FEDERAL DISTRICT ARCHIVE
District of Arizona
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Mesa Man Arrested for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Terrell Maurice Mars, 47, of Mesa, Arizona, was arrested on April 18, 2025, and charged by criminal complaint for bank robbery.
The complaint filed in this case alleges that, on April 18, 2025, Mars entered a credit union in Mesa, Arizona, waving what appeared to be a handgun, and directing the employees and customers to get down. Mars then demanded money from the tellers, and later the bank manager, who complied. After leaving the credit union with the stolen cash, witnesses observed Mars flee on an electric scooter.
Mesa Police Department patrol officers responded to a dispatch about the bank robbery and located Mars hiding under a truck in a nearby apartment parking lot. He was taken into custody without incident and was found in possession of the same amount of cash that was stolen from the credit union. Police officers also found a hot glue gun near Mars that looked like the ostensible handgun he was seen carrying in credit union surveillance video.
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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Mesa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Schesnol, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-05233-PHX-DMF
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-061_Mars# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.District of Arizona Charges 232 Individuals for Immigration-Related Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from April 19, 2025, through April 25, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 232 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 110 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 110 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. The United States also charged one individual with failing to register, as required by law.
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. Alex Esparaza Sanchez, et al: On April 22, 2025, Alex Esparza Sanchez, Nikolas Baldriche, Carlos Zuniga-Lizo, Sherman James-Guzman, and Benjamin Lopez-Barron were indicted for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Bringing in Illegal Aliens to the United States for Profit. According to the court documents, Esparza Sanchez, Baldriche and Zuniga-Lizo coordinated with James-Guzman and Lopez-Brown who picked up illegal aliens at the border in Yuma, Arizona. [Case Number: CR-25-00600-PHX-SMB]
United States v. Hakeem Alberto Lucero-Parra: On April 22, 2025, Hakeem Alberto Lucero-Parra, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged for illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed. According to the criminal complaint, after being arrested on local charges in Phoenix, Arizona, it was determined that Lucero-Parra had been previously deported after a conviction for Aggravated Assault and Attempt to Commit Kidnapping. [Case number: MJ-25-6149-PHX-ASB]
United States v. Jacinto Medina-Palacios: On April 22, 2025, Jacinto Medina-Palacios, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged for illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed. According to the criminal complaint, after being arrested on local charges in Phoenix, Arizona, it was determined that Medina-Palacios had been previously deported after a conviction for Carrying a Loaded Firearm while not the Registered Owner. [Case Number: MJ-25-6152-PHX-ASB]
United States v. Teodoro Diaz-Ochoa: On April 23, 2025, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 5-count indictment against Teodoro Diaz-Ochoa, 44, of Mexico, for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, and Reentry of a Removed Alien. According to the charging documents in the case, Arizona Game and Fish Officers encountered Diaz-Ochoa in possession of a bolt action rifle while they were conducting a hunting without a license investigation. ATF agents also found a shotgun and ammunition at Diaz-Ochoa’s residence pursuant to a search warrant. Diaz-Ochoa was previously convicted of felony Attempted Sexual Assault and deported from the United States on April 22, 2016. [Case Number: CR-25-01989-TUC-JCH]
Criminal complaints and indictments are simply methods 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: 2025-063_April 25 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.U.S. Attorney's Office Charges 329 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from April 12, 2025, through April 18, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 329 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 130 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 179 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. The United States also charged one individual with failing to register, as required by law.
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. Manuel Ivan Rodriguez-Loya: On April 13, 2025, Manuel Ivan Rodriguez-Loya was arrested for Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. Border Patrol agents from the Lordsburg, New Mexico Station attempted to stop Rodriguez-Loya's vehicle, but he failed to yield, leading agents on a high-speed chase into Arizona. Agents from the Willcox, Arizona Station then positioned themselves to intercept the vehicle and eventually caught Rodriguez-Loya. He was found to be transporting eight illegal aliens at the time, including citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador. [Case Number: MJ-25-00365-TUC-BGM]
United States v. Emilio Escobar-Escalante: On April 15, 2025, Emilio Escobar-Escalante was sentenced to 37 months in prison for Reentry of Removed Alien. Border Patrol agents discovered Escobar-Escalante in the desert near Vamori, Arizona on January 10, 2024. He initially gave a false name but was ultimately identified as Escobar-Escalante. His identity revealed that he is a documented member of the Latin Kings and MS-13 criminal gangs. Immigration records showed that Escobar-Escalante has been removed from the United States seven times. Escobar-Escalante has previous convictions for illegal reentry, as well as racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. [Case Number: CR-24-00541-TUC-CKJ]
United States v. Antonio Terrell Gaither: On April 15, 2025, Antonio Terrell Gaither was indicted for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States for Profit. According to the criminal complaint, Gaither admitted to using Telegram and burner phones to recruit others to travel to the southern border to pick up illegal aliens before transporting them to Phoenix, Arizona. [Case Number: CR-25-00566-PHX-KLM]
United States v. Felipe Alonso-Cabada: On April 17, 2025, Felipe Alonso-Cabada, aka Oscar Sanchez, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged for Reentry of Removed Alien. According to the criminal complaint, after being arrested on local charges in Phoenix, Arizona, it was determined that Alonso-Cabada had been previously deported after a conviction for trafficking heroin. [Case number: MJ-25-5220-PHX-DMF]
United States v. Eduardo Prado Flores: On April 17, 2025, Eduardo Prado Flores, an alien illegally present in the United States was charged with Failure to Register as an Alien under 8 U.S.C. § 1306(a). Flores, who was removed to Mexico on five occasions, has been living in the United States unlawfully since 2022. On April 16, 2025, Flores was turned over to the Department of Homeland Security after being arrested for Driving Under the Influence. While he was living in the United States from 2022 to 2025, Flores failed to file any immigration paperwork or register as required by law. [Case Number: MJ-25-5225-PHX]
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: 2025-060_April 18 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.Security Guard Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of an InmateRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Morris Gary Hibbitt, 51, of Avondale, was sentenced on April 14, 2025, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 13 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexual abuse of an inmate. Hibbitt is also required to register as a sex offender.
