Ringleader of Oakdale Visa Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 10 Years; Four Law Enforcement Leaders Got 5 Years Each
LAFAYETTE, Louisiana — The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana announced that Chandrakant Patel, 40, of Oakdale, was sentenced on November 9, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Jerry Edwards Jr. to 120 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity. Patel pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026, and will be removed from the United States after completing his sentence. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller made the announcement.
According to court documents, foreign nationals seeking legal status paid Patel to be named as victims in fabricated armed robbery reports, which were then used to support fraudulent applications for U nonimmigrant status, or U visas, reserved for crime victims. Four law enforcement leaders falsified police reports and certified immigration forms: Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onishea, Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, Ward 5 Marshal Michael Slaney, and Forest Hill Police Chief Glynn Dixon. Each of the four was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $30,000. The five men were indicted on July 2, 2025.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The case number is 1:25-cr-00173.
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国国土安全部总部（美国国土安全部官方图）。本案由国土安全调查局（HSI）牵头调查。 / Image: U.S. Department of Homeland Security headquarters (official DHS photo). The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
