Eastern District of California

Alberto Ojeda Lopez, 69, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Ojeda Lopez conspired with his wife and daughter, co‑defendants Maria Medina Silvas, 66, of Mexico, and Alecsa Ojeda de Oregel, 44, of Stockton, to distribute heroin in and around Stockton. In September 2022, Ojeda Lopez and Medina Silvas sold an ounce of heroin to an undercover officer. In August 2023, they sold a kilogram of heroin to the undercover officer. The next day, law enforcement seized 2 kilograms of heroin from Ojeda Lopez’s and Medina Silvas’s vehicle. Law enforcement then searched the Stockton residence of Ojeda de Oregel, which was used as a drug and money stash house for the conspiracy, and seized 2.8 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of heroin, almost a half of a kilogram of methamphetamine, and $83,119 in cash drug proceeds.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.

Medina Silvas and Ojeda de Oregel are scheduled for jury trial on Feb. 17, 2026. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Ojeda Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 27, 2026. Ojeda Lopez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Parampreet Singh, 59, of Davis, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, opium, and ketamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Parampreet Singh and his co-conspirators, including co‑defendants Amandeep Multani, 37, of Roseville, and Ranvir Singh, 42, of Sacramento, coordinated cocaine, heroin, opium, and ketamine deals in Canada. They coordinated these deals from California over encrypted cellphone applications. Parampreet Singh was the leader and organizer of the conspiracy. In total, between October 2020 and April 2021, they coordinated sales to undercover officers of approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine, 1.5 kilograms of opium, 2 kilograms of ketamine, and multiple samples of heroin, for a total of $637,600 in Canadian dollars and $75,190 in U.S. dollars, in deals in Canada and Sacramento.

As part of his plea agreement, Parampreet Singh agreed to forfeit $2 million to the United States.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the York Regional Police in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Placer County Special Investigations Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Spencer and Haddy Abouzeid are prosecuting the case.

Multani pleaded guilty on Dec. 13, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2025.

Ranvir Singh is scheduled for a jury trial to begin on Oct. 6, 2025. The charges against Ranvir Singh are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Parampreet Singh is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 27, 2026. Parampreet Singh faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Charles Billingsley Jr., 55, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 15 years and eight months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between March and December 2019, Billingsley conspired with other members of a Stockton-based drug trafficking organization to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. Billingsley regularly obtained and distributed methamphetamine and heroin on behalf of the organization. On Dec. 5, 2019, law enforcement officers searched Billingsley’s two adjacent residences in Stockton and seized more than 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 30 ounces of heroin, six ounces of cocaine, four loaded firearms, and more than $33,000 in cash. Agents also eradicated 451 marijuana plants that Billingsley was growing in one of the residences and seized more than 52 pounds of processed marijuana.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.

On Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, a federal grand jury in Fresno brought two indictments for drug trafficking and one for illegal gun possession, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

Modesto

Manuel Rodriguez Diaz, 41, of Modesto, was charged with possessing more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. According to court documents, on July 10, 2025, Diaz was pulled over by law enforcement officers while driving north on California State Road 99 in Madera County. Officers seized 16 individually wrapped packages of cocaine from Diaz’s car. In total, Diaz was transporting approximately 27.65 kilograms (61 pounds) of cocaine.

This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol, the Madera Police Department, the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team, the Madera County District Attorney’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.

Bakersfield

Individually Packaged Methamphetamine Seized from Garcia’s Car.

Steven Paul Garcia, 53, of Bakersfield, was charged with possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. According to court documents, on Aug. 26, 2025, Garcia was pulled over by law enforcement officers while driving north on California state road 99 in Fresno County. During the stop, deputies seized approximately 22 pounds of methamphetamine individually packaged in 1-pound bags.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Bakersfield Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple is prosecuting the case.

Fresno

Thomas Carter Beasley, 20, of Fresno, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on Nov. 16, 2024, when law enforcement officers attempted to pull Beasley over in Fresno, he led them on a highspeed chase, speeding through stop signs and nearly hit bystanders. After crashing into a parked car, he fled on foot through a nearby apartment complex before he was caught and arrested. Officers later seized a loaded Glock 27 .40‑caliber pistol hidden under a doormat in a breezeway that Beasley fled through. The serial number of the firearm matched the gun box left behind in the crashed car. At the time, Beasley was on probation, and the firearm was loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. Beasley is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a prior felony conviction for receiving a stolen motor vehicle.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Robert Veneman-Hughes are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Diaz and Garcia face a statutory minimum of 10 years with a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. If convicted, Beasley 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; all of the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (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).

The case involving Beasley 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.

U.S. Attorney Eric Grant and Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho announced today the appointment of Deputy District Attorney Brad Ng to be a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to prosecute cases in federal court relating to transnational drug organizations with ties to the Sacramento region.

Ng will work on the Homeland Security Task Force, a team of federal and state prosecutors, agents, and analysts dedicated to combatting transnational organized crime and targeting cartels. As a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ng will remain employed by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and will be able to prosecute cases in both state and federal court. Ng will work in this role for a two-year term.

