Eastern District of California

FRESNO, Calif. — Deena Vang Lee, 41, of Fresno, was sentenced today to four years and six months in prison and ordered to pay $191,597 in restitution following her convictions for preparing and filing false tax returns for other individuals, underreporting her own taxable income on her personal tax returns, and committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

On Jan. 26, 2023, after a three-day trial, a jury found Lee guilty of 13 felony counts, including three counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, five counts of preparing and presenting false and fraudulent returns, and three counts of making and subscribing a false and fraudulent tax return.

According to evidence presented at trial, from 2012 through 2016, Lee, in her role as a tax preparer, put materially false information on customers’ tax returns without their knowledge or consent and submitted the returns to the IRS. As part of the scheme, Lee obtained the identification of multiple individuals and falsely listed these individuals as child care providers on multiple customers’ tax returns without their knowledge or consent.

Lee also underreported her own income related to the payments she received for tax preparation services on her personal tax returns for tax years 2013, 2014, and 2015.

“This defendant was familiar with the tax laws and purposefully defrauded the United States, and even after overwhelming evidence was presented to the jury, she continued to deny her conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The repeated fraud, substantial loss, and need for deterrence justify today’s prison sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to use all lawful means to identify and prosecute unscrupulous tax preparers like this defendant.”

“IRS Criminal Investigation is sworn to protect the tax system, and that includes uprooting unscrupulous tax return preparers and bad actors from within the agency,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge with IRS Criminal Investigation’s Oakland Field Office. “The sentence handed down today shows the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct and we will remain vigilant in identifying and investigating those who seek to defraud honest and hardworking American taxpayers.”

“Taxpayers put trust in tax preparers to prepare their tax returns in accordance with the law.  It is unacceptable for tax preparers to break this confidence by submitting fraudulent returns in their clients’ names,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is committed to bringing to justice tax preparers who betray their clients’ trust for their personal gain.”

This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS-CI and TIGTA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Dempsey and Henry Carbajal prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Rodger Githens, 45, of West Sacramento, charging him with receipt and distribution of images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in late March 2023, Githens, using the profile “Tall laid back,” initiated contact with an account on the Grindr app controlled by an undercover FBI agent. Githens encouraged the undercover FBI agent to establish an account with the Telegram app, since it was considered more secure. Githens several times discussed traveling to Fresno to meet the agent and a supposed 7-year-old niece for sexual purposes, but law enforcement served a search warrant at Githens’s residence on April 19, 2023, and seized multiple electronic devices. Agents discovered numerous Telegram chats on Githens’s phone, including several in which he was exchanging and commenting on videos of young children being sexually abused.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the West Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Githens faces five to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, a lifetime of supervised release, and forfeiture of any property used to facilitate commission of the offense. 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. — Again this year, communities across the United States will come together during National Police Week to honor and remember those law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as the family members, friends and fellow officers they left behind.

This year, the names of 556 officers killed in the line of duty are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These 556 officers include 224 officers who were killed during 2022, plus 332 officers who died in previous years, but whose stories of sacrifice had been lost to history until now.

The fallen officers honored this year include Officer Tyler Lenehan of the Elk Grove Police Department and Officer Gonzalo Carrasco Jr. of the Selma Police Department. On Jan. 21, 2022, Officer Lenehan, while riding his department-issued motorcycle, was struck and killed by a wrong-way driver on Highway 99 near 47th Avenue in Sacramento. On Jan. 31, 2023, Officer Carrasco was shot and killed in the line of duty when he was flagged down by a homeowner regarding a suspicious man on her property. As Carrasco approached, the 23-year-old man immediately fired several shots, striking and killing Officer Carrasco.

“This is a time for all of us as Americans to honor and pay tribute to our law enforcement heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty protecting our communities and our country. We keep the families, friends and fellow officers of these heroes in our hearts and minds,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “We will never forget their sacrifice.”

May 7 Candlelight Vigil, May 8 Enrollment Ceremony in Sacramento

All fallen California law enforcement officers will be remembered during the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremonies. A Candlelight Vigil will be held on Sunday, May 7 at 8:30 p.m., and the Enrollment Ceremony will take place on the next morning at 10:30 a.m. U.S. Attorney Talbert and many law enforcement officers from around the state will be in attendance during the Enrollment Ceremony on Monday. Both events will be held at the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Monument at 10th Street and Capitol Mall in Sacramento. Individual agencies will also be conducting their own ceremonies during this time period to remember their fallen heroes.

May 11 CHP Unveiling Ceremony in Fresno

U.S. Attorney Talbert will also attend the unveiling ceremony of the Central Division Officer Down Memorial in Fresno on May 11 at 11:00 a.m. This event is hosted by the California Highway Patrol.

In addition to Officers Lenehan and Carrasco, nine California peace officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in 2022 will be honored and enrolled during this year’s ceremony. For more information on the California memorial events go to www.camemorial.org.

May 13 Candlelight Vigil in Washington, DC with live webcast

The names of fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 35th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2023. So that people across the country can experience this unique and powerful ceremony, the vigil will be webcast live over the internet beginning at 5:00 p.m. (PDT).

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Daniel Higgins, 38, of Morro Bay, and Austin Noblitt, 33, of Portland, Oregon, charging each with two counts of assault on a federal officer, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Nov. 21, 2022, Higgins and Noblitt assaulted two Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officers at U.S. Penitentiary (USP) Atwater in Merced County. Higgins and Noblitt punched the officers repeatedly on their heads and torsos, causing bodily injuries to both officers.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chan Hee Chu and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak are prosecuting the case..

If convicted, Higgins and Noblitt face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Jesus Cota Verdugo, 21, of Mexico, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on April 11, 2023, Verdugo crashed his vehicle into another vehicle in Chowchilla and then fled from the scene. Law enforcement officers recovered his vehicle on the side of the road with the keys in the ignition and running. Inside the vehicle, officers recovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, an FN Scar rifle, an Aero Precision AR rifle, an Anderson rifle, an HK AR pistol, and a Springfield XD-9 pistol.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Chowchilla Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Verdugo faces a maximum statutory penalty of a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Mahoney, 30, of Fairfield, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for possessing a firearm with an obliterated or altered serial number and possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Dec. 8, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Mahoney’s home as part of an investigation into a brutal beating at the clubhouse for the Vallejo chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. In October 2021, two different victims—both of whom were members of a different motorcycle club that is considered a “puppet” (or subordinate) club of the Hells Angels—were beaten by Mahoney and other club members based on perceived infractions of the Hells Angels’ rules.

During the December 2021 search of Mahoney’s Fairfield home, law enforcement found several firearms, including a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver with a serial number that had been scratched off, as well as a Sears & Roebuck 12-gauge shotgun with a barrel that had been sawn off to approximately 12.75 inches in length. Mahoney had not registered his ownership of this short-barreled shotgun with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by federal law.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Vacaville Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the Fairfield Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron D. Pennekamp and Jason Hitt prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tyler Rigsbee, 33, of Cameron Park, was sentenced today to two years in prison and ordered to pay $158,960 in restitution for committing aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, from 2016 to 2021, Rigsbee worked as a FINRA-registered financial advisor at a major bank in Sacramento. During his employment, Rigsbee targeted elderly bank customers and stole $158,960 from these victims’ accounts.

Rigsbee stole $113,160 from one elderly victim’s account by using the name and identity of the account beneficiary to fraudulently transfer the funds into another account that Rigsbee had set up and controlled in the beneficiary’s name. Rigsbee next stole $45,800 from the account of a second elderly victim by transferring funds in incremental amounts into a separate account that Rigsbee had set up and controlled in the victim’s name. Rigsbee then pocketed the money by transferring these funds into his own personal bank account.

