Eastern District of California

FRESNO, Calif. — Kiandre Johnson, 25, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday to 11 years and six months in prison for engaging in a conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and using a facility of interstate commerce to facilitate prostitution, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, in March and April 2016, Johnson conspired with other Dog Pound Gang members to kill rival gang members for the purpose of gaining or maintaining his status within the Dog Pound enterprise. Between March 23, 2016, and April 7, 2016, three Dog Pound members or associates were shot or shot at by rival gang members. After the March 23 shooting, Johnson and other Dog Pound members conspired to murder rival gang members in retaliation for the shootings. On April 7, 2016, Johnson obtained a firearm from co‑defendant William Lee to use in a shooting later that evening. Johnson was armed with the gun when he and others went to Fink White Park, rival gang territory, and engaged in a shooting. Johnson tried to fire the gun, but it jammed. After, Johnson returned to a local hotel where other Dog Pound members were located. Johnson met with Lee, and the two planned to go and test the gun to see what the problem was. However, before they could do so, police attempted to stop them. They threw the gun out of the window of the car and police recovered it.

Additionally, York, Monson, Wharry, Maxey, Johnson, and Millro were involved in sex trafficking female victims both within and outside of California. Wharry, Johnson, and Windfield were also involved in fraud that involved obtaining stolen credit card account numbers, manufacturing counterfeit credit cards, and conducting transactions with the counterfeit credit cards throughout California, Nevada, Oregon, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri to obtain money, goods and services.

Johnson was the last of the defendants in the case to be sentenced. Following are the other defendants charged in this case:

James York, 41, a leader in the Dog Pound enterprise, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, use of a facility of interstate commerce to promote prostitution, and possession of an unregistered firearm;

Trenell Monson, 31, a leader in the Dog Pound enterprise, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, interstate transportation for prostitution, and use of a facility of interstate commerce to promote prostitution;

Deandre Stanfield, a leader in the Dog Pound enterprise, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering;

Kenneth Wharry Jr., 35, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, interstate transportation for prostitution, and conspiracy to effect transactions with access devices issued to other persons;

Darrell Maxey, 23, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and use of a facility of interstate commerce to promote prostitution;

Davon Millro, 24, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and use of a facility of interstate commerce to promote prostitution;

Kenneth Johnson III, 28, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to effect transactions with access devices issued to other persons;

William Lee, 41, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering; and,

Anthony Windfield Jr., 33, was sentenced to 7 years, 3 months in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to effect transactions with access devices issued to other persons.

This case was the product of an investigation by the California Department of Justice/California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit; Fresno Police Department; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the IRS Criminal Investigation; the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium; the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office; and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Jeffrey A. Spivak prosecuted the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal jury convicted Vallejo couple Marty Marciano Boone, 57, and Ronda Boone, 56, on Thursday for conspiring to launder $2 million that they received after filing fraudulent tax returns, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Marty Boone was found guilty of one count of filing a false tax return, one count of conspiring to commit money laundering, and two counts of money laundering. Ronda Boone was found guilty of one count of conspiring to commit money laundering and two counts of money laundering.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the couple filed separate 2008 tax returns, each of which fraudulently claimed millions of dollars in refunds. The IRS flagged Ronda Boone’s tax return, did not pay her, and fined her $5,000. However, Marty Boone received a fraudulent tax refund of more than $1.9 million. Evidence showed that the Boones received this check in August 2009, deposited it in a new checking account, and then quickly drained the account. They moved the funds through a series of other accounts in New York, California, Washington, and the nation of Cyprus. The Boones funneled more than $200,000 of this money to a “church” they had set up in Washington state. Evidence at trial established that this money was spent at a Harley Davidson motorcycle shop, in nail salons, and on other seeming everyday expenses, such as groceries and gas. The Boones laundered another $100,000 of their fraud money through a shell company they established in Cyprus.

This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew M. Yelovich and Amanda Beck are prosecuting the case.

Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on May 9, 2019. They face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine equal to $250,000, or twice the amount of the criminally derived property, whichever is greater. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment on Thursday against Kevin Crownover, 46, of Lemoore, charging him with embezzlement and theft of union assets and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Crownover was the treasurer for a labor organization consisting of mechanics employed at Lemoore Naval Air Station. Between September 2015 and October 2016, he generated at least 70 unauthorized checks and made unauthorized cash withdrawals from the union’s bank accounts, resulting in a loss to the union of at least $50,879. Furthermore, Crownover did so by forging the signature of the union president, which forms the basis of the aggravated identity theft charge.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Crownover faces a maximum statutory penalty of five 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. — Abdul Basier Hashimi, 26, of Elk Grove, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to 12 years and seven months in prison for sex trafficking of a child, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

On August 31, 2018, Hashimi pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a child. According to statements made during the hearing, Hashimi met the 13-year-old victim in August 2014 on social media and began communicating with her. After she turned 14, Hashimi caused her to work as a prostitute in Sacramento, Oakland, and elsewhere in Northern California. Hashimi managed the victim’s activities by, among other things, creating an internet advertisement, renting a motel room, and driving her to areas with prostitution activity where he caused her to work as a prostitute. The victim gave Hashimi the money she earned.

“Child sex traffickers often prey upon our community’s most vulnerable minors — runaways, foster kids, children who face difficult circumstances — promising the young victims that they will receive care and support. In actuality, traffickers treat their victims as commodities to acquire and sell, generating profit from exploiting them and leveraging their youth as a selling point,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI, the Sacramento Police Department, and our partners on the Child Exploitation Task Force continue to work tirelessly to identify and disrupt predators like Hashimi to protect the children in our communities. We are also all committed to ensuring the children recovered from exploitation receive the services to move forward with their lives.”

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Fogerty prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea announced that a federal grand jury returned a three-count superseding indictment today against Guillermo Jose Leon Ramirez, 41, of Oroville; Justin James Garcia, 44, of Oroville; and William Lee Vollendroff, 43, of Palermo, charging them with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents, during two separate drug deals, the defendants sold more than 1,000 fentanyl-laced pills that were made to look like Oxycodone pills to a confidential source. Fentanyl is a very potent synthetic opiate that is 100 times more potent than morphine and can be extremely dangerous due to the small amount of the substance needed for the user to overdose.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Spencer is prosecuting the case.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Pablo Rivera, 34, of Fresno, charging him with assaulting a federal employee, a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service who was engaged in the performance of his duties, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on January 19, 2019, the letter carrier was sitting in his mail truck near Jackson Avenue and E. Shaw Avenue in Fresno, when Rivera ran up to him and stopped him from closing the door. Rivera shoved the letter carrier into the vehicle and sped off with the mail truck. According to police officers on the scene, after Rivera crashed the mail truck into a telephone support cable on Maroa Avenue, he was apprehended.

