Man Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Young Woman During a Flight from Seattle to SacramentoRead the Press Release
Jeff Lorenzo, 40, of Winters, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sean C. Riordan to 30 days in prison for sexual assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Aug. 9, 2024, Lorenzo was flying from Seattle to Sacramento. A 20-year-old woman was one of the last passengers to board the flight. She took the last remaining seat between Lorenzo and his co-worker in the back of the aircraft. During the flight, Lorenzo willfully and repeatedly touched the woman without her consent. He grazed her leg with his hand, put his head near her crotch under the guise of picking up his dropped phone, and pressed his arm into her breast multiple times throughout the flight.
Lorenzo’s co-workers reported that Lorenzo has a history of behaving inappropriately, including harassing women.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody prosecuted the case.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Pill DistributionRead the Press Release
Brayan Missael Nunez-Mendoza, 24, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to four years and three months in prison for distribution of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Sept. 29, 2022, Nunez-Mendoza sold approximately 1,000 pills that contained fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, to a confidential source for $2,500 in Sacramento, on behalf of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization. The pills were made to look like prescription oxycodone “M-30” pills.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Spencer and Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Large Methamphetamine BustRead the Press Release
Felix Ortiz-Plata, 44, a Mexican national residing in Stockton, and Anuar Castaneda Ortiz, 29, a Mexican national residing in Sacramento, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges arising out of a seizure of more than 260 pounds of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 5, 2022, law enforcement officers stopped Castaneda Ortiz’s vehicle. During a search of the car, they discovered more than 260 pounds of crystal methamphetamine packaged in 90 plastic bags on the backseat of Castaneda Ortiz’s car and in the trunk.
On Aug. 8, 2025, Ortiz-Plata entered his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine for his involvement in the crime. Today, Castaneda Ortiz entered his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Land Management, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt is prosecuting the case.
Ortiz-Plata is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena C. Coggins on Nov. 21, 2025. Castaneda Ortiz is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 19, 2025. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of 10 years 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.
Manteca Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison His Role in Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jagninder Singh Boparai, 49, of Manteca, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to nine years in prison for conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
“This defendant met on five separate occasions with a person he thought to be a hitman and provided payments for the services he desired in order to ‘teach a lesson’ to two of his enemies,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Fortunately, there was no hitman, and today’s sentence teaches a lesson that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will use all its tools to bring to justice those who endanger the safety of the public.”
“The FBI has a zero tolerance for violent crimes and will take action to prevent assaults and homicides from happening,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the Sacramento Field Office. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their support and collaboration that ensured both the safety of the victims and a successful outcome to a critical investigation.”
According to court documents, Boparai conspired with Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr., 47, of Dublin, and Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, 51, of Tracy, to murder a man with whom they had a dispute. In February 2023, Boparai met with a person he believed to be a hitman at a Starbucks in Manteca. Unbeknownst to Boparai and his co-defendants, throughout their interactions, the hitman was a confidential informant working for the FBI. Boparai told the supposed hitman that the first job involved the assault of another man with whom the defendants were feuding. Once the hitman proved his trustworthiness, he would be given another job.
According to court documents, the following day, Boparai met the confidential informant again and offered to pay $6,000 for the assault. In March 2023, in the presence of Birla and another individual, Boparai met with the confidential informant, and Boparai gave the confidential informant $1,000 as a down payment for the assault. After more time had passed, the confidential informant showed Boparai a staged photo of the supposed assault victim lying on the ground covered in bruises, dirt, and blood to indicate the assault had occurred. Boparai said he liked the photo and told the confidential informant that he had two other “jobs,” one of which involved robbing a business, and the other involved making a person “disappear.”
According to court documents, in March 2023, Boparai met with the confidential informant to pay the confidential informant $10,000 as a down payment for the murder for hire job. Sandhu provided the second victim’s address, and Boparai instructed the confidential informant that the victim must disappear without any evidence remaining. On March 24, 2023, Sandhu and Birla met with the confidential informant in a parking lot in Manteca. Sandhu and Birla claimed that Boparai was out of town, but Boparai was observed by surveillance remaining in a car in the same parking lot. Sandhu and Birla instructed the confidential informant to kill the victim and take his remains to Mexico in a suitcase.
All three defendants were arrested on March 31, 2023, and are currently in federal custody.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Ceres Police Department, the Dublin Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lathrop Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the San Joaquin County Probation Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Stockton Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian T. Kinsella and Kevin Khasigian are prosecuting the case.
Sandhu pleaded guilty to the same charge on July 31, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13, 2025, by Judge Calabretta. Sandhu 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.
Charges are pending against Birla, and he is scheduled for a status conference on Oct. 23, 2025. If convicted, he faces the same penalties as Sandhu. The charges against Birla are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Manteca Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Mario Gonzalez, 43, of Manteca, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 12 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 17, 2019, law enforcement officers responded to a misconduct call from Gonzalez, reporting the improper towing of his truck. Before arriving on scene, officers learned that Gonzalez had an active felony warrant for his arrest. Once at the scene, officers took Gonzalez into custody. During an inventory search of Gonzalez’ truck prior to towing it, officers found a loaded revolver with additional rounds of ammunition in a toolbox in the truck. Gonzalez is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of multiple prior felony convictions for domestic violence and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manteca Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Davis Picnic Day Shooter Indicted for Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Joseph Allen Davis, 19, of Sacramento, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, police officers began investigating Joseph Allen Davis after determining that he was a shooter at the April 12, 2025, shooting at Rainbow City Park in Davis, where three people were injured by gunfire. Law enforcement officers conducted a search of Joseph Allen Davis’s apartment and seized a short-barrel AR-15-style pistol. Davis is prohibited from possessing any firearms and ammunition because he has previously been convicted of a felony gun possession offense.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Davis Police Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Davis faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
Raymond James Cornett, 53, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child, United States Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Cornett requested and received from a woman in Canada videos and images of a six-year-old victim and a 7-year-old victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, Cornett admitted to requesting images and videos of sexually explicit conduct from two other minor victims.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S Attorney Roger Yang is prosecuting the case.
