Eastern District of California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today that Joan Rubinger, a nurse practitioner in Stockton, has agreed to pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations that she violated the Controlled Substance Act on at least 900 occasions by dispensing controlled substances without any legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional practice. The United States contends that Rubinger sold prescriptions for controlled substances to individuals who were not her legitimate medical patients, with whom she had not established a bona fide medical provider relationship, or for whom she failed to identify and document a legitimate medical need for controlled substances.

“We remain unwavering in our commitment to hold health care providers accountable when they violate their duty to properly prescribe controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Our community has the right to trust that providers will prescribe these drugs only within the usual course of professional practice and only in accord with the law.”

“DEA is committed to preventing, detecting, and investigating the diversion of controlled pharmaceuticals from legitimate sources. Dispensing controlled substances without any legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional practice is illegal, and anyone in violation will be held accountable,” said Bob P. Beris, Special Agent in Charge, DEA San Francisco Field Division.

This settlement resolves the case against Rubinger, which alleged violations of the Controlled Substances Act. On March 26, 2026, the Court entered a permanent injunction requiring Rubinger to surrender the ability to dispense, or have involvement in dispensing, controlled substances in the future, directly or indirectly, including (a) dispensing or prescribing, or assisting in dispensing or prescribing, any controlled substance; (b) having an ownership interest, including partial ownership, in an entity that is in the business of dispensing controlled substances; or (c) employing any person who dispenses, or assists in dispensing, any prescription for a controlled substances for any person.

The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Amin represented the federal government.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment today against Jose Mendoza, 35, of Merced; Jessy Johnson, 34, of Turlock; and Alejandro Perez, 43, of Crows Landing, charging them with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and other drug trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, the defendants were part of a drug-trafficking organization that used the U.S. Mail to distribute drugs across the country. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 100 parcels sent by the defendants’ organization. Those parcels contained controlled substances including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, LSD, and psilocybin mushrooms.

On March 26, 2026, law enforcement officers from multiple government agencies arrested the defendants and executed search warrants at multiple locations under their control. One location was a warehouse in Turlock that was being used as a stash location. The warehouse contained three pill presses, pans with powders used in manufacturing pills laced with controlled substances, and approximately one million pills containing suspected methamphetamine. Agents also found cocaine, alprazolam (Xanax), MDMA, psilocybin mushrooms, and THC products at the warehouse and other locations under the defendants’ control.

The investigation also found approximately $150,000 in cash, as well as information that led them to find and seize multiple electronic wallets that the defendants had used to store cryptocurrency believed to be proceeds from drug sales. To date, law enforcement has seized more than $400,000 in cryptocurrency from wallets under the defendants’ control.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Stockton Police Department, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Manteca Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Campbell and Kevin Khasigian are prosecuting the case.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Ifeanyi Emmanuel Ugwu, 49, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business involving more than $5 million in illegally obtained funds, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between December 2020 and August 2023, Ugwu owned, operated, and served as chief executive officer of Franklin Finance Inc. Through this business, Ugwu opened and controlled 20 bank accounts across nine banks and financial institutions where he received approximately $5 million from more than 100 individuals in the United States. He then transferred the funds to individuals in China, Nigeria, and elsewhere. At no point did the company have the required licenses to operate a money-transmitting business.

Several of the individuals who sent Ugwu funds were victims of cybercrimes and fraud. Ugwu received and transferred approximately $580,000 in fraud proceeds from these victims. Ugwu was able to operate his unlicensed business by making various misrepresentations to individuals, banks, and other financial institutions to conceal his fraudulent activity. Several of the individuals in the United States who sent funds to Ugwu were victims of fraud and cybercrimes.

The IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.

Ugwu is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on July 27, 2026. Ugwu faces a maximum 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Anthony Dalton Wolff, 44, of Surprise, Arizona, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 13 years and eight months in prison and ordered to pay a money judgment of $15,000, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

The sentence includes 15 years of supervised release during which Wolff’s access to minors, electronic devices, and the internet will be restricted, and he will be required to register as a sex offender. Wolff pleaded guilty to the charge on Dec. 15, 2025.

According to court documents, between March 16, 2023, and July 30, 2024, Wolff met and then communicated with an undercover federal agent on a forum on the dark web dedicated to discussion of child sexual abuse. The undercover agent had established a profile for a mother with a 7-year-old daughter. Wolff contacted the agent and immediately stated that he had a long-standing sexual interest in girls, and he hoped to have a sexual relationship with the agent and her purported daughter. Wolff moved the communications to Telegram, an end-to-end encrypted application, and frequently sent videos of himself while viewing and commenting on some of his favorite child exploitation videos. He planned to meet the agent and her daughter in California and described in graphic detail how he wanted to sexually abuse the girl and to have another child with the mother so he could sexually abuse that child.

The Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa prosecuted the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Roland Edward Bain, 40, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between March 6, 2024, and May 5, 2024, Bain engaged in a pattern of activity which included persuading a minor victim to create and send him sexually explicit photos and videos. Bain and the victim communicated via their smartphones, and the victim used her phone to create sexually explicit material at Bain’s request. As part of this conduct, Bain engaged in sex acts with the victim. Throughout the course of conduct, Bain was aware the victim was under the age of 18. Bain also engaged in a pattern of activity involving prohibited sexual conduct with other minors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Sheriff Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Harman is prosecuting the case.

Bain is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on June 18, 2026. Bain faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Luis Eduardo Torres-Hernandez, 40, a Mexican national residing in Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to one count of being an unlawful alien in possession of firearms and one count of illegally re-entering the United States after being previously removed, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, in September 2024, undercover law enforcement agents found Torres-Hernandez in the Sacramento area when he sold them multiple sets of false identification documents, including Permanent Resident green cards and Social Security cards. On a subsequent date, agents recovered several firearms from his possession, including a Windham Weaponry 5.56 caliber rifle, a Ruger 9 mm caliber pistol and a Sig Sauer 9 mm caliber pistol. Torres-Hernandez is in the United States illegally and has been removed from the United States on multiple occasions and is accordingly prohibited from possessing firearms.

According to the indictment, on Aug. 29, 2014, Torres-Hernandez was deported from the United States after a conviction for selling false documents in the Eastern District of California.

Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.

Torres-Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on July 9, 2026. Torres-Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the firearms count, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the illegal reentry count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Gilberto Arteaga, 43, of Michoacan, Mexico, illegally residing in Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 19 years and five months in prison for his role in a fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between Oct. 1, 2022, and July 16, 2023, Arteaga joined in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in Fresno County. On July 15, 2023, a car that law enforcement agents believed Arteaga and his co-conspirators were using crossed from the United States into Mexico and then back, all in less than 12 hours. The car then traveled to a residence in Sanger. Law enforcement agents followed the car, stopped it along with a second car and searched both cars. Arteaga was the sole occupant of one car and two of his co-defendants were in the other car. One of the cars had about 30 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 6 pounds of fentanyl.

Law enforcement agents searched Arteaga’s cellphone and found photographs of packages of methamphetamine as well as messages between Arteaga and his co-defendants with directions about unloading drugs out of the gas tank. Further evidence revealed that for at least seven months, Arteaga and his co-defendants had been smuggling drugs across the border in the gas tank of a car, traveling to a residence in Sanger, and then disassembling that car to remove the drugs for distribution.

Arteaga pleaded guilty to the charge on May 19, 2025. He is the last defendant in this case to be sentenced.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Fresno and Clovis Police Departments conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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. — Marvin Mutch, 69, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to one count of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, in May 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Mutch’s residence. Inside his residential office, officers seized various electronic devices containing tens of thousands of depictions of the sexual exploitation of children. Some of these images included depictions of the sexual abuse of children as young as 3 or 4 years old. Officers also seized a privately manufactured “ghost gun” containing eight rounds of ammunition from the center console of Mutch’s vehicle parked in the garage.

