Eastern District of California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Esteban Gerardo Ramirez, 31, of San Jose, and Marsha Garma Phillips, 45, of Fairfield, charging them with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and related methamphetamine trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between Sept. 13, 2021, and March 8, 2022, Phillips sold over 5 pounds of methamphetamine to an FBI confidential source. Surveillance and further investigation revealed Phillips was supplied by Ramirez, whom she would meet in a parking lot in Fremont to pick up methamphetamine, before returning to Fairfield to sell it.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Fairfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, each defendant 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kristy Lynn Felkins, 37, of Fallon, Nevada, pleaded guilty today to the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Felkins admitted that she sent 12 bitcoin (valued at approximately $5,000 at the time) to a dark web hitman website, known as Besa Mafia, to have her ex-husband murdered. From February to May 2016, Felkins regularly communicated with the administrator of the site to pay and arrange for the murder of her ex-husband. Felkins gave the administrator the specific location of her husband in an attempt to have him murdered.

Besa Mafia operated as a “hidden service” on the Tor network, which is an anonymizing internet service that is known informally as the “dark web.” The Besa Mafia website was in fact a scam, and Felkins was not refunded the bitcoin she sent to the site, which is no longer in operation.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as part of the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, consisting of agents from HSI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force is a joint, federal task force focused on targeting all forms of dark web and cryptocurrency criminal activity in the Eastern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hemesath is prosecuting the case.

Felkins is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on June 16, 2022. Felkins faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jaziz Jesahias Cea, 24, of Galt, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for transportation, receipt, and possession of visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Cea used internet communications platforms and social media to commit the offenses. In particular, on May 13, 2018, Cea uploaded videos showing prepubescent girls being abused by adult males to his YouTube channel.  Cea also separately used his Skype account to receive videos depicting prepubescent minor females being sexually exploited and abused, to share links to such material, and to communicate with others about his interest in sexually exploiting children. On Feb. 20, 2019, Cea also possessed additional videos showing prepubescent girls being sexually abused. In addition to committing the charged offenses, Cea also admitted to using the Welcome to Video website and cryptocurrency to buy more than 20 hours of videos depicting child sexual abuse on the darknet in early 2018.

Between September 2017 and July 2018, Cea was a member of the California National Guard serving on active duty with the United States Army in Qatar. He was discharged from the California National Guard on July 23, 2020, under other than honorable conditions.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, the Houston, Texas, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), and the Galt Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rosanne Rust and Christina McCall 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Brian Kenneth Stoffel, 38, of Fresno, was arraigned this week on a seven-count indictment charging him with bank fraud, use of an unauthorized access device, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Stoffel obtained the name, social security account number, date of birth, and other means of identification of a specific victim. Stoffel used that personally identifiable information to open a checking account at the victim’s bank and drain the victim’s savings account using an unauthorized debit card, to apply for various lines of credit in the victim’s name, and to apply to the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a disaster loan. It is alleged that Stoffel caused at least $420,000 in actual and attempted loss in less than a one-year period of time.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Elder Abuse Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Stoffel faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Louisiana-based company Power Performance Enterprises Inc. (PPEI) and its President and owner, Kory B. Willis, pleaded guilty to criminal charges today in federal court in Sacramento, California. Both defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and to violating the Clean Air Act by tampering with the monitoring devices of emissions control systems of diesel trucks. 

In addition to the criminal charges, the United States also filed a civil complaint against PPEI and Willis today in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana, alleging violations of the Clean Air Act’s prohibition against the sale or manufacture of devices that bypass, defeat, or render inoperative emissions controls. Under the criminal plea agreements and a proposed civil consent decree, PPEI and Willis agreed to pay a total of $3.1 million in criminal fines and civil penalties. Under the civil settlement, both Willis and the company agree not to manufacture, sell or install any device that defeats emissions controls.

“The manufacture and sale of illegal delete devices and tunes such as the ones targeted by today’s actions put at risk decades of progress in controlling harmful pollution from motor vehicles in this country,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “As the plea agreements and civil settlement show, we will vigorously enforce the prohibitions on delete devices and tunes, using all appropriate enforcement tools.” 

“The defendants sold products nationwide that allowed drivers to illegally tamper with emissions controls in a manner that caused dramatic increases in emissions,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Environmental laws that control diesel pollution protect the environment and the health of the general public and are especially important to protect sensitive populations such as the young, the elderly, and people who suffer from respiratory conditions. Thanks to the work of the EPA, these guilty pleas will send a message to the delete device industry that disregarding federal environmental laws will result in federal charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who place profit above the public’s health and the environment.” 

“The actions of Power Performance Enterprises Inc. and its President and owner, Kory B. Willis, that advanced them to the top of the delete tuning market have caused and will continue to cause the emissions of dangerous compounds into the environment which could contribute to serious health issues,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana. “This proposed civil settlement sends a clear message that these types of violations will not be tolerated and those who violate these environmental laws will be held accountable.”

“EPA estimates that the defeat devices illegally sold by the defendants are expected to cause the release of over 100 million pounds of excess air pollutants over the life of the diesel trucks in which they were installed,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Larry Starfield for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This case clearly demonstrates the negative environmental impact of defeat devices and EPA’s commitment to vigorously enforcing laws designed to protect public health and the environment.” 

According to court documents, from PPEI’s incorporation in 2009 until 2019, PPEI and Willis were among the nation’s most prominent developers of custom software known as “tunes,” and in particular, “delete tunes.” Generally, tunes can alter a diesel truck’s fuel delivery, power parameters and emissions. PPEI and Willis were well known for their custom delete tunes, software which allows a “deleted” truck to appear to run normally. A deleted vehicle is one that has had emissions controls removed or disabled, resulting in vastly increased emissions of air pollution.

Willis and PPEI reached the top of the illegal delete tuning market, tuning over 175,000 vehicles according to Willis. Willis also stated that PPEI was the biggest custom tuning company in the world, had over 100,000 customers, and tuned more than 500 vehicles a week. According to internal PPEI records, PPEI typically sold well over $1 million dollars of product a month. According to EPA calculations of the estimated emissions impact, PPEI’s sales of delete tunes between 2013 and 2018 alone are anticipated to cause over 100 million excess pounds of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions over the life of the diesel trucks equipped with those products.  

Deleting a diesel truck causes its emissions to increase dramatically. For example, for a fully deleted truck, which has had all emissions equipment removed or disabled, EPA testing quantified the increased emissions as follows: NOx increased 310 times, non-methane hydrocarbons increased 1,400 times, carbon monoxide increased 120 times, and particulate matter increased 40 times. EPA’s Air Enforcement Division released a report in November 2020 finding that more than half a million diesel pickup trucks in the United States — approximately 15% of U.S. diesel trucks that were originally certified with emissions controls — have been illegally deleted. 

Diesel emissions include multiple hazardous compounds and harm human health and the environment. Diesel emissions have been found to cause and worsen respiratory ailments such as asthma and lung cancer. One study indicated that 21,000 American deaths annually are attributable to diesel particulate matter. Exposure to polluted air in utero also has been associated with a host of problems with lifelong ramifications including low birth weight, preterm birth, autism, brain/memory disorders and asthma.

Under the proposed civil settlement, defendants PPEI and Willis will pay $1,550,000 in civil penalties and agree not to manufacture, sell, or install any device that bypasses, defeats, or renders inoperative motor vehicle emissions controls. The defendants will not sell or transfer the intellectual property associated with these products, and will destroy illegal products still in inventory, cease warranty support for previously sold products, revise marketing materials, notify customers and dealers of the law and the settlement, and train employees and contractors. According to civil court documents, Willis and PPEI halted sales of specified delete devices in the fall of 2019 following enforcement activity by EPA. 