Toward the end of his scheme, Rigsbee attempted to conceal his theft by stealing $16,700 from a third elderly customer’s account and attempting to funnel that money into the second victim’s account to partially replace what he previously stole. However, this transaction was flagged, and the funds were reverted.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Xochil Aguilera, 39, of Porterville, pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Aguilera is the eighth defendant in this case to plead guilty. According to court documents, Aguilera served as a courier of drugs and money for the drug trafficking operation. On July 14, 2020, she delivered 800 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl; on Sept. 23, 2020, she received $2,000 from co-defendant James Cox for a half pound of methamphetamine; and on Nov. 12, 2020, she received $1,850 from an undercover agent for the sale of 1,100 fentanyl pills. Aguilera is the wife of Pedro Delgado-Montenegro, 43, who is also charged with participating in the drug trafficking organization. In pleading guilty, Aguilera agreed to the forfeiture of $27,021, which represents drug proceeds seized in this case.

Other defendants who have entered guilty pleas to drug charges in this case include:

• Ignacio Alcantar-Torres, 33, of Porterville, is scheduled for sentencing on July 10, 2023;
• Alexis Mendiola, 37, of Northridge, is scheduled for sentencing on July 10, 2023;
• Ana Margarita Valdez-Torres, 43, of MacFarland, is scheduled for sentencing on July 24, 2023;
• Maria Delgado, 32, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to four years in prison;
• Renato Aguilera, 31, of Porterville, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison;
• Roberto Cavazos, 44, of Porterville, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison;
• James Cox, 60, of Visalia, was sentenced to 16 years and six months in prison.

Charges are pending against Delgado-Montenegro; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Porterville Police Department, the Coalinga Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case

Aguilera is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Aug. 14, 2023. Aguilera faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Darnell Bernard Edwards, 33, of Antioch, was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for the sex trafficking of two minors, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in April and May 2019, Edwards transported two minors to the Desert Star Motel in Bakersfield and had them engage in prostitution. Edwards also transported the minors to other locations within California, supplied them with marijuana, and all three had the letter D and a crown tattooed on their bodies.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bakersfield Police Department with assistance from the Antioch Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pablo Ramos, 50, of Roseville, pleaded guilty today to two counts of distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 1 and Sept. 3, 2020, Ramos used Kik Messenger to distribute multiple files containing child pornography.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin F. Scott and Rosanne L. Rust are prosecuting the case.

Ramos is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Aug. 8, 2023. For each count of conviction, Ramos faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and potentially a lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Timothy Allen Horwath, 53, formerly of Redding, pleaded guilty today to receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between Feb. 25, 2019, and Oct. 10, 2019, Horwath knowingly received visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. At the time of his offense, Horwath was employed as a patrol officer by the California Highway Patrol. Horwath’s pretrial release was revoked on Feb. 24, 2023, after he violated his bond conditions by accessing the internet and using smart phones and tablet computers that he was prohibited from possessing. Horwath agreed to deposit $75,000 into the Court’s financial registry to be used to pay any court-ordered restitution to victims, assessments, and other financial penalties.

This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol’s Computer Crime Investigation Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case.

Horwath is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2023, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Horwath faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution to the victims of the offense. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sashana James, 32, of New London, Connecticut, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison and ordered to pay $490,485 in restitution for her participation in a conspiracy to steal from the Social Security Administration, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between October 2016 and June 2021, James participated in a conspiracy to steal Social Security benefits intended for beneficiaries. The conspirators stole personally identifiable information (PII) of numerous Social Security beneficiaries living throughout the United States. The PII included the beneficiaries’ names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, bank account numbers, and family information. Using the PII, they contacted the Social Security Administration (SSA) customer service representatives and posed as beneficiaries. They then instructed the customer service representatives to change the direct deposit account number associated with the beneficiary’s account to drop accounts, i.e., expendable accounts used to funnel or transfer proceeds of a crime. The customer service representatives – believing that the caller was the true beneficiary – changed the direct deposit account number to one of the drop account numbers supplied.

The debit cards connected to the drop accounts would be mailed to James and other conspirators. On several occasions, James withdrew the stolen Social Security benefit payments from the drop accounts and deposited at least a portion of the money into one or more bank accounts that were accessible to her co-conspirators. The loss to the SSA and the United States resulting from the conspirators’ offenses exceeds $490,000.

This case was the product of an investigation by the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv Sharma prosecuted the case.

A former Caltrans contract manager and a former contractor were sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento for their roles in a bid-rigging and bribery scheme involving Caltrans improvement and repair contracts.

Choon Foo “Keith” Yong, the former Caltrans contract manager, was sentenced to 49 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $984,699.53 in restitution. According to a plea agreement filed on April 11, 2022, Yong and his co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy, from early 2015 through late 2019, to thwart the competitive bidding process for Caltrans contracts to ensure that companies controlled by Yong’s co-conspirators submitted the winning bid and would be awarded the contract. Yong also pleaded guilty for accepting bribes while working for Caltrans, a California state agency that receives significant federal funding. Yong received the bribes in the form of cash payments, wine, furniture and remodeling services on his home. The total value of the payments and benefits that Yong received neared $1 million.  

William D. Opp, the former contractor, was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $797,940.23 in restitution. According to a plea agreement filed on Oct. 3, 2022, Opp engaged in the same conspiracy, from early 2015 through at least as late as August 2018. As part of the conspiracy, Opp formed a separate construction company, with his wife as the nominal president, to submit sham bids on Caltrans contracts. During his participation in the conspiracy, Opp and co-conspirators provided nearly $800,000 in cash bribes and other benefits to Yong.

Yong and Opp are the second and third co-conspirators to be sentenced in the case. On April 17, 2023, former construction company owner Bill R. Miller was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay nearly $1 million in restitution.

“These criminals – including a state employee who sought sales commissions for his role in the bid-rigging scheme – put greed and personal gain ahead of the public trust and are being punished accordingly,” said Director Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF). “The Antitrust Division and our PCSF partners are on the lookout for those that try to cheat on government contracts.”

“A former Caltrans employee and a contractor have been sentenced today for a conspiracy that cheated a state agency out of taxpayer funds and that, if left unchecked, could threaten to undermine public confidence in the proper functioning of government institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “The defendants’ abuse of public trust and the length and breadth of the criminal conduct fully warrant today’s sentences. Bribes have no place in government contracting.”

“All government employees are expected to conduct businesses in accordance with both law and policy to ensure the integrity of those transactions and maintain public trust in the agencies they represent,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “No government official should put personal gain ahead of the needs of the communities they represent. The FBI stands ever ready to identify, investigate, and disrupt public corruption to ensure the American public’s trust in the institutions designed to serve and protect them is maintained.”

Today’s sentencing is the result of a joint investigation that was conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, and the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office as part of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF).

Trial Attorneys Christopher J. Carlberg and Tai S. Milder and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Bickley prosecuted the case.

In November 2019, the Department of Justice created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant, and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, or to report information on market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to construction or infrastructure, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

FRESNO, Calif. — Janardhan Grandhe, 65, of Bakersfield, was sentenced to one year and one day of prison today for tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Grandhe was a pain management doctor in Bakersfield, doing business as Central Valley Pain Management (CVPM). In 2017, 2018 and 2019, Grandhe willfully filed false tax returns for CVPM with overstated expenses and false individual tax returns for himself that omitted gross receipts he received. In total, Grandhe evaded personal tax liability exceeding $300,000.

Between 2017 and 2019, Grandhe provided checks to employees claiming to be reimbursements for employee expenses that were then included as deductions on the CVPM tax returns. Grandhe claimed the reimbursements were for out-of-pocket costs incurred by employees for continuing medical education, meals, mileage, and travel expenses. In many cases, those expenses were never incurred by the employees. Grandhe instead instructed those employees to cash the checks and provide cash back to Grandhe, which he deposited into accounts controlled by him or his family members. Grandhe then provided false documentation to his tax preparer to support the false deductions.