On May 21, 2023, while on duty as the Security Supervisor at Behavioral Systems Southwest (BSS) in Phoenix, Hibbitt sexually assaulted a female inmate under his supervision. BSS is a residential reentry center contracted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to aid inmates in their transition back into the community while completing their prison sentences. Inmates at BSS are in official detention and remain under the custodial authority of the BOP.
The Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Kristen Brook, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00992-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-059_Hibbitt# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Tucson Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Firearms Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Julian Canastillo, 23, of Tucson, was sentenced on April 15, 2025, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to six years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Canastillo previously pleaded guilty to six counts of Smuggling Goods from the United States and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Canastillo was the lead defendant in a 51-count indictment filed on September 15, 2022, charging 10 individuals involved in a firearms trafficking organization based in Tucson. An investigation leading to the indictment revealed a series of transactions linked to the organization for firearms that were later seized in the Republic of Mexico. In total, the Tucson-based organization is connected to more than 200 firearms transactions, and Canastillo alone admitted to smuggling 36 firearms into Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela W. Woolridge, Craig H. Russell, and Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01857-001-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-058_Canastillo# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Yuma Man Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Philip Kevin Clark, 61, of Yuma, Arizona pleaded guilty on April 15, 2025, for Failure to Pay Employment Taxes. Sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2025, before United States District Judge Steven P. Logan.
Clark, the owner of a water company in Yuma, admitted that between 2017 and 2021, he deducted $395,250 from his employees’ paychecks for taxes that he failed to pay to the IRS.
A conviction for Failure to Pay Employment Tax carries a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00611-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-057_ Clark# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Mexican National Sentenced after Smuggling Illegal Aliens into the United States and Encouraging them to Claim Asylum under False PretensesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ivan Mauricio Hernandez-Mosqueda, 32, a Mexican national from Penjamo, Guanajuato, Mexico, illegally present in the United States, was sentenced on April 2, 2025, by United States District Judge Krissa M. Lanham to 46 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States.
Court documents show that federal agents identified well over 100 individuals who used Hernandez-Mosqueda’s organization to be smuggled illegally into the United States through Arizona.
Beginning in early 2023, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered many Mexican nationals who entered the United States illegally and were claiming asylum. A number of the encounters involved family units who stated that Hernandez-Mosqueda was known in their hometown of Penjamo as someone who would guide individuals from Penjamo to Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico. From Sonoyta, the illegal aliens were smuggled into the United States by associates of Hernandez-Mosqueda. These aliens were referred to Hernandez-Mosqueda via Facebook and WhatsApp by individuals who had already been successfully smuggled illegally into the United States through his organization.
In addition to coordinating their illegal entry into the United States, Hernandez-Mosqueda coached the illegal aliens on how to claim asylum under false pretenses to gain legal status in the United States.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence Unit conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Stuart Zander and Matthew Doyle, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00820-PHX-KML
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-056_Hernandez-Mosqueda# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
U.S. Attorney's Office Charges 261 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from April 5, 2025, through April 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 261 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 103 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 140 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 14 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. Sanchez-Marcial: On April 8, 2025, Ofricino Sanchez-Marcial was arrested and charged for Harboring Illegal Aliens. The criminal complaint alleges that Sanchez-Marcial held a Guatemalan citizen, who was illegally present in the United States, against his will and sent threatening messages to his family members demanding a ransom of $135,000.
United States v. Renteria-Cruz: On April 8, 2025, Bonifacio Renteria-Cruz, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested on Illegal Re-Entry charges during an HSI operation led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan. In January 2025, HSI learned that Reinteria-Cruz had illegally returned to the United States after being deported following a 2006 Aggravated Assault conviction. After his deportation, Mexican authorities charged Renteria-Cruz with homicide for events that occurred on July 20, 2009, in Mexico. He was a fugitive until his arrest on Tuesday by HSI.
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 (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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).
CASE NUMBERS: 25-3144MJ
25-3128MJRELEASE NUMBER: 2025-055_April 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.Tucson Woman Indicted for Attempting to Smuggle Rifle Ammunition from the United States into MexicoRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a one-count indictment against Andrea Villalva, 32, of Tucson, Arizona, for Smuggling Goods from the United States.
The complaint filed in this case alleges that, on March 7, 2024, Villalva attempted to exit the United States through the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. During a physical inspection of Villalva’s vehicle, Customs and Border Protection Officers discovered 8 sealed cases of 5.56 XP193 rifle ammunition hidden behind the rear wall of the trunk. In total, 8,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered. Villalva admitted being paid $150 per box of ammunition that she successfully smuggled into Mexico. She also admitted to having smuggled ammunition into Mexico on three previous occasions.
A conviction for Smuggling Goods from the United States carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years 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).
An indictment 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.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Sottosanti, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-01724-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-053_Villalva# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
HSI Arrests Previously Deported, Violent Felon Fugitive Wanted for Homicide in MexicoRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Bonifacio Renteria-Cruz, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested on Illegal Re-Entry charges on Tuesday during a Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) operation led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Madison Sheahan. Renteria-Cruz was charged by Criminal Complaint for violation of Title 8, U.S.C. 1326(a) and (b)(1).
On October 11, 2006, Renteria-Cruz, a Mexican citizen illegally present in the United States, was convicted of Aggravated Assault, a class 3 felony, in the Maricopa County Superior Court and sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Renteria-Cruz was deported to Mexico on April 8, 2008.
After his deportation, Mexican authorities charged Renteria-Cruz with homicide for events that occurred on July 20, 2009, in Mexico. Since that time, he has been a fugitive.
Pursuant to a tip in January 2025, HSI learned that Renteria-Cruz had illegally returned to the United States. Agents were able to locate and identify Renteria-Cruz, and on April 8, 2025, Renteria-Cruz was arrested during an Immigration Operation.
This investigation 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.
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.
Homeland Security Investigations in Phoenix, Arizona conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-3128MJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-052_Renteria-Cruz# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Convicted Felon Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Arturo Contreras Soto, 37, of Tucson, was sentenced on Tuesday by Chief United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 60 months in prison. Soto was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon following a bench trial on January 28, 2025.
On April 3, 2024, Tucson Police Department officers arrested Soto while he was riding an electric bicycle and carrying an open container of alcohol near downtown Tucson. The officers searched the satchel that Soto was wearing across his chest and found a 9mm handgun with a loaded magazine. Soto also had approximately 500 fentanyl pills and approximately $250 in cash in his pockets. Further investigation revealed that Soto had numerous prior felony convictions, including a conviction for motor vehicle theft, two separate convictions for drug-related felonies, and two separate convictions for aggravated robbery. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) then assumed responsibility for the case in collaboration with the Tucson Police Department as part of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP).
The National PSP 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 ATF and Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer H. Berman and Alessandra Bermudez, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-02929-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-054_Soto# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Sonoran Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Prison for Attempting to Smuggle Firearms into MexicoRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Abel Airam Franco Garcia, 22, of Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 37 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Franco Garcia previously pleaded guilty to Smuggling Goods from the United States.
On June 25, 2024, Franco Garcia, a Mexican citizen, was stopped at the San Luis, Arizona Port of Entry as he tried to leave the United States. A search of his car led to the discovery of four firearms, six magazines (including two high-capacity magazines), ammunition, and suspected fentanyl. Franco Garcia admitted that he had driven to Phoenix earlier that day, and that individuals were paying him to transport the firearms to Mexico.
This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice has launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Goldberg, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 24-01250-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-051_ Franco Garcia# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges over 200 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona This WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from March 29, 2025, through April 4, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has brought immigration-related criminal charges against 204 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 83 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 also filed 13 cases against 14 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. Ivan Mauricio Hernandez-Mosqueda: On April 2, 2025, Ivan Mauricio Hernandez-Mosqueda, a Mexica national, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States. In 2023 through his arrest in May of 2024, Hernandez-Mosqueda coordinated the smuggling of over 100 illegal aliens to the United States. Many of the illegal aliens were coached by Hernandez-Mosqueda to illegally enter the United States and claim asylum under false pretenses. Case No. CR-24-00820-PHX-KML.
United States v. Gabriel Santiago-Ramirez: On April 1, 2025, Gabriel Santiago-Ramirez was driving a silver SUV near Kingman, Arizona. A United States Border Patrol agent, while driving behind the SUV, observed the SUV pull off onto the shoulder of the road on Interstate 40 (I-40). The driver, Santiago-Ramirez, later identified as being in the United States illegally, fled across I-40 into the desert. Border Patrol arrested three illegal aliens inside the SUV and followed Santiago-Ramirez's foot signs into the desert, arresting him for Transportation of Illegal Aliens. Santiago-Ramirez was charged by criminal complaint on April 3, 2025. Case No. 25-MJ-01441-JFM.
A criminal complaint and criminal indictment are simply methods by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raise no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-24-00820-PHX-KML
25-MJ-01441-JFMRELEASE NUMBER: 2025-050_April 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.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Rene Villa, 31, of Tucson, was sentenced on March 25, 2025, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 36 months in prison. Villa pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon on January 8, 2025.
On March 1, 2024, Tucson Police Department officers searched Villa’s vehicle after arresting him for previously fleeing from law enforcement. During the search, officers located a loaded firearm in a black duffel bag on the back seat. An investigation revealed that Villa was a four-time convicted felon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) then assumed responsibility for the case in collaboration with the Tucson Police Department as part of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP).
