District of Arizona

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Jose Ismael Castro Leon, 47, a Mexican national living in the United States illegally, was charged by federal criminal complaint in Phoenix, Arizona with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl. 

According to the complaint, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force learned that a drug transaction was scheduled to take place in a parking lot in Phoenix on September 22. Investigators established surveillance at the location and watched as the driver of a GMC Acadia, later identified as Castro Leon, showed another person the contents of a black duffle bag that he had stored in his trunk.

Investigators then approached and arrested Castro Leon, seizing approximately 56 pounds of methamphetamine from the duffle bag along with a firearm that they found in the center console of the Acadia. 

In a later search of Castro Leon’s apartment, investigators seized over 34 more pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 1.14 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and a second firearm.

Possession with the Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years to life in prison, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.

Possession with the Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years to life in prison, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The DEA’s Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force HIDTA conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:            25-MJ-9413-PHX-ESW
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-158_Castro Leon

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Between September 10 and 22, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Marshals Service (USMS) arrested 11 illegal aliens charged by criminal complaint for Possession of Identification Document to Defraud the United States, Possession of Identification Document Produced Without Lawful Authority, and False Attestation for Employment Eligibility Verification, all felony offenses.

Each illegal alien who was charged possessed and used a counterfeit state identification card or driver’s license, as well as a counterfeit Social Security card, to obtain employment at a business in Arizona. The illegal aliens also falsely attested on Form I-9 to being United States citizens or to being otherwise authorized to work in the United States, when in fact none of them were United States citizens or authorized to work in the United States.

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

HSI, District of Arizona, Phoenix Field Office, is conducting the investigation in these cases. The USMS in the District of Arizona and the USMS and HSI in the Western District of Tennessee assisted in the arrest of individuals involved in these cases. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBERS:       25-01879MJ, 25-01881MJ, 25-01882MJ, 25-01883MJ, 25-01884MJ, 25-01885MJ, 25-01886MJ,  25-01887MJ, 25-01888MJ, 25-05419MJ, 25- 08483MJ

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-155_Illegal Alien Document Fraud

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from September 20, 2025, through September 26, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 181 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 82 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 80 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 18 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Ignacio Villalobos-Lopez:  On September 22, Ignacio Villalobos-Lopez, a citizen of Mexico who was illegally present in the United States after previously being removed, was contacted by law enforcement while transporting four illegal aliens. Law enforcement learned that Villalobos-Lopez had previously transported illegal aliens and that he expected to be paid $500.00 per person that he transported. Villalobos-Lopez was charged by criminal complaint for Illegal Entry and Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9410]

United States v. Marco Villareal-Aguilar:  On September 25, Marco Villareal-Aguilar, a citizen of Mexico who was illegally present in the United States, was charged with Bringing in an Illegal Alien for Profit. As alleged in the complaint, Border Patrol camera operators observed a group of approximately 10 subjects walking near the border on the Tohono O'odham Nation. Agents responded to the area and apprehended nine subjects dressed in camouflage who had carpet booties covering their shoes. All nine subjects were determined to be Mexican citizens, illegally present in the United States. Villareal-Aguilar was identified by members of the group as the foot guide who led them across the border and coordinated their movement with scouts using a cellphone and radio. [Case Number: 25-MJ-14135]

United States v. Nathan Vega:  On September 25, Nathan Vega was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. As alleged in the complaint, Border Patrol agents observed Vega driving in a suspicious pattern on the Tohono O'odham Nation near the international border, making multiple U-turns and a brief stop. When agents tried to stop Vega to conduct an immigration inspection, he sped away, leading agents on a more than 30-mile car chase and reaching speeds of 115 miles per hour. Eventually, Vega stopped his vehicle and individuals in camouflage clothing fled from the vehicle. Five of those individuals were apprehended and determined to be Mexican citizens illegally present in the United States. [Case Number: 25-MJ-14134]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-156_September 26 Immigration Enforcement

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jorge Anaya-Valencia, 48, of Guyamas, Sonora, Mexico, who was unlawfully living in Arizona, was sentenced on September 23, by United States District Judge Krissa M. Lanham to 180 months in prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.

Anaya-Valencia’s co-defendants, all illegal aliens, were previously sentenced in this case. Jesus Manuel Soto Quihui was sentenced to 60 months in prison, and Diego Nunez-Aispuri and Ivan Manuel Higuera Torres both received sentences of 46 months. 

According to court documents, in November 2023, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) identified Anaya-Valencia as a member of a drug trafficking organization operating in Phoenix, Arizona. On January 23, 2024, while conducting surveillance on Anaya-Valencia, agents watched as Higuero Torres arrived in a red Ford F-150 pickup truck to meet with Anaya-Valencia. Anaya-Valencia initially inspected the back seat of the truck, and then Nunez-Aispuro loaded two plastic containers and one cardboard box out of the back seat of the Ford F-150 into the cargo area of a Chevrolet Tahoe, which Soto Quihui was driving.

After Nunez-Aispuro completed the transfer, all four defendants left in various vehicles, and were thereafter arrested by law enforcement. Agents searched the Chevrolet Tahoe and inside the plastic containers and cardboard box found and seized approximately 76 kilograms (167 pounds) of methamphetamine. Agents also seized two firearms: one inside the glove compartment of Anaya-Valencia’s vehicle, and a second in the waistband of Soto Quihui.

According to records, Anaya-Valencia has twelve prior removals from the United States and nine previous criminal immigration convictions. He also has a prior felony conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Possession of Dangerous Drugs for Sale. At the time he was arrested in this case, Anaya-Valencia was on supervised release, and he was sentenced to an additional 6 months in prison as part of the disposition in that case.

The DEA Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force HIDTA conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart J. Zander and Travis L. Wheeler, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            24-CR-00255-01-PHX-KML; 19-CR-01081-PHX-KML
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-154_Anaya-Valencia, et al.

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Junn Alan Quinto Coleman, 35, of Phoenix, was sentenced on September 22, by United States District Judge Sharad H. Desai to 18 years in prison. Coleman previously pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery, a federal crime that prohibits actual or attempted robbery that affects interstate commerce, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

On January 2, 2024, Coleman and an accomplice robbed Phoenix Soles streetwear store on Central Avenue in Phoenix. During the robbery, Coleman pointed a firearm at those inside the store. He then pistol-whipped and shot one man in the shoulder. Coleman and his accomplice stole cash, merchandise, and jewelry during the crime. Investigators with the FBI and the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) identified Coleman from his facial tattoos.

“This case is a prime example of multiple agencies working together to curtail violent crime in our community,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “We are grateful for the work of the Phoenix Police Department, FBI, and Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry in quickly identifying the shooter and bringing him to justice.”

This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The Phoenix Police Department, FBI’s Phoenix Division, and the ADCRR conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Chapman, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:          CR-24-00484-PHX-SHD
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-152_Coleman

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – On September 17, Mariano Gomez Padilla, 28, Eduardo Garcia Lopez, 21, and Abel Martinez Valenzuela, 25, all Mexican nationals living in Arizona, were charged by federal criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.  

According to the complaint, on September 17, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force agents established surveillance at an apartment complex in Glendale, Arizona, in anticipation of an expected methamphetamine drug purchase. From the complex, agents followed Gomez Padilla and Garcia Lopez as they drove in tandem to another location in Glendale.

During the drive, agents attempted to stop the suspects’ vehicles, but both drivers failed to yield. Instead, Garcia Lopez exited his vehicle and fled but was apprehended after a short foot pursuit. Gomez Padilla also failed to yield to law enforcement and instead rammed his vehicle into one of the agent’s cars as well as two other vehicles parked on the street, causing significant damage. Shortly thereafter, Gomez Padilla and Martinez Valenzuela, who was riding as a passenger in Gomez Padilla’s vehicle, were also apprehended after trying to flee on foot.

Agents searched the vehicles and seized approximately 61.75 pounds of methamphetamine from the car that Garcia Lopez had been driving. Agents also searched a nearby Ford F-250 associated with the investigation and seized an additional 71.75 pounds of methamphetamine, which was packed identically to the drugs found in Garcia Lopez’s car. 

Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute 500 grams or More of Methamphetamine carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000,000.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The Drug Enforcement Administration Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force HIDTA and the Mesa Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:            25-MJ-8495-PHX-JZB
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-153_Gomez Padilla, et al

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from September 13, 2025, through September 19, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 274 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 108 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 150 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 12 cases against 15 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement is a key part of border vigilance, and prosecutors also charged 1 individual for assaulting a federal officer.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Jessica Isabel Perez:  On September 12, 2025, Jessica Isabel Perez crossed into the United States through the San Luis Port of Entry with two children. One of the children was Perez's 17-year-old daughter, who is a United States citizen, and the other was a six-year-old that Perez claimed to be her son. Perez presented a birth certificate for the six-year-old, which was inconsistent with the identity of the child she was presenting for entry. The child also appeared drowsy and could not keep his eyes open. At secondary inspection, agents observed that the child was struggling to walk and stumbling from side to side. Agents also located extra strength Tylenol PM inside the vehicle with two pills missing. Upon further investigation, agents learned that Perez had traveled to Mexico to pick up the child and bring him to the United States as a favor for someone. Perez was charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien, False Personation in Immigration Matters, and Aggravated Identity Theft. [Case Number: 25-MJ-01924]

United States v. Juan Raul Angulo-Angulo:  On September 15, 2025, Juan Raul Angulo-Angulo, a citizen of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Bring an Alien into the United States Unlawfully and two counts of Bringing an Alien to the United States Unlawfully. On September 12, Border Patrol agents observed three subjects walking northbound in the remote desert approximately 20 miles south of Tacna, Arizona. Agents responded to the area and found Angulo-Angulo, who was wearing camouflage clothing and had carpet booties over his shoes. Agents also located two additional individuals who were wearing camouflage clothing and hiding in the nearby brush. All three subjects were determined to be citizens of Mexico without lawful authority to be in the United States, and agents learned that Angulo-Angulo was serving as the foot guide for the group. [Case Number: 25-MJ-01919]

United States v. Edith Toledo, et al:  On September 13, 2025, Edith Toledo, a citizen of the United States, crossed into the country through the San Luis Port of Entry with five passengers in her vehicle that she claimed to be her children and citizens of the United States. In support of this claim, Toledo provided five birth certificates and four Arizona identification cards. Three of the passengers were confirmed to be Toledo’s children and citizens of the United States, including two minors. However, the purported birth certificates for the remaining two passengers, Alfredo De La Cruz Gonzales and Reyna Lorenzo Chavez, were inconsistent with the people she was presenting for entry. At secondary, agents determined that De La Cruz and Chavez were citizens of Mexico without lawful authority to be in the United States. Agents also learned that De La Cruz coordinated with Toledo to smuggle himself and his wife, Chavez, from Mexico into the United States. Toledo and De La Cruz were charged with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien, False Personation in Immigration Matters, and Aggravated Identity Theft. Chavez was charged with False Personation in Immigration Matters and Aggravated Identity Theft.  [Case Number: 25-MJ-01923]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-151_September 19 Immigration Enforcement

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 4-count indictment against Allman Rivas, 36, of Menagers Dam, located on the Tohono O’odham Nation, for Attempted Coercion and Enticement, Transfer of Obscene Material to Minors, and Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud, or Coercion, and Sexual Extortion.

Pursuant to the complaint and indictment filed in this case, between June 26, 2025, and July 19, 2025, Rivas sent multiple Facebook messages to a minor victim to entice her to go to his residence for sexual encounters. During this period, Rivas also sent the minor victim photographs of his genitals. At one point, Rivas offered to pay back a small loan to the minor victim if the minor victim engaged in oral sex. Finally, when the victim refused to engage in sexual acts with Rivas, Rivas threatened the minor victim to coerce them to engage in sexual contact or sexual intercourse. Rivas is an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation.

A conviction for Attempted Coercion and Enticement carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison with a maximum term of life. A conviction for Transfer of Obscene Material to Minors carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, and a conviction for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud, or Coercion carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison with a maximum term of life. Finally, a conviction for Sexual Extortion carries a term of imprisonment of between 5 and 15 years. Each conviction also carries a maximum fine of $250,000.

“Protecting our youth from sexual offenders is one of the highest priorities of this office,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “These crimes are among the most serious we prosecute because they target the most vulnerable members of our community. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who attempt to exploit children.”

"Safeguarding all children from violence, coercion and exploitation is a top priority for the FBI," said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. "The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state, local, tribal, and law enforcement partners to identify, prioritize and investigate anyone who seeks to harm the most vulnerable among us."

The Tohono O’odham Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Alessandra C. Bermudez, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:          CR-25-03845-RM (EJM)
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-150_Rivas

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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TUCSON, Ariz. – John Stephen Baker, 71, of Tucson, was sentenced on September 10, by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 8.5 years in prison, followed by a term of lifetime supervised release. Baker previously pleaded guilty to Attempted Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity.

Beginning around February 6, 2023, and continuing through May 10, 2023, Baker communicated with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old female, who was actually an undercover special agent with Homeland Security Investigations. During his chats with the undercover agent, Baker asked about previous sexual experiences and expressed fears with engaging in sexual intercourse with an underage female because of the potential for arrest. Nonetheless, on May 10, 2023, Baker traveled from his home in Tucson to Sahuarita, Arizona, with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity with the person he believed to be an underage female.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Officers and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Jennifer H. Berman, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:          CR-23-01362-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-148_Baker

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Kenneth Terrell Harrison, 45, of College Park, Georgia was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 52 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Harrison was also ordered to pay restitution to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (“AHCCCS”) in the amount of $6,538,485.09.

Harrison admitted that he owned an outpatient behavioral health counseling service, Aurtism, LLC, located in Mesa. Aurtism applied to be a medical provider for AHCCCS, Arizona’s Medicaid agency, in 2019. At the time Aurtism applied to AHCCCS, Harrison admitted that he did not disclose his ownership interest in Aurtism to AHCCCS because he was worried that if he accurately described his involvement as the primary owner of the business, AHCCCS would deny the application based upon Harrison’s prior criminal history.

Harrison further admitted that he engaged in a fraudulent billing practice targeting AHCCCS. Specifically, starting in January 2020, Harrison began obtaining AHCCCS identification numbers for AHCCCS enrollees, some of whom visited the Aurtism facility, while others he obtained fraudulently. Nearly all of the AHCCCS enrollees billed for by Harrison were members of the American Indian Health Plan (“AIHP”). Aurtism fraudulently billed AHCCCS for services that were never provided to the AHCCCS enrollees. Between January 2020 and October 2021, Aurtism fraudulently billed AHCCCS for $6,538,485.09.

At the sentencing hearing, the Court noted the particular harm done to vulnerable populations in Arizona as a result of this type of fraud.

The FBI’s Phoenix Division and IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aron Ketchel, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-24-0393-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-149_Harrison

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from September 6, 2025, through September 12, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 215 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 99 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 99 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 14 cases against 16 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement is a key part of border vigilance, and prosecutors also charged 1 individual for assaulting a federal officer.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Isaia David Ralph Gutierrez, et al.:  On September 10, 2025, Isaia David Ralph Gutierrez and Shay Nicole Fernandez were charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Gutierrez, the driver, and Fernandez, the front seat passenger, were pulled over by a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputy for state traffic violations. Upon approaching the vehicle, the deputy observed an individual wearing camouflage clothing and lying down on the rear passenger seat floorboard. The deputy suspected that Gutierrez was engaged in human smuggling and contacted U.S. Border Patrol for assistance. Border Patrol Agents responded to the scene to conduct an immigration inspection and learned that the rear seat passenger was a citizen of Mexico, illegal present in the United States. [Case Number: 25-MJ-05415]

United States v. Robin Estuardo Perez Ramos:  On September 11, 2025, Robin Estuardo Perez Ramos, an illegal alien and citizen of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Assault on a Federal Officer. While conducting surveillance, agents from ICE and ERO saw Perez Ramos, who had been ordered removed from the United States by an Immigration Judge in 2020, get into a vehicle and leave the area. ICE/ERO officers activated their emergency lights and attempted to stop Perez Ramos, but he fled, alternating between speeding up and hitting his brakes. Perez Ramos then put his vehicle in reverse and rapidly accelerated backwards towards the vehicle of one of the ICE officers. Perez Ramos hit the front bumper of officer's vehicle, causing damage, and then fled away at a high rate of speed. While fleeing, Perez Ramos appeared to initially lose control of his vehicle, causing him to accelerate across the median into oncoming traffic. The vehicle then spun around. For safety reasons, ICE/ERO deactivated their emergency equipment and tried to follow Perez Ramos covertly. ICE/ERO temporarily lost sight of the vehicle but located it soon after in a Walmart parking lot. A second ICE officer then attempted to stop Perez Ramos, but he again rapidly reversed and swerved into the officer's emergency vehicle, causing significant damage to the front passenger side. Perez Ramos then drove to an apartment complex, abandoned the vehicle, and ran into the apartment complex. Ramos Perez entered the apartment of a female occupant, who did not know Perez Ramos and was afraid for her and her children’s safety. Perez Ramos was ultimately taken into custody. [Case Number: 25-MJ-05425]

United States v. Jose Eulice Arrendondo-Duran: On September 8, 2025, Jose Eulice Arredondo-Duran was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Jose Eulice Arredondo-Duran was previously removed from the United States in 2014 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Violate Uniform Control Substance Act and Trafficking in Methamphetamine, both felony offenses, in the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, State of Nevada. In that case, Arredondo-Duran was sentenced to 12-48 months on the Conspiracy, and to 36-120 months on the Trafficking, with both counts to be served concurrently with one another. [Case Number: 25-MJ-05395]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-147_September 12 Immigration Enforcement

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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TUCSON, Ariz. – Erik Alberto Beal, 28, of Nogales, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Angela Martinez to 32 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Beal previously pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer.