The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in the criminal case by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Aug. 23. Willis faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years of incarceration on the conspiracy count, two years of incarceration on the tampering count, and for each count a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense. PPEI faces for each count a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain derived from the offense. Under the plea agreements, the defendants agree to jointly and severally pay a $1,550,000 criminal fine. The sentences will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of all applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The criminal case was the product of an investigation by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine T. Lydon of the Eastern District of California and Senior Counsel Krishna S. Dighe and Trial Attorney Stephen J. Foster of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) are prosecuting the criminal case. The federal civil case is being handled by Senior Counsel Nicole Veilleux of the Environmental Enforcement Section of ENRD and Attorney-Advisor Ed Kulschinsky of the Air Enforcement Division of the EPA.

Stopping the manufacture, sale and installation of illegal delete devices is a priority for EPA. To learn more, visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/national-compliance-initiative-stopping-aftermarket-defeat-devices-vehicles-and-engines. 

The consent decree for this settlement was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. A copy of the decree, and information on submitting comments will be available on the Department of Justice website at: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.  

Aleksandr Maslov, 40, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 24 years and four months in prison, for his involvement in an international credit card fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to evidence presented in the trials of his co-defendants and in court documents, between approximately Oct. 5, 2011, and March 5, 2014, Maslov conspired with Rouslan Kirilyuk, 43, of Los Angeles; Mihran Melkonyan, 41, of Sacramento; Rouslan Akhmerov, 46, of Studio City; and others in a massive credit card billing scheme that involved working with Moscow‑based hackers to create approximately 71 fraudulent online companies established with the sole purpose of fraudulently charging approximately 119,000 stolen credit card numbers. In total, the members of the scheme billed the stolen credit card numbers for over $3.4 million in unauthorized charges.

To create the fraudulent companies, the members of the scheme obtained over 200 stolen report cards from the San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento. Those report cards had students’ personally identifiable information (PII) on them including names and social security numbers. Using that personal identity information, Kirilyuk and his associates created fraudulent companies with names designed to sound like real companies, such as “CVS Store,” “Walt Mart,” and “Chevran.”

Working with at least one hacker based in Moscow, Maslov and his conspirators used those fraudulent companies to charge stolen American Express credit card account numbers. To transfer the stolen money, they used shell bank accounts held in the names of individuals whose identities had been stolen and accounts in the names of former Russian J-1 Student Visa holders who had returned to Russia after opening multiple bank accounts in California.

The members of the conspiracy also used numerous runners in the Los Angeles area to withdraw money in the form of cash. The conspirators then sent a portion of the stolen money to Moscow, using prepaid debit cards and by hiding cash inside of items shipped through the mail. According to court documents, Maslov’s co-defendant, Kirilyuk has a history of corporate cyber-intrusion dating back to at least 2003.

Maslov, Kirilyuk and Melkonyan all fled to avoid prosecution. Kirilyuk was apprehended in Mexico and arrested by FBI agents after being flown to San Francisco. Melkonyan was apprehended in California after re-entering the United States. Maslov was apprehended in Virginia.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sacramento Field Division with assistance from FBI’s Los Angeles Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson and Heiko P. Coppola prosecuted the case.

In trial on Feb. 15, 2017, Melkonyan was found guilty of 24 counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud charged against him related to the scheme. He was sentenced on January 4, 2019, to 19 years and two months in prison.

In trial, on Feb. 26, 2019, Kirilyuk was found guilty of 24 counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of failure to appear. He was sentenced on Dec. 6, 2019, to 27 years in prison.

On Dec. 15, 2014, Akhmerov pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud for his participation in the scheme and was sentenced to time served.

FRESNO, Calif. — Uriel Ivan Portillo, 35, of Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Nov. 21, 2019, Portillo distributed 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in exchange for $40,000 during a controlled purchase in Bakersfield.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Southern Tri-County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Portillo’s co-defendant, Wilfredo Medina Perez, also pleaded guilty to the same and additional drug transactions. He is scheduled for sentencing on March 18, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Medina faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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. — Maria Cervantes-Echevarria, 35, a Mexican national living in Los Molinos, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley, to eight years and nine months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Cervantes-Echevarria pleaded guilty in May 2019. According to court records, federal agents began investigating Cervantes-Echevarria and co-defendant Miguel Cervantes in 2017 for suspected methamphetamine trafficking in Shasta and Tehama Counties. In August and September 2018, an undercover agent purchased over 3 pounds of methamphetamine from Cervantes during three controlled buys. In addition, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Cervantes-Echevarria’s and co-defendant Marta Jiminez Lopez’s home in September 2018, they seized approximately 34 pounds of methamphetamine, 3 pounds of heroin, three firearms, and over $44,000 in cash.

Cervantes and Lopez, both Mexican nationals living in Los Molinos, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Cervantes was sentenced to nine years in prison in February 2020. Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2022.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, the Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement (TIDE) task force, and the Siskiyou Unified Major Investigations Team (SUMIT), with special assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A three-count indictment was unsealed yesterday charging four defendants in connection with an illegal gambling business and conspiracies to launder the proceeds of the illegal gambling business, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

The indictment charges Los Angeles residents Gal Yifrach, 35, with operating an illegal gambling business and conspiracy to commit money laundering; Nick Shkolnik, 39, with operating an illegal gambling business; and Shalom Ifrah, 32, and Schneur Zalman Getzel Rosenfeld, 33, with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

According to court documents, Yifrach, Shkolnik, and Yosef Yitzchak Beshari, who was charged elsewhere, conducted an illegal gambling business involving video slot machines and devices and bets, in the Eastern District of California and elsewhere. Yifrach and Ifrah conspired to launder the proceeds of the illegal gambling business in multiple ways, including by exchanging the cash for checks, exchanging the cash for casino chips, and conducting cash exchanges of no more than $10,000 at banks to avoid transaction reporting requirements. Rosenfeld is charged with conspiring with Beshari to launder the proceeds of the illegal gambling business in multiple ways, including by providing checks, direct deposits of purported salary, and a wire transfer to an escrow company, all in exchange for cash from the gambling business.

All four defendants were arrested yesterday. Yifrach and Ifrah have been detained pending trial. Shkolnik and Rosenfeld have been released subject to pretrial supervision and other conditions. 

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

If convicted, Yifrach and Shkolnik each face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conducting an illegal gambling business. In addition, Yifrach, Ifrah, and Rosenfeld each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, whichever is greater, for conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of assets, including over $500,000 in U.S. Currency and three real estate properties in Los Angeles. 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. — After a seven–day trial, a federal jury found Robert Pierre Duncan, 26, of Sacramento, guilty on Tuesday of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a child, sex trafficking of a child, and escape from custody, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, between September and October 2018, Duncan recruited a 17-year-old girl to engage in prostitution in Oakland and San Francisco. He frequently drove the victim to areas known for prostitution activity where he caused her to have sex with strangers for money, which he kept. Duncan also posted online prostitution ads depicting the victim and harbored the victim at an Oakland motel so she could have sex with sex buyers. In late September 2018, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputies recovered the victim. However, a few weeks later, Duncan, working with his co-conspirator, Eva Christian, 25, extracted the victim from a children’s group home in the middle of the night. The next day, Duncan put the victim back to work engaging in prostitution on the streets of Oakland. After obtaining the victim from the group home, Duncan managed his pimping operation from his Sacramento apartment, using his cellphone and a location tracking application on his phone to monitor and direct the victim’s prostitution activity in Oakland.