“We see the impact of dangerous drugs throughout our community, from homelessness, violence and property crimes, and even fatalities,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Partnering with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office will allow our offices to bring more cases targeting transnational drug organizations that impact Sacramento County. Brad Ng is a talented and experienced lawyer who will work to ensure that those who distribute large amounts of drugs in the Sacramento region are held accountable. I am grateful to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and District Attorney Ho for their collaboration and commitment to keeping our community safe.”

“This partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office is a continuation of our fight to eradicate the fentanyl crisis, which has already resulted in Sacramento fentanyl deaths dropping 70% since 2023,” said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. “With Brad’s prosecutorial skills, he will play a key role in taking down transnational organizations that are flooding our communities with fentanyl and other deadly drugs.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office currently has Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the District Attorney’s Offices of Yolo, Placer, and Fresno Counties.

Hewer Berlany Santos, 30, of Los Angeles, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins to 21 months in prison for assaulting a federal officer, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 21, 2023, Santos intentionally struck a federal correctional officer in the face while he was working at a federal prison in Herlong in Lassen County. The correctional officer sustained cuts and abrasions to his face which necessitated medical attention.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case. 

A Visalia construction company CEO was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging that he fraudulently obtained more than $4 million in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief funds and federally guaranteed small business loans, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between April and June 2020, Joey Wayne Mackey, 45, of Visalia, submitted fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications for three of his companies: Forcum-Mackey Construction Inc., a general contractor based in Ivanhoe; JWM Inc., a purported construction consulting company for which Mackey is the sole proprietor based in Mackey’s Visalia home; and Mack Aviation LLC, a provider of refueling and hangar‑rental services for charter jets at Visalia Municipal Airport.

All three of these applications contained fraudulent numbers of employees and monthly payroll cost calculations, which caused a bank, serving as a lending partner funding the COVID-19 relief through guaranteed small business loans, to disburse $4,082,550 in funds it otherwise would not have given. Over the following months, Mackey laundered the PPP loan funds through fraudulent payroll payments to family members (including his minor children), while Mackey controlled the bank accounts of those family members. In October 2020, Mackey then pulled the funds out of the family member accounts to buy revenue-generating real estate acquisitions, such as office parks and luxury apartment complexes from which he enriched himself further through rent payments from tenants. Mackey continued making real estate investments and luxury goods purchases traceable to PPP funds through at least 2023.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Kevin Khasigian are prosecuting the case.

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

This 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. 

On Wednesday, after a one-day trial, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd found Jawana Washington, 45, of Fresno, guilty of aiding and abetting a felon’s possession of a firearm as well as disposing of a firearm to a felon, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Jawana Washington knowingly provided a firearm to her son, Taylor Washington, a documented gang member and convicted felon. On March 25, 2022, Jawana Washington agreed to lend him her firearm, cautioning him not to do anything “crazy,” to use his own ammunition, and not to get her sent to jail. Minutes later, agents observed Taylor Washington arrive at his mother’s apartment complex, meet with her, and leave in a vehicle. During a subsequent traffic stop, officers recovered a Springfield Armory XD-9 handgun, registered to Jawana Washington, from the car’s center console. After the stop, Jawana Washington exchanged messages with others in which she acknowledged that Taylor Washington had her firearm and urged deletion of incriminating text messages.

Jawana Washington is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 15, 2025, by Judge Drozd. Jawana Washington faces a maximum sentence of 10 years prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Taylor Washington, a co-defendant in this case, was separately convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced by the district court to a term of imprisonment.

The case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno-area Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit, the California Department of Justice Human Trafficking / Sexual Predator Apprehension Team, the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are prosecuting the case.

Justin Damonte Mitchell, 32, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, two counts of distributing methamphetamine, and one count of distributing fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Mitchell was recruited by his brother, co-defendant Kristopher Thomas, 37, who is serving a gang-related murder sentence at the Kern Valley State Prison in Delano, to assist in drug transactions outside of prison. In September 2022, Mitchell agreed to and did deliver one-half pound of fentanyl to co-defendant Natasha Michelle Bailey, 46, of Bakersfield, to smuggle into the prison for another inmate, co-defendant Derrick D. Charles, 43. Later that month, Mitchell assisted Thomas in the shipment of packages containing approximately 48 pounds of methamphetamine intended for delivery in Oklahoma and Alabama. The fentanyl and methamphetamine seizures followed wire intercepts of Thomas’s contraband cellphone.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.

Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Dec. 1, 2025. Mitchell faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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. Learn more at Justice.gov/OCDETF.

FRESNO, Calif. —Timothy Scott Chenot, 34, of Fresno, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to seven years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Chenot drove around a residential neighborhood in Southeast Fresno late at night on August 2, 2024. As he drove, he fired an AR-15 .223 caliber rifle out his truck’s window. Chenot unloaded several rounds into unoccupied cars parked on the side of the road before discarding his firearm on the street and driving away. Responding officers, however, pulled Chenot over and arrested him. They found several empty shells, ammunition, and open alcoholic containers in the truck. Police also found and seized the firearm and several spent shells at the scene of the shooting.

.223 Caliber AR-15 Chenot Fired Out of His Moving Vehicle

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department 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. Learn more at Justice.gov/PSN.