This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Newman is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Rivera faces a maximum statutory penalty of eight 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. — On Monday, a federal jury found Stephen J. Dougan, 59, formerly of Granite Bay, guilty of one count of corruptly endeavoring to impede the due administration of the Internal Revenue Laws, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to evidence admitted at trial, during an Internal Revenue Service audit of his 2006 and 2007 tax returns, Dougan made false statements and provided false and misleading documents to the IRS that substantially underrepresented his income in 2006 and 2007. He also made false statements and provided false and misleading documents to the IRS in order to substantiate various business expenses he claimed on Schedule C of his 2006 tax return.

This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael M. Beckwith, Chi Soo Kim, Matthew M. Yelovich and Amy Schuller Hitchcock are prosecuting the case.

Dougan is scheduled for sentencing on April 22, 2019. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison and a $5,000 fine or a fine of twice the value of the gross gain or loss from the tax violation, which, in this case, exceeded $320,000.

FRESNO, Calif. — Felipe Angeles Valdez-Colima (Valdez), 35, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Valdez and his co-defendants, Mauricio Vaca-Bucio (Vaca), 31, and Rodolfo Torres-Galvan, 29, (Torres), both of Mexico, were apprehended in the Kiavah Wilderness area of the Sequoia National Forest, a federally designated wilderness area, after a two-month investigation. Law enforcement officers saw Valdez and Torres emerge from the forest at a drop point that had long been used by marijuana cultivators to access grow sites in that remote area. The men entered a vehicle driven by Vaca and were later stopped in the Kern County town of Weldon. Officers found freshly harvested marijuana in their vehicle and located over 1,800 marijuana plants at the grow sites on the interconnected trails from the drop point. The officers also found harmful and illegal pesticides, including carbofuran and zinc phosphide, in the vehicle and at the grow sites. In pleading guilty, Valdez agreed to pay over $7,000 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the damage he caused to the National Forest.

The United States Congress designated the Kiavah Wilderness in 1994, and it is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. This wilderness area is part of the National Cooperative Land and Wildlife Management Area and the Bureau of Land Management’s Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from Enforcement and Removal Operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California National Guard, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and Kern County Probation Office. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Valdez is scheduled for sentencing on April 22, 2019. He faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges against Vaca and Torres are still pending. As to them, the charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — Darrell Leon Jennings, 51, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

His sentence follows his guilty plea on November 7, 2018. According to court documents, Jennings, a trucker doing business in Moreno Valley as Jennings Transportation, assisted Mario Alvarez-Muniz, 50, of Taft, in transporting 6 kilograms of heroin and 11 kilograms of cocaine destined for Chicago. After Alvarez-Muniz arranged for the shipment of the drugs from Mexico to Mira Loma, Jennings picked up the drugs and drove back to Bakersfield where he was stopped by agents. A police dog located the drugs in a customized hidden compartment in Jennings’ truck.

Co-defendant Alvarez-Muniz previously entered a guilty plea and was sentenced last year to a prison term of 10 years and 1 month.

This case was the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, Bakersfield Police Department, and Kern County Probation Office. OCDETF is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General's drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and related criminal enterprises. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Erik Razo‑Quiroz, 29, of Merced; Adrian Virgen-Mendoza, 25, of Fairfield; Conrado Virgen‑Mendoza, 34, of Chowchilla; Erasmo Villegas-Suarez, 36, of Buttonwillow; Ana Leydi Cervantes-Sanchez, 31, of Newman; Bernabe Madrigal-Castaneda, 59, of Lamont; and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57, of Lamont, charging them with conspiring to harbor an alien, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Ryan Spradlin announced. In addition, Razo‑Quiroz is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and being an alien in possession of a firearm.

U.S. Attorney Scott stated: “Law enforcement agencies that are sworn to protect the public can accomplish their mission only when they have the active cooperation and support of the community they serve. Officers who serve our community put their lives on the line every day to protect us, and they deserve that cooperation and support. When individuals act to thwart law enforcement’s efforts, they undermine the safety of those officers and the public as a whole. Today’s indictment is a significant step toward holding accountable those who chose to harbor and conceal the man accused of killing a police officer in Newman, California, Corporal Ronil Singh.”

According to court documents, between December 26 and 28, the defendants conspired to harbor and conceal Gustavo Perez Arriaga, while he evaded capture for the alleged murder of Newman Police Corporal Ronil Singh. It is alleged that in the early hours of December 26, 2018, Arriaga, an alien not lawfully present in the United States, shot and killed Corporal Singh. Thereafter, the seven defendants helped conceal and harbor Arriaga, despite knowing that he had killed a police officer. The defendants transported, hosted, and provisioned Arriaga with clothes, money, and a new cellphone; concealed the truck that Arriaga was driving when he allegedly killed Corporal Singh; and made plans and wired money to smuggle Arriaga out of California and back to Mexico. Additionally, Razo-Quiroz, a convicted felon, disposed of the gun that Arriaga allegedly used to murder Corporal Singh.

This case is the product of an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office with assistance by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force; Southern Tri-County HIDTA; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; California Highway Patrol; the Sheriffs’ Offices for Kern, Merced, and Santa Cruz Counties; and the Police Departments for Merced, Turlock, Modesto, and Santa Cruz. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen A. Escobar and Laura D. Withers are prosecuting the case.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Darnell Pearson, 40, of Fresno, charging him with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

“This defendant is alleged to have sold cocaine that was, in fact, fentanyl and caused the deaths of two people and serious injury to two others,” U.S. Attorney Scott stated. “Fentanyl is extremely dangerous and is a serious public health threat in our area and the nation as a whole. Even trace amounts of this drug can be lethal, and it poses serious risks to those who come into contact with it, including first responders. We will continue to work with our state and federal partners to target those who distribute this poison in our communities.”

According to court documents, on January 7, 2019, law enforcement officers responded to a call concerning an overdose in Fresno and found three individuals on the ground with faint or no pulse. All three individuals were transported to Community Regional Medical Center for treatment. One of the individuals was pronounced dead on January 10, 2019. A toxicology report determined that the cause of death for the individual was overdose from fentanyl. The other two individuals survived and were later released from the hospital. Pearson is charged in count one with distributing fentanyl to the three individuals resulting in death of one and serious bodily injury to the other two.