Mutch is prohibited from possessing ammunition because he is a felon who was convicted in 1975 of murdering a 13-year-old girl. Press reports issued shortly after Riley’s murder indicated that her killer beat her and then drowned her in Alameda Creek in Union City, California. Mutch served approximately 40 years in the California state penal system for this crime before being paroled in 2016.

The Solano County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the investigation with assistance from the FBI Violent Crime Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian T. Kinsella and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.

Mutch is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins on Aug. 28, 2026. Mutch faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on his CSAM conviction and a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on his felon in possession of ammunition conviction. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case was also 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. — Tracy Arnett, 40, of Los Angeles, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to four years and three months in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, from May 2023 through March 2024, Arnett, Daniel Hooker, and two additional co-conspirators conducted more than 20 financial transactions that they believed involved laundering the proceeds of cocaine trafficking. Their belief as to the nature of the funds was based on representations of an individual working at the direction of law enforcement. On one occasion in October 2023, Arnett met the individual in a hotel parking lot in Rancho Cordova to obtain $100,000 in cash to launder. In total, Arnett and his co-conspirators received approximately $940,000 in purported drug trafficking proceeds. Of that amount, the conspirators laundered approximately $811,000.

Hooker, 37, of Studio City, California, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and was sentenced on April 18, 2025, to 27 months in prison. Arnett pleaded guilty on Dec. 13, 2024.

IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Damarion Nash, 34, of Sacramento, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 15, 2026, Nash was found in possession of a loaded Colt .45 caliber handgun. Nash is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in Sacramento County including for attempted robbery, criminal threats, possession of a controlled substance in prison, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The Sacramento Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Ng is prosecuting the case.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case is also part of the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney program, a partnership between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local District Attorney’s Offices. These attorneys remain employed by the District Attorney’s Offices but work on federal investigations and can prosecute cases in both state and federal court, strengthening efforts to combat transnational organized crime and violent crime in the region. Currently, the District Attorney’s Offices of Yolo, Placer, Fresno, and Sacramento Counties are participating. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ng serves as a Deputy District Attorney in Sacramento County.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Delanious Ward, 57, of Elk Grove, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Ward is among seven defendants arrested in 2024 and charged with trafficking narcotics as part of a multi-agency operation targeting cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl traffickers Ward was a manager or supervisor of a vast drug network that stretched to New Orleans, Louisiana. During 60 days of wiretaps, Ward was intercepted trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, and was found in possession of cocaine and fentanyl upon his arrest. Ward pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2024.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.

Below is the status of Ward’s co-defendants:

On Jan. 16, 2025, Albert Gurley, 51, of Sacramento, was sentenced to seven years in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin,.

On March 27, 2025, Manuel Greenhalgh, 33, of Sacramento, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.

On May 15, 2025, Kevin Yancy, 57, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.

On Sept. 19, 2024, Agustin Gonzalez, 63, of Manteca, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2026.

On Oct. 31, 2024, Craig Hunter, 51, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2026.

On Oct. 31, 2024, David Byrd, 53, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2026.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kevin Leslie Gipson, 60, of Oroville, was sentenced today to 20 years and 10 months in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

“Today’s sentence holds the defendant accountable for his sickening attempt to sexually exploit a child,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Thanks to law enforcement intervention, no child was actually harmed. But this case underscores the ongoing danger that the defendant poses to our community, especially in light of his prior convictions for sexually abusing young children. Our office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting those who seek to harm children and ensuring they face serious consequences.”

“The FBI and our Crimes Against Children Task Force are relentless in identifying and apprehending depraved individuals like Kevin Gipson who prey on innocent children,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Our agents stopped Mr. Gipson before he could harm a child, and our investigation ensured he will now serve a significant federal prison sentence. I’m proud of our agents and task force officers who tirelessly investigate these cases to make our communities safer for children.”

According to court documents, in July 2024, Gipson communicated with an individual he believed to be the father of a 10-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover officer. Gipson communicated his desire to perform sex acts on the child and planned to meet the undercover officer and child at a hotel room to do so. Gipson purchased various sex-related items in preparation for the encounter and bought a stuffed animal with the intent to provide the stuffed animal to the child. When Gipson approached the undercover officer with the stuffed animal, he was arrested by law enforcement officers. Gipson pleaded guilty on April 24, 2025.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force/Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney prosecuted the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, and Sutter Fairfield Surgery Center have agreed to pay $3.2 million to resolve allegations that they failed to effectively guard against theft and diversion of controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. This settlement relates to allegations of the entities’ collective commission of at least 628 violations of recordkeeping and security requirements under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

The United States contends that these two Sutter-affiliated entities violated the CSA by, among other violations, failing to: notify the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of theft or loss, keep accurate records of controlled substances, complete biennial inventories, maintain complete controlled substance order records, and provide effective controls against diversion. The investigation was initiated following the death of a pediatric anesthesiologist.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to hold health care providers accountable for failing to effectively guard against the diversion of potentially dangerous controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Our community deserves the right to place its trust in health care providers that dispense controlled substances and to know that they adhere to and apply the right safeguards to ensure safety around those products.”

“DEA registrants play a critical role in protecting the public and that responsibility starts with strict compliance to the Code of Federal Regulations,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge, Bob P. Beris of the San Francisco Field Division. “If a company chooses to ignore these obligations, it puts communities at risk and undermines the safeguards designed to keep the public safe. DEA holds registrants accountable and in turn, expects them to keep the public safe.”

The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Thiess assisted in completing the resolution on behalf of the United States.

A copy of the settlement agreement is available here:

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Francisco Castro Jr., 27, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between March 2022 and June 2022, Castro distributed 3 pounds of methamphetamine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is conducting the investigation with assistance from the California Highway Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.

Castro is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Castro faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Thelmo Meneses Santos, Jr., 60, of Merced, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 15 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing two minors while he was employed by the Armed Forces outside of the United States. On Sept. 23, 2025, Santos pleaded guilty.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California; and Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Army CID Far East Field Office made the announcement.

According to court documents, Santos sexually abused two minor children multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Santos began sexually abusing both of the minor victims when they were 11 years old. Santos sexually abused the two minors in Japan, where he was employed by the U.S. Army as a civilian employee. During the investigation, Santos gave an interview to law enforcement officers where he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with both minor children. Santos was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) agents. After his arrest, Santos attempted to unlawfully influence one of his victims to falsely recant her report of sexual abuse.

In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Santos will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section 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.

A California man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing two minors while he was employed by the Armed Forces outside of the United States. According to court documents, Thelmo Meneses Santos, Jr., 60, of Merced, sexually abused two minor children multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Santos began sexually abusing both of the minor victims when they were 11 years old. Santos sexually abused the two minors in Japan, where he was employed by the U.S. Army as a civilian employee. During the investigation, Santos gave an interview to law enforcement officers where he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with both minor children. Santos was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) agents. After his arrest, Santos attempted to unlawfully influence one of his victims to falsely recant her report of sexual abuse.

In addition to his sentence of imprisonment, Santos will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California; and Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Army CID Far East Field Office made the announcement.

The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI investigated this case.

Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fabian Gomez, 37, was sentenced on Monday by Senior U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between August 2020 and May 2022, Gomez and others worked together to sell methamphetamine in and around South Lake Tahoe. Over those two years, Gomez also worked alone to sell both heroin and methamphetamine. While most of Gomez’s distribution happened in and around South Lake Tahoe, the investigation uncovered that some of the drug supply was coming from Sacramento. Gomez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, on Dec. 8, 2025.

Epifanio Ramirez, another defendant charged in this case, was sentenced on Jan. 12, 2026, to 24.5 years in prison for three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Ramirez pleaded guilty in September 2025.

