News

Chowchilla Inmate Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits Fraud

FRESNO - Sholanda Thomas, 38, an inmate at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft charges for submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to the California Employment Development Department in her own name and the names of other inmates, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Thomas sent her own and other inmates’ personal identifying information to Christina Smith, who was on parole and had previously been an inmate at CCWF, to submit the fraudulent claims in their names. The underlying applications falsely represented that the inmates had been working as carpet cleaners, hair stylists, mechanics, and other jobs. This was impossible because they were incarcerated and ineligible for benefits. The loss to the EDD and the United States is over $250,000. Thomas split the proceeds with Smith and her other co-conspirators.

Merced Man Indicted for $60,000 Credit Card Fraud

FRESNO - Ruben Chavez III, 36, of Merced, was arrested today, after a federal grand jury indicted him on Thursday for credit card fraud and related identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, from April 2021 through March 2022, Chavez obtained victims’ credit cards and used them to make over $60,000 in fraudulent purchases at retail stores. He also changed the victims’ mailing addresses to his own address and created fake identification cards in their names to help further his fraud.

Fresno Business Owner Indicted for Additional Tax and Social Security Fraud Charges

FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment Thursday against Marcus Asay, 66, of Fresno, charging him with making false tax returns, and concealing a matter with an intent to fraudulently secure Social Security disability benefits, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, from 2016-2018, Asay reported very little taxable income although he knew that his taxable income was more than $50,000. As the chairman of American Labor Alliance (ALA), Asay caused the organization to pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of personal expenses, including over $50,000 to dating and escort websites and $120,000 in rent for Asay’s personal residences.

Third Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Member Indicted for Illegally Possessing Two Firearms in Solano County

SACRAMENTO - A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Michael Mahoney, 29, of Fairfield, charging him with possessing a firearm with an obliterated or altered serial number and possessing an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Mahoney is the third individual to be indicted in the Eastern District of California based on an investigation into a brutal beating at the clubhouse for the Vallejo chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. The other two defendants—Jaime Alvarez and Dennis Killough Jr.—were indicted by a grand jury on May 27, 2022.

Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl Pills

FRESNO - Mario Garcia, 28, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between Oct. 2 and Dec. 16, 2020, Mario was incarcerated at the Fresno County Jail in an unrelated case. From inside the jail, he used the jail’s telephones to contact his brother Isaiah Garcia, 19, and discuss a plan to distribute counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl to Isaiah’s customers. On Dec. 16, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Isaiah’s residence and seized about 1,200 counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills.

Primary 2022: A Night of Run-Aways, Run-Offs and Too Close To Calls

MADERA – Madera County Sheriff Tyson Pogue had an early and decisive victory overr former Chowchilla Police Sergeant Ruben Mendoza Tuesday night. When the first ballots were counted a little after the poolsclosed at 8 pm, Pogue was already over 50 points ahead of his opponent, a member of the Madera Unified School District board of trustees. By the end of the night, Pogue scored more than 80% of the total votes counted Tuesday.

Katherine Rigby defeated her opponent in another early run-away to replace her father as a Madera County Superior Court Judge. Alaina Ybarra, who Madera City Mayor Santos Garcia backed, could not break the 30% threshold votes counted Tuesday evening. Rigby’s father, Mitch, retired earlier this year from the bench. She is currently employed as a prosecutor for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office in Fresno.

Madera Women Sentenced to Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

FRESNO - Leah Guillen, 39, of Madera, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to three years and three months in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in early 2018, Guillen obtained the name, Social Security account number, and date of birth of an individual. Guillen then used this information to impersonate the victim and fraudulently gain access to the victim’s bank accounts at Golden1 Credit Union. Using an unauthorized debit card, Guillen drained the victim’s bank accounts over a three-month period between April 18, 2018, and June 30, 2018, causing a loss in excess of $210,449.