A federal grand jury in Louisiana has indicted a group of accused criminals, including community law enforcement leaders, in a conspiracy involving the fraudulent processing of "hundreds" of federal visas.
The indictment names five Louisiana men with conspiracy to develop a complicated scheme to help people get a non-immigrant status U-Visa through the use of falsified police reports.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services details the U-Visa program on its website, including the description that it is intended for "victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity."
Three of the men charged in the conspiracy were local community police chiefs in Louisiana towns, and another was a local marshal. The indictment accuses the group of men of starting the conspiracy in December 2015 and continuing until Tuesday, when they were arrested and charged.
Investigators said federal officials began noticing a concentration of the U-Visas being processed in Louisiana and began a closer review.
The charges also include mail fraud since many of the fake documents used to obtain the fraudulent visas were processed through the U.S. postal system. All of those charged could face decades in prison if convicted. The mail fraud charges alone carry prison sentences of up to 20 years.
The grand jury indictment also includes forfeiture allegations against each defendant as federal enforcement agents seek to recover damages by taking control of the defendants' bank accounts, real property, and vehicles.
Special agent in charge of the FBI's New Orleans office, Jonathan Tapp, said, "We expect law enforcement officers to protect the public and to honor their trust, not to sell that trust and the honor of their badges for personal gain."
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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