Two chiefs of police, a former chief and a city marshal were arrested Wednesday in connection with a federal indictment accusing them of participating in a scheme to sell visas to immigrants.
An Oakdale businessman is accused of bribing the law enforcement agents to create fake crime reports so that immigrants could get "nonimmigrant U-Visas," which are granted to immigrants who are victims of crime or witnesses to crimes in the United States. They're named in a 21-page, 62-count indictment, which alleges the scheme operated in central Louisiana for almost 10 years.
Arrested were:
- Chandrakant "Lala" Patel of Oakdale, the businessman, indicted on one count conspiracy to commit visa fraud, one count bribery, 24 counts mail fraud and eight counts money laundring.
- Chad Doyle, Oakdale Chief of Police, indicted on one count conspiracy to commit visa fraud, six counts visa fraud, six counts mail fraud and one count money laundering. Doyle is an elected chief.
- Michael "Freck" Slaney, Oakdale Ward 5 Marshal, indicted on one count conspiracy to commit visa fraud, six counts visa fraud, six counts mail fraud, two counts money laundering. Slaney is an elected Marshal.
- Glynn Dixon, Forest Hill Chief of Police, indicted on conspiracy to commit visa fraud, six counts visa fraud, six counts mail fraud and one count money laundering. Dixon is an elected chief.
- Tebo Onishea, former Glenmora Chief of Police, indicted on conspiracy to commit visa fraud, six counts visa fraud and six counts mail fraud. When Onishea was chief, he was an elected chief.
No other people were arrested in this investigation on Wednesday, federal officials said.
The case started a year ago, when agents with the Lafayette Homeland Security Office received a tip about possible visa fraud, and those agents launched an investigation that eventually involved the U.S. Attorney's Office, the IRS, the FBI, Louisiana State Police and the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office.
The only person arrested on Wednesday who is still in custody is Patel; the remaining men were released by judges who did not feel they were a flight risk, federal officials said.
According to the indictment, Patel himself was granted a U-visa in 2023, based on his alleged status as an armed robbery victim.
The law enforcement officers were paid $5,000 per name by Patel, the indictment alleges. Patel would give names to the LEOs, and they would generate crime reports that listed the person either as a victim or a witness to a crime. Usually, it was an armed robbery, explained Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook. There were "hundreds" of names, he said.
The indictment names 24 alleged crime victims, and all of them have the last name Patel.
"The armed robberies never happened. These people were never victims. They would pay Patel, and he paid the chiefs," Van Hook said.
Under federal law, it's not just the crime victim or witness who is entitled to a "U-Visa," it's all members of their family, Van Hook said.
The scheme resulted in "an unusual number" of armed robbery victims in these small towns, he added.
While the investigation was underway, Patel approached an employee of the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office for a fake report, Van Hook said.
In addition to the charges related to the scheme, the men also are accused of money laundering, and prosecutors plan to seek forfeiture of anything purchased with the income generated by it, Van Hook said.
The indictment lists several bank accounts and property that prosecutors allege contain ill-gotten gains, including property in Oakdale and DeRidder, several vehicles, a four-wheeler and a travel trailer. The money-laundering counts include allegations of multiple deposits and transfers by Patel, as well as the purchase of a truck by Doyle, the purchase of an SUV by Dixon, and the purchase of property and the travel-trailer by Slaney.
Van Hook was careful to point out that these agencies - the Oakdale, Glenmora and Forest Hill police departments - aren't accused.
"We're alleging these are corrupt individuals, not corrupt police departments," he said.
Rapides Parish Sheriff Mark Wood echoed that sentiment.
"I want to assure the public that 99.9 percent of law enforcement is good. But there are occasional bad apples and this is what happens," he said. "I'm sure it's going to go a little further."
Van Hook confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.
The grand jury handed up the indictment on July 2, and the partner agencies began planning search warrants and arrests.
On Wednesday, more than 200 agents executed 11 search warrants and many more consent searches, said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Eric Delaune.
Investigators are still investigating the folks who received these visas, to determine who knew what about the process.
"Some of these people may have thought this was a legitimate way. We're still working on what they knew at the time," he said.
Here's the indictment:
