MIL Security Engine-1

Source: US FBI

SAN DIEGO – Dr. Michael Villarroel, who at the time of his crimes was a doctor in the U.S. Navy, was sentenced in federal court today to one year and one day in custody after admitting that he and others participated in a scheme to file false claims to obtain unearned benefits from an insurance program that compensates service members who suffer serious and debilitating injuries while on active duty. He was also ordered to pay $180,000 as criminal forfeiture. A restitution hearing is scheduled on April 2.

Villarroels’ sentence followed his guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to his plea agreement, participants in the scheme obtained approximately $2 million in payments from fraudulent claims submitted to the insurance program – Traumatic Servicemembers Group Life Insurance Program, or TSGLI.

Villarroel admitted that from 2012 to at least December 2015, he conspired with other members of the Navy to obtain money from the United States by making claims for life insurance payments based on exaggerated or fake injuries and disabilities. Villarroel certified that he reviewed the records and determined the injuries were legitimate when in fact he knew they were fake or exaggerated. At times Villarroel falsely stated that he interviewed the claimant and provided others service members actual medical records to be used in fabricating claims. Villarroel knew the claims were false but he signed off on them to receive kickbacks once the fake injuries resulted in insurance payouts.

“As fraudulent schemes go, this one was egregious,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Today the defendant found out there is a high price to be paid for pocketing money intended for injured and traumatized servicemembers.”

“Fraudulent activities compromise the integrity of government programs and services and divert compensation from deserving recipients,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebeccalynn Staples with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Western Field Office. “This sentence holds the defendant accountable for his dishonest actions, and the VA OIG will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure schemes like this are uncovered, investigated, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Michael Villaroel’s blatant abuse of his position of trust within the United States military is unscrupulous and this sentencing proves that such actions will not be tolerated,” said FBI San Diego Acting Special Agent in Charge John Kim. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners remain committed to aggressively disrupt, and, ultimately, bring to justice anyone who defrauds the United States government.”

“Dr. Villarroel betrayed his oath to the Navy and has been held to account for his role in a scheme that diverted more than $2 million in critical resources away from wounded service members recovering from traumatic injuries,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our partners are committed to rooting out corruption that threatens the safety and wellbeing of our service members and their families.”

The Traumatic Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (TSGLI) program was administered by Prudential for the Navy and funded by servicemembers and the Department of the Navy. TSGLI provided financial assistance to servicemembers recovering from traumatic injuries.

According to court records, Villarroel’s co-defendants were part of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Expeditionary Support Unit One (“EOD ESU One”) based in Coronado, California.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Ko and Mark Conover for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case.

DEFENDANT                                 18CR1674-JLS
Michael Villarroel                            51                                 Coronado, California

RELATED CASES
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Christopher Toups                       18CR1674-JLS               White, GA
Paul Craig                                    18CR1674-JLS               Austin, TX
Richard Cote                                18CR1674-JLS              Oceanside, CA
Earnest Thompson                       18CR1674-JLS              Murrieta, CA
Ronald Olmsted                           20CR0659-JLS               Mobile, AL
Anthony Coco                              20CR0197-JLS               San Diego, CA
Stephen Mulholland                     20CR0052-JLS               Panama City Beach, FL

SUMMARY OF CHARGES
18 U.S.C. § 1349, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution
Others:
18 U.S.C. § 1349, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution
18 U.S.C. § 1343, Wire Fraud
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution
18 U.S.C. § 287, Making a False Claim
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison, $250,000 fine

AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General

Source: US FBI

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – December 21, 2023

SAN DIEGO – Christopher Baltezar Hernandez of Fresno, California, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he and another man stalked and fatally shot a family of five – including three children – in their Tijuana home on December 3, 2021.  

According to court records, Hernandez traveled from Fresno, California, to Tijuana, Mexico, through San Diego, armed with an assault rifle, .223 caliber ammunition, and two revolver speed loaders on December 3, 2021. That same day, Hernandez met up with codefendant Victor Aguilar, who has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

Both Hernandez and Aguilar, armed with a .223 assault rifle and revolver and wearing dark clothes and gloves, traveled to the victims’ residence in Tijuana. According to the plea agreement, which identified the victims by their initials, the defendants shot and killed J.H. and her eight-year-old daughter, A.M.M., in the kitchen. G.M.V. was shot and killed while attempting to shield the other two children behind a bedroom door. The door was forced open and nine-year-old A.M. and four-year-old S.M. were each shot in the head.

Prior to the murders, Hernandez and Aguilar had researched the victims’ address and the surrounding area over 200 times. Hernandez also bought the parts and built a fully functional .223 caliber assault rifle as well as a pair of revolver speed loaders. On the day of the murders, Hernandez and Aguilar acquired a revolver in Tijuana, Mexico.