FRESNO, Calif. — Ady Perez, 26, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to five years in prison for possessing over 40 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Perez was arrested while trying to sell 1,500 fentanyl pills. Perez attempted to flee in his car but quickly ran into a police vehicle and was arrested. Shortly after his arrest, law enforcement searched his apartment and seized two loaded firearms, large amounts of cash, and additional fentanyl and Farmapram (Benzodiazepine) pills packaged for distribution.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple and Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin Heinz prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Roman Rodriguez, 26, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 15.5 years in prison for receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between Feb. 18, 2024, and Feb. 22, 2024, Rodriguez used an iPhone and the internet to receive and distribute images depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Rodriguez received more than 600 images, which included depictions of the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children and at least one toddler. 

This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter prosecuted the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment Thursday against Cruz Tinajero, 25, of Napa, and Ashan Naeem, 24, of Stockton, charging them with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and possession of a firearm without a serial number, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between April 11, 2024, and Nov. 13, 2024, Tinajero and Naeem conspired to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl. Tinajero and Naeem also possessed a semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle manufactured without a serial number.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Taskforce (METRO), and the Stockton High Intensity Narcotics Enforcement (SHINE), which is part of the Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (CVC HIDTA). Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of up to 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 Neighborhood (PSN).

This investigation and prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location.  The specific mission of the OCDETF Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, and prosecute the most significant criminal organizations operating in the Eastern District of California.  OCDETF Sacramento Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from DEA, FBI, HSI, IRS-CI, USMS, ATF, USPIS, BLM, USFS, Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, California National Guard, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, and Central Valley CA HIDTA.  The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California with the assistance of the Yolo County and Placer County District Attorney.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Thursday against Roland Edward Bain, 40, of Sacramento, charging him with two counts of sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Bain sexually exploited two minors, one between 2021 and 2023, and another in 2024. Bain is currently in state custody on related charges.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Sacramento Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Harman is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Bain faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison on each count 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 was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.

FRESNO​, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against James Key III, 45, of Eustis, Florida, charging him with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, ​U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.   

According to court documents, between Dec. 16, 2024, and Aug. 17, 2025, Key conspired with Federal Bureau of Prisons inmates to introduce fentanyl and contraband cellphones into BOP facilities in Atwater, California, Florida, and South Carolina. Key and his conspirators applied fentanyl onto paper, bundled that paper, wrapped it in synthetic grass, and then delivered it by drone into the prisons.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case. 

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

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Isaac Rodriguez, 26, of Arvin, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Rodriguez was found to be in possession of a firearm after he was arrested on warrants for violations of probation. Rodriguez cannot legally possess firearms because he has been previously convicted of several felony offenses, including taking a vehicle, evading arrest, and being felon in possession of a firearm.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Baty is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Rodriguez 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).

Brian Hindman, 49, of Madera, was arrested today on criminal complaint for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of counterfeit U.S. Postal Service keys, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court records, on July 25, 2025, as Hindman pulled into a casino parking lot, law enforcement officers arrested him for an outstanding state warrant for burglary. Hindman was found with a loaded 9 mm Ruger pistol that he was prohibited from possessing due to several prior felony convictions for which he spent over four years in state prison. Hindman was also found with six counterfeit U.S. Postal Service keys that are commonly used by thieves to steal mail, and several driver’s licenses and debit cards in other people’s names.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Hindman faces maximum penalties of 15 years in prison for the gun charge and 10 years in prison for the possession of counterfeit USPS keys charge. He also faces up to 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.

Rayshawn Williams, 20, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to illegally dealing in firearms and two counts of possessing machine guns, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between May and July 2024, Williams sold 10 firearms to a confidential informant in illegal deals conducted on the streets in exchange for cash. Of the firearms sold to the informant, two of them were Glock pistols with machine gun conversion devices, popularly known as “switches,” that allow the Glock pistols to fire in a fully automatic mode.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department Crime Gun Intelligence Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt and Zulkar Khan are prosecuting the case.

Williams is set for sentencing before U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Dec. 9, 2025. Williams faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the machine gun charges, a five-year maximum penalty on the illegal firearms trafficking charge, 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 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).

Salvador Vega Rendon Jr., 33, of Turlock, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 16 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Nov. 29, 2020, in Stanislaus County, Rendon was driving while intoxicated and crashed his vehicle into a parked car. Witnesses observed Rendon remove an ice chest and several other suitcases and bags from his vehicle and place them on the side of the road and in the driveway of a nearby property. Law enforcement officers arrived and apprehended Rendon. The ice chest, bags and suitcases and Rendon’s vehicle were found to contain more than 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, 7,000 pills containing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, LSD, marijuana, firearms, and body armor. Three of the four firearms that Rendon possessed in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime were outfitted with devices that enabled them to function as fully automatic weapons.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Michael G. Tierney prosecuted the case.

Fresno restaurant operator Robert “Bobby” Salazar, 63, has been arrested on a federal complaint for arson of commercial property and arson in furtherance of a felony for directing a motorcycle gang member to set fire to an underperforming restaurant property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on April 2, 2024, a fire broke out at the vacant Bobby Salazar’s restaurant on Blackstone Avenue in Fresno. Fire investigators determined that the cause of the fire was arson, with partially burned gas cans located inside the restaurant and extensive fire damage to the interior:

Fire damage inside the restaurant

Partially burned gas cans

According to court documents, agents learned that the person who set the fire was the president of the local Screamin’ Demons Motorcycle Club. Salazar allegedly hired the motorcycle gang member to start the fire and then claimed to his insurance company that he had nothing to do with the arson. He was ultimately paid out at least $980,739 for his insurance claim.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Fire Department, with assistance from the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Veneman-Hughes and Brittany M. Gunter are prosecuting the case.

