SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man was sentenced to federal prison for his leadership role in a “builder bailout” mortgage fraud scheme. Momoud Aref Abaji, 37, of Huntington Beach, was sentenced to 108 months in prison by United States District Judge Andrew Guilford and ordered to pay m...

SANTA ANA, California – A former Orange County real estate investor was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge David O. Carter to 78 months in prison for defrauding 70 investors out of more than $12 million. Francisco Plascencia Esparza, 46, formerly of Coto De Caza now residing in C...

LOS ANGELES – The central players in a scheme of recycling stolen postal pallets have been sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to convert government property and conspiracy to launder money. Jorge Villalobos, 41, of Riverside, was sentenced in April, and H...

LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury returned a 16-count indictment yesterday charging three companies, including the company that produces bottled water under the name “Crystal Geyser,” with violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Ac...

A 28-year-old man who allegedly shot his grandmother and led police on a high-speed pursuit before exchanging gunfire with officers – leading to the fatal shooting of a woman – was charged today, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. Gene Evin Atkins (dob 01/12/90) is expec...

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A serial arsonist was convicted yesterday of two attempted burglaries, setting six fires in Mission Viejo, and stalking a woman in Rancho Santa Margarita. Defendant Charges Maximum Sentence Court Date Jack Frye, 19, Lake Forest ...

LOS ANGELES – An Ethiopian diplomat was arrested today by federal agents for visa fraud violations arising out of the use of non-immigrant diplomatic visas for family members who did not qualify under federal regulations. Desta Woldeyohannes Delkasso, 54, an Ethiopian national assigned to the Eth...

Two women were each sentenced today to more than 10 years in state prison for their roles in a 2014 crime spree that included the murder of two men, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. Tenise Dominique Taylor (dob 11/11/92) was sentenced to 13 years in state prison, while...

SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced that he will be filing a lawsuit this week against Navient Corporation (Navient) and its subsidiaries, Pioneer and General Revenue Corporation, for misconduct in the servicing and collection of federal student loans. Navient ...

SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County man who was convicted at trial of defrauding a local businessman through a fraudulent investment scheme was sentenced this morning by United States District Judge David O. Carter to 41 months in federal prison. Aiman Alexander Ataba, 52, of Irvine, was fou...