On April 11, 2024, two uniformed Border Patrol Agents were tracking an illegal alien they saw cross into the United States near Beal’s residence in the border city of Nogales. The agents had split up and were searching around Beal’s residence when a pit bull was released from the side door in the direction of the one of the agents. The agent drew his service-issued firearm at the pit bull and began shouting. Beal then came out of his house, retrieved a semi-automatic handgun from his nearby truck, chambered a round, and pointed the gun at the uniformed agent. A brief, but tense, standoff ensued until the second agent arrived and drew his service weapon at Beal. Only then did Beal put down his gun.

The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Micah Schmit and Serra Tsethlikai, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            24-CR-02352-TUC-AMM-JR
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-146_Beal

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TUCSON, Ariz. – On September 4, Brian Thomas Balda, 52, of Oregon, was sentenced by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 39 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. On June 13, 2025, a federal jury found Balda guilty of one count of Cyberstalking and one count of Interstate Stalking following a four-day trial

In 2023 and 2024, Balda engaged in a campaign to intimidate and harass a former United States government official. For approximately ten months, Balda sent abusive and profane text messages and voicemails to the victim. Balda ultimately drove from Oregon to Arizona to confront the victim, and was arrested by law enforcement near the victim’s home. Four knives, binoculars, and a replica handgun were found in Balda’s car at the time of his arrest.

The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office investigated this matter, with the assistance of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the University of Arizona Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-24-1182-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-145_Balda

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 30, 2025, through September 5, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 218 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 100 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 107 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed cases against 11 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Jose Uriel Meraz-Aguilar:  On September 3, 2025, Jose Uriel Meraz-Aguilar, 20, a citizen of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On September 1, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered Meraz-Aguilar south of Dateland, Arizona, after he entered the United States near Monument 179 with three other individuals. The group, wearing camouflage and carpet shoes, attempted to travel north through the desert toward Interstate 8, but became separated. Two members of the group were rescued and received medical treatment for dehydration and heat exhaustion. Agents learned that Meraz-Aguilar was being paid to serve as a foot guide for the Salazares Cartel, and that he had left the individuals behind in the desert on cartel instructions. [Case Number: 25-MJ-1860]

United States v. Edwuin Lucino Hernandez-Cordero:  On September 4, 2025, Edwuin Lucino Hernandez-Cordero, a citizen of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien. Hernandez-Cordero had previously been pulled over in July 2025 while transporting five illegal aliens. Subsequent investigation linked Hernandez-Cordero to stash houses in Glendale and Phoenix run by a human smuggling organization. Hernandez-Cordero and his associates were identified as drivers and caretakers involved in transporting illegal aliens throughout the United States for profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-6386]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-144_August September 5 Immigration Enforcement

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Mario Garcia-Estrada, 26, of Hidalgo, Mexico, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 63 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Garcia-Estrada previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Assault on a Federal Officer. 

In the early morning of March 4, 2023, Garcia-Estrada illegally entered the United States from Mexico. United States Border Patrol (USBP) cameras spotted Garcia-Estrada near Bisbee, and an agent was dispatched to the area where she encountered Garcia-Estrada hiding. After determining that Garcia-Estrada was illegally present in the country, the USBP agent placed him under arrest, seizing his cell phone and identification. As the agent attempted to place Garcia-Estrada in her patrol vehicle, Garcia-Estrada pushed her to the ground and punched her several times in the face and head before fleeing the scene on foot. A USBP camera operator was able to track Garcia-Estrada, guiding other agents to his location where he was arrested. As a result of this vicious attack, the victim agent suffered a fractured nose and other injuries.

The FBI Phoenix Division’s Sierra Vista office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Houston, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-23-00321-SHR-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-143_Garcia-Estrada

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 23, 2025, through August 29, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 233 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 107 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 108 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Raymundo Barretero-Fernandez:  On August 27, 2025, Raymundo Barretero-Fernandez, a citizen of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Illegal Re-entry. In 2019, Barretero-Fernandez was convicted in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma of Conspiracy to Possess Heroin with Intent to Distribute and Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm. He was sentenced to 36 months in prison and subsequently removed from the United States. Barretero-Fernandez then re-entered the United States without legal permission or authority. [Case Number: 25-MJ-0332]

United States v. Jose Luis Nunez-Sandoval:  On August 29, 2025, Jose Luis Nunez-Sandoval, a Mexican citizen, was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien and Illegal Re-entry. According to court documents, on August 27, 2025, Nunez-Sandoval was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol while traveling on Interstate 40 with two passengers. Agents determined that Nunez-Sandoval and the passengers were unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 25-MJ-0185]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-142_August 29 Immigration Enforcement

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal jury found Viorel Pricop, 66, of Allen Park, Michigan, guilty of three counts of arson of a vehicle or property in interstate commerce. Pricop has been in federal custody since October 2022.

According to evidence presented at an 8-day trial, Pricop maliciously set fire to three semi-truck trailers belonging to Swift Transportation, a Phoenix-based commercial trucking company, as part of a larger pattern of arsons targeting Swift. Two of the arsons occurred in Willcox, AZ and one occurred in Holbrook, AZ. In each of the incidents, the Swift-owned trailer was parked at or near a truck stop when Pricop set a fire on or near the trailer tires.

According to other evidence presented at trial, Pricop set at least 16 additional Swift Transportation semi-trailers on fire in multiple states between October 2021 and September 2022. These arsons occurred at locations spanning Barstow, California to McCalla, Alabama, with most occurring along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40. Federal criminal charges associated with some of the fires were filed against Pricop in several districts and were the basis of a 2024 criminal trial in the Central District of California, where Pricop was found guilty of six arsons.

An analysis of cellular data showed that a specific device – later determined to be used by Pricop for navigation – had connected to cell towers in the vicinity and around the times of the fires. Pricop’s cellphone was also located in the general area of all three Arizona fires.

Additional items, including a gas torch, lighters, and fuel-soaked rags were found in the Pricop’s vehicle.

United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker has scheduled a November 13, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Pricop will face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison for each count.

The Albuquerque Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Phoenix Field Division, led the investigation in this case, with significant assistance from the ATF Fire Research and Forensic Laboratories, ATF Certified Fire Investigators, and Special Agents from the ATF National Cellular Analytics Program. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:          22-CR-02747-JCH-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-141_Pricop

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, 41, an Iranian national, and his wife, Linet Vartanniavartanians, 37, a naturalized United States citizen, pleaded guilty on August 21 after a confrontation in June with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Eidivand pleaded guilty to Alien in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Vartanniavartanians pleaded guilty to Threats Against a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. Sentencing is scheduled for November 26, 2025, before United States District Judge David G. Campbell.

In his plea, Eidivand, a citizen of Iran without legal authority to be in the United States, admitted that, on or about June 21, 2025, in Tempe, Arizona, he possessed two firearms, which is prohibited for illegal aliens.

Vartanniavartanians admitted that, on the same date, when ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) came to her residence in Tempe, Arizona to contact her husband, she made threats intended to impede, intimidate, and interfere with the officers engaged in the performance of their official duties. Vartanniavartanias made the following threats:

• “I’m not letting anybody enter my home without my, you know, permission. So anybody that tries to invade my home, I’m going to shoot them. Like I said, I have a gun, and it’s loaded.”
• “Anybody trying to enter my house is going to be shooted. I don’t allow anybody in my house, including ICE.”
• When asked about the location of the gun, I responded “in my hand right now.”
• “I go outside the backyard, and I’ll just shoot them in the head.”

A conviction for Alien in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. The maximum term of probation is five years, including a minimum term of one year if probation is imposed.

