Eastern District of California

Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley administered the oath of office to Eric Grant, swearing him in to serve as the court-appointed United States Attorney and thereby continue as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of California. On August 11, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Mr. Grant as the interim U.S. Attorney for 120 days, and the judges of the Eastern District of California recently voted to re-appoint Mr. Grant pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546(d).

Mr. Grant is a veteran of the Department of Justice, having served twice in Washington, D.C.: from 1991 to 1993 as an Attorney-Adviser in the Office of Legal Counsel, and from 2017 to 2021 as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). During his tenure at ENRD, Mr. Grant supervised more than a hundred Department litigators advancing the interests of the United States and its agencies in both enforcement and defensive matters, both civil and criminal.

“I have been honored to lead an excellent team of dedicated attorneys and other public servants in our shared mission to enhance public safety and the rule of law in the Eastern District of California. We have accomplished a great deal over the last several months, and our work continues. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and with federal, state, local, and tribal partners to accomplish that mission,” U.S. Attorney Grant said.

In addition to his service in the Department, Mr. Grant has decades of experience in private practice in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento. That experience includes arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, and numerous other federal and state courts.

Mr. Grant served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (retired) and Associate Justice Clarence Thomas during the Supreme Court’s October 1994 Term. Earlier he served as a law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston, Texas.

Mr. Grant grew up in Modesto, California, and raised his family in Sacramento County. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, from which he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics (1986) and a law degree (1990).

The United States Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of California and is responsible for prosecuting federal criminal cases and representing the United States in civil litigation. The Eastern District encompasses 34 counties throughout the Central Valley and the Sierra, from the Oregon border in the north to the Los Angeles County line in the south. The United States Attorney’s Office has offices in Sacramento, Fresno, and Bakersfield.

Kyle Travis Colton, 38, of Citrus Heights, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to six years and eight months in prison for receiving child sex abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to evidence presented at trial and in court documents, during a search of Colton’s home, law enforcement recovered his laptop, which contained copious images and videos depicting the graphic sexual abuse of young children. Between July 2022 and December 2023, Colton downloaded these depictions of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The material was saved on Colton’s computer desktop and in his downloads folder, and he had user-created bookmarks linking to known child pornography websites.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny is prosecuting the case.

Following sentencing, Colton was remanded into custody of the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence immediately.

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.

# 

Matthew Dane Billingsley, 40, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to seven years and six months in prison for wire fraud in a scheme that defrauded individual lenders and financial institutions out of more than $30 million, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

“The defendant defrauded victims out of millions of dollars. Over nearly five years, he repeatedly and deliberately committed crimes by altering documents, forging signatures, and otherwise lying,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “This office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue those who defraud victims and threaten our financial system through deceit.”

“Matthew Billingsley orchestrated a deliberate campaign of fraud, stealing more than $30 million through falsified documents,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI, in partnership with IRS Criminal Investigation, put an end to his pattern of manipulation and exploitation. We will relentlessly pursue those who victimize others through dishonesty and greed.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: those who engage in deception to defraud lenders and abuse the financial system will be held accountable,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS‑CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “By fabricating brokerage statements and misusing loan funds, Mr. Billingsley not only betrayed the trust of financial institutions and individual lenders but also undermined the integrity of our financial markets. IRS-CI uses fundamental accounting principles mixed with advanced technology to build investigations that extinguish such financial deceit.”

According to court documents, between June 2018 and February 2023, Billingsley made false representations about having a brokerage account with millions of dollars in assets to serve as collateral for loans. Billingsley gave fabricated brokerage account statements to obtain more than $30 million in loans from individual lenders and financial institutions. The brokerage account statements were false because the brokerage account did not exist. Billingsley also misrepresented to individual lenders and financial institutions the intended use of the loan funds and, instead, used the money to pay down previous loans and for his personal benefit.

To obtain one of the loans, Billingsley used a Fresno restaurant owner’s name and signature on a profit-sharing agreement that Billingsley created and forged. Billingsley presented the false and fraudulent profit-sharing agreement to a financial institution to obtain a loan.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter prosecuted the case.

Shawn Sawa, 49, formerly of Clovis, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 18 months in prison for his role in a fraud scheme that stole millions of dollars’ worth of canola, used to make livestock feed, from international food processors, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, from 2015 through 2017, Sawa and co-defendant Richard Best stole $4.8 million worth of canola from international food processors. They then sold the canola for a windfall.

Sawa and Best carried out the scheme through Best’s now defunct train-to-truck transloading company, Richard Best Transfer Inc. (RBT). A transloading company transfers commodities from one mode of transportation to another mode. The victim food processors sent hundreds of thousands of tons of their canola to RBT for delivery to their customers. Sawa was the Fresno area manager for one of the victim food processors from whom he and Best stole canola. Sawa initially received kickback payments from Best to try to increase the supply of canola that RBT received from that food processor before they began their scheme.

Sawa and Best sold the stolen canola through an acquaintance in Texas who used to work in the livestock-feed industry. The acquaintance sold the stolen canola to farms and dairies and distributed the proceeds according to Best’s instructions. This included wire transfers to Sawa, Best, and RBT’s bank accounts. The account that Sawa used was opened in his spouse’s name to try to conceal the scheme.

Throughout the scheme, Sawa and Best caused RBT to email fraudulent inventory reports to the victim food processors representing that RBT had certain amounts of their canola in-stock when, in fact, RBT had significantly lesser amounts. Sawa and Best used the proceeds from the scheme to purchase luxury homes and multiple vehicles, take trips, hire private karate teachers, and cover RBT’s operating expenses, among other expenses.

Shortly before the scheme was discovered, Best gave Sawa an old cellphone that had belonged to Best’s deceased mother. Best did so because he was afraid that the victim food processor for whom Sawa worked was onto their scheme and was monitoring communications on Sawa’s company issued devices. They then used the old cellphone to secretly communicate with each other in furtherance of the scheme.

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

Best pleaded guilty on Oct. 14, 2025, three weeks before his trial was supposed to start and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2026. He 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.

Note: View settlement here.

Clinical laboratory NEXT Bio-Research Services LLC, doing business as NEXT Molecular Analytics (NEXT), of Chester, Virginia, has agreed to pay at least $758,000 to the United States to resolve False Claims Act allegations involving illegal kickbacks to doctors and marketers. NEXT has agreed to cooperate with the Department of Justice’s investigations of, and litigation against, other participants in the alleged schemes.

“This settlement shows DOJ’s commitment to rooting out illegal kickback schemes that have no place in our federal health care programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department is committed to pursuing these important investigations and health care fraud enforcement across the board.”

“Physicians should make decisions based the best interests of their patients, not their own personal financial interests,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “This settlement demonstrates my office’s commitment to taking all appropriate action to prevent improper inducements that can corrupt the integrity of physician-patient relationships.”

“Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute are not victimless crimes — they compromise the integrity of medical decision-making and betray the trust patients place in their providers,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “When health care decisions are shaped by hidden financial motives, patients may be misled, unnecessary services may be rendered, and taxpayer-funded programs may be manipulated for personal gain. HHS-OIG is resolutely committed to holding participants in federal health care programs fully accountable to the law.”

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded health care programs. It is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.

Under the settlement with the United States, NEXT has agreed to pay $758,000, plus additional amounts if certain financial contingencies occur. The settlement resolves allegations that NEXT knowingly and willfully paid kickbacks to induce laboratory testing referrals. NEXT allegedly paid doctors in Texas and Arkansas thousands of dollars in kickbacks, which were disguised as consulting fees and medical director fees but actually were offered to induce the doctor to order NEXT laboratory tests. NEXT also allegedly paid commissions based on the volume and value of referrals to certain independent contractor marketers to arrange for and recommend that doctors order NEXT laboratory tests. The settlement resolves allegations that NEXT billed Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE for the laboratory tests despite knowing of these kickbacks.

The settlement resolves certain allegations in a lawsuit originally filed by Sunil Wadhwa and Ken Newton under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government and receive a share of any recovery. Relators will receive $113,700 of the proceeds from the settlement. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Wadhwa and Newton v. Admera Health LLC, et al. (E.D. Cal.).

The settlement announced today was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Jersey and the Eastern District of California, with assistance from HHS-OIG. It was handled by Trial Attorneys Christopher Terranova and Elizabeth J. Kappakas in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kruti Dharia for the District of New Jersey, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine J. Swann for the Eastern District of California. The United States previously settled related allegations with NEXT’s National Sales Director and NEXT’s independent contractor marketers OC Genetic Consultants Inc. and Ralston Health Group Inc.