The National PSP 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 ATF and Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Caroline Allen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01319-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-049_Villa# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Texas Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jackie Marie Peters, 53, of Mansfield, Texas, was sentenced on March 31, 2025, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Peters previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud.
From approximately January 2020 through April 2022, Peters’s co-conspirators hacked into an Arizona tax-preparer firm’s computer network and modified in-progress tax documents for more than 40 individuals without their knowledge or the knowledge of the firm. Peters then opened 10 bank accounts at different banks, and numerous tax refunds based upon the modified tax documents were deposited into those accounts. Peters ultimately transferred more than $2.5 million from the accounts that received fraudulent tax refunds to purchase cryptocurrency.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00948-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-047_Peters# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Leader of Export Control Evasion Scheme Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Oleg Sergeyevhich Patsulya, a Russian national, was sentenced today to 70 months, or nearly six years, in prison for his role in a conspiracy to export controlled aviation technology to Russia and to launder money in connection with the illegal export scheme. In December 2024, Patsulya’s co-conspirator, Russian national Vasilii Sergeyevich Besedin, was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the scheme.
In April 2024, Patsulya, 46, of Miami-Dade County, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to export items from the United States without a license in violation of the Export Control Reform Act and conspiracy to commit international money laundering. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Dominic W. Lanza for the District of Arizona. found that Patsulya was an organizer and leader of the conspiracy and that the money laundering scheme – which employed numerous shell companies, offshore accounts, and multi-layered transactions – was sophisticated in nature, which led to the application of sentencing enhancements.
In handing down Patsulya’s 70-month sentence, Judge Lanza emphasized the seriousness of the offense, Patsulya’s leadership role in planning and carrying it out, and the fact that Patsulya committed these crimes not long after being granted the privilege of a visa to enter the United States. “It’s hard to imagine a bigger betrayal of the United States than what you did,” Judge Lanza said. The proceedings also established that Patsulya currently lacks legal status to be present in the United States.
According to court documents, beginning in or about May 2022, Patsulya and Besedin conspired with each other and several others to obtain orders for various aircraft parts and components from Russian buyers – primarily commercial airline companies – and then fulfill those requests by acquiring the parts from the U.S. suppliers and unlawfully exporting the parts to Russia. The defendants admitted to knowing the items were controlled and required a license from the Department of Commerce to export.
As part of the scheme, the defendants conspired to export multiple shipments of a carbon disc brake system used on Boeing 737 aircraft. When they contacted various U.S. suppliers in efforts to obtain the brake system, Besedin and Patsulya provided false information that the parts were intended for countries other than Russia. The United States was able to detain, prior to export, multiple shipments made by the defendants containing units of the brake assembly technology.
As part of their guilty pleas, Besedin and Patsulya admitted that they attempted to conceal the illegal exports and avoid detection by law enforcement, including by making false representations about the identities of their true customers and using straw buyer-companies located overseas to obscure the origin of revenue. For example, on Sept. 8, 2022, Besedin and Patsulya traveled to Arizona to close a deal with a U.S. company, in which the defendants sought to purchase units of the brake assembly technology. During their discussions with the company, the defendants misrepresented that the aircraft parts were going to be exported to Turkey, when they were in fact destined for Russia. The defendants made false statements to the company both orally and in signed export compliance forms. In connection with this transaction, the defendants received money from a Russian airline company to make the purchase. The funds were transferred to Patsulya’s American bank account from a Turkish bank account that had previously received the money from Russia.
In total, throughout the conspiracy, American bank accounts associated with MIC P&I LLC, Patsulya’s company, received at least $4,582,288.51 sent from Russian airline companies through Turkish bank accounts to purchase aircraft parts and components intended for unlawful export. As part of his plea and sentence, Patsulya is required to forfeit assets, including a luxury car and personal boat, in the amount of $4,582,288.51.
Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona, Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Special Agent in Charge Richard Fitzpatrick of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
The BIS Phoenix Field Office and the FBI Phoenix Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the BIS Boston Field Office, the FBI Miami Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Phoenix Field Office, Customs and Border Protection-Phoenix Field Office, and the U.S. Marshals Office in Miami.
Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case.
This case was coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states. The Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws.
Fourteen Individuals Charged with Conspiracy Involving Straw Purchases of 18 Belt-Fed Firearms and .50 Caliber RiflesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Timothy Courchaine, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, announces a 20-count indictment against 14 individuals from Arizona, for Conspiracy to Submit a Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm and related charges. The indictment was unsealed today.
The indictment alleges that between July 15, 2023, and December 23, 2023, 13 individuals were paid to buy belt-fed rifles and Barrett .50 caliber semi-automatic rifles from licensed firearms dealers in and around Phoenix and Yuma for David Moreno Quevedo. As part of the conspiracy, these individuals lied on the Firearms Transaction Record, known as ATF Form 4473, claiming that they were purchasing the rifles for themselves. The charged conspirators include:
- David Moreno Quevedo, 26, of El Mirage;
- Mario Alberto Ayala, Jr., 23, of Maricopa;
- Randy Obed Valenzuela Chinchillas, 24, of Phoenix;
- Aidee Espinoza, 29, of Phoenix;
- Todd Robert Nuttall, 52, of Gilbert;
- Earl Marlow Burch, 49, of Mesa;
- Wyatt Michael Fernandez, 26, of Tempe;
- Jorge Luis Roman, 28, of Mesa;
- Dylan Morgan Burch, 21, of Eloy;
- Shawna Marie O’Shea, 56, of Tempe;
- Damaris Davila Moreno, 22, of Phoenix;
- Noelia Valenzuela Gomez, 25, of Chandler;
- Melissa Osorio Talamante, 31, of San Tan Valley; and
- Michael Andrew Wingate, 31, of Mesa.
