• Federal prosecutors have indicted three Louisiana police chiefs and two others in a wide-ranging visa fraud scheme that exploited the U-visa program meant to protect crime victims. The case reveals systemic vulnerabilities in immigration enforcement and raises serious questions about public trust and law enforcement accountability.

LAFAYETTE, LA (TDR) — In a far-reaching federal indictment announced Wednesday, three current or former Louisiana police chiefs and two associates stand accused of running a years-long scheme that exploited a federal immigration program intended to help crime victims gain lawful status in the United States.

U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook said the defendants allegedly created and filed false police reports stating that undocumented immigrants were victims of armed robberies—crimes that authorities now say never happened.

Bribes for U-Visas

The falsified reports were part of a pay-to-play operation designed to obtain U-visas, which are available to noncitizens who assist law enforcement in criminal investigations. In return, the police officials allegedly received $5,000 per fraudulent report, and the scheme affected hundreds of applications.

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“These armed robberies never occurred,” Van Hook said. “This was fraud, and it undermines a system designed to protect real victims.”

A federal grand jury in Shreveport returned a 62-count indictment, charging the group with conspiracy to commit visa fraud, visa fraud, bribery, mail fraud, and money laundering.

The five indicted individuals are:

• Chad Doyle, Oakdale Police Chief
• Glynn Dixon, Forest Hill Police Chief
• Tebo Onishea, former Glenmora Police Chief
• Michael “Freck” Slaney, Oakdale town marshal
• Chandrakant “Lala” Patel, Oakdale businessman and Subway franchisee

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The Scheme’s Structure

According to prosecutors, Patel acted as a middleman—soliciting payment from undocumented immigrants or their representatives, then passing the bribes along to law enforcement contacts in exchange for fabricated police reports.

The investigation, which spanned nearly a decade, included search warrants executed at multiple police departments, private homes, and a Subway sandwich shop owned by Patel.

Lester Duhé, spokesperson for the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, confirmed that the state supported the investigation with “court-authorized activities.”

Van Hook said that while the individuals indicted hold positions of public trust, “this does not reflect on the entire departments. The corruption was specific to these individuals.”

U-Visas and the System’s Vulnerability

Created by Congress in 2000, the U-visa is intended to assist victims of serious crimes—including domestic violence and human trafficking—who suffer physical or mental harm and are helpful to law enforcement.

In FY 2022, approximately 10,000 people received U-visas—the maximum allowed annually. But the backlog has grown so large that applicants now often wait up to a decade for resolution.

A 2021 audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) highlighted vulnerabilities in the U-visa process. The report found that the USCIS failed to verify the authenticity of some law enforcement signatures and did not maintain adequate fraud tracking mechanisms.

“This case shows exactly the kind of abuse that Congress and watchdogs have warned about,” Van Hook said.

Local Impact in a National System

While Louisiana doesn’t share a border with Mexico, it has emerged as a key player in the U.S. immigration system. The state hosts nine ICE detention facilities—housing nearly 7,000 individuals—and has seen increased immigration case volume over the past five years.

The towns implicated—Oakdale, Forest Hill, and Glenmora—are all located within Rapides Parish, a rural region with a growing population of immigrants and asylum seekers.

News of the indictments rippled across local law enforcement agencies, where morale has reportedly been strained by the revelations.

One police officer in a neighboring town told The Dupree Report anonymously, “We work hard to build trust in the community. Something like this sets us all back.”

Legal Consequences and Community Fallout

If convicted, the defendants could face decades in prison. Prosecutors said additional arrests and charges could follow as the investigation expands.

The case has reignited national discussions about immigration reform, law enforcement accountability, and the risks of bureaucratic backlogs in humanitarian visa programs.

Immigration advocates expressed outrage but not surprise.

“This is what happens when you have an opaque system with high demand and little oversight,” said one representative of a New Orleans-based immigrant rights group. “It creates opportunities for corruption—and desperate people are easy targets.”

Public trust in immigration and policing depends on transparency, integrity, and accountability. What reforms do you believe are most urgent to prevent this kind of fraud?

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