On May 31, 2019, Duncan was arrested by FBI agents in Sacramento. Shortly after his arrest, Duncan broke out of custody and fled through Midtown Sacramento until he was finally apprehended several blocks away from the scene of his initial arrest.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Justice’s Special Operations Unit, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Woodland Police Department, and the Oakland Police Department with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.

Duncan is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on June 6, 2022. Duncan faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. His conviction on the sex trafficking of a child count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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. — Lionel Ornelas, 62, of Vallejo, was sentenced today to 15 years and eight months in prison by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller sentenced for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, between June 20, 2017, and Dec. 19, 2017, Ornelas conspired with Tony Acosta Alvarez, 29, to distribute and possess methamphetamine. Ornelas had previously been convicted of felony drug offenses in Solano County in 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013. On July 26, 2019, Ornelas pleaded guilty and admitted that he was responsible for 1,068 grams of methamphetamine purchased during an undercover operation. In addition, on July 20, 2017, Ornelas sold a .380 handgun to the confidential informant.

On Sept. 24, 2019, Alvarez was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Solano County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelli L. Taylor prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Juan Carlos Cortez-Gomez, 44, of Riverbank, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 70 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 15, 2020, Cortez-Gomez agreed to sell methamphetamine to an FBI informant. When Cortez-Gomez arrived at the location for the sale, he was arrested by officers. A search of his truck revealed 10 pounds of methamphetamine. During a post-arrest statement, Cortez-Gomez admitted he knowingly possessed this methamphetamine and that he was planning to sell it.

This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, and the Stockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — On Friday, March 4, 2022, after a four–day trial, a federal jury found Ivan Isho, 44, of Peoria, Arizona, guilty of two counts of wire fraud, one count of false impersonation of a federal officer, and stalking, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, in 2016 and 2017, Isho pretended to be an FBI agent and claimed to members of the Assyrian community in Ceres that he could help them obtain visas for their family members living outside the United States. He displayed fake FBI credentials and a gun to aid his misrepresentations to his victims. They paid him thousands of dollars, including by means of interstate wire transmission, and provided him with copies of personal family documents. However, Isho had no ability to obtain and never helped to obtain visas for the victims’ family members. Isho was never employed in any capacity by the FBI.

Additionally, between April 2017 and April 2018, Isho held himself out as an FBI Special Agent to a female victim whom he harassed by means of repeated phone calls and threatening and harassing voicemail messages to both the victim and her husband.

At trial, Isho testified and claimed he only possessed the fake FBI credentials as part of a Halloween costume, despite recordings in evidence of his voicemails claiming to be with the FBI received in the months of April and August 2017. He further admitted to threatening the stalking victim with abusive language and various threats.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Laura Jean Berger are prosecuting the case.

Isho is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on May 31, 2022. Isho 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. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Olyimpus Shaquille Pereira, 28, of Stockton, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Nov. 16, 2021, following a lawful search, officers found a Sig Sauer .40‑caliber semi-automatic handgun in Pereira’s vehicle. Pereira has several prior felony convictions—including assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury and two prior felon in possession of a firearm/ammunition convictions—which prohibit him from possessing a firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Violent Crimes Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, and the Stockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett is prosecuting the case.

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

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sherri Papini, 39, of Redding, was arrested today on charges of making false statements to a federal law enforcement officer and engaging in mail fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and Shasta County Sheriff Michael L. Johnson announced.

According to the criminal complaint filed in this case, on Nov. 2, 2016, Papini was reported missing, and extensive searches were conducted for her in Shasta County and California as well as in several other states. On Nov. 24, 2016, Papini was found in Yolo County near Woodland. Papini had various bindings on her body and injuries including a “brand” on her right shoulder.

At that time, Papini told law enforcement officers and others that she had been abducted and held by two Hispanic women at gunpoint and held against her will. She also provided details of the alleged abductors to an FBI sketch artist. Based on her account, law enforcement agencies were on the lookout for Hispanic women matching Papini’s description. The investigation eventually showed, however, that this was a false narrative Papini fabricated. In truth, Papini had been voluntarily staying with a former boyfriend in Costa Mesa and had harmed herself to support her false statements.

During an interview conducted by a federal agent and a Shasta County Sheriff’s Office detective in August 2020, Papini was warned that it was a crime to lie to federal agents. She was presented with evidence that showed she had not been abducted. Instead of retracting her kidnapping story, Papini continued to make false statements about her purported abductors. In addition, Papini caused the California Victim’s Compensation Board to pay victim assistance money based on her kidnapping story. From 2017 through 2021, Papini’s request for victim assistance caused approximately 35 payments totaling over $30,000, including for visits to her therapist and for the ambulance that transported her to the hospital after her return.

“When a young mother went missing in broad daylight, a community was filled with fear and concern,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Shasta County Sheriff’s Office immediately began investigating, calling on the assistance of the FBI. Countless hours were spent following leads, all in an effort to bring this woman back to her family. Three weeks later, she was found 146 miles south of where she disappeared, and the focus went from trying to find her to trying to find her abductors. Ultimately, the investigation revealed that there was no kidnapping and that time and resources that could have been used to investigate actual crime, protect the community, and provide resources to victims were wasted based on the defendant’s conduct.”

“This case exemplifies the FBI’s commitment to working tirelessly with law enforcement partners and prosecutors to examine all facts and seek the truth, no matter how long that process takes or how complex the analysis may be,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “We are grateful for the dedication of the agents, investigators, lab technicians, professional staff, and prosecutors who aided our collaborative fact-finding efforts. We are relieved that the community is not endangered by unknown, violent kidnappers, and thank the public and media for their patience and strong support for this case since the initial reports of Sherri Papini’s disappearance.”

“The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office is very thankful for the partnerships with all of the local, state, and federal allied agencies that have been involved with this investigation for the last five plus years,” said Sheriff Johnson. “The arrest of Sherri Papini was made possible by the outstanding hard work of a multitude of agents, detectives, DOJ criminalist, forensic analyst, crime scene investigators and support staff members that were assigned to this investigation. Everyone involved in this investigation had one common goal; to find the truth about what happened on Nov. 2, 2016 with Sherri Papini and who was responsible. The 22-day search for Sherri Papini and subsequent five-year search into who reportedly abducted her was not only taxing on public resources but caused the general public to be fearful of their own safety, a fear that they should not have had to endure. The Sheriff’s Office has appreciated the support and patience from the citizens of Shasta County and abroad. This investigation has always been a priority to get solved for the Sheriff’s Office as well as for our investigating partners at the FBI and the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic Services and Bureau of Investigation.”

“At the California Department of Justice, we're proud of the work that our investigators and forensic experts do each and every day to provide critical investigative leads to our law enforcement partners across California,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “No matter the circumstances, our team is committed to the facts. While this case deals with a tough situation, we'll continue to do our part to help secure justice. Thank you to our partners at the federal and local level for your commitment to seeing this case through.”

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic Services and Bureau of Investigation, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegría and Shelley D. Weger are prosecuting the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —  The Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair was held on February 26 and connected employers with diverse legal candidates for future and current job openings, announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, the UC Davis School of Law, and the Federal Bar Association Sacramento Chapter.

