Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: US FBI

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 17-count indictment today against Kami Elois Power, 54, of Gardnerville, Nevada, charging her with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, from November 2019 to May 2023, Power worked as an office assistant at a family-owned construction company in South Lake Tahoe. During her employment, Power embezzled more than $1.4 million dollars from the company. She disguised more than $700,000 of these fraudulent transfers as payments made to vendors that the company worked with — under fake profiles she created in the names of real companies, as well as fake companies that resembled her own initials, such as “KEP Inc. Sale” and KPI.” She disguised additional fraudulent transfers as payments for payroll or reimbursements. Power also used the company’s credit card to make unauthorized personal purchases and paid down the balance of her own personal credit cards with the company’s money. Power used the stolen money to purchase property, luxury cars, ATVs, and a horse.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot C. Wong and Whitnee Goins are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Power faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of wire fraud, 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each count of bank fraud, and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. 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.

Source: US FBI

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ryan Davidek, 40, of Lincoln, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 12 years and seven months years in prison for interstate transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Davidek was ordered to pay $13,270 in restitution to the victim and serve a lifetime of supervised release.

According to court documents, in 2016, Davidek began a sexual relationship with a middle-school child who he had met online. Over the course of several years, Davidek booked hotel rooms and traveled across state lines, as well as transported the victim from another state to the Eastern District of California, to commit criminal sexual conduct.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, assisted by the Sacramento Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force and other local law enforcement departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexis Klein and Christina McCall are prosecuting 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 exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A Culver City man agreed to plead guilty to recklessly operating a drone that crashed into and damaged a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft fighting the Palisades Fire earlier this month, the Justice Department announced today.

Peter Tripp Akemann, 56, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft. This morning federal prosecutors filed a criminal information charging Akemann with the misdemeanor offense that carries a prison sentence of up to one year in federal prison.

In a plea agreement also filed this morning, Akemann agreed to plead guilty to the criminal offense and admitted to his reckless and illegal conduct in flying the drone that posed an imminent safety hazard to the Super Scooper crew. As a result of the drone collision, the firefighting aircraft was taken out of service for a period of time and was not able to continue its firefighting mission. As part of the plea agreement, Akemann agreed to pay full restitution to the Government of Quebec, which supplied the plane, and an aircraft repair company that repaired the plane. Akemann also agreed to complete 150 hours of community service in support of the 2025 Southern California wildfire relief effort.

“This defendant recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “This damage caused to the Super Scooper is a stark reminder that flying drones during times of emergency poses an extreme threat to personnel trying to help people and compromises the overall ability of police and fire to conduct operations. As this case demonstrates, we will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with the critical work of our first responders.”

“Lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Please respect the law, respect the FAA’s rules and respect our firefighters and the residents they are protecting by keeping your drone at home during wildfires.”

Akemann is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. 

According to the plea agreement, while the wildfire was burning in and around Pacific Palisades on January 9, Akemann drove to the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and parked his vehicle on the top floor of the parking structure. He then launched a drone and flew it towards Pacific Palisades to observe damage caused by the Palisades Fire.

Akemann flew the drone at least 2,500 meters (more than 1.5 miles) toward the fire and lost sight of the drone. As Akemann was flying the drone, it collided with a Government of Quebec Super Scooper carrying two crewmembers attempting to fight the blaze. The impact caused an approximately 3-inch-by-6-inch hole in the left wing. After landing, maintenance personnel identified the damage and took the aircraft out of service for repairs.

At the time of the collision, the Federal Aviation Administration had issued temporary flight restrictions that prohibited drone operations near the Los Angeles County wildfires that erupted earlier this month.

As a result of the collision, the Government of Quebec and an aircraft repair company incurred costs of at least $65,169 to repair the plane.

The FBI investigated this matter. The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Los Angeles Fire Department, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) provided substantial assistance.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia and Ian V. Yanniello of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

Source: US FBI

SANTA ANA, California – A Riverside County man was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison for catfishing a preteen girl he met on an online gaming platform and persuading her to send him sexually explicit photos of herself and, later, of her five-year-old relative.

