Eastern District of California

FRESNO, Calif. — On Sept. 17, a grand jury indicted Nouman Mustafa, 36, of Torrance, and Mohsin Khan, 40, of Bakersfield, on multiple counts of health care fraud and aggravated identity theft for submitting millions of dollars in fraudulent claims for durable medical equipment to Medicare, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today. 

On Feb. 11, 2026, Mustafa was arrested on a criminal complaint at the Los Angeles International Airport while trying to board a one-way flight to Pakistan. Khan was arrested at his home in Bakersfield yesterday and will make his initial court appearance today.

According to court records, Mustafa and Khan are Pakistani nationals with dual United States citizenship who have worked in the United States as security guards, warehouse managers, and licensed insurance agents. From January 2025 through January 2026, they created a series of shell companies designed to look like legitimate durable medical equipment (DME) companies. In reality, none of the companies had physical storefronts, warehouses, or any locations where legitimate business could have been conducted. Mustafa and Khan then used these companies to quickly submit more than $3.5 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare. They typically relied on one company for only a few weeks or months until its claims began getting denied for suspected fraud, at which point they shifted to the next company. 

Mustafa and Khan got the information to file the fraudulent claims from their contacts in Pakistan and elsewhere. This information included details about real Medicare beneficiaries and their doctors. The defendants kept approximately 30% of the proceeds and sent the remainder back to their contacts. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arelis Clemente and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Mustafa and Khan face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the health care fraud counts and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, consecutive to the sentences they receive for any other counts, for each of the aggravated identity theft counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — On Friday, Sept. 25, after a four day trial, a federal jury found Andrew Madrid, 27, of Modesto, guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distributing fentanyl in Stanislaus County, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, Madrid was involved in two drug deals that took place in a shopping center parking lot in Turlock. In March 2023, Madrid and others provided another individual with two firearms and 1,000 fentanyl pills. A month later, in April 2023, Madrid and others sold 6,000 fentanyl pills and a Draco rifle (PAK-9 9 mm Luger) to the same individual. 

March 2023

April 2023

This case was part of Operation Blue Death, an investigation into illegal drug and firearm trafficking in Stanislaus County between September 2022 and June 2023. The operation came to a conclusion on June 13, 2023, when officers arrested Madrid and three co-defendants in possession of 50,000 fentanyl pills and several firearms. All seven individuals charged with drug and firearm trafficking offenses as a result of Operation Blue Death have been convicted. 

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Chan Hee Chu are prosecuting the case.

Madrid is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Micah W.J. Smith on Jan. 11, 2027. Madrid faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Gilberto Barron, 26, formerly of Delano and Las Vegas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to seven years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and aggravated identity theft relating to his participation in a $10 million real estate fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.

“Barron chose to engage in a multimillion‑dollar fraud scheme, and today’s sentence makes clear that such criminal conduct will be met with substantial punishment,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Our office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue criminals who think they can hide behind false identities or fabricated documents. We will hold them accountable every time.”

“This sentencing marks a critical step in holding Mr. Barron accountable for the harm his scheme caused and in providing justice for his victims,” said IRS Criminal Investigation San Francisco Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge David Lowe. “Mr. Barron didn’t just steal money. He took advantage of people’s trust by subverting an American financial system for his own gain. IRS-CI scrupulously follows the money, uncovers the truth, and ensures that individuals behind schemes like this are brought to justice.”

According to court records, in 2021 and 2022, Barron and others conspired with federal inmate Seth Depiano, 45, formerly of Clovis, to commit the fraud charged in this case. At the time, Depiano was serving a 12-year prison sentence for a prior, multimillion-dollar fraud (Case No. 1:17-cr-172 DAD). Depiano, assisted by Barron and others, helped create fake identities for supposed real estate agents and shell companies that mirrored the names of legitimate real estate companies. They then used the fake identities and shell companies to market various properties online that were not actually for sale to would-be buyers in California’s Central Valley and elsewhere at discounted prices. This included properties where the actual owners had died. 

Barron and others would meet with the buyers using the fake identities and close the sales. They even went so far as to present the buyers with fabricated deeds, title reports, and other real estate documents to substantiate the sales.

After getting the would-be buyers’ money, Depiano, Barron, and others would launder the funds primarily through Las Vegas casinos. For example, they would travel to the casinos, put large amounts of money into gaming machines, and quickly cash out with little to no gaming activity. They did this to try to hide the fact that the money was proceeds from their fraudulent scheme. They would then use the money to purchase properties for their own benefit.

Barron pleaded guilty on June 29, 2026.

Zahria Barber, 29, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on June 29, 2026, to one year in prison for her involvement in the scheme. She helped launder money in the casinos, and in exchange, she received payments toward some of her living expenses and student loans.

Depiano pleaded guilty and was sentenced in January 2026 to nine years in federal prison. This sentence is in addition to the 12 years he was already serving and makes for a total sentence of 21 years in prison.

IRS Criminal Investigation and the Bakersfield Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Chapple and Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Luis Eduardo Torres-Hernandez, 40, a Mexican national residing in Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 31 months in prison for one count of being an unlawful alien in possession of firearms and one count of illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

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

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma prosecuted the case.

On April 2, 2026, Torres-Hernandez pleaded guilty to the illegal firearms possession and reentry.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher William Edward Abplanalp, 38, of Roseville, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between February 2023 and July 2025, working as an executive manager at a Placer County business, Abplanalp stole more than $2.3 million, most of which he then spent gambling. In executing this scheme, he diverted money from the business’s account with an online payment processing system to his own personal account, or to various other friends or acquaintances. Abplanalp also repeatedly charged a client’s credit card for items the client had not ordered and for invoices that did not exist, and then transferred the proceeds to himself. He also instructed clients to tender payments directly to him, and told vendors to issue rebates and refunds to his personal account, rather than the business. To conceal his theft, Abplanalp altered, deleted or made false entries to the business’s accounting software.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.

Abplanalp is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Feb. 8, 2027. Abplanalp faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carrie Wallace, 48, of Fort Bragg, California, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to one year in prison for tampering with a consumer product and mail theft by a postal employee, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, Wallace used her position as a U.S. Postal Service employee to access and steal mail parcels containing prescription medication and vape products. She intentionally targeted packages sent by the Department of Veterans Affairs to its patients because those packages generally contained narcotic medications. Wallace cut into the packages, opened the prescription narcotics medication bottles, stole the medication and replaced it with over-the-counter medication, retaped the packages and placed them back in the mail stream to be delivered to the intended recipients. Multiple veteran victims consumed the tampered medication, putting them at risk of injury for taking incorrectly dispensed drugs. Due to Wallace’s medication theft and tampering, veteran victims experienced extreme pain, increased agitation, anger, and other mental health symptoms.

Wallace pleaded guilty on April 4, 2026.

The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the VA Police Department conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Five Fresno residents have pleaded guilty to participating in a year-long bank fraud scheme that sought to defraud banks out of $1 million, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

Zorian Temple, 25, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud. On Aug. 17, 2026, Davonntae Barfield, 31; Zion Brewer, 40; and Nyric Hinton, 28, also pleaded guilty. On Aug. 31, 2026, Harry Cooper Neal, 30, pleaded guilty. 