The Diversity Career Fair is the first legal career fair in the Sacramento region with an online platform where employers can post legal jobs, and law students and attorneys can submit applications. The Diversity Career Fair also provided employers, law students, and attorneys with the opportunity to connect in person, and included a panel discussion featuring federal and state court judges, and practicing attorneys. A wide variety of employers, bar associations, law students, attorneys, and judges attended the Diversity Career Fair held at McGeorge School of Law.

“The Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair helped bring our diverse legal community together to work on the shared goal of promoting and encouraging diversity,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “It was inspiring. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to continuing these important efforts with our law schools, bar associations, and the larger legal community.”

“I am incredibly honored and proud that McGeorge School of Law was selected to host the inaugural Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair with partner institutions in Sacramento, and the nearly 40 employers who attended,” said Michael Hunter Schwartz, Dean of McGeorge School of Law. “While there is still plenty of work that needs to be done to continue diversifying the legal profession, this career fair was an important early step in that ongoing journey and was a fantastic opportunity to connect students with employers invested in this critical work.”

“We were so pleased to partner in presenting the inaugural Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair, which provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect with employers who prioritize diversity in the legal profession,” UC Davis School of Law Dean Kevin R. Johnson said.  ”Diversity, equity and inclusion are primary principles at Martin Luther King Jr. Hall, and this event helped us further our mission. Many thanks to the outstanding employers who participated, and to our partner organizations for allowing us to participate in this groundbreaking event.”

The Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair was co-sponsored by all of the affinity bar associations in Sacramento, including the Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento (ABAS), Cruz Reynoso Bar Association, Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association, Sacramento Filipino American Lawyers Association (SacFALA), South Asian Bar Association (SABA), SacLegal Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, Wiley Manuel Bar Association (WMBA), Women Lawyers of Sacramento (WLS), and by the Sacramento County Bar Association.

For more information: https://fbasacramento.org/sacramentodiversitycareerfair/

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Richard Ricardo, 26, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, a law enforcement officer pulled Ricardo over for a traffic violation. During the stop, the officer determined that Ricardo was driving on a suspended license, in violation of the California Vehicle Code. Before towing the car, officers searched it in accordance with the department’s inventory procedures. Inside the car, officers found firearm parts capable of being assembled into an operable firearm, ammunition, and firearm magazines. Ricardo is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his prior felony convictions, including a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.

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

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Schenelle M. Flores, 46, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to five years and 10 months in prison and ordered to pay over $2 million in restitution for organizing a scheme to divert funds from the California Department of Public Health, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. She was ordered to begin serving her sentence on May 18, 2022.

According to court documents, Flores used her employment at the Office of AIDS, within the California Department of Public Health, to coordinate the fraud scheme between December 2017 and November 2018. The Office of AIDS is responsible for working on behalf of the State of California to combat the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Flores’s scheme involved directing a state contractor to make payments allegedly on behalf of the Office of AIDS and causing the contractor to charge those payments to the state. As part of the scheme, Flores 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. Flores, other participants in the scheme, and their families and friends obtained at least $2 million in personal benefits, including cash, luxury suites at sports games, and vacations.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was referred by the California Department of Public Health and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miriam R. Hinman and Christopher S. Hales are prosecuting the case.

Another former state employee, Christine M. Iwamoto, 47, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty on Oct. 28, 2021, to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a related case, United States v. Iwamoto, 2:21-cr-193-TLN.  Iwamoto is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on April 7, 2022. For the wire fraud count, Iwamoto faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. For the count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, Iwamoto faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the property involved in the transactions, whichever is greater. 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. — Damian Deleal, 33, of Carmichael, was sentenced today to 10 years and one month in prison for armed robbery of a U.S. mail carrier and bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in March 2018, Deleal conspired with others, including Jacey Powell to rob a U.S. mail carrier of a postal service key that could open numerous residential cluster mailboxes in Sacramento County. Deleal conspired to obtain the key so he and his co-conspirators – including Jacey Powell, Brandon Moses, and Loren Patrick – could steal bankcards, checks, and other financial instruments from the mail.

On March 9, 2018, in South Sacramento, an unnamed co-conspirator robbed a mail carrier at gunpoint and forced the victim to hand over a postal service key. During the next few days, Deleal, Powell, Moses, and Patrick used the key to steal mailed bankcards and checks. They then attempted to use these items to purchase goods and obtain cash.

Powell and Deleal further conspired to claim reward money offered for information relating to the robbery and the stolen postal service key. In executing this plan, they planted the stolen key on Moses while he was sleeping in his car and called the U.S. Postal Service to report Moses’ location and inquire about the reward. After receiving this tip, investigators worked quickly to make arrests and learned that Deleal orchestrated the conspiracy and related crimes.

“Prosecuting robberies like this one is important to promote respect for the law and provide just punishment,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Mail carriers play an important part in the everyday workings of our country’s mail system, economy, and critical infrastructures. They should be able to do their jobs without the fear of being robbed or assaulted.”

“This sentence demonstrates clearly that Postal Inspectors do not tolerate violence directed at USPS employees and criminal exploitation of the U.S. Mail,” said Rafael Nuñez, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service San Francisco Division. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California for prosecuting this serious case, as well as our law enforcement partners for their crucial assistance.”

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz prosecuted the case.

Moses, Patrick, and Powell pleaded guilty to federal charges and were sentenced in the following related cases in this district: U.S. v. Patrick, 2:18-cr-79 (two months in prison), U.S. v. Moses, 2:18-cr-90 (two years and 10 months in prison), and U.S. v. Powell, 2:18-cr-83 (two years in prison).

FRESNO, Calif. — Michael Pack, 35, of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. 

According to court documents, Pack, a prospect of the Hells Angels Modesto Motorcycle Club, was part of a drug trafficking conspiracy led by Hells Angels President Randy Picchi. The drug conspiracy involved Picchi’s wife, Tina Picchi, Michael Mize, and Michael Pack. Randy Picchi directed Tina Picchi to regularly deliver drugs to Mize and other individuals in Ceres. Randy Picchi also enlisted Pack to help obtain methamphetamine on at least one occasion. Pack was stopped by law enforcement and found to have 499 grams of methamphetamine in his possession.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Modesto Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Laurel Montoya are prosecuting the case.

Pack is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on May 23, 2022. Pack faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of five 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.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Three former leaders of the Paskenta Tribe of Nomlaki Indians were sentenced today for a conspiracy to embezzle or steal from a tribal organization, as well as tax fraud and tax evasion offenses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez sentenced John A. Crosby, 56, of Redding, to four years and nine months in prison and to pay a $10,000 fine; Ines S. Crosby, 76, of Orland, to four years and nine months years in prison; and Leslie A. Lohse, 67, of Glenn, to three years and five months in prison. Lohse has paid $902,208 in restitution prior to today’s sentencing hearing. A hearing will be held on April 19, 2022, to determine the amount of restitution John Crosby and Ines Crosby will pay.

According to court documents, from approximately January 2009 through May 2014, the defendants took millions of dollars from the Paskenta Tribe of Nomlaki Indians without tribal or legal authority, taking advantage of their positions on the Tribal Counsel and in prominent leadership positions in the tribe. The defendants used this embezzled money to: buy homes; build swimming pools, decks and koi ponds at their personal residences; purchase vehicles; go on luxury vacations (including trips to Africa, South America, and Hawaii, as well as private and chartered jet travel); buy high-value entertainment; pay familial expenses; and purchase precious metals. John Crosby and Leslie Lohse did not declare these embezzled amounts on their respective tax returns as income, while Ines Crosby intentionally failed to file tax returns between 2010 and 2014. All three individuals then took a series of steps to attempt to conceal their actions: they created a written employment agreement in 2014 that appeared to be from 2001 and purported to authorize their use of Tribal funds, and then told federal investigators that the document was from 2001, knowing at the time that that was not true.