The Canadian woman was prosecuted by Canadian authorities.
Cornett is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Dec. 8, 2025. Cornett faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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.
Los Angeles County Man Responsible for Trafficking over 3,500 Pounds of Methamphetamine Sentenced to over 21 YearsRead the Press Release
Jose Nunez, 43, of Lancaster, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 21 years and 10 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Nunez worked for a Mexico-based drug-trafficking ring that imported from Mexico into the United States large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. That drug ring was dismantled in June 2024, in an operation dubbed “Toxic Waste.”
Nunez served as a “stash house” operator for the drug ring. He maintained the organization’s drugs in the United States and distributed it to others who resold it. He was also involved in establishing and operating a methamphetamine conversion laboratory, where he and others converted liquid methamphetamine to crystal methamphetamine.
Nunez was arrested along with 14 others an investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 50 pounds of fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. For sentencing purposes, Nunez was found to be responsible for distributing 3,500 pounds of the methamphetamine. As evidenced by tens of thousands of recorded communications, the organization smuggled methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl (in powder and pill form) in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also secreted thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi-trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars and brought it across the border.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office’s Inland Regional Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Los Angeles Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.
Kings County Drug Trafficker Arrested in Operation Red Reaper Sentenced to over 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Ryan Gines, 44, of Hanford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 15 years and six months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in March 2019, various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies partnered in Operation Red Reaper, an investigation into the Nuestra Familia prison gang and the Norteño street gang in Kings County. The investigation uncovered that Nuestra Familia was responsible for large-scale trafficking of methamphetamine and other controlled substances, as well as various firearms offenses and other violent crimes. The operation resulted in federal charges brought against 21 drug traffickers, including Gines.
In May 2019, recorded interceptions on a wiretap revealed that Gines was conspiring with others to obtain and sell more than 5 pounds of methamphetamine. With the aid of the wiretap, shortly after midnight, a Kings County Sheriff’s deputy stopped the car transporting that methamphetamine, searched the car, and found the drugs.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Kings County Gang Task Force, Agents of the Special Operations Unit which is a team of agents from the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the FBI, the Kings County District Attorney's Office, and the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. The DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations all assisted with the takedown. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Eric Grant Sworn in as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of CaliforniaRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California announced that Eric Grant was sworn in today as the Interim United States Attorney by Chief United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley.
Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Mr. Grant to be the United States Attorney beginning on Aug. 11, 2025. He is a veteran of the Department of Justice, having served twice in Washington, D.C.: from 1991 to 1993 as an Attorney-Adviser in the Office of Legal Counsel, and from 2017 to 2021 as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). During his tenure at ENRD, Mr. Grant supervised more than a hundred Department litigators advancing the interests of the United States and its agencies in both enforcement and defensive matters, both civil and criminal.
“I am honored to rejoin the Department of Justice to lead an excellent team of lawyers and other public servants in our shared mission to enhance public safety and the rule of law in Northern California. I look forward to working with that team and with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners in law enforcement and otherwise to accomplish that mission,” U.S. Attorney Grant said.
In addition to his service in the Department, Mr. Grant has decades of experience in private practice in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento. That experience includes arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, and numerous other federal and state courts.
Mr. Grant served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (retired) and Associate Justice Clarence Thomas during the Supreme Court’s October 1994 Term. Earlier he served as a law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston, Texas.
Mr. Grant grew up in Modesto, California, and raised his family in Sacramento County. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, from which he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics (1986) and a law degree (1990).
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 encompasses 34 counties throughout the Central Valley and the Sierra, from the Oregon border in the north to the Los Angeles County line in the south. The office has 72 attorneys and 61 non-attorney staff with offices in Sacramento, Fresno, and Bakersfield.
Leader of Transnational Terrorist Group Pleads Guilty to Soliciting Hate Crimes, Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials, and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
Dallas Humber, 35, of Elk Grove, — leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — pleaded guilty today to all charges against her, including soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, the Justice Department and Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
“Hate and terror have no place in this country or abroad,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By securing this conviction, my office makes clear that purveyors of these heinous crimes will be brought to justice.”
“Humber led a transnational terrorist group promoting white supremacy, hate crimes, and violence, including soliciting the murder of U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Her actions posed a direct threat to our citizens and national security, and the National Security Division will hold her, as well as others who commit these illegal acts, accountable for their terrorist aims.”
“Humber solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sanchez. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law and keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.”
“The leader of the Terrorgram Collective influenced hate and violence across the globe while living in a quiet suburb,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Through close collaboration with our domestic and international partners, we defended the homeland and dismantled a dangerous network intent on inciting violence to advance its extremist ideology. Those who direct or commit acts of terror in our communities will face justice.”
With her guilty plea, Humber admitted the following facts: from July 2022 until her arrest in September 2024, she served as a leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a white supremacist transnational terrorist group. To achieve their ends, she and other members of the Terrorgram Collective solicited individuals to commit hate crimes, terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure, and assassinations; and provided technical, inspirational, and operational guidance to equip those individuals to plan, prepare for, and successfully carry out those attacks.
Inspired and guided by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective, individuals committed attacks or plotted to commit attacks in the United States and elsewhere, including, plotting to attack an energy facility in New Jersey, plotting to bomb an energy facility in Tennessee, plotting to murder two people in Wisconsin in furtherance of plans to assassinate a federal official, and attempting to assassinate an Australian official. In addition, individuals led by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective have committed acts of violence internationally, including shooting three people, killing two, at an LGBT bar in Bratislava, Slovakia; shooting 11 people, killing four, at two schools in Aracruz, Brazil; and stabbing five people outside of a mosque in Eskişehir, Turkey.