According to court records, from 2022 to 2023, Brewer, a U.S. Postal Service employee, stole checks from the mail and gave them to the other defendants. The others then recruited bank account holders, or used their own bank accounts, to deposit the stolen checks and withdraw the proceeds. The defendants met each other and coordinated the scheme primarily through Facebook and Facebook Messenger. 

In total, the stolen checks had a face value of more than $1 million. The actual loss to the banks, however, was a few hundred thousand dollars because the banks detected most of the stolen checks and stopped payment before the defendants could withdraw the funds. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Fresno Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston is scheduled to sentence Neal on Nov. 30, 2026, Barfield, Brewer, and Hinton on Dec. 7, 2026, and Temple on Jan. 11, 2027. The defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — James L. Kenney, 45, of West Sacramento, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, James Kenney was an organizer, broker, and known leader in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in West Sacramento. Kenney’s DTO distributed various controlled substances but primarily sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Kenney’s DTO primarily distributed controlled substances into the community out of multiple rooms of a motel located in West Sacramento. At the time of the DTO’s operations, Kenney was on probation for previous convictions for selling controlled substances.

On May 2, 2025, a Confidential Source (CS) met Kenney at one of Kenney’s appointments with Yolo County Probation. Despite having been only recently released from prison for drug-dealing, Kenney almost immediately offered to sell the CS marijuana and also let the CS know that he could sell fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. That same day, Kenney sold the CS 2 ounces of fentanyl at a motel in West Sacramento.

On May 13, 2025, the CS bought more drugs from Kenney. Kenney directed the CS to the same motel they had met for the prior drug deal. The CS bought another 2 ounces of fentanyl at a price set by Kenney. After the fentanyl deal, the CS asked Kenney to buy 4 ounces of methamphetamine, which Kenney directed a co-defendant to measure out and take payment for.

On May 23, 2025, the CS again bought drugs from Kenney. This time, the CS and Kenney arranged for the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine. Once again, the CS arranged the purchase and price with Kenney, but the same co-defendant handled the payment and handoff of the drugs.

Later, on Aug. 28, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the motel where the DTO operated and all three transactions with the CS occurred. The co-defendant was found in one room of the motel with three handguns, 3.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 2 kilograms of cocaine, 283 grams of methamphetamine, and various other drugs. Kenney and two other individuals were in an adjoining room that also contained drugs, including methamphetamine, and heroin. Law enforcement also found more than $12,000 in cash during their search, with more than $1,000 in cash on Kenney’s person. Kenney’s room included a monitor linked to a camera observing another room in the same motel, and when agents searched the room, they found it unoccupied, but the room had more drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. The unoccupied room with the camera also contained an assault rifle and multiple magazines.

Throughout the conspiracy, Kenney acted as the broker and managed the supply, setting prices and procuring the drugs the CS sought to purchase.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the West Sacramento Police Department and the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Harman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura prosecuted the case.

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

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

FRESNO, Calif. — The United States Attorney’s Office announced the results of Operation Klean Strip, a multi‑agency investigation that dismantled two large‑scale clandestine methamphetamine conversion laboratories in Bakersfield and Visalia. The operation began in  November 2025 and ended today with nine arrests and the execution of 16 search warrants where agents seized 4,000 marijuana plants, $20,000 drug proceeds, and 20 firearms adding to the 2,171 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and hundreds of gallons of methamphetamine seized earlier. 

“This investigation struck at the heart of high‑volume methamphetamine conversion operations that were pumping poison into communities across the Central Valley,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Through the relentless effort of our federal, state, and local partners, we have taken nine alleged conspirators off the streets and secured indictments against three more. Operations like this underscore our unwavering commitment to dismantling the criminal networks that manufacture and traffic these dangerous drugs, and we are far from finished.”

“Today is an example of the great work that can be done when law enforcement agencies from all levels of government come together for one, unified mission,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Stopping the production of illegal drugs is about more than enforcing the law. It’s about protecting our families and communities from the life-threatening danger these drugs pose. Public safety is priority number one at the California Department of Justice, and we will continue to pursue it in our communities and in the courtroom. Thank you to all the agencies and individuals who worked together to make California a safer place.”

“This takedown reflects exactly what the Homeland Security Task Force framework was designed to achieve: federal, state, and local partners operating as one team to dismantle the networks trafficking dangerous narcotics into our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh. “These partnerships bring the shared expertise, resources, and resolve that make operations of this magnitude possible.”

According to court documents, agents with the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and partner agencies seized 2,171 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and hundreds of gallons of methamphetamine in solution from the two conversion laboratories—721 pounds from the Bakersfield site on April 20, 2026, and 1,450 pounds from the Visalia site on May 20, 2026. In a related traffic stop on April 20, 2026, deputies recovered approximately 320 pounds of crystal methamphetamine from a vehicle driven by Ramiro Luna, 52, of San Bernardino.

Luna and his passenger Robert Gray, 54, of San Bernardino, were charged by indictment on Aug. 20, 2026, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Gustavo Alejandro Mendoza‑Felix, 27, of Visalia, was arrested on May 20, 2026, when HITT and other law enforcement agencies served a search warrant at the Visalia methamphetamine lab where he resided. He was indicted on June 11, 2026, charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

A criminal complaint charges the following nine defendants with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine:

1. Jesus Efrain Lopez‑Felix, 34, of Tulare; 
2. Elvis Ramirez‑Beltran, 25, of Mexico, residing in Porterville;
3. Gabriel Ramirez‑Beltran, 27, of Mexico, residing in Selma;
4. Marissa Lopez‑Felix, 30, of Porterville;
5. Jose Armando Lopez‑Felix, 29, of Mexico, residing in Yokuts Valley;
6. Jaciel Lopez‑Felix, 23, of Mexico residing in Sanger;
7. Faustino Romero‑Leon, 50, of Mexico, residing in Sanger;
8. Alberto Lopez‑Castillo, 21, of Visalia;
9. Jesus Adrian Rios‑Ramirez, 27, of Mexico.
   
    

This case is the product of an investigation led by the FBI and the California Department of Justice Fresno High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which is made up of partner agencies from Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, Fresno Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Madera County Sheriff’s Office, King’s County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Additional assistance was provided by the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), consisting of Kern County HIDTA and Tulare County HIDTA, along with Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Catto, Luke Baty, and Antonio Pataca are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, the defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years and up to life in prison, and fines up to $10 million, depending on drug quantity and prior convictions. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Three individuals were charged today following a multi‑agency investigation that dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine conversion laboratory in Terra Bella in Tulare County, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

Jose Diarte-Perez, 46, and Carlos Beltran-Ochoa, 27, both from Mexico and illegally residing in Terra Bella, are charged with conspiracy to manufacture and traffic methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Lamberto Elorza-Chavez, 39, of Mexico, illegally residing in Terra Bella, is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at a residence in Terra Bella. The investigative team encountered the three defendants and arrested them. During the search, the investigative team located cannisters of acetone, boxes of muriatic acid, propane tanks, blue 50-gallon drums, multiple coolers, and two large freezers. All of these items were being used to form a methamphetamine conversion laboratory. In all, they seized approximately 100 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, hundreds of gallons of methamphetamine in solution, approximately $600,000, and six firearms. 

The Stanislaus County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the Kern County HIDTA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlyn Tobin is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of conspiring to manufacture methamphetamine, the defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years and up to life in prison, and a fine up to $10 million. If convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the defendants face minimum sentences of five years, consecutively, and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, Elorza Chavez faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment on Sept. 3, 2026, against Richard Louis Styrsky, 54, formerly of Sacramento and currently of Fountain Valley, charging him with sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, between 2023 and 2025, Styrsky produced multiple video files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Styrsky and the minor child resided in Sacramento at the time of his alleged conduct.

The Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force conducted this investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Ray and Sam Stefanki are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Styrsky faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, as well as 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. 

FRESNO, Calif. — Juliet Mora, 42, residing in Nicaragua formerly of Hayward, California, pleaded guilty Sept. 14 to conspiracy to commit money laundering involving a $36 million fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today.

According to court documents, Mora was part of a sophisticated transnational fraud organization operating out of the United States and several countries in Latin America responsible for stealing more than $36 million from more than 400 American victims, mostly the elderly. The fraudsters pretended to be attorneys who reached out to elderly timeshare owners and fraud victims with the promise that the victims were entitled to restitution and payments. Believing they were talking to real attorneys, the victims signed fake representation agreements and bogus non-disclosure agreements, then paid fees to the fraudsters. The victims were directed to send checks and wire transfers to shell companies controlled by U.S.-based co-conspirators.

The organization used a complicated web of U.S.-based members who created shell companies and bank accounts to launder victim money. The members evaded financial institutions’ anti-money laundering procedures by misrepresenting to financial institutions the true purpose and nature of their activities. Members intentionally and fraudulently misrepresented the true nature of the transactions to conceal their actions.

Mora became involved in the fraud scheme in August 2021. Throughout the scheme, she maintained shell companies and received more than $1,569,826 in victim funds. Investigators traced $2,749,649 in stolen victim funds directly to accounts controlled by Mora. Mora lied to banks to conceal the true nature and origin of the funds. She would open and reopen bank accounts closed for suspicious activity, and on several occasions she would directly deposit victim funds into her shell company’s bank account.

Mora eventually moved to Nicaragua where she became an organizer within the fraud scheme. There, she communicated with the US-based co-conspirators, directed them to receive and send victim funds, open shell companies, and prepare legal documents to help perpetrate the fraud. She also used fake emails of fake paralegals to communicate directly with victims. Mora was arrested on a second superseding indictment after arriving in Boston Logan International Airport from Panama City, Panama in December 2025. 

In October 2025, investigators arrested 15 US-based defendants across four states and seized more than $2.1 million in victims funds. Several defendants, however, fled to Mexico and other Central American countries. Recently several of these defendants have been arrested and returned to the United States. In July 2025, local Nicaraguan authorities, in coordination with Department of State Diplomatic Services arrested one of the main subjects of this investigation, Marlon Solis Bonilla. He was transferred to United States custody and escorted by FBI Agents from Managua, Nicaragua to Houston, Texas.

Additionally, in August 2026, Mexican authorities arrested defendants Julian Jauregui, Sergio Jauregui, and Eduardo Navarro in Guadalajara, Mexico. This apprehension operation was facilitated by FBI Legat Mexico City in coordination with the U.S. Marshals Service and Secretaría de Seguridad del Estado de Jalisco. All three detained individuals were transported to Mexico Immigration (INM) where they were processed for deportation and subsequently removed to the United States. Three defendants are still at large.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Bakersfield Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Truckee Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case.

Mora is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Dec. 14, 2026. Mora faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, or twice the amount laundered whichever is greater. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Ray Anthony Waller, 39, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child, receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and sending obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between November 2024 and February 2025, Waller communicated with a minor by sending text, voice, and iMessages enticing the minor create and transmit to Waller images of CSAM. During this time Waller was a teacher at Bullard High School. Waller sent obscene images of himself to the victim and convinced the victim to reciprocate with images of the victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation, specifically the Fresno Police Department with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa is prosecuting the case.

Waller is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on Dec. 14, 2026. Waller faces a prison term of between 15-30 years and a potential $250,000 fine for the child exploitation charge. For receipt of child sexual abuse images, he faces a prison term of between 5-20 years and a potential $250,000 fine. For transmitting obscene material to a minor, he faces a prison term of up to 10 years and a potential $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Ruben Saenz, 38, of Los Angeles, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 15 years and eight months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, Saenz played a central role in a Mexico‑based drug‑trafficking organization responsible for moving thousands of pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl into the United States. The FBI dismantled the network in June 2024 during “Operation Toxic Waste.”

The organization transported powdered and liquid methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl—both pills and powder—across the border using cars and semitrucks. Drugs were stashed in gas tanks, tucked inside projectors and batteries, and buried among produce. The traffickers tracked their shipments with GPS devices hidden in the loads.

Saenz served as a key player in the group’s semitruck operation. As early as February 2023, he purchased vegetable boxes later packed with narcotics destined for transport across the border. On September 22, 2023, he helped facilitate one of the organization’s largest shipments: a semitruck loaded with methamphetamine. After meeting the truck with a rented Penske vehicle, Saenz oversaw the transfer of the hidden cargo. Just after midnight, law enforcement stopped the Penske truck he was driving and discovered more than 4,700 pounds of methamphetamine inside.

Saenz pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.

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

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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Ronald Juckno, 53, of Fresno, former mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), was arrested on Friday, Sept. 11 following an indictment charging him with keeping and failing to deliver the mail, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today. 

According to court records, between August and September 2024, Juckno was found in possession of more than 8,500 pieces of mail that he had held onto and failed to deliver to his customers. The mail included sensitive items such as California EDD correspondence, financial records, insurance records, medical correspondence, tax records, and utility bills. He was placed on leave and then resigned his position as a mail carrier shortly after this discovery. 

The USPS Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Banister and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Zuryess Roberts, 26, of Vallejo, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to seven years in prison for illegal gun trafficking and possessing a machine gun conversion device, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

A federal jury found Roberts guilty in May 2025 after trial.

According to court documents and evidence introduced at trial, Roberts was the leader of a loosely affiliated crew that was illegally selling dangerous, high-powered weapons in Vallejo using a Super 8 motel on Solano Avenue in Vallejo as the hub of their criminal activity. During the investigation, on multiple separate occasions, Roberts sold and oversaw the sale of dangerous weapons, including a machine gun conversion device and facilitated the sale of multiple untraceable ghost guns, on the streets of Vallejo to a person he believed to be a violent criminal. In total, Roberts was responsible for selling 13 firearms, and he received approximately $7,850, from selling firearms during the course of the investigation. 

Four co-defendants were convicted of firearms-related crimes and sentenced to federal prison. They include:

Taezon Laurece Sanderson, 23, sentenced to 36 months; Divaya Talley, 18, sentenced to 36 months in prison; Napoleon Washington, 45, sentenced to 15 months in prison; Anderson Thurston, 66, sentenced to 12 months in prison.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Vallejo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

FRESNO, Calif. — Sean Michael Hunt, 51, of San Francisco, was sentenced Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on May 17, 2010, Hunt pleaded guilty to receiving CSAM in Fresno. After serving his prison sentence, he relocated to San Francisco and began serving a lifetime term of supervised release. In March 2024, during a search of Hunt’s residence, Hunt’s probation officer found two laptops, three iPhones and one iPad. On the devices were more than 10,000 still images and 75 videos of CSAM. Hunt was charged with violating the conditions of his release and was additionally charged with possession of CSAM. 

On Jan. 26, 2026, Hunt pleaded guilty to the violation of supervised release and to possession of CSAM.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the cases.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Douglas Sharron Piggee Jr., 55, of Stockton, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 9.5 years in prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, on July 21, 2022, Piggee walked into a Fire Wings restaurant in Stockton, pointed a loaded gun at the cashier, and demanded money from the register. Piggee then took the money and fled on foot, leaving his car keys behind. Officers found his car parked down the street. Inside the car was the cash, an unserialized, loaded, privately manufactured firearm or “ghost gun,” an extended magazine loaded with 24 rounds of ammunition, and the clothes Piggee used during the robbery. Piggee committed this crime while on supervised release after serving prison sentences for two prior federal convictions: one for armed bank robbery and one for escape and illegal possession of a firearm.

Piggee pleaded guilty on March 25, 2025.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Stockton Police Department conducted the investigation Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Desmond prosecuted the case. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

Criminal complaint:

FRESNO, Calif. — Kelly Lynn Brown, 47, of Clovis, was arrested Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, on a criminal complaint for using her employer’s company credit card to make more than $4 million of unauthorized, personal purchases, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court records, between November 2020 and October 2024, Brown worked as a bookkeeper at a leading Fresno business specializing in custom countertops and commercial hardwood products. In her role, she had access to the personally identifiable information of employees, including the business’s owner. 

In January 2021, Brown recommended that the owner obtain an American Express credit card for business expenses. The owner, however, was not interested in obtaining an American Express credit card for himself or for his business. Nevertheless, two weeks later Brown gave the owner two American Express credit cards, one under the owner’s personal name and the other under the business name. 

A few months later and unbeknownst to the owner, Brown obtained a credit card in her own name under the owner’s American Express account without his authorization. Brown began using this credit card for unauthorized personal expenses, including luxury retail purchases, travel, health and beauty treatments, and a down payment on a 2022 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.

In August 2022, Brown started an online apparel store, Western Edge Boutique. Around the same time, she made numerous clothing and apparel-related purchases on the unauthorized card. 

Brown used the business’s bank account to make payments to American Express from 2021 through 2024 to conceal and further her fraud scheme. In late 2024, the owner discovered the scheme and fired Brown. Brown spent more than $4 million dollars on unauthorized purchases.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arelis M. Clemente is prosecuting this case.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jorge Arellano Torres, 33, residing illegally in Modesto, pleaded guilty today to being a deported alien found in the United States and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to four years and nine months in prison to be served consecutively to his state prison term, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, on Oct. 11, 2025, Arellano Torres was found by immigration officers in the Eastern District of California after he had illegally re-entered the United States. Arellano Torres is a citizen and national of Mexico and had been deported in 2017. Prior to his deportation, Arellano Torres had been convicted in state court of possession for sale of methamphetamine and heroin in 2015. 

After Arellano Torres re-entered the United States, he was convicted in state court and is serving a state prison sentence.

The Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Harman prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher William Edward Abplanalp, 38, of Roseville, was charged Wednesday with wire fraud in a scheme to enrich himself with his employer’s money, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between February 2023 and July 2025, working as an Executive Manager at a Placer County business, Abplanalp stole more than $2.3 million, most of which he then spent gambling. In executing the scheme, he diverted money from the business’s account with an online payment processing system to his own personal account, or to various other friends or acquaintances. Abplanalp also repeatedly charged a client’s credit card for items the client never ordered and for invoices that did not exist, then transferred those proceeds to himself. Additionally, he instructed clients to tender payments directly to him and told vendors to issue rebates and refunds to his personal account, rather than the business. To conceal his theft, Abplanalp altered, deleted, or made false entries to the business’s accounting software.

Abplanalp is scheduled for an initial appearance and arraignment on Sept. 8, 2026, at 2 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremy D. Peterson.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Abplanalp 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury today returned an indictment against Kawal Preet Singh, 50, an Indian national unlawfully present in the United States, charging him with distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, Singh sold wholesale quantities of methamphetamine from a Round Table Pizza restaurant he operated in Dinuba, while armed with illegal firearms. 

According to court documents, an investigation into Indian Organized Crime in the Central Valley identified Singh as a subject of the investigation. On Aug. 18, 2026, federal agents searched Singh’s home and business and seized more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine as well as three firearms and more than $10,000 in cash. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Veneman‑Hughes is prosecuting the case. 

If convicted, Singh faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, for drug trafficking and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison consecutive to any other sentence up to life in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of 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 the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the 

full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Central Valley HSTF is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. 

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury today returned an indictment against Joaquin “Rascal” Aranda, 40, a Mexican national illegally residing in Sanger, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, in October 2025, an investigation began into the Sureño criminal street gang operating in Fresno County. Investigators identified Aranda as a high-ranking Reedley Sureño gang member and conducted three undercover purchases of methamphetamine from him between January and May 2026. On May 28, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at Aranda’s residence and recovered more methamphetamine along with digital scales, spoons, and baggies. In total, Aranda was found with 297.52 grams of methamphetamine throughout the investigation.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Veneman‑Hughes is prosecuting the case. 

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

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Richard Lee Dazo, 40, of West Sacramento, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to four years and three months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, on Aug. 13, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a probation search of Dazo and his motel room. A firearm was in plain view on the bed. Although Dazo claimed it was fake; it was identified as a CO2 -powered pellet gun designed to resemble a 357 magnum revolver and loaded with four 357 rounds of magnum ammunition and two rounds of .38 special ammunition. Nearby was a knife handle with metal knuckles and an automatic-release blade. A purse-style bag in the room contained separate baggies of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. Under the bed, officers found a loaded Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun with a 16-inch barrel, along with additional shotgun shells. 

Dazo is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior felony convictions. This is his third conviction for being a felon with a firearm. Dazo pleaded guilty on Dec. 4, 2025.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Sacramento Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caily Nelson prosecuted the case.

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

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christopher M. Perry, 38, of Rocklin, was indicted Thursday for possessing firearms and destroying records in a federal investigation, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, Perry came to the attention of law enforcement because of an investigation into a plot to carry out attacks against federal property and officials, including an attack at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the South Lawn of the White House, which took place on June 14, 2026. Perry participated in a Signal chat group that was devoted to planning the attack. Perry additionally discussed related attacks in California against AI datacenters, satellite communication facilities, and a California-based technology company. Perry also referred to himself as a career criminal and stated that he was armed, even though he is prohibited from possession guns. 

On June 12, 2026, law enforcement contacted Perry at his home and asked about his Signal account. After the agents departed, Perry immediately attempted to destroy evidence by taking steps to remove himself from the Signal chat group, delete his Signal account, and remove the Signal application and associated data from his phone. 

The FBI subsequently executed several search warrants, and recovered multiple firearms that Perry owned, as well as more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition. On top of one of the ammunition containers was written “WWIII,” which is short for World War III. And on Perry’s phone were several pictures and videos of firearms and of Perry holding firearms.

Perry is a felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Perry’s prior felony convictions include a conviction for attempting to bring drugs into a jail or prison and for possessing or purchasing drugs for sale. 

Perry is currently in federal custody and is scheduled to appear for arraignment on Aug. 31, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sean C. Riordan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Wong is prosecuting the case. 