A conviction for the crime of Conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for the crime of Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, or both.
An indictment 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.
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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcus W. Shand, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00432-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-048_Quevedo, et al# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Arizona to Receive Additional Resources from Justice Department to Investigate Unresolved Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Justice Department today announced that it will boost FBI assets across the country over the next six months to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country through Operation Not Forgotten.
The FBI will send a total of 60 personnel, rotating in temporary duty assignments over a six-month period to select FBI field offices across the United States, including Arizona. Operation Not Forgotten is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. The detailed FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. FBI Phoenix will receive 11 agents on a rotating basis over the next six months, who will be spread across offices in Arizona.
FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and will work in partnership with Tribal law enforcement agencies across the country.
“Protection of the public is one of the key responsibilities of the Department of Justice. Here in Arizona, the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI have a special trust relationship with the 22 federally recognized tribes in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Operation Not Forgotten reflects the continued commitment of the federal government to pursue justice for crime victims in all Native American communities.”
“Our FBI personnel and Safe Trails Task Forces work closely every single day with our law enforcement partners to investigate crimes of violence throughout the many tribal territories in Arizona,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “We are responsible for investigating the most serious crimes in Indian Country and this initiative will provide much needed additional resources to help us better serve those same communities by assisting victims and bringing criminals to justice.”
“Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.
Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.
Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-046_Operation Not Forgotten
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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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Colombian National Sentenced for Smuggling Other Colombians Illegally into the United StatesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Greiby Melissa Barcelo-Velasquez, 39, a Colombian national, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 30 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States.
Court documents show that federal agents identified over 100 individuals who used Barcelo-Velasquez’s organization to be smuggled illegally into the United States through Arizona.
Since approximately June 2023, Barcelo-Velasquez owned and operated the Baul Travel SAS travel agency in Colombia. In late 2023, United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence and Homeland Security Investigations began investigating Barcelo-Velasquez after arresting numerous Colombian nationals who identified her as their smuggling coordinator.
Barcelo-Velasquez would meet with the Colombian nationals in Colombia, charge them a fee, and then inform them they would travel to Mexico under the false pretense they were vacationing in the country. They were also informed they would need to pay additional fees to her associates in U.S. currency at airports in Cancun or Mexico City to bribe officials to facilitate their travel. Once in Hermosillo, Mexico, the Colombian nationals were taken to stash houses near the border between Mexico and the United States. These stash houses held people from around the world who were also waiting to illegally cross into the United States. From there, they were transported, often by armed gunmen, to the border where they illegally crossed into the United States.
This case is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with 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 southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section 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, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 320 U.S. convictions; more than 265 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol Sector Intelligence Unit and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Stuart Zander and Adriana Genco, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00392-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-045_Barcelo-VelasquezU.S. Attorney's Office Charges 260 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona This WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from March 22, 2025, through March 28, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 260 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 96 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 155 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 9 cases against 9 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. Greiby Melissa Barcelo-Velasquez: On March 25, 2025, Greiby Melissa Barcelo-Velasquez, a Columbian national, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States. Since approximately June 2023, Barcelo-Velasquez coordinated the smuggling of over 100 illegal aliens from Columbia to the United States using her travel company, Baul Travel SAS. This case is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha. Case No. CR-24-00392-PHX-JJT.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-044_March 28 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.Convicted Sex Offender Indicted for Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Juan Antonio Ruiz, 47, a naturalized United States citizen, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Tucson on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, for Naturalization Fraud.
According to the indictment, in June 2015 Ruiz became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In his application for citizenship, his interview with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and his naturalization oath ceremony, Ruiz answered “no” as to whether he had ever committed a crime for which he had not been arrested.
Three years later, in May 2018, Ruiz was arrested for the crimes of Sexual Conduct with a Minor Under Fifteen, committed between January 17, 2004 and January 16, 2008 and Attempted Molestation of a Child, committed between September 9, 2003 and September 8, 2006. In 2021, Ruiz pleaded guilty to those charges in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County, Case Number 20182491-001.
Naturalization Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 and loss of citizenship and cancelation of naturalization certificate.
An indictment 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.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Sydney Yew, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01502-AMM-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-043_RuizMexican National Indicted for Passport and Visa Fraud After Assuming the Identity of a United States Citizen over 40 Years AgoRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Enrrique Ricardo Diaz Vazquez, 60, a Mexican national living in Arizona, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix on Tuesday with Passport and Visa Fraud.
According to the criminal complaint in this case, an individual purporting to be Gene Edward Katzorke (“Katzorke”), first applied for and received a U.S. passport in 1986, submitting an Arizona license and U.S. birth certificate as supporting documentation. In subsequent years, the same individual filed multiple passport renewal applications, using his previously issued passport to support his identity claim. In 2022, Katzorke’s application was flagged for investigation after agents discovered an obituary from the 1960s for a Gene Edward Katzorke.