The government’s pursuit of these matters illustrates its emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

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

Joseph Allen Davis, 19, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, police officers began investigating Joseph Allen Davis after determining that he was a shooter at the April 12, 2025, shooting at Rainbow City Park in Davis, where three people were injured by gunfire. Law enforcement officers conducted a search of Joseph Allen Davis’s apartment and seized a short-barrel AR-15-style pistol that was loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition. Davis is prohibited from possessing any firearms and ammunition because he was previously convicted of a felony gun possession offense.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Davis Police Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee is prosecuting the case.

Davis is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on March 26, 2026. Davis faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

California lobbyist Greg Campbell, 52, of Davis, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to commit offenses against the United States. On Nov. 20, 2025, Sean McCluskie, 56, of Davis, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.

According to court documents, in 2021, McCluskie was the Chief of Staff to an elected official and continued in that role when the official was confirmed to a United States government position. Between February 2022 and September 2024, Campbell and McCluskie conspired with Dana Williamson, 53, of Carmichael, and others to steal approximately $225,000 in funds from the elected official’s dormant political campaign for McCluskie’s personal use in order to pay for McCluskie’s bicoastal lifestyle. Collectively, they funneled the money through various business entities and disguised it as pay for what was, in reality, a no-show job for McCluskie’s spouse.

In July 2024, at Williamson’s request, Campbell had three fake retroactive contracts created to respond to a subpoena Williamson had received questioning her company’s eligibility for PPP loans and loan forgiveness. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provided forgivable loans to small businesses to help them keep employees on the payroll during the pandemic. Lobbying firms were not eligible to receive PPP loans. Campbell signed the fake contracts, which made it appear as though Williamson provided only non-lobbying services to her clients, and her firm was only a subcontractor for Campbell’s independently owned lobbying firm.

On Nov. 12, 2025, a 23-count indictment was unsealed, charging Williamson with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct justice, subscribing to false tax returns, and making false statements. The charges are only allegations; Williamson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

These cases are the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson, Rosanne Rust, and Katherine T. Lydon, and Public Integrity Section Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey are prosecuting the case.

A status of sentencing hearing for both Campbell and McCluskie is set for Feb. 26, 2026, before Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. The next court date for Williamson is a status conference set for Dec. 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., before Chief Judge Nunley.

Campbell and McCluskie face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count of conspiracy.

If convicted, Williamson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud; up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud; up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to obstruct and making a false statements; and up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of subscribing to a false tax return.

The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The CEO of a Fresno-based home health care company was arrested at San Francisco International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Nigeria. He is charged in a criminal complaint alleging that he fraudulently obtained more than $7 million in payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs for services that were never actually rendered, including care purportedly rendered to veterans weeks after they had died, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between December 2019 and July 2024, Cashmir Chinedu Luke, believed to be 66, of Antioch, operated Four Corners Health LLC. That entity provided unskilled in-home nursing and day-to-day care for elderly VA beneficiaries under the Veterans Community Care Program. Four Corners provided services in Fresno, Tulare, Merced, Mariposa, Madera, San Francisco, and Contra Costa Counties. Luke engaged in a five-year scheme to bill the VA for hours of care that were not actually rendered to veterans. Luke caused Four Corners to submit approximately 10,000 individual false claims of care provided that caused the VA, through its third-party benefits administrator, to reimburse Four Corners $7 million for duplicate claims for care actually provided, claims for days caretakers were not present with veterans, claims for hours of care beyond those actually worked by caretakers, and claims of care for veterans who were actually dead.

Luke served as the sole owner and billing representative for Four Corners and actively deceived the VA’s third-party benefits administrator as it attempted to recover some of the fraudulently paid reimbursements. This allowed the Four Corners billing scheme to continue. Luke personally profited from the scheme as the sole owner of the bank account that received the reimbursement payments. Luke spent reimbursement payments immediately after being paid by the VA, either by spending lavishly on personal expenses or by promptly transferring the funds across a network of bank accounts throughout Asia and Africa.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Luke 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.

Omar Vayas Duran, 45, of Delano, was sentenced today to six years and eight months in prison by U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between Sept. 23, 2020, and June 29, 2021, Duran conspired with Jesus Manuel Morfin Villa, 31, of Delano, and others to acquire and distribute fentanyl. On one occasion in June 2021, Duran supplied Morfin Villa with approximately 2,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to sell.

On Aug. 14, 2023, Morfin Villa was sentenced to 14 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, methamphetamine and fentanyl.

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

Robert Godinez, 53, of Hayward, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 13 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine and heroin with the intent to distribute, and for using a cellphone to facilitate drug trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 30, 2019, law enforcement officers pulled over Godinez on a traffic stop after he purchased methamphetamine and heroin from a drug dealer in Stockton. A search of Godinez’s vehicle resulted in the discovery of 2 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately a half pound of heroin. Additionally, during the prosecution of this case, Godinez submitted false declarations to the district court and lied to the assigned probation officer, resulting in the application of an obstruction of justice sentencing enhancement.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Joaquin County Probation Department, the Stockton Police Department, and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Lee and Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

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

Jedrek Upton, 45, of Lincoln, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between January 2021 and May 2022, Upton repeatedly lied on applications for COVID-19 disaster relief funds that he submitted on behalf of his businesses. The misrepresentations included false statements regarding the number of employees or payroll and that he would spend the money to alleviate economic injury caused by COVID-19. In support of these applications, Upton also submitted falsified IRS documents.

In reality, some of the businesses had no employees or payroll, and Upton spent much of the money received on personal expenses. Upton received nearly $1.5 million in ill-gotten loans from the United States, a large portion of which was ultimately forgiven after Upton falsely claimed that he had spent it on payroll. Instead of legitimate business expenses, the money that Upton received allowed him to fund a lavish lifestyle. He paid off personal credit cards, transferred money to other people, leased a Ferrari and a Lamborghini, and made a large down payment on a $2.7 million, 10-acre property.

In addition to pleading guilty, Upton agreed to forfeit his interest in the property he purchased and pay nearly $1.5 million in restitution to the United States.

This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.

Upton is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on March 24, 2026. Upton faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the money laundering count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Matthew Henry Jacober, 44, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of explosives and manufacturing crystal methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

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

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, and the Kern County Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Jacober is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Feb. 17, 2026, Jacober faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the explosives charge and a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine for manufacturing methamphetamine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Marquese Alvin Roberts, 36, of Vallejo, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on May 3, 2025, law enforcement received numerous reports of multiple gunshots heard on the 1600 block of Fairgrounds Drive, in Vallejo. With the assistance of a CHP helicopter and other agencies, officers investigated these reports. During the investigation, officers in the helicopter observed Roberts remove a firearm from a vehicle and conceal it in nearby bushes. They directed law enforcement officers on the ground to the location, where they arrested Roberts and recovered the firearm. At the time of the offense, Roberts was on supervised release following a federal conviction in 2018 for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department, the American Canyon Police Department, the California Highway Patrol Air Unit, the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.

Roberts was arrested for a related supervised release violation on May 7, 2025, and remains in federal custody as a result of that violation.

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

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

A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against Anthony Mark Silva, 40, of Manchester, New Hampshire, charging him with nine counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

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

EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Silva then activated the debit cards and spent the benefits on himself. The scheme sought and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $700,000.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and EDD’s Investigation Division. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Silva faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each of the bank fraud counts. Silva also faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence if convicted of aggravated identity theft, which must run consecutive to any sentence received on the other counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins, Kami Elois Power, 54, of Gardnerville, Nevada, was found guilty today of 11 counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

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

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Wong and Dhruv Sharma are prosecuting the case.

Power is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Coggins on Feb. 27, 2026. Power faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud, 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each count of bank fraud, and a mandatory two-year sentence on each count of aggravated identity theft. 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.

U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announces actions taken during the recent lapse in appropriations when public affairs functions at the U.S. Attorney’s Office were significantly curtailed. This press release contains just a few examples of indictments, trial verdicts, and sentences that took place from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, 2025.

“I extend my gratitude to the dedicated men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office who have remained on duty throughout this government shutdown,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Many employees continued the unseen daily work that protects our communities. And those who were not permitted to work eagerly sought a return to service. Their steadfast commitment under challenging conditions exemplifies true public service.”

Sentences

Dakota Jeremiah Pevino, aka Dakota Jeremiah Viggiano, 37, of Sacramento, was sentenced on Oct. 21, to 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child. In 2022, Pevino took explicit photographs of a minor and distributed them along with video recordings of child sexual abuse. Pevino pleaded guilty on Aug. 20, 2024. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Druv Sharma and Kevin Khasigian prosecuted the case. The FBI is still seeking to identify potential victims of Pevino. Anyone with relevant information is asked to email the FBI at Pevinovictims@fbi.gov.

