Santa Fe Springs Man Sentenced to Prison for Submitting Fake Online Tips Claiming Others Planned Attacks on Military Facilities

LOS ANGELES - A Santa Fe Springs man has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for reporting eight online tips to the United States Department of Defense (DOD) falsely claiming that certain women were about to perpetrate mass-casualty attacks at U.S. military facilities in Los Angeles and Orange counties, the Justice Department announced today.

Daniel Sandoval, 29, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson.

Sandoval pleaded guilty on February 12 to one count of false information and hoaxes.

According to his plea agreement, on March 21, 2021, Sandoval knowingly provided an online tip to the DOD reporting system that falsely stated that a woman - identified in court documents as "S.C." - was planning to detonate bombs in a "mass attack" at a U.S. Navy weapons facility located in Seal Beach. According to Sandoval's tip, the attack would involve "blowing up military vehicles stationed there and civilian personnel vehicles."

During the following two days, Sandoval made seven more online tips to the DOD, falsely identifying additional women who purportedly posed threats. For example, on March 22, 2021, Sandoval provided an online tip to the DOD that falsely stated a woman - identified in court documents as "S.H." - and others planned to detonate bombs at a U.S. military hospital located in Bell Gardens.

On March 23, 2021, Sandoval provided a false online tip to the Defense Department that falsely stated a woman - identified in court documents as "L.E." - and others were planning to bomb and conduct a mass shooting at a U.S. Army Reserve Center in South El Monte.

Sandoval admitted in his plea agreement that his conduct substantially disrupted public and government functions and services, including the evacuation of personnel from a Navy building due to the false tip.

"[Sandoval's] unlawful conduct harmed not only the military bases he targeted and the personnel living or working on those bases, but also harmed the innocent women who he claimed were perpetrating these dangerous threats," prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.

The FBI's Los Angeles Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation in this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander H. Tran of the General Crimes Section and James A. Santiago of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, prosecuted this case.