“The defendants lived a lavish lifestyle at the expense of the Paskenta Tribe of Nomlaki Indians and were undeterred by the damage their conduct would bring to the Tribe, whose members trusted them with most of their crucial operational positions,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “The defendants’ criminal conduct occurred on a regular basis over a period of many years. Today’s sentences should send a strong message to other would-be criminals of the consequences for serious white-collar crime.”

“The emotional and financial damage these defendants have caused to the Tribe cannot be undone. Not only did the defendants steal millions of dollars to line their pockets and failed to report their ill-gotten gains, but their actions also eroded Tribe members’ faith in their government, causing fear and distrust,” stated IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Pearson. “IRS-Criminal Investigation will not standby and tolerate this type of criminal conduct. We remain committed to ensuring those in positions of power are held accountable when that position is exploited for personal gain.”

“These defendants abused the trust of their own tribe and community, diverting millions of dollars from tribal accounts to fund lavish, unauthorized personal expenditures rather than help tribe members,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “This case exemplifies our commitment to conducting thorough investigations and working with our law enforcement partners to ensure justice for crime victims. We thank IRS Criminal Investigation for their strong, continued partnership and commitment to collaborating with us to seek justice for victims of white collar crime.”

This case was the product of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Denis Barrera-Palma, 27, of Mendota, was sentenced Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022,  to 10 years and one month in prison for assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Barrera-Palma was the leader in Mendota of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a violent criminal street gang that engages in racketeering activity, including murder, kidnapping, extortion, and drug trafficking. On May 14, 2018, Barrera-Palma, along with others, assaulted another individual with a pipe in front of an elementary school in Mendota in order to gain entrance to, or maintain or increase his status within MS-13. On Feb. 28, 2020, Barrera‑Palma pleaded guilty to the charges.

Barrera-Palma was also the leader of MS-13’s drug trafficking conspiracy in Mendota. MS-13 engaged in street level drug sales to fund various of the gang’s criminal activities. The gang, through Barrera-Palma, would acquire drugs, and distribute them out among members with a directive that they sell the drugs within a certain period of time and return all proceeds to the gang. Those proceeds would then be used for a variety of purposes, including funding trips to obtain drugs or commit acts of violence, putting money on the books of incarcerated MS-13 members, sending money to MS-13 members in El Salvador, and obtaining more narcotics to sell.

The investigation began after reports that MS-13 had established a presence in and around Mendota, a Central Valley town 35 miles west of Fresno. Investigators found evidence of broad criminal activity, including murder, assault, firearms possession and drug trafficking activity. In August 2018, 25 individuals associated with MS-13 were arrested on federal and state charges in connection with their gang activities, including assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. All 15 of Barrera-Palma’s federal co-defendants have been sentenced.

The investigation was conducted by the California Department of Justice and California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), 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 this case. Senior Deputy District Attorney Dennis Lewis is working with the team and prosecuting related cases in Fresno County Superior Court.

This effort was 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 was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Daryol Richmond, 31, a Kern Valley State Prison inmate pleaded guilty today to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft charges for his role in a $25 million unemployment insurance fraud scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to the plea agreement, Richmond obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) for other individuals, including inmates and non-inmates, without their authorization. He then provided this information to his co-conspirators inside and outside of prison through emails and jail calls. The co-conspirators then filed applications for unemployment insurance with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) that falsely stated that the inmates, minor children, and others previously worked as clothing merchants, handymen, and other jobs, and recently became unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the plea agreement, Richmond acknowledged that he was responsible for $1.4 million worth of the fraudulent claims.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, EDD, and Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.

Richmond is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Nov. 14, 2022. Richmond faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge. He also faces a mandatory, additional two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge. 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 several variables.

Charges are pending against the other defendants in this case: Telvin Breaux, 29, an inmate at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi; Holly White, 30, of Los Angeles; Cecelia Allen, 33, of Downey; Fantasia Brown, 33, of Los Angeles; Tonisha Brown, 28, of Los Angeles; Fantesia Davis, 32, of Victorville; and Shanice White, 28, of Hawthorne. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — The Justice Department today announced that it has filed proposed consent decrees with two obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) doctors in Bakersfield, California. The decrees, which are subject to approval by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, resolve the department’s lawsuits, the doctors, Umaima Jamaluddin, MD, and Chibuike Enyereibe Anucha, MD, PC, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The department sued Dr. Jamaluddin and Dr. Anucha alleging violations of the ADA based on their refusal to provide routine medical care to a patient because the patient has HIV. Title III of the ADA prohibits doctors and other health care providers from discriminating against people with disabilities, including HIV.

One lawsuit alleged that Dr. Anucha told the patient that she needed a Pap smear and refused to perform it because the patient has HIV. The other lawsuit alleged that Dr. Jamaluddin refused to allow the same patient to make an appointment for routine preventative care because the patient has HIV.

“People with HIV have the right to equal access to doctors and medical services,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department remains steadfast in our commitment to eradicate discrimination against people with HIV and combat the spread of unfounded stereotypes and misinformation.”

“Of all people, medical providers should understand that erecting barriers to basic medical care based on an individual’s HIV status is unconscionable,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “In 2022, it should not take a federal lawsuit to break down such barriers, however, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners in the Civil Rights Division stand ready to litigate to vindicate the rights of individuals with disabilities.”

Under the consent decrees, the doctors have agreed to pay a total of $75,000 to the patient ($37,500 in each case) and to pay a $5,000 civil penalty to the United States in each case. The consent decrees also require the defendants to take and provide their staff with training; implement a non-discrimination policy; and comply with record-keeping obligations, including providing regular reports to the department.

FRESNO, Calif. — Jose Betancourt, 28, of Bakersfield, was charged today by a federal grand jury with two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Dec. 9, 2021, law enforcement officers attempted to stop Betancourt for traffic infractions as he drove in Bakersfield. Betancourt sped off and discarded a bag from his moving vehicle that contained an unmarked privately made AR-style rifle known as a “ghost gun,” two armor plate carriers, black gloves, a mask, high-capacity magazines and over 100 rounds of rifle ammunition. The officers recovered Betancourt’s bag in the middle of the street approximately 1,000 feet from Garces High School. Betancourt ultimately crashed his vehicle, exited and ran from pursuing police officers. Immediately prior to surrendering, Betancourt threw a .40 caliber ghost gun with a loaded magazine towards a nearby apartment building. Betancourt cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he was convicted in 2015 for reckless evasion, and in 2020 for possessing controlled substances for sale and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.

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

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — David Lee White, 52, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 11 years and three months in prison, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, White and co-defendants Jason Keith Arnold, and Alicia McCoy, both also of Chandler, Arizona, operated the vendor accounts SICKNESSVERSION2 and 23MIGHTYMOUSE23 on the dark web marketplace known as Dream. These vendor accounts distributed heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and other federally controlled substances on the dark web.

Law enforcement agents working undercover purchased heroin and other controlled substances from these vendor accounts on various dates in 2018, and had them sent to an address in the Eastern District of California. Agents subsequently executed a search warrant at a motel room in which White and McCoy were staying and seized at least 315 grams of heroin, 45 grams of cocaine, 593 grams of methamphetamine, and 30 grams of marijuana. Agents also seized a loaded and unregistered Kel-tec 9 mm handgun from a nightstand in the motel room.