Andrew Michael Alonso, 36, of Fresno, was sentenced on Oct. 27, to 35 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a minor, receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and committing a felony offense involving a minor while being a registered sex offender, in addition to being on California parole supervision with GPS location monitoring. In 2021, Alonso repeatedly asked a 13-year-old victim to create and send to him images of the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.

On Nov. 10, Jamaine Barnes, 43, of Stockton, was sentenced to 31 years in prison for running a continuing criminal enterprise and related drug trafficking, firearms, and international money laundering offenses. Barnes was the lead defendant of a large organization who for years brought in fentanyl and other opioids from China, pressed them into counterfeit prescription pills, and sold them throughout Stockton, Sacramento, and elsewhere. He also made and sold meth-laced pills made to look like ecstasy pills. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Spencer prosecuted the case.

Trial Verdicts

On Oct. 15, a jury found Ranvir Singh, 42, of Sacramento, guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and ketamine and one count of distribution of cocaine. According to court documents, in April 2021, Singh and two others were indicted for their involvement in a drug trafficking organization based in Sacramento and extending to the greater Toronto Area in Canada. Between October 2020 and March 2021, they arranged multiple kilogram-level drug deals with a Canadian undercover officer, both in Canada and California, using encrypted applications on their cellphones. Singh faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Spencer and Haddy Abouzeid are prosecuting the case.

On Oct. 30, a jury found Christopher Guilford, 54, formerly of Sacramento, guilty of one count of making a false claim against the United States and eight counts of filing a false tax return. Guilford had filed nine false tax returns with the IRS in which he reported false income and false tax withholdings. For one of the tax return filings, Guilford received a refund of $1,172,446. The charges against Guilford stem from his use of a convoluted “redemption” scheme, used by tax protestors and sovereign citizens that has been repeatedly rejected by the courts. For the one count of making a false claim against the United States, Guilford faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. For each of the eight counts of filing a false tax return, Guilford faces a maximum statutory sentence of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Gunter and Arelis Clemente are prosecuting the case.

On Oct. 31, a jury found Stanislav Yelizarov, 35, guilty of threatening the family of a federal law enforcement officer during a recorded telephone call he placed while an inmate in U.S. Penitentiary, Atwater. According to evidence presented at trial, Yelizarov threatened to kill the “whole family” of a federal law enforcement office in Maryland during a phone call to his mother and in threatening letters sent to the victim. Yelizarov faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Veneman-Hughes and Joshua Banister are prosecuting the case.

Indictments

On Oct. 2, Anibal Hernandez Santana, 63, of Sacramento, was indicted for incidents involving the discharge and possession of a firearm. On Sept. 18, 2025, Santana allegedly discharged a 9 mm handgun within 1,000 feet of the grounds of a high school and an elementary school. On Sept. 19, 2025, while standing on the sidewalk around the block from the KXTV/ABC 10 station, in front of 2555 3rd Street, Hernandez Santana fired into the air in the direction of the station. He then drove to the front of the station and fired three shots directly into the building’s lobby. No one was injured. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Santana is also facing state charges. His next federal appearance, a status conference, is scheduled for June 1, 2026. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case.

On Oct. 23, Fresno restaurant operator Robert “Bobby” Salazar, 63, was charged in two indictments. The first indictment charges Salazar, Thomas Qualls, 40, and Shylo Badiali, 43, with engaging in a scheme to defraud an insurance company by setting fire to a commercial property. On April 2, 2024, a fire broke out at the vacant Bobby Salazar’s restaurant on Blackstone Avenue in Fresno. According to court documents, Salazar’s hired Qualls and Badiali to set the fire and then claimed to his insurance company that he had nothing to do with the arson. He was ultimately paid out more than $900,000 for his insurance claim. The second indictment charges Salazar with possession of a handgun with an obliterated serial number that was found during the execution of a search warrant at Salazar’s residence. A status conference is scheduled for the three defendants on Jan. 21, 2026. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Veneman-Hughes and Brittany Gunter are prosecuting the case.

The charges in an indictment are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Monico Erich Gastelo, 44, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday 40 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child and receipt and distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

The sentence will be followed by 15 years of supervised release, during which time Gastelo’s access to children, computers, and the internet will be restricted. He was also ordered to pay $40,000 in monetary penalties, and he will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from custody.

According to court documents, in January 2019, Gastelo created a social media account in which he pretended to be an 18-year-old boy. Gastelo used the account to converse with younger individuals and request sexually explicit content from them.

Between January and March 2020, Gastelo began communicating on Wickr, Snapchat, and Telegram with other individuals sexually attracted to children. He sent and received multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on these platforms. Forensic review of Gastelo’s phones revealed that he had more than 1,500 images and videos of suspected CSAM.

Gastelo’s conduct escalated in May 2020. A minor victim told law enforcement that he had been sexually exploited online and that an individual later identified as Gastelo had added him as a friend on Snapchat. Gastelo sent over a dozen images of his penis to this minor victim and enticed the victim to send back CSAM.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower prosecuted the case.

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

Monico Erich Gastelo, 44, of Fresno, California, was sentenced yesterday after being convicted of sexual exploitation of a child and receipt and distribution of child pornography. The Court sentenced Gastelo to 40 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release, during which time Gastelo’s access to children, computers, and the internet will be restricted.  He was also required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life upon his release from custody.

According to court documents, in January 2019, Gastelo created a social media account in which he pretended to be an 18-year-old boy to enhance his chances of connecting with minors. Gastelo used the account and others to converse with minors — some of whom disclosed that they were 12 years-old — and repeatedly demanded sexually explicit content from them.

Between Jan. 1, 2020, and March 23, 2020, Gastelo began communicating on messaging platforms with other individuals sexually attracted to children. He sent and received multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on these platforms, describing the type of videos and images he preferred, including requesting videos of sex acts performed by toddlers. Forensic review of Gastelo’s phones revealed that he had more than 1,500 images and videos of CSAM saved on his device.

Gastelo’s conduct escalated in May 2020. A minor victim disclosed to law enforcement that he had been sexually exploited online and that an individual later identified as Gastelo had added him as a friend on social media. Gastelo had sent over a dozen images of his genitalia to this minor victim and insisted the minor reciprocate.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California made the announcement.

The Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.

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

Danny Troxell, 72, of Fresno, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to life in prison for participating in a RICO conspiracy and a conspiracy to commit murder, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to evidence produced at trial, between 2011 and 2019, Aryan Brotherhood (or AB) members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. The trial evidence showed that Aryan Brotherhood members oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their California prison cells using smuggled cellphones to direct drug trafficking activities, order murders, and oversee other criminal activities inside and outside of the prisons.

At trial, the jury heard evidence that the Aryan Brotherhood elevated Troxell to a position of leadership on the gang’s three-man commission in the early 2000s when nearly all of the prominent AB members were housed in Pelican Bay state prison. In 2016, wiretaps by the Drug Enforcement Administration captured Troxell discussing gang business with another member. He explained that he viewed the gang as “blood in, blood out,” meaning you had to kill to enter the gang, and you could only leave it by being killed.

The wiretaps also caught Troxell ordering the murder of another AB member housed in Calipatria state prison. Law enforcement moved quickly to stop the plot and keep the targeted inmate from being harmed. The jury found Troxell guilty of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to commit murder based upon the intercepted calls and testimony from other gang members.

The district court previously imposed life sentences on five other Aryan Brotherhood defendants in this case: Ronald Yandell, William Sylvester, Pat Brady, Jason Corbett, and Brant Daniel.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer prosecuted the case.

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

Peter Yang, 34, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

The sentence will be followed by 15 years of supervised, during which time Yang’s access to children, computers, and the internet will be restricted. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution, and he will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from custody.

According to court documents, between November 2021 and March 2022, Yang communicated with a 15-year-old victim in Missouri on the gaming platform Among Us, and then through Discord and FaceTime calls. Yang coerced the victim into creating and then transmitting sexually explicit images of the victim to Yang. Yang also discussed traveling from California to Missouri to meet the victim in person at a motel near the victim’s residence.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Christian County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.

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

CVS Pharmacy Inc. has paid a total of $18,282,280 to the United States and the State of California to resolve allegations that the company violated the Federal False Claims Act and the California False Claims Act when it knowingly submitted claims for reimbursement for certain prescribed medications to California’s Medi-Cal program that were not supported by applicable diagnosis and documentation requirements, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.

CVS is among the largest pharmacy chains in the United States, with more than 9,000 locations nationwide and more than 1,000 stores in California. CVS submits reimbursement claims for medications dispensed to beneficiaries of the Medi-Cal program—California’s Medicaid health care program administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Medi-Cal relies on both federal and state funding to provide health care to millions of Californians, including those with low incomes and disabilities.

