Eastern District of California

Two members of a Sacramento-based drug trafficking organization were sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd for fentanyl trafficking and related crimes, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

Jose Guadalupe Lopez-Zamora, 30, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, three counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of conspiracy to launder money.

Joaquin Alberto Sotelo Valdez, 28, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, Lopez-Zamora was the leader of the organization that was responsible for importing tens of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone “M-30” pills from Mexico and distributing them in northern California and elsewhere between May 2019 and January 2021. The group also distributed cocaine and methamphetamine.

Fourteen other co-defendants have pleaded guilty, and eight have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from 19 months to over 10 years. Rosario Zamora Rojo and Jose Aguilar Saucedo are scheduled to be sentenced in July 2025. Luis Lopez Zamora, Leonardo Flores Beltran, Erika Gabriela Zamora Rojo, and Sandro Escobedo are scheduled to be sentenced in August 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. 

Richard Clifton Turner, 62, of Placerville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 16 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, agents executed a federal search warrant at Turner’s residence in Placerville. During the authorized search, agents located over 40 pounds of methamphetamine. Agents also located six firearms, including one previously reported as stolen. Turner is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has five prior felony convictions, including a conviction for vehicle theft and drug trafficking offenses.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

This case was a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and 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.

Richard Charles Thomas Jr., 42, of Merced was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 15 years and eight months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2020, when a law enforcement officer attempted stop Thomas for a traffic violation, he accelerated and engaged in a high-speed chase through residential streets of Merced. During the chase, he reached speeds of 100 miles per hour, drove on the wrong side of the road, sped past stop signs, and tossed a bag out his car’s window.

Law enforcement officers eventually caught Thomas after he abandoned his still-moving car and fled on foot. They also recovered the bag, which contained several thousand dollars in cash and nearly 2 pounds of methamphetamine with 99% purity.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Merced Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.

Cedar Sky Montgomery, 45, of Calaveras County, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 30 months in prison for interstate communication of threats of violence, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, Montgomery used a cellphone and the internet to make threats to multiple victims. In one instance, he threatened to kill a victim and have the victim “watch members of your family hanging from trees while your famil[y’]s Houses Burn to ground … .” On another occasion, Montgomery sent text and multimedia messages that threatened to kill a second victim and that victim’s brother, specifically threatening to “kill as many members of your family as I can find!” Montgomery also told the second victim that he would cut the victim’s fingers and hands “off your physical body.” With a third victim, Montgomery sent threatening voicemail messages saying, “the bomb maker is going to kill everybody in your [expletive] family, I’m going to burn your property down, I’m going to slit your [expletive] throat and I’m going to kill everybody in your family.” 

Additionally, from late November 2023 through early January 2024, Montgomery used his cellphone to repeatedly call and send hundreds of unwanted text and multimedia messages to a fourth victim’s cellphone. Montgomery sent obscene cartoons and photos and told the victim he was trying to find the victim and threatening to kill the victim’s romantic partner. Montgomery similarly sent hundreds of unwanted messages to a victim, along with angry voicemails and images of a man’s throat being sliced by a sharp blade, combined with claims that Montgomery would find the victim and cut the victim into pieces.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Stockton, Los Angeles and the Washington Field Office, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

On June 26, 2025, Gonzalo Hernandez, 37, of Oakdale, was charged in an indictment with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following Hernandez’s arrest.

According to court documents, between Aug. 2, 2021, and Nov. 13, 2023, Hernandez produced images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, in March 2024, Hernandez persuaded a second minor to produce images of that minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oakdale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Hernandez faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison on each count, and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

Noah Lamb, 24, was charged with an eight-count indictment for conspiracy, three counts of soliciting the murder of federal officials, three counts of doxing federal officials, and one count of threatening communications in connection with his work on a hit list of “high value targets” for assassination.

“The defendant collaborated with members of the online Terrorgram Collective to create a list of targets for assassination,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. “Individuals on the list were targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity, including federal officials. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will 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.”

“Transnational criminal networks that promote extremist ideology and seek to commit targeted assassinations and cause terror obviously have no place in our society,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “These criminal charges reflect the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to using the full force of the law to disrupt and prosecute those who use hate-driven violence to threaten public safety and national security.”

“The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is committed to aggressively pursuing those who engage in hate-fueled conspiracies and terrorist threats,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will use every tool available to protect the civil rights of all Americans and ensure justice for those targeted by such heinous acts.”

“The FBI stands vigilant, protecting our homeland against individuals who seek to use violence to target the American people, our democracy, and the freedoms we stand for,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “These charges send a clear message of zero tolerance to anyone who advocates the use of violence to promote their ideology.”

According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, Lamb was a member of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that operates on the digital messaging platform Telegram, where it promotes racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism. Members of the Terrorgram Collective believe the white race is superior; that society is irreparably corrupt and cannot be saved by political action; and that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government and the rise of a white ethnostate.

The indictment alleges that Lamb conspired with other members of the Terrorgram Collective to create and disseminate a hit list of “high-value targets” for assassination that includes federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of private companies and non-governmental organizations, targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case. 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.

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

The Justice Department announced today that Noah Lamb, 24, was charged in the Eastern District of California in an eight-count indictment for conspiracy, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and other offenses in connection with his work on a hit list of “high value targets” for assassination.

“Transnational criminal networks that promote extremist ideology and seek to commit targeted assassinations and cause terror obviously have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “These criminal charges reflect the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to using the full force of the law to disrupt and prosecute those who use hate-driven violence to threaten public safety and national security.”

“The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is committed to aggressively pursuing those who engage in hate-fueled conspiracies and terrorist threats,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will use every tool available to protect the civil rights of all Americans and ensure justice for those targeted by such heinous acts.”

“The defendant collaborated with members of the online Terrorgram Collective to create a list of targets for assassination,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “Individuals on the list were targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity, including federal officials. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will 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.”

“The FBI stands vigilant, protecting our homeland against individuals who seek to use violence to target the American people, our democracy, and the freedoms we stand for,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “These charges send a clear message of zero tolerance to anyone who advocates the use of violence to promote their ideology.”

According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, Lamb was a member of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that operates on the digital messaging platform Telegram, where it promotes racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism. Members of the Terrorgram Collective believe the white race is superior; that society is irreparably corrupt and cannot be saved by political action; and that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government and the rise of a white ethnostate.

The indictment alleges that Lamb conspired with other members of the Terrorgram Collective to create and disseminate a hit list of “high-value targets” for assassination that includes U.S. federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of private companies and non-governmental organizations, targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

The indictment charges Lamb with a total of eight federal crimes, including one count of conspiracy, three counts of soliciting the murder of federal officials, three counts of doxing federal officials, and one count of threatening communications. If convicted, Lamb faces a maximum penalty of 85 years in prison.

The FBI Sacramento Field Office in investigating the case.

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.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

Elmer Yusay Ngo, 29, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 50 years of supervised release for child exploitation, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court records, Ngo utilized social media to sexually exploit female minors nationwide. This sexual exploitation included attempting to coerce, entice, and persuade the minors to produce child pornography of themselves at Ngo’s direction. Ngo persistently sought out minor females and engaged in similar patterns of behavior, which included befriending the minor on social media, obtaining at least one nude or partially nude image of the minor, using that image as leverage to demand the minors engage in video calls while nude, and ordering the minors to perform various sexual acts on themselves while on video. Ngo would keep his end of the video call blacked out so that the minors could not see his face.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Against Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from state and local police departments nationwide. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case.