The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Abendroth, Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Samuel A. Kuhn of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
Humber is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins. The plea agreement contemplates a sentence of 25 to 30 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court at the sentencing hearing.
Leader of Transnational Terrorist Group Pleads Guilty to Soliciting Hate Crimes, Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials, and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that Dallas Humber, 35, of Elk Grove, California — leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — pleaded guilty to all charges against her, including soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.
District Court Judge Dena Coggins found that Humber’s plea was knowing and voluntary, and deferred acceptance of the plea agreement until the sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for Dec. 5. Humber faces a penalty of 25 to 30 years in federal prison.
“Hate and terror have no place in this country or abroad,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By securing this conviction, my office makes clear that purveyors of these heinous crimes will be brought to justice.”
“Humber led a transnational terrorist group promoting white supremacy, hate crimes, and violence, including soliciting the murder of U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Her actions posed a direct threat to our citizens and national security, and the National Security Division will hold her, as well as others who commit these illegal acts, accountable for their terrorist aims.”
“Humber solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law and keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.”
"The leader of the Terrorgram Collective influenced hate and violence across the globe while living in a quiet suburb,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Through close collaboration with our domestic and international partners, we defended the homeland and dismantled a dangerous network intent on inciting violence to advance its extremist ideology. Those who direct or commit acts of terror in our communities will face justice.”
With her guilty plea, Humber admitted the following facts: from July 2022 until her arrest in September 2024, she served as a leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a white supremacist transnational terrorist group. To achieve their ends, she and other members of the Terrorgram Collective solicited individuals to commit hate crimes, terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure, and assassinations; and provided technical, inspirational, and operational guidance to equip those individuals to plan, prepare for, and successfully carry out those attacks.
Inspired and guided by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective, individuals committed attacks or plotted to commit attacks in the United States and elsewhere, including: plotting to attack an energy facility in New Jersey; plotting to bomb an energy facility in Tennessee; murdering two people in Wisconsin in furtherance of plans to assassinate a federal official; and attempting to assassinate an Australian official. In addition, individuals led by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective have committed acts of violence internationally, including shooting three people, killing two, at an LGBT bar in Bratislava, Slovakia; shooting eleven people, killing four, at two schools in Aracruz, Brazil; and stabbing five people outside of a mosque in Eskişehir, Turkey.
The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.
Sacramento Woman Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Benefit Fraud Scheme During PandemicRead the Press Release
Tabitha Leigh Markle, 53, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
“Today’s sentencing highlights the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continuing efforts to actively prosecute fraud against the unemployment insurance program that served as a lifeline for millions during the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Sanchez. “We are committed to ensuring unemployment benefits go to the unemployed who need the assistance, not to thieves who believe they are above the law.”
“Tabitha Markle unlawfully obtained over $2.5 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits by using the personal identifying information of other people, including several inmates in California state prisons, to file fraudulent claims. She falsified employment records to make it appear that the claimants were eligible for benefits when, in fact, they were not. Many of these individuals were unwitting participants in her scheme. The illegally obtained unemployment insurance funds, which Markle used for personal gain, were intended to support American workers facing economic hardship during an unprecedented public health crisis,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
According to court documents, between April 2020 and January 2021, Markle defrauded the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the United States out of unemployment insurance benefits. Markle collected personally identifiable information (PII) including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other information, and submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to EDD. Markle and her associates caused the UI debit cards to be mailed to addresses she listed in the fraudulent applications. They used the cards that were issued in the names of the supposed beneficiaries to withdraw cash from ATMs throughout California. Markle and her associates often appeared in ATM surveillance photos taking out large amounts of cash from the cards. Markle and her criminal associates obtained approximately $2,599,038 from the fraud.
Markle also used the means of identification of various victims, including one victim, who was a resident of Oakland. Without the victim’s knowledge or permission, Markle filed a false unemployment insurance application with California EDD using the victim’s true name and other identifying information, but using a false email address, phone number and mailing address. Markle’s associates withdrew thousands of dollars of unemployment insurance benefits from the card issued to the victim.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, California EDD – Investigation Division, and the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv Sharma prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Previously Deported Alien Pleaded Guilty to Aggravated Identity Theft and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Salomon Jaime Salgado, 61, pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft and illegal reentry, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Salgado is a citizen of Mexico who was deported from the United States in 1999. After unlawfully reentering the county, Salgado obtained a birth certificate of a deceased U.S. citizen. Salgado used that birth certificate, along with the deceased’s citizen’s Social Security Number and a California driver’s license, to apply for a U.S. passport under the deceased’s name.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service’s Las Vegas and San Francisco Field Offices, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.
Salgado is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 30, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Salgado faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 12 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.
Fresno Man Indicted for Unlawful Firearms SalesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Bee Her, 20, of Fresno, charging him with unlawful transfer of firearms in violation of the National Firearms Act and dealing and manufacturing firearms without a license, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Her sold 10 firearms to undercover agents in three different transactions, including multiple short-barreled rifles. Her sold firearms despite being told by the undercover agent that the firearms were going to Mexico. He also possessed 12 privately manufactured firearms receivers and six auto-sear machine gun conversion devices for purposes of sale.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium, and the California Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Her faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Fresno Man Charged with Offenses Involving the Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Miguel Angel Dorantes, aka Miguel Castro, 28, of Fresno, charging him with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between Nov. 6, 2021, and May 7, 2025, Dorantes used three minors to create visual depictions of the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dorantes also provided obscene material to a minor in November 2021.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Dorantes faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine for each count of sexual exploitation of a minor. If convicted of transferring obscene material to a minor, Dorantes faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, and up to 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.