According to court documents, between 2017 and 2019, Grandhe also diverted business receipts to his personal bank accounts and hid this money from his tax preparer so that these amounts would not be included as business gross receipts on the CVPM tax returns. The unreported income on the CVPM tax returns resulted in decreased net income on Grandhe’s personal tax returns, reducing his taxes based on false information.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Marcus Randall, 39, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Dec. 16, 2020, Randall sold fentanyl pills to a victim who later ingested the pills, resulting in her overdose death.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Probation Department, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the case.

Randall is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Randall faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case is part of 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment Thursday against Efrain Valentin, 54, of Sacramento, charging him with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on March 1, 2022, Efrain Valentin supplied approximately 1.3 kilograms of methamphetamine to another individual for the purpose of selling it to a purported customer. The customer was in fact a confidential informant working for law enforcement.

On March 1, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Valentin’s residence and arrested him. On the premises, investigators found approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine and a derringer-style handgun. Valentin is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.

If convicted on the methamphetamine counts, Valentin faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years, up to a maximum life in prison, and a $10 million fine. If convicted on the firearm count, Valentin 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 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence. At the core of PSN is setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announces the following actions in federal PSN cases.

Indictments

Sukhmanpreet Singh Jawanda, 20, of Yuba City, was charged Thursday in a five-count indictment with unlawfully dealing firearms without a license, distribution of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. According to court documents, Jawanda sold fentanyl and at least six firearms to an undercover agent in 2022. On March 25, 2022, law enforcement officers pulled Jawanda over for a traffic stop as he traveled on Interstate‑5 in San Joaquin County and found him to be in possession of over 30,000 fentanyl pills, a kilogram of cocaine, and a firearm. This case was the product of an investigation by the DEA, the ATF, the CHP, and the Yuba-Sutter Narcotics Enforcement Team-5. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett is prosecuting the case.

Brothers Brian Keith Johnson, 25, and Branden Lamont Johnson, 23, both of Stockton, were each charged Thursday with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, law enforcement officers arrested Brian Johnson and Branden Johnson after they fled on foot from a car following a chase by officers. Brian Johnson was in possession of an assault rifle with a drum attached to it holding more than 60 rounds of ammunition. Branden Johnson was carrying a handgun. Both defendants are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions. Branden Johnson has been convicted of carrying a loaded concealed weapon, and Brian Johnson has been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm with a large capacity magazine, and participating in a criminal street gang. This case is the product of an investigation by the ATF and the Stockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Pearson is prosecuting the case.

This case is also part of Operation Ceasefire, a collaboration of the U.S. Attorney’s Office with the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office and the Stockton Police Department to establish a peaceful community by investigating and prosecuting members and associates of criminal groups who continue to commit serious and violent felonies in the city, including individuals who have previously been prosecuted for illegal gun and gang-related crimes.

Phillip Pulido, 53, of Clovis, was indicted Thursday, charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm. According to court documents, on April 12, 2023, Pulido was found to be in possession of six .22-caliber rifles, a .22-caliber pistol, two shotguns, and a 9 mm handgun. Pulido had previously been convicted of felonies and is prohibited from possessing firearms. In addition, he possessed an unregistered firearm. This case is a product of an investigation by the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Stokman is prosecuting the case.

If Jawanda is convicted of the distribution of fentanyl or possession with intent to distribute cocaine, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison up to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million; if convicted of unlawful dealing in firearms, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000; if convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Jawanda faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. If convicted, Brian Johnson and Branden Johnson each face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, Pulido faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of a firearm and a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for possession of an unregistered firearm.. Any sentences, 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.

Guilty Plea

Bruce Lamont Walker, 54, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty Tuesday, April 18, 2023, to being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, Walker was convicted in 2014 for a domestic violence offense and sentenced to 11 years in prison. Walker had only been on parole for three months when a parole search resulted in the discovery of an AR‑15 style “ghost gun” (privately made without a serial number) in his bedroom. Also found was an extended magazine with 27 rounds of ammunition. Walker is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition on account of seven prior felony convictions, including two felony crimes of violence and multiple firearms related felonies. This case is the product of an investigation by the ATF, CDCR‑Division of Adult Parole Operations, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Enforcement Team, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case. Walker is scheduled to be sentenced on July 25, 2023. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Joseph Alan Childers, 37, of Oroville, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between November 2022 and February 2023, Childers conspired with others to acquire and distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in Butte and Yuba Counties. On Feb. 27, 2023, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Childers in Oroville. A later search of the vehicle uncovered over 2 pounds of fentanyl, a half a pound of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and packing materials.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Butte County Sheriff’s Office and the Oroville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett is prosecuting the case.

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

This 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Yvonne Gaide, 61, of Orangevale, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison and ordered to pay $472,717 in restitution for wire fraud in relation to a scheme to divert funds from the California Department of Public Health, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Gaide was employed as an analyst for grants and fiscal matters in the Office of AIDS within the California Department of Public Health in Sacramento. The Office of AIDS is responsible for working on behalf of the State of California to combat the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

Between December 2017 and November 2018, Gaide participated in a fraud scheme along with Schenelle Flores, 47, and Christine Iwamoto, 59, both former Office of AIDS employees from Sacramento. In total, the participants in the fraud scheme obtained at least $2 million in personal benefits, including cash and purchased items.

According to court documents, as part of the scheme, Flores directed a state contractor to make payments allegedly on behalf of the Office of AIDS and to charge those payments to the state. In reality, those payments benefitted Gaide, Flores, Iwamoto, and others personally rather than the Office of AIDS. For example, Gaide, Flores, and Iwamoto caused the contractor to pay for personal expenses on its debit cards, order gift cards for personal use, and pay false invoices to shell companies for services allegedly provided to the Office of AIDS. This included, among other things, $450,000 in phony invoices submitted by Iwamoto for a shell company that she had created to defraud the state, which Gaide and Flores then helped ensure would be paid. After the invoices were paid, Iwamoto shared the proceeds with Gaide by meeting in person to give Gaide cash, as well as giving Gaide blank checks that she could write out of the phony company’s bank account.

Gaide personally gained over $70,000 from the scheme including the following:

• $19,217 from personal fraudulent use of the state contractor’s debit cards, including for Disneyland, Universal Studios, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and apparel and home items;

• $20,000 to $25,000 (at least) in cash from Iwamoto in person, after helping process fraudulent invoices from Iwamoto’s fake shell company;

• $29,090 in checks written by Gaide out of the fake shell company’s bank account that Gaide knew housed fraud proceeds; and

• $3,500 in gift cards purchased by the state contractor and charged to a contract with the Office of AIDS that Gaide obtained for her personal use.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the California Department of Public Health and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hales prosecuted the case.

On March 3, 2022, Flores was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison and ordered to pay over $2 million in restitution in a related case, United States v. Flores, 2:21-cr-025.

On April 7, 2022, Iwamoto was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $481,200 in restitution in a related case, United States v. Iwamoto, 2:21-cr-193.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jose Manuel Navarro, 65, of San Luis, Arizona, was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in May 2019, a law enforcement officer working in an undercover capacity (UC) negotiated with an unknown male, using a Mexico telephone number, for the delivery of methamphetamine to the Sacramento area. The unknown male informed the UC that a third party would be calling the UC to coordinate an in-person meeting in the Sacramento area.

On May 19, 2019, Navarro called the UC and arranged to meet at a Target parking lot the following day. At the meeting, Navarro told the UC he had the “product” hidden in his truck. The two agreed to travel to a more discreet location to finish the deal. On the way to his location, a law enforcement officer pulled Navarro over for various traffic violations. Navarro consented to a search of his truck, and the officer found 68 pounds of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was 99% pure.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team with assistance from the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Thursday against Jagninder Singh Boparai, 46, of Manteca; Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr., 45, of Dublin; and Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, 49, of Tracy; charging all three with conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire, and charging Boparai with the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in February 2023, Boparai met with a person he believed to be a hitman at a Starbucks in Manteca. Unbeknownst to Boparai and the other defendants throughout their interactions, the hitman was a confidential informant working for the FBI. Boparai told the supposed hitman that the first job involved the assault of Victim 1, and once he proved his trustworthiness, he would be given another job. The following day, Boparai met the confidential informant again and offered to pay $6,000 for the assault of Victim 1. In March 2023, in the presence of Birla and another individual, Boparai met with the confidential informant, and Boparai gave the confidential informant $1,000 as a down payment for the assault. According to court documents, after more time had passed, the confidential informant showed Boparai a staged photo of Victim 1 laying on the ground covered in bruises, dirt, and blood to indicate the assault had occurred. Boparai said he liked the photo and told the confidential informant that he had two other “jobs,” one of which involved robbing a business, and the other involved making a person “disappear.”

According to court documents, in March 2023, Boparai met with the confidential informant to pay the confidential informant $10,000 as a down payment for the murder of Victim 2. Sandhu provided Victim 2’s address, and Boparai instructed the confidential informant that Victim 2 must disappear without any evidence remaining. Boparai then made two calls to Birla asking for Victim 2’s Facebook profile. Boparai subsequently received a Facebook profile picture of Victim 2, which he showed to the confidential informant. On March 24, 2023, Sandhu and Birla met with the confidential informant in a parking lot in Manteca. Sandhu and Birla claimed that Boparai was out of town, but Boparai was observed by surveillance remaining in a car in the same parking lot. Sandhu and Birla instructed the confidential informant to kill Victim 2 and take Victim 2’s remains to Mexico in a suitcase.

All three defendants were arrested on March 31, 2023, and are currently in federal custody.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Ceres Police Department, the Dublin Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lathrop Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the San Joaquin County Probation Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the Stockton Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence. At the core of PSN is setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announces the following actions in federal PSN cases.

Indictments

Charles Jerome Moore, 40, of Madera, was indicted on April 13, 2023, and charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. According to court documents, on Dec. 14, 2022, law enforcement officers arrested Moore after finding a loaded firearm and ammunition in Moore’s vehicle. Moore was arrested again on March 13, 2023, when officers located ammunition in his vehicle. Moore is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has prior felony convictions. This case was the product of an investigation by the Madera Police Department and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.

Evan Moore, 39, of Chowchilla, was indicted on April 13, 2023, and charged being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Dec. 18, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop and found Moore to be in possession of a loaded firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Madera Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.

Aaron Michael Correia, 37, of Manteca, was indicted on March 30, 2023, and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, during a traffic stop, Correia was found to be in possession of a loaded .22 Ruger revolver and a box of .22 caliber ammunition. Correia is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has multiple state felony convictions, including 2017 and 2021 convictions for felon in possession of a firearm in San Joaquin County. This case is the product of an investigation by the Manteca Police Department, the Stockton Police Department, and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Correia, Charles Jerome Moore, and Evan Moore face 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Guilty Pleas

Earnest Donte Ruff, 24, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony crime. According to court documents, on April 21, 2021, law enforcement officers responded to a barbershop in Fresno and observed Ruff wearing a camouflage, cross-body satchel as he entered the rear-passenger seat of a car. Ruff was arrested and found to be in possession of a loaded .40‑caliber gun with no serial number. Ruff has four convictions for illegally possessing firearms or ammunition. Sentencing in this case is set for July 24, 2023. Ruff 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. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.

Sentencings

Darien Williams, 24, of Fresno, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Aug. 26, 2021, in Fresno, law enforcement officers tried to stop a car in which Williams was a passenger. The driver failed to yield, sped away, and crashed into another car. After the crash, Williams fled on foot. While fleeing, he discarded a loaded handgun that officers found after they caught and arrested Williams. Williams is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony record. This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.

These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

FRESNO, Calif. — Horacio Ortega-Martinez, 36, a citizen of Mexico residing in Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for possessing roosters for the purpose of using them in an animal fighting venture, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

In addition, the forfeiture of the fighting roosters and 49 breeding hens was ordered. On Nov. 10, 2022, Ortega pleaded guilty to an Animal Welfare Act crime involving the possession of 250 roosters for use in an animal fighting venture.

According to court documents, law enforcement agents became aware of Ortega’s involvement in breeding, fighting, and selling roosters in January 2022 through recorded conversations obtained from a court-authorized wiretap of a phone used by Jorge Calderon-Campos, 42, of Bakersfield. Ortega and Calderon had various telephone conversations about buying, selling, and fighting roosters. On April 26, 2022, a search warrant was served at Ortega’s property, where agents found approximately 250 fighting roosters, approximately 250 “gaffs” (razor-sharp steel blades that are tied to the birds’ legs), mitts commonly used for training and fighting roosters, and miscellaneous antibiotics, vitamins, and supplements that are commonly used for breeding and training roosters for fighting.

Calderon has been charged with various drug trafficking offenses and animal fighting venture crimes in two separate indictments. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) , the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Highway Patrol, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistance was also provided by the Humane Society of the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Bobby Hood, 65, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 14, 2021, investigators executed a warrant and searched Hood’s residence, car, and person and seized over a pound of methamphetamine and over 40 grams of powdered fentanyl. 

This case is the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.

Hood is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Hood faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury has indicted George Thomas, 70, of Clovis, for selling thousands of stolen catalytic converters to a company in Oregon for over $2.5 million, and then withdrawing the proceeds from his bank accounts in increments under $10,000 to avoid federal reporting requirements, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed today following Thomas’s arrest.

According to court records, between January 2021 and November 2022, Thomas purchased stolen catalytic converters from thieves in the Fresno area who cut the converters off people’s vehicles. The thieves called or texted Thomas to arrange the sales, and the sales occurred in parking lots and behind buildings during all hours of the day and night. Thomas paid the thieves significantly below market rates and paid them in cash to conceal the source of the converters.

Thomas gave the thieves instructions on the types of catalytic converters that he was looking for and how to best cut the converters off of vehicles. Thomas also helped some of the thieves buy new saws to use after the thieves’ saws were confiscated by the police or were stolen.

Thomas took photographs of the thieves, and he required them to provide their identification cards and the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) for the vehicles from which the catalytic converters were supposedly cut off. Thomas told the thieves that it did not matter where they got the VINs. For example, in one instance, Thomas said, “It’s supposed to come off the one you got it off of, but it’s up to you what you do. All I need is a VIN number is all.” In other instances, Thomas altered the VINs that thieves gave him to make the VINs look better. Many of the VINs were later determined to be fake or from stolen vehicles.

Thomas drove the stolen catalytic converters to Oregon where he sold the converters to a company that extracted the valuable metals and sold the metals for further processing. Thomas made several misrepresentations to the Oregon company, including that he had purchased the converters from legitimate businesses and that the VINs he provided were for the vehicles from which the converters had been removed.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Justin Gilio are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Thomas faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Anyone with knowledge of Thomas activities is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov.

WASHINGTON – A construction company owner in California was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $984,699 in restitution for his role in a bid-rigging and bribery scheme involving California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) improvement and repair contracts.

According to a guilty plea entered on Nov. 14, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento, Bill R. Miller engaged in a conspiracy from April 2015 through as late as December 2019. As part of the conspiracy, Miller recruited others to submit sham bids on Caltrans contracts, including co-conspirator William D. Opp, a former business partner who pleaded guilty in the case on Oct. 3, 2022.

In addition to pleading guilty to bid rigging, Miller also pleaded guilty to paying bribes to Choon Foo “Keith” Yong, the former Caltrans contract manager who managed the contracts involved on behalf of Caltrans, a California state agency that receives significant federal funding. On April 11, 2022, Yong pleaded guilty for his role in the bid-rigging and bribery scheme. According to Yong’s plea agreement, Yong received the bribes in the form of cash payments, wine, furniture and remodeling services on his home. The total value of the bribes that Miller paid to Yong was nearly $1 million. Miller is the first defendant to be sentenced in the case.