The charges in this case arose from Operation Bear Trap, which law enforcement agencies began in 2020 to address the growing problem of methamphetamine distribution in South Lake Tahoe. Gomez was charged along with six other defendants in 2022, who were collectively charged with methamphetamine and heroin distribution. Over the course of the operation, law enforcement agencies have interdicted methamphetamine, heroin, and numerous firearms, including “ghost” pistols and assault rifles (firearms manufactured without serial numbers, making them harder for law enforcement to trace).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Gurjeet Bath, 37, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 14 months in prison for theft of government property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. Bath was also ordered to pay a $100,000 criminal fine.

“During a time when legitimate businesses were struggling to survive, this defendant chose to exploit a program designed to keep workers employed,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “He has since pleaded guilty and repaid the stolen funds, but that does not erase the harm caused. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of that fraud and our commitment to holding accountable those who abuse programs meant to help our communities in times of crisis.”

“Mr. Gurjeet Bath fabricated employee records and inflated wages to steal more than $825,000 in federal funds meant to keep businesses afloat during a national crisis. Instead, he used that money to buy land in Fresno County. The FBI and our partners at the SBA Office of Inspector General will continue pursuing everyone who treated pandemic relief as a personal slush fund,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel.

According to court documents, Bath and other family members operated two trucking businesses: G.S. Bath Inc. and Complete Transportation Solutions (CTS), operating in Fresno County. In 2020 and 2021, Bath applied for and received three PPP loans totaling more than $1 million. To obtain the loans, Bath knowingly falsified records to inflate his businesses’ employees and their wages. Bath then used those funds to purchase two parcels of agricultural land in Fresno County. Bath pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — John Robert Remlinger, 43, of Vallejo, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to 24 years and four months in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

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

Using Snapchat, Remlinger repeatedly demanded that the victim provide sexually explicit videos and images, directing her how to pose. She complied and sent him videos and images of herself. Remlinger also recorded a live video call over Snapchat during which the minor victim posed in a sexually suggestive manner. Remlinger pleaded guilty on June 6, 2025.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg 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. — Joel Damian Ortega, 36, of Merced, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to 20 years in prison for receipt and distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between Jan. 26, 2024, and July 7, 2024, Ortega used a Samsung Galaxy smartphone to receive and distribute at least one visual depiction of a child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Ortega also used an iPhone to receive at least one visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on April 2, 2024. Ortega pleaded guilty on June 23, 2025.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter 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. — Jorge Narvaez, 28, of Delano, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on June 9, 2024, Narvaez piloted an Autel, EVO II Pro V3 drone over North Kern State Prison (NKSP) intending to distribute methamphetamine within the facility. Narvaez loaded the drone with two balloons packaged with methamphetamine, flew the drone over the prison, and dropped the balloons into the prison yard. NKSP officers recovered both balloons. Laboratory analysis confirmed that the two balloons contained a total of 21.4 grams of methamphetamine.

On that same date, Narvaez attempted a second drone flight over NKSP with three similarly packaged balloons of methamphetamine, but the drone crashed into a nearby field. Law enforcement recovered the drone and balloons of methamphetamine. Laboratory analysis confirmed that these three balloons contained a total of 49.6 grams of methamphetamine. Narvaez pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2025.

A forensic examination of the recovered drone revealed camera footage captured by the device. That footage showed the operator of the drone, later determined by investigators to be Narvaez.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Kern State Prison Investigative Services Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas E. Karp prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Felipe Macias, 28, of Fresno, was sentenced Thursday to six years and five months in prison by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, in August 2024, Macias was observed on a city bus in Fresno with the grip of a firearm protruding from his waistband. Undercover officers converged on Macias in a smoke shop, where they recovered a black “ghost gun” – a privately manufactured, un-serialized firearm loaded with a high-capacity magazine. At the time of his arrest, Macias was a previously convicted felon on post-release community supervision. Macias pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2025.

Close-up of recovered ghost gun, showing missing serial number

The Fresno Police Department, the Selma Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A 12-count indictment was unsealed today following the arrest in Arizona of Richard Warren Ralston, 69, of Mesa, Arizona. He is charged with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and Social Security fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Ralston assumed the identity of a man who was born in 1948 and died in 1965. On Sept. 21, 2011, while living in Auburn, California, Ralston submitted an application for retirement benefits to the Social Security Administration (SSA) using the deceased man’s identity. For more than a decade, Ralston concealed his true identity and used the deceased man’s name, birthdate, and Social Security Number to apply for and collect SSA retirement benefits. Ralston’s identity theft and false statements to the SSA resulted in a loss of $114,285 to the SSA.

The SSA Office of Inspector General is conducting the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody is prosecuting the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carlos Luis Vera La Cruz, 45, of Miami, pleaded guilty on Friday, March 20, 2026, to charges of conspiracy, bank larceny, and accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Vera La Cruz and others engaged in an ATM “jackpotting” conspiracy where they stole money from ATMs at targeted banks and credit unions around the country. They did this by infecting the ATMs with malware, which forced the ATMs to dispense money without a valid transaction. In June 2023, as part of this scheme, Vera La Cruz targeted seven ATMs belonging to a bank in the Redding and Chico area, stealing more than $291,000 during that spree. In total, Vera La Cruz and his co-conspirators stole more than $2.6 million from banks and credit unions in multiple states.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case.

Vera La Cruz is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 28, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins. Vera La Cruz faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison for conspiracy and accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud. He also faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison for bank larceny. 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. — Amy Evangelista, 60, of Lathrop, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for two counts of aiding or assisting in the preparation or presentation of a false or fraudulent tax return, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

“This tax preparer betrayed her clients and the American public by creating phantom companies and fake business expenses, resulting in $1.23 million in fraudulent tax refunds,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Her prison sentence is a reminder that we will pursue and seek punishment for those who corrupt our tax system.”

“This case highlights the importance of choosing a trustworthy and qualified tax return preparer, especially during the height of tax filing season,” said Linda Nguyen, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates IRS Criminal Investigation’s unwavering commitment to protecting taxpayers and upholding the integrity of the communities we serve.”

According to court documents, for the tax years from 2017 through 2020, Evangelista falsified more than a thousand of her clients’ tax returns to increase the refund amounts without her clients’ knowledge or consent. Evangelista reported false businesses, false income, and false expenses for her clients to the Internal Revenue Service. In one instance, Evangelista prepared a client’s 2019 tax return and falsely reported $8,830 in business losses when the client did not operate any business in 2019, nor had she told Evangelista that she operated any business or had any business expenses. Additionally, there were no business records to support the false tax schedule filing except for a fraudulent Form 1099-MISC that was prepared for the client. Evangelista repeated similar conduct with respect to hundreds of her clients.

During the investigation, investigators contacted one of Evangelista’s clients to inquire about the preparation of the client’s return. Evangelista later told the client to lie and tell investigators that the client worked as a caregiver for a particular employer when the client did not work as a caregiver for that employer. Evangelista also prepared a false Form 1099-MISC for the client to make it appear as though the client worked as a caregiver when the client did not.

In total, Evangelista helped file approximately 1,087 fraudulent income tax returns that contained false Schedules C resulting in a loss to the IRS of approximately $1,234,430, which Evangelista was ordered to pay in restitution to the IRS. Evangelista pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2025.

The IRS-CI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today, against Keynin McGee, 27, of Oakland, charging him with sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion for compelling a 17-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, in late 2020, McGee met and recruited the minor victim online. In early 2021, McGee bought the victim a bus ticket so she could travel to Oakland, where he lived. When she arrived, McGee took her shopping and brought her to a motel where he posted photographs of her on a website used to sell and purchase commercial sex. Afterward, McGee had sex with the victim, telling her he wanted to test “the product,” even though he acknowledged she was a minor. McGee then drove the victim to International Boulevard in Oakland, an area known for commercial sex activity, and instructed her to have sex with men for money. When the victim followed his instructions, McGee seized her earnings and kept all the proceeds of her commercial sex acts for himself. Additionally, McGee sent the victim threatening text messages. In several of the messages, McGee threatened to “shoot” or “kill” the victim.

