LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – Several Louisiana law enforcement officials and the owner of a Subway restaurant operator have been charged as part of a federal investigation into an alleged visa fraud scheme.

Acting U.S. Attorney Alex Van Hook announced Wednesday during a press conference, seen at the top of this story, that a federal grand jury has indicted five individuals on conspiracy and fraud charges:

• Chandrakant Patel, of Oakdale: Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud (1 count), Bribery (1 count), Mail Fraud (24 counts), Money Laundering (8 counts)
• Chad Doyle, Chief of Police for the City of Oakdale: Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud (1 count), Visa Fraud (6 counts), Mail Fraud (6 counts), Money Laundering (1 count)
• Michael Slaney, Marshal of the Ward 5 Marshal’s Office in Oakdale: Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud (1 count), Visa Fraud (6 counts), Mail Fraud (6 counts), Money Laundering (2 counts)
• Glynn Dixon, Chief of Police for the City of Forest Hill: Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud (1 count), Visa Fraud (6 counts), Mail Fraud (6 counts), Money Laundering (1 count)
• Tebo Onishea, former Chief of Police for the City of Glenmora: Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud (1 count), Visa Fraud (6 counts), Mail Fraud (6 counts)

The 62-count indictment alleges that Patel, Doyle, Slaney, Dixon, Onishea, and others produced and authenticated false police reports in several central Louisiana parishes.

The false police reports would indicate that an immigrant was a victim of a crime that would qualify them to apply for a so-called U-visa, Van Hook explained. He said the police officials were paid $5,000 for each name they provided falsified reports for, and that there were hundreds of names.

The U nonimmigrant status (“U-visa”) was intended to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute crime while also protecting victims of crimes who are willing to help law enforcement authorities.

Getting a U-visa can give some crime victims and their families a pathway to U.S. citizenship. About 10,000 people got them in the 12-month period that ended Sept. 30, 2022, which was the most recent period for which the Homeland Security Department has published data.

The indictment alleges that noncitizens would contact Patel, either directly or through a facilitator, to be named as “victims” in police reports alleging that an armed robbery had occurred, so that they could submit applications for U-visas.

There had been “an unusual concentration of armed robberies of people who were not from Louisiana,” Van Hook said.

“In fact, the armed robberies never took place,” he said.

Patel was allegedly paid thousands of dollars to participate, and in exchange, Patel would ask his co-conspirators, including Doyle, Slaney, Dixon, and Onishea, to write false police reports as representatives of their respective law enforcement agencies.

The indictment alleges that from approximately Sept. 27, 2023, until Dec. 26, 2024, Doyle, Slaney, Dixon, and Onishea knowingly submitted false statements by signing forms stating that individuals were cooperating victims of crimes, which the defendants knew to be false.

Also included in the indictment are money laundering charges and forfeiture allegations against each defendant seeking forfeiture of various bank accounts, real property and vehicles. 

Local news outlets reported seeing ICE and FBI agents entering the homes of two of the chiefs. Van Hook said authorities searched multiple police departments and a Subway sandwich shop that Patel operated.

When asked about the extent of the fraud, Van Hook said there “hundreds of names” —- specifically for visas that were approved.

If convicted, the defendants could face years or even decades of jail time.

Van Hook said the investigation remains ongoing. Atty. Gen. Liz Murrill said more charges may be forthcoming in the case.

“My office was working with our federal partners prior to the federal arrests,” Murrill said. “We are now reviewing the evidence and expect additional state charges will follow. Public officials – especially those in law enforcement – who are conspire to commit fraud and obstruct justice violate the public trust and undermine faith in justice. They will be held accountable.”

In 2021, the USCIS warned that the U-visa program was susceptible to fraud after an audit from the Office of Inspector General found that administrators hadn’t addressed deficiencies in their process.

The audit found that USCIS approved a handful of suspicious law enforcement signatures that were not cross-referenced with a database of authorized signatures, according to the OIG report. They were also not closely tracking fraud case outcomes, the total number of U-visas granted per year, and were not effectively managing the backlog, which led to crime victims waiting for nearly 10 years before receiving a U-visa.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.