Three Current And Former Louisiana Police Chiefs Are Federally Charged In Alleged Visa Fraud Scheme

Three existent and erstwhile Louisiana constabulary chiefs, a U.S. marshal and a businessman person been federally charged pinch participating successful an migrant visa fraud scheme, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

A national expansive assemblage successful Shreveport returned a 62-count indictment against nan 5 group connected July 2, Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook for nan Western District of Louisiana said successful a news convention Wednesday.

The constabulary chiefs took bribes successful speech for filing mendacious constabulary reports that would let noncitizens to activity a visa that lets definite crime victims enactment successful nan U.S., Van Hook said.

The 5 defendants are: Chad Doyle, nan main of constabulary successful Oakdale; Michael Slaney, a marshal from nan Ward 5 Marshal’s agency successful Oakdale; Glynn Dixon, nan main of constabulary successful Forest Hill; Tebo Onishea, nan erstwhile main of constabulary successful Glenmora; and Chandrakant Patel, a businessman from Oakdale. They were each charged pinch conspiracy to perpetrate visa fraud and different charges, prosecutors said successful a news release.

Patel was further charged pinch 1 count of bribery, 24 counts of message fraud and 8 counts of money laundering.

Doyle and Dixon were further charged pinch six counts of visa fraud, six counts of message fraud and 1 count of money laundering. Slaney was besides charged pinch six counts of visa fraud, six counts of message fraud, and 2 counts of money laundering. Onishea was additionally charged pinch six counts of visa fraud and six counts of message fraud.

For a decade, from December 2015 to astatine slightest this month, prosecutors alleged Patel was a fixer who unlawfully procured nonimmigrant U-visas pinch nan thief of rule enforcement officials.

The U nonimmigrant position visa is for victims of definite crimes who thief rule enforcement aliases authorities officials analyse those crimes. Part of nan exertion process includes a signature of an authorized charismatic aliases rule enforcement agency confirming nan individual was nan unfortunate of a qualifying crime, prosecutors said.

Individuals seeking U-visas would interaction Patel to beryllium named arsenic “victims” successful constabulary reports of an equipped robbery, truthful they could taxable applications for U-visas, nan indictment alleged.

Those individuals allegedly paid Patel thousands of dollars to participate successful nan scheme, and Patel would inquire alleged co-conspirators Doyle, Slaney, Dixon and Onishea to constitute mendacious constabulary reports naming nan individuals arsenic victims of equipped robberies, and supply certification and supporting documents, prosecutors said.

Together they “authored, facilitated, produced and authenticated mendacious constabulary reports” successful respective cardinal Louisiana parishes, nan news merchandise said.

"There was an different attraction of equipped robberies, a ample number of equipped robberies of group that were not from Louisiana," Van Hook said. "Well, successful fact, nan equipped robberies ne'er took place, and those listed successful nan applications were ne'er victims."

Patel allegedly offered to salary an supplier of nan Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office $5,000 connected Feb. 18, “intending to power and reward said supplier successful speech for a fraudulent constabulary report,” prosecutors said.

Van Hook said Patel allegedly paid nan rule enforcement officers $5,000 for each overseas nationalist placed connected constabulary reports, and that were hundreds of specified reports.

From Sept. 27, 2023 to Dec. 26, 2024, Doyle Slaney, Dixon and Onishea allegedly submitted mendacious statements successful migration applications by signing I-918B forms contempt knowing nan individuals were ne'er victims of crimes.

The investigation opened pursuing a extremity past July from Citizenship and Immigration Services, and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, nan FBI and IRS, on pinch nan U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Van Hook said nan men were arrested Tuesday by national rule enforcement agents and hunt warrants were executed astatine aggregate locations including nan Oakdale and Forest Hill constabulary departments and a Subway sandwich shop successful Oakdale operated by Patel. Officials said Wednesday each were released isolated from Patel.

No attorneys were listed for nan defendants successful nan online tribunal docket. NBC News has reached retired to nan 5 men for comment.

The message fraud complaint stems from nan 5 men sending retired documents by nan U.S. Postal Service.

If convicted nan defendants each look up to 5 years successful situation connected nan conspiracy charge, up to 10 years connected nan visa fraud charge, up to 20 years connected nan message fraud charge, and Patel up to 10 years nan bribery charge. They besides could beryllium ordered to salary a good of $250,000 connected each count.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.