McGee also took the victim to San Francisco, where he again trafficked her. The victim ultimately escaped when an officer with the San Francisco Police Department encountered her on the street and connected her with local human trafficking service providers.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Leah Branch of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, McGee faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and mandatory minimum penalties of 15 years in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and 10 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against five illegal aliens from Mexico, charging them with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine, as well as various other drug trafficking and firearms offenses, Attorney General Pamela Bondi and U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.

“These illegal aliens allegedly operated a secret lab on American soil producing thousands of pounds of deadly drugs to poison our communities,” said Attorney General Bondi. “This clandestine and illegal operation has now been dismantled — we will continue protecting Americans from the dangerous results of the prior administration’s open-border policies.”

• Luis Reyna Carrillo, 33, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; two counts of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
• Carrillo’s wife Mariana Vanessa Mendoza Camacho, 33, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and two counts of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
• Juan Jesus Manriquez Diaz, 31, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and being an alien in possession of ammunition.
• Alvaro Rosales, 44, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
• Manuel Juan Madrid Perez, 38, is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; three counts of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Perez is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in California including a conviction on Sept. 19, 2022, for false imprisonment and preventing a victim from reporting a crime.

According to Department of Homeland Security records, Carrillo and Camacho arrived in the United States in March 2021 and were given a notice to appear. Diaz was previously removed from the United States in 2018. Rosales was removed in August 2024.

According to court documents, in October 2025, law enforcement authorities began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization suspected of manufacturing methamphetamine in a remote area of Calaveras County. During the investigation, Carrillo and his associates were identified as part of that conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine.

On Feb. 27, 2026, multiple law enforcement agencies engaged in a coordinated operation and executed search warrants at three locations connected to Carrillo and his associates in Valley Springs, Turlock, and Modesto, California.

While executing the search warrants, law enforcement located a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Calaveras County. They seized approximately 1,430 pounds of methamphetamine and 1,270 pounds of suspected methamphetamine in a partially processed state.

Law enforcement agencies searched two additional residences in Stanislaus County that were associated with Carrillo and his associates. In Turlock, law enforcement located and seized an additional 300 pounds of methamphetamine packaged for distribution, nine firearms, and multiple magazines and rounds of ammunition. In Modesto, they seized 2 pounds of methamphetamine, 107 pounds of processed marijuana, 1,900 marijuana plants, and three firearms. As aliens, Carrillo and Diaz are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, and Perez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his prior felony convictions.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit in coordination with Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET), the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, the Sacramento Area Intelligence Narcotics Team (SAINT), the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caily Nelson is prosecuting the case.

If convicted on the drug-trafficking charges, Carrillo, Camacho, Diaz, Rosales, and Perez each face a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Carrillo, Diaz, and Perez face additional penalties if convicted of the firearm- or ammunition-related offenses. 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 part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Sacramento comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. 

FRESNO, Calif. — A member of an ATM robbery crew, Francisco Antonio Marin Ilbaca, 46, of Chile, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to commit bank robbery arising from a string of robberies of banks and ATMs throughout California, Oregon, and Washington, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Marin Ilbaca and his co-defendants were part of a South American theft group that conspired to break into and steal money from financial institutions between May and October of 2024. Conspirators rented cars on the black market to transport themselves to and from the robberies and to scout potential robbery locations in advance of each crime. Once they identified ATMs in vulnerable locations, they used construction-crew disguises, blowtorches, and cellphone jammers, among other sophisticated tactics, to break into the banks and ATMs and steal cash. Marin Ilbaca and nine other coven-conspirators are currently charged for their roles in the conspiracy. During the entire period of the conspiracy, the total loss amount caused in furtherance of the conspiracy exceeded $5.5 million.

Marin Ilbaca is set for sentencing on June 8, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison for conspiracy to commit bank robbery. 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 the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the police departments of the cities of Fresno, Citrus Heights, Clovis, Elk Grove, Fresno, Modesto, Rocklin, Roseville, and Sacramento; and the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistance was provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Office, and the Seattle Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Veneman-Hughes and Justin J. Gilio are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — Raymond Jesse Rodriguez, 29, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to 12 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, in March 2024, three days after being released from state prison, Rodriguez got into a gunfight where he allegedly shot and killed another individual at an apartment in Fresno. Rodriguez then fled the scene. After a weeklong manhunt, officers found and arrested Rodriguez in Fresno. At the time of his arrest, Rodriguez was carrying a “ghost gun”: an un-serialized and untraceable privately manufactured firearm, with a high-capacity magazine containing 25 rounds of ammunition. The firearm, shown below, was labeled “Polymer 80 Inc.,” a label commonly seen on ghost guns. At the time of his arrest, Rodriguez was serving a term of post‑release community supervision following his most recent felony convictions in Fresno County. Rodriguez pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2025.

Recovered un-serialized firearm or ghost gun

The Fresno Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Karl Czekai, 29, of Carmichael, with making interstate threats, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Czekai is separated from his wife, who moved to Oklahoma with their child to get away from him. Once in Oklahoma, Czekai’s wife filed for a protective order against Czekai, alleging that Czekai has held guns up to her and threatened to shoot her multiple times.

Also, according to court documents, in February 2026, Czekai began making social media posts about his wife and the Oklahoma judge who granted the protective order and is presiding over related proceedings. These posts include:

• Images of Czekai’s avatar pointing a gun at a sitting judge with “FAMILY COURT” signage on the bench;
• Text threatening the judge that she will no longer be safe: “Hello, judge [VICTIM 1] of the Oklahoma City Courthouse remember me...the comfort of your title, the security of your robe, the certainty of your authority - all of that is about to be tested”;
• Text warning that time is of the essence: “tick tock, Your Honor. You will be the first to set the example. I’m going to diss you publicly. to show future judges, and lawyers I’m not f---ing around”;
• Text advising that he carries a gun: “Updated the gun to something more of what I would carry. I only carry a .45 and I’m definitely a 1911 guy”; and
• Text suggesting he is ready to follow through: “This is the breaking point. This is him saying: enough is enough.”

Additionally, and as detailed in court documents, Czekai posted and shared with his wife videos threatening graphic violence against her.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting the investigation with assistance from the Midwest City Police Department and the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Czekai faces a maximum statutory penalty of five 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — One defendant was sentenced and one pleaded guilty Monday in an investigation named “Operation Toxic Waste” that involved 22 defendants, 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, and multiple firearms, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

Sergio Pena, 32, of La Puente, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 15 years and eight months in prison for trafficking firearms and methamphetamine. Also, Ruben Saenz, 38, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Saenz is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. Sergio Pena pleaded guilty on April 21, 2026.

According to court documents, Operation Toxic Waste was an investigation into a sophisticated drug trafficking ring that resulted in the seizure of over 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, over 50 pounds of a fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. The drug trafficking organization smuggled methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also hid thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi-trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars driven across the border. The Mexico-based organization monitored the narcotics using GPS tracking devices hidden with the smuggled drugs.

During the conspiracy, Saenz transported thousands of pounds of methamphetamine in a rented moving truck. In September 2023, officers pulled him over after he left a warehouse in Ontario, California, in a moving truck. Officers found more than 4,700 pounds of methamphetamine inside the truck.

Meanwhile, Pena joined the drug trafficking organization in March 2023. He was a U.S.-based reseller of the organization’s methamphetamine. He mailed and sold large amounts of methamphetamine that had been imported from Mexico. During the period under investigation, he also sold more than a dozen firearms and a machine gun conversion device.