A conviction for Threats Against a Federal Law Enforcement Officer carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. The maximum term of probation is five years, including a minimum term of one year if probation is imposed.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

ICE ERO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI’s Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-25-00931-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-140_Asadi Eidivand, et al

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 16, 2025, through August 22, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 170 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 85 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 70 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 11 cases against 15 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Gonzalo Rafael Morales-Jimenez:  On August 18, 2025, Gonzalo Rafael Morales-Jimenez, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Morales-Jimenez had been previously removed from the United States in 2018 after being convicted of Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, and Theft by Extortion, Aggravated Assault, and Misconduct Involving Weapons, all felony offenses, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County. The Court ordered all terms of incarceration for the various counts to run concurrently with one another, with the longest sentence being over 10 years in prison. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09342]

United States v. Alan William Fischbach:  On August 19, 2025, Alan William Fischbach and two Mexican nationals, Rosario Robles-Morales and Jose Antonio Florez-Ramirez, were charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens. On August 19, Fischbach was observed picking up two loads of illegal aliens and taking them to a motel in Tucson. Robles-Morales and Florez-Ramirez had served as foot guides for the illegal aliens, leading them across the international border into the United States. In total, 10 smuggled illegal aliens were discovered. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09352]

United States v. Pedro Carrillo-Miranda:  On August 19, 2025, Pedro Carrillo-Miranda was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Carrillo-Miranda had been previously removed from the United States in 2002 after being convicted of Attempted Sexual Abuse, a felony offense, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County. In that case, Carrillo-Miranda was sentenced to three months in prison, followed by lifetime probation. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09357]

United States v. Cesar Eduardo Parra-Ray:  On August 20, 2025, a Department of Public Safety (DPS) Sergeant performed a traffic stop on Cesar Eduardo Parra-Rey, who was identified by his Mexico driver's license. After speaking with Parra-Rey, DPS suspected that he was engaged in a human smuggling event and contacted U.S. Border Patrol for assistance. When they arrived, Border Patrol Agents determined that Parra-Rey is a citizen of Mexico with a Border Crossing Card that allows him to enter and pass through the United States legally. However, agents also determined that Parra-Rey’s three passengers were all citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Parra-Rey was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09372]

United States v. Bryan Valenzuela-Caldera:  On August 22, 2025, Bryan Valenzuela-Caldera was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. Valenzuela-Caldera was observed in Nogales, Arizona on multiple days, driving in unusual patterns close to the border. On August 20, Border Patrol Agents initiated a vehicle stop based on their observations, but Valenzuela-Caldera failed to yield, taking several turns and driving through Nogales, Arizona. As he drove, Valenzuela-Caldera struck a civilian vehicle, and then attempted to push the vehicle out of the way by pressing the accelerator of his truck. He then reversed and drove away, ending up on a dead-end road. As agents followed him, Valenzuela-Caldera reversed into one of their Border Patrol vehicles, then got out of his truck and fled on foot. He was eventually apprehended, and two illegal aliens were found inside his truck. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09414]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-139_August 22 Immigration Enforcement

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Blademir Angulo Audeves, 42, of Mexico, pleaded guilty on August 20, to one count of Alien in Possession of a Firearm and one count of Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens. Sentencing is scheduled for October 28, 2025, before United States District Judge Humetewa.

In his plea, Audeves admitted that he owned and operated El Taqueria El Taco Loko LLC, which included a brick-and-mortar restaurant and two mobile restaurants in the Phoenix-metro area. As the owner and operator of the restaurants, Audeves knowingly hired and employed at least twelve unauthorized aliens, who were either not lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States or were not authorized to be employed in the United States.

Audeves, a Mexican citizen without legal authority to be in the United States, also admitted to knowingly possessing three firearms in July 2025, along with ammunition, all of which was prohibited because of his immigration status.

A conviction for Alien in Possession of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of fifteen years of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. A conviction for Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens carries a maximum penalty of six months of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $3,000 for each unauthorized alien with respect to whom such a violation occurs.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-25-01029
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-138_Audeves

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Sandra Meza-Casillas, 51, of Mexico, was sentenced on August 11, by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 24 months prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Meza-Casillas previously pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer.

On or about April 16, 2025, in Nogales, Arizona, a United States Border Patrol Agent was attempting to apprehend an individual who had jumped over the international border wall. The agent found Sandra Meza-Casillas lying flat on her stomach on the border road. When the agent approached, Meza-Casillas started running eastbound along the International Border road while two male subjects appeared to be guiding her from the south side of the border wall. After a brief foot pursuit, the Border Patrol Agent reached Meza-Casillas and grabbed her shoulder to make an arrest. Meza-Casillas turned around and sprayed the agent with pepper spray on his left cheek.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rui Wang, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:        CR-25-02225-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER:  2025-137_Meza-Casilla

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – On August 13, a federal jury found Marian Marsha Josytewa, 40, of Polacca, Arizona, guilty of one count of Involuntary Manslaughter, one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, two counts of Child Abuse, and one count of Driving Under the Influence. The guilty verdict followed a six-day trial before United States District Court Judge Steven P. Logan. Sentencing is scheduled for November 3, 2025.

On December 10, 2021, Josytewa consumed several beers before picking up her two children from school in Flagstaff, Arizona. While traveling back to the Hopi Tribe homeland on a highway on the Navajo Nation, Josytewa rolled her car. One of her sons was ejected from the vehicle and died because of the crash. Josytewa’s blood was drawn and tested at a crime lab, which showed a BAC level of .113.

A conviction for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and not more than three years of supervised release. Involuntary Manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and not more than three years of supervised release. The remaining three convictions include additional penalties that could amount to more than seven years in prison.

The FBI Phoenix Division’s Flagstaff office and Navajo Police Department jointly conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, and the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-24-08083-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-135_Josytewa

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 9, 2025, through August 15, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 161 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 79 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 71 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 10 cases against 11 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Isidro Calleros-Sotelo: On August 11, Isidro Calleros-Sotelo was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Calleros-Sotelo had been previously removed from the United States in 2024 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain in the United States District Court, District of Arizona. In that case, Calleros-Sotelo was sentenced to 15 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08396]

United States v. Mario Alberto Rodriguez-Herrera:  On August 13, a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Deputy performed a traffic stop on Mario Alberto Rodriguez-Herrera. Border Patrol Agents responded to the scene to conduct an immigration inspection and determined that the back seat passenger in the car was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Rodriguez-Herrera initially claimed to be a Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident (LAPR), and later explained that he “shared” a LAPR card with a friend who has similar physical attributes. However, when agents found a LAPR card bearing the name “Mario Rodriguez" located inside Rodriguez-Herrera’s vehicle, they determined that it was a fraudulent document. Agents then confirmed that Rodriguez-Herrera was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Rodriguez-Herrera was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien and Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits and Other Documents. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08447]

United States v. Ricardo Daniel Villalobos-Cardenas:  On August 14, Ricardo Daniel Villalobos-Cardenas was charged with Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens, for his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that involved picking up aliens in southern Arizona and transporting them to a stash house in Phoenix. Villalobos-Cardenas was identified as both the caretaker of the stash house and someone who transported illegal aliens. [Case Number: 25-MJ-3060]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-136_August 15 Immigration Enforcement

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Jessica Guillen-Morales, 38, of Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on August 12, by United States District Senior Judge Raner C. Collins to 37 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Guillen-Morales previously pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien and Alien in Possession of a Firearm.

On November 19, 2023, Tucson Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Guillen-Morales’ residence and found approximately six firearms, including rifles, along with ammunition. Law enforcement officials determined that Guillen-Morales was previously convicted of the federal offense of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens in November 2012.

Law enforcement officials also learned that Guillen-Morales, a citizen and national of Mexico, had been previously removed from the United States on November 1, 2023, and did not have legal authority to be in the country.

This case is part of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception.

The Tucson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Sottosanti and Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:         CR-24-00677-TUC-RCC  
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-134_Guillen-Morales

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Nathan Jr. Espinoza, 23, of Avondale, Arizona pleaded guilty on August 6, to one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2025, before United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez.

In his plea, Espinoza admitted that for a period of time leading up to March 2024, he recruited human smuggling drivers and coordinated the transportation of illegal aliens from areas near the Mexico border to places further in the interior of the United States. Espinoza’s involvement in the conspiracy was for personal financial gain and led to at least 25 illegal aliens receiving transportation.

Espinoza also admitted that on March 6, 2024, he coordinated an event in which a driver and a front seat passenger picked up two illegal aliens near Lukeville, Arizona. At some point while they were being transported, the aliens were told to get out of the vehicle. The two aliens then jumped, fell, or were pushed from the vehicle while it was still moving. As a result, one of the aliens hit his head on the ground, suffered serious injury, and died at the hospital two days later.

A conviction for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit carries a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000,000.