“This sentence sends a strong message that criminals who corrupt the competitive bidding process will face stern consequences,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Protecting infrastructure spending and taxpayer dollars remains a top priority for the Antitrust Division and our Procurement Collusion Strike Force partners.”

“A lengthy investigation and a series of guilty pleas has led to the sentencing today for a bid-rigging and bribery conspiracy,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “But our work is not done. Anticompetitive practices harm taxpayers and legitimate businesses alike. My office will continue to investigate and prosecute such conduct.”

“Fair and free competition is essential to ensure taxpayer money is only obligated and spent on essential services and contracts,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our partners to investigate such allegations, and bringing to justice those who conspire to enrich themselves by cheating the American public as a whole. We hope this sentence serves as ample warning to anyone contemplating a scheme to falsely influence a government bidding process for personal gain.”

Today’s sentencing is the result of a joint investigation that was conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, and the FBI’s Sacramento Division as part of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF). Trial Attorneys Christopher J. Carlberg and Tai S. Milder and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Bickley prosecuted the case.

In November 2019, the Department of Justice created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant, and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force, or to report information on market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct related to construction or infrastructure, go to https://www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

FRESNO, Calif. — An indictment, brought on Feb. 16, 2023, has been unsealed, charging four defendants in a scheme to use drones to deliver drugs and other contraband into state prisons, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Michael Ray Acosta, 48, an inmate at Pleasant Valley State Prison, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, and using a cellphone in aid of racketeering.

Jose Enrique Oropeza, 34, of Colton in San Bernardino County, is charged with conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, possessing with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana, owning and operating a drone that is not registered, and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate.

Rosendo Rene Ramirez, 34, of Sacramento, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, distributing and possessing with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, serving and attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

David Ramirez Jr., 34, of Sacramento, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone and serving or attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, and owning or operating a drone that is not registered.

According to court documents, between Jan. 1, and Dec. 10, 2021, Acosta used a contraband cellphone to coordinate multiple drone deliveries of contraband into Pleasant Valley State Prison and other prisons across the state. Oropeza, Rosendo Ramirez, and David Ramirez Jr. flew drones over the prisons and dropped packages of contraband 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, cocaine, marijuana, cellphones, cellphone accessories, butane oil, and various other items.

Acosta’s conspirators took various steps to prevent corrections officers from detecting and intercepting the contraband. They planned drone drops when it was night and the drones were less likely to be seen. Rosendo Ramirez flew the drones from concealed positions in the fields surrounding the prison. The incursions included the following facilities: Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran; Salinas Valley State Prison, High Desert State Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison, California State Prison, Sacramento; and California State Prison, Corcoran.

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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. If convicted of possessing with intent to distribute heroin and marijuana or distributing and possessing with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, the defendants face a statutory penalty of five to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. If convicted of conspiracy to own and operate an unregistered drone, serving, owning or operating a drone that is not registered, attempting to serve as an airman without an airman’s certificate, or using a cellphone in aid of racketeering, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Ramirez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jenice Nicholas, 35, of Pompano Beach, Florida, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for her participation in a conspiracy to steal from the Social Security Administration (SSA), U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between February 2018 and June 2021, Nicholas participated in a conspiracy that sought to steal Social Security benefits intended for beneficiaries. Her co‑conspirators contacted SSA customer service representatives posing as Social Security beneficiaries by using personally identifiable information. They would convince the customer service representative to change the direct deposit account number associated with the true beneficiary’s account to that associated with drop accounts, i.e., expendable accounts used to funnel or transfer proceeds of a crime. For many of the direct deposit account changes that her co-conspirators caused, the SSA deposited monthly payments into the drop accounts, thus depriving the actual beneficiaries of their monthly benefits.

Debit cards connected to these drop accounts were then mailed to Nicholas and other co‑conspirators. On several occasions, Nicholas withdrew the stolen Social Security benefit payments from the drop accounts and deposited at least a portion of the money into one or more bank accounts that were accessible to her co-conspirators. The loss to the SSA and the United States resulting from the conspirators’ offenses exceeded $234,000. As part of her sentence, Nicholas was also ordered to pay $234,378 in restitution to the SSA.

This case was the product of an investigation by the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Scott Norris Johnson, a Sacramento attorney and filer of thousands of disability discrimination lawsuits, was sentenced today to 18 months home detention as part of a 30-month term of probation, and ordered to pay $250,000 in restitution and a $50,000 fine, for filing a false tax return on which he underreported the income he earned from many of those lawsuits, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced.

The sentence included the terms that while on probation Johnson may not reapply for reinstatement to the California Bar, and that during the period of home detention he may not leave home for the purpose of seeking violations of the ADA or Unruh Act in order to file suits in federal or state courts.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson, 61, of Carmichael, owned and operated Disabled Access Prevents Injury Inc. (DAPI), a legal services corporation. First using DAPI, and later using a law firm, Johnson filed thousands of lawsuits in the Eastern District of California and elsewhere under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and related California statutes, naming himself as the plaintiff.

Under the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, payments related to lawsuit settlements or awards are taxable unless paid on account of personal physical injury or physical sickness. Johnson, who worked as an attorney at the IRS earlier in his career, was required to report the taxable portion of the lawsuit settlements and awards he received. He nonetheless intentionally underreported this income on his 2012, 2013, and 2014 tax returns. By understating the lawsuit settlements and awards, Johnson and DAPI paid little to no income tax for tax years 2012, 2013 and 2014. Johnson caused a loss to the IRS of more than $250,000.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon and Assistant Chief Matthew J. Kluge of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Austen Peppers, 34, of Lawton, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty today to one count each of advertising and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, law enforcement investigators identified Peppers as someone who sold and offered to sell images of minors being sexually abused. Peppers conducted transactions on the dark web using platforms and applications that he believed were secure and protected him from law enforcement scrutiny.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations offices in Fresno, Chicago, and Oklahoma as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with assistance from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Tactical Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case with Trial Attorney James Burke IV of the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

Peppers has been in custody since his initial appearance in this case on Nov. 14, 2019. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba. Peppers faces potential punishments for each of the two counts including a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, a lifetime term of supervised release, forfeiture of property, and possible restitution to victims. 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. — Richard Earl Francis, 51, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to one month in prison in addition to the 71 days already served to be followed by 11 months home detention and 36 months of supervised release for knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on July 28, 2022, while the sheriff’s helicopter was patrolling the Oildale area of Bakersfield, Francis shined a bright green laser into the cockpit of the aircraft four times. One of the airmen experienced temporary loss of vision in his right eye as a result of the laser. On Dec. 13, 2022, Francis pleaded guilty to knowingly aiming a laser at an aircraft.

In 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received 9,457 reports of laser strikes. In 2022, there were, on average, three laser strike incidents reported every month in Bakersfield. Noting the hazards of lasers in navigable airspace, the FAA advises that, when aimed at an aircraft, lasers can cause visual interference and incapacitate pilots. Such incidents can occur anywhere but have been reported most frequently in the Western Pacific and Southern regions of the United States. See “Laser Hazards in Navigable Airspace.”

This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Chaloner Saintillus, 35, of Delray Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty Thursday, April 6, 2023, to 12 counts of distributing controlled substances into the Eastern District of California using the dark web, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Saintillus operated multiple narcotics vendor accounts on the dark web under the username “chlnsaint,” through which he sold fentanyl, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and other narcotics in exchange for cryptocurrency. Taking advantage of the dark web’s anonymity, Saintillus completed more than 1,000 drug deals between August 2019 and August 2020 alone. Saintillus used the U.S. Postal Service to send his customers the fentanyl, opioids, and other narcotics they purchased from “chlnsaint.”