The second count of the indictment charges Pearson with distributing fentanyl to a victim in Madera, resulting in death on January 7, 2019.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, and the Madera Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laurel Montoya and Jeffrey A. Spivak are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Pearson faces a minimum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a $1 million fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Thursday, a federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment against Eric Lemoyne Willis, 42, of West Sacramento, and Darron Dimitri Ross, 33, of Charlotte, North Carolina, charging them with conspiracy to defraud and commit crimes against the United States, theft of government property, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Willis and Ross allegedly conspired to steal public money from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Willis worked as an SSA Operation Supervisor in Sacramento and Lodi from 2015 until his departure in January 2018. During this timeframe, Willis used his authority as an SSA employee to access the confidential Social Security records of numerous Social Security beneficiaries. These records contained personally identifiable information (PII) including names, addresses, social security numbers, dates of birth, account numbers, family information, and benefit payment amounts. Willis would seek out PII for beneficiaries who used direct deposit for payment of large benefits. Willis then gave this PII to Ross who resided in North Carolina.

Ross’s role in these crimes included calling numerous SSA field offices across the country and using the stolen PII to impersonate the beneficiaries. Ross also opened at least 44 online bank accounts under fraudulent identities to receive diverted SSA benefit payments. If Ross succeeded in convincing an SSA representative that he was the beneficiary, he would request that the beneficiary’s direct deposit account be changed to one of Ross’s fraudulent accounts. The SSA then proceeded to deposit benefit payments into Ross’s account until the fraud was detected. Ross was then free to withdraw the funds at ATMs and spend the money using debit cards. Ross also transferred a portion of the stolen proceeds to Willis for his participation in these crimes.

SSA has identified at least 148 beneficiaries targeted by these crimes, and the total fraud loss suffered by SSA has exceeded $450,000. Willis and Ross spent the proceeds of their crimes on, among other things, trips to Las Vegas and luxury items including Rolex watches.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.

Federal agents arrested Willis and Ross last week based on a criminal complaint. Willis was released on bond in Sacramento, and Ross was detained pending his appearance in the Eastern District of California.

If convicted of wire fraud, Willis and Ross face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, they each face a mandatory sentence of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed. The maximum sentence for theft of government property is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum sentence for conspiracy is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A nine-count indictment was unsealed today after the arrests of Heidi Phong, 36, of Elk Grove, and Zhen Shang Lin, 37, of Riverside, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

The indictment, brought by a federal grand jury on December 13, 2018, charged Phong, Lin, Li Juan Wang, 37, of Riverside, and Feng Li, 48, of Sacramento, with conspiracy to commit international money laundering, international money laundering, conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, and manufacturing marijuana. This is the third indictment stemming from Operation Lights Out — an operation that has already resulted in federal forfeiture actions against over 100 homes in the Sacramento area earlier this year.

According to court documents, Phong operated HP Real Estate and Skye Investment LLC in Sacramento. Using these entities, Phong conspired with others to arrange for the use of wires from China to purchase residential real estate throughout the region that was intended to be converted into indoor marijuana grows. Phong is also alleged to have entered three separate marijuana manufacturing conspiracies, two with individuals charged earlier in 2018 and one with Zhen Shang Lin and Li Juan Wang. Finally, Lin and Wang are charged with international money laundering and marijuana manufacturing charges related to real estate in Yuba and Sacramento counties.

This case is the product of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS Criminal Investigation. Yuba County Sheriff’s Office assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roger Yang, Matthew M. Yelovich, and Kevin C. Khasigian are prosecuting the case.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine for each of the marijuana-related counts, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $500,000 fine, or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, whichever is greater, for each of the money laundering related counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Carlos Villa-Lozano, 30, and Paulina Silva Aguilar, 32, both of Fresno, charging them with aiming the beam of a laser pointer at a California Highway Patrol aircraft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Villa-Lozano was also charged separately with making false statements to an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The indictment alleges that on July 22, 2018, Villa-Lozano and Silva used a dangerously bright green laser pointer to strike a CHP fixed-wing aircraft approximately 12 times. The indictment further alleges that Villa-Lozano materially misrepresented to the FBI agent that the laser device was used for one to two seconds “at most” and hit the aircraft only one time.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Villa-Lozano and Silva are scheduled for an arraignment on the indictment on December 21, 2018, in federal court in Fresno. If convicted, Villa-Lozano and Silva face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the false statement offense, Villa-Lozano faces an additional five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Lorene Deanda, 59, of Ceres, was arrested today on an indictment charging her with 10 counts of mail fraud and one count of conversion of Social Security benefit funds, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today. Deanda was charged by federal grand jury on December 6, 2018.

According to court documents, Deanda was employed by a charitable organization in Modesto. Deanda participated and ultimately managed the organization’s representative payee program. This program assisted recipients of Social Security and other federal and state benefits that could not physically manage their own financial affairs. Deanda, on behalf of the charitable organization, would set up bank accounts for the beneficiaries and receive benefit funds into those accounts. Deanda’s duties included paying beneficiaries’ bills and necessities from those accounts and benefit funds. However, from April 2009 to May 2015, Deanda stole benefit funds from the accounts and beneficiaries and spent the money for her personal expenses. The amount of stolen funds exceeded $516,000.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry Z. Carbajal III is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Deanda faces a maximum statutory penalty for mail fraud of 20 years in prison with a $250,000 fine and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conversion of Social Security benefits. 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. — Devone Johnson, 32, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to three years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Co-defendant Anthony Thomas, 26, also of Fresno, was sentenced last week to two years and nine months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on October 9, 2016, Johnson and Thomas possessed an Uzi Model A, 9 mm rifle. On October 30, 2016, Johnson told an associate he had a .45-caliber handgun for sale. When he was arrested at a Fresno residence on November 3, 2016, Johnson was found with three additional firearms and ammunition, including a shotgun and two handguns. Both Thomas and Johnson were prohibited from possessing firearms because of their prior felony convictions.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fresno Police Department, MAGEC, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Justice, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Special Operations Unit (SOU). The CHP SOU is a collaborative investigative effort between the California Department of Justice and the CHP that provides statewide enforcement for combating violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Clovis Police Department, and Fresno County Probation also assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Thomas Lee Crow, 49, of Fresno, was sentenced today for aiding and abetting an unlawful animal fighting venture involving a large cockfighting enterprise to two years in prison and a 10-year ban on possessing or owning any animals, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

After hearing from an animal cruelty expert from the Humane Society, U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill stated: “This is nothing short of a case of animal torture. His animals were treated without compassion.” Crow was fined $5,500 in addition to agreeing to the forfeiture of $22,800. Fresno County Sheriff’s Office will receive $6,278 of the forfeited funds to pay for the cost of disposal of the fighting roosters.