The investigation of this case is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 405 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 350 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-24-05407-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-133_Espinoza

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 2, 2025, through August 8, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 172 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 77 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 73 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 18 cases against 22 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Josue Sanchez:  On August 5, 2025, a Pinal County Sherriff’s Detective attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle that was travelling at a high rate of speed on interstate 10. The vehicle quickly exited I-10 and abruptly drove off into the desert before coming to a stop. The vehicle’s doors opened, and three subjects fled on foot. Two of the subjects were wearing camouflage clothing. As the detective drove towards the three subjects, all three stopped and were taken into custody. The driver was identified as Josue Sanchez, an 18-year-old United States citizen. The two subjects in camouflage clothing were determined to be citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Sanchez was on federal probation for transporting illegal aliens at the time he was arrested. Sanchez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien, in violation of Title 8, U.S.C., § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and 1324(a)(1)(B)(ii).  Case Number: 25-MJ-05345-PHX-DMF

United States v. Luis Alberto Romero Garcia: On July 9, 2025, a Payson Police Department officer conducted a vehicle stop on a minivan for traffic violations. The officer discovered eleven passengers in the minivan. The driver and passengers were citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Because the officer did not have federal authority to detain the occupants of the minivan and was unable to prolong the traffic stop, the occupants were released. The officer contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Agents located and conducted a stop on the minivan in Phoenix on August 5, 2025. At the time of the vehicle stop, agents observed more subjects in the minivan than seats or seatbelts, with two subjects lying on the vehicle floorboards unrestrained. Two subjects were unaccompanied minors. One minor was lying on the floor of the minivan. The eleven passengers were determined to be citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. The driver, Luis Alberto Romero Garcia, was also determined to be a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States. Romero Garcia was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien, in violation of Title 8, U.S.C., § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and 1324(a)(1)(B)(ii).  Case Number: 25-MJ-05369-PHX-DMF

United States v. Gilberto Trevizo-Garcia: On August 7, 2025, Gilberto Trevizo-Garcia was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien in violation of Title 8, U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(1). Trevizo-Garcia had been previously removed from the United States in 2023 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Controlled Substances, and Manufacture and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance in the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio. Romo-Ortiz was sentenced to 78 months of incarceration, and 3 years of supervised release in the Ohio case.  Case Number: 25-mj-05368-PHX-DMF

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-132_August 8 Immigration Enforcement

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – On August 5, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned an indictment against Anxhela Spahi, 43, a citizen of Albania, for willfully refusing to depart the United States within 90 days of when her order of removal became final.

A conviction for willful failure or refusal to depart carries a maximum penalty of a $250,000 fine, up to four years in prison, and up to one year of supervised release.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-25-01106-KML
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-131_Spahi

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jorge Adan Fontes-Garcia, 26, an illegal alien from Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on August 5, by United States District Judge James A Teilborg to 130 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. On May 20, Fontes-Garcia pleaded guilty to Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death. The sentence also addressed Fontes-Garcia’s violation of federal supervision, which the Court imposed after his prior conviction for Reentry of an Illegal Alien.

On August 23, 2023, Fontes-Garcia acted as the foot guide, leading a group of eight aliens across the Mexico-United States border into southern Arizona. United States Border Patrol apprehended all but one of the illegal aliens in the open desert approximately 19 miles south of Tacna, Arizona. The remaining alien was found by Border Patrol agents shortly thereafter, already deceased due to excessive heat exposure.

“This case demonstrates that human smugglers often have little regard for those entrusted to their care,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “My message to those trying to cross the border illegally is that their actions are not just a violation of the law, they can also lead to tragic consequences.”

“Human smuggling results in numerous deaths every year as smugglers are more concerned with profit than the lives of the people they are smuggling,” said Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre, Yuma Sector Border Patrol. “This sentence sends a clear message to anyone considering smuggling foreign nationals into the country – ‘if you do, we will arrest you, and you will be held accountable.’” 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBERS:         CR-23-01322-PHX-JAT, CR-22-00992-PHX-JAT
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-130_Fontes-Garcia

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 26, 2025, through August 1, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 134 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 66 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 57 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 9 cases against 11 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Felipe Osuna Hernandez:  On July 29, Felipe Osuna Hernandez, a Mexican national illegally present in the United States, was charged by criminal complaint with Illegal Reentry and with Bringing an Illegal Alien into the United States for Profit and While Placing Their Life in Jeopardy. On July 26, Osuna was arrested after it was determined he was a foot guide who smuggled two illegal aliens through the desert, from Mexico into the United States, without adequate food or water. The aliens made arrangements to pay to be smuggled into the United States and they were assigned Osuna as their guide. When one of the individuals was in medical distress, Osuna threatened the individual, took the aliens' phones so they could not call for help and, ultimately, left the individual deceased in the desert. [Case Number: 25-MJ-2438]

United States v. Luis Enrique Beltran-Ceballos:  On August 1, Luis Enrique Beltran-Ceballos, a citizen of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States, was charged by criminal complaint with Bringing an Alien to the United States and Improper Entry by Alien. On July 30, Beltran-Ceballos smuggled a twelve-year-old girl, whom he had never met before, into the United States by scaling the international border wall using a ladder. After crossing, Beltran-Ceballos attempted to evade detection by hiding with the child in a canal. Beltran-Ceballos was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations agents. The investigation revealed that Beltran-Ceballos had engaged in the smuggling activity with the expectation of financial compensation. [Case Number: 25-MJ-1774]

United States v. Edgar Pedro Hernandez:  On August 1, Edgar Pedro Hernandez was charged by criminal complaint with Transporting an Illegal Alien. On July 30, Hernandez was stopped by local law enforcement for driving significantly below the posted speed limit. During the stop, Hernandez provided inconsistent information regarding the identity of his two passengers. U.S. Border Patrol was contacted and ultimately determined that both passengers were unlawfully present in the United States and had made prior arrangements to be smuggled across the border. Hernandez admitted to picking them up at a gas station and agreeing to transport them to Phoenix in exchange for gas money. [Case Number: 25-MJ-6341]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-129_August 1 Immigration Enforcement

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Today, the Department of Justice announced the launch of the Backpage remission process to compensate victims whose trafficking was facilitated through the Backpage.com website. This marks the largest remission process to date to compensate victims of human trafficking.

“Backpage.com facilitated the exploitation of women and children as one of the largest online advertisers for commercial sex and sex trafficking over its 14-year existence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Backpage and its executives made millions off the trafficking of victims. Today’s announcement underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to use forfeiture to take the profit out of crime and to compensate victims.”

“Backpage used its position as the leading commercial sex advertisement website to make millions of dollars through their corrupt and heinous peddling of people,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “The District of Arizona was proud to hold its executives accountable though criminal convictions and is proud to continue our efforts by forfeiting those ill-gotten gains to compensate real victims.”

“Today’s announcement shows the FBI’s commitment to ensuring that those who profit from human trafficking face the consequences of their actions,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “We will continue to work alongside partners to thwart this industry by decimating its capacity for monetary gain while seeking safeguards for its victims.”

“Sex trafficking is one of the most horrific crimes we confront as a society,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation. “While traffickers try to operate in the shadows, the money always leaves a trail—and that’s where we come in. IRS-CI is committed to following that financial trail to expose criminal networks and help bring justice to survivors. We’re proud to work with our federal partners to dismantle those who profit from exploitation. Victims in this case should file their petitions by Feb. 2, 2026, to access the compensation they rightfully deserve.”

From 2004 to April 2018, criminals used Backpage.com as an online platform to facilitate commercial sex and sex trafficking, including trafficking of minors. In April 2018, the government seized Backpage.com. To date, Backpage.com, its owners, and key executives and businesses related to the platform have been found guilty of criminal offenses, including conspiring to facilitate unlawful commercial sex using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce and money laundering, and have been sentenced to federal terms of imprisonment.

In December 2024, the Department of Justice forfeited over $200 million in assets traceable to Backpage’s profits. These funds are now available to compensate victims for eligible losses. The Department of Justice has retained Epiq Global Inc. (Epiq) to serve as the Remission Administrator for this matter.

Victims whose sex trafficking was facilitated through advertisements posted on Backpage.com between Jan. 1, 2004, and April 6, 2018, and who incurred financial losses related to their trafficking may be eligible for remission. Individuals, their representatives, or estates of deceased victims may file a petition online or may obtain a Petition Form online at https://www.backpageremission.com/. Victims may also call, email, or write to the Remission Administrator to request that a Petition Form be sent to them.

The deadline to file a petition for remission is Feb, 2, 2026. For more information about the remission process – including eligibility requirements, updates, and frequently asked questions – please visit the official website at https://www.backpageremission.com/ or contact Epiq at 1-888-859-9206 toll-free, or 1-971-316-5053 for international calls, charges may apply. The Remission Administrator and the Justice Department will not ask for any payment to participate in this remission process.

The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated this matter. 

Senior Trial Attorney Austin Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rapp with assistance on forfeiture from Joseph Bozdech of the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Galatzan, Chief of the Central District of California’s Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section, handled the asset forfeiture aspects of the related civil cases. Special Agent Richard Robinson of IRS-CI, Special Agent Desirae Tolhurst of the FBI, USPIS Inspectors Lyndon Versoza and Quoc Thai, and Analyst Jane Chung with the Joint Regional Intelligence Center, spearheaded the investigation.

The Department of Justice, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to compensate victims of crime. Since 2000, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), which oversees the Asset Forfeiture Program’s victim compensation program, has successfully used its specialized expertise to return more than $12 billion in forfeited assets to victims of crime. MLARS Senior Attorney Advisor Jane K. Lee and Attorney Advisor Brittany R. Van Camp with the section’s Program Management and Training Unit are leading the remission process.   