If convicted, Perry faces a maximum statutory sentence of 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 20 years in prison for destroying records in a federal investigation. Both charges also carry a maximum fine of $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury on Thursday returned an indictment against Luis Antonio Perez Sigala, 29, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, in August 2026, Sigala possessed a black Makarov handgun and 10 rounds of .380-caliber ammunition. Sigala is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions.

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office and the Stanislaus County Probation Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Langston is prosecuting the case. 

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

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Eshaq M. Nawabi, 27, of Salida, charging him with wire fraud for a scheme to defraud investors, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, between October 2019 and February 2022, Nawabi convinced victims that he was a successful trader in the foreign currency exchange or “forex” market. These victims gave Nawabi thousands of dollars to invest in forex, and their monthly statements showed that they were making a large profit every month. However, Nawabi lied to the victims and fabricated the monthly statements. Instead of investing the money, Nawabi spent it on himself and to keep his fraud scheme going. He leased luxury vehicles including multiple Lamborghinis, a Ferrari, a McLaren, and others.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría is prosecuting the case. 

The FBI is seeking additional victims in this case. If you believe you may be a victim of Nawabi or his scheme under companies “Nawabi Enterprises” or “Hyperion Consulting Inc.,” please visit: fbi.gov/NawabiVictims.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The United States filed a lawsuit against the Trinity Public Utilities District alleging that its equipment sparked the Hobo Fire — a wildfire that burned approximately 450 acres in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today. 

According to the complaint, the fire began on Aug. 31, 2020, when electrical equipment owned, maintained, and operated by Trinity Public Utilities District came into contact with nearby vegetation, igniting the surrounding area. The wildfire spread through the forest, resulting in more than $2.3 million in fire suppression costs. 

The lawsuit alleges that Trinity Public Utilities District failed to take measures to prevent its power lines and related equipment from triggering a wildfire. These failures include not adequately inspecting its electrical infrastructure, not removing or trimming hazardous trees, and not maintaining appropriate vegetation clearance from its electrical infrastructure, among other failures. The United States also asserts that Trinity Public Utilities District breached the terms of its special use permit, including a strict liability provision for up to $1 million per occurrence, with any liability for injury, loss or damage in excess of that maximum to be determined by the laws governing negligence. 

This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Amin. 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An associate of the prison gang Aryan Brotherhood was convicted today of executing two men in Lomita on orders given by an Aryan Brotherhood member incarcerated in Kern Valley State Prison, in Kern County. 

“This case lays bare the ruthless reach of the Aryan Brotherhood and the violence its members and associates are willing to inflict,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Justin Gray executed two men at point‑blank range because an incarcerated gang member ordered it. Our office remains committed to dismantling violent prison gangs and protecting our communities from their deadly influence.”

“This verdict reflects the serious problem gang violence represents, even from people doing lengthy prison sentences,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department will continue to focus its resources on holding gang members accountable, even if they are already behind bars. Clement, who ordered these executions and has been sentenced to life, and now Gray, who carried them out, will pay a severe price for taking life thanks to the good work of the investigators and prosecutors as well as the careful attention of the jury.” 

“These murders are a stark reminder that criminal organizations can direct violence from behind prison walls,” said Director Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “ATF and our law enforcement partners are committed to dismantling these networks and holding accountable the individuals responsible for these senseless murders.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 4, 2020, Justin Gray, 40, of San Pedro, California, executed two men on the orders of Aryan Brotherhood Brother Francis Clement, who was serving a prison sentence in Kern Valley State Prison. Justin Gray lured the victims from San Diego to Lomita where, with the aid of another Aryan Brotherhood associate, he shot both victims in the head. The order to kill had been given over “disrespect” one of the victims had shown to the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray is a member of Baby Blue Wrecking Crew, a white-only gang that takes orders from and works under the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray was convicted of two counts of committing murder in aid of racketeering. 

Gray is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 23, 2026. Gray faces a mandatory life sentence.

This trial was part of a larger investigation charging Gray and 20 other defendants with a variety of criminal offenses, including RICO conspiracy, VICAR murder, and narcotics offenses, all related to their criminal activities as members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood. The following individuals charged in the investigation were convicted at trial on Feb. 18, 2025.

John Stinson, 72, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity.

Francis Clement, 60, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and five counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of the two victims and three other individuals he also ordered to be murdered as part of the racketeering activity of the Aryan Brotherhood. 

Kenneth Johnson, 65, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of the two victims.

Additional individuals charged in the case and still pending trial include the following:

• Jayson Weaver, 49, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Waylon Pitchford, 48, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Andrew Collins, 42, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Alexander Van Beusekom, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Evan Perkins, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.

This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Office of Correctional Safety (CDCR), United States Marshals Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, Pomona Police Department, Torrance Police Department, San Diego Police Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Kern County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the FBI, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly for the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Amanda J. Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

An associate of the prison gang Aryan Brotherhood was convicted today of executing two men in Lomita, California, on orders given by an Aryan Brotherhood member incarcerated in Kern Valley State Prison, in Kern County, California. 

“This verdict reflects the serious problem gang violence represents, even from people doing lengthy prison sentences,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department will continue to focus its resources on holding gang members accountable, even if they are already behind bars. Clement, who ordered these executions and has been sentenced to life, and now Gray, who carried them out, will pay a severe price for taking life thanks to the good work of the investigators and prosecutors as well as the careful attention of the jury.”

“These murders are a stark reminder that criminal organizations can direct violence from behind prison walls,” said Director Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “ATF and our law enforcement partners are committed to dismantling these networks and holding accountable the individuals responsible for these senseless murders.”

“This case lays bare the ruthless reach of the Aryan Brotherhood and the violence its members and associates are willing to inflict,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California. “Justin Gray executed two men at point‑blank range because an incarcerated gang member ordered it. Our office remains committed to dismantling violent prison gangs and protecting our communities from their deadly influence.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 4, 2020, Justin Gray, 40, of San Pedro, California, executed two men on the orders of Aryan Brotherhood Brother Francis Clement, who was serving a prison sentence in Kern Valley State Prison. Justin Gray lured the victims from San Diego to Lomita where, with the aid of another Aryan Brotherhood associate, he shot both victims in the head. The order to kill had been given over “disrespect” one of the victims had shown to the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray is a member of Baby Blue Wrecking Crew, a white-only gang that takes orders from and works under the Aryan Brotherhood. Gray was convicted of two counts of committing murder in aid of racketeering. 

Gray is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston for the Eastern District of California on Nov. 23. Gray faces a mandatory life sentence.

This trial was part of a larger investigation charging Gray and 20 other defendants with a variety of criminal offenses, including RICO conspiracy, VICAR murder, and narcotics offenses, all related to their criminal activities as members and associates of the Aryan Brotherhood. The following individuals charged in the investigation were convicted at trial on Feb. 18, 2025.

John Stinson, 72, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity.

Francis Clement, 60, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and five counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of the two victims and three other individuals he also ordered to be murdered as part of the racketeering activity of the Aryan Brotherhood. 

Kenneth Johnson, 65, was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of the two victims.

Additional individuals charged in the case and still pending trial include the following:

• Jayson Weaver, 49, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Waylon Pitchford, 48, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Andrew Collins, 42, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Alexander Van Beusekom, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.
• Evan Perkins, 41, scheduled for trial in September 2027.