Citrus Heights Couple Sentenced for $1 Million Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Citrus Heights residents Deshawn Oshaea Campbell, 38, and Rochelle Pasley, 35, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to seven years and three months and five years and five months respectively and ordered to pay $1,157,000 in restitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between June 2020 and December 2020, Campbell and Pasley conspired to defraud by filing fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits under the CARES Act. During the conspiracy, the defendants obtained the identifying information of other individuals and used their identities to submit dozens of fraudulent claims. The claims represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These claims were fraudulent because, for instance, many of the individuals whose identities were used did not reside in California and were thus ineligible for benefits from EDD.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been committed to combatting fraud that abuses the provisions of the CARES Act,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sanchez. “We will continue to prosecute fraud arising out of the pandemic and bring offenders to justice.”
In the applications, the defendants used mailing addresses that were under their control, or under the control of their family and friends. EDD approved more than 50 of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out EDD debit cards containing benefits. The defendants then obtained these debit cards and used them to withdraw the benefits at ATMs throughout California and to make direct purchases, all for their own benefit. The scheme resulted in EDD paying out more than $1 million.
“These defendants stole from our nation’s unemployment insurance program by fraudulently filing for UI benefits in the names of individuals who were not entitled to such benefits. They took advantage of the UI program at a time when so many deserving American workers were suffering from pandemic-related economic challenges. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General remains committed to combating UI fraud and holding individuals accountable for their fraudulent schemes. I would like to acknowledge the outstanding investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the California Employment Development Department-Investigations Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California in this collaborative investigative effort,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
In addition to the mail fraud scheme, Campbell pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the EDD – Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Delaney and Justin Lee prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Bakersfield Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of Explosives and Ammunition and Manufacturing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Matthew Henry Jacober, 43, of Bakersfield, charging him with being a felon in possession of explosives and ammunition and manufacturing methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Jacober possessed and improperly stored 50 pounds of dynamite and 25 rounds of shotgun shells. He was also in the process of manufacturing crystal methamphetamine at his residence in a remote area of Bakersfield. Jacober had previously been convicted in Kern County Superior Court of making a destructive device without a permit, a felony. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing explosives and ammunition.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kern County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad, and the Kern County Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the drug offense, Jacober faces a mandatory minimum prison term of five years in prison and a maximum term of 40 years, along with a $5 million fine. If convicted of being a felon in possession of explosives, he faces a 10-year prison term and, if convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition, he faces a 15-year prison sentence. Both of these offenses also carry 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 Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Stockton Man Sentenced to over 12 years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Walter Garcia-Ruiz, 37, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 12 years and seven months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between May 2019 and December 2020, Garcia-Ruiz joined a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine with Jesus Horacio Ramirez Hernandez, 37; of El Monte, and Stockton residents Fernando Aldama Tinoco, 51; Geovany Espinoza Norzagaray, 36; and Neftali Castillo Montes, 44. During this conspiracy, Montes sold an FBI confidential source more than 14 pounds of methamphetamine. Surveillance, wiretaps, and additional investigation uncovered Garcia-Ruiz, Norzagaray, Tinoco, and Hernandez as higher-level distributors. Garcia-Ruiz personally supplied at least 10.9 pounds of this methamphetamine. A search of a storage unit controlled by Tinoco resulted in the seizure of 33 pounds of methamphetamine, 7 pounds of cocaine, and 2 pounds of counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl.
This case is the product of an investigation by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Customs and Borders Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Montes was sentenced on April 15, 2025, to five years in prison for his role in this conspiracy. Hernandez pleaded guilty for his role on June 24, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller on Oct. 21, 2025. Hernandez faces 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.
Charges are pending against co-defendants Tinoco and Espinoza. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants Tinoco and Espinoza also 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.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Stockton Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison and Lodi Man Pleads Guilty for their Roles in Large-Scale Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jose Manuel Ontiveros Verdugo, 40, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 16 years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and Jorge Omar Arredondo-Garcia, 47, of Lodi, pleaded guilty today to the same offense, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between July 2019 and December 2019, Verdugo and Arredondo-Garcia conspired with their co-defendants and others to distribute methamphetamine both in Stockton and throughout the country. During the investigation, an undercover source bought a total of 11 pounds of methamphetamine and a half pound of heroin from this drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement interdicted the group’s shipments of 50 pounds of methamphetamine destined for Nebraska, as well as a 21‑pound shipment destined for Pennsylvania.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, San Joaquin County Probation, the Stockton Police Department, and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Charges are pending against co-defendants Gregorio Ontiveros Verdugo, 42, of Morada; Alberto Navarro Zapata, 39, of Stockton; and Wilfredo Reyes, 50, of Manteca. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Arredondo-Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Nov. 24, 2025. Arredondo Garcia faces 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.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mexican National Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Possessing 200,000 Fentanyl Pills with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Miguel Obed Romero Reyes, 26, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kirk Sherriff to three years and five months in prison for trafficking large amounts of fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Romero Reyes was pulled over by law enforcement officers while driving north on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. Deputies searched his vehicle and discovered a large duffel bag containing 48 pounds (21.8 kilograms) of blue counterfeit M-30 pills in 20 separate 1-gallon Ziploc bags. In total, Romero Reyes was transporting over 200,000 fentanyl pills in his car. Romero Reyes had picked up the pills in Arizona and was transporting them to Washington state for distribution.
21.8 Kilograms of Fentanyl Pills Seized from Romero Reyes’s Vehicle
This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to over $30 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Matthew Dane Billingsley, 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud in a scheme that defrauded individual lenders and financial institutions out of $30 million, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between June 2018 and February 2023, Billingsley made false representations about having a brokerage account with millions of dollars in assets to serve as collateral for loans. Billingsley gave fabricated brokerage account statements to obtain more than $30 million in loans from individual lenders and financial institutions. The brokerage account statements were false because the brokerage account did not exist. Billingsley also misrepresented to individual lenders and financial institutions the intended use of the loan funds and instead used the money to pay down previous loans and for his personal benefit.
To obtain one of the loans, Billingsley used a Fresno restaurant owner’s name and signature on a profit-sharing agreement that Billingsley created and forged. Billingsley presented the false and fraudulent profit-sharing agreement to a financial institution to obtain a loan.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.