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

Mark Sigl, 63, of Antelope, pleaded guilty today to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, in March 2024, Sigl communicated with an individual he believed to be the father of a 10-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover officer. Sigl communicated his desire to perform sex acts on the child and planned to meet the undercover officer and child at a designated site to do so. When Sigl came to the designated site, he was arrested by law enforcement officers. Several sex items were recovered from his vehicle parked outside.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and the Sacramento Valley High Tech Crimes Taskforce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zulkar Khan is prosecuting the case.

Sigl is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Oct. 7, 2025. Sigl faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

Isaias Aroldo Contreras, 26, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to five years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 5, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Contreras’s residence and seized 992 fentanyl-laced pills that were made to look like oxycodone “M-30” pills, a loaded Glock 9 mm pistol, $31,154 in cash, a money counter, and numerous items of custom diamond jewelry, including a Rolex watch with full-cut diamonds. On Contreras’s seized cellphone, law enforcement found messages from at least March 2020 through December 2022 between Contreras and drug suppliers and customers regarding the purchase and sale of counterfeit M-30 pills (in quantities ranging from hundreds of pills to thousands of pills) and cocaine in kilogram quantities.

Contreras was also ordered to forfeit to the government $31,154 in cash and numerous items of seized jewelry, valued at over $50,000, that was seized from his residence.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Sacramento Area Intelligence/Narcotics Task Force (SAINT). Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer 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.

Royce Newcomb, 62, of Fresno, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering charges in a long-running fraud scheme where he stole $4.2 million from investors, lenders, and the federal government, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

“Fraud schemes like this one are devastating to the victims, and prosecuting the perpetrators is one of our highest priorities,” Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith said. “Our office will continue to work closely with the FBI to root out fraudsters who steal from private victims and from the federal government.”

“Royce Newcomb’s greed and disregard for the law while on supervised release adds salt to his victims’ financial wounds and serves as a cautionary tale for would-be investors,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “He lured his victims into the scheme with slick marketing and false promises to ensure investors trusted him and would be unlikely to question his claims. The FBI encourages all investors to research individuals and companies prior to making a financial commitment. We also encourage anyone who feels they may have invested in a fraud scheme to report their concerns promptly.”

According to court documents, from 2017 through 2022, Newcomb owned Strategic Innovations, which was a technology startup company that purported to make smart home and business products meant to stop package theft, prevent weather damage to packages, and make it easier for emergency responders and delivery services to find homes and businesses. Newcomb developed prototypes of his products and received local and national media attention for them. For example, Time Magazine included his eLiT Address Box & Security System, which used mobile networks to pinpoint home and business locations, on its Best Inventions of 2021 list.

Newcomb made several false representations to his investors to deceive and cheat them out of their money. The false representations included that he had been awarded a grant by the National Science Foundation and that he would use the investors’ money to further develop and bring his products to market. That was not true. Instead, Newcomb used the money to pay for gambling, a Mercedes and Jaguar, and a mansion. He also used the money to pay for refunds to other investors who wanted out, and to pay for new, unrelated projects without the investors’ authorization.

During this period, Newcomb also received a fraudulent COVID-19 loan for more than $70,000 from the Small Business Administration and fraudulent loans for more than $190,000 from private lenders. He lied about Strategic Innovations having hundreds of thousands and even millions in revenue to get these loans.

Newcomb was previously convicted federally in 2011 for running a real estate fraud scheme in Sacramento. He was sentenced to more than five years in prison for that offense, and he was on federal supervised release for that offense when he committed the offenses charged in this case.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Jeffrey Spivak 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.

On June 26, 2025, upwards of 550 federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel executed 54 search warrants in the Fresno County city of Huron, and surrounding communities. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized firearms, ammunition, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. Eighty‑nine criminal street gang members and associates were arrested and charged with crimes in federal and state court.

The complaint, unsealed today, charges 38 members and associates of the Huron Dog Life, Coalinga Dog Life, and San Joaquin Ruthless Perro cliques of the Bulldog street gang with various drug and firearms trafficking offenses.

Announcing the results of Operation Shock Collar today are Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, FBI Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, and California Highway Patrol Captain (MAGEC Commander) Jon Staricka.

“Today’s announcement reflects our Office’s commitment to using every available resource in close coordination with our law enforcement partners to address the root causes of crime and hold gang members and their associates accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “Criminal street gangs inflict real harm on our communities by trafficking deadly drugs and firearms that destroy lives and neighborhoods. I commend the outstanding work of our agents and law enforcement partners in disrupting these criminal networks and safeguarding our communities.”

“The charges reflect the brazen violence and drug trafficking that have threatened the safety and stability of the greater Fresno area, particularly in rural communities like Huron and Coalinga,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Yesterday’s operation was the culmination of months of collaborative work to disrupt gang-driven violence and the flow of drugs and firearms into Central Valley neighborhoods. This case highlights the power of strong partnerships at every level of law enforcement, all united in the mission to dismantle violent gangs and protect the communities we serve.”

Fresno County Sheriff Zanoni said, “The collective work done by all law enforcement agencies in this operation will undoubtedly improve the safety and overall quality of life for residents in Fresno County, particularly those living in our smaller rural communities.”

“This operation is a powerful example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies at every level work together with a shared mission: to protect our communities from violent criminal street gangs,” said Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp. “We are determined to send a clear and unwavering message to even the most rural parts of our county—no matter where you are, gang violence and drug trafficking will not be tolerated. I commend the extraordinary efforts of all the agencies involved in this operation.”

According to the criminal complaint, in February 2024, investigators began an investigation into the Bulldog criminal street gang operating in Fresno County with a specific focus on the ongoing criminal activities of Bulldog cliques in Huron, Coalinga, and San Joaquin. The complaint alleges an extensive criminal conspiracy in which Bulldog members and associates — some of whom were inmates in California prisons and the Fresno County Jail — orchestrated various crimes, including drug and firearms trafficking. On several occasions, members of the drug trafficking conspiracy attempted to smuggle drugs hidden inside their bodies into jails or through holes they punctured in the walls. They used contraband phones to coordinate these smuggling attempts with other gang members and associates.

Narcotics packaged for smuggling within bodily cavities

Narcotics packaged for smuggling through holes in jail walls

Photo depicting hole in jail walls

Photo depicting hole in jail wall

This case is the product of an investigation led by the FBI, the Fresno County Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Police Departments of Fresno, Kingsburg, Coalinga, Kerman, Firebaugh, Lemoore, Parlier, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Veneman-Hughes, Luke Baty, and Antonio Pataca are 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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This operation is part of Summer Heat, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. As part of this effort, the FBI has launched a multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside state and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, we are aggressively restoring safety in our communities across the country.

The defendants charged in the criminal complaint unsealed today are:

Ignacio Sanchez, aka “Giddy,” 44, of Salinas Valley State Prison, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Ray Pinon, aka “Lil Ray,” 46, of Huron, is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Benny Gonzales, aka “Huero,” 51, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Ramona Felisciano, 45, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Jennifer Escobedo, 42, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Armando Alfaro, aka “Whisper,” 49, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Luis Amaro Aguilar, 31, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Carly Balboa, 24, of Hanford, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Timothy Chenot, aka “Lil Whisper,” 34, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Barbara Diaz, 55, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Susanna Garcia, 38, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Axel Guevara, aka “Action,” 18, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Carlos Guillen, aka “C-Dog,” 23, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

Gilberto Hernandez, 27, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Anthony Jeff, aka “Envy,” 46, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Victoria Lima, 44, of Clovis, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Angel Solorio Lopez, aka “Ronzo,” 18, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Ricardo Lopez, aka “R-Dog,” 27, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Damien Murphy, 30, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Bridgett Murphy, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Ricardo Nunez, 22, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Laura Plascencia, aka “LP,” 46, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Gracie Pulido, 38, of Lemoore, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Daniel Loubet Romero, aka “Topo,” 44, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Debbie Sanchez, 60, of Hanford, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Naul Sandoval, 23, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Angel Soto Rios, 42, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Rodrigo Ruvalcaba, aka “Regal,” 40, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Victor Tamayo, 47, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Louis Bonilla, 41, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Crystal Martinez, 38, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Hemir Alonso Fevela Velazquez, 32, of Huron, is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Herman Vierra Jr., 41, of Fresno, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Servando Ayala, 30, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license.

