Latest news with #ParishSheriff'sOffice
NBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Three current and former Louisiana police chiefs are federally charged in alleged visa fraud scheme
Three current and former Louisiana police chiefs, a U.S. marshal and a businessman have been federally charged with participating in an immigrant visa fraud scheme, prosecutors announced Wednesday. A federal grand jury in Shreveport returned a 62-count indictment against the five people on July 2, Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook for the Western District of Louisiana said in a news conference Wednesday. The police chiefs took bribes in exchange for filing false police reports that would allow noncitizens to seek a visa that lets certain crime victims stay in the U.S., Van Hook said. The five defendants are: Chad Doyle, the chief of police in Oakdale; Michael Slaney, a marshal from the Ward 5 Marshal's office in Oakdale; Glynn Dixon, the chief of police in Forest Hill; Tebo Onishea, the former chief of police in Glenmora; and Chandrakant Patel, a businessman from Oakdale. They were each charged with conspiracy to commit visa fraud and other charges, prosecutors said in a news release. Patel was further charged with one count of bribery, 24 counts of mail fraud and eight counts of money laundering. Doyle and Dixon were further charged with six counts of visa fraud, six counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. Slaney was also charged with six counts of visa fraud, six counts of mail fraud, and two counts of money laundering. Onishea was additionally charged with six counts of visa fraud and six counts of mail fraud. For a decade, from December 2015 to at least this month, prosecutors alleged Patel was a fixer who unlawfully procured nonimmigrant U-visas with the help of law enforcement officials. The U nonimmigrant status visa is for victims of certain crimes who help law enforcement or government officials investigate those crimes. Part of the application process includes a signature of an authorized official or law enforcement agency confirming the individual was the victim of a qualifying crime, prosecutors said. Individuals seeking U-visas would contact Patel to be named as 'victims' in police reports of an armed robbery, so they could submit applications for U-visas, the indictment alleged. Those individuals allegedly paid Patel thousands of dollars to participate in the scheme, and Patel would ask alleged co-conspirators Doyle, Slaney, Dixon and Onishea to write false police reports naming the individuals as victims of armed robberies, and provide certification and supporting documents, prosecutors said. Together they 'authored, facilitated, produced and authenticated false police reports' in several central Louisiana parishes, the news release said. "There was an unusual concentration of armed robberies, a large number of armed robberies of people that were not from Louisiana," Van Hook said. "Well, in fact, the armed robberies never took place, and those listed in the applications were never victims." Patel allegedly offered to pay an agent of the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office $5,000 on Feb. 18, 'intending to influence and reward said agent in exchange for a fraudulent police report,' prosecutors said. Van Hook said Patel allegedly paid the law enforcement officers $5,000 for each foreign national placed on police reports, and that were hundreds of such reports. From Sept. 27, 2023 to Dec. 26, 2024, Doyle Slaney, Dixon and Onishea allegedly submitted false statements in immigration applications by signing I-918B forms despite knowing the individuals were never victims of crimes. The investigation opened following a tip last July from Citizenship and Immigration Services, and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and IRS, along with the U.S. Attorney's Office. Van Hook said the men were arrested Tuesday by federal law enforcement agents and search warrants were executed at multiple locations including the Oakdale and Forest Hill police departments and a Subway sandwich shop in Oakdale operated by Patel. Officials said Wednesday all were released except Patel. No attorneys were listed for the defendants in the online court docket. NBC News has reached out to the five men for comment. The mail fraud charge stems from the five men sending out documents by the U.S. Postal Service. If convicted the defendants each face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, up to 10 years on the visa fraud charge, up to 20 years on the mail fraud charge, and Patel up to 10 years the bribery charge. They also could be ordered to pay a fine of $250,000 on each count.
Cedar News
11-07-2025
- Cedar News
Suspect Who Jumped into Industrial Canal Identified as 28-Year-Old Dandre Dales
NEW ORLEANS – A dramatic police pursuit ended Wednesday when 28-year-old Dandre Dales jumped into the Industrial Canal near the St. Claude Avenue Bridge following a crash involving a stolen vehicle. According to the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office, deputies attempted to stop a stolen gray Nissan Sentra in Chalmette, near the intersection of St. Bernard Highway and Palmisano Boulevard. The car had been reported stolen out of Orleans Parish. Despite spike strips being deployed, Dales fled into Orleans Parish, crashed the vehicle on the St. Claude Bridge, exited on foot, and leapt into the water. The bridge was shut down for several hours as law enforcement from multiple agencies — including St. Bernard Sheriff's Office, NOPD, Louisiana State Police, U.S. Coast Guard, and New Orleans Harbor Police — responded to the scene. Thanks to the coordinated efforts, Dales was safely pulled from the water and taken into custody. He now faces charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and flight from an officer, in addition to an outstanding warrant from Jefferson Parish for unauthorized use of a movable. Deputies also recovered a firearm thrown from the car during the chase. The investigation remains ongoing.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Person struck dead by train in St. Rose
ST. ROSE, La. (WGNO) — Someone was struck and killed by a train in St. Rose Wednesday, June 11. Person struck, killed by train: New Orleans police According to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a report of a person on the railroad tracks behind a Comfort Inn in St. Rose. They were reportedly struck by the train and were pronounced dead at the scene. Stay with WGNO as the story struck dead by train in St. Rose 'Immaturity': Rand Paul rips White House after being 'uninvited' from picnic Learning dance moves from 'Velma Kelly' from Broadway's 'Chicago' Senate GOP seeks to cut SALT cap, triggering fight with House Appeals court ruled against New Orleans mayor in stalking case Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WBRSO deputy hurt in crash on I-10, officials say
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed that one of their deputies was hurt in a crash on Wednesday, June 11. The sheriff's office said the crash took place a little after 11:15 a.m. on I-10 near mile marker 152. According to WBRSO, the deputy is believed to have minor injuries and is seeking medical attention. Louisiana First News has contacted the Louisiana State Police for further details about the crash and will share them when they become available. LSP investigating crash that injures one in Prairieville Costco will let customers shop without crowds (for a price) Where the 'No Kings' anti-Trump military parade protests are planned DOJ calls Newsom legal challenge to National Guard 'crass political stunt' Newsom hits back at DeSantis over offer to send Florida state guard to LA LSU duo named First-Team Freshman All-Americans Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
Hammond man accused in child's hot car death investigation
HAMMOND, La. (WGNO) — A child is dead and a man is in police custody accused of her death. According to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office , around 12 p.m. on Sunday, June 8, deputies were alerted of a child being found unresponsive inside a vehicle. Woman struck, killed by vehicle on Laplace highway An investigation revealed, at 2:30 a.m. 35-year-old Joseph Boatman had picked up his 21-month-old daughter from a family member's home, strapped her into the car seat, went inside but did not return. STPSO detectives said the child was in the vehicle for over nine hours. They add that prior to the incident, Boatman allegedly consumed multiple alcoholic beverages. 'This is a devastating loss that no family ever wants to face,' Sheriff Randy Smith said. 'When a child is left in a vehicle, especially on a day when the heat index climbs over 100 degrees, the outcome can turn deadly in a matter of minutes. This case involved compromised judgment, and the result was heartbreaking.' New Orleans crash leaves two people dead Boatman was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on a charge of second-degree preparedness supplies you should have for hurricane season Communities in Schools – Gulf South WGNO to volunteer with Giving Hope NOLA for Nexstar's Founder's Day In deploying National Guard, Trump critics see 'run around' of Insurrection Act Fungi concerns spark nationwide recall of Zicam and Orajel products Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
