In a stunning blow to public trust and the integrity of America's immigration system, four high-ranking police officers in Louisiana have pleaded guilty in connection with a decade-long visa fraud scheme.
This intricate operation, orchestrated by an Indian national, illegally offered legal U.S. immigration status to illegal aliens in exchange for substantial cash payments, exposing a grave breach of law and order from within.
“These defendants’ disgraceful fraud endangered our community and undermined the public trust in the immigration system solely to line their own pockets,” United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller stated on June 30. And there it is: public servants choosing personal greed over their sworn duty and the safety of their constituents.
The officers who confessed to their roles include Glynn Dixon, the former Forest Hill Police chief; Tebo Onishea, chief of the Glenmora Police Department; Chad Doyle, Oakdale’s police chief; and Oakdale Ward 5 Marshal Michael Slaney. Each now faces up to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit visa fraud and mail fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana.
Prosecutors have identified Chandrakant Patel, an Indian national, as the alleged mastermind behind this widespread migrant scam. Patel, if convicted, faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.
The sophisticated conspiracy leveraged the U-Visa program, a system originally established by Congress in 2000. Its noble intent was to provide legal U.S. residency to migrants who reported serious crimes to the police, aiming to encourage cooperation with law enforcement and make communities safer. Yet, like many programs, it became a target for corrupt opportunists.
Prosecutors detail how the fraud began as early as December 2015 and continued for nearly a decade until investigators began making arrests in 2025. Patel allegedly collaborated with these now-disgraced law enforcement leaders to fabricate reports of armed robberies that never actually occurred. These false reports were then used by illegal aliens, who had paid Patel thousands of dollars, to file for protective U-Visas and unlawfully obtain permanent residency. The police officials, in a blatant betrayal of their oaths, would then certify the validity of these entirely fictitious reports when federal authorities sought confirmation. The use of the U.S. Postal Service for much of the paperwork led to the mail fraud charges.
United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller underscored the gravity of the convictions, noting: “These guilty pleas confirm the depth of corruption uncovered here and the strength of the evidence developed during an incredible investigation by our law enforcement partners working together, and our Office looks forward to advocating for prison time for each defendant that reflects the seriousness of the crimes they committed.”
Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office added a stark assessment: “Mr. Patel and his law enforcement co-conspirators corrupted the process that helps actual victims of violent crime to allow people to remain in our country under an alleged fraud. The FBI will continue to work with our federal partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure people who engage in this type of corrupt criminal activity are brought to justice.”
Patel also faces an additional charge, accused of attempting to bribe a Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office agent with $5,000 in February 2025 to file another false armed robbery report. It seems some lessons are learned only the hard way.
This case serves as a grave reminder of the critical importance of integrity in our law enforcement institutions and the urgent need for a secure, accountable immigration system. When those sworn to uphold the law actively undermine it for personal profit, public trust erodes, and our national security is compromised. True America First principles demand not only secure borders but also unwavering accountability for those who betray the public's faith, ensuring justice is served and the rule of law is sacrosanct.