Medi-Cal utilizes a “formulary” list that designates restrictions for certain listed drugs, including restrictions pertaining to diagnoses and required documentation that must be confirmed by the pharmacy before the drug can be prescribed. Drugs listed on the Medi-Cal formulary are commonly referred to as “Code 1” drugs. Medi-Cal will reimburse certain Code 1 drugs only for approved diagnoses, taking into account criteria such as the drug’s safety, efficacy, misuse potential, and cost. Pharmacies such as CVS serve the critical gatekeeping function of confirming and certifying that these Code 1 drugs are dispensed for the approved diagnoses. CVS may bill for drugs prescribed outside of the approved diagnoses, but it must submit a request to DHCS that includes a justification for the nonapproved use.

Today’s settlement resolves allegations that CVS failed to confirm and document the requisite diagnoses, and in some instances dispensed drugs for nonapproved diagnoses, then knowingly billed Medi-Cal for those prescriptions.

“This settlement demonstrates our commitment to protect the integrity of this critically important federal-state program serving low-income and disabled citizens of this District,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “My office will continue working to ensure that pharmacies comply with important program regulations like those at issue here.”

“Proper billing of federal health care programs is essential and underpins the reliability of our health care system. Oversight is key to ensuring that compliance failures are remedied,” said Acting Chief Counsel to the Inspector General Susan Gillin of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Although CVS entered into a health care fraud settlement with the United States, CVS did not agree to compliance-related oversight with HHS-OIG through a corporate integrity agreement.”

This settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by a former CVS pharmacist under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the Federal False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery from that action. The qui tam case is captioned: U.S., et al. ex rel. Zimniski v. CVS Health Corporation, no. 2:19-cv-1118 (E.D. Cal.). As part of the settlement announced today, the whistleblower will receive approximately $3.3 million of the recovery proceeds.

This settlement is the result of a joint effort by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and California’s Department of Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse, with assistance from HHS OIG and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Swann handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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

Note: View the settlement agreement here: 

Victor Cruz, 41, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for participating in a scheme to submit fraudulent individual federal income tax returns that claimed $25 million in refunds, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court records, between November 2019 and June 2023, Miguel Martinez, 42, a Mexican national residing in the United States illegally, led a scheme to file thousands of fraudulent tax returns that claimed millions of dollars in refunds. Martinez created fake businesses that reported to the IRS phony wages paid and withholding information for supposed employees. Martinez then filed thousands of individual income tax returns in the names of the supposed employees that claimed the employees were owed refunds based on the phony wages paid and withholding information that had been reported for them.

Cruz helped Martinez carry out the scheme by preparing and filing more than 500 of the fraudulent tax returns. This was approximately 10% to 15% of the total fraudulent tax returns for which Martinez was responsible. Cruz received thousands of dollars in fees from Martinez in exchange for his services.

The IRS actually paid out $2.3 million of the $25 million in refunds that were claimed by the fraudulent tax returns.

Martinez pleaded guilty and, in September 2024, was sentenced to six years in prison.

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

A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Cornelius Houston, 34, of Elk Grove, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 15, 2025, Houston was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun. On Oct. 7, he was found in possession of another Glock handgun. Houston is prohibited from possessing ammunition or firearms based on his prior felony convictions for robbery and transportation, sale, or distribution of a controlled substance.

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

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

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

This case is also part of the Special Assistant United States Attorney program, a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office and local District Attorney’s Offices. Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys remain employed by local District Attorney’s Offices, but they work on federal investigations and can prosecute cases in both state and federal court. This partnership allows the United States Attorney’s Office and local District Attorney’s Offices to partner to fight transnational organized crime and violent crime that impacts the region. The U.S. Attorney’s Office currently has Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the District Attorney’s Offices of Yolo, Placer, Fresno, and Sacramento Counties.

A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Curt Michael Taras, 53, of Folsom, charging him with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person and possessing a firearm within a school zone, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 24, 2025, Taras was found to be in possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of the Folsom High School campus. Further investigation revealed that he possessed several firearms and ammunition in his vehicle and in his residence. Taras is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he is subject to a court order in Sacramento County Superior Court that restrains him from harassing, stalking, and threatening an intimate partner.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Folsom Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Abendroth and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Ng are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Taras faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possessing a firearm within a school zone, and 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possessing a firearm while subject to a court order retraining him from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner. 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.

Political consultant Dana Williamson, 53, of Carmichael, was charged by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct justice, subscribing to false tax returns, and making false statements, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. The 23-count indictment was unsealed following Williamson’s arrest this morning.

“This is a crucial step in an ongoing political corruption investigation that began more than three years ago,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “As it always has, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect the people of California from political corruption.”

“Today’s charges are the result of three years of relentless investigative work, in partnership with IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI will remain vigilant in its efforts to uncover fraud and corruption, ensuring our government systems are held to the highest standards.”

“Disguising personal luxuries as business expenses—especially to claim improper tax deductions or to willfully file fraudulent tax returns is a serious criminal offense with severe consequences,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “IRS-CI will pursue charges against those who deliberately exploit their business for personal enrichment.”

According to court documents, between February 2022 and September 2024, Williamson conspired with others to divert approximately $225,000 in funds from a dormant political campaign to an associate’s personal use. Collectively, they funneled the money through various business entities and disguised it as pay for what was, in reality, a no-show job.

The indictment also alleges that Williamson conspired with a business associate to create false, backdated contracts after receiving a civil subpoena in January 2024 from the U.S. Attorney’s Office regarding Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans made to Williamson’s business.

Williamson also subscribed to false tax returns claiming more than $1 million in business deductions for what were actually personal and nondeductible expenditures, such as private jet travel, luxury hotel stays, home furnishings, and designer handbags, as well as deductions for no-show jobs for friends and family.

When questioned by FBI agents in connection with ongoing investigations into the diversion of campaign funds, the backdated contracts, and allegations of public corruption, Williamson made false statements to the agents regarding each of those topics.

Williamson is scheduled to make her initial appearance on the charges at 2:00 p.m. in the U.S. Courthouse in Sacramento.

The United States concurrently unsealed charging documents related to this case for two other individuals charged by information.

This case is the product of a multiyear investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson, Rosanne Rust, and Katherine T. Lydon, and Public Integrity Section Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Williamson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud; up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to obstruct and making a false statements; and up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count of subscribing to a false tax return. 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.

Zimnako Salah, 46, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced today in the Eastern District of California to six years in prison in connection with his plot targeting Christian churches.

In March 2025, a jury in Sacramento convicted Salah of strapping a backpack around the toilet of a Christian church in Roseville, with the intent to convey a hoax bomb threat and to obstruct the free exercise of religion of the congregants who worshipped there. The jury’s verdict included a special finding that Salah targeted the church because of the religion of the people who worshipped there, making the offense a hate crime.

According to the evidence at trial, from September to November of 2023, Salah traveled to four Christian churches in Arizona, California, and Colorado, wearing black backpacks. At two of those churches, Salah planted those backpacks, placing congregants in fear that they contained bombs. At the other two churches, Salah was confronted by security before he got the chance to plant those backpacks.

While Salah had been making bomb threats by planting backpacks in Christian churches, he had been building a bomb capable of fitting in a backpack. During a search of his storage unit, an FBI Bomb Technician seized items that an FBI Bomb Expert testified at trial served as component parts of an improvised explosive device (IED).

A search of Salah’s social media records revealed that he had consumed extremist propaganda online. Specifically, those records showed that Salah had searched for videos of “Infidels dying,” and he had watched videos depicting ISIS terrorists murdering people. In a cellphone video taken days before the crimes of conviction, Defendant Salah declared, “America. We are going to destroy it.”

“Today's sentencing sends a clear message: those who target people because of their faith will face the full force of federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to protect the rights of all people of faith to worship and live free from fear, and we will hold accountable anyone who threatens or harms them.”

“Salah’s seeming ultimate goal to bomb a Christian church would have resulted in many deaths and injuries if his plan had not been thwarted,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Thanks to the action of church security, local law enforcement, and the FBI, this defendant was stopped before he had a chance to carry out the crimes he sought to commit. Today’s sentence is justified by the history and characteristics of this defendant and serves to protect the public from this defendant. And it affirms that people of all religions should be able to worship freely and exercise their First Amendment rights in this country without fear of violence.”

“The FBI has zero tolerance for those who target Americans based on their religious beliefs,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Salah sought to instill fear and disrupt Christian communities across California, Colorado, and Arizona. We are grateful for the cooperation of these churches and communities, which were vital in the investigation that led to Salah’s arrest and conviction. Today’s sentencing highlights the collective efforts of law enforcement and vigilant Americans in preventing this act of terrorism.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Roseville Police Department, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Harbor Police Department, and the Arapahoe County (CO) Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea Kenny for the Eastern District of California.

Zimnako Salah, 46, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced today to six years in prison in connection with his plot targeting Christian churches.