John Matthew Piecuch, 64, of Hemet, was sentenced by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb, who scheduled a May 1, 2025, restitution hearing in this matter.

Piecuch pleaded guilty in July 2024 to one count of production of child pornography. He has been in federal custody since August 2021.

“Online games and platforms can allow child predators to hide behind fake identities and lure children into sharing private information,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally. “It is critical that we hold these predators accountable and convey a message of zero tolerance for those who prey on our youth. I also urge parents everywhere to monitor their children’s online activity to ensure their health and safety.”

Piecuch met on Roblox, an online gaming platform, an individual identified in court documents as “Minor Victim 1,” a 12-year-old-girl. Piecuch told the victim he was a 13-year-old boy.

In January 2021, Piecuch and Minor Victim 1 texted each other, during which time he persuaded her to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Piecuch also persuaded Minor Victim 1 to take and send him sexually explicit photographs of Minor Victim 2, a five-year-old girl, her relative.

Minor Victim 1’s mother saw some of the text messages between her daughter and Piecuch on the girl’s mobile device, which prompted her to contact law enforcement, according to court documents.

Once he completes his prison sentence, Piecuch will remain on supervised release for the rest of his life.

The FBI investigated this matter in conjunction with the Carroll County (Maryland) Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to a felony drug offense for his actions surrounding a 2020 fentanyl transaction that resulted in the death of a U.S. Marine.

Anthony Ruben Whisenant, 24, pleaded guilty in United States District Court to the use of a communication facility – a cellphone – in committing a felony drug offense.

United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee is scheduled to sentence Whisenant on May 7, at which time he will face a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison.

“Fentanyl continues to claim the lives of too many in our community,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Our office remains committed to holding accountable those responsible for circulating fentanyl and other dangerous substances in our district and threatening the health and safety of our residents.”

According to court documents, in May 2020, Whisenant was an active-duty lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps stationed aboard Camp Pendleton in Oceanside when he ordered pills marketed as oxycodone – but which actually contained fentanyl – for a fellow U.S. Marine, identified in court papers as “L.M.”

Whisenant contacted the drug dealer, Gustavo Jaciel Solis, 28, based on an advertisement Solis shared via his Snapchat account, according to court documents. L.M. drove Whisenant and another U.S. Marine, Ryan Douglas White, 27, from Camp Pendleton to collect the drugs from Solis later that same day. The three Marines then drove to a party in Compton where L.M. ingested some of the pills purchased from Solis and died shortly after. At the direction of Whisenant, White flushed the remaining pills down a toilet before first responders arrived.

Solis was charged in 2020, along with Whisenant and two other civilian co-conspirators, with being part of a drug ring that distributed narcotics to civilians and members of the Marine Corps, and White was charged as an accessory after the fact.

Solis was arrested in July 2020, at which time investigators seized narcotics and several firearms – including a 9mm “ghost gun” – from his residence. Solis pleaded guilty in April 2022 to two federal drug trafficking offenses: participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and distributing fentanyl resulting in death. His sentencing is pending, and he faces a maximum sentence of life.

White pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of misprision of a felony for his knowledge of the fatal drug transaction and his attempts to hinder law enforcement’s investigation. His sentencing is scheduled for June 6, at which time he will face a maximum sentence of 3 years.

A superseding indictment filed in September 2020 named two other defendants: Jordan Nicholas McCormick, 29, of Palmdale, and Jessica Sarah Perez, 25, of Pacoima.

McCormick allegedly supplied provided LSD, ecstasy, cocaine and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to co-conspirators. McCormick has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial on April 22.

Perez distributed narcotics including fentanyl and cocaine to the conspiracy’s civilian customers. She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and was sentenced in September 2022 to pay a $100 fine and placed on probation for two years.

This matter was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles-area man with multiple prior felony convictions has been sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for illegally possessing ammunition during an incident last year in which pointed a firearm at a victim and also threatened to shoot the victim’s dog, the Justice Department announced today.

Edward Conway, 47, who was a transient at the time of the offense, was sentenced Monday afternoon by United States District Judge Percy Anderson. Conway pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.