During the investigation, United States Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agents learned that Gene Edward Katzorke had died in 1966, at the age of 2 years old. They also learned that Katzorke’s name was linked in criminal databases to Enrrique Ricardo Diaz Vazquez, a Mexican national.
On March 7, 2025, Diaz Vazquez, purporting to be Gene Edward Katzorke, arrived at the Western Passport Center for a regularly scheduled appointment regarding his most recent passport applications. After confirming that he had applied for the renewal under Katzorke’s name, Diaz Vazquez was arrested for Passport and Visa Fraud.
During a post-arrest interview, Diaz Vazquez admitted his real name to be Enrrique Ricardo Diaz Vasquez and his place of birth as Guadalajara, Mexico. Diaz Vazquez told law enforcement agents that he wanted to join the U.S. military and picked the name Gene Edward Katzorke as his alias after visiting a cemetery. Diaz Vazquez successfully joined the military under Katzorke’s name, but then fled to Mexico after facing criminal charges for a homicide involving a nine-month-old infant in Tucson, Arizona. Diaz Vazquez was eventually deported from Mexico to the United States under the belief that he was a U.S. Citizen, and he has been living under Katzorke’s name since that time.
Passport and Visa Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
An indictment 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.
The Diplomatic Security Service Tucson Resident Office and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Sydney Yew, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution
diaz_vazquez-_indictment.pdfCASE NUMBER: CR-25-00469-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-042_Diaz Vazquez# # #
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.Firearms Trafficker Sentenced to 8 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On March 19, 2025, Kevin Lewis, 38, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced by United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 96 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Lewis previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting a Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm.
Beginning in February 2020, Lewis, a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, encouraged his wife and brother-in-law to purchase firearms on his behalf over the course of a year and a half. Lewis then sold those firearms to other people, predominantly in California. Lewis’ wife, Karra, and brother-in-law, Isaac Godfrey, both pleaded guilty to the same crime as Lewis. Karra Lewis was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and Godfrey was sentenced to 42 months in prison. All three defendants were arrested in Houston.
This case is 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 gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice has launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Phoenix, with the assistance of ATF Houston, Mesa Police Department Major Crimes Unit, and the Police Department of Houston, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01809-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-041_ Lewis
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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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges over 215 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona This WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from March 15, 2025, through March 21, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has brought immigration-related criminal charges against 217 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 91 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 103 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 15 cases against 23 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. Juan Antonio Ruiz: On March 18, 2025, Juan Antonio Ruiz, a native and citizen of Mexico and lawful permanent resident of the United States, was indicted for violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1425(a), Naturalization Fraud. According to the Indictment, in 2015, in his Application for Naturalization, naturalization interview, and Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony he provided false statements under oath indicating that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested. In January 2021, Ruiz pleaded guilty to the crimes of Sexual Conduct with a Minor Under Fifteen (from January 2004 through January 2008) and Attempted Molestation of a Child (from September 2003 through September 2006) in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County. He was arrested for the crimes in May 2018. Case number CR-25-01502-TUC-AMM.
United States v. Jose Alejandro Medrano-Renteria: Medrano-Renteria was arrested and charged by complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. United States Border Patrol agents attempted a vehicle stop, but Medrano-Renteria failed to yield, and a vehicle immobilization device had to be deployed. The vehicle lost a tire, but the defendant continued to drive until all occupants bailed from the vehicle. With the assistance of a K9, Border Patrol agents located four illegal aliens who had been in the defendant's vehicle. The defendant was located hiding in a tree on a nearby property. He admitted he was being paid $1,000 per alien he smuggled. Case number 25-MJ-01687-MAA.
United States v. Tracy Ann Cook; Alex Puella; Yesenia Monique Ortiz: Tracy Ann Cook, Alex Puella, and Yesenia Monique Ortiz were arrested and charged by complaint with Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. Tohono O'odham Police Officers stopped the vehicle driven by Cook for a traffic violation. Puella and Ortiz were passengers in the vehicle. Officers located three additional people laying down in the vehicle. When United States Border Patrol agents arrived on scene, the additional three people were determined to be illegal aliens. One of the illegal aliens was determined to be a citizen of Uzbekistan. Case number 25-MJ-01704-MAA.
A criminal complaint and criminal indictment are simply methods 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.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-25-01502-TUC-AMM
25-MJ-01687-MAA
25-MJ-01704-MAARELEASE NUMBER: 2025-040_March 21 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.Scottsdale Man Convicted of Defrauding Victim in Sham Cannabis Investment FundRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Christopher E. Galvin, 58, of Scottsdale, was convicted by a federal jury last week on one count of Wire Fraud. The guilty verdict came after a three-day jury trial before United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich. Galvin’s sentencing is set for May 30, 2025.