Salazar is expected to make an initial court appearance on Aug. 27, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe in Fresno at 2:00 P.M.

If convicted, Salazar faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for commercial arson, as well as 10 years in prison mandatorily consecutive for arson in furtherance of a felony. 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.

Criminal Complaint

Timothy McCulley, 35, of Escalon, was arrested today after a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging him with production of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Nov. 9 and 14, 2024, McCulley used a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, which includes the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department, as well as Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, McCulley faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of production of child sexual abuse material. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

Javier Aguilera Rosas, 43, residing in Los Angeles, pleaded guilty today to transfer of a false identity document, misuse of a social security number, and reentry of a removed alien, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between August 2020 and December 2023, Rosas transferred at least 20 false identification documents to multiple buyers in the Eastern District of California. On multiple occasions, buyers submitted orders to Rosas through text message asking for fraudulent passports, driver’s licenses, and/or Social Security cards. After obtaining the fraudulent IDs as specified by the particular buyer, Rosas mailed the false IDs to the buyer. On at least four occasions, he provided IDs containing the true name, birthdate, and Social Security number of identity theft victims.

At least one buyer used the false IDs Rosas provided to sell marijuana out of state, pay for short-term rentals, and travel, including passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody is prosecuting the case.

Rosas is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Jan. 12, 2026. Rosas 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.

Jesus Perez Garcia Jr., 25, of Arleta, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 19 years and seven months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Garcia worked for a Mexico-based drug-trafficking ring that imported from Mexico into the United States large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. That drug ring was dismantled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in June 2024, in an operation dubbed “Toxic Waste.”

Garcia was arrested in June 2022, trying to smuggle 25 pounds of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico. He was charged but skipped bail. While a fugitive, he began serving as a “stash house” operator for a Mexican-based drug ring. Between July 2023 and March 2024, he maintained the organization’s drugs in the United States and distributed them to others who resold them. He was involved in trafficking over 3,500 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 pounds of fentanyl. In March 2024, he was arrested while transporting methamphetamine and a firearm.

Garcia was indicted along with 14 others in an investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 50 pounds of fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. As evidenced by tens of thousands of recorded communications, the organization smuggled methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl (in powder and pill form) in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also secreted thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi-trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars and brought it across the border.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Inland Regional Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Los Angeles Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

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

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

Alejandro Galvan-Silvestre, 26, pleaded guilty today to knowingly aiming the beam of a laser pointer at a Kern County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, Air One, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 5, 2021, Galvan-Silvestre was drinking with his family and friends outside his residence when he noticed the Sheriff’s helicopter. Galvan-Silvestre then began to shine the laser pointer toward the helicopter, which was conducting routine patrol in the area.

In the year of Galvan-Silvestre’s laser strike, there were 9,723 reported incidents involving laser strikes of aircraft across the country. At the time, that was an annual record high according to data kept by the Federal Aviation Administration.

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

Galvan-Silvestre is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 17, 2025. He 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.

Jeffrey Caldwell, 37, of Vallejo, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to 14 years and seven months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

On May 13, 2025, following a two-day trial before Judge Coggins, a jury found Caldwell guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Caldwell is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his 14 prior felony convictions, which include convictions for assault, burglary, and stalking.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 16, 2024, when multiple guests of a motel in Vallejo called 911 to report that Caldwell was firing a gun inside the building. Officers from the Vallejo Police Department (VPD) quickly responded and evacuated the building, at which point Caldwell barricaded himself in his room and refused to surrender. The Vallejo Police deployed their SWAT and Hostage Negotiation Teams, beginning a multi-hour standoff which lasted into the early morning of the next day.

The standoff finally ended when the SWAT Team deployed chemical agents into Caldwell’s room, which forced him out. Caldwell attempted to flee but was quickly arrested. A search of Caldwell’s person did not locate the firearm, but when the officers entered his room, they found a large hole in the bathroom wall. Stuffed inside the hole were multiple items, including a shower curtain, clothing, a canister of bear spray, and a pistol. Officers inspected the gun and determined that it was a privately manufactured firearm, commonly referred to as a ghost gun due to its lack of a traceable serial number. Caldwell had left the gun with a single round of ammunition still in the chamber.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vallejo Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Campbell and R. Alexander Cárdenas prosecuted the case.

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

Armond Bass, 40, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty Thursday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on two days in October 2024, Bass possessed and sold illegal firearms and ammunition in the parking lot of a softball field in the city of Vacaville. On the first day, October 23, Bass sold an AR-15-style privately manufactured firearm and more than 200 rounds of ammunition. Less than a week later, Bass returned, this time to sell a Colt M16 semi-automatic rifle. Bass is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his multiple prior felony convictions, including two felony convictions for domestic violence.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vacaville Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.

Bass is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Dec. 11, 2025. Bass 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 Department 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.