In March 2025, a jury in Sacramento convicted Salah of strapping a backpack around the toilet of a Christian church in Roseville, with the intent to convey a hoax bomb threat and to obstruct the free exercise of religion of the congregants who worshipped there. The jury’s verdict included a special finding that Salah targeted the church because of the religion of the people who worshipped there, making the offense a hate crime.

According to the evidence at trial, from September to November of 2023, Salah traveled to four Christian churches in Arizona, California, and Colorado, wearing black backpacks. At two of those churches, Salah planted those backpacks, placing congregants in fear that they contained bombs. At the other two churches, Salah was confronted by security before he got the chance to plant those backpacks.

While Salah had been making bomb threats by planting backpacks in Christian churches, he had been building a bomb capable of fitting in a backpack. During a search of his storage unit, an FBI Bomb Technician seized items that an FBI Bomb Expert testified at trial served as component parts of an improvised explosive device (IED).

A search of Salah’s social media records revealed that he had consumed extremist propaganda online. Specifically, those records showed that Salah had searched for videos of “Infidels dying,” and he had watched videos depicting ISIS terrorists murdering people. In a cellphone video taken days before the crimes of conviction, Defendant Salah declared, “America. We are going to destroy it.”

“Today's sentencing sends a clear message: those who target people because of their faith will face the full force of federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to protect the rights of all people of faith to worship and live free from fear, and we will hold accountable anyone who threatens or harms them.”

“Salah’s seeming ultimate goal to bomb a Christian church would have resulted in many deaths and injuries if his plan had not been thwarted,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Thanks to the action of church security, local law enforcement, and the FBI, this defendant was stopped before he had a chance to carry out the crimes he sought to commit. Today’s sentence is justified by the history and characteristics of this defendant and serves to protect the public from this defendant. And it affirms that people of all religions should be able to worship freely and exercise their First Amendment rights in this country without fear of violence.”

“The FBI has zero tolerance for those who target Americans based on their religious beliefs,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Salah sought to instill fear and disrupt Christian communities across California, Colorado, and Arizona. We are grateful for the cooperation of these churches and communities, which were vital in the investigation that led to Salah’s arrest and conviction. Today’s sentencing highlights the collective efforts of law enforcement and vigilant Americans in preventing this act of terrorism.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Roseville Police Department, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Harbor Police Department, and the Arapahoe County (CO) Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea Kenny for the Eastern District of California.

A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against Tony Christopher Long, also known as Inactive, Inactivee0, and inactivecvx, 19, of Porterville, charging him with animal crushing (two counts), sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, cyberstalking, and transmitting an interstate threat.

“This defendant allegedly engaged in acts of extreme cruelty by exploiting a child, abusing animals, and threatening violence — his conduct reflects the depravity of ‘764,’” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These networks seek to terrorize and destabilize our communities by preying on the most vulnerable, and the Justice Department will stop at nothing to dismantle this network and bring offenders to justice.”

“The FBI has no tolerance for anyone who preys on children or other vulnerable members of society,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This defendant allegedly targeted juveniles, took part in animal crushing, and was part of a violent online network which seeks to sow chaos and destabilize our society. The FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in such reprehensible and illegal activity.”

“This indictment charges a constellation of offenses related to the troubling emergence of NVEs like ‘764’ and related groups,” U.S. Attorney Grant stated. “My office will vigorously investigate and prosecute offenses committed by NVE groups, including those alleged to have been committed by Long against young and vulnerable victims.”

“Violent online networks of predators, such as 764, are exploiting digital platforms to coerce minors and vulnerable individuals into producing graphic content depicting animal abuse, self-harm, and child exploitation. The FBI will not stand by while these victims suffer. We are taking decisive action to dismantle these networks and bring the offenders to justice. Working together with educators, health care professionals, and families, we will protect those at risk and respond swiftly to suspected criminal activity,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel.

According to court documents, Long was a member and associate of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVEs). NVEs are individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society and a desire to bring about its collapse via chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs work individually or as part of a network with the goal of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors.

The indictment alleges that in late 2024, Long purposely engaged in animal crushing, sexually exploited a juvenile victim living in Washington state, committed cyberstalking and made online threats against a juvenile victim living in Kern County.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Porterville Police Department and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.

If convicted, Long faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison on each of the two counts charging animal crushing; a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for cyberstalking; and a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison for making an interstate threat. Each count of the indictment also carries a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and gore material, or groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of California has returned a six-count indictment against Tony Christopher Long, also known as Inactive, Inactivee0, and inactivecvx, 19, of Porterville, California, charging him with animal crushing (two counts), sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, cyberstalking, and transmitting an interstate threat. Long is currently in state custody on related charges.

“This defendant allegedly engaged in acts of extreme cruelty by exploiting a child, abusing animals, and threatening violence — his conduct reflects the depravity of ‘764,’” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These networks seek to terrorize and destabilize our communities by preying on the most vulnerable, and the Justice Department will stop at nothing to dismantle this network and bring offenders to justice.”

“The FBI has no tolerance for anyone who preys on children or other vulnerable members of society,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This defendant allegedly targeted juveniles, took part in animal crushing, and was part of a violent online network which seeks to sow chaos and destabilize our society. The FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable anyone who engages in such reprehensible and illegal activity.”

“This indictment charges a constellation of offenses related to the troubling emergence of NVEs like ‘764’ and related groups,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “My office will vigorously investigate and prosecute offenses committed by NVE groups, including those alleged to have been committed by Long against young and vulnerable victims,” he added.

According to court documents, Long was a member and associate of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVEs). NVEs are individuals who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society and a desire to bring about its collapse via chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs work individually or as part of a network with the goal of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors.

The indictment, returned by the grand jury on Oct. 23, alleges that in late 2024, Long purposely engaged in animal crushing, sexually exploited a juvenile victim living in Washington state, and committed cyberstalking and made online threats against a juvenile victim living in Kern County, California.

If convicted, Long faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison on each of the two counts charging animal crushing; a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of 30 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for cyberstalking; and a maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison for making an interstate threat. Each count of the indictment also carries a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Porterville Police Department.

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

The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.

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

Arrests were made today across the United States, in California, Texas, and Florida, following the indictment of more than 20 members of a transnational criminal organization charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Operation Silver Shores, an investigation into a sophisticated transnational fraud organization operating out of the United States and several countries in Latin America, resulted in the arrests of 15 individuals responsible for stealing more than $30 million from mostly elderly American victims.

“The indictment announced today exposes a telemarketing scam that deliberately targeted our vulnerable elderly citizens and yielded more than $30 million in devastating financial losses to victims across the country,” U.S. Attorney Grant said. “But my office will relentlessly pursue justice, hold fraudsters accountable, and work tirelessly to safeguard seniors from such predatory schemes.”

“Today, the FBI delivered a decisive blow against violent gangs with the success of Operation Silver Shores,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The Norteños and their gang affiliates arrested today are moving into sophisticated financial crimes targeting our communities’ most vulnerable, the elderly. This takedown sends a clear message:  we will not tolerate criminals exploiting our communities.”

“The defendants orchestrated a multi-million-dollar transnational fraud scheme by deceiving victims into believing they were entitled to restitution from a timeshare lawsuit – then demanding upfront fees to release the supposed funds,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS‑CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “Let this serve as a clear warning to fraudsters that financial crimes will lead to arrest and prosecution. IRS-CI special agents are committed to tracing illicit proceeds, holding perpetrators accountable, and deterring future financial crimes.”

U.S. Postal Inspection Service San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen Sherwood said, “Postal Inspectors have always stood against fraud in the U.S. mails, so I am proud of the dedication of the postal inspectors who participated in this investigation. Postal customers face victimization from increasingly complex and organized criminal enterprises, which is why teamwork like today’s operation is so important. We would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and our federal law enforcement partners for their collaboration in bringing these defendants to face justice in a court of law.”

Members of the criminal organization contacted victims through phone calls and emails using the false identities of attorneys and government officials. Many of the victims owned or previously owned timeshares and were told that they were entitled to receive money related to legal settlements concerning their timeshares. The organization used various tactics to extract money from the victims.

The organization utilized a complicated web of shell companies, fictitious business names, and financial accounts to launder the money received from victims. The defendants moved money from victims to co-conspirators through a series of layered financial transactions, designed to obscure the true nature of the transactions. The defendants then transferred fraud proceeds to bank accounts controlled by the organization’s members located in the United States, Latin America, and elsewhere.

The organization used various tactics to evade financial institutions’ anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) policies and procedures by misrepresenting to financial institutions the true purpose and nature of their activities. When questioned by financial institutions about the financial activity, the defendants misrepresented the true nature of the transactions. The defendants also conducted much of their money laundering activity through financial technology companies, including those specializing in international transactions, cryptocurrency exchanges, and smaller financial institutions that they believed had weaker AML/KYC controls.