Law enforcement officers from an interagency task force in the Eastern District of California known as the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy Task Force (“NCIDE”) conducted 12 controlled purchases of narcotics from “chlnsaint” between April and October 2020. Agents identified Saintillus as “chlnsaint” through physical surveillance and analysis of financial, package tracking, and photographic records maintained by the Postal Service. NCIDE agents executed warrants at Saintillus’s Florida residence in October 2020, during which they arrested Saintillus and seized narcotics, over $20,000 in cryptocurrency, a firearm, and a suitcase full of ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by NCIDE, which is composed of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. NCIDE agents received assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Delray Beach Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Stefanki and Ross Pearson are prosecuting the case.

Saintillus is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on July 10, 2023. Saintillus faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each of the 12 counts to which he pleaded guilty. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Jeffrey Todd Stewart, 57, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud in relation to him stealing $355,000 from investors, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Stewart was employed as a certified public accountant in Bakersfield. Between September 2014 and June 2018, Stewart solicited and received over $2 million from investors to pay fees and expenses purportedly needed for an overseas business deal. Stewart represented to the investors that their investments were being used for the deal and promised significant returns. Although Stewart used most of the money for the purported deal, he spent $355,000 of the money obtained from the investors on his own personal expenses, including mortgage payments, trips to Las Vegas, and gambling.

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

Stewart is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Aug. 21, 2023. Stewart faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Israel Alberto Rivas Gomez, 28, a citizen of El Salvador residing in Mendota, was sentenced today to life in prison for kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

“Excellent law enforcement work led to the arrest of 25 individuals associated with the MS-13 gang for criminal activity in California’s Central Valley,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Rivas Gomez participated in the brutal murder of a 19-year old man. The murder was preplanned, carefully orchestrated, driven by allegiance to MS-13, and deserving of a life sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to dismantling criminal enterprises like MS-13 and to vindicating the rights of victims and seeking justice for their family members and loved ones.”

“The gruesome homicides that were committed to intimidate the community  and further the efforts of MS-13 to exploit the community in Mendota exemplify why the FBI is deeply committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to disrupt the grip gangs attempt to have on our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Law enforcement and the community must stand together against violent gangs to offer residents and their children a brighter future and today’s sentence demonstrates the success we can have when we work together to investigate and disrupt organizations determined to exploit our communities.”

“While nothing can erase the pain that family members experience when their loved one is kidnapped and murdered in cold blood, this investigation, prosecution, and sentencing goes a long way in obtaining justice,” said Homeland Security Investigations San Francisco (NorCal) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. “HSI San Francisco is proud of our agents and professional staff who worked together on this multi-year criminal investigation into this MS-13 clique in Mendota, which yielded dozens of arrests and prevented additional acts of violence.”

According to court documents, Rivas Gomez was a member of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a violent criminal street gang that engages in racketeering activity, including murder, kidnapping, extortion, and drug trafficking. On Dec. 18, 2017, Rivas Gomez and his fellow MS-13 members kidnapped the 19-year-old victim in Mendota, drove him to a remote location approximately 30 minutes away, and used a knife and machete to murder him, all in furtherance of MS-13’s criminal gang enterprise. A jury convicted Rivas Gomez in September 2022 of kidnaping and murder in aid of racketeering.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Special Services Unit (SSU). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Kimberly Sanchez 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Lorene Deanda, 64, of Ceres, pleaded guilty today to mail fraud in relation to her stealing more than $550,000 from recipients of Social Security and other government benefit funds, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Deanda was employed by a charitable organization in Modesto and managed the organization’s representative payee program. This program assisted recipients of Social Security and other federal and state benefits who could not physically manage their own financial affairs. Deanda, on behalf of the charitable organization, would set up bank accounts for the beneficiaries and receive benefit funds into those accounts. Deanda’s duties included paying beneficiaries’ bills and necessities from those accounts. However, from 2003 to May 2015, Deanda stole benefit funds from the beneficiaries’ accounts and spent the money on her own personal expenses, including to pay for her personal credit card bills and residential mortgage. In total, Deanda stole over $550,000.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry Z. Carbajal III and Brittany M. Gunter are prosecuting the case.

Deanda is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on July 24, 2023. Deanda faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Julian Loeza, 33, of Ceres, pleaded guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in 2020, a team of local and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Julian Loeza and Esmerelda Ceja-Mendez, 43, of Ceres; Sofia Cisneros-Noyola, 37, of Sacramento; and Victor Ramirez, 37, of Atwater. On March 3, 2021, Loeza sold 2 pounds of methamphetamine for $3,600.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.

Ramirez has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on May 15, 2023.

Charges are pending against Ceja-Mendez and Cisneros-Noyola; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Loeza is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on July 17, 2023. Loeza faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life 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. — Lladira Hernandez, 23, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $70,000 from multiple customers’ accounts at a Fresno-based bank where she was previously employed, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in April 2022, Hernandez was hired by the bank as a customer service representative. She began stealing the bank account information for customers she helped over the phone and used it to pay bills for herself and her associates. This included mortgage payments, car payments, and phone bills. In August 2022, Hernandez transferred more than $45,000 from two customers’ accounts into her own account and abruptly quit her job at the bank. She proceeded to withdraw that money from her account and was captured doing so on surveillance video.

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

Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ana de Alba on Sept. 5, 2023. Hernandez 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael Renay Williams, 62, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and at least 500 grams of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between September and November 2020, Williams sold large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine on numerous occasions to an undercover agent. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of approximately 3 pounds of crystal methamphetamine.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Vallejo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.

Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 5, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. He faces a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Charges are pending against co-defendant, Clarence Courtney, 57, of Vallejo. Courtney is scheduled for a jury trial to begin on March 11, 2024. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dilesh Sharma, 50, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to 24 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted online enticement of a minor for sexual purposes, distribution of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

“Today’s sentence is a warning to other online predators,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “We are determined to use every legal avenue we have to identify and apprehend these criminals and protect children from harm.”

“The FBI is deeply committed to ensuring cases like these are conducted with extensive rigor to ensure the allegations are a clear statement of fact and accurately represent the behavior of the accused,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Mr. Sharma will now have decades in federal prison to consider the consequences of his actions and the threat he posed to minors.”

According to court documents, in November 2016, Sharma used the Craigslist email system and the Kik application to electronically message back and forth with a person who identified himself as an adult, but who Sharma did not know was an undercover law enforcement agent. Sharma expressed his interest in gaining access to a minor for sexual purposes, and the undercover agent told Sharma that his girlfriend had an 11-year-old daughter. Eventually, Sharma’s conversations with the undercover agent reached a point where Sharma suggested that the two meet. On March 30, 2017, they met to set up an in-person meeting where Sharma was supposed to meet the minor for a sexual purpose. The next day, Sharma arrived at the designated meeting place and was arrested. During a review of Sharma’s iPhone, seized from him at the time of arrest, law enforcement agents discovered that Sharma received and distributed child pornography on Kik with someone other than the undercover agent.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roger Yang and Rosanne Rust prosecuted the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Melissa Saurwein, 44, of Martinez, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of making a false statement in connection with a sexual relationship she had with a victim witness in a separate federal criminal case, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Saurwein was formerly a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations in Northern California. While working in that capacity on the human trafficking case United States v. Job Torres Hernandez, 4:17-cr-462-JSW, Saurwein developed a romantic sexual relationship with a victim witness in the case. In preparation for Saurwein’s testimony at trial, prosecutors asked Saurwein if she had a personal relationship with any witness or victim in the case. Saurwein lied in response to the questioning in order to conceal her sexual relationship with the victim witness. The human trafficking case then went to trial and both Saurwein and the victim witness testified. The relationship between Saurwein and the victim witness did not come to light until after the trial and sentencing of the defendant in the human trafficking case were complete. Due to Saurwein’s conduct, the judgement in the human trafficking case was later vacated on the motion of the government, with the defendant having only served three years of his 103-month sentence.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Professional Responsibility. The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District was recused from this case, which is proceeding in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco. Special Attorney to the Attorney General Audrey B. Hemesath is prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 28, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria. Saurwein 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Quinten Giovanni Moody, aka Christano Rossi, 38, of Dublin, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute marijuana, aggravated identity theft, and obstruction of justice, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between June 2017 and June 2022, Moody, co-defendant Myra Boleche Minks, 44, formerly of Roseville, and other co‑conspirators generated hundreds of thousands of dollars by transporting marijuana from California to Georgia, Nevada, Texas, and other locations. Moody and others bought marijuana in California and then transported the marijuana to distributors in other states via couriers and baggage traveling on commercial airplanes and commercial shipping services. Once the marijuana was sold, Moody and others caused the proceeds of the marijuana sales to be returned to them in California by using couriers to travel on commercial airline flights carrying cash, using shipping services to ship cash, and causing others at their direction to deposit cash into bank accounts.