This case is being investigated by the ATF, with assistance from the Office of Correctional Safety (CDCR), U.S. Marshals Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, Pomona Police Department, Torrance Police Department, San Diego Police Department, San Diego Sheriff’s Office, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Kern County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Justice and California Highway Patrol Special Operations Unit, the FBI, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Clovis Police Department, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. 

Trial Attorney Amanda J. Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Conolly for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Marice Curry, 35, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years in prison for filing false federal income tax returns, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

“This sentence reflects the seriousness of Curry’s scheme and the impact it had on the federal tax system,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. “Fraudulent refund claims drain taxpayer dollars and undermine the integrity of programs designed to support legitimate businesses. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who attempt to exploit these programs.”

“The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) aggressively pursues those who abuse the tax administration process for unlawful purposes,” said TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Krystofor Proev. “We appreciate the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office to ensure individuals engaged in such criminal activity are held accountable to the American people.”

“The scope of Marice Curry’s fraud, involving more than fifty false tax returns and over 1.5 million dollars in improper refund claims, represents a serious breach of trust in our tax system as reflected by today’s sentencing,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) San Francisco Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge David Lowe. “IRS-CI does not hesitate to pursue individuals who attempt to misuse programs meant for legitimate taxpayers, especially when a scheme is complex or designed to mislead. Our duty is clear: protect honest taxpayers and pursue justice.”

According to court records, in 2023, Curry filed more than 50 fraudulent tax returns on behalf of various businesses, seeking over $1.5 million in improper refunds. He did so by falsely claiming refundable fuel tax credits—credits intended to reimburse businesses for excise taxes paid on fuel used for legitimate off‑highway purposes such as farming and fishing. Curry knew the businesses were not entitled to these credits.

Curry pleaded guilty on Feb. 9, 2026.

IRS-CI and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment on July 23 against Shane Woodson, 39, formerly of Weaverville, and now living in Wyoming, charging him with receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, in 2023, while living in Weaverville, Woodson used a sophisticated peer-to-peer software client to receive hundreds of hours’ worth of video files depicting CSAM. Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Woodson’s Weaverville residence in 2024 and seized electronic devices containing tens of thousands of additional depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement officers also seized a child-sized sex doll from Woodson’s residence.

Law enforcement officers arrested Woodson in Wyoming on July 29, 2026. Woodson appeared in federal court in Sacramento on Aug. 21, 2026, to face the charges in the indictment.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of receiving CSAM, Woodson faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, as well as a $250,000 fine. If convicted of possessing CSAM, Woodson 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.

FRESNO, Calif. — Andrew Rodriguez, 30, of Ceres, pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute in connection with a drug and firearm trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

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

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

On June 13, 2023, Andrew Rodriguez and co-defendants Olga Arreola, Arturo Madrid, and Enrique DeLeon arrived at a location in Stanislaus to complete a pre-arranged purchase of 50,000 fentanyl pills. Officers arrested the four defendants shortly after they arrived. When officers arrested Rodriguez, he had two handguns, a short-barreled rifle, an AR-15 style firearm, and 30,000 fentanyl pills in his car. Additionally, officers seized an AK-style Draco rifle Arreola brought to the drug deal and had at his feet during his arrest. Co-defendant DeLeon had approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills inside a briefcase in his vehicle when officers arrested him. 

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

• Andrew Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2026.
• Arturo Madrid, 30, of Modesto, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced to 135 months in prison on November 17, 2025.
• Enrique Cruz DeLeon, 29, of Salida, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 30,000 fentanyl pills. He was sentenced to 135 months in prison on April 21, 2025.
• Ebony Lambert, 49, of Turlock, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. She was sentenced to 24 months in prison on August 25, 2025.
• Oleg Arreola, 29, of Modesto, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced to 135 months in prison on March 9, 2026. 
• Donnell Mays, 51, of Turlock, pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. He was sentenced to 94 months in prison on July 13, 2026. 
• Andrew Madrid is set for trial on September 22, 2026. According to court documents, Madrid is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distributing fentanyl. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges against Andrew Madrid are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was investigated by the Stanislaus Sherriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Chan Hee Chu are prosecuting the case.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Jacob Jacobsen, 31, of Modesto, was sentenced today to 37.5 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for the sexual exploitation of minors and receipt of child sexual abuse images. Jacobsen will also be required to pay special assessments of $25,000 and to forfeit devices used in committing the crimes, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant Announced.

According to court documents, the mother of a 13-year-old girl in Memphis, TN, informed law enforcement that someone, later identified as Jacobsen, had been communicating with the minor through Snapchat. Investigators executed numerous search warrants and discovered that Jacobsen had contacted dozens of minor females while using the Snapchat screen names “trippinj” and “treydawgg2000.” Jacobsen often purported to be 16 or 17 years old when communicating with the victims and soliciting sexually explicit photographs and videos. Jacobsen admitted to investigators that he had been obtaining sexually explicit images of minor females for more than five years prior to his arrest.

Jacobsen pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025.

“Jacobsen preyed upon some of the most vulnerable members of our society for years. Now, thanks to the quick thinking of a Tennessee mother, and the swift and decisive action of our law enforcement partners and prosecution team, this significant sentence will ensure the public is protected from this child sexual predator for decades to come,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.

The FBI Nashville Field Office, Memphis Resident Agency, and the FBI Sacramento, Ripon Resident Agency conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Matthew Campbell, 43, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 52 months in federal prison for defrauding investors in a $9 million Ponzi scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, since 2012, Campbell operated two real estate investment companies, Preferred Property LLC and Ampez Rehab Investments LLC, which he used to buy, sell, build, and renovate properties, as well as to solicit investor money to fund his operations. Beginning in 2018, Campbell began using his businesses to conduct a Ponzi scheme. He knowingly made false representations about his company’s finances, the return on investment, and distributions to attract new investors, and then used those funds to pay returns to earlier investors. To obtain new investments, he promised unrealistically high returns. Between January 2018 and October 2025, Campbell obtained more than $9.1 million in investor funds from over 40 investors that he used in unauthorized ways. At least $2,293,000 in new investor funds went to pay old investors and continue the scheme.

"Mr. Campbell took advantage of the hard-earned savings of innocent people who were trying to secure their financial futures," said U.S. Attorney Eric Grant. "By masking a fraudulent Ponzi scheme as a legitimate real estate opportunity, he violated federal law and exploited the trust of dozens of investors. This sentence reflects our office's unwavering commitment to seeking justice for the American People and holding accountable those who seek to do them harm." 

“Today’s sentence ensures Matthew Campbell will pay a price for his crimes, but it cannot erase the breach of trust and financial devastation families and retirees who placed their confidence in Campbell suffered. Each investor believed Campbell’s claim that his legitimate real estate business could offer guaranteed returns, not knowing those promises were impossible to fulfill,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh. “The FBI is committed to investigating all allegations of financial fraud to both protect the public and ensure those who take advantage of the American people will face justice.”

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Arelis M. Clemente prosecuted the case.