A sentencing hearing for Hernandez is scheduled for March 18, 2024, at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez. Aguilar’s sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for June 26, 2024, also before Judge Lopez.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mario Peia, Matthew Brehm and Fred Sheppard.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 22cr778-LL                              

Christopher Baltezar Hernandez                    Age: 27                                   Fresno, CA

Victor Armondo Aguilar                                Age: 22                                   Tijuana, MX

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Murder – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1117

Maximum penalty: Life in prison

Stalking Resulting in Death – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2261A

Maximum penalty: Life in prison

AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation

San Diego County Sheriff’s Department

Source: US FBI

The FBI routinely receives and shares information with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to assist in protecting the communities we serve. The FBI is aware of potential threats of violence involving rival gangs in or around the vicinity of the Sikh Parade in Yuba City, CA, from November 1-3, 2024. Although these threats are unverified, we will continue to work closely with our partners to ensure the safety of the community at the event. We encourage members of the public to be vigilant and report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.

Source: US FBI

Source: US FBI

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today against Bradley Earl Reger, 68, of Susanville, charging him with seven additional violations of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and coercion and enticement, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Reger sexually abused more than a dozen victims under the guise of conducting purported medical examinations at his nursing clinic in Susanville, and in hotel rooms and camp sites all over the world. Reger was a licensed nurse practitioner with the California Board of Registered Nursing from 2003 until Oct. 18, 2023, when the Board of Registered Nursing revoked his license.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina McCall and Roger Yang are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Reger faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison for the most serious charged count and a $250,000 fine per count, plus up to a lifetime 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.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Sacramento Division and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are seeking to identify potential victims of Bradley Reger. If you believe that you and/or your minor dependent(s) were victimized by Reger at any time, in the United States or abroad, or have information relevant to this investigation, please complete the online form available at: www.fbi.gov/RegerVictims. Additionally, if you know of someone else who may have been victimized by Bradley Reger, please encourage them to complete the form.

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

Source: US FBI

FRESNO, Calif. — Arsen Tonoyan, 48, an Armenian national formerly residing in Los Angeles, was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution for assaulting a federal officer or employee that inflicted bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on March 7, 2022, Tonoyan assaulted a detention officer at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Golden State Annex detention center in Kern County. Tonoyan walked up to the detention officer and hit the officer multiple times. He punched the officer, put the officer into a chokehold, and took the officer down to the ground. The officer suffered bodily injuries as a result of the attack, including a concussion, back injuries, and other injuries requiring immediate medical attention.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple prosecuted the case.

Source: US FBI

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kaymeisha Keyes, 33, of Tracy, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to nine years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme to defraud the unemployment insurance benefit program during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. Keyes was also ordered to pay $1,116,683 in restitution.

According to court documents, between April 2020 and August 2021, Keyes executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing more than 70 fraudulent unemployment benefit claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Keyes collected personally identifiable information of numerous individuals — including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers — and used their identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The filings represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because, for example, the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Keyes did not have authority to file claims on their behalf.

Since at least October 2021, EDD partnered with ID.me — a private company used by the EDD for ID verification of claimants — to implement a system for verifying claimant identities before EDD can process unemployment insurance claims. In executing this fraudulent scheme, Keyes submitted false information to ID.me that allowed fake and stolen identities to be verified. This false information included images of fake driver’s licenses that contained photos of Keyes and co-schemers and the names of the purported claimants. She also submitted photos of herself and co-schemers that were used to verify the photos on the fake driver’s licenses. Once these false identities were verified, Keyes filed the fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD under the same identities.

In the fraudulent unemployment insurance applications, Keyes requested that the unemployment insurance benefits be mailed to various addresses under her control, including her residence in Tracy. EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out EDD debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Keyes then activated the EDD debit cards and spent the benefits on herself. The scheme sought over $2 million in unemployment insurance benefits and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $1.1 million.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Office of Correctional Safety, and the California EDD – Investigation Division with assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of the California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

Source: US FBI

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today, charging Thomas Henry Lopez, 49, of Spring, Texas, with two counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of distribution of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between June 2024 and July 2024, Lopez contacted two minors in California through TikTok and then communicated with them through text messages and the encrypted application JusTalk. Lopez purported to be a 12-year-old male from Texas and requested that the victims create and then send to him still and video images of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. While communicating with the victims, Lopez sent them images of adults and minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct as well as images of himself masturbating. Investigators were able to identify Lopez by determining that he was using internet connections at his residence and at his Houston workplace, where he was the principal wells engineer for an oil and gas company, when communicating with the victims. FBI agents arrested Lopez on Sept. 3, 2024, just as he was leaving on a work-related trip to Singapore, and numerous electronic devices were recovered during a search of his residence. He will appear before a federal magistrate judge in Houston, Texas, on Sept. 13, 2024.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, principally the Kingsburg, California Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.

If convicted Lopez, faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the counts of sexual exploitation of children, and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for distribution of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted of the transfer of obscene material to a minor count, Lopez faces a maximum of 10 years in 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.

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