Moody and others also committed unemployment insurance fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in August 2020, Moody, Minks, and co-defendant Jessica Tang, 49, of Sacramento, participated in a scheme to submit fraudulent claims of unemployment benefits through the California Department of Employment Development (EDD). As part of this scheme, on Sept. 4, 2020, Moody used a Bank of America debit card in the name of an identity theft victim to make purchases at a Cartier store and Louis Vuitton store in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Moody sought to obstruct the investigation into his activities by using faked court documents. As part of the investigation, the United States applied for seizure warrants for a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro and a 1956 Chevrolet pickup that Moody purchased with the proceeds of his criminal activities. On April 15, 2022, personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized the two vehicles in Georgia pursuant to the seizure warrants issued in the Eastern District of California. The vehicles were transported to the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office for storage. On May 8, 2022, at approximately 9:30 p.m., a flatbed truck from towing company arrived at the FBI’s Atlanta field office. The tow truck driver informed FBI security personnel that he had been directed to retrieve the vehicles from FBI’s custody. The tow truck driver gave FBI security personnel documents, including a document purporting to be an order issued by the Honorable John K. Larkins III, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Georgia. The documents purported to order the U.S. Marshal and the FBI to release the vehicles. The documents, however, were fraudulent and had been created by Moody and Minks for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining custody of the two seized vehicles.

On May 21, 2022, a tow truck from a different towing company arrived at the FBI’s Atlanta field office. Again, the driver presented a fake federal court order purporting to authorize the release of the seized vehicles. The fraudulent federal court documents had been altered from the previous attempt. FBI personnel did not release the vehicles. Shortly before the arrival of the tow truck, a co-conspirator called personnel at the FBI’s Atlanta field office and pretended to be an FBI Special Agent. While in character, the co-conspirator attempted to contact the employees assigned to the gate outside of the field office to facilitate the tow truck gaining access to the FBI property.

Charges are pending against Minks and Tang. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Moody is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on July 11, 2023. Moody faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a fine up to $5 million for the marijuana distribution conspiracy. He faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison consecutive to any other term of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the aggravated identity theft count, and he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the obstruction of justice count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Placer County Probation Department, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department, Colma Police Department, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Police Department, Roseville Police Department, San Francisco Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the California Employment Development Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee, and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

FRESNO, Calif. — Tan Minh Vo, 50, of San Jose, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana that was shipped from Fresno for distribution in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in November 2018, Vo and his co-defendants Patrick Maldonado, 46, of Madera; Elias Zambrano, Jr., 43, of Fresno; Tien Van Phan, 58, of Milpitas; Halen Frazier, 36, of Kingsville, Missouri; and David Agustus McGowan, of Kansas City, Missouri, coordinated the shipment of nearly 500 pounds of marijuana to Frazier in Kansas City. The first shipment was seized from Frazier during a traffic stop after Phan, Vo’s courier, delivered 92 pounds of marijuana to him in two suitcases at a hotel in Kansas City.

Later, agents intercepted calls between Vo, Maldonado, Zambrano, and Frazier in which they discussed the shipment of another load of marijuana to Frazier in Kansas City. That load was intercepted by Arizona troopers after stopping McGowan for nonfunctioning tail lights on his truck. During a search of the trailer, troopers found 384 pounds of marijuana and $1,629 in cash in a hidden compartment.

Following these seizures, agents executed search warrants at Vo’s residence and place of business in San Jose, as well as Maldonado’s residence in Madera and Zambrano’s residence in Fresno. At Vo’s residence, agents found $24,700 and another $20,000 in cash on Vo’s person, which represented proceeds derived from drug trafficking. At his place of business, FIND-BUY-ITEMS, agents found 70 pounds of marijuana and indoor marijuana cultivation equipment. At Maldonado’s residence, agents found 4 kilograms of cocaine, 20 pounds of packaged marijuana, a firearm, and over $45,000 in cash. At Zambrano’s residence, agents found two loaded firearms, more marijuana, and an electronic money counter.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force consisting of agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sheriff’s Offices of Tulare, Kings, and Fresno Counties, the Fresno Police Department, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and the Kansas City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Maldonado, Zambrano, and Frazier previously entered guilty pleas to the drug conspiracy. Maldonado was sentenced to seven years in prison. Both Zambrano and Frazier were sentenced to two years and three months in prison. The charges against McGowan are pending. As to him, the charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announces recent cases in the Eastern District of California that were brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) federal initiative. PSN brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat gun and gang crime. At the core of PSN is increased federal prosecution to incapacitate chronic violent offenders as well as to communicate a credible deterrent threat to potential gun offenders.

Two recent indictments

Ulises Muro-Robles, 38, of Stockton, was indicted on March 23, 2023, and charged with possession with intent to distribute at least 1 kilogram of heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on May 10, 2020, law enforcement officers responded to a 911 call and found Muro-Robles to be in possession of 5.1 kilograms of heroin, 280 grams of cocaine, over $50,000 in cash, and a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Muro-Robles has several prior felony convictions including assault with a deadly weapon and battery with serious bodily injury and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Task Force (METRO), the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.

Arnes Krajinic, 32, of Roseville, was indicted on March 16, 2023, and charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, in January 2023, Krajinic arranged to sell fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer and arrived at the predetermined location, in possession of an assembled weapon lacking a serial number (known as a ghost gun) that was loaded with six rounds of 9 mm ammunition. Krajinic is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has five prior felony convictions, including for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance for sale, and possession of a controlled substance while armed.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service; the ATF; the Placer County Special Investigations Unit; and the Roseville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition, Krajinic faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the drug offenses, Robles faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Robles faces a maximum sentence 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

A Project Safe Neighborhoods defendant sentenced

Jaime Alvarez, 52, of Vallejo, was sentenced on March 21, 2023, to 21 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, in October 2021, two different victims—both of whom were members of a different motorcycle club that is considered a “puppet” (or subordinate) club of the Vallejo chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club —were beaten by Alvarez and other club members based on perceived infractions of the Hells Angels’ rules. On Dec. 8, 2021, law enforcement officers searched Alvarez’s home as part of the investigation into the brutal beating and found several firearms, including a Glock 27 .40 SW caliber handgun. Alvarez has prior felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing firearms.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Vallejo Police Department, the FBI,  and the ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron D. Pennekamp and Jason Hitt prosecuted the case.

The following two guilty pleas are part of Operation No Fly Zone, a multi-agency, months-long investigation that sought to address a rise in the number of shootings and homicides in Fresno.