To date, investigators have identified more than 372 victims and losses exceeding $30 million. Investigators have identified and seized more than $1.5 million in victim funds and are continuing to locate and seize additional assets.

The following were arrested today and are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering:

• Piera Salgado Teleki, 34, of Berkeley, Calif.
• Maira Liset Chavez, 36, of Marysville, Calif.
• Sergio Madrigal Lacayo Jr., 39, of Stockton, Calif.
• Celina Martinez, 44, of San Jose, Calif.
• Ashley Molina, 32, of Amarillo, Texas.
• Carlos Zamora, 40, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida.
• Stephanie Alonzo, 42, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
• Ricardo Plascencia, 32, of Amarillo, Texas.
• Samuel Lopez, 45, of Amarillo, Texas.
• Veronica Puentes, 40, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida.

The following additional California residents were arrested today and are charged as noted:

• Antonio Palafox Aguilar, 33, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
• Felix Alejandro, 39, of Bakersfield, currently a federal inmate at UPS Florence-High, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
• Alejandro Cuarenta, 33, of Bakersfield, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
• Jennifer Magana, 29, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
• Anthony Chavez, 27, of Fremont, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Bakersfield Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Truckee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face a range of sentences. The maximum statutory penalty for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud is 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering is 20 years in prison and a fine up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. 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.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

Martin Joseph Avila, 66, of Longmont, Colorado, pleaded guilty today, to aiming a laser pointer at a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on May 28, 2024, Avila aimed the beam of a dangerously bright laser pointer at a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office helicopter while the aircraft was on routine patrol. The laser pointer’s total output power of laser light was 92.8 milliwatts (mW), which is more than 18 times more powerful than what is legally permissible for a laser pointer.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) laser exposure can result in visual impairment and therefore poses a significant hazard to aircraft operations. In 2024, the FAA received 12,840 reports of laser strikes from pilots. California led the nation in reported incidents (1,489).

Sentencing is set for Jan. 12, 2026. Avila 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.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Trevor Christopher Fountain, 38, formerly of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to transport stolen property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Fountain worked with co-conspirators Stephan James Evanovich, 46, of Sacramento; Jonathan Matthew Curl, 36, of Sacramento; and Andrea Carter, 35, formerly of Sacramento, to illegally enter communications towers and steal rectifiers and other communications equipment. Rectifiers are a power source necessary to maintain power at communications towers. Fountain was responsible for stealing equipment and transferring it to Evanovich, who then paid him for the stolen equipment. Evanovich sold the stolen property to legitimate third-party vendors in California, Illinois, Colorado, and Texas. The conspirators stole, sold, and shipped more than 485 stolen rectifiers across state lines. The total value of the stolen rectifiers is no less than $260,000.

As part of the scheme, Fountain created false invoices in the name of a false business. These invoices were used to make it appear as though Evanovich had obtained the stolen rectifiers from legitimate businesses.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from Weld County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case.

Carter pleaded guilty and was sentenced on June 5, 2025, to 29 months in prison. Evanovich and Curl are awaiting trial, which is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2026. The charges are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Fountain is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Feb. 19, 2026. Fountain 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.

Gabriel Erasmo Cabrera, 22, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty Tuesday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on March 28, 2025, during a parole search of Cabrera’s home, agents discovered a firearm and fentanyl that Cabrera had hidden in another resident’s bedroom. Agents also discovered drug paraphernalia and a drug sales ledger in Cabrera’s room. On Cabrera’s cellphone, officers discovered a video of Cabrera holding the same firearm and many messages between Cabrera and other individuals discussing Cabrera’s fentanyl sales. Cabrera is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for offenses including sale of a controlled substance, infliction of corporal injury on a spouse, and willfully discharging a firearm with gross negligence.

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

Cabrera is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on March 24, 2026. Cabrera faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Cabrera faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

A Merced, California, man pleaded guilty today to sexually abusing two minors under the age of 16 while he was employed by the Armed Forces outside of the United States.

According to court documents, between 2015 and 2023, Thelmo Meneses Santos Jr., 60, sexually abused two children multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Santos began sexually abusing one of the minor victims when the child was 11 years old. Santos abused the two minors over a period of years in Japan, where he was employed by the U.S. Army as a civilian employee. During the investigation, Santos gave an interview to law enforcement officers where he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with both children. Santos was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) special agents.

“The defendant engaged in the repeated sexual abuse of two young children over several years while he was employed as a civilian with the U.S. Army in Japan,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His guilty plea should serve as a warning to anyone who would harm children — even overseas — as long as the Criminal Division has jurisdiction, we will hold you accountable. The abuse and exploitation of children is intolerable, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who engage in such deplorable conduct.”

“As this guilty plea demonstrates, those who exploit and abuse children, whether at home or abroad, will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring that such heinous acts, including by military employees, are met with consequences that dispense justice and deter future offenses against the vulnerable.”

“We are committed to protecting our overseas military communities from those who exploit and endanger children,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Army CID Far East Field Office. “This case is an example of the work our special agents do every day to protect the Soldiers and civilian employees of the Department of the Army and their families.”

“American armed service members should be trusted to keep people safe and uphold values of honor and integrity. The sexual abuse of children is despicable and counter to everything Americans stand for,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, “The FBI and our partners remain vigilant in rooting out those who seek to harm our most vulnerable population, both at home and abroad.”

This case is the product of an investigation by Far East Field Office of the Army Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and Trial Attorney Eduardo A. Palomo, of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, are prosecuting the case.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2026. Santos faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a lifetime term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Additionally, Santos will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The 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 to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A California man pleaded guilty yesterday to sexually abusing two minors under the age of 16 while he was employed by the U.S. Armed Forces outside of the United States.

“The defendant engaged in the repeated sexual abuse of two young children over several years while he was employed as a civilian with the U.S. Army in Japan,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His guilty plea should serve as a warning to anyone who would harm children — even overseas — as long as the Criminal Division has jurisdiction, we will hold you accountable. The abuse and exploitation of children is intolerable, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who engage in such deplorable conduct.”

“As this guilty plea demonstrates, those who exploit and abuse children, whether at home or abroad, will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring that such heinous acts, including by military employees, are met with consequences that dispense justice and deter future offenses against the vulnerable.”

“American armed service members should be trusted to keep people safe and uphold values of honor and integrity. The sexual abuse of children is despicable and counter to everything Americans stand for,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI and our partners remain vigilant in rooting out those who seek to harm our most vulnerable population, both at home and abroad.”

“We are committed to protecting our overseas military communities from those who exploit and endanger children,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Army CID Far East Field Office. “This case is an example of the work our special agents do every day to protect the Soldiers and civilian employees of the Department of the Army and their families.”

According to court documents, Thelmo Meneses Santos Jr., 60, of Merced, California, sexually abused two children multiple times between 2015 and 2023. Santos began sexually abusing one of the minor victims when the child was 11 years old. Santos abused the two minors over a period of years in Japan, where he was employed by the U.S. Army as a civilian employee. During the investigation, Santos gave an interview to law enforcement officers where he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with both children. Santos was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) special agents.

As part of his plea agreement, Santos faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Additionally, Santos will be required to pay restitution to his victims and to register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10, 2026.

The Far East Field Office of the Army Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case with valuable assistance from the FBI.

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

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

Ricardo Gutierrez, 28, of Red Bluff, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to 24 years and four months in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

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

Law enforcement was alerted about Gutierrez by a woman Gutierrez met on the Tinder dating app. Gutierrez had sent the woman an unsolicited photograph that depicted a clothed minor female approximately 6-8 years old looking away from the camera, accompanied by three iMessage emojis of a face with a hand over the mouth. Gutierrez then asked the woman if she had access to young girls. Gutierrez also sent the woman an unsolicited 17-second video that depicted an adult male engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a minor female approximately 5-8 years old.

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

This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima prosecuted the case.

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

Felipe Ruiz, 51, of Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, 52, of Clovis, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Ruiz was a podiatrist at West Coast Podiatry Inc. (WCP), a podiatric medical practice with locations in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties. Aguirre was a sales representative that sold skin grafts to Ruiz and WCP.

Between June 2021 and January 2024, Ruiz purchased skin grafts from Aguirre and permitted Aguirre, who was not a licensed health care provider, to apply the skin grafts to Medicare and Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

Ruiz and Aguirre subsequently submitted claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal that falsely represented that Ruiz had applied the skin grafts to the beneficiaries, when Aguirre had actually rendered the services. As a result, Medicare and Medi-Cal paid Ruiz for the false claims. Ruiz then made payments to Aguirre.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.