Arnold pleaded guilty on March 5, 2020, and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2022. Charges are pending against McCoy, and a status conference is scheduled for April 4, 2022. The charges against her are allegations; she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With the goal of promoting diversity within the legal profession, the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair is being launched to connect employers with diverse legal candidates for future or current job openings, announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, the UC Davis School of Law, and the Federal Bar Association Sacramento Chapter.

The Diversity Career Fair is the first legal career fair in the Sacramento region with an online platform where employers can post legal jobs, and law students and attorneys can submit applications. The Diversity Career Fair will also provide employers, law students, and attorneys with the opportunity to connect in person, and will include a panel discussion providing perspectives on practicing law as a diverse attorney.

“Promoting and encouraging diversity in the legal profession is critical to reflecting and serving our diverse community,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to promoting and encouraging diversity, and we are proud to partner with our law schools and bar associations to work towards achieving this goal.”

“McGeorge School of Law is proud to be partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, UC Davis School of Law, and the Federal Bar Association on this Diversity Career Fair,” said Michael Hunter Schwartz, Dean of McGeorge School of Law. “As a law school engaged in the critically important work to become an antiracist law school, we are excited to be a part of this group of institutions that is training and employing the next generations of attorneys who match the growing diversity of California and the nation.”

“Diversity, equity and inclusion are central to our mission at Martin Luther King Jr. Hall,” UC Davis School of Law Dean Kevin R. Johnson said. “We are equally committed to assisting UC Davis Law students with finding jobs in the legal field. We are so pleased to partner with so many outstanding local bar organizations, employers and judges on the Sacramento Region Diversity Career Fair, which will provide unique opportunities for our students to meet with employers from different sectors who value diversity as highly as we do.”

The Diversity Career Fair is co-sponsored by all of the affinity bar associations in Sacramento, including the Asian/Pacific Bar Association of Sacramento (ABAS), Cruz Reynoso Bar Association, Leonard M. Friedman Bar Association, Sacramento Filipino American Lawyers Association (SacFALA), South Asian Bar Association (SABA), SacLegal Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, Wiley Manuel Bar Association (WMBA), Women Lawyers of Sacramento (WLS), and the Sacramento County Bar Association.

For more information: https://fbasacramento.org/sacramentodiversitycareerfair/.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Juan Carlos Montalbo, 59, of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced today to two years in prison for a conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a timeshare fraud in Mexico, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Montalbo, while working in the timeshare industry in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, would tell timeshare owners that he could guarantee the sale of their existing timeshare vacation rentals, often to pay for other timeshare products Montalbo was attempting to sell them. He and his coconspirators would guarantee the sales and would represent that buyers were already arranged who were ready to pay for the timeshares. In truth, no buyers had actually been arranged. Instead, other coconspirators would convince the victims of the fraud to wire additional money from bank accounts in the United States and Canada to bank accounts in Mexico for alleged up-front payments including taxes, fees, and commissions to make the sale of the timeshare occur. The conspirators would assure victims that the non-existent buyers had already deposited money into trust accounts and that the sellers’ up-front fees would be fully reimbursed from those funds after the sale was complete.

In November 2020, Judge Mendez sentenced co-defendant Wayne Arthur York II to five months’ time served, two years of supervised release, and to pay $449,980 in restitution to the victims of the scheme.

In March 2020, Judge Mendez sentenced co-defendant Marco Antonio Ramirez Zuno to two years’ time served and to pay $1,108,375 in restitution to the victims of the scheme.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew G. Morris prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. —Michael Shafer, 34, of Modesto, was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Shafer was the vice president of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in Modesto in 2019. As part of a years-long investigation into the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, investigators obtained a court-authorized wiretap for Shafer’s phone. The wiretapped calls and messages showed that Shafer was conspiring to distribute marijuana and heroin. Specifically, in April 2019, Shafer conspired with a former Hells Angels member who was incarcerated in Pleasant Valley State Prison to smuggle heroin into prison.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Modesto Police Department, the Turlock Police Department, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Laurel Montoya 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 being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Jesus B. Cordero, 26, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to possession of ammunition after sustaining a domestic violence conviction, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, at approximately midnight on Sept. 5, 2020, law enforcement officers stopped Cordero for traffic infractions while he was driving in Bakersfield. Cordero did not have a driver’s license and gave a false name to the responding police officers. During a search of Cordero’s vehicle, officers located a baggie containing approximately 45.5 grams of methamphetamine, which Cordero possessed intending to distribute it to others. Officers also discovered in Cordero’s vehicle a 9 mm unmarked privately made handgun known as a “ghost gun” loaded with a high-capacity magazine and 23 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. Cordero may not possess firearms or ammunition because he previously was convicted of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.

Cordero is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on May 9, 2022. Cordero faces a maximum term 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.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — A total of eight defendants have been charged in a superseding indictment for submitting over $25 million in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in the identities of inmates, minor children, and others to the California Employment Development Department (EDD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The indictment was announced today by U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert following the arrest of all the defendants.

The original indictment charged Daryol Richmond, 30, an inmate at Kern Valley State Prison; Telvin Breaux, 29, an inmate at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi; and Holly White, 30, of Los Angeles, with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. The superseding indictment adds Cecelia Allen, 33, of Downey; Fantasia Brown, 33, of Los Angeles; Tonisha Brown, 28, of Los Angeles; Fantesia Davis, 32, of Victorville; and Shanice White, 28, of Hawthorne. They are also charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Richmond and Breaux are inmates at the Kern Valley State Prison and California Correctional Institute, respectively. The remaining defendants reside in the Southern California area.

According to court documents, the underlying applications for the claims falsely stated that the inmates, minor children, and others previously worked as clothing merchants, handymen, and other jobs, and recently became unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The defendants created fictitious email accounts and used different physical addresses throughout Southern California for the fraudulent claims. After the defendants received the debit cards for the claims in the mail, they made cash withdrawals at different locations, on different days and times, and in varying amounts all to avoid detection by government authorities.

The actual loss to the EDD and United States is over $5 million. The defendants spent the money on vehicles, furniture, handbags, jewelry, and other items and services.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, EDD, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.

If the defendants are convicted of the conspiracy to commit mail fraud, they each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of the aggravated identity theft, they each face a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after considering any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account several variables. The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — Johnathan Eldon Moss Jr., 35, of Merced, was detained Thursday on a two‑count federal indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession with intent to distribute narcotics, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Moss’s home and on his vehicle. Those searches yielded multiple unmarked, privately made firearms known as “ghost guns,” several hundred rounds of unexpended ammunition, high-capacity rifle and pistol magazines, a high-capacity speed loader for rifle magazines, a ledger showing weapons and ammunition sold, a body armor vest, cocaine, psilocybin, and a total of $10,990 in cash. Moss has felony convictions for firearms and drug offenses, domestic violence and stalking and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Tactical and Reconnaissance (STAR) Team, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET), and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Massey is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of the felon in possession of ammunition charge, Moss faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the drug possession offense, he faces not more than 30 years in prison (due to his prior felony drug convictions) and a fine of up to $2 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Reymundo Jose Mendez, 40, of Modesto, charging him with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, officers began investigating Mendez for suspected drug sales and firearms possession in December 2021. During a search warrant executed at the Arrow Inn in Modesto on Jan. 25, 2022, officers located two loaded firearms in Mendez’s pants pockets, and another loaded shotgun in his motel room. Officers also located methamphetamine, suspected fentanyl, and two digital scales in the room.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of the methamphetamine distribution charge, Mendez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted of the possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, Mendez faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, he faces up to 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. —Renato Aguilera, 30, of Porterville, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 3, 2020, Aguilera conspired with Pedro Delgado-Montenegro, 42, a native and citizen of Mexico, and James Cox, 58, of Porterville, to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Aguilera, acting at the direction of Delgado-Montenegro, delivered 800 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl during two separate undercover transactions. Aguilera also delivered approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine to Cox, following negotiations between Delgado-Montenegro and Cox.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Porterville Police Department, the Coalinga Police, 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 April 29, 2022. Aguilera faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Charges are pending against Cox and Delgado-Montenegro. The charges are only allegations; they 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Sabino Ramos, 46, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on July 8, 2021, as Ramos was driving in Bakersfield, law enforcement officers attempted to stop him in order to serve an arrest warrant for probation violations. Ramos led officers on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds up to 90 mph, before losing control of his vehicle while exiting Highway 99 at Ming Avenue. Ramos then ran from pursuing officers but was eventually subdued. Ramos was found to be in possession of two handguns and approximately 30 rounds of ammunition. Ramos may not lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony convictions, including convictions in 1995 for assault with firearm on a person and in 2017 for possessing controlled substances for sale.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.