Crow’s sentence follows his guilty plea earlier this year. According to court documents, law enforcement officers searched Crow’s rural Fresno residential property last year after he was found at a large cockfighting event in Kerman. Cockfighting is illegal under federal law and in all 50 states. At the cockfight, Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies and detectives recovered 129 fighting roosters, including 28 dead and nine injured roosters. Crow was in possession of $22,800 in cash, along with a scoresheet that tracked the winnings for 144 gamecocks expected to fight that evening. They also found cockfighting equipment, such as knives used for cockfighting called slashers, sheaths, mounting boots, and scales. During the search of Crow’s residence, officers found an additional 200 fighting roosters and items associated with cockfighting, including 293 slashers; injectable stimulants, such as “Pure Aggression,” and scoresheets used for cockfighting derbies. The officers also found personalized leg bands in Crow’s name for sponsoring his birds in cockfighting events.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Humane Society of the United States, and the Central California SPCA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Craig Martin Shults, 48, of New York, guilty on Friday of retaliating against a federal official by threat, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, in 2016 at a federal prison in Taft, California, Shults, then an inmate, made threats to assault a federal judge with the intent to retaliate against the judge for presiding over a prior criminal case involving Shults. He made the threatening communications in retaliation for, among other reasons, being remanded to custody following a bond violation hearing, and being sentenced to a substantially longer prison sentence than Shults requested following Shults’ prior conviction.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela L. Scott and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.

Shults is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill on March 11, 2019. Shults faces a maximum statutory penalty of six 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.

OROVILLE, Calif. — U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey joined forces today to raise public awareness of the potential for fraud in the wake of the Camp Fire. The public is urged to be on guard against fraudulent activity relating to recovery and cleanup operations, fake charities claiming to provide relief for victims, individuals submitting false claims for disaster relief, and any other disaster fraud related activity.

U.S. Attorney Scott stated: “While most people respond to tragic events like the Camp Fire with compassion and generosity, others take advantage of such disasters to fraudulently enrich themselves. I strongly encourage the public to be on the lookout for any fraudulent activity occurring in the aftermath of our state’s most devastating wildfire. With the combined resources of federal and local law enforcement, we will aggressively pursue and prosecute fraud and abuse.”

Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey said: “There has been a tremendous outpouring of generosity towards our victims of the Camp Fire. We all know of a friend or family member that was personally affected by this disaster. We cannot allow those with less generous spirits dampen our desire to rebuild our community stronger and better. With the help of our federal partners, we will protect our community from these predators.”

The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or manmade disaster. More than 20 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.

Members of the public are reminded to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before trusting anyone purporting to be working on behalf of disaster victims, and to be especially cautious of anyone who contacts you seeking personal identifying information or financial information. Members of the public who suspect fraud involving disaster relief efforts, or who believe that they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. The telephone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to disaster@leo.gov.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In the aftermath of the deadly shooting that occurred at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 27, 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region, and the Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento have brought together faith leaders to discuss strategies to deal with active shooter incidents in houses of worship. Over 100 are expected to attend today’s presentation.

The Active Shooter training features a lecture by FBI Special Agent Glenn Norling that will teach attendees how to be better prepared, recognize reaction options when faced with a critical situation, and what to expect from a law enforcement response.

The last hour of the training will feature a panel consisting of U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn, FBI Special Agent Glenn Norling, and Sacramento County Sheriff Lieutenant Orrlando Mayes

U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott stated, “Any time an individual decides to attack those gathered in the peaceful exercise of their religion, the congregants are the true first responders. Today’s training brings together community leaders to discuss these tragic events and to learn how to prepare their congregations for an incident that we hope and pray will never happen in our district. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with the community and its law enforcement partners to prevent such attacks and to taking appropriate action if such a tragedy occurs here.”

“The FBI is committed to providing information to houses of worship to better prepare congregations for security planning to prevent violent incidents and for active shooter response if and when a violent incident occurs,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Today’s seminar is only one facet of our outreach and commitment to the community. As part of our ongoing efforts, the FBI conducts hundreds of seminars, workshops, and training sessions annually for local law enforcement, minority and religious organizations, and community groups to promote cooperation, reduce civil rights abuses, and provide education about civil rights statutes.”

William Recht, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region stated: “In light of the Pittsburgh massacre of 11 Jews in October, the Jewish Federation wanted to move into action and provide practical tools and training to our synagogue and organizational leaders to make sure we are taking every precaution to keep our community safe. We are grateful for the leadership and partnership of the U.S. Attorney's Office and law enforcement representatives.”

Edrine Ddungu, President of the Interfaith Council of Greater Sacramento stated: “Crimes motivated by a hatred of a religion are particularly chilling. Through programs like today’s Active Shooter Training, we can plan for the unthinkable and make sure our churches, synagogues, mosques and gurdwaras are free of violence. We are committed to working with law enforcement agencies to prevent or respond to attacks on our places of worship.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kernen Construction Co. and Bundy & Sons Logging have collectively agreed to pay $9 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the United States for damages resulting from a 2012 wildfire that burned more than 1,600 acres of national forest land, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today.

The fire, known as the “Flat Fire,” ignited on July 11, 2012, along the side of Highway 299 west of Weaverville, California. Logging equipment owned by Bundy & Sons was being hauled by Kernen Construction when it became unsecured and dragged along the highway, causing sparks that ignited dry vegetation. By the time the fire was suppressed, 1,688 acres had been burned, almost all of which was located within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The fire cost more than $4.6 million to suppress and damaged environmental resources, including habitat for sensitive species such as the Northern Spotted Owl.

The United States sought to recover damages from Kernen Construction and Bundy & Sons for their failure to properly secure the equipment that started the fire. Under the settlement announced today, Kernen Construction will pay $6 million to settle the dispute, and Bundy & Sons will pay $3 million. Defendants deny liability for the fire.

“This settlement goes a long way toward compensating the public for the expense of fighting the fire and the damage to public lands,” U.S. Attorney Scott said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively pursue recovery against those whose carelessness damages our precious national resources.”

“This is a reminder that the public has a major role to play in fire safety,” said USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Regional Forester Randy Moore. “Everyone must remain vigilant, especially during our extended fire season.  We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in this case.”

Since 2012, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California has secured settlements in more than 25 different cases involving wildfire damage to federal lands, with total settlements valued at nearly $200 million.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen M. Kennedy and Benjamin J. Wolinsky handled the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment Thursday against Leah Guillen, 35, of Madera, charging her with use of unauthorized debit cards, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, in early 2018, Leah Guillen obtained the name, social security account number, and date of birth of a specific victim. Guillen then used this information to impersonate the victim and fraudulently gain access to her bank accounts at Golden 1 Credit Union. Using an unauthorized debit card, Guillen drained the victim’s bank accounts over a three-month period between April 18, 2018, and June 30, 2018, causing a loss in excess of $210,449.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Madera Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of bank fraud, Guillen faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, and she faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of the use of unauthorized debit cards. If convicted of the aggravated identity theft, Guillen faces two 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Scott T. Carlton, 49, of Visalia, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to defraud the government and making a false statement, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, the IRS’s Fresno campus is a national center for processing federal tax returns. Carlton was an employee of E&A Protective Services, which had the government contract to supply 24-hour-a-day armed security guards to the IRS’s Fresno campus. When it became apparent that many of the guards could not achieve the firearms shooting score required under the contract, Carlton conspired to falsify scores and supply unqualified guards to the IRS facilities. Over a three-year period, E&A was paid over $2 million on fraudulent invoices submitted to the IRS for security guards who were not qualified to work under that contract.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McKeon is prosecuting the case.