Julian Arellano-Taylor, 21, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to nine years in prison for dealing firearms without a license and distribution of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between May 3, 2023, and March 3, 2024, Arellano-Taylor advertised and sold firearms on Instagram. Unbeknownst to Arellano-Taylor, one customer was a confidential informant and purchased 11 firearms from him. These firearms included ghost guns without serial numbers that were designed to replicate Glock pistols and AR-15-style rifles. At the same time as he was selling firearms, Arellano-Taylor was also selling cocaine.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department, the Lodi Police Department, the Stockton Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Gang Suppression Unit, and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura prosecuted the case.

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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF. 

The Justice Department announced that a federal grand jury in Fresno returned a five-count indictment yesterday charging former California Superior Court Judge Adolfo Corona, 66, with federal offenses for sexually assaulting a court employee (Victim 1), making false statements to cover up the assault, and with obstructing the investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted another court employee (Victim 2) in his chambers.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.

The indictment alleges that on March 14, 2024, Corona, while serving as a California Superior Court Judge, led Victim 1 into a courthouse stairwell where he sexually assaulted her. The indictment further alleges that Corona, during separate interviews with the FBI and court administrators, made false statements about the circumstances of his assault on Victim 1. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Corona obstructed the investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted Victim 2. Corona was alone with Victim 2 in his chambers for approximately two hours on Dec. 5, 2023, and she was later found alone in the judge’s chambers after being passed out. The indictment charges that Corona falsely told the FBI that he left Victim 2 alone in his chambers while he drove to pick up a motorcycle. Corona allegedly attempted to persuade a motorcycle dealership employee to change company records to falsely reflect that he had picked up his motorcycle in order to corroborate his alibi.

If convicted, Corona faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison on the sexual assault charge and 20 years on each of the obstruction charges. 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 the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and 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 are prosecuting the case.

Anyone with information about this investigation is encouraged to contact their local FBI office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or submit a tip to tips.fbi.gov.

The Justice Department announced that a federal grand jury in Fresno, California, returned a five-count indictment yesterday charging former California Superior Court Judge Adolfo Corona, 66, with federal offenses for sexually assaulting a 33-year-old court employee (Victim 1), making false statements to cover up the assault, and with obstructing the investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted a 43-year-old court employee (Victim 2) in his chambers.

The indictment alleges that on March 14, 2024, Corona, while serving as a California Superior Court Judge, led Victim 1 into a courthouse stairwell where he sexually assaulted her. The indictment further alleges that Corona, during separate interviews with the FBI and court administrators, made false statements about the circumstances of his assault on Victim 1. Additionally, the indictment alleges that Corona obstructed the investigation into allegations that he sexually assaulted Victim 2. Corona was alone with Victim 2 in his chambers for approximately two hours on Dec. 5, 2023, and she was later found alone in the judge’s chambers after being passed out. The indictment charges that Corona falsely told the FBI that he left Victim 2 alone in his chambers while he drove to pick up a motorcycle. It also charges that Corona attempted to persuade a motorcycle dealership employee to change company records to falsely reflect that he had picked up his motorcycle in order to corroborate his alibi.

If convicted, Corona faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison on the sexual assault charge and 20 years on each of the obstruction charges. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office made the announcement.

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 are prosecuting the case. 

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

A federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed Thursday, charging Oleg Gregorvich Fursov, 52, of Elk Grove, with wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Fursov fraudulently obtained more than $1 million as part of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program to purportedly assist his business in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, Fursov used the funds for his own personal use.

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

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

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 grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against Stanislav Yelizarov, 35, an inmate in the United States Penitentiary, Atwater, charging him with threatening the family of a federal official, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Yelizarov had been previously convicted in the District of Maryland and was undergoing further proceedings in the District of Maryland and the Fourth Circuit. The prosecutor in those cases was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Maryland.

On March 23, 2024, Yelizarov, using a recorded prison telephone line, communicated a threat to the Assistant U.S. Attorney that he intended to kill the prosecutor’s “whole family.” Yelizarov had previously sent threatening letters to the prosecutor.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California was assisted by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Maryland and the Eastern District of Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Yelizarov 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.

Michael Keith Rubino, 37, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Rubino used his iPhone to record a video of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a 17-year-old girl who resided with him for approximately six weeks in late 2024. After his victim was admitted to a local hospital, Rubino told law enforcement officers that he never engaged in sexual conduct with her despite knowing that he had done so while she was seventeen.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.

Rubino is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Nov. 11, 2025. Rubino faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

Manuel Cisneros, 48, of Fresno, appears for arraignment today after a federal grand jury indictment charged him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Feb. 20, 2025, Cisneros possessed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and several rounds of .40-caliber ammunition. Cisneros is prohibited from possessing ammunition because of prior felony drug trafficking convictions in Fresno County.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.

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

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat 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). 

A federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed today, charging Marcos Gonzalez-Reyes, 43, of Vallejo, with distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, in December 2024, Gonzalez-Reyes used a peer-to-peer software client known as eMule to distribute hundreds of depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct to undercover law enforcement agents over the course of only three days. Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Gonzalez-Reyes’s Vallejo residence in May 2025 and seized electronic devices containing thousands of additional depictions of children—including toddlers—engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of distributing child sexual abuse material, Gonzalez-Reyes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material, Gonzalez-Reyes faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case 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.