According to court documents, on February 25, 2024, Conway held a gun to the head of his ex-girlfriend’s cousin, demanding that the victim get Conway’s ex-girlfriend on the phone. Conway also threatened to shoot the man’s dog if he didn’t cooperate.

During the incident, Conway pointed to a camera on the man’s house and demanded that the victim turn the camera off. When the victim told Conway he was unable to do so, Conway fired his gun at the camera, pushed his gun into the victim’s back and pinned him to a car while continuing to threaten him.

When Conway shot toward the camera, a child was taking shelter from the commotion in a house adjacent to where Conway fired the gun, prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. Investigators recovered a 9mm caliber shell casing from the scene.

After shooting at the camera, Conway fled the scene on foot, but he was later arrested by officers with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Earlier that same day, Conway harassed and strangled his ex-girlfriend outside of a grocery store in Los Angeles, then proceeded to throw her car keys onto a neighboring apartment, preventing her from escaping him, according to the sentencing memo.  As a result of this conduct, Conway was convicted of felony domestic violence and sentenced to 60 days in custody.

Conway is not legally permitted to possess ammunition because of his criminal history, which includes felony convictions in Los Angeles Superior Court for second-degree robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and assault with a deadly weapon.

The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter. 

Assistant United States Attorney Mirelle N. Raza of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.

Source: US FBI

RIVERSIDE, California – Three San Gabriel Valley residents and one San Bernardino County man have been found guilty by a jury of participating in an armed robbery and carjacking of a car repair business last year in Bloomington in which one victim was pistol-whipped into near unconsciousness, the Justice Department announced today.

At the conclusion of a 13-day trial, a federal jury on late Wednesday returned a guilty verdict on all counts against the following defendants:

• Marcos Guerrero, 49, of Glendora;
• Elijah Gafare, 35, of West Covina;
• Cinthia Leal, 39, of Glendora; and
• Vincent Solarez, 58, of Upland.

All four defendants were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), one count of Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of carjacking.

Guerrero, Gafare, and Leal also were found guilty of witness tampering and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of and in relation to a crime of violence. Guerrero further was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

“Violent crime tears at the fabric of our communities,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “The verdict reached in this case highlights our office’s ongoing efforts to root out and punish criminals who use guns to harm innocent people.”

According to evidence presented at trial, Guerrero, Gafare, Leal, and Solarez participated in an armed robbery of a car repair shop in Bloomington in the early morning hours of March 12, 2024. During the robbery, two of the defendants brandished firearms and one of the defendants pistol-whipped one of the victims into near unconsciousness.

The defendants kept the victims hostage and threatened to kill them if the victims did not hand over cash, their car, and if they ever called law enforcement. In total, defendants stole several thousand dollars in cash and the business surveillance system, in addition to the victim’s car and other property.

Law enforcement tracked the defendants down and arrested them in May and June of 2024.

On May 30, 2024, Guerrero illegally possessed a .45-caliber firearm and dozens of rounds of ammunition. He is not permitted to possess firearms and ammunition because his criminal history includes convictions in San Bernardino County Superior Court for home invasion robbery, first-degree residential burglary, false imprisonment by violence, possession of a firearm by a felon, and evading a police officer.

United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal scheduled an April 21 sentencing hearing, at which Guerrero, Gafare, and Leal will face a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Solarez will face a statutory maximum sentence of 65 years in federal prison.

The FBI Inland Violent Crimes Suppression Task Force and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Joshua J. Lee and Neil P. Thakor of the General Crimes Section, and Tritia L. Yuen of the Riverside Branch Office, are prosecuting this case.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to participating in a one-week nationwide “swatting” spree that gained access to Ring home security door cameras, placed bogus emergency phone calls designed to elicit an armed police response, then livestreamed the events on social media, sometimes while taunting responding police officers in communities such as West Covina and Oxnard.

Kya Christian Nelson, 23, of Racine, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and two counts of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information.

Nelson, who is doing time in a Kentucky state prison after being convicted in an unrelated case, has been in federal custody since August 2024.

“Swatting puts innocent lives in danger,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that individuals who engage in this dangerous conduct will be held accountable through federal prosecutions.”

“The defendant’s malicious actions traumatized his victims and put their lives – and the lives of responding officers – at risk,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Swatting hoaxes drain crucial law enforcement resources at the expense of taxpayers and diverts police officers from responding to actual crisis situations. This case is a good reminder for security doorbell users that it’s important to practice strict cyber hygiene by using difficult passwords and by employing two-factor authentication.”

According to his plea agreement, from November 7, 2020, to November 13, 2020, Nelson and co-conspirators gained access to home security door cameras sold by Ring LLC, a Santa Monica-based home security technology company. Nelson acquired without authorization the username and password information for Yahoo! email accounts belonging to victims throughout the United States.

The conspirators then determined whether the owner of each compromised Yahoo! account also had a Ring account using the same email address and password that could control associated internet-connected Ring doorbell camera devices. Using that information, they identified and gathered additional information about their victims.

Then, the conspirators placed false emergency reports or telephone calls to local law enforcement in the areas where the victims lived. These reports or calls were intended to elicit an emergency police response to the victim’s residence. The conspirators then accessed without authorization the victims’ Ring devices and transmitted the audio and video from those devices on social media during the police response. They also taunted responding police officers and victims through the Ring devices during several of the incidents.

For example, on November 8, 2020, Nelson and a co-conspirator accessed without authorization Yahoo! and Ring accounts belonging to a victim in West Covina. A hoax telephone call was placed to the West Covina Police Department purporting to originate from the victim’s residence and posing as a minor child reporting her parents drinking and shooting guns inside the residence. The caller claimed that her parents had multiple firearms and had fired approximately seven gunshots inside the house. Based on this hoax call, West Covina Police Department officers made an emergency response to the house and cleared the residents from the home at gunpoint.

During the police response, Nelson accessed the Ring doorbell camera located at the West Covina residence and used it to verbally threaten and taunt the police officers who responded to the reported incident.

In another incident, on November 11, 2020, Nelson illegally possessed the Yahoo! and Ring login credentials of a victim living in Oxnard. Nelson then used those credentials to access the victim’s Ring account. Nelson or a co-conspirator made a hoax call to the Oxnard Police Department purporting to be coming from inside the victim’s home.

The caller told the police that they were a child whose father was wielding a handgun inside the residence. Nelson made a second hoax call to Oxnard Police to report hearing shots fired at the victim’s residence. Based on these hoax calls, Oxnard Police officers made an emergency response to the house and cleared the residents from the home at gunpoint.

Nelson accessed the Ring doorbell camera located at the Oxnard residence and used it to threaten and taunt the police officers who had responded to the reported incident.

United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt scheduled a May 1 sentencing hearing, at which time Nelson will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count.

One of Nelson’s indicted co-conspirators, James Thomas Andrew McCarty, 22, of Kayenta, Arizona, was sentenced in June 2024 to seven years in federal prison both for his role in this case, and on additional charges in the District of Arizona. In connection with the Ring swatting incidents, McCarty pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy as Nelson.

McCarty further admitted to illegally accessing a victim’s Ring camera in Florida and making a call to the North Port Florida Police Department, in which he purported to be the victim’s husband who had just killed her, was holding a hostage, and had rigged explosives at the residence. McCarty then livestreamed the law enforcement response and posted a message on social media taking credit for the swatting incident and stating that he thought it was amusing.

The FBI investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Khaldoun Shobaki of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – A cryptocurrency businessman who dubbed himself “The Godfather” and a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputy have agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges, including for their roles in a conspiracy that targeted multiple victims in Los Angeles, violating their civil rights via intimidation, extortion, illegal search warrants and other abuses of police power, the Justice Department announced today.

Adam Iza, 24, who has residences in Beverly Hills and Newport Coast, was named this week in a three-count superseding information that charges him with conspiracy against rights, wire fraud and tax evasion. Iza has been in federal custody since September 2024.

Eric Chase Saavedra, 41, of Chino, an LASD deputy and a former federal task force officer, was separately charged today with conspiracy against rights and subscribing to a false tax return.