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Isiah Adam Smith, 25, of Leupp, Arizona, was sentenced on July 28, by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 324 months in prison after pleading guilty to Second Degree Murder. Smith’s co-defendant, Trevor Joe Begay, 24, of Tuba City, Arizona, pleaded guilty to the same crime and was sentenced on September 23, 2024, by Judge Liburdi to 365 months in prison.

On or about June 11, 2021, Smith and Begay murdered the victim because of her gender identity.  Smith and Begay had previously communicated with the victim online, where she disclosed to them that she was transgender. Smith and Begay decided to “teach the victim a lesson.” They arranged to meet the victim in the middle of the night, and when the victim got into their vehicle, they took her cell phone so that she could not call for help. Smith and Begay then drove the victim into the desert and beat her to death.

Smith and Begay attempted to cover up their crimes by burning their bloody clothes and the victim’s cell phone. The victim’s body was found the morning after her death by a hiker. Smith and Begay murdered the victim on the Navajo Nation, where they are both enrolled tribal members.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Phoenix and Flagstaff Indian Country squads and the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-8104-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-127_Smith, et al.

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TUCSON, Ariz. – This afternoon, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a five-count indictment against Julio Cesar Aguirre, 42, of Mexico, for Attempted Carjacking Resulting in Death, Use or Carrying of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence Causing Death, Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien, Reentry of a Removed Alien, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

The first two counts carry a maximum penalty of life in prison or death.

According to court filings, Aguirre shot and killed a male driver with a 9mm caliber handgun, while attempting to carjack the victim’s Toyota Tundra on the morning of June 30, in Tucson, Arizona.

Shortly after the attempted carjacking, Tucson Police Department (TPD) officers found Aguirre hiding in a nearby shed. Aguirre, a Mexican citizen, who was previously removed from the United States in 2013, was living in the country illegally at the time of the shooting. When he was arrested, TPD officers discovered a Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol within Aguirre’s reach. As a convicted felon and as an illegal alien, Aguirre was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

“The focus in this case should be on the senseless loss of the victim and the pain that loss creates for his family and friends. Our criminal laws exist to protect our community, and the United States has an obligation to enforce those laws,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The alleged series of crimes in the indictment, starting with illegal immigration, escalating to prohibited possession of a firearm, and culminating in the death of an innocent individual, is why the United States Attorney’s Office takes this matter so seriously.”

“This indictment represents a meaningful step toward accountability and justice for the victim, their loved ones, and all those affected by the tragic events in early July,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “The allegations in this case involve a senseless act of violence that claimed an innocent life and deeply impacted our community. Carjacking resulting in death is a serious federal offense. The FBI, in partnership with the Tucson Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, remains dedicated to pursuing justice and ensuring public safety.”

A conviction for Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm or Felon in Possession of a Firearm each carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison. A conviction for Illegal Reentry carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

The federal prosecution of this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

TPD and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-25-3393-TUC-RM-MAA
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-128_Aguirre Indictment

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 19, 2025, through July 25, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 135 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 67 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 50 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 11 cases against 13 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement is a key part of border vigilance, and prosecutors also charged 5 individuals in 3 cases for assaulting federal officers.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Santos Mendivil Contreras, Jr., et al:  On July 22, Santos Mendivil Contreras, Jr. and Emanuel Mendivil Cervantes were charged by criminal complaint with assaulting federal officers. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) had been investigating Contreras based on his unlawful presence in the United States and his attempt to purchase firearms in April 2025. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact Contreras in June and July, HSI agents initiated a traffic stop on July 22. Contreras, who was accompanied by Cervantes, attempted to flee by accelerating the vehicle. He ultimately stopped in front of his residence, exited the vehicle, and began walking toward the home. An HSI agent drew his firearm and gave commands, at which point Contreras reached for the agent’s weapon, leading to a physical struggle over control of the firearm. Three additional agents arrived at the scene. Cervantes exited the vehicle and began kicking the agents who were attempting to arrest Contreras. During the altercation, Contreras bit and struck multiple agents. Both Contreras and Cervantes were eventually taken into custody. All four agents sustained injuries. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9300]

United States v. Benigno Armando Rios Pacheco, et al:  On July 24, Benigno Armando Rios Pacheco and Janeth Karina Montoya Estrada were charged by criminal complaint with assaulting federal officers. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were investigating Rios for being unlawfully present in the United States. During the course of their investigation, agents learned that Rios was also wanted in Mexico for the theft of a vehicle involving a firearm. DEA agents conducted a traffic stop on Rios, who complied with verbal commands and was placed in handcuffs without incident. Shortly thereafter, Montoya arrived at the scene with another individual. Montoya became aggressive toward the agents, approaching them closely and yelling. She then physically pushed a DEA agent. As agents attempted to place Montoya under arrest, she made erratic movements that resulted in injuries to several agents. Simultaneously, Rios began to resist by throwing his elbows and using his body weight, causing himself and one agent to fall to the ground. Both Rios and Montoya were eventually subdued and taken into custody. Two agents sustained injuries during the incident. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9327]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-126_July 25 Immigration Enforcement

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brian Hopkins, 62, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced on July 16, by Senior United States District Court Judge David G. Campbell to 21 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution. Hopkins previously pleaded guilty to mail fraud, conspiring to defraud the United States, and false statement on a tax return. Hopkins is the third co-conspirator to be sentenced in connection with a telemarketing fraud scheme that stole millions of dollars from more than a thousand victims across the country.

Two of Hopkins’ co-conspirators were also sentenced over the last year. Richard Kuhlmann, Jr., 58, of Tempe, Arizona, was sentenced on May 30, 2025, by United States District Court Judge Susan M. Brnovich, to 42 months in prison and ordered to pay $2,140,231 in restitution. Kuhlmann previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States, mail fraud, and transactional money laundering.

David Bartlett, 54, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced on November 24, 2024, by United States District Court Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $500,000 in restitution. Barlettt previously pleaded guilty to Mail Fraud.

Kuhlmann and Hopkins owned and operated an Arizona-based telemarketing company that went by various names, including GTT Financial. GTT Financial called potential customers, offering to help reduce their credit card interest rates. Individuals who used GTT Financial’s services to successfully lower their interest rates were then targeted by the fraud scheme. GTT Financial employees, including Bartlett, told victim-customers they could purchase a “sales lead” for $1 and that each “sales lead” represented another potential customer for GTT Financial’s credit card debt service. Victim-customers were promised a portion of any fees paid to GTT from each sales lead and told they would receive a significant return on their investment.

In reality, there was no “sales lead” investment opportunity and money from the victim-customers went to the co-conspirators and other employees of GTT Financial. In total, between 2014 and 2019, the co-conspirators raised more than $10 million for the fictious “sales lead” investment from more than a thousand victim-customers across the United States.

The IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond Woo and Matthew Doyle, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBERS:         CR-22-00221-PHX-DGC; CR-22-00276-PHX-SMB; CR-22-00562-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-125_Hopkins

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brian Jason Gishie, 46, of Ganado, Arizona, was sentenced on July 16, by Senior United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gishie, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault of an intimate partner by strangling.

On or about June 20, 2024, Gishie brutally assaulted an intimate partner at his home in Greasewood, Arizona, within the Navajo Nation community. Using a baseball bat, Gishie hit the victim several times on her head and body. He then strangled her with both hands for several seconds. The victim was medically treated for injuries related to the assault. Gishie had previously been convicted of multiple domestic violence related offenses, including Aggravated Domestic Violence in Maricopa County in 2004, and Assault by Strangling in the District of Arizona in 2019.

The FBI Phoenix Division’s Flagstaff office and the Navajo Nation Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-08120-PCT-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-123_Gishie

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a seven-count indictment against Miguel Salomon-Lugo, 40, of Chihuahua, Mexico, for smuggling illegal aliens for profit resulting in death, bringing in illegal aliens for profit, smuggling illegal aliens for profit, and conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens for profit.

The indictment alleges that on June 19, Border Patrol Agents encountered two illegal aliens who told them that two other individuals in their group needed assistance in the area of Bonita Tank near Arivaca, Arizona. Border Patrol air assets were able to locate the illegal aliens in distress, but the helicopter could not land because of the terrain. The agents relayed the individuals’ location to other agents. Despite the excessive 100+ degree heat, Border Patrol Agents on the ground moved quickly to assist the distressed aliens. Upon arrival, agents discovered that one of the men had died after falling down a steep ravine.

All three of the surviving illegal aliens reported that they were part of a group led by two foot-guides who had brought them from Mexico into the United States. Salomon-Lugo was identified as one of those foot guides.