Ramos is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on April 29, 2022. Ramos faces a maximum term 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.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Keisean Rockmore, 27, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 19, 2021, Rockmore drove co-defendant Adrian Rodriguez Cardenas, 21, also of Bakersfield, and a third passenger to a fast-food restaurant parking lot in Bakersfield to meet with and sell to a customer 1,000 counterfeit OxyContin/oxycodone pills containing fentanyl for the negotiated price of $2,900. During the meeting, when the customer asked the vehicle occupants whether they had the pills, Rockmore motioned towards a bag on his lap and stated that he had it. At least one of the vehicle occupants possessed a firearm during the meeting, which he pointed at the customer when a dispute arose during the transaction. Rockmore then fled in his vehicle with Cardenas and the third passenger to a nearby apartment complex, where they exited the vehicle and attempted to elude pursuing law enforcement officers. After law enforcement officers found and arrested Rockmore, Cardenas and the other accomplice at the apartment complex, they discovered nearby a loaded firearm and more than 50 counterfeit OxyContin/oxycodone pills.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Baker and Justin J. Gilio are prosecuting the case.

Rockmore is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on April 29, 2022. Rockmore faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Cardenas is charged with additional counts of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today released the Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.

Rooted in the foundational pillars and priorities of the interagency National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which President Biden released on Dec. 3, 2021, the Justice Department's National Strategy is expansive in scope.  It aims to enhance the department's capacity to prevent human trafficking; to prosecute human trafficking cases; and to support and protect human trafficking victims and survivors.

“Human trafficking is an insidious crime,” said Attorney General Garland. “Traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims unimaginable harm. The Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking will bring the full force of the Department to this fight.”

“Consistent with the Justice Department’s strategy, the investigation and prosecution of all forms of human trafficking remain top priorities for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “We are proud of our outstanding, decades-long record of prosecuting human trafficking offenses. We pursue numerous sex trafficking investigations every year, securing convictions and lengthy sentences that further public safety and protect vulnerable children and adults. We also vigorously pursue forced labor investigations and recently secured lengthy prison sentences for traffickers who exploited domestic servants from overseas, as well as convictions of owners of a restaurant and cleaning service that exploited their own adult and minor relatives they brought to this country.”

Among other things, the Justice Department’s multi-year strategy to combat all forms of human trafficking will:

• Strengthen engagement, coordination and joint efforts to combat human trafficking by prosecutors in all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and by federal law enforcement agents nationwide.
• Establish federally-funded, locally-led anti-human trafficking task forces that support sustained state law enforcement leadership and comprehensive victim assistance.
• Step up departmental efforts to end forced labor by increasing attention, resources and coordination in labor trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
• Enhance initiatives to reduce vulnerability of American Indians and Alaska Natives to violent crime, including human trafficking, and to locate missing children.
• Develop and implement new victim screening protocols to identify potential human trafficking victims during law enforcement operations and encourage victims to share important information.
• Increase capacity to provide victim-centered assistance to trafficking survivors, including by supporting efforts to deliver financial restoration to victims.
• Expand dissemination of federal human trafficking training, guidance and expertise.
• Advance innovative demand-reduction strategies.

U.S. Attorney Talbert continued, “We are committed to continuing and enhancing our critical work in the identification and prosecution of offenses related to forced labor, international sex trafficking, and sex trafficking of both children and adults. As part of that commitment, we work continually to strengthen partnerships with our federal, state, and local partners. This includes our close working relationships with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of State, and the Department of Labor, which grew out of our office’s prior participation in the Justice Department’s Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team program.”

The department’s strategy will be implemented under the direction of the National Human Trafficking Coordinator designated by the Attorney General in accordance with the Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017.

If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or fext 233733.

To read the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking click here.

FRESNO, Calif. — Fabian Garcia-Palacio, 19, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years in prison for illegally distributing fentanyl to a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in March 2020, Garcia-Palacio distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to a juvenile student at Bullard High School. That juvenile used one of the pills, overdosed, but survived after receiving life-saving medical treatment. As part of the investigation into the case, investigators searched Garcia-Palacio’s residence and found additional fentanyl pills. He was charged with distributing fentanyl to a person under 21 years of age, and pleaded guilty on May 14, 2021.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi-agency team composed of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Homeland Security Investigations, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment today against Bruce Lamont Walker, 53, of Vallejo, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - 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.

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

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Joseph Hill, 40, of Mount Vernon, Washington, and Brigit Marie Bissell, 27, of Bothell, Washington, charging them with conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 14, 2022, Hill and Bissell were traveling northbound on Interstate 5 in Fresno County, when stopped by police for speeding. When the officer had his narcotics detection dog run a sweep around the car, the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics. A subsequent search revealed three bags containing approximately 75 pounds of fentanyl or over 300,000 fentanyl pills.

This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno High Impact Investigations Team, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca is prosecuting the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jaswinder Singh, 59, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty today to one count of attempted obstruction of an official proceeding when he tried to influence the testimony of a potential trial witness, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in August 2021, Singh instructed the witness to tell law enforcement that the witness knew nothing, not to mention anything about him or his participation in the conspiracy to help others obtain fraudulent commercial driver licenses, and not to name any names. Singh also told the witness not to talk on the phone and said that it was very important for them to make sure their stories were similar to one another.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rosanne L. Rust and Christopher Hales are prosecuting the case.

Singh is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on May 5, 2022. Singh faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Alejandro Cabrera-Gallegos, 40, of Porterville, was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on May 2, 2019, Cabrera distributed 1 pound of methamphetamine to an individual in Tulare County. On May 14, 2019, Cabrera was arrested in Tulare County attempting to distribute 5 pounds of methamphetamine. An additional 1 pound of methamphetamine was seized during a search warrant executed at Cabrera’s residence in Porterville on May 14, 2019.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Porterville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Schuh prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 15-count indictment today against Eric Michael Jaklitsch, 40, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, charging him with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

On Dec. 8, 2021, Jaklitsch was arrested on a federal criminal complaint at his home in New Jersey. He made his initial appearance in the District of New Jersey and was ordered detained for transport to the Eastern District of California.

According to court documents, between October 2020 and December 2021, Jaklitsch executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing at least 78 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Jaklitsch collected personally identifiable information (PII) of numerous individuals — including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers — and used their identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The filings represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because, for example, the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Jaklitsch did not have authority to file claims on their behalf.