Iza and Saavedra have agreed to plead guilty to these felony charges and are expected to make their initial appearances in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming days.

“When law enforcement officers violate their oath, they betray not only the public but also the vast majority of officers who do the job the right way,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “The conduct admitted to in these plea agreements is deeply disturbing and cannot be tolerated. I am grateful for the cooperation of Sheriff Robert Luna and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in working with our office to root out corruption and uphold civil rights.”

 “The defendants profited handsomely by abusing the criminal justice system and trampling on victims’ civil rights,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is committed to rooting out corrupt officials and their coconspirators whose actions erode trust in law enforcement.”

 The plea agreement for Iza was filed this morning. Federal prosecutors late Thursday filed charges, as well a plea agreement, in the case against Saavedra.

According to their plea agreements, Iza hired off-duty LASD deputies to act as his personal enforcers against his enemies. As part of the conspiracy to violate civil rights, Iza would have the deputies assist him in carrying out extortion, intimidation, setting people up for arrest, and abuse of legal process. One of the deputies Iza employed was Saavedra, who was assigned to LASD’s Operation Safe Streets Bureau and served as a federal task force officer assigned to the United States Marshals Service’s Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Saavedra founded a private security company, Saavedra & Associates LLC. This company provided private security for its clients and often employed active LASD deputies and other law enforcement officers.  From August 2021 to March 2022, Iza – who then lived in a Bel Air mansion – hired Saavedra & Associates to provide him round-the-clock private security at a typical cost of $100,000 per month. Iza hired the company again from July 2024 until Iza’s arrest in September 2024.

Starting in the fall of 2021, Saavedra illegally and regularly used his LASD credentials to access sensitive law enforcement databases to obtain personal identifiable information for Iza, including PII for people with whom Iza had personal or business disputes, their associates and their family members. Saavedra knew he was not authorized under LASD rules to access this information for non-law enforcement matters or to share it with private clients. He did so because he wanted to impress Iza with his access to law enforcement information and to continue to receive lucrative business from Iza, according to court documents.

Saavedra admitted that he used his powers as a sworn law enforcement officer to improperly obtain court-authorized search warrants related to individuals with whom Iza had disputes, including a warrant to search an individual’s residence that Saavedra helped facilitate and a warrant to obtain location information associated with another individual that Saavedra directly obtained.

Iza, Saavedra and others used confidential information that the LASD deputies obtained in their official capacities to locate, intimidate, harass, threaten and extort individuals with whom Iza had disputes and their associates, according to court documents. They also used Telegram and other encrypted communications apps to avoid law enforcement detection.

For example, in late 2021 or early 2022, Iza – believing a victim possessed a laptop computer containing more than $100 million in cryptocurrency – discussed and agreed that Saavedra would obtain a search warrant for GPS location associated with that victim’s telephone number. In January 2022, Saavedra applied for and obtained a search warrant under false pretenses from a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. In an affidavit supporting the search warrant application, Saavedra falsely stated that the victim’s telephone number was associated with a suspect in a firearms investigation.

After securing the illegal warrant, Saavedra tracked down the victim and provided the victim’s address to Iza. In March 2022, Iza caused three armed individuals to try to force entry into the victim’s home to steal the laptop. The individuals fled after the victim fired a gunshot in their direction. Afterward, Iza sent the victim a video of the attempted home invasion robbery.

The documents filed this week describe other violent acts, including an August 2021 event during which two LASD deputies held a victim at gunpoint inside Iza’s residence, after which Iza caused $25,000 to be transferred from the victim’s bank account to his own, and an October 2021 event in which Iza himself held a victim at gunpoint, causing that victim to transfer $127,000 to Iza.

Iza also admitted to stealing more than $37 million by fraudulently gaining access to Meta Platforms Inc. business manager accounts and their associated lines of credit from 2020 to 2022.

Both Iza and Saavedra admitted in their plea agreements to federal tax crimes. Iza willfully avoided the assessment of approximately $6,772,725 in federal income tax due for the year 2021. Saavedra received approximately $373,146 in unreported income and subscribed to a false tax return for 2021.

