Oakdale Visa Fraud Scheme Ringleader Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison; Four Co-Conspirators Also Sentenced to Five Years Each

LAFAYETTE - On November 9, 2026, United States District Judge Jerry Edwards Jr. sentenced Chandrakant "Lala" Patel, 40, of Oakdale, to 120 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud and Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Unlawful Activity. Patel previously pled guilty to the charges on May 28, 2026. Upon completion of his sentence, Patel will be removed from the United States.

Four other defendants were also sentenced for their roles in the visa fraud conspiracy.

On September 2, 2026, Tebo Onishea, 39, of Glenmora, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud, followed by two years of supervised release. Tebo previously pled guilty to the charge on May 28, 2026.

On September 15, 2026, Chad Doyle, 56, of Oakdale, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud, and ordered to pay a $30,000 fine, followed by two years of supervised release. Doyle previously pled guilty to the charge on May 20, 2026.

On September 16, 2026, Michael Slaney, 65, of Oakdale, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud, and ordered to pay a $30,000 fine, followed by two years of supervised release. Slaney previously pled guilty to the charge on May 12, 2026.

Finally, on November 9, 2026, Glynn Dixon, 63, of Forest Hill was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud, and ordered to pay a $30,000 fine, followed by two years of supervised release. Dixon previously pled guilty to the charges on June 30, 2026.

According to court documents, the scheme occurred between about November of 2020 and July of 2025. Patel, then a local businessman, recruited foreign nationals who were seeking legal status in the United States, and accepted payments to have them falsely identified as victims in fictitious armed robbery reports. Patel then paid Tebo, Doyle, Slaney, and Dixon-all public servants acting in leadership roles in their communities-to prepare false police reports and certify immigration documents used to support fraudulent U-Visa applications. (A U-Visa is an immigration benefit available to certain noncitizens who are victims of qualifying crimes and who assist law enforcement in investigating or prosecuting those crimes.)

Court evidence showed that Tebo, Doyle, Slaney, and Dixon used their respective positions in law enforcement to certify the false police reports. At the time of the conspiracy, Tebo was the Chief of Police for the City of Glenmora; Doyle was the Chief of Police for the City of Oakdale; Slaney was the Marshal of the Ward 5 Marshal's Office in Oakdale; and Dixon was the Chief of Police for the City of Forest Hill.

Records also show that the conspirators transmitted fraudulent documents through the U.S. mail and other interstate carriers to advance the scheme.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services - Fraud Detection and National Security Division, investigated this case as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) under Operation Take Back America.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Nickel and Danny Siefker, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Joanne Henry-Mills and Denise Duhon.

HSTFs and Operation Take Back America, established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.

You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 1:25-cr-00173.

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