Billingsley is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 10, 2025. Billingsley faces a maximum 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.
San Joaquin County Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Alejandra Susana Castillo, 34, of Tracy, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to five years in prison for illegal firearms trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 22, 2023, and Aug. 27, 2024, Castillo and a co‑conspirator trafficked firearms by purchasing them in Nevada and selling them on the black market in California. Because Castillo’s co-conspirator is a convicted felon and was not able to purchase the firearms himself, he entered into a criminal partnership with Castillo to purchase the firearms for him. In general, the two obtained firearms by traveling together to firearms dealers in Nevada, where the co-conspirator would enter the stores first, identify the firearms he wanted to Castillo via text message or other communications, and then exit the store. Castillo, who was not prohibited person at the time, would then enter the store and purchase the firearms, pretending they were for her. Once Castillo had the firearms, the two would then travel back to California, where they would unlawfully sell them to people who could not lawfully purchase firearms.
On July 27, 2024, Castillo’s co-conspirator led a law enforcement officer on a high-speed chase, which was ultimately ended because of public safety concerns. Two days later, another law enforcement officer observed the car involved in the chase parked at a gas station. The officer detained Castillo, who was then using the car. During a search of the vehicle, the officer discovered a semi-automatic rifle in the trunk, along with three extended magazines.
In total, more than 30 firearms were traced to this conspiracy. At least four of these firearms have since been recovered in connection with suspected firearm-related crimes. One such firearm, for example, was recovered by the California Highway Patrol in the possession of a felon in Vallejo on July 25, 2024, only three days after Castillo purchased the firearm in Nevada.
Castillo was ordered report to prison on Nov. 1, 2025. Her co-conspirator is currently in federal custody for a related case.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the Pleasanton Police Department, the Reno Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
Previously Deported Alien Indicted for Illegal Reentry and Selling False Immigration DocumentsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment against Luis Eduardo Torres-Hernandez, 39, residing in Sacramento, charging him with 10 counts of transferring false identification documents, and one count of illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between September and December 2024, Torres-Hernandez sold multiple sets of false identification documents to undercover agents. The documents included Permanent Resident (green) cards and Social Security cards that, while appearing to be issued by and under the authority of the United States, were instead false documents produced without lawful authority.
According to the indictment, on Aug. 29, 2014, Torres-Hernandez was deported from the United States after a previous conviction for transferring false identification documents in the Eastern District of California.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Torres-Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each false documents count and 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the illegal reentry 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.
Folsom Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
William James Fitzgerald, 25, of Folsom, pleaded guilty today to one count of sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, between Oct. 15, 2020, and May 4, 2022, Fitzgerald used a minor child he met on Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit conduct with her for the purpose of creating photographs and video recordings. Fitzgerald coerced and persuaded the minor child into creating multiple sexually explicit depictions at least four times by offering and later sending Amazon gift cards ranging in value from $20 to $30.
Additionally, between Feb. 9, 2021, and Feb. 20, 2021, Fitzgerald used a minor child he met on Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit conduct with her for the purpose of creating photographs and video recordings.
Finally, Fitzgerald knowingly possessed more than 1,000 files depicting the sexual abuse of children on his phone and iPad. The files included images of children engaged in sexual activity with adults and other children and adults sexually abusing toddlers.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Folsom Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.
Fitzgerald is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins on Nov. 7, 2025. Fitzgerald faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison with a lifetime of supervised release, restitution 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.
Davis Picnic Day Shooter Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Joseph Allen Davis, 19, of Sacramento, with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, police officers began investigating Joseph Allen Davis after determining that he was a shooter at the April 12, 2025, shooting at Rainbow City Park in Davis, California, where three people were injured by gunfire. Law enforcement officers conducted a search of Joseph Allen Davis’s apartment and seized a short-barrel AR-15-style pistol. Davis is prohibited from possessing any firearms and ammunition because he has previously been convicted of a felon gun possession offense.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Davis Police Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Davis faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Tracy Man Pleads Guilty for his Role in Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, 51, of Tracy, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Sandhu conspired with Jagninder Singh Boparai, 49, of Manteca, and Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr., 47, of Dublin, to murder Victim 2. In February 2023, Boparai, Sandhu, and Birla repeatedly met with a person they believed to be a hitman at a Starbucks in Manteca. Unbeknownst to Singh and his co-defendants throughout their interactions, the hitman was a confidential informant working for the FBI. On Feb. 17, 2024, Boparai told the supposed hitman that the first job involved the assault of Victim 1, and once he proved his trustworthiness, he would be given another job. The following day, Boparai met the confidential informant again and offered to pay $6,000 for the assault of Victim 1. In March 2023, in the presence of Birla and another individual, Boparai met with the confidential informant, and Boparai gave the confidential informant $1,000 as a down payment for the assault. After more time had passed, the confidential informant showed Boparai a staged photo of Victim l lying on the ground covered in bruises, dirt, and blood to indicate the assault had occurred. Boparai said he liked the photo and told the confidential informant that he had two other “jobs,” one of which involved robbing a business, and the other involved making a person “disappear.”
According to court documents, in March 2023, Boparai met with the confidential informant to pay the confidential informant $10,000 as a down payment for the murder of Victim 2. Sandhu provided Victim 2’s address, and Boparai instructed the confidential informant that Victim 2 must disappear without any evidence remaining. Boparai then made two calls to Birla asking for Victim 2’s Facebook profile. Boparai subsequently received a Facebook profile picture of Victim 2, which he showed to the confidential informant. On March 24, 2023, Sandhu and Birla met with the confidential informant in a parking lot in Manteca. Sandhu and Birla claimed that Boparai was out of town, but Boparai was observed by surveillance remaining in a car in the same parking lot. Sandhu and Birla instructed the confidential informant to kill Victim 2 and take Victim 2’s remains to Mexico in a suitcase.