According to court documents, the deceased illegal alien began to feel faint due to heat while traveling. After being told to continue by one of the foot guides, he became dizzy and fell down a ravine, suffering the injuries that would lead to his death. His uncle, one of the other members of the group, stayed with him as the group moved on. The foot guides instructed others to leave the suffering man behind and continue north.

A conviction for smuggling illegal aliens for profit resulting in death carries a maximum penalty of death.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

An indictment is a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:            25-CR-3238-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER:      2025-124_Salomon-Lugo

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Daryl Patrick Johns, 46, of Bapchule, Arizona, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced on July 17 by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

On February 15, 2023, Johns stabbed and killed the victim on the Gila River Indian Community. Johns pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024, to Second Degree Murder.     

The Gila River Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Indian Country squad conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-1639-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-122_Johns

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 12, 2025, through July 18, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 124 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 62 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 54 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Arnold Perez:  On July 12, Border Patrol Agents watched as a group of four suspected illegal aliens enter a Toyota RAV4 in the Coronado National Park. Agents initiated a vehicle stop, but the driver failed to yield and quickly accelerated to over 80 mph. Agents deployed a Vehicle Immobilization Device and successfully spiked the vehicle, but the driver continued driving with smoke coming from the front tires, lost control, and drove into a grassy field and through a barbed wire fence before coming to a stop. The driver, later identified as Arnold Perez, and two passengers ran from the vehicle. Agents apprehended Perez and the other subjects who ran, along with two additional individuals who remained in the vehicle. The four passengers were determined to be citizens of Mexico illegally present in the United States. Perez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-02295]

United States v. Luis Sahid Guanin-Manzaba:  On July 13, Luis Sahid Guanin-Manzaba entered the primary inspection lane for the Interstate 19 Border Patrol Checkpoint in a Chevrolet Malibu. At secondary inspection, agents determined that the passenger in the Malibu was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Agents then searched the trunk of the vehicle and discovered another individual who was also determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Guanin-Manzaba was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-02338]

United States v. Jasiel Antonio Moreno-Cuevas:  On July 16, Jasiel Antonio Moreno-Cuevas was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Moreno-Cuevas had been previously removed from the United States in 2014 after being convicted of Aid and Abet Impersonation of a United States Citizen, a felony, in the United States District Court, District of Arizona. Moreno-Cuevas was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08369]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-121_July 18 Immigration Enforcement

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Cory Jermaine White, Jr., 31, of Goodyear, Arizona was sentenced on July 16, by United States District Michael T. Liburdi to 108 months in prison and ordered to pay $8,446,858.31 in restitution. White pleaded guilty on December 10, 2024, to conspiracies to commit bank and wire fraud, and money laundering. Six other co-defendants in this matter have already pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to varying years in prison.

“White stole nearly $8.5 million in checks meant for legitimate businesses and used the money for lavish expenditures,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine, “His actions not only impacted the victims but also undermined the integrity of our financial systems. Let this case serve as a reminder that crime does not pay, and that we will do whatever we can to uphold the law and safeguard our communities.”

“The fact this defendant and his co-conspirators would think that stealing business checks from the U.S. Mail and scheming ways to deposit them for their own use is mind-boggling,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “The defendant conspired with others with total disregard for the consequences. Financial crimes have long been a staple of the FBI’s investigative efforts, and we will continue to meticulously investigate any and all fraudsters in pursuit of our mission of protecting the American people.”

According to the court documents and statements made in court, White’s multi-year scheme involved several steps. First, a co-conspirator would steal a parcel of mail containing a legitimate check meant for a legitimate business. A second co-conspirator would then incorporate a sham entity using the same name as the legitimate company to whom the check was made out (often in another state to avoid detection). Using the sham corporate registration documents, co-conspirators would next open a corporate bank account in the name of the sham entity to deposit the stolen check. Finally, after the stolen check was deposited into the newly-opened bank account for the sham entity, the co-conspirators would quickly liquidate the funds and distribute the funds amongst themselves. 

The FBI Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:           CR 23-01749- PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-120_White

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yesterday, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and other law enforcement agencies executed federal search warrants at five Colt Grill restaurants and 12 residences in two states after a three-year labor exploitation investigation and a five-count federal indictment against four individuals in Arizona. 

On May 27, 2025, a grand jury in Phoenix returned an indictment against Robert and Brenda Clouston, both 61, of northern Arizona, and Luis Pedro Rogel-Jaimes, age 33, and Iris Romero-Molina, age 29, both Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States and residing in Cottonwood, Arizona, for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, Conspiracy to Harbor Illegal Aliens, Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States, and Pattern and Practice of Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens.

The indictment alleges that Robert and Brenda Clouston operated four Colt Grill restaurants in the northern Arizona cities of Cottonwood, Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Sedona, and one Colt Grill in Foley, Alabama. In September of 2022, the Cloustons, along with Rogel-Jaimes and Romero-Molina, made a plan that Romero-Molina would create a cleaning company, R&R AZ Cleaning, that would operate as a staffing company for the Colt Grill restaurants. Rogel-Jaimes and Romero-Molina would then find undocumented workers to work at the restaurants, paying them through R&R AZ Cleaning with funds from Colt Grill. The undocumented workers were paid below minimum wage and were not compensated for overtime. The Cloustons, Rogel-Jaimes, and Romero-Molina benefited financially from the plan and did not pay proper employment taxes for the workers.

All four indicted individuals were arrested on July 15 without incident. While executing the warrants, law enforcement also arrested several undocumented illegal aliens for criminal or administrative immigration violations.

“Cooperation is the cornerstone for law enforcement in Arizona and this case demonstrates the great outcome that comes from federal and local law enforcement working together,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The United States Attorney’s Office is grateful to HSI for their hard work on this investigation and extremely appreciative to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office for their support and willingness to keep their community safe from bad actors.”

“The success of this investigation is in large part due to the coordinated efforts of many law enforcement agencies working alongside HSI through the Homeland Security Task Forces,” said Ray Rede, acting special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “This multiyear case involving several federal charges is a testament of our commitment to combatting crime that has true impact to communities. I thank everyone involved – this case was true team effort.”

“On behalf of the citizens of Yavapai County, I want to thank our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and all our local agencies for their collaboration with the men and women of Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office in dismantling this criminal enterprise,” said Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes. “Coordinated, multi-agency enforcement actions like this one are essential to protecting our communities from the destabilizing impacts of organized crime. By working together, we will continue to leverage every available resource to safeguard the people of Yavapai County from those who seek to do harm.”

A conviction for Conspiracy to Bring Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, Conspiracy to Harbor Illegal Aliens, and Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. A conviction for Pattern and Practice of Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and up to a $3,000 fine per unauthorized employee.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

HSI, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office are conducting the federal investigation in this case. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office assisted with execution of the search warrants. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

An indictment is a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-25-08086-PCT-SPL (ASB)
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-119_Clouston, et al.

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Jon Christian Schacht, 37, of Tucson, was sentenced on July 14, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 72 months in prison. Schacht previously pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. He was sentenced to concurrent sentences of 72 months and 24 months, respectively, on the two counts.

Schacht managed an alien smuggling organization in southern Arizona, personally transporting illegal aliens, and conspiring and coordinating with others for their transportation further into the United States.

During the course of the alien smuggling conspiracy, Schacht was also involved in a drug conspiracy and transported 42 kilograms of fentanyl to Phoenix from Tucson.

United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:             CR-23-0899-JCH                                      
                                           CR-23-0900-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER:      2025-117_Schacht

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Note: See indictment here.

A Pakistani man made his initial appearance in court in Tucson, Arizona, today after being extradited from Mexico to face charges relating to his role in leading an international alien smuggling organization.

In May 2024, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Abbas Ali Haider, 48, of Sialkot, Pakistan, for conspiring to smuggle Pakistani nationals into the United States.

Haider allegedly operated two sham film production companies, Diamond TV World Productions and Multimedia Advertising Ltd., which were fronts for his alien smuggling organization. According to court documents, Haider used those Pakistan-based companies to contract with film companies in Ecuador, Cuba, and Colombia. He then had those companies sponsor visas for Pakistani nationals purporting to work for Haider’s companies under the guise that they were working on a joint filming project in Latin America. Haider provided the Pakistani nationals with phony paperwork indicating that they worked for his companies, which they used at ports of entry in Panama, Brazil, and Colombia. Haider coached the aliens to say they worked in the film industry to deceive and thwart customs and border officials. Haider’s network of smugglers then assisted the Pakistani nationals in traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border, where they illegally crossed into California, Texas, and Arizona. Haider charged the aliens up to $40,000 for the trip.  

Haider travelled from Pakistan to Mexico in late 2024 and was arrested in Mexico in January 2025 at the request of the U.S. government. Extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities resulted in Haider’s timely extradition.