Jose Licea, aka “T-Bird,” 35, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license.

Alexander Vasquez, aka “A-Dog,” 21, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

Brian Fornes, 22, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

Jesus Quesada, aka “Rojo,” 50, of Hanford, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

If convicted, the defendants face a range of sentences from 10 years to life in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Ray Anthony Waller, 37, of Fresno, charging him with sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child sexual abuse images, and sending obscene material to a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, between mid-November 2024 and mid-February 2025, Waller communicated with a minor by sending text, voice, and iMessages designed to have the minor create and transmit to Waller images of the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Waller sent obscene images of himself to the victim and convinced the victim to reciprocate with images of the victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Waller is currently detained pending trial. A detention hearing to determine his federal custody status has been scheduled for June 30, 2025. Waller has also been charged in Fresno County Superior Court with crimes relating to this conduct.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically the Fresno Police Department, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of the sexual exploitation of a minor offense, Waller faces a prison term of between 15 and 30 years and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted for receipt of child sexual abuse images, he faces a prison term of between 5 and 20 years and fine up to $250,000. If convicted for transmitting obscene material to a minor, he faces a prison term of up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ammaad Akhtar, 33, of Stockton, was arrested today and charged by complaint with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, since February 2025, Akhtar has been communicating online with a law enforcement-controlled individual, whom Akhtar believed was a member of ISIS. In these conversations, Akhtar voiced his support for ISIS and jihad, expressed a desire to travel overseas to join and fight with ISIS, and stated a desire to send guns and money to ISIS.

In April 2025, during this investigation, Akhtar demonstrated a desire to provide support of ISIS and did so by providing financial funding on multiple occasions. After a few payments, the law enforcement-controlled individual indicated that ISIS had procured several guns with the money Akhtar had sent. In his response, Akhtar said, “may Allah destroy our enemies” and affirmed that he will send more money that same day.

Akhtar also talked about planning acts of violence, including conducting an attack against a specific individual and an attack utilizing homemade explosives. He said he “want[s] to die in the cause of Allah fighting the kuffar [infidels]” and asked for instructions on how to make a homemade explosive device in order “to make a boom” at a populated event.

Then, on June 23, 2025, Akhtar met with an individual he believed was an ISIS associate, but who was actually an undercover employee. Akhtar provided clothing, binoculars, $400 cash, two loaded guns, and six additional magazines. Akhtar then swore bayat (a pledge of loyalty) to ISIS.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Offices in New York and Sacramento and the New York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong and Trial Attorney Ryan D. White of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Akhtar 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.

Ammaad Akhtar, 33, of Stockton, was arrested today and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

According to court documents, since February 2025, Akhtar has been communicating online with a law enforcement-controlled individual, whom Akhtar believed was a member of ISIS. In these conversations, Akhtar voiced his support for ISIS and jihad, expressed a desire to travel overseas to join and fight with ISIS, and stated a desire to send guns and money to ISIS.

In April 2025, during this investigation, Akhtar demonstrated a desire to provide support for ISIS and did so by providing financial funding on multiple occasions. After a few payments, the law enforcement-controlled individual indicated that ISIS had procured several guns with the money Akhtar had sent. In his response, Akhtar said, “may Allah destroy our enemies” and affirmed that he would send more money that same day.

Akhtar also talked about planning acts of violence, including conducting an attack against a specific individual and an attack utilizing homemade explosives. He said he “want[s] to die in the cause of Allah fighting the kuffar [infidels]” and asked for instructions on how to make a homemade explosive device in order “to make a boom” at a populated event.

Then, on June 23, 2025, Akhtar met with an individual he believed was an ISIS associate, but who was actually an undercover employee. Akhtar provided clothing, binoculars, $400 cash, two loaded guns, and six additional magazines. Akhtar then swore bayat (a pledge of loyalty) to ISIS.

If convicted, Akhtar faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California, and Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division made the announcement.

The FBI’s Sacramento Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI’s New York Field Office and the New York City Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Ryan D. White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Sadie Bramlette, 28, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, between January 2023, and January 2025, Bramlette and her drug trafficking partner, Dejian Johl, 27, of Merced, posted drugs for sale on public forums hosted through social media platforms and on dark web marketplaces. These drugs included fentanyl, methamphetamine, Ecstasy, LSD, ketamine, heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, Adderall, Xanax, promethazine, Soma, and OxyContin. As part of their drug conspiracy, Johl would process customer orders and payments and then coordinate with Bramlette to fulfill the orders via the United States Postal Service.

As part of her guilty plea, Bramlette agreed to forfeit more than $100,000 in cash, jewelry, and luxury items purchased with drug money during the conspiracy. Over the course of the conspiracy, Johl made at least 1,350 transfers to Bramlette’s Cash App account, the majority of which were drug proceeds and/or money to facilitate their drug trafficking operation.

Bramlette is the second defendant to plead guilty to involvement in drug dealing over the dark web and social media sites. Bramlette’s co-conspirator, Johl, pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt is prosecuting the case.

Johl is set for sentencing before U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Sept. 22, 2025, while Bramlette will be sentenced on Sept. 29, 2025. Bramlette and Johl each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Jose Miguel Perez, 42, of Corona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to 11 years and three months in prison for possessing more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 1 kilogram heroin with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, Perez was pulled over by law enforcement officers while driving north on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. Deputies seized 56 kilograms of various narcotics in the car’s two hidden compartments. Seven kilograms of cocaine were hidden in the ceiling of the car, while an additional 37 kilograms of cocaine, 10 kilograms of heroin, and 2 kilograms of ketamine were seized from a hidden compartment in the car’s roof.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.

Lakota Tehya Wakley, 21, of Clovis, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to eight years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, between Nov. 18, 2024, and Dec. 9, 2024, Wakley conspired with others to distribute fentanyl. The investigation began after a 24-year-old Fresno man overdosed on fentanyl and died. Wakley referred fentanyl users, like the victim, to his co-defendant who would in turn sell fentanyl pills and send Wakley a cut of the profits. At sentencing, Judge Sherriff found that Wakley directly caused the victim’s death.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (FORT), a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Arin C. Heinz are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.

A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Stockton brothers Hector Perez, 34, and Flavio Perez, 29. Both are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, and Hector Perez is additionally charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Both were arrested on June 17, 2025.

According to court documents, between May 2018 and November 2020, the brothers conducted a wire fraud conspiracy against at least four different victims, which were invoice factoring companies.

Invoice factoring is a financial service that provides immediate cash flow to a business in exchange for the business’s outstanding invoices. The invoice factoring company, which has bought the outstanding invoices, then has the right to collect the money owed by the debtors on those invoices.