All three defendants were arrested on March 31, 2023, and are currently in federal custody.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Ceres Police Department, the Dublin Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lathrop Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the San Joaquin County Probation Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Stockton Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian T. Kinsella and Kevin Khasigian are prosecuting the case.
Sandhu is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Sandhu 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.
Boparai pleaded guilty for his role in the offense on Jan. 23, 2025, and is pending sentencing on Aug. 7, 2025. He faces the same penalties as Sandhu.
Birla is scheduled for a further status conference on Oct. 23, 2025. If convicted, he faces the same penalties as Sandhu and Boparai. As to Birla, the charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fugitive Member of Chilean ATM Crew Arrested after ATM Bombing in San RamonRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A member of an ATM robbery crew has been arrested and charged with bank robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery arising from a string of robberies from banks and ATMs throughout California, Oregon, and Washington, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Diego Ananias Arellano Diaz, aka Fabio Cristian Hernandez, was arrested July 29, 2025, in Newport Beach for his participation in a conspiracy to break into and steal money from financial institutions between May and October 2024. To avoid detection, the crew rented short-term vacation properties near their intended targets and used cars rented on the black market. Conspirators identified ATMs in vulnerable locations and then, using construction-crew disguises, blowtorches, cellphone jammers, and other sophisticated tactics, broke into the ATMs and stole their cash. More than 29 banks and credit unions were targeted during the period of the conspiracy, with more than $4 million in cash taken.
On Oct. 31, 2024, a grand jury returned an indictment charging 11 defendants with conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. Arellano was separately charged by complaint as “John Doe 2” on Oct. 21, 2024, and again as Diego Arellano once his true name was learned on May 14, 2025.
According to the San Ramon Police Department, Arellano was identified as the one of the suspects responsible for a bombing and burglary of an ATM in a Target in San Ramon that occurred on July 20, 2025. Court records reflect that Arellano is also charged in the Los Angeles Superior Court with assault with a deadly weapon under an alias, Fabio Hernandez.
Arellano is presently in state custody and is expected to make his appearance in federal court following state proceedings.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the police departments of the cities of Burbank, Citrus Heights, Clovis, Elk Grove, Fresno, Garden Grove, Modesto, Newport Beach, Rocklin, Roseville, Sacramento, and San Ramon, and the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office, and the Seattle Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California also received assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the District of Oregon, the Central District of California, and the Western District of Washington. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Veneman-Hughes and Justin J. Gilio are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendant face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for bank robbery and five years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank robbery. 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.
Founder of Punjabi Devils Motorcycle Club Stockton Charged with Firearms Offenses, including Unlawfully Possessing a Machine GunRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Jashanpreet Singh, 26, of Lodi, charging him with unlawful dealing of firearms; unlawful possession of a machine gun; and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Singh was the founder of the “Punjabi Devils” Motorcycle Club, a Stockton based outlaw motorcycle gang (OMG) associated with the Hells Angels. On June 6, 2025, Singh attempted to sell several weapons to an undercover officer, including a short-barreled rifle, three other assault weapons, three machine gun conversion devices, and a revolver. A subsequent search of Singh’s residence resulted in the discovery of additional firearms, including a machine gun, another machine gun conversion device, and a silencer.
Firearms (including machine guns and a short-barreled rifle), firearms parts (including a silencer and high-capacity drum magazines) and other items seized from Singh’s vehicle and residence on June 6, 2025
Officers also discovered a single “pineapple”-style capped and fused hand grenade, as well as what law enforcement believed was a military electronic capped “claymore” mine. The Explosives Ordinance Detail of the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department bomb team destroyed these items at the scene.
Singh was initially facing state charges in San Joaquin County related to these offenses. On July 21, 2025, he failed to appear at a court appearance and the state court issued a bench warrant for his arrest. On July 23, 2025, the FBI received an alert from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that Singh had booked a ticket to India and was scheduled to depart from the San Francisco International Airport on July 26, 2025. On that date, officers located and arrested Singh at the airport before he could flee. Singh remains in federal custody.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Enforcement and Removal Operations; Homeland Security Investigations; the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office; the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office Explosive Ordinance Detail; the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit; the Stockton Police Department; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Cárdenas and Adrian Kinsella are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of unlawful dealing in firearms, Singh faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of possession and transfer of a machine gun, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and if convicted of unlawful possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 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 Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
California Defense Contractor and Private Equity Firm Agree to Pay $1.75M to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Relating to Voluntary Self-Disclosure of Cybersecurity ViolationsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Defense contractor Aero Turbine Inc., of Stockton, and private equity company Gallant Capital Partners LLC, of Los Angeles, have agreed to pay $1.75 million to resolve their liability under the False Claims Act for knowingly failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in an Aero Turbine contract with the Department of the Air Force. In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Aero Turbine and Gallant took significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government.
“Government contractors must follow required cybersecurity standards to protect sensitive defense information,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When defense contractors fail to comply with cybersecurity requirements, they can mitigate the consequences by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with investigations, and taking prompt remedial measures.”
“Every defense contractor must provide adequate security to safeguard covered defense information,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez. “We commend Aero Turbine and Gallant for disclosing the issue and promptly cooperating to address it. We encourage others to follow their example of self-reporting to resolve violations.”
“Protecting the integrity of the Department of Defense (DoD) procurement processes is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Director Kelly Mayo of DCIS. “Failing to comply with DoD contract specifications and cybersecurity requirements puts DoD information and programs at risk of exploitation. DCIS will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of false claims on DoD contracts.”
“This case serves as a reminder that cybersecurity transcends mission sets. Ensuring companies adhere to robust cybersecurity safeguards is integral to maintaining the Air Force’s operational edge against adversaries,” said Special Agent in Charge Caroline Galinis of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Procurement Fraud Detachment 1. “AFOSI’s Procurement Fraud team, alongside investigative partner agencies and the Department of Justice, played a critical role in protecting U.S. national security interests.”