In total, 22 individuals have been charged as part of the drug trafficking conspiracy. In addition to Pena and Saenz, the following ten defendants have either been sentenced or have pleaded guilty and await sentencing:

• Jose Nunez, 44, of Lancaster, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Aug. 25, 2025, he was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in prison.
• Jesus Perez Garcia Jr., 26, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Aug. 25, 2025, he was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison.
• Adolfo Montiel, 47, of Lancaster, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. On March 31, 2025, he was sentenced to 16 years and four months in prison.
• Calvin Guntetong, 28, of North Hollywood, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On July 28, 2025, he was sentenced to seven years and one month in prison.
• Jesus Rafael Ulloa Vallejo, 27, of North Hills, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On Jan. 12, 2026, he was sentenced to four years and three months in prison.
• Jacklyn Saenz, 35, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On Oct. 20, 2025, she was sentenced to three years and five months in prison.
• Luz Maria Cobrera Salazar, 43, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On March 31, 2025, she was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
• Allen Khamtrashyan, 30, pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
• Christian Jair Sanchez Rodriguez pleaded guilty on Feb. 9, 2026, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
• Emily Vela, 25, of Van Nuys, pleaded guilty on June 23, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2026, and faces up to 20 years in prison.

Charges are pending against the remaining defendants, who face varying maximum sentences of between 20 years and up to life in prison. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. And as to defendants who await sentencing, their sentences will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

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

This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Christopher Eugene Guilford, 54, formerly of Sacramento, was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for making a false claim against the United States and filing false tax returns, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

“Filing false tax returns is not a shortcut to easy money; it’s a federal crime,” U.S. Attorney Grant said. “By submitting nine fraudulent returns and stealing more than $1.17 million in refunds, the defendant tried to cheat the American taxpayer. Today’s sentence shows that those who abuse our tax system for personal gain will be held accountable.”

On Oct. 30, 2025, a jury found Guilford guilty of one count of making a false claim against the United States and eight counts of filing a false tax return. Guilford had filed nine false tax returns with the IRS in which he reported false income and false tax withholdings. For one of the tax return filings, Guilford received a refund of $1,172,446. The charges against Guilford stem from his use of a convoluted “redemption” scheme, used by tax protestors and sovereign citizens that has been repeatedly rejected by the courts.

“Mr. Guilford’s sentencing underscores the serious consequences for those who attempt to exploit the tax system through fraudulent schemes, including so‑called ‘redemption’ tactics,” said Linda Nguyen, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS‑CI) Oakland Field Office. “By fabricating income, falsifying withholdings, and seeking more than a million dollars in illegitimate refunds, Guilford not only violated federal law but also undermined the integrity of programs designed to serve honest taxpayers. IRS‑CI will continue to pursue individuals who seek to enrich themselves through deceit and hold them fully accountable.”

IRS-CI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Arelis M. Clemente prosecuted the case.

A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against John Angel Sanchez, 56, of Fresno, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Jan. 15, 2026, Sanchez was found to be in possession of three firearms and nearly 2 pounds of methamphetamine. As an 11-time convicted felon, Sanchez is prohibited from possessing firearms. His felony convictions include possession of controlled substances, possession of controlled substances for sale, transportation of controlled substances for sale, and the manufacture or import of an unlawful weapon. At the time of his arrest, Sanchez was serving a term of post‑release community supervision following his most recent felony convictions in Fresno County.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arelis M. Clemente and Nicholas E. Karp are prosecuting the case.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Yesterday a court-authorized international law enforcement operation led by the U.S. Justice Department disrupted SocksEscort, a residential proxy network used to exploit thousands of residential routers worldwide and commit large-scale fraud. The U.S. government executed seizure warrants against a few dozen U.S.-registered internet domains allegedly engaged in the cyber-enabled criminal activity, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, SocksEscort infected home and small business internet routers with malware. The malware allowed SocksEscort to direct internet traffic through the infected routers. SocksEscort sold this access to its customers. Since the summer of 2020, SocksEscort has offered to sell access to about 369,000 different IP addresses. As of February 2026, the SocksEscort application listed approximately 8,000 infected routers to which its customers could buy access, of those, 2,500 were in the United States.

Cybercriminals used the access they purchased on SocksEscort to conceal their true originating IP addresses and locations, which furthered frauds like takeovers of U.S. bank and cryptocurrency accounts and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. These frauds cost Americans millions of dollars. Examples of victims defrauded include a customer of a cryptocurrency exchange who lived in New York and was defrauded of $1 million worth of cryptocurrency; a manufacturing business in Pennsylvania that was defrauded of $700,000; and current and former United States service members with MILITARY STAR cards who were defrauded out of $100,000.

Law enforcement agencies from Austria, France, and the Netherlands successfully took down numerous SocksEscort servers.

The FBI Sacramento Field Office, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation Oakland Field Office are investigating the case.

Investigators and prosecutors from several jurisdictions provided assistance, including Europol, Eurojust, and authorities in the following countries:

• Austria: Vienna Public Prosecutors Office (Staatsanwaltschaft Wien) Criminal Intelligence Service - Cybercrime-Competence-Center (Bundeskriminalamt – C4)
• Bulgaria: District Public Prosecution Office Plovdiv, Cybercrime Directorate of the General Directorate Combating Organized Crime - Ministry of Interior
• France: Public Prosecution Office Paris J3 Anti-Cybercrime unit; Investigative judge from JIRS/JUNALCO Financial and Cybercrime section - Court of Paris; Judicial Police - Office for Cybercrime Prevention (Police judiciaire - office anti-cybercriminalité (OFAC))
• Germany: Düsseldorf Police Headquarters; Central Contact Point for Cybercrime North Rhine-Westphalia (ZAC NRW)
• Hungary: Prosecution Service of Hungary; National Bureau of Investigation Cybercrime Department (Nemzeti Nyomozó Iroda Kiberbűnözés Elleni Főosztály)
• Netherlands: Public Prosecutors Office Limburg (Openbaar Ministerie); Police (Politie) Limburg
• Romania: Prosecution Office of the High Court of Cassation and Justice; Directorate for investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism, Central Office; Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, Central Cybercrime Unit; General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program based in The Hague, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the California Highway Patrol provided crucial support to this operation. 

Additionally, the Department of Justice offers its thanks to Lumen’s Black Lotus Labs and the Shadowserver Foundation for the assistance provided by each during the investigation and the operation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Eastern District of California Nicholas M. Fogg, Sam Stefanki, and Kevin Khasigian handled the litigation.

The Justice Department is providing intellectual property and cybercrime technical assistance to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners in other countries through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) program. Learn more about the Criminal Division’s ICHIP Program, jointly administered by the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section through partnership between the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, here.

Maria Dickerson, also known as “Dulce Pino,” “Maria Dulce Pino Dickerson,” and “Dulce Brubaker,” 49, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, from 2020 through 2024, Dickerson created an investment scheme through which she sold interests in an illusory shell company, Creative Legal Fundings of CA (CLF), to investors. Dickerson promised investors that their investments were safe and secure, and backed by substantial starting capital. To appear credible and to attract investors, Dickerson falsely claimed to some investors that CLF was associated with a multinational casino and resort corporation’s CEO. She promised investors at least a 10% rate of return per month on their principal investment with additional compounding monthly interest if they left their money invested with her. In reality, Dickerson did not register the sale of her securities with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and she used new investor money to pay off older investors and to fund a lavish lifestyle. This lavish lifestyle included vacations, gambling, private jet travel, as well as high-end purchases like Mercedes-Benz vehicles and a home in Sacramento. Through her false statements, Dickerson induced approximately 156 investors to contribute more than $10 million to her scheme.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation with assistance from the Alabama Securities Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.

Dickerson is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on July 28, 2026. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million on the securities fraud count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. 

Oleg Arreola, 28, of Modesto, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 11 years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with a drug and firearm trafficking conspiracy in Stanislaus County, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Operation Blue Death, an investigation into drug trafficking and illegal firearm trafficking in Stanislaus County, resulted in the arrest of seven individuals engaged in distributing fentanyl pills and firearms between September 2022 and June 2023.

The indictment alleges that throughout March and April 2023, co-defendant Arturo Madrid sold several firearms and thousands of fentanyl pills, including one instance on April 21, 2023, where Madrid sold 6,000 fentanyl pills and a Draco (PAK 9 9 mm Luger) rifle.