To execute the scheme, the brothers created corporate entities posing as businesses seeking to sell fabricated debt in the form of fraudulent invoices. The defendants then sold these fraudulent invoices to at least four different factoring companies. As a result of this deception, the victim factoring companies transferred money to bank accounts held under the control of one or both of the defendants. The victim factoring companies would either never get paid on the fake invoices that they had purchased or if they did, would get paid much less than they were due. If they were paid, the money generally came from the defendants, most often via bank accounts held in the names of fictitious Debtors. These payments were designed to disguise the fraud so that the defendants could avoid detection and continue the fraudulent enterprise. From May 2018 through September 2020, the overall loss to the victims totaled more than $1.8 million.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise N. Yasinow and Matthew Thuesen are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Hector Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the wire fraud and conspiracy counts, and a mandatory consecutive two-years in prison for the aggravated identity theft count. Flavio Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

A 17-count indictment was unsealed today charging Ayman Alaaraj, 48, of Sacramento, and Ahmad Nassar, 38, of Elk Grove, with operating a scheme to defraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

The indictment charges the defendants with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and also charges Nassar with access device fraud. In 2019, Nassar was convicted of unlawfully possessing 15 or more access devices, aggravated ID theft; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He served time in prison and was released on March 4, 2021. He is currently in custody after being arrested on Feb. 7, 2024, for allegedly violating the terms of his supervised release. Alaaraj was ordered to self-surrender on Wednesday morning.

According to court documents, in May 2023, Nassar took over multiple bank accounts belonging to two elderly victims at two separate banks. Nassar employed sophisticated techniques to take over the victims’ accounts such as porting over the phone number belonging to one victim. This allowed him to gain access to the accounts and defeat the banks’ dual-factor authentication protections.

Once Nassar established control over the victims’ bank accounts, he — occasionally assisted by Alaaraj — drained the accounts and ran up unpaid credit card debits that, in total, resulted in more than $794,000 in losses to the victims. The defendants funneled the stolen money through pass-through accounts Nassar created in the victims’ names. The defendants also funneled more than $100,000 through Alaaraj’s businesses, Balance Bookkeeping, Tax and Notary and Atheer Investments. They then ultimately disbursed the money to themselves using ATM cash withdrawals, personal checks, Western Union transactions, Zelle transactions, payments to credit cards, online gambling, and towards the purchase of a Mercedes.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice – Bureau of Gambling Control. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Nassar and Alaaraj face a maximum statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each count of bank fraud, and a mandatory term of two years in prison and a statutory maximum fine of up to $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or gross loss for the aggravated identity theft count. Nassar also faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of access device fraud. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Emilio Hernandez Yesca, 31, of Madera, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 21 years and 10 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, the charges arose out of a months-long investigation into a drug trafficking organization. At the center of the organization were Hernandez and co-defendant Jorge Perez, 28, of Madera. Between October 2020 and March 2021, the two conspired to distribute thousands of fentanyl pills and pounds of methamphetamine. As part of their plan, they sold 1,400 fentanyl pills in two separate drug deals in October and November 2020. Then, in February 2021, they sold a pound of methamphetamine. On March 2, law enforcement stopped the drug-dealing partners in a car on their way to deliver 5,000 fentanyl pills and 3 pounds of methamphetamine. They had a loaded firearm under the driver’s seat of the car.

Perez was sentenced to 11 years and 10 months in prison on Jan. 27, 2025.

This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Chowchilla Police Department, the Madera Police Department, and the Madera Narcotics Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio 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.

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.

William Carl Jackson, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison for robbing a postal carrier while armed with a dangerous weapon, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, Jackson robbed two postal carriers in Sacramento, one on July 11, 2024, and a second on July 31, 2024. During each robbery, he brandished a fake pistol at the victim and then ordered the victim to turn over his postal keys. After taking the victim’s keys, he then fled from the scene on a bicycle. He advertised for sale at least one of the stolen keys after the robbery.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong prosecuted the case.

The owners of approximately 80 rental units in and around Susanville have agreed to pay $1 million to resolve a civil lawsuit alleging that owner Joel Lynn Nolen sexually harassed female tenants and prospective tenants for more than a decade in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The settlement resolves claims against Joel Nolen, Shirlee Nolen, and Nolen Properties LLC.

The Department of Justice’s lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California in February 2023, alleged that Joel Nolen’s sexual harassment included unwelcome sexual acts and unwelcome touching, demanding sexual acts to terminate eviction proceedings or forgive missed payments, unwelcome sexual comments, soliciting explicit photographs, and adverse housing actions against tenants who rejected his sexual advances.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. “My office will continue to hold accountable any landlord who enables or engages in sexual harassment or retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act.”

Under the consent order, which must be approved by the court, defendants must pay $960,000 to 19 tenants and prospective tenants harmed by Joel Nolen’s harassment and a $40,000 civil penalty to the United States. The consent order permanently bars Joel and Shirlee Nolen from managing residential rental properties, requires Joel and Shirlee Nolen to hire an independent property manager, mandates training and policies to prevent future discrimination, and requires Joel and Shirlee Nolen to take steps to vacate discriminatory evictions and repair credit of tenants harmed by the harassment.

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

The department previously reached a $100,000 settlement with several defendants who co-owned rental property with Nolen.

If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emilia Morris and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorneys Arielle R. L. Reid and Alan A. Martinson handled the case for the United States.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Ralph Contreras Jr., 39, of Chowchilla, charging him with receipt and distribution of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, between September 2024, and January 2025, Contreras received and distributed at least one visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Contreras was a corrections sergeant with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at the time of the offenses.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.

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

This case 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.

Marcus Taslim, 70, of Folsom, was sentenced Monday to 15 months in prison for visa fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Taslim was also ordered to pay the victim $39,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, Taslim brought the victim to the United States from Indonesia in December 2018 to provide caregiving services for Taslim’s mother. He obtained a non‑immigrant visa for the victim through lies and false statements, falsely representing to a consular officer that the victim’s length of stay in the United States would only be one month, that she would be paid minimum and overtime wages under the laws of the State of California, that she would be paid bi-weekly and in full, and that he had paid the victim’s one-month salary in advance. Taslim knew these statements were not true. As soon as the consular officer received proof that Taslim had paid the victim’s advance salary, he ordered the victim to withdraw that money and return it to him, which she did.

According to court documents, the victim continued caring for the mother in the United States for about six months. She typically worked seven days a week, beginning work as early as 5 or 6 a.m. and ending at about 8 or 9 p.m. Taslim paid the victim far less than minimum wage, did not pay her bi-weekly and in full, and also confiscated her passport so she could not leave. The victim was only able to leave in June 2019, following intercession from the Folsom Police Department.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — John Robert Remlinger, 43, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty to today sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, in the summer of 2021, Remlinger contacted Minor Victim 1 over the internet using a smartphone application named Wink. Wink was advertised as a service for minors to meet and befriend other minors. Remlinger told Minor Victim 1 that he was 17 even though he was actually 39. Minor Victim 1 responded, accurately, that she was 13. They soon moved their conversations from Wink to another smartphone application, Snapchat.

Remlinger, using Snapchat, repeatedly demanded Minor Victim 1 provide sexually explicit videos and images, directing her how to pose. Minor Victim 1 complied and sent him videos and images of herself. Remlinger also recorded a live video call over Snapchat during which Minor Victim 1 posed in a sexually suggestive manner.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.

Remlinger is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 12, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins. Remlinger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison up to a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging Jessa Zayas, 34, of Santa Clarita, with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft for submitting millions of dollars in of fraudulent claims for hospice care to Medicare, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.