The settlement resolves the liability of Aero Turbine and Gallant under the False Claims Act for knowingly submitting or causing others to submit false or fraudulent claims for payment on a Department of the Air Force contract, which were allegedly false or fraudulent because they had not complied with the contract’s cybersecurity requirements. From January 2018 to February 2020, Aero Turbine allegedly failed to implement certain cybersecurity controls in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-171 that, if not implemented, could lead to significant exploitation of the system or exfiltration of sensitive defense information.
In addition, from June to July 2019, Aero Turbine and Gallant allegedly failed to control the flow of, and limit unauthorized access to, sensitive defense information by providing a software company based in Egypt with files containing such information, even though the software company and its foreign citizen personnel were not authorized to receive sensitive defense information under the Air Force contract. After learning of the issues, Aero Turbine and Gallant provided the government with multiple written self-disclosures, cooperated with the government’s investigation of the issues, and took prompt remedial action.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, DCIS, AFOSI, and the Air Force Materiel Command Law Office Procurement Fraud Division. The matter was handled by Fraud Section attorneys Robin Overby and Christopher Terranova and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Thiess.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: Read the Settlement here.
California Defense Contractor and Private Equity Firm Agree to Pay $1.75M to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Relating to Voluntary Self-Disclosure of Cybersecurity ViolationsRead the Press Release
Defense contractor Aero Turbine Inc., of Stockton, California, and private equity company Gallant Capital Partners LLC, of Los Angeles, have agreed to pay $1.75 million to resolve their liability under the False Claims Act for knowingly failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in an Aero Turbine contract with the Department of the Air Force. In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Aero Turbine and Gallant took significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government.
“Government contractors must follow required cybersecurity standards to protect sensitive defense information,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When defense contractors fail to comply with cybersecurity requirements, they can mitigate the consequences by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with investigations, and taking prompt remedial measures.”
“Every defense contractor must provide adequate security to safeguard covered defense information,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez for the Eastern District of California. “We commend Aero Turbine and Gallant for disclosing the issue and promptly cooperating to address it. We encourage others to follow their example of self-reporting to resolve violations.”
“Protecting the integrity of the Department of Defense (DoD) procurement processes is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Director Kelly Mayo of DCIS. “Failing to comply with DoD contract specifications and cybersecurity requirements puts DoD information and programs at risk of exploitation. DCIS will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of false claims on DoD contracts.”
“This case serves as a reminder that cybersecurity transcends mission sets. Ensuring companies adhere to robust cybersecurity safeguards is integral to maintaining the Air Force’s operational edge against adversaries,” said Special Agent in Charge Caroline Galinis of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), Procurement Fraud Detachment 1. “AFOSI’s Procurement Fraud team, alongside investigative partner agencies and the Department of Justice, played a critical role in protecting U.S. national security interests.”
The settlement resolves the liability of Aero Turbine and Gallant under the False Claims Act for knowingly submitting or causing others to submit false or fraudulent claims for payment on a Department of the Air Force contract, which were allegedly false or fraudulent because they had not complied with the contract’s cybersecurity requirements. From January 2018 to February 2020, Aero Turbine allegedly failed to implement certain cybersecurity controls in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-171 that, if not implemented, could lead to significant exploitation of the system or exfiltration of sensitive defense information.
In addition, from June to July 2019, Aero Turbine and Gallant allegedly failed to control the flow of, and limit unauthorized access to, sensitive defense information by providing a software company based in Egypt with files containing such information, even though the software company and its foreign citizen personnel were not authorized to receive sensitive defense information under the Air Force contract. After learning of the issues, Aero Turbine and Gallant provided the government with multiple written self-disclosures, cooperated with the government’s investigation of the issues, and took prompt remedial action.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, DCIS, AFOSI, and the Air Force Materiel Command Law Office Procurement Fraud Division. The matter was handled by Fraud Section attorneys Robin Overby and Christopher Terranova and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Thiess.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: Read the Settlement here.
Vallejo Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Darren Mitchell, 35, of Vallejo, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 15 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine and firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to evidence presented at a five-day jury trial, Mitchell negotiated a transaction for 1,000 methamphetamine pills with a buyer who testified at trial. Federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Mitchell’s Vallejo residence a few days later. At the residence, agents encountered two infants who lived there and recovered methamphetamine-laced pills and an industrial pill pressing machine. Hidden inside the residence’s dishwasher, agents recovered a loaded AR-15 assault-style rifle and a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol with an obliterated serial number:
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron Desmond and Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for Fentanyl Pill TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jose Luis Aguilar Saucedo, 26, of Sacramento, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to seven years and six months in prison for fentanyl distribution, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, Aguilar Saucedo distributed hundreds of fentanyl pills that were made to look like prescription “M-30” oxycodone pills to a DEA confidential source on three separate occasions in March, April, and August 2020.
Fifteen co-defendants have pleaded guilty, and 11 have previously been sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from 19 months to 27 years. Luis Lopez Zamora is scheduled to be sentenced in August 2025, Leonardo Flores Beltran and Sandro Escobedo are scheduled to be sentenced in October 2025, and Erika Gabriela Zamora Rojo is scheduled to be sentenced in December 2025.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force (NET 5), the California Highway Patrol, the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Manteca Police Department, the Yuba City Police Department, and the West Sacramento Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Mexican authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Luis Lopez Zamora to the United States from Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Two Sacramento Residents Sentenced to Prison for False Income Tax Return SchemeRead the Press Release
Dominic Davis, 40, and Sharitia Wright, 61, both of Sacramento, were sentenced today to federal prison for conspiring to file false claims, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. Davis received a sentence of three years and four months in prison, and Wright received a sentence of one year and three months in prison.
According to court documents, between March 2019 and April 2022, Davis and Wright caused at least nine fraudulent income-tax returns to be filed with the IRS claiming more than $2 million of income tax refunds.