Campbell pleaded guilty on February 9, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. A restitution hearing is scheduled for October 22, 2026. 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Thomas Emil Eide, 51, formerly of South Lake Tahoe, pleaded guilty to bank fraud conspiracy, in which he used fake companies to defraud banks and harm consumers, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, Eide was the owner of CB Surety LLC (CB Surety). He and his co-conspirators agreed to defraud banks by opening accounts under fake companies and then making sham, small-dollar payments using those accounts and others. They recruited individuals to serve as straw owners for the fake companies and directed them to open these accounts. After, they arranged for their merchant clients, who otherwise would not have been able to open the accounts, to gain access and use them for their own transactions. They also created fake websites and contact information to deceive the banks. 

Eide and his co-conspirators also deceived banks by engaging in high-volume microtransactions that artificially deflated their clients’ chargeback rates (the percentage of disputed transactions the banks have to return to customers). By initiating small-dollar payments to make it appear as if their clients had engaged in more transactions overall, they led banks to believe that a lower percentage of their clients’ transactions had resulted in chargebacks and refunds. This manipulation of their clients’ chargeback rates prevented banks from closing their banks accounts due to unacceptably high rates of chargebacks and refunds. 

Eide and his co-conspirators caused over $111 million in transactions to be processed on behalf of CB Surety’s clients. Some of these clients were engaged in business practices that were illegal or harmful to consumers, including charging consumers for goods or services that had not been authorized or were not provided. This resulted in over $3.3 million in consumer-initiated refunds and chargebacks. 

The United States is seeking additional victims in this case. If you believe you may be a victim, please visit this website to review a list of fake CB Surety companies. You may submit a claim for restitution if you are able to document that you suffered a loss based on unauthorized transactions with these companies. 

This case is the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegría and Ethan L. Carroll of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Trial Attorney Daniel Zytnick of the Justice Department’s White Collar & Corporate Enforcement Section are prosecuting the case.

A status conference regarding sentencing has been set for November 12, 2026, before Chief District Judge Troy L. Nunley. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Two Vallejo men with multiple felony convictions indicted in separate felon in possession of a firearm cases, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

Christopher Haden Fuimaono, 28, of Vallejo, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Fuimaono was arrested by Solano County Sheriff’s Deputies on August 1, 2026, pursuant to several outstanding felony arrest warrants. According to court documents, Fuimaono initially fled on foot and discarded a firearm during the chase. Deputies arrested Fuimaono and recovered the discarded firearm, which was loaded with one bullet in the chamber and another 10 in an inserted magazine. As a felon, Fuimaono is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Fuimaono’s nine prior felony convictions include three prior state felon in possession convictions. Fuimaono remains in federal custody and is scheduled to appear for arraignment on August 21, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremy D. Peterson.

Hazem Naim Awad, 42, of Vallejo, was arrested on July 27, 2026, after Solano County Sheriff’s Deputies located him in a vehicle at a public storage facility in Vallejo. According to court documents, deputies conducted a high-risk arrest and apprehended him without incident. Following his arrest, deputies recovered two firearms in Awad’s vehicle, both of which were loaded and chambered with ammunition. One of the firearms was stolen. As a felon, Awad is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Awad remains in federal custody and is scheduled to appear for arraignment on August 21, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremy D. Peterson.

Both cases are the product of investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting both cases. 

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

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to making our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

FRESNO, Calif. — Rachel Bernal, aka Rachel Bernal Dunn, 48, of Victorville, and her husband, Rodney Dunn, 48, who is incarcerated at Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) due to a 1996 first degree murder conviction, have been indicted for bribing an employee of KVSP to smuggle fentanyl, methamphetamine, cell phones, and other contraband into the prison, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court records, from January through September 2025, Bernal and Dunn paid a janitor at KVSP over $7,500 to smuggle contraband into the prison. Bernal would meet the janitor at hotels in Delano, where she would give him the contraband and pay him through electronic payments and cash. The janitor would then smuggle the contraband into the prison in various ways, including by concealing the items in his lunch bag. Due to increasing levels of contraband found in KVSP, officials began conducting enhanced security inspections of employees. These enhanced security inspections resulted in the janitor being caught in September 2025. 

Authorities executed a search warrant on Bernal’s Victorville home on August 20, 2026, after which Bernal was taken into custody. She is scheduled to make her initial appearance on August 20, 2026. Dunn is in the process of being transferred from state custody into federal custody and is scheduled to make his initial appearance on August 28, 2026. 

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arelis Clemente and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Bernal faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as a $10,000,000 fine. Dunn faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as a $20,000,000 fine. Dunn faces higher penalties than Bernal due to his prior murder conviction. The janitor has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in December 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as a $10,000,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury has indicted Danavon Caine, 36, a citizen of Jamaica who was working in Yosemite National Park on a seasonal visa, charging him with two counts of sexual abuse against a 19-year-old co-worker, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, at the time of the assault, Caine was employed as a chef in Yosemite National Park and working on a seasonal H-2B Visa. During this time, Caine allegedly sexually abused his 19-year-old female co-worker in the late evening hours of Friday, July 17, 2026. The woman reported the assault to both a neighbor and a friend that night, and then to law enforcement the next day. Caine was arrested on July 31, 2026, and has been ordered detained pending trial. 

This case was the product of an investigation by the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Eric Catto are prosecuting the case.

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

FRESNO, Calif. — Yahya Yaghmour, 43, a Jordanian national who holds dual U.S. citizenship and resides in Fresno, pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a short-barreled rifle, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court records, in August 2025, the FBI arrested Yaghmour in connection with a fraud investigation. After Yaghmour’s arrest, he was heard on a recorded jail call instructing his wife to dispose of something that was in a safe in their house. The FBI then searched the house and found an AR-style rifle with a barrel length of 11 inches hidden in a safe in the master bedroom behind several other firearms. Importantly, because the rifle has a barrel length of less than 16 inches and can therefore be more easily concealed, it is considered a short-barreled rifle under the law and must be registered in the federal National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Yaghmour did not register the rifle as required.

Yaghmour has significant experience with firearms and had previously tried to obtain work as gun salesman or gunsmith. He also admitted to authorities that he had built the AR-style rifle they found and that he knew it had a barrel length of less than 16 inches.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.

Yaghmour is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on October 26, 2026. Yaghmour faces maximum statutory penalties of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

FRESNO, Calif. — Austin Lloyd Kerns, 54, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to 12 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, the investigation began following a fatal fentanyl overdose of a 24-year-old Fresno man. The victim died after using counterfeit oxycodone M30 tablets containing fentanyl that he obtained directly from Mr. Kerns after being referred by a co-conspirator. Kerns sold the victim 16 pills in three separate deals over two days, with one of these pills ultimately taking the victim’s life. Kerns pleaded guilty to conspiring with his codefendant, Lakota Tehya Wakley, 22, of Clovis, to sell fentanyl to users like the victim referred by Wakley. Kerns would in turn sell the buyers fentanyl pills and send Wakley a cut of the profits earned from the sales. During this distribution conspiracy, Kerns was out on bail in a pending criminal case before the Fresno County Superior Court on charges of distributing methamphetamine. 

Kerns pleaded guilty on May 18, 2026. 

This case was the product of an investigation by Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Calvin Lee prosecuted the case.

FRESNO, Calif. — Suliana Caldwell, 46, of Fresno, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for stealing more than $1.8 million in public funds from the Fresno Arts Council (FAC), U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court records, Caldwell was the FAC’s operations manager from 2021 to February 2026. In this position, she managed the FAC’s bank accounts, payroll, grants, donations, and general finances. Her duties also included providing periodic financial updates and reports to the executive director, board members, and the City and County of Fresno.