Hospice is a type of care and support for terminally ill patients. Medicare is a federal health insurance program that covers certain hospice expenses. Generally, a patient must be certified as being terminally ill to qualify for hospice care payments under Medicare.

According to court records, Zayas was the CEO and owner of Healing Hands Hospice and Humane Love Hospice, which are based in Van Nuys, while also working another full-time job.  Zayas caused Healing Hands and Humane Love to fraudulently bill Medicare for hospice care supposedly provided to over 100 people who were not in fact terminally ill. Zayas knew these individuals were not terminally ill as was represented to Medicare, and that they therefore were ineligible for the Medicare hospice payments. The total amount of fraudulent Medicare billings caused by Zayas from June 2023 through May 2025 was at least $2,500,000.

Zayas and others obtained personal Medicare information for the supposed hospice patients by going to retirement homes in Fresno and Kern Counties. To avoid detection, they made these visits after hours when most of the retirement residences’ managers were gone for the day. Zayas and others knocked on the patients’ doors and asked them for their information so that they could enroll them in hospice. Zayas then caused the Medicare claims to be submitted with false representations about terminal illness and submitted forged doctor’s certifications when Medicare asked for supporting documentation. The Medicare payments were deposited into banks accounts that Zayas controlled.

The FBI and HHS OIG arrested Zayas and executed a search warrant at her home last week.  Among other evidence, the FBI seized $77,000 in cash that Zayas had hidden in boxes underneath her bed.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and HHS OIG.  Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Barton and Brittany Gunter are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Zayas faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the health care fraud charge.  She also faces an additional mandatory two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge, consecutive to any other sentence.  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.  Zayas is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Ricardo Gutierrez, 28, of Red Bluff, pleaded guilty today to one count of sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, in April 2024, Gutierrez used four prepubescent children, including one toddler, to create two videos of the children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Gutierrez screen recorded himself and the child victims on video through Facebook Messenger.

Law enforcement was alerted of Gutierrez when a woman he met on the Tinder dating app contacted law enforcement. Gutierrez had sent the woman an unsolicited photograph that depicted a clothed minor female approximately 6-8 years old looking away from the camera accompanied by three face with hand over mouth iMessage emojis. Gutierrez then asked the woman, “You have little neighbors…Little girls neighbor…Pretty.” Gutierrez continued, “I need a girl…Young girl…You have neighbors?... You have nieces?” Gutierrez also sent the woman an unsolicited 17-second video that depicted an adult male engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a minor female approximately 5-8 years old.

Between November 2023 and July 2024, Gutierrez distributed several child sexual abuse images and videos to others through his Telegram and WhatsApp accounts, and iMessage. This included the distribution of a video that depicted an adult male engaged in sexually explicit conduct with an infant. Gutierrez also possessed more than 4,800 files depicting the sexual abuse of children on his phone. The files included images of children engaged in sexual acts with adults and other children.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.

Gutierrez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins on Sept. 12, 2025. Gutierrez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, 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.

Garrett Scott Wheelen, 33, of Fresno, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dena M. Coggins to 12 years and seven months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

“Garrett Wheelen brazenly attempted to throw packages containing tobacco and methamphetamine into the prison yard of Federal Correctional Institution, Mendota,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Federal prisons are tightly controlled, and the FBI works closely with its local, state, and federal partners to ensure anyone attempting to introduce contraband into a prison is held accountable for their actions.”

According to court documents, on May 1, 2024, Wheelen arrived at the Federal Correctional Institution Mendota wearing a facemask, baseball cap, and hoodie to conceal his identity. In broad daylight, Wheelen ran to the prison fence and tossed four packages into the prison’s recreation yard. He was quickly apprehended after attempting to flee. The packages contained more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine. Wheelen was on supervised release from a prior federal felony charge at the time.

Initially, Wheelen’s plan was to stuff the narcotics inside red squirrel pelts to avoid detection by prison staff. In text messages, he discussed purchasing the pelts and sewing up the narcotics inside. Wheelen, however, abandoned this plan and ultimately tossed the narcotics over the fence without any such effort to disguise their nature.

Wheelen was also sentenced to a term of 2 years in prison for his violation of supervised release terms, to run concurrently to his sentence for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mendota Police Department, and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Dhruv M. Sharma are prosecuting the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — On June 5, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Helan Noel Lopez-Sanchez, 32, a citizen of El Salvador, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 16, 2025, law enforcement officers received information that Lopez-Sanchez, a felon who had escaped from police custody, was located at a Motel 6 in Fresno after he logged into his Snapchat account. The Fresno Sheriff’s Office’s SWAT team was activated to serve an arrest warrant at the Motel 6.

According to court documents, SWAT operators sent a drone into the motel room, where they observed Lopez-Sanchez with a rifle pointing the rifle at the door. Law enforcement officers ultimately took Lopez-Sanchez into custody and located ammunition as well as a short-barreled, privately manufactured rifle.

Lopez-Sanchez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to felony convictions including bringing alcohol/drugs into a jail and grand theft.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Lopez-Sanchez 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).

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Justin Alexander Payne, 50, of Manteca, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. 

According to court documents, from December 2017 to September 2023, Payne worked as an IT Director for a family-owned, independent fuel supplier, distributor, and retailer company in Modesto. As part of his scheme, Payne used his company-issued credit card to make unauthorized purchases of gift cards from multiple retailers. To convert the gift cards to cash, Payne sold the gift cards to online businesses that specialize in purchasing unwanted gift cards for less than the value of the cards. The online businesses conducted no less than 3,700 transactions in gift card purchases from Payne, which included subsequent payouts to Payne.

Payne also used the company’s credit card to make unauthorized purchases of personal items, including, but not limited to, adult clothing, children’s clothing, golf and other sports equipment and home improvement products. In furtherance of the scheme, Payne concealed his unauthorized purchases from the family-owned company by altering receipts and falsifying expense reports to make it appear as if the purchases were for legitimate IT equipment for the company. During his employment, Payne embezzled more than $1.4 million dollars from the company.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Modesto Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.

Payne is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on October 16, 2025. Payne faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Philip Yen, M.D. has agreed to pay the United States $125,000 to resolve allegations that he failed to comply with federal statutory requirements related to his role as the Drug Enforcement Administration registrant at Sutter Imaging Capitol Pavilion, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.

Dr. Yen is a radiologist employed by Sutter Medical Group. From 2018 to 2024, he was the DEA registrant at Capitol Pavilion, which is located at 2725 Capitol Avenue, next to Sutter Medical Center, in Sacramento. As the registrant, Dr. Yen was required by the Controlled Substances Act to keep detailed records related to Capitol Pavilion’s receipt and dispensing of controlled substances, to ensure that controlled substances including opioids and other addictive and dangerous drugs were maintained, recorded, and documented properly in order to prevent their diversion.

An inspection conducted in 2022 of controlled substance records at Capitol Pavilion identified multiple recordkeeping violations at the facility. Other evidence developed that Dr. Yen was not adequately trained regarding the role and responsibilities of a DEA registrant, and that Sutter staff was aware of the risk of diversion of controlled substances from Capitol Pavilion.

In addition to paying civil monetary penalties, Dr. Yen has agreed to complete comprehensive training on his obligations under the CSA as a registrant, including recordkeeping requirements and effective controls against theft and diversion.

“Healthcare facilities and their employees are entrusted to handle dangerous drugs with care,” said Acting US Attorney Beckwith. “Compliance with the CSA and its recordkeeping requirements is critical to preventing diversion and protecting the public.”