Two co-defendants have previously pleaded guilty. Matthew L. Cocola, 47, of Clovis, pleaded guilty on September 12, 2016, to making a false statement and was sentenced to a term of probation. Robert J. Bejarano, 49, of Kingsburg, pleaded guilty on September 17, 2018, to conspiracy and making a false statement and is scheduled to be sentenced May 6, 2019.

Carlton is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on March 25, 2019. Carlton faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for making a false statement. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury in Sacramento returned two indictments yesterday against two Lassen County residents, and three others were arrested on drug and firearms charges, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Joseph Preston Vanmear, 33, of Susanville, was charged by indictment with distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was arrested during a traffic stop, and officers found a .22 caliber revolver under his seat, which matched the .22 caliber ammunition that officers found in the pocket of the jacket that Vanmear was wearing. Vanmear has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms. If convicted of the methamphetamine offenses, Vanmear faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, and a $10,000,000 fine. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on the firearms charge. 

Erika Louise Schmid, 44, of Ravendale, was charged by indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, officers executed a search warrant on Schmid’s home in October 2018. Officers found multiple firearms as well as body armor in and around the home. Schmid has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms. If convicted, Schmid faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  

In three unrelated cases, three other Lassen County residents were arrested this week and appeared in federal court yesterday on criminal complaints. 

Darrel Kratzberg, 42, is charged with five counts of distributing methamphetamine and three counts of distributing heroin. According to court documents, federal and local law enforcement agencies identified Kratzberg as a long-time source of supply for both methamphetamine and heroin in and around Susanville. If convicted of the current charges, Kratzberg faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for each of the eight counts with which he is charged.

Michael Brandon Spillers, 30, is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.  Court documents describe two purchases of handguns by a law enforcement informant from Spillers and others. Spillers has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Any sentence for each of these defendants 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 unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

These cases are products of coordinated investigations by the Susanville Police Department, the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Corrections, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly is prosecuting the cases.

These cases were brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Brandon Edward Nichols, 27, of San Jose, charging him with possessing a firearm as a felon, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on December 12, 2017, Nichols’ car was stopped for a vehicle code violation. During the contact with the officer, Nichols produced various credit cards and identification issued in other people’s names. When the officer arrested Nichols for possessing these items, she found a gun in the driver’s‑side door. During a subsequent search of Nichols’ hotel room, officers found a second firearm. Nichols was previously been convicted of a felony and cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fairfield Police Department with special assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. 

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

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Ou Vern Saeteurn, 23, of Sacramento, charging him with possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and possessing two firearms in furtherance of his drug crimes, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on September 6, 2018, law enforcement agents searched Saeteurn’s Oak Park home. In his bedroom closet, they found about 1 kilogram of methamphetamine and about 1 kilogram of cocaine. They also found two loaded firearms, additional ammunition, and about $9,400 in cash. In the rest of this home, officers found more methamphetamine, cocaine base, heroin, opium, about 16 firearms, magazines, and ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck is prosecuting the case.

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

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a two–day trial, a federal jury found William Lamar Blessett, 39, of North Highlands, guilty Wednesday of one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, between mid-2016 and October 2017, Blessett possessed multiple electronic images of child pornography in a Dropbox cloud storage account and on devices including a laptop computer, two smartphones, and two tablet computers. Blessett knew these images showed minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Blessett accessed the pornographic images on the internet using links he obtained on the Kik instant messaging application. Blessett viewed the images and downloaded them to a Dropbox account that he owned and operated. Blessett then used the account to organize and view the images and transfer them to his electronic devices.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Central Investigative Division, Hi-Tech Crimes Bureau, the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant Rabenn and Amy Hitchcock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Artuz are prosecuting the case.

Blessett is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on February 19, 2019. Blessett faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Diblaim Alan Valdez-Araux, 31, of Madera, and Fresno residents Erick Lizarraga, 28; Perla Ramos, 29; Brittany Martinez, 26; David Martinez, 66; Rosemarie Martinez, 64; Jesus Bueno, 27; Noyra Gonzalez, 41; and Maricela Castellanos, 54, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, the defendants were involved in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine in the Fresno – Madera area, as well as sending methamphetamine to Denver, Colorado. Lizarraga allegedly arranged two shipments to Denver that were seized by law enforcement. On October 13, 2018, David and Rosemarie Martinez had 30 pounds of methamphetamine with them that they were taking to Denver via Amtrak. On October 15, 2018, after Lizarraga arranged for Diblaim Valdez-Araux to get another 30 pounds, Noyra Gonzalez and Maricela Castellanos were arrested while taking the 30 pounds to Denver after their car was stopped and searched by the California Highway Patrol. Jesus Bueno purchased approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine from Lizarraga that he sold to customers in the Fresno area. On November 4, 2018, Valdez-Diblaim was stopped in Selma by the Fresno Sheriff’s Department with approximately 54 pounds of methamphetamine while returning from the Los Angeles area. Perla Ramos and Brittany Martinez are believed to have assisted Lizarraga in delivering drugs and collecting profits.

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

This case is the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.

The OCDETF program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Steven Brian Homan, 62, of Benicia, pleaded guilty today to concealment of bankruptcy assets, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Homan sought protection from, and discharge of, more than $1.3 million in personal and business debt. In order to protect a non-exempt cabin in Redding from liquidation to pay his creditors, Homan arranged to sell it to a relative for $100,000. However, Homan concealed from the bankruptcy trustee that the cabin had been destroyed by fire before he offered the sale to the trustee and before the trustee accepted the offer.

After the fire, Homan filed an insurance claim that settled for more than $258,000 in losses associated with the cabin and personal property contained in the cabin at the time of the fire. That money constituted property of the bankruptcy estate, which Homan concealed from the trustee. After the sale was complete, the bankruptcy trustee learned of the fire and the insurance settlement.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney André M. Espinosa is prosecuting the case.

Homan is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on March 11, 2019. Homan faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Zaid Bader Jacob, 49, of West Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to seven years and one month in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

In addition to the prison sentence, Jacob was ordered to pay $5,000 in fines and $11,000 in restitution to two victims.