The indictment alleges that on June 13, 2023, Arreola and co-defendants Arturo Madrid, Andrew Rodriguez, and Enrique DeLeon arrived at a location for a pre-arranged purchase of 50,000 fentanyl pills. Officers arrested the four defendants shortly after they arrived. Officers seized an AK-style Draco rifle Arreola brought to the drug deal and had at his feet during his arrest. Co-defendant DeLeon had approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills inside a briefcase in his vehicle when officers arrested him.

In total seven individuals were charged with drug and firearm trafficking offenses in a 17-count indictment. Their status, based on court records, includes:

• Arturo Madrid, 29, of Modesto, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and possessing a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison on Nov. 17, 2025.
• Enrique Cruz DeLeon, 28, of Salida, pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 30,000 fentanyl pills. He was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison on April 21, 2025.
• Ebony Lambert, 48, of Turlock, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. She was sentenced to two years in prison on Aug. 25, 2025.
• Donnell Mays, 50, of Turlock, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13, 2026. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison.
• Andrew Madrid and Andrew Rodriguez are set for trial on Sept. 22, 2026. Madrid is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distributing fentanyl. Rodriguez is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distributing fentanyl, two counts of possessing a firearm as a felon, and using or carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. If convicted, both face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. Rodriguez faces an additional mandatory minimum of five years in prison for carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.

The Stanislaus Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Sacramento comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.

Ari J. Lauer, 61, of Lafayette, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 11 years and five months years in prison for his role in the biggest criminal fraud scheme in the history of the Eastern District of California, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

From approximately 2009 to January 2019, Lauer, an attorney licensed to practice law in California, was outside counsel to DC Solar and provided legal and business advice concerning DC Solar’s operations. Lauer’s role gave the scheme legitimacy and diminished any suspicion the investors might have had.

On Oct. 14, 2025, one week before trial, Lauer pleaded guilty to all counts with no written plea agreement. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud, 12 counts of bank fraud, and 10 counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution.

“Without the participation of Lauer, the DC Solar fraud scheme would never have been operational. Lauer used his skill as a corporate lawyer to execute a sophisticated tax scheme to that enabled the largest criminal fraud in the history of the Eastern District of California,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “As the only attorney involved, he should have been the first person to recognize the fraud and stop it. Instead, he was the last person to accept responsibility, only doing so on the eve of trial. Today’s sentence demonstrates that sophisticated fraud will be met with serious consequences.”

“Ari Lauer intentionally used his position as an attorney to provide the illusion of legitimacy to DC Solar’s fraudulent scheme. He hid uncomfortable truths behind claims of confidentiality while profiting from the arrangement and mistakenly assumed that law enforcement would not catch on,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message to fraudsters and their co-conspirators. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will unravel lies, seize ill-gotten gains, and dismantle Ponzi schemes like this one to deliver justice to the victims.”

“Mr. Lauer’s sentence reflects the extensive harm caused by DC Solar’s long‑running fraud scheme, which deceived investors, disrupted the clean‑energy market, and left real victims in its wake,” said Linda Nguyen, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office. “White‑collar crime is not victimless. IRS‑CI used its unmatched financial‑investigative expertise and worked closely with federal law enforcement partners to follow the money, uncover the truth, and help secure justice for those harmed.”

“Mr. Lauer and his co-defendants abused the system and victimized investors to enrich themselves,” noted FDIC OIG Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner. “We are proud to have worked alongside our law enforcement partners to hold the defendants accountable and bring justice to victims. FDIC OIG will continue to work tirelessly to help victims, keep the system uncorrupted, and ultimately protect our Nation’s Financial System.”

According to court documents, between 2011 and 2018, DC Solar manufactured mobile solar generators that were mounted on trailers. The company touted the versatility and environmental sustainability of the generators and claimed that they were used to provide emergency power to cellphone towers and lighting at sporting and other events. A significant incentive for investors was generous federal tax credits due to the solar nature of the generators. Martinez residents Jeff Carpoff, 55, his wife Paulette Carpoff, 52, and their co-conspirators solicited investors to invest in the generators in large multimillion-dollar transactions using a variety of fraudulent techniques.

A key part of the fraud was that investors would never actually take possession of the generators. Instead, DC Solar typically leased those generators back from the investors and claimed to sublease them to third parties to generate revenue. In reality there was very little actual third-party rental demand for the generators, yet when Lauer and the other co-conspirators learned this, they continued to represent to investors that the rental market for the generators was robust.

In June 2012, Lauer, Jeff Carpoff, and others met to discuss the failure to generate third-party lease revenue sufficient to meet their financial obligations to the investors. The conspirators agreed to conceal that lack of third-party lease revenue from current and prospective investors, by, among other things, making periodic transfers of investor money from one account to another and misrepresent that the flow of funds was third-party lease revenue. Lauer and other members of the conspiracy created a circular payment system they referred to as “re-rent.” In 2014, they created a “re-rent agreement,” backdating the document to 2011, and used it to explain the large sums of money being transferred from one account to another. In fact, the real source of money was new investor money, which was being used to pay obligations to existing investors. Lauer and other members of the conspiracy prepared sublease agreements with “concealed addendums” that materially altered the terms of the contracts. They used the sublease agreements to defraud investors.

Between March 2011 and Dec. 18, 2018, investors invested approximately $759.4 million, and several financial institutions and other investors transferred $152.7 million to DC Solar as part of related transactions for the purchase and lease of generators. In total, DC Solar closed transactions with investors that contributed more than $912 million to purchase generators. Those transactions were purported to involve approximately 17,000 generators, at approximately $2.5 billion in value.

During the conspiracy, approximately 94% to 95% of the lease revenue on the books was actually intercompany transfers disguised as new investor money. In truth, third-party end-user demand for generators never exceeded 5% of the revenue that was claimed.

On Dec. 19, 2025, the California State bar put Lauer on “involuntary inactive status” due to his conviction in this case.

The FBI, IRS-CI, and the FDIC OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath and Nicholas M. Fogg prosecuted the case.

The status of the other seven defendants is as follows:

• Jeff Carpoff was sentenced on Nov. 9, 2021, to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $790.6 million in restitution.
• Paulette Carpoff was sentenced on June 28, 2022, to 11 years and three months in prison.
• Joseph W. Bayliss, 50, of Martinez, was sentenced on Nov. 16, 2021, to three years in prison and ordered to pay $481.3 million in restitution.
• DC Solar CFO Robert A. Karmann, 59, of Clayton, was sentenced on April 12, 2022, to six years in prison and ordered to pay $624 million.
• Alan Hansen, 54, was sentenced on May 31, 2022, to eight years in prison.
• Ryan Guidry, 49, of Pleasant Hill, was sentenced on Jan. 31, 2023, to six years and six months in prison and ordered to pay $619,415,950 in restitution.
• Ronald J. Roach, 57, of Walnut Creek, pleaded guilty to criminal offenses related to the fraud scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 13, 2026. Roach faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years 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.

Stephan James Evanovich, 46, of Placerville, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to transport stolen property and to interstate transportation of stolen property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Evanovich worked with co-conspirators Trevor Fountain, 38, of Sacramento; Jonathan Matthew Curl, 36, of Sacramento; and Andrea Carter, 35, formerly of Sacramento, to illegally enter communications towers and steal rectifiers and other communications equipment. Rectifiers are a power source necessary to maintain power at communications towers. Fountain, Carter, and Curl were responsible for stealing equipment and transferring it to Evanovich, who then paid them for the stolen equipment. Evanovich sold the stolen property to legitimate third-party vendors in California, Illinois, Colorado, and Texas. The conspirators stole, sold, and shipped more than 485 stolen rectifiers across state lines.

As part of the scheme, Evanovich instructed other conspirators to create invoices in the name of false businesses. These false invoices were used to make it appear as though Evanovich had obtained the stolen rectifiers from legitimate businesses.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from Weld County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima are prosecuting the case.