“Controlled substance recordkeeping requirements are an essential line of defense against prescription drug diversion. Every dose must be accounted for to prevent misuse and save lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris. “The DEA will continue to pursue healthcare providers who are not in compliance with mandatory regulations.”

The investigation was conducted by the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emilia P. E. Morris handled the case for the United States.

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

The settlement agreement can be found here: 

James Mecham, 57, of Orem, Utah; Kurt Stocks, 49, of El Dorado Hills; and Heidi Edwards, 58, of El Dorado Hills; pleaded guilty today to operating an illegal gambling business, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, Mecham, Stocks, and Edwards managed a series of businesses, collectively known as SweepsCoach, that engaged in and facilitated illegal gambling at locations throughout the United States, including in California and Arizona. SweepsCoach was based in El Dorado Hills.

Mecham, Stocks, and Edwards marketed the SweepsCoach gaming operation and entered into agreements with internet cafés for access to the SweepsCoach portal throughout the Eastern District of California and Arizona. The defendants helped the cafés set up gaming terminals in California and Arizona and provided technical service. Players used credits to play slot machine-style games on a video screen and could potentially win additional credits, which could be exchanged for money at the internet café. Internet gambling of this form is illegal under California and Arizona laws.

SweepsCoach clients would directly deposit the cash owed from the illegal gaming into bank accounts controlled by the defendants. Undercover law enforcement operations at several internet cafés in California and Arizona confirmed the use and conduct of SweepsCoach games.

Between Jan. 1, 2012, and Nov. 7, 2017, approximately $14 million in gaming proceeds was deposited into accounts controlled by Mecham, Stocks, and Edwards. The gross gaming receipts from California and Arizona totaled approximately $11 million.

This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control, and the California Franchise Tax Board. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heiko Coppola is prosecuting the case.

Mecham, Stocks, and Edwards are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Oct. 21, 2025. Each defendant 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.

Holly Adams, 35, of Palm Desert, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 12 years in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and to launder the resulting proceeds, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, Adams and her co-conspirator Devlin Hosner generated hundreds of thousands of dollars selling counterfeit oxycodone pills pressed with fentanyl on the dark web. Adams and Hosner laundered the proceeds using cryptocurrency mixers, wallets, and other online tools. In September 2021, state law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at an address where Adams and Hosner were residing. After officers announced their presence, Hosner attempted to impede their entry while Adams destroyed pills by pouring them into a chemical solution. Adams and Hosner were arrested and subsequently released by state authorities and resumed selling fentanyl on the dark web a few months later while they were unknowingly under investigation by federal law enforcement agents.

In March 2022, federal law enforcement executed a search warrant at a hotel room in Riverside County where Adams and Hosner were temporarily residing. Officers seized nearly a kilogram of fentanyl-pressed oxycodone pills and 60 grams of methamphetamine from this hotel room.

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

Hosner faces the same charges as Adams and remains detained pending trial. His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 19, 2025, before Judge Mendez.

Michael Ray Acosta, 48, an inmate at Pleasant Valley State Prison, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana inside of the prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, from May 23 to Aug. 27, 2021, Acosta used a contraband cellphone to coordinate multiple drone deliveries of contraband into Pleasant Valley State Prison. Acosta’s co-conspirators Joshua Gonzalez, Jose Oropeza, Rosendo Ramirez, and David Ramirez Jr. flew drones over the prisons and dropped packages into the prisons. Acosta and his associates would then recover the contraband for further distribution throughout the prison population. The packages that Acosta helped to smuggle into the prisons included methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, cellphones, cellphone accessories, and various other items. Acosta was one of five people charged federally as a result of Operation Night Drop, a multi-agency investigation that sought to prevent a rising number of drone incursions over prison facilities.

Jose Oropeza is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025, and David Ramirez is scheduled to plead guilty on the same day. Joshua Gonzalez and Rosendo Ramirez are next scheduled to appear in court on June 11, 2025.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Federal Aviation Administration, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca 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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

FRESNO, Calif. — Andrew Adler, 31, of Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years and five months in prison for defrauding investors in loans made to the failed Fresno-based startup Bitwise Industries, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Adler was ordered to pay $9.3 million in restitution jointly and severally with the Bitwise defendants and to forfeit another $1 million.

“The collapse of Bitwise Industries exposed Andrew Adler’s lies to investors in securing a multi-million-dollar loan, which he used to secretly line his pockets.” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “This investigation clearly demonstrates the FBI’s tenacity and is a testament of the great work performed by FBI agents and personnel in our Fresno Resident Agency.”

According to court records, from December 2022 through May 2023, Adler and his business partner, David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, gave Bitwise approximately $20 million in hard money loans. They did not fund the loans themselves or otherwise put their own money at risk. Instead, they syndicated the loans to other investors. In doing so, they altered the original loan documents to make it appear that Bitwise was paying a significantly lower interest rate for the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of one of Bitwise’s Co-CEOs, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and more appealing to the investors. Several of the investors later told the FBI that they would not have invested in the loans had they known the actual interest rates that Bitwise was paying because that would have been a red flag that something was wrong with Bitwise.

One of the loans included a secure interest reserve of approximately $714,000 that the investors did not know about and that Adler and Hardcastle used to make an unrelated, personal investment in another company that they controlled. Generally speaking, secure interest reserves are disclosed to loan investors ahead of time and are supposed to help protect the investors in the event that the borrower does not make its payments on schedule. Secure interest reserves are not supposed to be used for the personal benefit of the loan originators like Adler and Hardcastle.

Adler and Hardcastle also made tens of thousands of dollars in fees for originating the loans. They stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Unfortunately, however, Bitwise turned out to be a Ponzi-like fraud scheme and collapsed before that could happen. As a result, the participants lost nearly all their money. Adler told the court in his filings that he was motived to commit the fraud by pure greed and nothing else.

Hardcastle has been indicted for his role in the fraud and is currently pending trial. He is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Bitwise’s CEOs, Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr., were previously sentenced to 11 years and nine years in prison, respectively, for the carrying out the Bitwise Ponzi scheme that caused a loss of over $115 million in that case.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the case.

Andrew Adler, 31, of Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years and five months in prison for defrauding investors in loans made to the failed Fresno-based startup Bitwise Industries, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Adler was ordered to pay $9.3 million in restitution jointly and severally with the Bitwise defendants and to forfeit another $1 million.

“The collapse of Bitwise Industries exposed Andrew Adler’s lies to investors in securing a multi-million-dollar loan, which he used to secretly line his pockets.” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “This investigation clearly demonstrates the FBI’s tenacity and is a testament of the great work performed by FBI agents and personnel in our Fresno Resident Agency.”

According to court records, from December 2022 through May 2023, Adler and his business partner, David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, gave Bitwise approximately $20 million in hard money loans. They did not fund the loans themselves or otherwise put their own money at risk. Instead, they syndicated the loans to other investors. In doing so, they altered the original loan documents to make it appear that Bitwise was paying a significantly lower interest rate for the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of one of Bitwise’s Co-CEOs, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and more appealing to the investors. Several of the investors later told the FBI that they would not have invested in the loans had they known the actual interest rates that Bitwise was paying because that would have been a red flag that something was wrong with Bitwise.

One of the loans included a secure interest reserve of approximately $714,000 that the investors did not know about and that Adler and Hardcastle used to make an unrelated, personal investment in another company that they controlled. Generally speaking, secure interest reserves are disclosed to loan investors ahead of time and are supposed to help protect the investors in the event that the borrower does not make its payments on schedule. Secure interest reserves are not supposed to be used for the personal benefit of the loan originators like Adler and Hardcastle.