According to court documents, between January and April 2015, Jacob used a peer‑to‑peer file sharing program to search for and download pictures and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Jacob was identified by law enforcement after they identified an IP address at Jacob’s residence that was making child pornography available over the internet via the peer-to-peer program.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a federally and state-funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department with agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The Sacramento ICAC investigates online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Reynaldo Villalobos, 37, of Tulare, charging him with theft of public money and making false statements regarding right to Social Security benefits, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Reynaldo Villalobos applied for Social Security Income benefits for his son in 2002. In 2007, his son moved out of the country and has lived in Mexico ever since, making him ineligible for Social Security Income benefits. Nonetheless, Reynaldo Villalobos, as his son’s designated representative payee, never informed the Social Security Administration about the move and continued to fraudulently represent to that agency that his son was still living in the United States in order to continue to collect the Social Security Income benefits. Between August 2007 and September 2017, Reynaldo Villalobos collected at least $80,872 in Social Security Income to which he and his son were not entitled.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment today against Nathan Paul Barnes, 23, and Tiarra Maureen Jackson, 22, both of Rancho Cordova, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and psilocybin, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Barnes and Jackson operated a drug distribution enterprise called “Fine Cali Herb” over various social media platforms, including Instagram and Snapchat. Barnes and Jackson sold large quantities of marijuana, THC products, and psilocybin mushrooms to customers throughout the United States and abroad. Barnes received payment for the narcotics in several forms, including Bitcoin. In July 2018, law enforcement agents conducted an undercover purchase of marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms from Barnes through his Snapchat account. Case agents also conducted surveillance of Barnes and Jackson dropping off mail parcels containing narcotics at post offices throughout the Sacramento area.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, consisting of agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The NCIDE Task Force targets all forms of dark-web and cryptocurrency criminal activity in the Eastern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant B. Rabenn and Paul A. Hemesath are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Barnes and Jackson face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — Johnny Sanchez, 22, of Modesto, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 11 years and eight months in prison for stealing 50 firearms from a Fresno gun store last year, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Co‑defendant Nathan Creel, 22, also of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with Sanchez and three others in connection with the burglary of the firearms store.

According to court documents, on October 20, 2017, Sanchez, Creel, and co-defendants James Britt, David Avina, and Luis Galvan broke into the Fresno firearms store by cutting a chain and lock with bolt cutters and prying open the door. The defendants stole 50 firearms, including numerous foreign and domestic rifles. After the theft, the defendants sold most of the firearms to others.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Christopher D. Baker are prosecuting the case.

Creel is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge O’Neill on February 11, 2019. Creel faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 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.

James Britt pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2019. Charges are pending against David Avina and Luis Galvan. The charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — Oscar Ivan Salazar-Avalos, 28, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Salazar and his co-defendant Jose Manuel Sotelo-Mendoza, 26, of Ceres, delivered 15 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Delano after Salazar negotiated with the officer to sell the drug for $3,400 per pound. In pleading guilty, Salazar acknowledged that he and Sotelo had met his source of supply in Castaic in the northern part of Los Angeles County to obtain the 15 pounds of methamphetamine. In addition, Salazar indicated that they intended to make $51,000 on the deal.

Salazar is scheduled for sentencing on February 19, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Salazar faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Charges are pending against Sotelo. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, consisting of law enforcement officers of Homeland Security Investigations, California Highway Patrol, Bureau of Investigation of the California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carissa Carpenter, 55, formerly of Malibu, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to six years and six months in prison and ordered to pay $3,642,755 in restitution in connection with her conviction for mail fraud and lying to a federal agent, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. 

According to court documents, from 1997 until October 24, 2014, Carpenter represented to investors and others that she had a project to build a movie studio in Northern California. As a result of the scheme, investors, firms who did work for Carpenter, and municipalities collectively lost millions on the project.

According to her plea agreement, Carpenter claimed that her projected movie studio complex was supported by well-connected people in the entertainment industry and that she had invested hundreds of millions of dollars of her own money in the project. She also claimed that she had arranged financing for the project but needed investment or bridge loans until the alleged financing was complete. The purported locations of the project varied: El Dorado Hills, north of the Sacramento International Airport in Sutter County, Lathrop, the former naval base on Mare Island in Vallejo, and Dixon, among other places. Additionally, Carpenter represented that reputable architecture, construction, design, and public relations firms were involved in the project, and that she had or was in the process of finalizing the purchase of the land where the studio would be built. As a result, investors gave Carpenter millions of dollars to invest in her studio project.

In fact, Carpenter used investor money to fund her personal expenses and extravagant lifestyle. Contrary to her claims, the Hollywood people were not involved in the project at all or had little involvement. Similarly, the architecture, construction, design, and public relations firms were not involved or had done only preliminary work on the project. Carpenter also did not own or purchase property for the studio.

Further, during the investigation in July 2013, Carpenter told an FBI agent that she told investors that she was going to use their money for personal expenses and that she had used 50 to 75 percent of investor money for the project. These statements were false.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd A. Pickles and Rosanne L. Rust prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Matthew Michael Fraticelli, 39, of Vacaville, charging him with possessing a firearm as a felon, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on September 30, 2018, Vacaville police stopped Fraticelli for various traffic violations. As the officer approached Fraticelli’s car, the officer noticed what he believed to be an ammunition magazine near the driver’s side floorboard. Police searched Fraticelli’s car and located two pistols and a high-capacity drum magazine loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition. Fraticelli cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of a felony offense.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department with assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. 

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

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Christian Henry Dorsch Jr., 49, of Vacaville, charging him with possessing methamphetamine for distribution and possession of a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on September 6, 2018, law enforcement officers stopped Dorsch while he was driving in Vacaville and had a warrant to search Dorsch, his home, and his cars for evidence of drug trafficking. When the officers searched Dorsch’s car, they found approximately one-half pound of methamphetamine in the center console, as well as a small amount of cocaine elsewhere in the vehicle. When the officers searched Dorsch’s home later that day, they found a small amount of methamphetamine in his bedroom.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department with special assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office.

If convicted of the most significant charge, Dorsch faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Any sentence would be determined at the discretion of the district court after considering any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Patrick Maldonado, 42, of Madera, and Elias Zambrano Jr., 43, of Fresno, charging them with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana and being felons in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Maldonado is also charged with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.

According to court documents, Maldonado and Zambrano coordinated the shipment of over 400 pounds of marijuana to Kansas City, Missouri. Following the seizure of one load in Kansas City and a second in Arizona, agents executed search warrants at Maldonado’s residence in Madera and Zambrano’s residence in Fresno. At Maldonado’s residence, agents found four kilograms of cocaine, a firearm, and $45,281 in cash. Processed marijuana was located throughout Maldonado’s residence. At Zambrano’s residence, agents found two loaded firearms and packaged bags of processed marijuana. Because Maldonado and Zambrano were previously convicted of felony offenses, they are prohibited from possessing firearms.