“This defendant abused her position, betrayed the public’s trust, and siphoned away over $1.8 million intended to support parks, trails, and the arts in Fresno,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “She lied and falsified financial reports in order to use taxpayer dollars to fund casino trips, vacations, and personal indulgences. Her actions undermined a community that believed in her. Today’s sentence reflects our commitment to protecting public funds and holding accountable anyone who exploits her position for personal gain.”

"Suliana Caldwell betrayed the public’s trust when she embezzled over $1.8 million from the Fresno Arts Council for personal use,” said FBI Sacramento Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Tosh. “Today’s sentencing underscores our commitment to investigating public corruption at every level. We encourage anyone with information on corruption to report it to the FBI so we can continue holding bad actors accountable and protecting community resources." 

“While it is disappointing that the community’s trust was violated by the theft Caldwell committed, we are grateful that the Fresno Police Department’s partnership with FBI investigators helped the U.S. Attorney’s Office to swiftly bring justice for the taxpayers in the City of Fresno,” said Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto.

Beginning in 2022, Caldwell embezzled funds by making unauthorized withdrawals of money from the FAC’s bank accounts. In 2023, after the Fresno City Council designated the FAC to administer its Measure P grant money, Caldwell significantly increased the amount of money she stole from the FAC’s accounts and ultimately took more than $80,000 per month on average. Measure P is a tax initiative approved by Fresno voters in 2018 to provide funding for parks, trails, and the arts, among other things.

Caldwell concealed her theft by using her position of trust as the operations manager to falsify financial reports, which omitted her theft and represented that there were significantly higher balances in the FAC’s bank accounts than was true. She then presented the false reports to the FAC’s executive director, board members, and others to trick them into believing everything was okay. Caldwell received an enhancement to her sentence because of this abuse of trust.

In total, Caldwell stole over $1.8 million from the FAC. She then used the money to gamble at local casinos where she enjoyed various VIP statuses, pay for vacations, and for other improper personal expenses.

The FAC detected Caldwell’s theft in February 2026 when one of its checks bounced. Caldwell was subsequently fired and charged in this case. She pleaded guilty on April 20, 2026.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Chapple and Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Antonio Ray Ramirez, 35, of Susanville, pleaded guilty today to one count of distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, in August 2024, while working as a Correctional Officer, Ramirez knowingly distributed 869 grams of methamphetamine and 127 grams of heroin in the Federal Correctional Institution in Herlong. When beginning an overnight shift, Ramirez smuggled the drugs into the prison by evading security screening, hid them in a laundry room, and told an inmate where to find them. Ramirez received $15,000 in payment for smuggling the drugs. The drugs were eventually recovered from the inmate by other correctional officers. 

The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dhruv M. Sharma and Nicholas Fogg are prosecuting the case.

Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Jan. 21, 2027. Ramirez 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury today has indicted Jose Gilberto Alvarez, 70, of Olivehurst, charging him with four counts of heroin distribution, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between April and July 2026, Alvarez sold heroin on four occasions in the Yuba-Sutter County area. In total, he is accused of distributing about one pound of heroin.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office and the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case. Alvarez is in custody.

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

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Mickey O’Brien, 31, of Sacramento, was arrested Wednesday and is scheduled to appear in court today after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of minors, two counts of sexual exploitation of minors, and one count of committing a sex offense while being required to register as a sex offender, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

According to court documents, between 2022 and 2023, O’Brien used Snapchat to induce multiple underage girls as young as 11 to produce and send him sexually explicit depictions of themselves. At the time of these alleged offenses, O’Brien was subject to a lifetime sex offender registration requirement in Sacramento County due to prior sex crimes he committed against minors.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of the counts of sexual exploitation of minors or attempted sexual exploitation of minors, O’Brien 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. If convicted of committing a sex offense while being a registered sex offender, O’Brien faces a mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison to be served consecutively with any other sentence. 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Amador Faalaga, 39, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, on July 2, 2026, Faalaga, possessed 16 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. Faalaga is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of a prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of California (Case No. 1:15-cr-319).

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

If convicted, Faalaga 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.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment today against Joseph “Charles” Henrichsen, 49, and his son, Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, after a 15‑hour hostage crisis in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest that drew an extensive and coordinated response from local, state, and federal law enforcement, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

The defendants, temporary residents of Siskiyou County, are charged with two counts each of kidnapping a federal employee. Charles Henrichsen faces additional charges including two counts of assaulting a federal employee with a deadly weapon, two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of assault on a federal officer. 

According to court documents, on July 16, 2026, two U.S. Forest Service employees were conducting routine environmental work near Gumboot Lake Campground when Charles Henrichsen approached them with an AR-10 semiautomatic rifle. He bound their hands, and with Phoenix’s help, forced them into a remote trailer where they were held for the next 15 hours. Charles called multiple individuals stating that he had taken two federal employees hostage and was armed.

The incident triggered a massive multi-agency response. Officers and agents from across the country converged on the remote Siskiyou County location. After hours of negotiations, FBI crisis negotiators secured the safe release of both victims and the surrender of both suspects. The defendants are in custody pending trial.

The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Forest Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Land Management, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, the Mt. Shasta Police Department, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case. 

If convicted, both defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of the additional charges, Charles Henrichsen faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for assault on a federal employee with a deadly weapon, a mandatory minimum sentence of fourteen years in prison (to run consecutive to any other sentence) and a $250,000 fine for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine for assault on a federal officer. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Dequan Mitchell, 23, of Vallejo, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 33 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, at age 16, Mitchell murdered a man. While on probation for that crime, investigators discovered Mitchell was involved in posting a firearm for sale in an illicit gun trafficking application. When police searched Mitchell’s mother’s home, they discovered a loaded Glock 23 with an extended clip. That gun was the same gun Mitchell offered to sell for $1,200 in the gun trafficking forum. Subsequent investigation revealed that the gun was stolen from a carjacking victim in October 2025. Because of his prior conviction, Mitchell is prohibited from possessing firearms. He pleaded guilty on April 20, 2026.

The Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Solano County Probation Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt prosecuted. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

FRESNO, Calif. — Stephen Tyler Prock, 58, of Jamestown, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 20 years in prison, which is the maximum sentence allowed under the statute, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material commonly referred to as CSAM, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

Judge Thurston also ordered Prock to pay $23,000 in restitution to four victims whose images he possessed.

According to court documents, between May 2018 and March 2020, Prock received approximately 100 videos of CSAM and used a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to distribute CSAM to others around the world. On March 4, 2020, Prock was in the process of downloading more CSAM onto his computer when federal agents arrived at his home with a search warrant and seized his computer. 

On April 23, 2026, following a three-day trial, a jury found Prock guilty of receipt and distribution of CSAM.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee 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.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment Thursday against Nichiatari Palmer, 35, of Vallejo, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. 

According to court documents, on June 26, 2026, law enforcement deputies encountered Palmer while he was sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked car with the door open. When the deputies approached, they noticed a black AR-15-style rifle with an extended magazine in the driver’s footwell. The firearm had a live round in the chamber and 37 rounds of ammunition in the extended magazine. A search of the car found two more magazines containing 56 additional rounds. Palmer is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions including vehicle theft, burglary, and second degree robbery.

The Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case. 

If convicted, Palmer 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. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.