Reginald Keith Cannon Jr., 24, of Fresno, pleaded guilty on March 20, 2023, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on March 22, 2022, officers observed Cannon at the Fashion Fair Mall and were aware he was on active probation. Upon being searched, officers located a Glock semi-automatic handgun with a large-capacity magazine in his pants. Cannon has prior felony convictions involving firearms offenses and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Donald Ray Phelps Jr., 29, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, on March 18, 2022, officers learned about the presence of a firearm inside a car in which Phelps was a passenger. During a search of the car, they found a loaded, privately manufactured, semi-automatic handgun with no serial number (known as a ghost gun) under the seat where Phelps had been sitting. Phelps has a prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit pandering in Orange County and is prohibited from possessing ammunition.

These two cases are the product of an investigation by the FBI, HSI, ATF, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno-area Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit, the California Department of Justice Human Trafficking / Sexual Predator Apprehension Team, the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the cases. Phelps is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2023. Cannon is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17, 2023. They each face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The cases in this press release are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

FRESNO, Calif. — Daniel Quiroz, 41, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Quiroz, acting at the direction of a Mexican source of heroin, delivered over 500 grams of heroin to a confidential source in Anaheim, in exchange for $3,070. Subsequently, Quiroz delivered over a kilogram of heroin to co-defendant Roberto Palacios-Garcia, 37, of Guerrero, Mexico, residing in California. Palacios-Garcia then sold the drug to a confidential source in Stockton for $6,080. The total amount of heroin involved was 1.5 kilograms or about 3.3 pounds.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Palacios-Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and, on Jan. 19, 2021, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison.

Quiroz is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on July 10, 2023. Quiroz faces a mandatory minimum prison term of 10 years, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Cecilia Aquino, 32, of Fresno, was sentenced today to six years and three months in prison for submitting over $300,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims and Small Business Administration (SBA) loan applications during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court records, from June through November 2020, Aquino went on a crime spree where she submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance claims and loan applications in seven states using stolen identities. The claims and applications contained various misrepresentations, including that the named individuals worked as strippers and owned interior design businesses, and that they lost money because of the pandemic. Aquino used the proceeds of her fraud for gambling, rent, shopping, and other personal expenditures.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the SBA Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of three 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.

ACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dariush Niknia, 60, of Elk Grove, was sentenced today to two years and 10 months in prison, and Richard Lant, 77, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced to 24 months of home detention and fined $7,500 for a conspiracy to export to an embargoed country, Iran, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between May and October 2015, Niknia, Lant and others conspired to unlawfully sell and supply 500 Russian-made tank helmets to Niknia’s contact in Tehran, Iran. The helmets were to be configured for a Russian-produced T-72S battle tank and were required to have a five-pin plug, a feature that is necessary to enable a tank communication device.

In May 2015, Niknia contacted Lant, who operated R&L Ltd., a company that sold Russian items, and requested to purchase 500 T-72S tank helmets and to have the helmets shipped to Tehran. Niknia initially paid R&L to purchase sample tank helmets and to have the helmets sent from Russia to Iran. Prior to the shipment of the first sample helmet, both Lant and Niknia were told that the United States’ sanctions prohibited the shipment of items to Iran, but both nevertheless proceeded with the transaction.

Niknia’s customer rejected the first sample helmet because it did not have a rectangular five-pin plug, but approved the second sample tank helmet that was sent to Tehran. In an email communication with Niknia, Niknia’s Iranian contact discussed the fact that the helmets would be inspected by the ultimate buyer, the Government of Iran. Niknia then requested additional helmets be sent to Tehran, 50 at a time, and paid Lant money for the purchase and shipment of the first 50 helmets. However, the deal ultimately stalled because Lant’s associate could not obtain and ship the tank helmets in the quantities and timeframe Niknia required. The Russian supplier said the difficulties stemmed from the fact that it was illegal to sell large quantities of tank helmets and to send modern military items to countries such as Iran that might use them in “terroristic or any war ways.”

In May 2015, Niknia had attempted to purchase battle tank helmets from another individual who sold Russian military memorabilia online. This individual did not sell Niknia any helmets and instead reported him to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The embargo on Iran, which is enforced through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, prohibits the export, sale, and supply of goods to Iran by United States persons with very limited exceptions. It also prohibits, with very limited exceptions, United States persons from engaging in any transaction or dealing related to the sale or supply of goods to Iran.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger prosecuted the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section of the National Security Division.

FRESNO, Calif. — Andrew Nathan Hernandez, 20, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to four months in prison for knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s helicopter, Air One, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Dec. 26, 2020, Hernandez aimed the beam of a green laser at the Sheriff’s helicopter, striking it multiple times. Hernandez was attending a street race in the area of Hughes and White Lane in Bakersfield at the time. Once he was identified, Hernandez led law enforcement ground units on a nine-minute, 11-mile high-speed chase before he was eventually apprehended. The laser strikes caused the pilot to experience significant visual interference as a result of temporary flash blindness and after images.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration website, in 2020, the FAA received 6,852 reports of laser strikes, which was up from the year before. The FAA advises that, when aimed at an aircraft, lasers can cause visual interference and incapacitate pilots. Such incidents can occur anywhere, but have been reported most frequently in the Western Pacific and Southern regions of the United States.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday against Pir Danish Ali, 43, of Pakistan, and Jason Keith Bruce, 49, of Galt, charging both defendants with conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act, to make false statements, and to smuggle goods into the United States, and charging Bruce with smuggling and violating the Endangered Species Act, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed upon Bruce’s arrest this morning.

According to court documents, Pir was the CEO of a hunting outfitter and guide company based in Pakistan, and Bruce was a recreational big game hunter who hunted as a client of Pir’s company. Beginning in February 2016, Pir and Bruce conspired to hunt a Ladakh urial, an endangered wild sheep, in Pakistan and smuggle the resulting trophy from Pakistan to the United States. (“Trophy” means a whole animal, or a readily recognizable part of an animal, that is prepared for display.) Shortly before the hunt, Pir told Bruce that a recent survey had shown a local population of only 180 animals. The defendants agreed that the export of the Ladakh urial trophy would be achieved through bribery and fraud by declaring it to Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as a different species and presenting forged documents purporting to be issued by Pakistani authorities. Bruce paid Pir $50,000 for the hunt, during which he shot a Ladakh urial.

On March 29, 2018, Bruce flew into San Francisco International Airport from Pakistan carrying eight trophies in his personal baggage, including the Ladakh urial trophy. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents stopped him and alerted the FWS. After the FWS seized the trophy, Pir and Bruce conspired together to lie and did in fact lie to the FWS agents. Further investigation revealed that, between 2013 and 2018, at least 25 hunters who had hunted with Pir’s company presented forged documents to import at least 97 hunting trophies into the United States.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of the conspiracy, Pir and Bruce face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the smuggling charge, Bruce faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and if convicted of the violation of the Endangered Species Act, Bruce faces a prison term of up to one year and a fine of up to $50,000 or both. 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Joshua Klomp, 48, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to 11 years and two months in prison for possession of child pornography following a prior sex offense conviction and while on supervised release for a prior child pornography conviction, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in 2018, during a probation visit, Klomp was found to be in possession of two cellphones that contained thousands of images and video files of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, of which more than 900 were identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as originating from known child pornography series. Further investigation revealed that Klomp’s devices contained nearly 3,000 internet history files associated with searches for young males engaged in sex acts.

At the time he possessed these images and video files, Klomp was on federal supervised release for a 2006 conviction for possession of child pornography. Klomp served 10 years in prison for that offense, and prior to that federal conviction, Klomp had been convicted in Butte County in 1995 of committing a lewd and lascivious act with a child.

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

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kenneth O’Neil, 49, of Lodi, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between June 7, 2018, and June 28, 2018, O’Neil sold at least 563 grams of heroin to a co-conspirator, who then sold those drugs to an undercover agent.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Calaveras Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.

O’Neil is scheduled to be sentenced on June 27, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. O’Neil faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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.