Jeff Lorenzo, 40, of Winters, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sean C. Riordan to 30 days in prison for sexual assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 9, 2024, Lorenzo was flying from Seattle to Sacramento. A 20-year-old woman was one of the last passengers to board the flight. She took the last remaining seat between Lorenzo and his co-worker in the back of the aircraft. During the flight, Lorenzo willfully and repeatedly touched the woman without her consent. He grazed her leg with his hand, put his head near her crotch under the guise of picking up his dropped phone, and pressed his arm into her breast multiple times throughout the flight.

Lorenzo’s co-workers reported that Lorenzo has a history of behaving inappropriately, including harassing women.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody prosecuted the case.

Brayan Missael Nunez-Mendoza, 24, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to four years and three months in prison for distribution of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 29, 2022, Nunez-Mendoza sold approximately 1,000 pills that contained fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, to a confidential source for $2,500 in Sacramento, on behalf of a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization. The pills were made to look like prescription oxycodone “M-30” pills.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Spencer and Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case.

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

Felix Ortiz-Plata, 44, a Mexican national residing in Stockton, and Anuar Castaneda Ortiz, 29, a Mexican national residing in Sacramento, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges arising out of a seizure of more than 260 pounds of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Dec. 5, 2022, law enforcement officers stopped Castaneda Ortiz’s vehicle. During a search of the car, they discovered more than 260 pounds of crystal methamphetamine packaged in 90 plastic bags on the backseat of Castaneda Ortiz’s car and in the trunk.

On Aug. 8, 2025, Ortiz-Plata entered his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine for his involvement in the crime. Today, Castaneda Ortiz entered his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Land Management, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt is prosecuting the case.

Ortiz-Plata is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena C. Coggins on Nov. 21, 2025. Castaneda Ortiz is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 19, 2025. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jagninder Singh Boparai, 49, of Manteca, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to nine years in prison for conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

“This defendant met on five separate occasions with a person he thought to be a hitman and provided payments for the services he desired in order to ‘teach a lesson’ to two of his enemies,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Fortunately, there was no hitman, and today’s sentence teaches a lesson that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will use all its tools to bring to justice those who endanger the safety of the public.”

“The FBI has a zero tolerance for violent crimes and will take action to prevent assaults and homicides from happening,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the Sacramento Field Office. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their support and collaboration that ensured both the safety of the victims and a successful outcome to a critical investigation.”

According to court documents, Boparai conspired with Ramesh Kumar Birla Jr., 47, of Dublin, and Shaminderjit Singh Sandhu, 51, of Tracy, to murder a man with whom they had a dispute. In February 2023, Boparai met with a person he believed to be a hitman at a Starbucks in Manteca. Unbeknownst to Boparai and his co-defendants, throughout their interactions, the hitman was a confidential informant working for the FBI. Boparai told the supposed hitman that the first job involved the assault of another man with whom the defendants were feuding. Once the hitman proved his trustworthiness, he would be given another job.

According to court documents, the following day, Boparai met the confidential informant again and offered to pay $6,000 for the assault. In March 2023, in the presence of Birla and another individual, Boparai met with the confidential informant, and Boparai gave the confidential informant $1,000 as a down payment for the assault. After more time had passed, the confidential informant showed Boparai a staged photo of the supposed assault victim lying on the ground covered in bruises, dirt, and blood to indicate the assault had occurred. Boparai said he liked the photo and told the confidential informant that he had two other “jobs,” one of which involved robbing a business, and the other involved making a person “disappear.”

According to court documents, in March 2023, Boparai met with the confidential informant to pay the confidential informant $10,000 as a down payment for the murder for hire job. Sandhu provided the second victim’s address, and Boparai instructed the confidential informant that the victim must disappear without any evidence remaining. On March 24, 2023, Sandhu and Birla met with the confidential informant in a parking lot in Manteca. Sandhu and Birla claimed that Boparai was out of town, but Boparai was observed by surveillance remaining in a car in the same parking lot. Sandhu and Birla instructed the confidential informant to kill the victim and take his remains to Mexico in a suitcase.

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

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

Sandhu pleaded guilty to the same charge on July 31, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13, 2025, by Judge Calabretta. Sandhu faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Charges are pending against Birla, and he is scheduled for a status conference on Oct. 23, 2025. If convicted, he faces the same penalties as Sandhu. The charges against Birla are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Mario Gonzalez, 43, of Manteca, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 12 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Dec. 17, 2019, law enforcement officers responded to a misconduct call from Gonzalez, reporting the improper towing of his truck. Before arriving on scene, officers learned that Gonzalez had an active felony warrant for his arrest. Once at the scene, officers took Gonzalez into custody. During an inventory search of Gonzalez’ truck prior to towing it, officers found a loaded revolver with additional rounds of ammunition in a toolbox in the truck. Gonzalez is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of multiple prior felony convictions for domestic violence and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manteca Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly prosecuted the case.

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

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Joseph Allen Davis, 19, of Sacramento, charging him with 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. Davis is prohibited from possessing any firearms and ammunition because he has previously been 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 and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Davis 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.

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.

Raymond James Cornett, 53, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child, United States Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Cornett requested and received from a woman in Canada videos and images of a six-year-old victim and a 7-year-old victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, Cornett admitted to requesting images and videos of sexually explicit conduct from two other minor victims.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S Attorney Roger Yang is prosecuting the case.