“Mr. Iza’s and Mr. Saavedra’s relationship was little more than a thuggish partnership between a thief and a crooked cop,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “The public should be able to trust members of law enforcement, but Mr. Saavedra violated his oath for a payday. Mr. Iza stole from anyone he could and found a big payday by ripping off Meta so that he could afford to pay for Mr. Saavedra’s corrupt protection and assistance.  Unfortunately for both of them, money leaves trails and IRS Criminal Investigation is the best in the world at finding and following those trails. When you commit fraud and take a payday from fraudsters you must pay taxes on those funds. Now they will face justice for their actions.”

After pleading guilty, Iza will face up to 35 years in federal prison. Saavedra will face up to 13 years in federal prison.

The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has provided assistance.

Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. O’Brien and J. Jamari Buxton of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Maxwell K. Coll of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

Source: US FBI

LOS ANGELES – The leaders of federal and local law enforcement agencies have joined together to create the Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force to investigate and prosecute fire-related crimes as Los Angeles County recovers from devastating wildfires. The Task Force will focus on investigating and prosecuting criminal actors seeking to exploit the wildfire crisis.

The Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force includes representatives of the United States Attorney’s Office; the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office; the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office; the Los Angeles Police Department; and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Members of the Task Force will meet to discuss case leads, develop and share crime intelligence, and facilitate the efficient prosecution of crimes related to the Los Angeles County wildfires. The Task Force will primarily focus on four areas: looting, burglary and impersonation offenses; crimes related to arson; illegal drone activity; and financial fraud targeting both disaster victims and those wishing to make charitable donations.

“We will not permit victims to be re-victimized,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Our community has suffered tremendously, and we are here to support them. The Joint Fire Crimes Task Force is committed to addressing crimes coming out of the fires, including any looting, arson, illegal drone flights and fraud. As the rebuilding process begins and donations and relief funds come in, we must ensure that those seeking to take advantage through criminal activity are held fully accountable.”

“Every crisis generates the best of us – brave first responders and average people who step up financially to support victims – as well as the worst in our society, including those who steal well-intentioned money or defraud victims who are already suffering,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “In addition to our efforts to combat fraud, we will devote resources to the task force to investigate allegations of arson, and we will not tolerate careless and criminal drone operators who put firefighters and residents in harm’s way. The FBI will commit resources to address this new crop of criminals callously taking advantage of the vulnerable during and after these devastating wildfires.”

“ATF possesses unparalleled expertise in determining the origin and cause of fires, even under the most complex and challenging conditions,” said Jose Medina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division. “Our agency offers a comprehensive set of resources for arson investigations, including certified fire investigators, chemists, electrical engineers, accelerant-detection canines, and a state-of-the-art fire research laboratory. Arson destroys lives, businesses, and entire communities. Together with our partners, we are committed to identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting those responsible.”

“Far too often, during tragic events like the Los Angeles-area wildfires, we have seen greedy individuals seek to line their pockets and divert critical funds from those most in need,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “HSI Los Angeles and partner agencies will do our part to help the region recover and rebuild by ensuring that disaster-related funds will go to individuals and families that lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods – and not unscrupulous fraudsters.”

“The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with local and federal law enforcement agencies, will relentlessly pursue and hold accountable those who despicably seek to exploit this tragedy for personal gain,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. “We want to send a clear and unequivocal message to criminals: If you seek to commit crime during this crisis, from arson, looting, burglary and theft to price gouging and financial scams, we will arrest you, prosecute you, and seek to punish you to the full extent of the law. As billions of dollars in vital aid relief pour into Los Angeles County, our Task Force, comprised of over a thousand prosecutors and thousands of law enforcement agents, will protect those who have suffered from being victimized again. Justice will be swift, certain and significant. Los Angeles County has been tested before and prevailed; and we will prevail again.”

“I am proud to stand with this powerful collaboration as we work together to ensure that no individual or business gets away with illegal or predatory conduct, including price gouging. People preying on others will face criminal justice,” said Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto. “In addition, with so many people now facing uncertainty about their future, my office is also leaning in to bring every legislative, executive and civil resource at our disposal to help us get through this emergency, and to heal, recover and rebuild together. As Angelenos, it’s what we’ve always done.”