Since at least October 2021, EDD has partnered with ID.me — a private company used by the EDD for ID verification of claimants — to implement a system for verifying claimant identities before EDD can process unemployment insurance claims. An internal investigation conducted by ID.me identified Jaklitsch as a person conducting a fraud scheme and referred the case to federal law enforcement.

In executing his fraudulent scheme, Jaklitsch also submitted false information to ID.me that allowed his fake and stolen identities to be verified. This false information included images of fake driver’s licenses that contained photos of Jaklitsch and the names of the purported claimants. He also submitted live photos of himself that were used to verify the photos on the fake driver’s licenses. Once these false identities were verified, Jaklitsch filed the fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD under the same identities.

In the fraudulent unemployment insurance applications, Jaklitsch requested that the unemployment insurance benefits be mailed to various addresses under his control, including his residence in New Jersey. EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out EDD debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Jaklitsch then activated the EDD debit cards and used them to withdraw the benefits at ATMs throughout New Jersey. The scheme sought over $2,500,000 in unemployment insurance benefits and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $900,000.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General – Covid Fraud Unit, and the California Employment Development Department (EDD) – Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Jaklitsch faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the 14 wire fraud counts. He also faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence if convicted of aggravated identity theft, which must run consecutive to any sentence received on the wire fraud counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Joshua David Harrington, 35, of Modesto, charging him with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on April 2, 2021, Harrington discarded a backpack with two firearms while fleeing from law enforcement officers. Harrington is a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Officers also located methamphetamine possessed by Harrington for distribution in the garage at his residence. On Aug. 14, 2021, Harrington possessed methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it in Modesto.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office; the Stanislaus County Probation Department; and the Modesto Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Harrington faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the felon in possession charge, and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison up to a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine on each drug trafficking count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment today against Martin Cervantes, 26, of Corcoran, charging him with four counts of distributing narcotics and one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, from October to December 2021, Cervantes mailed three packages each containing over 500 grams of fentanyl powder and one package containing over 2,000 grams of methamphetamine from post offices in Fresno. The packages were destined for addresses in the Midwest, but were intercepted. On January 6, 2022, Cervantes also possessed over 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Cervantes faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison up to a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Elizabeth Marie Acuna, 34, of Sparks, Nevada, charging her with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Oct. 22, 2021, a law enforcement officer observed Acuna driving over 90 mph on Highway 395, in an unincorporated area of Mono County. The officer initiated a traffic stop by activating his overhead lights. In response, Acuna slowed her speed but did not immediately pull over. Instead, she drove her vehicle over the double yellow lines, driving north in the southbound lanes of the highway, before coming to a stop. Acuna admitted to the officer that she had drugs in the back of her vehicle. A subsequent search located 762.3 grams of cocaine wrapped in two cellophane packages.

At the time of the stop, Acuna was on federal pretrial release on a pending August 2021 drug charge in Oregon.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alstyn Bennett is prosecuting the case.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Desmond Lamar Divine, 20, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Nov. 8, 2021, Divine fled from officers when they spoke with him. A gun fell from his pocket as he fled. Divine was on parole at that time, and because of his prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jean Berger is prosecuting the case.

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

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. —Four defendants who were Sureno gang members and associates have been indicted today by a federal grand jury in Fresno, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Jonathan Gallegos, 31, of Ivanhoe; Andres Perez, 19, of Visalia; Jesus Angulo, 33, of Woodlake; and Malachai Serrano, 31, of San Antonio, Texas, have been indicted for distributing methamphetamine (Gallegos and Perez), conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Gallegos, Perez, and Serrano), using a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense (Gallegos, Perez, and Serrano), conspiring to use a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense (Gallegos, Perez, Serrano), and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine (Gallegos and Angulo).

A team of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers recently partnered in an investigation of the Tulare County Surenos. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Gallegos and Angulo were traveling to Southern California and into Mexico to obtain illegal drugs, including kilograms of cocaine. Gallegos and Perez were then shipping kilograms of illegal drugs from the local post office in Ivanhoe to residences associated with Serrano, in San Antonio. Serrano and his associates were then selling those illegal drugs in Texas and using some of the proceeds to purchase firearms. Serrano is a felon and cannot lawfully buy firearms himself. He was directing others in Texas to buy firearms for him. Serrano and his associates then shipped firearms back to Gallegos and Perez in California, as payment for the narcotics they had received. Gallegos planned to sell those firearms to his drug suppliers. Gallegos is also a felon who cannot lawfully possess firearms.

Over 8 kilograms of cocaine, several pounds of marijuana, and more than 20 firearms were seized.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office; the Tulare County Area Regencies Gun Enforcement Team; the Visalia Police Department; the California Department of Justice (Bureau of Investigations), the California Highway Patrol (Special Operations Unit), and the Tulare County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, all four defendants face a range of maximum sentences, including up to life in prison. Several of the defendants also face a range of mandatory minimum sentences of five to 10 years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. 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.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Castellanos, 38, of Whittier, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine from Mexico destined for Modesto, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Castellanos and co-defendants Genaro Serrato-Calles, 49; Antonio Valencia-Hernandez, 66, both of Michoacán, Mexico; and Jose Reyes-Pineda, 49, of Anaheim were charged with conspiring over a two-year period to distribute methamphetamine in Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties. Castellanos worked with individuals in Mexico to distribute methamphetamine in the United States and, on one occasion, coordinating the shipment of over 20 pounds of crystal methamphetamine to Serrato-Calles in Modesto.

“Violent drug traffickers continue to seek new ways to smuggle methamphetamine into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “This sentence demonstrates the commitment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to work together to prevent this deadly drug from reaching the streets. Prosecuting methamphetamine traffickers remains a top priority for our office.”

“Castellanos’ actions allowed large amounts of methamphetamine to make its way from Mexico to the Central Valley and today’s sentencing ensures the defendant will serve a lengthy prison sentence for his role,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon. “DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively target all those involved in the distribution chain of this poison in our communities.”

“ATF is focused on working assiduously to honor our commitment to the cities we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick Gorman, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Our mission is to protect the public, and the focus of this joint task force is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States. ATF works alongside our law enforcement partners to fulfill the goals of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. This case is a result of those unified efforts. ATF will continue to work diligently with our partners to dismantle criminal organizations.”

The sentencing of Castellanos sends a message to anyone who deals in illicit narcotics that drug traffickers will be held accountable,” said Tatum King, Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge, San Francisco. “We’re thankful for our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office who help bring individuals like Castellanos to justice and hold them accountable in our courts.”

Serrato-Calles and Valencia-Hernandez were each sentenced to 12 years in prison. Reyes-Pineda was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force, the Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.

This effort was 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. — Jorge Chavez, 36, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, when Chavez was arrested in Bakersfield on Sept. 12, 2020, he was found to possess approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 23.5 pounds of marijuana, approximately 2 pounds of cocaine, and approximately 66 grams of heroin. On three separate occasions between February and April 2020, Chavez sold to a purchaser a total of five firearms — including four rifles with high-capacity magazines — and approximately 2 pounds of methamphetamine. On June 4, 2020, Chavez offered to sell to the same purchaser 1 pound of methamphetamine for $3,400, and 1 ounce of heroin for $750. In his plea agreement, Chavez agreed to forfeit to the United States more than $25,000.

At the time of his arrest, Chavez was serving a term of federal supervised release after serving more than seven in years in prison for his 2016 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker 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.