Carter pleaded guilty and was sentenced on June 5, 2025, to 29 months in prison. Fountain pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2026. Curl pleaded guilty on Jan. 8, 2026, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, 2026.

Evanovich is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on June 11, 2026. Evanovich faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Fountain and Curl face maximum statutory penalties of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announces a sentencing and a guilty plea in Fresno for two cases as part of Operation Take Back America.

Phatna Pich, 23, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing machine guns. According to court documents, in October 2024, law enforcement officers were investigating Pich for trafficking illegal firearms. In November 2024, officers searched Pich’s home and seized a loaded firearm, several rounds of ammunition, and 12 auto-sears, which are devices used to convert firearms into automatic weapons. Pich has two prior firearm-related felony convictions, including a prior conviction involving an assault weapon and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Pich pleaded guilty on Nov. 5, 2025.

The Fresno Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.

Thomas Carter Beasley, 21, of Fresno, pleaded guilty Monday to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Beasley engaged in a high-speed chase when police attempted to pull him over. Beasley sped through stop signs, nearly hit bystanders, and finally came to a stop by crashing into a parked car. After crashing, he fled on foot through a nearby apartment complex and hid a loaded .40 caliber Glock 27 handgun he was carrying under a resident’s doormat. Beasley faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Robert Veneman-Hughes are prosecuting the case.

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Jeffrey Menge, 45, of Copperopolis, and Eric Drabert, 46, of Modesto, were sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 30 months and 18 months in prison, respectively for theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

“These defendants were entrusted with safeguarding resources meant to educate and support children; instead, they stole $1.5 million for their own benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Today’s sentencing affirms that when those in positions of authority abuse the public trust, they will be held accountable. Our office remains committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring that funds intended for our schools serve the students and communities they were meant to support.”

“Jeffrey Menge and Eric Drabert betrayed the students, families, and taxpayers of Patterson by exploiting their positions of trust to steal from a school district. Rather than investing those funds in the children they were hired to serve, they lined their pockets with the money they stole,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “We are grateful to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership in bringing Menge and Drabert to justice.”

According to court documents, from 2018 to 2022, Menge served as the Assistant Superintendent and Chief Business Officer of the Patterson Joint Unified School District. In approximately 2020, Menge hired Drabert to serve as IT Director for the school district. Menge and Drabert conducted schemes to embezzle money from the school district. Among other things, they used CenCal Tech LLC, a Nevada company that Menge controlled, to carry out the scheme. Menge used the company to get around the school’s conflicts for being an interested party transacting with the school district. To conceal his ownership of the company, he created a fictitious person, “Frank Barnes,” to serve as an executive for CenCal Tech. Menge and Drabert used CenCal Tech to steal approximately $1.5 million in fraudulent transactions with the school district. The transactions involved double billing, over billing, and billing for items not delivered by CenCal Tech to the school district.

According to court documents, Menge and Drabert stole in additional ways as well. For example, they purchased high-end graphics cards and used those cards, together with other school district property and electricity, to operate a cryptocurrency “mining” farm at the school district without its permission. They then transferred the mined cryptocurrency to wallets under their own personal control. Menge also misused vehicles owned by the school district, including buying a Chevy truck at below-market value and selling it for a profit, and using a Ford Transit van as his own personal vehicle.

In total, Menge embezzled approximately $1.5 million and Drabert stole approximately $276,000 from the school district. Menge used stolen funds to remodel his home, to purchase luxury cars, including a Ferrari 458 sportscar, Audi R8, and a Chevrolet Corvette z06, and for other personal uses. Drabert used stolen funds to remodel his vacation cabin, among other uses. The defendants pleaded guilty on Feb. 21, 2024.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.

Johnny Bobby Truong, 33, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins to 19 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

On Aug. 13, 2025, Truong pleaded guilty to the charge.

According to court documents, between Jan. 26, 2023, and May 10, 2024, Truong conspired with others to distribute massive amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in the Sacramento region. Truong was a significant supplier of drugs to the Sacramento-based drug trafficking organization, and he operated a stash house for the group, which included members of a violent Sacramento criminal street gang.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sacramento Police Department, the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Navin Khanna, 42, Holmdel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, conspiracy to commit promotional money laundering, and interstate transportation of stolen property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between October 2019 and March 2024, Navin Khanna and his family members and co-conspirators operated DG Auto and purchased stolen catalytic converters from California and across the nation for more than $600 million. Ten other New Jersey residents and three California residents were charged in this nationwide investigation that dismantled a catalytic converter theft ring.

Catalytic converter theft has become prevalent across the nation because of their value, relative ease of stealing, and their lack of identifying markings. Thieves steal catalytic converters from vehicles on the street for the precious metals they contain, which may be more valuable per ounce than gold, and then sell them to buyers. The black-market price for certain catalytic converters from California, like the Toyota Prius, can be more than $1,200 each.

Navin Khanna purchased more than $38 million of catalytic converters stolen from the Sacramento region from Tou Vang and his family, who operated Vang Auto. Tou Vang would ship Navin Khanna pallets of catalytic converters weighing more than 1,000 pounds and containing a single type of high-value catalytic converter, such as the Toyota Prius. Navin Khanna received so many stolen Toyota Prius catalytic converters that their parts code – GD3‑EA6 – was put on the vanity license plate of one of Navin Khanna’s McLaren’s. Tou Vang was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in transporting thousands of stolen catalytic converters across state lines, laundering money, and other related crimes.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Sacramento Police Department, Davis Police Department, Auburn Police Department, Livermore Police Department, and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría and Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.

Navin Khanna will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins at a later date. 

Kami Elois Power, 55, of Gardnerville, Nevada, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins to 12 years and five months in prison for fraud and identity theft in a scheme to defraud a South Lake Tahoe construction company out of more than $1.4 million, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

In November 2025, following a six-day trial, a federal jury found Power guilty of 11 counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. As part of her sentence, Power is required to pay restitution to the victim of more than $1.4 million and forfeit two houses and the horse that she bought with the stolen money.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between November 2019 and May 2023, Power worked as an office manager and controller at a family-owned construction company in South Lake Tahoe. During her employment, Power embezzled more than $1.4 million from the company. She disguised more than $700,000 of these fraudulent transfers as payments made to vendors that the company worked with—under fake profiles she created in the names of real companies, as well as fake companies that reflected her own initials, such as “KEP Inc. Sale” and “KPI.” She disguised additional fraudulent transfers as payments for payroll or reimbursements. Power also used the company’s credit card to make unauthorized personal purchases, paid down the balance of her own personal credit cards, and used the signature of the owner of the company to write several fraudulent checks. Power used the money she stole to purchase two houses, several new cars and ATVs, and a horse. She also spent the money on field-level seats at football games and a $29,000 Hawaii vacation.

This was Power’s fifth time embezzling from an employer; prior embezzlements resulted in two criminal convictions, a civil lawsuit, and a probation violation.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Wong and Dhruv Sharma prosecuted the case.

Raymond James Cornett, 53, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 25 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Cornett requested and received videos and images of a 6-year-old and a 7-year-old victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct from a woman in Canada. In addition, Cornett admitted to requesting images and videos of sexually explicit conduct from two additional minor victims. Evidence from Cornett’s social media accounts corroborated the admissions. Cornett pleaded guilty on Aug. 11, 2026.

The Sacramento Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang 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.

Claudia Gonzales, 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to kidnapping involving a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on May 8, 2024, a woman reported her boyfriend after a domestic violence incident, which resulted in his arrest. In retaliation for calling the police, the boyfriend’s sister, Rosa Ventura, 35, of Fresno, persuaded the woman to place her 5-month-old daughter in the care of another sister. Ventura, with Gonzales hiding in the back of the SUV, then drove the woman and her 9-year-old daughter to an unknown field outside Fresno.

