FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging Jessa Zayas, 34, of Santa Clarita, with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft for submitting millions of dollars in fraudulent claims for hospice care to Medicare, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.
Hospice is a type of care and support for terminally ill patients. Medicare is a federal health insurance program that covers certain hospice expenses. Generally, a patient must be certified as being terminally ill to qualify for hospice care payments under Medicare.
Operation Creeper Ban Leads to the Arrests of 15 Sexual Predators
FRESNO COUNTY - A total of 15 suspects, all men, have been arrested and booked into jail on various charges related to possessing and sharing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and arranging to meet with a child for sex.
They range in age from 19 to 42 years old. The arrests are a result of “Operation Creeper Ban”, which was a multi-agency operation conducted from June 9th to 13th, 2025. The majority of arrestees have since posted bond, been assigned a court date, and released from custody.
Judgment Entered Against Bakersfield and Van Nuys Men for Sexual Harassment
BAKERSFIELD - The United States has obtained a default judgment against Bakersfield residents Juvenal Salazar and Javier Salazar Sr. and Van Nuys resident Ricardo Covarrubias, a maintenance worker, manager, and owner, respectively, of rental properties in Bakersfield, in a case brought by the United States alleging sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
The lawsuit alleged that from December 2018 through March 2019, Juvenal Salazar sexually harassed a female tenant by repeatedly asking her to engage in sexual acts with him, describing the sexual acts he wished to engage in with her, and persistently commenting on her appearance. According to the complaint, on two occasions, Juvenal Salazar touched the tenant’s body without her consent, and he surreptitiously took photographs of framed pictures of her and her daughter.
Three White Supremacists Sentenced in Prison Racketeering Conspiracy
FRESNO - On May 19, 2025, a federal judge sentenced three members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang who were convicted at trial of a racketeering (RICO) conspiracy that included multiple murders, drug trafficking, fraud, and robbery.
Francis Clement, 58, was found guilty by a jury in February 2025 of RICO conspiracy and five separate counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Allan Roshanski, Ruslan Magomedgadzhiev, Michael Brizendine, James Yagle, and Ronnie Ennis. Each of these murders was committed while Clement was in state prison. Clement was sentenced to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Oakhurst Man Charged with Stalking Fresno Woman
FRESNO - A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Preston Nelson-Kestner, 21, of Oakhurst, charging him with stalking, distribution, and possession of images of child sexual exploitation, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, between October 2023 and Feb. 13, 2024, Nelson-Kestner used social media applications including OnlyFans, Instagram, and TikTok to engage in a course of conduct that caused, attempted to cause, and would be reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress to an adult victim in Fresno.
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