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

If convicted of the drug conspiracy, Maldonado and Zambrano face a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, a minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison, and up to a $5 million fine. Maldonado faces the same penalty if convicted of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. If convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms, both defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal jury found Benjamin Macias, 40, of Sacramento, guilty today of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, in 2014 and 2015, Macias supplied Sergio Ambriz, 29, of Sacramento, with cocaine. On four occasions, Ambriz sold this cocaine to an undercover agent in Sacramento and El Dorado Counties. Agents planned to arrest Macias and Ambriz at a fifth transaction on June 9, 2015. Shortly before they could do so, Macias sped away from the scene at about 90 miles per hour. Agents searched Macias’s car after they apprehended him. In the glove compartment, they found a Ruger 9 mm pistol loaded with hollow-tipped bullets; they also found more than 1 pound of cocaine in the trunk. On the same day, agents searched Macias’s Sacramento home and found ammunition, a 35-round magazine, and more cocaine.

Ambriz previously pleaded guilty to using a cellphone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense and was sentenced on November 4, 2016, to four years in prison.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Hemesath and Amanda Beck are prosecuting the case.

Macias is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. on February 8, 2018. Macias faces a maximum statutory sentence of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against Manuel Campos Rodriguez, 41, of Carmichael, charging him with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of credit and debit card making equipment, possession of stolen mail, unlawfully possessing 15 or more credit or debit cards, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Rodriguez stole mail and obtained and stored for use credit and debit cards, credit card numbers, social security numbers, and driver’s license numbers. Rodriguez used the credit cards of one victim to make purchases at stores, such as Home Depot and Macy’s. Rodriguez also created fake driver’s licenses for victims, which had Rodriguez’s picture on them but the victim’s actual driver’s license number. When arrested, Rodriguez was found in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Folsom Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee S. Bickley is prosecuting the case.

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

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a six-day trial, a federal jury found Paola Bedoy, 64, of Stockton, guilty today of all eight counts of preparing fraudulent tax returns, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. The trial was held before U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller.

According to evidence presented at trial, for years Bedoy ran a tax preparation business in Stockton called Javez Enterprises, and she assisted numerous taxpayers in preparing fraudulent federal income tax returns by claiming thousands of dollars in earned income credits and child tax credits based upon ineligible dependents. Among other things, Bedoy listed a child as disabled when he was not, added dependents to returns that clients did not know, and repeatedly sought tax credits based on non-citizen children living in Mexico who she knew did not qualify for those tax credits, all to inflate tax refunds.

Evidence at trial revealed that Bedoy often directed her clients’ refund checks to her home and to a post office box in Stockton, and on multiple occasions, she stole portions of her clients’ refunds for her own personal benefit. The evidence also revealed that Bedoy would inflate her clients’ tax refunds so that they could pay her tax preparation fees, which she would sometimes increase in exchange preparing a fraudulent return.

This case is the product of an investigation by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher S. Hales and Matthew M. Yelovich are prosecuting the case.

Bedoy is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller on February 11, 2019. Bedoy faces a maximum statutory penalty of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Ulises Medina, 25, of Earlimart, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Medina was a member of a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies of gas stations, convenience stores, and liquor stores from May 19, 2016, until July 26, 2017. Medina and his conspirators committed at least seven armed robberies in Tulare and Kern Counties between May 2016 and January 2017. The next month, Medina and his associates travelled to Nebraska, where they committed two more robberies. They then returned to California, where they committed three more armed robberies.

            In his guilty plea, Medina admitted that he was part of this conspiracy, and that he robbed Joe’s Westside in Porterville, on January 18, 2017.  Prior to the robbery, Medina and other conspirators stole a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer by pushing a hole in the driver’s side lock, cracking the steering shaft, and starting the vehicle without a key.  They drove the vehicle to Joe’s Westside where they entered the store wearing masks and carrying guns.

Inside the store, Medina and other co-conspirators ordered the store clerk to the ground at gunpoint, forced the clerk to open the cash register, and stole over $8,000. Then they fled in the stolen Chevrolet Trailblazer, which they abandoned approximately half a mile away with the engine still running.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Porterville Police Department, Lindsay Police Department, Bakersfield Police Department, Fremont (Nebraska) Police Department, and Dodge County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Kathleen Servatius are prosecuting the case.

Medina is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on February 25, 2019. Medina faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Co-defendant, Javier Beltran, 34, of Strathmore, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Beltran is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge O’Neill on January 14, 2019.

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

FRESNO, Calif. — David John Cannon, 47, of Bakersfield, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to nine years in prison and a $5,100 penalty assessment for receiving and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Cannon received and distributed child pornography using a computer from approximately July 2012 until August 2016. He received and distributed over 1,016 images and 32 videos that depicted minors, some of which were prepubescent, engaging in sexual activity.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. S. Richards prosecuted the case.

Cannon was ordered to surrender to serve his sentence beginning on January 2, 2019.

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. — Raul Oropeza Lopez, 51, and Ana Maria Oropeza, 45, both of Delano, were sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill. Raul Oropeza Lopez was ordered to serve three years and one month in prison and to pay $1,283,160 in restitution. Ana Maria Oropeza was sentenced to three years of probation, and ordered to serve eight months on house arrest. The defendants were also ordered to forfeit over $167,00 in seized cash.

According to court documents, Raul Oropeza Lopez obtained social security numbers, names, and other personal identifying information of U.S. citizens and legal residents and then fraudulently used such information to provide undocumented workers with false identities required to work in the United States as farm laborers. Then, when the undocumented workers were laid off at the end of the growing season, Raul Oropeza Lopez and his wife filed fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in the names of the assumed identities, relying on the work performed by the undocumented workers to fraudulently claim unemployment insurance benefits. Over a period of six years, the couple submitted more than 520 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims on behalf of over 70 individuals.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations; Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the California Employment Development Department, Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorney Mark J. McKeon prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Timothy Stout, 31, of Stockton, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to four years and nine months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of an unregistered firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on March 6, 2018, Stout unlawfully possessed four firearms, including a stolen handgun and an AR-15-style .223-caliber rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to Stout in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Stout also possessed two 30-round, high-capacity rifle magazines, and more than 160 rounds of rifle and handgun ammunition. Stout cannot lawfully possess firearms because he previously was convicted of felony offenses, including in Alameda County in May 2016 for grand theft and in June 2016 for exhibiting a firearm in the presence of an officer.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

FRESNO, Calif. —Nancy Lopez Perez, 44, of Lemoore, pleaded guilty today to distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Perez obtained and delivered methamphetamine and two assault rifles during an undercover transaction on the side of the road in rural Fresno County. Three additional firearms were seized from Perez’s residence during a follow-up search. As a convicted felon, Perez was prohibited from possessing firearms.

