SACRAMENTO - Mark Corum, 62, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to four counts of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to court documents, Corum engaged in Skype conversations with various Skype users in the Philippines in which he instructed the other parties to perform sexual acts on children while he watched on live webcam.
Corum sent the persons in the Philippines payments of between $25 and $35 via money transmittal services in exchange for them performing the sexual acts he requested on children and transmitting the images to him via webcam. Transcripts of the Skype chats filed with the court reflect that, at Corum’s direction, children between the ages of infancy and 10 years old were sexually abused. The Skype chats also contain statements by Corum alluding to prior trips to the Philippines and sex acts with children there.
Former Merced County Store Manager Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud Government Benefits Program
FRESNO - Suzy Vang Lo, 41, formerly of Merced, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 21 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by unlawfully purchasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from recipients in exchange for cash, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Suzy Vang Lo and her husband, Michael Chu Lo, pleaded guilty to the scheme in March 2018. According to court documents, Suzy Vang Lo was the manager of LV Market in Winton. Her husband performed many employee functions at the store even though he was not officially employed at the store. Suzy Vang Lo conspired with her husband to give SNAP recipients cash in exchange for swiping their benefit cards. When the defendants exchanged SNAP benefits for cash, it caused the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to wire sums of money into an account that Suzy Vang Lo controlled.
Kern Valley State Prison Investigating Inmate Death as a Homicide
DELANO -
Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) officials are investigating the death of an inmate as a homicide. Around 6:30 a.m. Saturday, March 24, staff members were performing security checks on Facility C and found inmate Daniel Muniz, 33, unresponsive in his cell.
An alarm was sounded and responding staff immediately removed cellmate Toribio Mendoza, 36, from the cell and administered life-saving measures on Muniz. Muniz was transported to an outside hospital for treatment of serious head injuries. He was pronounced dead there at 10:51 p.m. Friday, June 1.
CAL FIRE Makes One of the Largest Illegal Fireworks Seizures in State History
SACRAMENTO - With the Fourth of July Holiday just around the corner, CAL FIRE announced one of the largest seizures of illegal fireworks in state history today. Following a months long investigation, CAL FIRE law enforcement officers arrested seven individuals and seized over 49,000 pounds of fireworks over the past two weeks in connection to a large-scale illegal firework ring. Law enforcement officers found these suspects have been illegally importing, transporting, storing, distributing and selling illegal and dangerous fireworks throughout California for more than 30 years.
CAL FIRE law enforcement officers seized over 49,000 pounds of illegal fireworks stored at locations in Copperopolis, Modesto, Salida, Hayward, Walnut Creek and Oakland. In addition a load of dangerous illegal fireworks, ready for transportation, was also discovered. Officers also seized over $115,000 as well as a variety of computers, cell phones, firearms and personal items.
Modesto Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Terrorist Organization
FRESNO - Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, between September 2017 and December 20, 2017, Jameson voiced support for ISIS knowing that the organization was engaging in terrorist activity and terrorism. Among other things, he had several online interactions with a confidential source, and during those interactions, he stated that he was committed wholeheartedly to “the cause.” Jameson also expressed support online for the October 31, 2017, terrorist attack in New York City, as well as other terrorist attacks.
Sanger Contract Labor Crew Boss Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme
FRESNO - Fernando Alanis, 55, of Rio Grande City, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to three years and three months in prison for two counts of mail fraud related to an unemployment insurance fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Alanis and others participated in a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) of unemployment insurance benefits. Alanis was a supervisor with a local farm labor contractor that provided contract labor for growers and packers and organized them into crews managed by “crew bosses.” Alanis would hire and supervise crew bosses and facilitate the hiring of other laborers.
Fresno Man Arraigned on Charges of Illegal Firearm Possession
FRESNO - Elias Muhammad, 21, of Fresno, was arraigned today for a two-count indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. A federal grand jury returned the indictment against him on May 24, 2018. According to court documents, Muhammad posted pictures of himself holding a firearm that was stamped “Detroit PD.” Investigators later recovered the firearm at a residence in Fresno where Muhammad had been staying. As a previously convicted felon, Muhammad is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
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