In April 2019, Galvin founded Hypur Ventures II and became its Chief Executive Officer. Galvin made misrepresentations to a victim to convince the victim to invest in Hypur Ventures II. Among other things, Galvin told the victim that he would invest the victim’s money in a fund of businesses in the cannabis industry. As a result of Galvin’s misrepresentations, the victim wired $100,000 for an investment in Hypur Ventures II in Arizona. Galvin did not invest the money but instead used it to pay his legal bills, pay others, and enrich himself. Galvin never returned any of the victim’s money despite repeatedly promising the victim that he would do so.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Phoenix Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsay Short and Bruce Van Baren, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01375-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-038_Galvin# # #
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.Salt River Man Convicted of Murder and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, a jury found Clifton Nez Hamalowa, 47, of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, guilty of First-Degree Murder, Conspiracy to Commit Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Discharging a Firearm During, In Relation to, and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. The guilty verdict followed a seven-day jury trial before United States District Court Judge John J. Tuchi.
During trial, evidence showed that Hamalowa became angry with the victim one evening and then shot the victim in the head multiple times the following morning, August 29, 2020. Hamalowa dumped the victim’s body in a remote area of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation. Meanwhile, Hamalowa’s brother disposed of the victim’s car in Parker, Arizona, and Hamalowa’s sister made her daughter clean the victim’s blood from the crime scene on the Gila River Indian Reservation. Over the next two weeks, Hamalowa and his sister also intimidated witnesses into silence. Eventually, a witness was able to contact the Gila River Police Department so that officers could rescue the victim’s minor child who was still in the victim’s home.
Hamalowa’s brother, Thomas Leon Hamalowa, pleaded guilty to Accessory-After-the-Fact to Murder and was sentenced to 108 months in prison on October 23, 2023. Hamalowa’s sister, Devonne Beth Hamalowa, pleaded guilty to Accessory-After-the-Fact to Murder and was sentenced to 84 months in prison on April 1, 2024.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Gila River Police Department jointly investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer E. LaGrange and Travis L. Wheeler, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00751-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-037_Hamalowa# # #
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.Nogales Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Sergio Humberto Ramos, 73, of Nogales, was sentenced last week by United States District Court Chief Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Ramos pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, admitting that he was paid to store the drugs at a trucking yard near Nogales until they could be transported.
Ramos admitted he was storing methamphetamine at a trucking yard he maintained near Nogales. Ramos further admitted that he was keeping the drugs for later transportation for someone else, and that he intended to be paid for storing them.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 21-01798-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-038_Ramos# # #
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.U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges over 230 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona This WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from March 8, 2025, through March 14, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has brought immigration-related criminal charges against 232 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 92 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 11 cases against 15 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 defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol agent.
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. Edwin Andres Valdez-Gutierrez: On March 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a two-count indictment against Edwin Andres Valdez-Gutierrez, an illegal alien and citizen of Mexico, for Assault on a Federal Officer and Reentry of Removed Alien. On February 10, 2025, federal officers from the United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Response Team were investigating Valdez-Gutierrez’s unlawful presence in the United States. While ICE officers attempted to apprehend Valdez-Gutierrez, Valdez-Gutierrez reversed his vehicle into a vehicle occupied by ICE officers, causing significant damage. There were no injuries to the officers. Case No. CR-25-00392-PHX-DLR.
United States v. Jorge Fontes-Garcia: On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a four-count superseding indictment against Jorge Fontes-Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Sonora, Mexico, for Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death, Conspiracy to Bring Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, Bringing Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, and Reentry of Removed Alien. The superseding indictment alleges that 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. Case No. CR-23-01322-PHX-JAT.
United States v. Carlos Rene Montes and Miguel Angel Sesma: Carlos Rene Montes, 32, a United States Citizen from Tucson, and Miguel Angel Sesma, 30, a legal permanent resident from Mexico living in Phoenix, were charged on Tuesday by federal criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl after agents seized a combined total of approximately 700,000 blue M30 pills from Sesma’s truck and Montes’ residence. According to the criminal complaint, on March 10, 2025, DEA Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force (EVDETF) investigators observed Montes drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee into a Phoenix store parking lot and park next to a white Ford F250 bearing Sonora license plates. After speaking briefly with Sesma, the driver of the Ford F250, Montes transferred factory-sealed packages of roofing shingles from his vehicle to the bed of the Ford F250. After Montes left the parking lot, EVDETF investigators conducted traffic stops on both the Jeep Cherokee and Ford F250. A Mesa Police Department Canine Detective conducted an open-air sniff of the Ford F250 and alerted to narcotics in the vicinity of the truck bed. Investigators searched Sesma’s truck and seized approximately 52 kilograms (114 pounds) of blue M30 pills laced with fentanyl, which were concealed in the roofing shingles. Sesma and Montes were subsequently placed under arrest. According to the criminal complaint, Montes advised investigators that he possessed more drugs at his residence in Tucson. During a consensual search of Montes’ residence, investigators seized approximately 14.68 kilograms of blue M30 pills (32 pounds) containing fentanyl. Case No. 25-MJ-6099-PHX-ASB.
A criminal complaint and criminal indictment are simply methods 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.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00392-PHX-DLR
CR-23-01322-PHX-JAT
25-MJ-6099-PHX-ASBRELEASE NUMBER: 2025-036_March 14 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.Phoenix Man Sentenced to Prison for Alien Smuggling Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Steven Beltran-Lugo, 19, of Glendale, was sentenced on March 11, 2025, by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 38 months in prison for his role in transporting two illegal aliens in March 2024, one of whom suffered fatal injuries after jumping out of the vehicle while it was moving. Beltran-Lugo pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person and Resulting in Death on October 1, 2024.
