LAFAYETTE, La. — The ringleader of an Oakdale visa fraud scheme was sentenced on November 9, 2026, to 10 years in federal prison, and four co-conspirators who held law-enforcement leadership posts were each sentenced to five years, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.
Read the U.S. Attorney's Office release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla/pr/oakdale-visa-fraud-scheme-ringleader-sentenced-10-years-federal-prison-four-co
United States District Judge Jerry Edwards Jr. imposed the sentences in the Western District of Louisiana, according to the release.
The case is numbered 1:25-cr-00173 in the district court, according to the release.
The Ringleader, The Sentence, The Removal Order
Chandrakant "Lala" Patel, 40, of Oakdale, Louisiana, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, according to the release.
Patel was convicted of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity, according to the release.
He pleaded guilty to the charges on May 28, 2026, according to the release.
Upon completion of his sentence, Patel will be removed from the United States, according to the release.
Four Officials, Five Years Each, Three Fines
Tebo Onishea, 39, of Glenmora: Sentenced September 2, 2026, to 60 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit visa fraud, followed by two years of supervised release. Pleaded guilty May 28, 2026.
Chad Doyle, 56, of Oakdale: Sentenced September 15, 2026, to 60 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit visa fraud, ordered to pay a $30,000 fine, followed by two years of supervised release. Pleaded guilty May 20, 2026.
Michael Slaney, 65, of Oakdale: Sentenced September 16, 2026, to 60 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit visa fraud, ordered to pay a $30,000 fine, followed by two years of supervised release. Pleaded guilty May 12, 2026.
Glynn Dixon, 63, of Forest Hill: Sentenced November 9, 2026, to 60 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit visa fraud, ordered to pay a $30,000 fine, followed by two years of supervised release. Pleaded guilty June 30, 2026.
Fictitious Robberies, False Police Reports, Fraudulent U-Visa Applications
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According to court documents, the scheme ran from about November 2020 to July 2025.
Patel, then a local businessman, recruited foreign nationals who were seeking legal status in the United States, according to the release.
He accepted payments to have them falsely identified as victims in fictitious armed robbery reports, according to the release.
Patel then paid Onishea, Doyle, Slaney and Dixon to prepare false police reports and certify immigration documents used to support fraudulent U-Visa applications, according to the release.
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, according to the release.
At the time of the conspiracy, Onishea 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, according to the release.
The conspirators transmitted the fraudulent documents through the United States mail and other interstate carriers to advance the scheme, according to the release.
Task Force Investigation, Federal Prosecution, Sentences Imposed
United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement, according to the release.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection and National Security Division, investigated the case, according to the release.
The investigation was conducted as part of the Homeland Security Task Force under Operation Take Back America, according to the release.
Assistant United States Attorneys John W. Nickel and Danny Siefker prosecuted the case, according to the release.
Anyone with information about immigration fraud can contact Homeland Security Investigations or submit a tip through the HSI tip line.
Sources
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana, Official Press Release, "Oakdale Visa Fraud Scheme Ringleader Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison; Four Co-Conspirators Also Sentenced to Five Years Each," November 2026: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdla/pr/oakdale-visa-fraud-scheme-ringleader-sentenced-10-years-federal-prison-four-co
Transparency notes
Published: Nov 11, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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