The Canadian woman was prosecuted by Canadian authorities.

Cornett is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Dec. 8, 2025. Cornett faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

Jose Nunez, 43, of Lancaster, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 21 years and 10 months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Nunez worked for a Mexico-based drug-trafficking ring that imported from Mexico into the United States large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. That drug ring was dismantled in June 2024, in an operation dubbed “Toxic Waste.”

Nunez served as a “stash house” operator for the drug ring. He maintained the organization’s drugs in the United States and distributed it to others who resold it. He was also involved in establishing and operating a methamphetamine conversion laboratory, where he and others converted liquid methamphetamine to crystal methamphetamine.

Nunez was arrested along with 14 others an investigation that resulted in the seizure of more than 12,900 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 50 pounds of fentanyl mixture, 39 pounds of cocaine, and 22 pounds of heroin. For sentencing purposes, Nunez was found to be responsible for distributing 3,500 pounds of the methamphetamine. As evidenced by tens of thousands of recorded communications, the organization smuggled methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl (in powder and pill form) in portable projectors and batteries, under the guise of a legitimate transportation business. The organization also secreted thousands of pounds of methamphetamine inside semi-trucks and hundreds of pounds of liquid methamphetamine in the gas tanks of cars and brought it across the border.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office’s Inland Regional Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team, and the Los Angeles Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

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

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

Ryan Gines, 44, of Hanford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 15 years and six months in prison for trafficking methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, in March 2019, various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies partnered in Operation Red Reaper, an investigation into the Nuestra Familia prison gang and the Norteño street gang in Kings County. The investigation uncovered that Nuestra Familia was responsible for large-scale trafficking of methamphetamine and other controlled substances, as well as various firearms offenses and other violent crimes. The operation resulted in federal charges brought against 21 drug traffickers, including Gines.

In May 2019, recorded interceptions on a wiretap revealed that Gines was conspiring with others to obtain and sell more than 5 pounds of methamphetamine. With the aid of the wiretap, shortly after midnight, a Kings County Sheriff’s deputy stopped the car transporting that methamphetamine, searched the car, and found the drugs.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Kings County Gang Task Force, Agents of the Special Operations Unit which is a team of agents from the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the FBI, the Kings County District Attorney's Office, and the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. The DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations all assisted with the takedown. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.

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

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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California announced that Eric Grant was sworn in today as the Interim United States Attorney by Chief United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley.

Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Mr. Grant to be the United States Attorney beginning on Aug. 11, 2025. He 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 am honored to rejoin the Department of Justice to lead an excellent team of lawyers and other public servants in our shared mission to enhance public safety and the rule of law in Northern California. I look forward to working with that team and with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners in law enforcement and otherwise 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 office has 72 attorneys and 61 non-attorney staff with offices in Sacramento, Fresno, and Bakersfield.

Dallas Humber, 35, of Elk Grove, — leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — pleaded guilty today to all charges against her, including soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, the Justice Department and Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

“Hate and terror have no place in this country or abroad,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By securing this conviction, my office makes clear that purveyors of these heinous crimes will be brought to justice.”

“Humber led a transnational terrorist group promoting white supremacy, hate crimes, and violence, including soliciting the murder of U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Her actions posed a direct threat to our citizens and national security, and the National Security Division will hold her, as well as others who commit these illegal acts, accountable for their terrorist aims.”

“Humber solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sanchez. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law and keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.”

“The leader of the Terrorgram Collective influenced hate and violence across the globe while living in a quiet suburb,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Through close collaboration with our domestic and international partners, we defended the homeland and dismantled a dangerous network intent on inciting violence to advance its extremist ideology. Those who direct or commit acts of terror in our communities will face justice.”

With her guilty plea, Humber admitted the following facts: from July 2022 until her arrest in September 2024, she served as a leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a white supremacist transnational terrorist group. To achieve their ends, she and other members of the Terrorgram Collective solicited individuals to commit hate crimes, terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure, and assassinations; and provided technical, inspirational, and operational guidance to equip those individuals to plan, prepare for, and successfully carry out those attacks.

Inspired and guided by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective, individuals committed attacks or plotted to commit attacks in the United States and elsewhere, including, plotting to attack an energy facility in New Jersey, plotting to bomb an energy facility in Tennessee, plotting to murder two people in Wisconsin in furtherance of plans to assassinate a federal official, and attempting to assassinate an Australian official. In addition, individuals led by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective have committed acts of violence internationally, including shooting three people, killing two, at an LGBT bar in Bratislava, Slovakia; shooting 11 people, killing four, at two schools in Aracruz, Brazil; and stabbing five people outside of a mosque in Eskişehir, Turkey.

The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Abendroth, Senior Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Samuel A. Kuhn of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division are prosecuting the case.

Humber is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins. The plea agreement contemplates a sentence of 25 to 30 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court at the sentencing hearing.

The Justice Department announced today that Dallas Humber, 35, of Elk Grove, California — leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group — pleaded guilty to all charges against her, including soliciting hate crimes, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.

District Court Judge Dena Coggins found that Humber’s plea was knowing and voluntary, and deferred acceptance of the plea agreement until the sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for Dec. 5. Humber faces a penalty of 25 to 30 years in federal prison.

“Hate and terror have no place in this country or abroad,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “By securing this conviction, my office makes clear that purveyors of these heinous crimes will be brought to justice.”

“Humber led a transnational terrorist group promoting white supremacy, hate crimes, and violence, including soliciting the murder of U.S. government officials,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Her actions posed a direct threat to our citizens and national security, and the National Security Division will hold her, as well as others who commit these illegal acts, accountable for their terrorist aims.”

“Humber solicited murders and hate crimes based on the race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity of others,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez for the Eastern District of California. “The U.S. Attorney’s office will continue to work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law and keep our people and public officials safe from hate-fueled crimes of violence.”

"The leader of the Terrorgram Collective influenced hate and violence across the globe while living in a quiet suburb,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Through close collaboration with our domestic and international partners, we defended the homeland and dismantled a dangerous network intent on inciting violence to advance its extremist ideology. Those who direct or commit acts of terror in our communities will face justice.”

With her guilty plea, Humber admitted the following facts: from July 2022 until her arrest in September 2024, she served as a leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a white supremacist transnational terrorist group. To achieve their ends, she and other members of the Terrorgram Collective solicited individuals to commit hate crimes, terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure, and assassinations; and provided technical, inspirational, and operational guidance to equip those individuals to plan, prepare for, and successfully carry out those attacks.

Inspired and guided by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective, individuals committed attacks or plotted to commit attacks in the United States and elsewhere, including: plotting to attack an energy facility in New Jersey; plotting to bomb an energy facility in Tennessee; murdering two people in Wisconsin in furtherance of plans to assassinate a federal official; and attempting to assassinate an Australian official.  In addition, individuals led by Humber and the Terrorgram Collective have committed acts of violence internationally, including shooting three people, killing two, at an LGBT bar in Bratislava, Slovakia; shooting eleven people, killing four, at two schools in Aracruz, Brazil; and stabbing five people outside of a mosque in Eskişehir, Turkey.

The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from a variety of foreign and domestic law enforcement agencies.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.

Tabitha Leigh Markle, 53, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

“Today’s sentencing highlights the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continuing efforts to actively prosecute fraud against the unemployment insurance program that served as a lifeline for millions during the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Sanchez. “We are committed to ensuring unemployment benefits go to the unemployed who need the assistance, not to thieves who believe they are above the law.”

“Tabitha Markle unlawfully obtained over $2.5 million in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits by using the personal identifying information of other people, including several inmates in California state prisons, to file fraudulent claims. She falsified employment records to make it appear that the claimants were eligible for benefits when, in fact, they were not. Many of these individuals were unwitting participants in her scheme. The illegally obtained unemployment insurance funds, which Markle used for personal gain, were intended to support American workers facing economic hardship during an unprecedented public health crisis,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

According to court documents, between April 2020 and January 2021, Markle defrauded the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and the United States out of unemployment insurance benefits. Markle collected personally identifiable information (PII) including names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other information, and submitted fraudulent applications for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to EDD. Markle and her associates caused the UI debit cards to be mailed to addresses she listed in the fraudulent applications. They used the cards that were issued in the names of the supposed beneficiaries to withdraw cash from ATMs throughout California. Markle and her associates often appeared in ATM surveillance photos taking out large amounts of cash from the cards. Markle and her criminal associates obtained approximately $2,599,038 from the fraud.

Markle also used the means of identification of various victims, including one victim, who was a resident of Oakland. Without the victim’s knowledge or permission, Markle filed a false unemployment insurance application with California EDD using the victim’s true name and other identifying information, but using a false email address, phone number and mailing address. Markle’s associates withdrew thousands of dollars of unemployment insurance benefits from the card issued to the victim.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General, California EDD – Investigation Division, and the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv Sharma prosecuted the case.

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.

Salomon Jaime Salgado, 61, pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft and illegal reentry, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

According to court documents, Salgado is a citizen of Mexico who was deported from the United States in 1999. After unlawfully reentering the county, Salgado obtained a birth certificate of a deceased U.S. citizen. Salgado used that birth certificate, along with the deceased’s citizen’s Social Security Number and a California driver’s license, to apply for a U.S. passport under the deceased’s name.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service’s Las Vegas and San Francisco Field Offices, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.

Salgado is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 30, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley. Salgado faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 12 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.

A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Bee Her, 20, of Fresno, charging him with unlawful transfer of firearms in violation of the National Firearms Act and dealing and manufacturing firearms without a license, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

According to court documents, Her sold 10 firearms to undercover agents in three different transactions, including multiple short-barreled rifles. Her sold firearms despite being told by the undercover agent that the firearms were going to Mexico. He also possessed 12 privately manufactured firearms receivers and six auto-sear machine gun conversion devices for purposes of sale.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium, and the California Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Her 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 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 an indictment today against Miguel Angel Dorantes, aka Miguel Castro, 28, of Fresno, charging him with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

According to court documents, between Nov. 6, 2021, and May 7, 2025, Dorantes used three minors to create visual depictions of the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dorantes also provided obscene material to a minor in November 2021.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Dorantes faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine for each count of sexual exploitation of a minor. If convicted of transferring obscene material to a minor, Dorantes faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, and up to 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 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.