Adler and Hardcastle also made tens of thousands of dollars in fees for originating the loans. They stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Unfortunately, however, Bitwise turned out to be a Ponzi-like fraud scheme and collapsed before that could happen. As a result, the participants lost nearly all their money. Adler told the court in his filings that he was motived to commit the fraud by pure greed and nothing else.

Hardcastle has been indicted for his role in the fraud and is currently pending trial. He is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Bitwise’s CEOs, Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr., were previously sentenced to 11 years and nine years in prison, respectively, for the carrying out the Bitwise Ponzi scheme that caused a loss of over $115 million in that case.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the case.

Juan Carlos Ruiz Jr., aka “Goer”, 26, of Coalinga, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and firearms trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, Ruiz distributed more than 4 kilograms of methamphetamine and sold 19 firearms over several occasions. Ruiz is also a felon and documented Bulldog gang member.

Ruiz joins several other co-defendants that have now been sentenced to prison.

• On March 31, 2025, Javier Alfonso Lopez Lopez was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
• On Jan. 6, 2025, Sostenes Quintero Lopez was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine.
• On June 24, 2024, Angel Sanchez was sentenced to 14 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and firearms trafficking with Ruiz, who is his cousin.
• On Sept. 25, 2023, Alma Sanchez was sentenced to over 16 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine to Ruiz, who is her son.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Coalinga Police Department, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (HIDTA), and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.

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

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.

Kenneth Gould, 69, formerly of Clovis, was sentenced to one year in prison for stealing more than $800,000 from a bank, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.

According to court records, Gould was a CPA and operated a payroll services company in Clovis. From October 2017 through March 2018, he initiated several fraudulent electronic payments from one of his clients’ accounts to his payroll company’s account at the bank. While the payments were pending, the bank credited significant portions of the funds to Gould’s account. Gould then quickly withdrew those funds in cashier’s checks. The bank later realized that there were insufficient funds to cover the payments, denied the payments, and attempted to recover its money. But it was too late. Approximately $830,000 of the credited funds was already gone.

Gould gave the stolen money to the client from whose account he initiated the fraudulent payments because he had loaned that individual money and was hopeful that the individual would one day pay him back. The client then gambled the money away.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff sentenced Delonte Williams, 37, of Washington, D.C., Tuesday to 33 months in prison today for assault with a deadly weapon in the U.S. Penitentiary at Atwater, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, on April 28, 2024, Williams chased another inmate around a cell block while holding a knife-like, jail-made weapon. Williams, along with another inmate, used his jail-made knife to stab the victim, which wounded him and required him to seek medical attention.

Williams’ co-defendant, Jarvell Kent, is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Sherriff on June 23, 2025.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Gurjeet Bath, 37, of Fresno, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of theft of government property, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, Bath and other family members operated two trucking businesses: G.S. Bath Inc. and Complete Transportation Solutions (CTS), operating in Fresno County. In 2020 and 2021, Bath applied for and received three PPP loans totaling over $1 million. To obtain the loans, Bath knowingly falsified records to inflate his businesses’ employees and their wages. Bath then used approximately $600,000 of those funds to purchase two parcels of agricultural land in Fresno County.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.

Bath is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Oct. 6, 2025. Bath 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.

A California man pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and distribution and receipt of child pornography.

According to court documents, Monico Erich Gastelo, 43, of Fresno, sexually exploited children using different methods. For example, in January 2019, Gastelo created a social media account where he claimed to be an 18-year-old boy. Gastelo then used the account to converse with at least one minor and request sexually explicit content from them.

“Today’s plea should serve as a reminder of the Justice Department’s commitment to securing justice for victims of online child sexual exploitation,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “I am grateful for the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who continue to work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute those who harm children.”

“Not only did this defendant revictimize abused children depicted in the images, but attempted to victimize actual children within his orbit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of child sexual predators.”

“Today's guilty plea represents our agents’ and analysts’ continued focus on targeting predators who exploit children online,” said Special Agent in Charge Tatum King of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco. “Through collaboration with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno Police Department and the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, we will make every effort to identify, locate, and arrest these criminals to help prevent the harm that they cause to our children. We appreciate the prosecutorial work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in furtherance of this investigation.”

Between Jan. 1, 2020, and March 23, 2020, Gastelo communicated with other individuals who were sexually attracted to children on Wickr, Snapchat, and Telegram. He sent and received multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on these platforms. Forensic review of Gastelo’s phones showed that he had over 1,500 images and videos of suspected CSAM.

Gastelo’s conduct escalated in May of 2020. A minor victim reported to law enforcement that he had been sexually exploited online and that an individual, who was later identified to be Gastelo, had added him on Snapchat. Gastelo sent over a dozen images of his penis to the minor victim and insisted that the minor victim send back CSAM of himself.

Gastelo pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8, 2025 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison up to 30 years in prison on the sexual exploitation count and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison up to 20 years in prison on the distribution and receipt count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Fresno County Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case.

Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California are 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Henry Joseph Garcia, 49, of Fresno, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, on May 13, 2025, Garcia possessed more than 400 grams of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl with the intent to distribute it to another person. Garcia also possessed two loaded firearms, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Garcia faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 41-count indictment against Warren Soto Delfin, 54, of Fairfield, charging him with failure to pay more than $2 million in trust fund taxes to the IRS, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, between January 2018 and December 2022, Delfin owned and operated five home health care businesses that accumulated more than $2 million in employment taxes. The employment tax liabilities stem from amounts Delfin withheld from his employee’s paychecks. Instead of paying the employee withholdings to the IRS as required under the law, Delfin retained them and made purchases of luxury items including a Lamborghini, jewelry, and real estate.

This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Delfin faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charged 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.

The United States has obtained a default judgment against Bakersfield residents Juvenal Salazar and Javier Salazar Sr. and Van Nuys resident Ricardo Covarrubias, a maintenance worker, manager, and owner, respectively, of rental properties in Bakersfield, in a case brought by the United States alleging sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

The lawsuit alleged that from December 2018 through March 2019, Juvenal Salazar sexually harassed a female tenant by repeatedly asking her to engage in sexual acts with him, describing the sexual acts he wished to engage in with her, and persistently commenting on her appearance. According to the complaint, on two occasions, Juvenal Salazar touched the tenant’s body without her consent, and he surreptitiously took photographs of framed pictures of her and her daughter. The tenant reported the man’s conduct to Salazar Sr., who is both the property manager and Juvenal Salazar’s father. After the tenant reported the harassment and threatened to contact a lawyer or the police if it continued, the Salazars refused to fix a leaking gas line in her dwelling, causing her to go without heat for one month and consequently forcing her to move out. The complaint also alleged that Covarrubias, the property owner, was liable for the Salazars’ conduct because they were his agents when they engaged in sexual harassment and retaliation.

After the defendants failed to respond to the complaint or oppose the motion for default judgment, U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston entered judgment for the United States and ordered the Salazars and Covarrubias to pay the tenant $45,000 in damages, to attend a training on the requirements of the Fair Housing Act, and to adopt a written policy against sexual harassment. The order also prohibits Juvenal Salazar from working in property management or maintenance for a period of 10 years.

“For four months, this tenant refused the repeated sexual advances by the maintenance worker at her home, and when she reported the sexual harassment, she faced retaliation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “The wrongful actions of the Salazars and Covarrubias caused her significant harm and distress. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to use its available resources to investigate landlords who enable or engage in sexual harassment or retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act.”