Ruiz and Aguirre are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Jan. 20, 2026. Ruiz and Aguirre face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Michael Dickens, 59, of Clovis, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 12.5 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between Oct. 21 and Oct. 30, 2020, Dickens used his cellphone and social media to communicate with a person he believed to be a 12-year-old minor, but who was in fact an undercover law enforcement officer. Dickens communicated his desire to engage in sexual activity with the minor, including by sending images and a video of his genitalia to the undercover officer. Dickens drove to an agreed-upon location to meet with the minor and was arrested by law enforcement.

This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Arin C. Heinz prosecuted the case.

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

Former Sanger Police Department Officer J. DeShawn Torrence, 41, was sentenced today by visiting U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson, to five consecutive life sentences for sexually assaulting four women whom he encountered during the course of his official duties. After a two-and-a-half-week trial in January 2025, a federal jury in the Eastern District of California convicted Torrence of eight counts of deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law.  The jury found that five of the counts involved kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, or attempted aggravated sexual abuse.

“The defendant’s conduct was premediated and depraved. He repeatedly abused his official authority to exploit women who expected the police to protect them,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “While no prison sentence can undo the extraordinary pain and suffering the defendant caused these women, today’s sentence of five consecutive life sentences holds the defendant accountable for his heinous conduct and sends a clear message that the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who violate the constitutional rights of the people they are sworn to protect.”

“I commend the court’s decision to impose life sentences on this former police officer, who betrayed the public’s trust and abused his authority to perpetrate heinous acts of sexual violence,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “This sentence sends a clear message: no one is above the law, and those who exploit their position to violate the civil rights of others will face the full force of justice. Our office stands with the victims and remains committed to protecting our communities from such egregious abuses of power.”

“We commend the courageous women who came forward, trusting law enforcement to ensure J.D. Torrence was held accountable for his crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Their bravery has prevented this predator from harming anyone else. The FBI recognizes the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office for their unwavering partnership. Justice has been served, making our community safer.”

The evidence at trial proved that Torrence kidnapped a 21‑year-old woman who was walking to a store to buy groceries for her young children, drove her outside of town in his police car, and sexually assaulted her at an isolated dead end. As Torrence drove the woman away from town, he taunted her by saying, “no one is going to look for you.” After the assault, he warned that if she reported him, “no one’s going to believe you.”

Torrence forcibly raped a second victim, a 67‑year-old woman, after following her into her home during a DUI investigation. After the assault, Torrence frequently parked his police car in front of the woman’s home to stalk and intimidate her. On one of these occasions, Torrence cornered the woman behind her home and sexually assaulted her.

With a third victim, Torrence showed up at her door in his police uniform after midnight, entered her home, pinned her against the kitchen counter, and sexually assaulted her. Torrence showed up multiple times at the home of a fourth victim, a domestic violence victim, supposedly to investigate a prior domestic violence incident. During those follow up visits, Torrence forced the victim to expose sensitive parts of her body by falsely telling her that he had to “photograph” her injuries. On one occasion, Torrence trapped the woman in her bedroom and sexually assaulted her.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar for the Eastern District of California and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

J. DeShawn Torrence, 41, a former Sanger, California, police officer, was sentenced today to five consecutive life sentences for sexually assaulting four women whom he encountered during the course of his official duties. After a two-and-a-half-week trial in January 2025, a federal jury in the Eastern District of California convicted Torrence of eight counts of deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law. The jury found that five of the counts involved kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, or attempted aggravated sexual abuse.

“The defendant’s conduct was premediated and depraved. He repeatedly abused his official authority to exploit women who expected the police to protect them,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “While no prison sentence can undo the extraordinary pain and suffering the defendant caused these women, today’s sentence of five consecutive life sentences holds the defendant accountable for his heinous conduct and sends a clear message that the Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who violate the constitutional rights of the people they are sworn to protect.” 

“I commend the court’s decision to impose life sentences on this former police officer, who betrayed the public’s trust and abused his authority to perpetrate heinous acts of sexual violence,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “This sentence sends a clear message: no one is above the law, and those who exploit their position to violate the civil rights of others will face the full force of justice. Our office stands with the victims and remains committed to protecting our communities from such egregious abuses of power.”

“We commend the courageous women who came forward, trusting law enforcement to ensure J.D. Torrence was held accountable for his crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Their bravery has prevented this predator from harming anyone else. The FBI recognizes the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office for their unwavering partnership. Justice has been served, making our community safer.”

The evidence at trial proved that Torrence kidnapped a 21-year-old woman who was walking to a store to buy groceries for her young children, drove her outside of town in his police car, and sexually assaulted her at an isolated dead end. As Torrence drove the woman away from town, he taunted her by saying “no one is going to look for you.” After the assault, he warned that if she reported him, “no one’s going to believe you.”

Torrence forcibly raped a second victim, a 67-year-old woman, after following her into her home during a DUI investigation. After the assault, Torrence frequently parked his police car in front of the woman’s home to stalk and intimidate her. On one of these occasions, Torrence cornered the woman behind her home and sexually assaulted her.

With a third victim, Torrence showed up at her door in his police uniform after midnight, entered her home, pinned her against the kitchen counter, and sexually assaulted her. Torrence showed up multiple times at the home of a fourth victim, a domestic violence victim, supposedly to investigate a prior domestic violence incident. During those follow up visits, Torrence forced the victim to expose sensitive parts of her body by falsely telling her that he had to “photograph” her injuries. On one occasion, Torrence trapped the woman in her bedroom and sexually assaulted her.

The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.

This case was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar for the Eastern District of California. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Anibal Hernandez Santana, 63, of Sacramento, over the weekend, and a three-count amended criminal complaint was filed against him on Monday morning, charging him with possessing a firearm within a school zone, discharging a firearm within a school zone, and interfering with a radio communication station, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, Hernandez Santana fired one shot towards, and three shots into, the KXTV/ABC 10 station on Broadway in Sacramento. While standing on the sidewalk around the block from the station, in front of 2555 3rd Street, Hernandez Santana fired the first shot into the air in the direction of the station. He then drove to the front of the station and fired three shots directly into the building’s lobby. A KXTV/ABC 10 employee was inside the lobby at the time, although no one was injured. The location from where Hernandez Santana discharged the first shot was within a school zone.

Law enforcement executed a search of Hernandez Santana’s person, home, and vehicle. There was a weekly planner attached to the refrigerator in his home. Under “Friday,” there was a handwritten note that stated, “Do the Next Scary Thing.” Law enforcement also found in his car a handwritten note that read, “For hiding Epstein & ignoring red flags. Do not support Patel, Bongino, & AG Pam Bondi. They’re next. – C.K. from above.”

The Sacramento Police Department initially arrested Hernandez Santana on Friday evening, but Hernandez Santana was released on bail the next day. The FBI arrested him hours later. Hernandez Santana is scheduled to make his initial appearance on the amended criminal complaint on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

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

If convicted, Hernandez Santana faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possessing and discharging a firearm within a school zone, and a maximum of one year in prison and a $10,000 fine for interfering with a radio communication station. 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.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Cole Bradley Martin, 39, of Vallejo, charging him with being a felon in possession of firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 14, 2025, Martin possessed a Springfield XD 9 mm pistol and a KelTec P32 .32‑caliber pistol. Martin is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in Solano County including, possessing a controlled substance and robbery in the first degree.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Solano County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zulkar Khan is prosecuting the case.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

George Thomas, 72, formerly of Fresno and Clovis, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for selling thousands of stolen catalytic converters for millions of dollars in profits and conducting financial transactions to conceal those illicit profits, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.

“George Thomas fueled a black market for stolen catalytic converters that victimized hardworking people who were forced to either pay thousands of dollars to replace their converters or go without their vehicles,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Thomas thought that he could cover his tracks, lie to the jury, and get away with it. Not so. Today’s sentencing shows that there will be significant consequences for such behavior. My Office will continue to partner with law enforcement to take out organized criminal networks like this one.”

“This case was truly a team effort. When local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together, we can eradicate crime in the communities we serve,” Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office explained. “Catalytic converter theft was a pervasive problem in the greater Fresno area, largely because of George Thomas’s multi-million-dollar criminal scheme. Together, justice was served.”

“Clovis Police Department detectives worked diligently on this lengthy investigation,” said Clovis Police Detective Corporal Kedric Anderson. “After Thomas’ arrest, we observed immediate results, leading to a significant reduction in catalytic converter thefts throughout our community. We extend our gratitude to the FBI for their valuable partnership in this investigation. The Clovis Police Department remains committed to protecting the community through proactive investigations and strong partnerships with federal agencies.”