This case is the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Kings County Narcotic Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case. The mission of the OCDETF Program is to reduce the supply of illegal drugs in the United States and diminish the violence and other criminal activity associated with the drug trade. To accomplish this mission, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its federal law enforcement agency members, including the FBI and ATF.

Perez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on February 4, 2019. Perez faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Three Northern California residents were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. for crimes relating to their involvement in a mortgage fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

Surjit Singh, 72, of Dublin, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison, his son, Rajeshwar Singh, 44, of Pleasanton, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison on four counts of mail fraud, four counts of bank fraud, and four counts of false statements on loan and credit applications. Anita Sharma, 56, of Gilroy, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison on two counts of mail fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and two counts of false statements on loan and credit applications. Surjit Singh was ordered to pay a $2 million fine, $698,787 in restitution, and $847,000 in forfeiture. Raj Singh was ordered to pay a $1 million fine, $928,287 in restitution, and $838,399 in forfeiture. Anita Sharma was ordered to pay $603,180 in restitution and $30,000 in forfeiture.

According to court documents, in 2006 and 2007, Surjit Singh recruited individuals with good credit to act as straw buyers for residential properties owned by his family members and associates. Rajeshwar Singh, a licensed real estate agent, assisted in the scheme by submitting loan applications for the straw buyers. Anita Sharma, a dental assistant at the time, was one of the straw buyers. Because Sharma and the other straw buyers could not afford the homes based on their true incomes, the Singhs submitted fraudulent loan applications and supporting material to lending institutions that included false statements about the straw buyers’ income, employment, liabilities, and intent to occupy the homes as their primary residences.

At least 14 properties were involved in the scheme. Anita Sharma alone purchased five homes in San Jose, San Ramon, Elk Grove, Sacramento, and Modesto. Other straw buyers purchased or refinanced properties in Stockton, Modesto, Patterson, Lathrop and Tracy. All of these homes were ultimately either foreclosed upon or sold in a short sale where the bank lets homeowners sell their homes for less than is owed on the mortgage.

Sharma was paid for her involvement in the scheme. Rajeshwar Singh received financial benefits through broker commissions for the transactions and as the seller of seven of the properties. He also continued to occupy the San Ramon property at a time when Anita Sharma should have been living there. Surjit Singh benefitted through payments out of escrow directed to shell companies, such as SJR Investments and BK Investments, which were associated with his daughter and significant other, whose initials are SJR and BK respectively. These payments were purportedly for contracting services, which did not occur. He also benefitted through rental payments made to him and his significant other by the renters of the homes, as the straw buyers were not living in the homes. In addition, many of his family members received money by selling properties and had money directed to them out of escrow. According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, the defendants were responsible for the origination of more than $9.3 million in fraudulently procured residential mortgage loans.

Surjit Singh is in custody.  Rajeshwar Singh and Anita Sharma are scheduled to self‑surrender on January 9, 2019.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee S. Bickley, Kelli L. Taylor, and Kevin Khasigian prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. sentenced DMV employee Robert Turchin, 68, of Salinas, California, to six years and six months in prison and sentenced Pavittar Dosangh Singh, 57, of Flowood, Mississippi, to 10 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Turchin was an employee at the Salinas field office for the Department of Motor Vehicles between 2012 and 2015. Turchin was responsible for conducting tests for applicants for commercial licenses to operate 18-wheel tractor-trailers and commercial buses. Truck school owner Mangal Gill offered to obtain commercial licenses for people without having to pass the written tests or even take the required behind-the-wheel tests. Gill worked with Turchin and another DMV employee, Emma Klem, to have them access the DMV database to fraudulently enter test results at Gill’s request.

During the investigation, confidential operatives were able to obtain three official commercial licenses in 2013 and 2014. Collectively, they paid Gill over $12,000 after Turchin and Klem accessed the DMV database to fraudulently enter passing scores for the operatives despite the fact that the operatives did not pass or otherwise take the required tests. The trial evidence also demonstrated that Gill and Turchin continued to be involved in this fraudulent conduct until March 28, 2015, days before agents executed search warrants and found in Turchin’s vehicle slips of paper containing the numbers of fraudulently updated driver license records as well as several envelopes full of cash totaling over $10,000. The trial evidence showed that Turchin and his co-conspirators falsified DMV database records for at least 40 individuals for the purpose of obtaining commercial licenses.

According to court documents, Pavittar Singh owned a trucking school in Sacramento. Between April 2013 and March 2015, Singh paid money, through intermediaries, to employees of the DMV in order to obtain California Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) for individuals without those individuals taking or passing the requisite tests.

This case was the product of a series of ongoing investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and the California DMV, Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd A. Pickles and Rosanne Rust are prosecuting the case.

Mangal Gill was sentenced on November 2, 2018, to four years and three months in prison. Andrew Kimura, a DMV employee, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud and was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison. DMV employee Emma Klem and Kulwinder Dosanjh Singh, a broker, also previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud as part of the same investigation in United States v. Klem, 2:15-cr-139, and United States v. Kulwinder Dosanjh, 2:15-cr-146, respectively. They are scheduled for sentencing on November 16, 2018. They face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment Thursday against Julian Burmado, 29, of Bakersfield, charging him with one count of unlawfully manufacturing and dealing firearms and five counts of possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registry, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, between March 19 and November 6, 2018, Burmado manufactured and sold homemade rifles to a confidential informant. Many of the rifles had barrel lengths of less than 16 inches. Burmado did not have a license to engage in the business of manufacturing and dealing in firearms, nor were any of the short-barrel rifles registered as required by federal law.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie L. Alsworth is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Burmado faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count involving possession of unregistered firearms, and a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for unlawfully manufacturing and dealing firearm. 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. — Darrell Leon Jennings, 51, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Jennings, a trucker doing business in Moreno Valley as Jennings Transportation, assisted Mario Alvarez-Muniz, 50, of Taft, in transporting 6 kilograms of heroin and 11 kilograms of cocaine destined for Chicago. After Alvarez-Muniz arranged for the shipment of the drugs from Mexico to Mira Loma, Jennings picked up the drugs and drove back to Bakersfield where he was stopped by agents. A police dog located the drugs in a customized hidden compartment in Jennings’ truck.

Jennings is scheduled for sentencing on January 28, 2019, by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill. Jennings faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, along with 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. Co-defendant Alvarez-Muniz previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison.

This case is the product of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, Bakersfield Police Department, and Kern County Probation Office. OCDETF is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and related criminal enterprises. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.