“As our community continues to deal with these devastating wildfires, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protect our residents from those who would exploit their vulnerability,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna. “Whether it’s arson, illegal drone activity disrupting first responders, or fraud targeting victims and donors, this joint task force will investigate and hold individuals accountable. These efforts are about protecting our communities and ensuring those affected by this unimaginable disaster recover without fear or further victimization.”

“The Joint Task Force brings together individuals and agencies with the most experience and best resources to ensure that those suspected of breaking the law are identified and held accountable,” said LAPD Chief of Police Jim McDonnell. “The LAPD will not allow criminals to compound the devastation of our residents, and we will devote whatever resources are necessary to protect them.”

The Joint Regional Fire Crimes Task Force will aggressively pursue offenders in the following categories:

Looting, Burglary, Curfew Violations and Impersonation

The Task Force and partner agencies are investigating any looting, burglary, robbery, grand theft, impersonation of firefighters or law enforcement, curfew violations, and related crimes stemming from the Palisades Fire, the Eaton Fire, and other wildfires. To date more than 50 individuals have been arrested, and nine defendants have been charged and face maximum sentences ranging from six years to life in prison.

Arson

Members of the Task Force and fire authorities are investigating the Palisades Fire, the Eaton Fire and the other wildfires that started over the past week. At the request of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF Los Angeles and the LAPD, ATF deployed its renowned National Response Team to the Palisades fire to investigate. These specialized investigators are working around the clock to determine the origins of these fires.

In addition, as wind events and dry conditions continue to leave the region vulnerable to wildfires, the Task Force will aggressively prosecute anyone who attempts to cause new fires by malice or reckless behavior. The federal arson statute carries a five-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Those penalties can increase to life sentence if a death has occurred. Under California law, arson carries a prison sentence of up to nine years.

Illegal Drones

Fire personnel must be able to perform their duties without interference. Illegal drone activity in active fire zones has disrupted operations, including one instance where a drone collided with a fire suppression plane.

The areas around the Palisades and Eaton fires are under temporary flight restrictions through January 25, and it is a crime to fly a drone in these areas. The FBI has deployed equipment to detect drones flying in these restricted areas. The federal offense of flying a drone in ones of these restricted airspaces carries a penalty of up to one year in federal prison and a fine of up to $75,000.

Fraud

The Task Force will not allow fire victims to be re-victimized by fraud and theft. Its efforts focus on ensuring that relief funds reach those in need and working to swiftly prosecutor those engaged in defrauding donors.

Generous people around the world are making donators to assist victims. Unfortunately, this creates opportunities for scams as criminals exploit disasters for their own gain by sending fraudulent solicitations or creating deceiving websites. Potential donors are urged to make donations only to known entities and to avoid giving donations in cash or via wire transfer.

The Task Force will also investigator the misuse of aid programs administered by government agencies, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA). Federal agencies are deploying significant financial resources to support homeowners, renters, nonprofits and businesses affected by the fires, and any attempt to misuse these funds through fraud or identity theft will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted.

There are numerous other potential scams that might victimize victims such as contractor fraud. The Task Force will target any individual seeking to defraud victims of the wildfires.

Price-gouging laws went into effect immediately upon the declaration of a state of emergency. No person and no business can increase pricing on housing, shelter, food, water, clothing, pet care, health care or any other essential goods or services by more than 10% without violating the law. The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office is leading Task Force efforts in this area. Violations of the price gouging statute are subject to criminal prosecution for up to one year in prison, plus a fine of up to $10,000. They are also subject to civil enforcement actions to include civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation, injunctive relief and mandatory restitution.

Members of the Task Force remain committed to seeing that victims of these devastating fires receive justice and that those who exploit or harm them are held accountable.

Members of the public are encouraged to report wrongdoing to authorities at any law enforcement agency. For example, tips may be directed to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or https://tips.fbi.gov/home. The public may also report examples of financial fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721 or https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form