Haider is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring illegal aliens to the United States and four counts of bringing in illegal aliens for profit. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona, and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego, made the announcement.

HSI Calexico led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI’s Brasilia, Quito, Tijuana, and Caribbean attaché offices and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Border Patrol; the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Miami, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Detroit provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Haider. 

Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Kreamer Hope and Evan Wesley for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.

The indictment and extradition are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 390 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 350 U.S. convictions; more than 300 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

TUCSON, Ariz. – Elias Lunes-Gomez, 19, of Mexico, was sentenced on July 8, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 12 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Lunes-Gomez pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025 to Assault on a Federal Officer.

On October 26, 2024, a Border Patrol Agent encountered Lunes-Gomez wearing camouflage clothing and hiding in a tree near Menagers Dam. When the agent confronted Lunes-Gomez, a struggle ensued as Lunes-Gomez attempted to flee. During the struggle, Lunes-Gomez elbowed the agent in the ribs, causing both men to fall off a three-foot drop. Lunes-Gomez then placed his knee on the agent’s back and struck the agent several times in the back of the head. Eventually the agent was able to handcuff Lunes-Gomez, but because of the assault, the agent suffered a sprained ankle, knee pain, an elbow contusion, and lacerations to his face and hands.

United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Sottosanti, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:        CR 24-08208-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER:  2025-118_Lunes-Gomez

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TUCSON, Ariz. – Jose Antonio Ornelas, Jr., 33, of Tucson, was sentenced on July 10, by United States District Court Judge Rosemary Márquez to 98 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Ornelas, Jr. previously pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

On October 3, 2024, Ornelas, Jr. met with another person to purchase methamphetamine for $2,250. When law enforcement tried to stop Ornelas, Jr., he fled at a dangerous speed, ran a red light, and drove in the opposite lane of traffic. Police eventually located Ornelas, Jr. at a nearby apartment complex. In addition to the methamphetamine, Ornelas, Jr. was in possession of fentanyl pills, a .45 caliber extended magazine, a drug ledger, and a scale.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Culver, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-07594-TUC-RM (MSA)
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-116_Ornelas, Jr.

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brandon Scott Menaged, 22, of Scottsdale, Arizona was sentenced on July 9, by Senior United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 33 months in prison and ordered to pay $751,000 in restitution. Menaged previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud.

Between January 2023 and December 2024, Menaged defrauded multiple victims by soliciting their money for investments that did not exist. For example, Menaged misrepresented to victims the nature of the investments and referenced phantom investors to convince the victims to provide him with funding. Meanged then diverted victims’ funds for his personal expenses. When victims asked Menaged to return their funds, he provided them with a series of excuses for why the funds could not be returned or blocked their communications. Through this scheme, Menaged fraudulently received $1,000,000 from victims and used the money to fund his lavish lifestyle by gambling at casinos, traveling internationally, and purchasing luxury vehicles, firearms, and Rolex watches.

The FBI’s Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-01974- PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-112_Menaged

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Antonio Cruz, 36, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Distribution of a Controlled Substance, after selling over 1000 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover agent.

According to the complaint, in April, Cruz met with an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) agent and another individual at a business parking lot in Phoenix, Arizona, to sell them methamphetamine. Cruz provided the agent with approximately 3 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine in exchange for $2700.

A records check showed that Cruz is a Mexican national and previously convicted felon, illegally present in the United States.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

ATF is conducting the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Usry, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:           25-MJ-3289
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-113_Cruz

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – Blademir Angulo Audeves, 42, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. Angulo will have his initial appearance in federal court today.

According to the complaint filed in this case, in March 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating allegations that Angulo was employing illegal aliens without work authorization at his taco restaurants in the Phoenix area. Through the investigation, HSI identified at least 12 illegal aliens working for Angulo, some of whom were living at Angulo’s home in Laveen, Arizona or at a second residence on 16th Avenue.

On July 8, HSI executed federal search warrants on Angulo’s residence and restaurant locations, as well as the 16th Avenue residence. Inside the two residences, agents encountered several Mexican citizens without legal permission to be in the United States. Agents also arrested Angulo without incident. 

At Angulo’s residence, agents found three firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the master bedroom closet. According to immigration records, Angulo, a Mexican national, was encountered by authorities in 2011 while illegally present in the United States, and eventually left the country via Nogales, Arizona pursuant to a voluntary departure in May 2021. When he was arrested on July 8, Angulo did not have legal permission to be in the United States and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

At Angulo’s taco restaurant locations, HSI agents also found Mexican citizens without legal permission to be present or employed in the United States legally.

Two of the illegal aliens that HSI encountered while executing the warrants as part of this operation, Christian Sagaste-Garcia and Jose Luis Ambriz-Cortes, were also arrested and separately charged with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Sagaste-Garcia and Ambriz-Cortez were previously removed from the United States in October 2024 and February 2013, respectively.

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CASE NUMBER:           25-MJ-3297; 25-MJ-3296; 25-MJ-3298
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-114_Angulo

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 5, 2025, through July 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 147 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 71 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 57 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Ismael Viera-Villa:  On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents working along State Route 83 attempted to stop and conduct an immigration inspection on the driver of a Dodge Ram truck after noticing suspicious behavior. The driver of the truck, Ismael Viera-Villa failed to yield, so agents deployed a vehicle immobilization device to stop the vehicle. Inside the truck, agents found seven individuals in the back seat who were trying to hide under the floor mats and backpacks. Agents learned that the back seat passengers and the front seat passenger, Fausto Gil-Cruz, were citizens of Mexico and Guatemala, all illegally present in the United States. Gil-Cruz was identified as the group’s foot guide that led the illegal aliens to the Dodge Ram truck. Viera-Villa and Gil-Cruz were both charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06416]

United States v. Carlos Meza-Alcantar:  On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents were conducting surveillance of a residence that was suspected of being used in human smuggling operations. Agents observed two vehicles driving in tandem towards the residence. One of the vehicles pulled into the garage while the other waited in the driveway. Several minutes later, the vehicle that had been in the garage left, and both vehicles drove in tandem until they pulled into a warehouse where semi-trucks were parked. A few minutes later, both vehicles left the warehouse, and then a semi-truck departed shortly thereafter. Agents investigated the area where the semi-truck had been parked and noticed several sets of footprints leading to the trailer. Agents at a nearby Border Patrol checkpoint encountered the same semi-truck and a Border Patrol canine alerted to the trailer. Agents inspected the trailer and discovered 14 individuals hiding inside. All 14 individuals were determined to be illegally present in the United States. The driver of the semi-truck was identified as Carlos Meza-Alcantar. Meza-Alcantar was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06415]

United States v. Blademir Angulo Audeves:  On July 8, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Blademir Angulo Audeves, who was charged by criminal complaint for violations of Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. HSI executed four federal search warrants after a five-month investigation into Angulo’s business practices which revealed that he was employing at least twelve unlawfully present aliens. Angulo also harbored several of the illegal aliens at his residence. During the execution of the search warrant, agents found three firearms in Angulo’s bedroom closet. Angulo, a Mexican national, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as an illegal alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-3297]

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-115_July 11 Immigration Enforcement

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

A Phoenix man made his initial appearance in federal court recently after a grand jury in Phoenix returned an indictment charging him with filing false tax returns for himself and for clients of his tax preparation business.

The following is according to the indictment: from 2021 to 2023, Pacifique Kashosi allegedly prepared and filed false tax returns for clients of Africa Union Tax Services LLC, his return preparation business.  On those returns, Kashosi claimed false or inflated sick and family leave and fuel credits that created or increased refunds to which he knew the clients were not entitled. The indictment further alleges that Kashosi earned income through the operation of his tax preparation business for the years 2022 and 2023 that he did not report on the tax returns he filed for himself for those two years.

If convicted, Kashosi faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Assistant Chief Andrew Kameros of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rapp for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 28, 2025, through July 4, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 114 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 60 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 45 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one individual for assaulting a Customs and Border Protection Officer.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Recent matters of interest include:

United States v. Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez:  On June 27, 2025, Border Patrol Agents attempted to conduct a stop on Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez while he was driving a vehicle on Arizona Highway 93. Garcia-Gonzalez failed to yield, attempting to flee law enforcement by driving over 106 miles per hour. He eventually slammed on the brakes and stopped in the median of the highway. Three subjects, including Garcia-Gonzalez, then exited the vehicle and ran across the northbound lanes of Highway 93. All three subjects were ultimately apprehended. The two passengers were citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. One of the passengers was an unaccompanied 14-year-old male. Garcia-Gonzalez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-01710]

United States v. Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola:  On July 1, 2025, Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Zepeda-Arreola had been previously removed from the United States in 2023 after being convicted of Attempted Burglary in the Third Degree for Purposes of Sexual Gratification, a felony, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06270]

A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-111_July 4 Immigration Enforcement

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.