The returns were filed in the names of Davis, Wright, and family members and listed wages that the taxpayers had not received. They often listed the taxpayers’ employer as one of the various LLCs created by Davis, Wright, and their family members. Many of the returns also falsely claimed charitable contributions that were not actually made. Davis prepared and filed the false tax returns. Wright provided him information and contacted the IRS to check on the status of the refunds claimed in the false tax returns.
Davis and Wright were ordered to pay restitution for the fraudulent income tax refunds that they received.
This case was the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg prosecuted the case.
Sacramento Man Charged with Damaging Customs and Border Protection VehicleRead the Press Release
castillo_criminal_complaint.pdfSACRAMENTO, Calif. — A criminal complaint was filed today charging Jose Manuel Castillo Jr., 31, of Sacramento, with depredation of government property, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court documents, on July 17, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted an operation at a Sacramento-area Home Depot store. During the operation, Castillo refused numerous commands to move away from law enforcement’s position and shouted obscenities at CBP agents as the agents were transferring arrested aliens to a van for transportation to immigration custody.
Castillo was seen walking towards the SUV from the rear passenger side, and agents near the vehicle’s driver’s side heard a pop and a loud hissing noise. Castillo was seen walking away from the vehicle, and agents noticed the rear passenger side tire was punctured and completely flat.
After being ordered to stop by law enforcement Castillo turned and ran away. After a short chase, agents caught Castillo and later searched him. In Castillo’s pants pocket, law enforcement found a folding pocketknife with a blade consistent with the width of the hole in the SUV’s tire.
Castillo is not in custody and will appear for an initial hearing at a date and time chosen by the Court.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
If convicted, Castillo faces a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 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.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for Conspiring with Pharmacist to Illegally Traffic Hundreds of Thousands of Opioid PillsRead the Press Release
Kelo White, 44, of Fresno, was sentenced today to seven years and six months in prison for illegally distributing oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
According to court records, from 2014 through 2018, White and Donald Ray Pierre, 56, of Fresno, obtained more than 450,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills based on fraudulent prescriptions that were filled by their co-conspirator, Ifeanyi Vincent Ntukogu, 49, of Fresno, who was a pharmacist in Madera. White was responsible for more than 250,000 of those pills. The fraudulent prescriptions were purportedly from more than 10 different doctors whose signatures had been forged.
White and Pierre had Ntukogu review each prescription before he filled it to make sure that government regulators would not deem it suspicious. For example, Ntukogu reviewed and rejected prescriptions that were supposedly written by certain doctors or that were written for individuals who were having prescriptions filled at other pharmacies because he believed those prescriptions may raise red flags. White and Pierre paid Ntukogu in cash, and then they sold the pills for a significant profit.
Ntukogu was sentenced on Nov. 25, 2024, to seven years and three months in prison. Pierre was sentenced on July 21, 2020, to nine years and four months in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the California Department of Health Care Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Pataca and Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated under the DOJ’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was also part of the DOJ’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, which is a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
California Lobbying Firm Agrees to Settle Fraud Allegations Involving Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
Political Solutions, LLC, has agreed to pay the United States $556,924 in damages and penalties to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) by receiving a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to provide emergency relief to small businesses experiencing economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many small businesses were eligible for these loans, some were not, including those primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities.
In April 2020, Political Solutions, a lobbying firm, applied for and received a PPP loan for $216,000. Political Solutions applied for and received forgiveness of the loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in January 2021. This settlement resolves allegations that Political Solutions knowingly made false statements in certifying the business’s eligibility for a PPP loan. As part of the settlement, Political Solutions agreed to pay $456,924 in damages under the FCA and $100,000 in civil penalties under FIRREA.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was a vital resource for struggling small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sanchez. “This Office will continue to investigate businesses who took advantage of these funds at the expense of the public.”
SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis stated, “The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies, such as the Small Business Administration working in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to pursue a fair recovery of pandemic relief funds.”
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Fuentes.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Former Madera School Executive Charged with Stealing Federal Funds from Charter School for Disadvantaged K – 8th GradersRead the Press Release
On July 17, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a sealed indictment charging Nicholas M. Retana, 67, of Madera, with one count of embezzling money from a program that received federal funding, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
On Monday the indictment was unsealed and Retana was arraigned.
According to court documents, Retana was the founder and executive director of a kindergarten through 8th grade charter school in Madera County until early 2020. As executive director, Retana used school funds on improper personal expenses for himself, his family, and associates. He concealed the misused funds by mislabeling the expenses in school accounting records and misrepresenting the expenses when asked. For example, Retana purchased new Ford F-150 Raptor pickup trucks for his two sons using school funds. He also had a personal relationship with a self-proclaimed sex worker turned relationship coach whom he paid $12,000 using school funds.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Retana 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 Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
Jayson Fernandez Butay, 30, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 25 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material and possessing child sexual abuse material, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. Judge Shubb also ordered Butay to pay $118,278 to his victims in restitution.
According to court documents, in April 2019, Butay used Snapchat to correspond with a 15‑year-old girl living in Finland. Butay lied about his identity and convinced her to send him naked images of herself. Once he received these images, Butay threatened to disclose them to his victim’s family and friends unless she sent him sexually explicit videos. In this way, Butay obtained at least one additional sexually explicit video from the victim. Butay also produced child sexual abuse material depicting additional minor victims, including at least one 9-year-old girl who remains unidentified, using common internet applications.
Law enforcement agents subsequently executed federal search warrants at Butay’s residence in Sacramento. Agents seized hundreds of images and videos from Butay’s digital devices that depicted the sexual exploitation of children, including infants.
“This investigation highlights the serious threat sextortionists pose to children who use popular messaging and social media apps,” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Online anonymity combined with the natural inexperience of youth creates a dangerous environment that parents must better understand and monitor. The FBI works closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring these predators to justice. We urge anyone who has been targeted or victimized to come forward. You are not alone — we will help you.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting 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 exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.