Oakdale man sentenced to 10 years in visa fraud conspiracy

ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - An Oakdale man was sentenced Monday, November 9, to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a visa fraud conspiracy involving false police reports, according to the Western District of Louisiana.

U.S. District Judge Jerry Edwards Jr. sentenced Chandrakant “Lala” Patel, 40, for conspiracy to commit visa fraud and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity. Patel pleaded guilty on May 28 and will be removed from the United States after serving his sentence.

According to court documents, between about November 2020 and July 2025, Patel recruited foreign nationals seeking legal status and accepted payments to have them falsely identified as victims in fictitious armed robbery reports.

Patel paid four law enforcement officials to prepare false reports and certify immigration documents supporting fraudulent U visa applications. U visas are available to certain noncitizen crime victims who assist law enforcement in investigating or prosecuting qualifying crimes.

Court evidence showed the four used their law enforcement positions to certify the false reports. Records also show the conspirators sent fraudulent documents through the U.S. mail and other interstate carriers.

Each of the four defendants was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit visa fraud:

• Tebo Onishea, 39, of Glenmora, was sentenced Sept. 2. Onishea, who was Glenmora’s police chief during the conspiracy, pleaded guilty May 28.
• Chad Doyle, 56, of Oakdale, was sentenced Sept. 15 and fined $30,000. Doyle, who was Oakdale’s police chief, pleaded guilty May 20.
• Michael Slaney, 65, of Oakdale, was sentenced Sept. 16 and fined $30,000. Slaney, who was the Ward 5 marshal in Oakdale, pleaded guilty May 12.
• Glynn Dixon, 63, of Forest Hill, was sentenced Nov. 9 and fined $30,000. Dixon, who was Forest Hill’s police chief, pleaded guilty June 30.

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