A jury convicted Thomas of dealing in stolen converters and engaging in unlawful financial transactions on March 27, 2025, following a four-day trial that included over 120 exhibits and testimony from more than 15 witnesses. The evidence showed that, from January 2021 through November 2022, Thomas purchased stolen converters from a group of recurring thieves in the Fresno area who cut the converters off people’s vehicles. The sales occurred in the parking lots of motels, gas stations, and similar places at all hours of the day and night. 

Thomas gave the thieves instructions on the types of converters he was looking for and how to best cut the converters off vehicles. He also loaned the thieves money to pay for their motel rooms, saws, and bail. The loans were contingent on the thieves continuing to steal for him.

After law enforcement officers executed an initial search at Thomas’ home and storage unit in mid-2021, Thomas continued with the illegal activities and tried to cover up the illegal activity by taking photographs of the thieves and their IDs each time he made the sales, requesting Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) for the vehicles from which the converters were supposedly cut, and having the thieves sign pieces of paper stating that the converters were not stolen.

But Thomas did not actually change anything. For example, he continued conducting sales in the same places with the same thieves. He allowed the thieves to use fake and stolen IDs and provide him with false VINs. In some instances when the thieves did not provide VINs, he went out on his own after the sales were completed and collected VINs from random vehicles. Thomas also completed sales to undercover law enforcement where he said that he did not care where the VINs or converters came from. 

The following are examples of photographs of Thomas purchasing stolen converters from thieves, along with the stolen converters that were found at his home and storage unit.

Thomas drove the stolen converters to Oregon where he sold them to a metal recycling company for more than $2.7 million. The recycling company paid Thomas by wire transfer. He then withdrew the money from his bank accounts through hundreds of cash withdrawals that were under the $10,000 reporting threshold. The jury found that these transactions were designed to conceal his illegal activities.

After Thomas was arrested in April 2023, reports of converter theft in the Fresno area decreased by more than 90 percent.

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

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Jose Tobias Jimenez-Martinez, 35, a Mexican national residing in Madera, charging him with trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on March 4, 2025, probation officers arrived at Jimenez’s residence in Madera to conduct a probation search. Jimenez is on probation for a prior state felony conviction. During the search, officers found and seized several thousand fentanyl pills and more than 75 pounds of methamphetamine. Jimenez later admitted to transporting the methamphetamine from San Diego and was planning to distribute it in Reno, Nevada. The methamphetamine was individually packaged in several plastic bags.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Madera Police Department; the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which is composed of personnel from the California Department of Justice, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Madera County Narcotics Enforcement Team (MADNET); the Madera County District Attorney’s Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.

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

Roosevelt Gulley III, 41, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, from July through September 2020, Gulley participated in a Covid-fraud scheme targeting the Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit program administered by the California Employment Development Department (EDD). He collected personally identifiable information, including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other information, and electronically submitted fraudulent applications for UI benefits to the California EDD in those persons’ identities. He electronically submitted at least 79 of these fraudulent applications to California EDD, which resulted in UI benefits debit cards being mailed to addresses he listed in the fraudulent applications. Gulley then retrieved the debit cards and removed money from them at various ATMs. The government alleges that the actual loss attributed to this fraudulent scheme was more than $575,000, with an intended loss exceeding $1.5 million.

“Roosevelt Gulley collected the personally identifiable information of individuals without their knowledge to fraudulently collect unemployment insurance benefits intended for American workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Quentin Heiden, Special-Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “I would like to thank the Eastern District of California and the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force for their continued efforts to hold accountable those who committed pandemic-related fraud.”

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General and the California EDD’s Investigation Division, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.

Gulley is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Gulley faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud and a mandatory additional sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

A federal jury convicted a Stanislaus County man today for receipt of child pornography. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California Eric Grant; Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI’s Sacramento Field Office; and Chief Jason Hedden of the Turlock Police Department made the announcement.

“Today, a jury found Cragg guilty of crimes that encouraged the gross abuse of our society’s most vulnerable members,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to target for prosecution and imprisonment those who contribute to this vile conduct.”

“The defendant was convicted by a jury for collecting videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including toddlers and infants who were subject to horrific abuse,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Galeotti. “This content is vile and illegal, and we will aggressively prosecute those who engage with it.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Edward Cragg, 46, of Turlock, used a file-sharing program in 2015 and 2016 to search for and download more than 130 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants and toddlers.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Turlock Police Department investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Justice Department’s High Technology Investigative Unit within the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS are prosecuting the case.

Cragg is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Cragg faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

A federal jury convicted a California man today for receipt of child pornography.

“The defendant was convicted by a jury for collecting videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, including toddlers and infants who were subject to horrific abuse,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This content is vile and illegal, and we will aggressively prosecute those who engage with it.”

“Today, a jury found Cragg guilty of crimes that encouraged the gross abuse of our society’s most vulnerable members,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to target for prosecution and imprisonment those who contribute to this vile conduct.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Edward Cragg, 46, of Turlock, California, used a file-sharing program from approximately Aug. 1, 2015, through March 1, 2016, to search for and download more than 130 child sexual abuse videos. He would then watch these videos, sort them, and move them to an external hard drive. Some of the videos depicted images of infants or toddlers being subjected to sadistic or masochistic abuse. Cragg told law enforcement that the child sexual abuse videos were “interesting … like a dead cat on the side of the road.” He also stated that he did not think looking at child sexual abuse material was wrong.

Cragg is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 8 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and the Turlock Police Department investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Justice Department’s High Technology Investigative Unit within the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).

Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of CEOS and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa of the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.

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

A federal grand jury returned a 13-count indictment today against James Kenney, 45, and Kevin Leacy, 31, of West Sacramento, charging them with various drug trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

In addition, Leacy is charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. According to court documents, on Aug. 28, 2025, Leacy knowingly possessed a .40-caliber Glock 23, a .40-caliber Sig SP 2340, and a .380 Ruger LCP. Because Leacy was previously convicted of second-degree robbery with use of a firearm in 2013, he is prohibited from possessing firearms.

According to court documents, in May 2025, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization located in West Sacramento. Over the course of the investigation, Kenney and Leacy were found to have sold fentanyl powder and methamphetamine. On Aug. 28, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the motel where Kenney and Leacy were residing and discovered additional quantities of drugs including fentanyl powder, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the West Sacramento Police Department and the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Harman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew DeMoura are prosecuting the case.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

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

In a coordinated arrest by several law enforcement agencies, three defendants were arrested today for their roles in a Covid-fraud scheme targeting the California Employment Development Department (EDD), U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

Yolanda Butler, 49, was arrested in Oklahoma, and her son Legerrius Holt, 28, was arrested in Colorado. Both are formerly of Stockton. The third defendant, Quamaine Massey, 33, formerly of North Carolina, was arrested in Ohio. On Aug. 7, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging the defendants with mail fraud; Butler and Holt are additionally charged with aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, between April 2020 and June 2021, the defendants perpetrated a mail fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted the Unemployment Insurance benefit program that California administers through EDD. Under the 2020 CARES Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, EDD was responsible for administering unemployment insurance benefits for qualifying residents who could no longer find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The defendants obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of dozens of individuals and filed at least 69 fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit claims under their identities. EDD approved many of these applications and mailed benefits in the form of prepaid debit cards to addresses under the defendants’ control, including dozens to Butler and Holt’s home address in Stockton and at least three to Massey’s home in North Carolina.

Once received, the defendants activated the cards and spent the benefits on themselves. In total, the defendants’ conduct resulted in EDD and the United States paying out more than $1.1 million, with an intended loss of more than $1.4 million.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General, and California EDD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, all defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for mail fraud, and Butler and Holt face a mandatory additional sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. The defendants also face a maximum fine of $250,000 on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 

Monique Marie Gonzales Grado, 32, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between Aug. 7, 2022, and Oct. 3, 2022, Gonzales Grado executed a scheme to defraud credit unions. She unlawfully used the identity of a victim to obtain a car loan to buy a Mercedes-Benz, a second car loan to buy a Jaguar, and a personal loan for purported “medical expenses.” In a credit union account associated with these loans, Gonzales Grado also deposited two checks that had been stolen and altered to reflect the name of the victim as payee, thus allowing Gonzales Grado access to the funds. She also used the victim’s identity to open an account with a mobile phone provider and to lease an apartment. And she provided law enforcement authorities with the victim’s driver’s license in order to avoid a traffic citation. Gonzales Grado was caught when she drove to a meeting with law enforcement regarding probation terms; she drove the fraudulently obtained Jaguar to the meeting. On searching the Jaguar, law enforcement found a driver’s license, Social Security card, and several other debit and credit cards in the victim’s name, among other items.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.

Gonzales Grado is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 6, 2026. Gonzales Grado faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on the bank fraud charge, as well as a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence on the aggravated identity theft charge. In addition to pleading guilty, Gonzales Grado agreed to pay up to $150,000 in restitution to the victims of her crimes. 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.