At the field, Gonzales emerged from the SUV’s rear cargo area and sat in the front seat. Throughout the night, Ventura and Gonzales continued to drive the mother and child against their will toward the Mexican border. At one point, they stopped at a gas station where the mother and child attempted to flee. Gonzales chased the 9‑year-old girl and forced her back into the car. Gonzales and Ventura then caught the mother and used a stun gun to physically force her back into the car. When Gonzales and Ventura arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, they dropped mother and daughter at an unknown bus station in an effort to prevent the mother from testifying in the domestic violence case where she was a victim.

The 5-month-old daughter was kept in Fresno out of the victim’s custody from May 8, 2024, until November 2024.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Veneman-Hughes and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

Gonzales is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Gonzales faces a statutory minimum of 20 years to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Ventura is set for trial on April 23, 2026. If convicted, she faces a statutory minimum penalty of 20 years to a maximum of life 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; Ventura is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

PacifiCorp has agreed to pay $575 million to resolve the United States’ claims for damages resulting from six wildfires in California and Oregon.

The two California fires are:

• The “Slater Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, on Slater Butte National Forest lands within the Klamath National Forest and burned 157,229 acres of federal land within the Klamath, Six River, and Rogue River Siskiyou National Forests; and
• The “McKinney Fire,” which began on July 29, 2022, on land next to the Klamath National Forest and burned 39,000 acres of federal land.

The four Oregon fires are:

• The “242 Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Chiloquin and burned 8,916 acres of federal land;
• The “Archie Creek Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, near French Creek in the Umpqua National Forest and burned 67,000 acres of federal land;
• The “Echo Mountain Complex Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Otis, Oregon, and burned approximately 2,500 acres, including federal land; and
• The “South Obenchain Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, east of Eagle Point and burned 14,780 acres of federal land.

The settlement resolves the United States’ claims that PacifiCorp’s electrical lines negligently started all six fires. The settlement monies will help repay the United States for the substantial costs it incurred fighting the fires, which is critical because the U.S. Forest Service now spends more than half of its budget on wildfire suppression annually. Settlement funds will also be distributed to the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to restore some of the 290,000 acres of public land that were burned.

“The United States and PacifiCorp have reached a settlement that ensures fair compensation to the American taxpayer for fire-related damages,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This agreement strikes a balance by addressing the government’s significant fire-suppression costs and loss of natural resources without preventing PacifiCorp from offering electricity at fair prices.”

“This settlement served the Department’s longstanding policy of holding individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires. Every fire impacting federal lands, no matter the size, is a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California.

“Wildfires remain a recurring threat to our natural resources, the safety of our communities, and their economic well-being. The costs of land losses and fire responses are substantial,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “Recouping the costs associated with these wildfires is a priority for our office, and this settlement achieves that.”

This settlement is the result of a joint effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for Oregon and the Eastern District of California, the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Amin and Kelli L. Taylor for the Eastern District of California and Alexis Lien for the District of Oregon handled the cases for the U.S. Attorney’s Offices.

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. PacifiCorp continues to deny liability for these fires.

PacifiCorp has agreed to pay $575 million to resolve the United States’ claims for damages resulting from six wildfires in California and Oregon.

The two California fires are:

• The “Slater Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, on Slater Butte National Forest lands within the Klamath National Forest and burned 157,229 acres of federal land within the Klamath, Six River, and Rogue River Siskiyou National Forests; and
• The “McKinney Fire,” which began on July 29, 2022, on land next to the Klamath National Forest and burned 39,000 acres of federal land.

The four Oregon fires are:

• The “242 Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Chiloquin and burned 8,916 acres of federal land;
• The “Archie Creek Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, near French Creek in the Umpqua National Forest and burned 67,000 acres of federal land;
• The “Echo Mountain Complex Fire,” which began on Sept. 7, 2020, near Otis and burned approximately 2,500 acres, including federal land; and
• The “South Obenchain Fire,” which began on Sept. 8, 2020, east of Eagle Point and burned 14,780 acres of federal land.

The settlement resolves the United States’ claims that PacifiCorp’s electrical lines negligently started all six fires. The settlement monies will help repay the United States for the substantial costs it incurred fighting the fires, which is critical because the U.S. Forest Service now spends more than half of its budget on wildfire suppression annually. Settlement funds will also be distributed to the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to restore some of the 290,000 acres of public land that were burned.

These recoveries, including nearly $240 million related to California fires, are among the largest federal wildfire recoveries to date.

“The United States and PacifiCorp have reached a settlement that ensures fair compensation to the American taxpayer for fire-related damages,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This agreement strikes a balance by addressing the government’s significant fire-suppression costs and loss of natural resources without preventing PacifiCorp from offering electricity at fair prices.”

“This settlement served the Department’s longstanding policy of holding individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires. Every fire impacting federal lands, no matter the size, is a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California.

“Wildfires remain a recurring threat to our natural resources, the safety of our communities, and their economic well-being. The costs of land losses and fire responses are substantial,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “Recouping the costs associated with these wildfires is a priority for our office, and this settlement achieves that.”

This settlement is the result of a joint effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of California and Oregon, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Department of the Interior.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Amin and Kelli L. Taylor of the Eastern District of California and Alexis Lien of the District of Oregon handled the cases for the U.S. Attorney’s Offices.

The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. PacifiCorp continues to deny liability for these fires.

A criminal complaint was filed today against Brian Richard Girardot Jr., 20, of Sacramento, charging him with possessing a firearm within a school zone, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Feb. 18, 2026, Girardot, a previous student at St. Mary Parish School, dropped his younger relative off at St. Mary Parish School in Sacramento. Girardot returned at approximately 9:30 a.m. and walked onto the property of St. Mary Catholic Church/St. Mary Parish School. He walked to the front of the church building and attempted to enter with a loaded firearm. The church was in the process of holding an Ash Wednesday mass, which had begun at 8 a.m. Girardot had additional ammunition and a camouflage jacket in his vehicle, which he had parked nearby.

Law enforcement conducted a search of Girardot’s home and found a series of handwritten notes in a stack in his bedroom that contained references to suicide and threats.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Police Department are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case.

In addition to the federal charge, Girardot has been charged criminally in state court.

If convicted, Girardot faces a maximum statutory penalty of five 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — Edward Paul Cragg, 46, of Turlock, California was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston, following his conviction for one count of receipt of images depicting the sexual abuse of minors, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. A jury found Cragg guilty of this offense on Sept. 12, 2025.

The sentence imposed includes a 20-year prison term, the statutory maximum, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release during which Cragg will be required to register as a sex offender, and his access to minors, computers, and the internet will be restricted. The court also ordered the forfeiture of devices used to commit the offense and has scheduled a hearing on restitution for victims for April 20, 2026. 

Evidence introduced at trial established that from approximately Aug. 1, 2015, through March 1, 2016, Cragg used a file-sharing program to search for and save approximately 130 videos of child sexual abuse material. Some of the videos depicted images of infants or toddlers being subjected to sadistic or masochistic abuse. Cragg made hundreds of other videos showing sexual abuse of children available to others on the same file-sharing network during the same time frame. He told investigators that he looked at child pornography because it was “interesting . . . like a dead cat on the side of the road.”

The Turlock Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Ceres Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and United States Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. Learn more at Justice.gov/PSC.

FRESNO, Calif. — Matthew Henry Jacober, 44, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 5 years in prison for being a felon in possession of explosives and manufacturing crystal methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, in July 2025, Jacober possessed 50 pounds of dynamite, which he had hidden in a cave approximately 10 to 15 feet from a travel trailer where Jacober was residing. In 2021, Jacober was convicted in Kern County Superior Court of making a destructive device without a permit, a felony. As a convicted felon, Jacober was thus prohibited from possessing explosives. In addition, Jacober was in the process of manufacturing crystal methamphetamine in his trailer, where he possessed both finished product and methamphetamine in the process of changing from liquid to a crystal form.  On Nov. 24, 2025, Jacober pleaded guilty to the charges that gave rise to his sentence.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, and the Kern County Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Pataca prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.