If you believe you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord, or if you have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at [email protected], or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.

You may also make a report by contacting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online.

The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers, and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 47 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $17 million for victims of such harassment.

This case was a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and the Civil Rights Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Fuentes handled this case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) has agreed to pay $204,284.42 to resolve the United States’ claim for damages resulting from a 2021 wildfire that burned about 29 acres, including National Forest System lands on the Eldorado National Forest, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.

The wildfire, known as the “Cold Fire,” ignited on Jan. 19, 2021, on SPI land in El Dorado County. U.S. Forest Service fire investigators determined that the fire originated from one of SPI’s timber slash piles that escaped containment during a wind event.

“Our office will continue to hold individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “Every fire impacting federal lands, no matter the size, is a priority.”

“These settlements are essential in restoring our landscapes after wildfires,” said U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Acting Regional Forester Jason Kuiken.

The investigation was conducted with the U.S. Forest Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Amin handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Gabriel Erasmo Cabrera, 22, of Sacramento, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, Cabrera was originally indicted on Feb. 6, 2025, for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The second indictment now charges that on March 28, 2025, Cabrera was in possession of fentanyl, a semiautomatic Sig Sauer handgun, and .45‑caliber ammunition. Cabrera is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to multiple felony convictions for sale of a controlled substance, infliction of corporal injury on a spouse, and willfully discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Harman and Justin Lee are prosecuting the case.

If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, Cabrera faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $$250,000 fine for each count. If convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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.

Paul Hughes, 42, of Colfax, was sentenced today to 24 years and four months in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, between September 2018 and June 2019, on three separate occasions Hughes created visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Hughes used a cellphone to surreptitiously record at least three videos containing child sexual abuse material and saved them on an external hard drive. In addition to these videos, agents recovered more than 3,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material on Hughes’s external hard drive and Google account.

Further, agents located on Hughes’ devices hundreds of videos and photographs that were taken by Hughes of females between the ages of five to 55 in various public venues in Colfax. In each image, Hughes was attempting to obtain images of the female’s private parts by angling the camera in an upwards direction towards her groin.

“This defendant preyed on the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society—children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “Keeping children safe from sexual exploitation is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to investigate the perpetrators of these heinous crimes and bring them to justice.”

“Paul Hughes exploited children, forever damaging the memories of their childhood,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI has no tolerance for any adult who preys upon the innocence of children and anyone who exploits a child faces severe consequences for their actions.”

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow 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 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.

Edward Williams, 49, of Auburn, a former Special Agent with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), pleaded guilty today to theft of government property, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, Williams was a USFS Special Agent in the Grass Valley field office. On Oct. 25, 2021, Williams accessed the USFS Truckee Ranger District office and stole at least 21 pieces of equipment. These items were DRMO, which stands for Defense Reutilization Marketing Office, and refers to retired military-grade equipment from the U.S. Department of Defense. The DRMO equipment that Williams took belonged to the USFS and was not meant for Williams’ personal use, to be given to others, or to be sold for profit.

On May 19, 2022, law enforcement interviewed Williams. He confessed to the Oct. 25, 2021, theft. Later that day, Williams’ home was searched pursuant to a federal warrant and agents seized dozens of pieces of equipment that originated from the USFS, both from the October theft as well as at other times. Law enforcement later recovered additional pieces of night vision equipment that Williams had stolen from the USFS and had given to two of his friends. As part of his plea agreement, Williams agreed to return these items back to the USFS. The total value of these items is approximately $206,371.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and USFS Office of Professional Responsibility, with assistance by USFS and Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.

Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta. Williams faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — On May 19, 2025, a federal judge sentenced three members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang who were convicted at trial of a racketeering (RICO) conspiracy that included multiple murders, drug trafficking, fraud, and robbery.

Francis Clement, 58, was found guilty by a jury in February 2025 of RICO conspiracy and five separate counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Allan Roshanski, Ruslan Magomedgadzhiev, Michael Brizendine, James Yagle, and Ronnie Ennis. Each of these murders was committed while Clement was in state prison. Clement was sentenced to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

The jury also found Kenneth Johnson, 63, guilty of RICO conspiracy and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Roshanski and Magomedgadzhiev. Johnson was also sentenced to life in prison.

A third defendant, John Stinson, 70, was found guilty of one count of RICO conspiracy. Stinson, who was already serving a lengthy prison sentence in the California state prison system, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in federal custody.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2016 and 2023, Aryan Brotherhood members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, including murder, conspiracy to murder, fraud, robbery, and drug trafficking crimes. Johnson and Clement, who both held leadership roles in the gang, directed crimes committed by Aryan Brotherhood members both inside and outside of prison using cellphones that had been smuggled into prison. Because of his rank in the gang, Clement received a cut from the illegal drug sales and fraud schemes the Aryan Brotherhood committed. According to trial testimony, the Aryan Brotherhood regularly smuggled drugs, including methamphetamine, into prisons throughout the California prison system, which defendants and other gang members then sold to inmates.

In October 2020, Johnson and Clement together ordered the murder of Roshanski, during the execution of which Magomedgadzhiev was also killed. Johnson and Clement also ordered the murder of Brandon Lowery, who was subsequently killed. It was further proven at trial that in February 2022, Clement ordered the murder of Michael Brizendine. The following month, in March 2022, Clement ordered the murders of Ronald Ennis and James Yagle. For each murder, the killings were ordered because defendants believed the victims either violated gang rules or owed the gang money.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Stinson was a high-ranking leader of the Aryan Brotherhood and had substantial authority over the enterprise, including sponsoring multiple individuals for membership, resolving disputes among members, and approving the murder of current and former members. During the investigation, Stinson used a contraband cellphone within his prison cell to conduct business on behalf of the Aryan Brotherhood. The jury heard some of these communications from Stinson through court-authorized wiretapped conversations. Evidence was presented that Stinson also engaged in drug trafficking, and that, given his position within the gang, he received a cut of illegal drug sales that took place in prison and out on the street.

“The convicted defendants led a notorious prison gang that committed ruthless murders, widespread methamphetamine trafficking, and perpetuated a culture of mayhem, fear, and disorder within the prison system that bled into the outside world,” said Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Organized crime within the prison system, enabled by the use of contraband cellphones, endangers American neighborhoods by flooding streets with dangerous drugs. The Criminal Division will continue to pursue crime syndicates, like the Aryan Brotherhood and their facilitators, to ensure they go to prison and the harm they inflict on society ends once incarcerated.”

“Today’s sentences are yet another blow to the leadership of a violent criminal enterprise run from inside California prisons and spanning multiple counties and states,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “The Aryan Brotherhood has maintained its deadly influence over members, associates and others both inside and outside prison. We are committed to doing everything we can to stop these violent inmates from orchestrating their criminal activities from inside prison walls.”

“These sentences send a clear message: the walls of a prison do not shield violent gang leaders from justice,” said Acting Director Daniel Driscoll of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The Aryan Brotherhood’s leadership operated a brutal criminal enterprise from behind bars — ordering murders, trafficking drugs, and fueling violence in our communities. ATF remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent gangs wherever they operate and hold their leaders accountable, no matter where they try to hide.”

The indictment in this case charged 11 defendants with RICO conspiracy and other crimes. There are five defendants awaiting trial and the three defendants have pleaded guilty.

This case was the product of an extensive investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Office of Correctional Safety (CDCR), the U.S. Marshals Service, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Pomona Police Department, the Torrance Police Department, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Stokman and James Conolly of the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Jared Engelking of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are 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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.