On March 6, 2024, Beltran-Lugo and his co-defendant, Cesar Velazquez-Munoz, picked up two illegal aliens near the border to transport them further into the United States. Beltran-Lugo was riding as a passenger in the front seat of the vehicle, and he was on the phone with a Phoenix-based smuggling coordinator throughout the event. When law enforcement began to follow the vehicle, the victim aliens were told to get out of the vehicle. One of the victims then jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving at about 45 miles per hour. The driver accelerated as the second victim exited the moving vehicle and hit the pavement, causing a brain hemorrhage and internal bleeding. The victim eventually succumbed to these injuries and passed away at the hospital two days later. Cesar Velazquez-Munoz is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025.
The sentencing is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with 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 southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. 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; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 300 U.S. convictions; more than 250 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, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01674-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-035_Beltran-Lugo# # #
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.Mexican National Indicted for Bringing Illegal Aliens through the Arizona Desert Resulting in a DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a four-count superseding indictment against Jorge Fontes-Garcia, 25, an illegal alien from Sonora, Mexico, for Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death, Conspiracy to Bring Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, Bringing Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, and Reentry of Removed Alien.
The superseding indictment alleges that 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.
A conviction for Bringing Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death carries a maximum penalty of death or up to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A conviction for Conspiracy to Bring Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully and Bringing Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully each carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of up to $250,000. A conviction for Reentry of Removed Alien carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.
An indictment 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.
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, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01322-PHX-JAT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-034_Fontes-Garcia# # #
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.700,000 Blue M30 Pills Containing Fentanyl Seized Inside Roofing Shingles and ResidenceRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Carlos Rene Montes, 32, a United States Citizen from Tucson, and Miguel Angel Sesma, 30, a legal permanent resident from Mexico living in Phoenix, were charged on Tuesday by federal criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl after agents seized a combined total of approximately 700,000 blue M30 pills from Sesma’s truck and Montes’ residence.
According to the criminal complaint, on March 10, 2025, DEA Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force (EVDETF) investigators observed Montes drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee into a Phoenix store parking lot and park next to a white Ford F250 bearing Sonora license plates. After speaking briefly with Sesma, the driver of the Ford F250, Montes transferred factory-sealed packages of roofing shingles from his vehicle to the bed of the Ford F250.
After Montes left the parking lot, EVDETF investigators conducted traffic stops on both the Jeep Cherokee and Ford F250. A Mesa Police Department Canine Detective conducted an open-air sniff of the Ford F250 and alerted to narcotics in the vicinity of the truck bed. Investigators searched Sesma’s truck and seized approximately 52 kilograms (114 pounds) of blue M30 pills laced with fentanyl, which were concealed in the roofing shingles. Sesma and Montes were subsequently placed under arrest.
According to the criminal complaint, Montes advised investigators that he possessed more drugs at his residence in Tucson. During a consensual search of Montes’ residence, investigators seized approximately 14.68 kilograms of blue M30 pills (32 pounds) containing fentanyl.
Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute More than 400 grams of Fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000,000.
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.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force which is comprised of partners from: the Mesa Police Department, the Gilbert Police Department, the Apache Junction Police Department, the Salt River Police Department and the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Stuart Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-6099-PHX-ASB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-033_Montes et al.# # #
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.Jury Convicts Tolleson Man of Conspiracy to Transport and Transportation of Illegal Aliens for ProfitRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Nathan Isaiah Solano, 23, of Tolleson, was convicted by a federal jury last week of one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and two counts of Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. The guilty verdicts came after a three-day jury trial before United States District Judge James A. Soto. Solano’s sentencing is set for May 21, 2025.
On September 19, 2023, Solano was driving north on Arizona State Route 85, near the United States-Mexico border. Solano picked up two individuals who were waiting for him in the desert brush off the side of the highway. The individuals later admitted they were illegal aliens. A foot guide traveling with the illegal aliens helped load them into the back of the Solano’s Jeep before returning to Mexico. Border Patrol agents began to follow Solano, eventually conducting an immigration stop. They found the two illegal aliens lying curled up in the rear cargo area of the Jeep. Solano told authorities he had simply picked up a couple of hitchhikers. A jury rejected that claim and found Solano guilty of all three felony counts.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Micah Schmit and Jennifer Berman, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01585-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-032_SolanoU.S. Attorney’s Office Charges over 225 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct in Arizona This WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During this week of enforcement operations from March 1, 2025, through March 7, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has brought immigration-related criminal charges against 227 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 92 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 120 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 12 cases against 15 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 defendant for assaulting a Border Patrol agent.
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. Gerardo Tejada-Calleja: On March 3, 2025, the United States charged by criminal complaint Edwin Santiago Marquez Flores with Assault on a Federal Officer in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111(a), and Improper Entry by an Alien in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(1). On March 2, 2025, a United States Border Patrol agent responded to a report of suspected illegal aliens in the area of Vamori, Arizona. When an agent approached the area, Tejada-Calleja was found hiding under a tree, attempting to evade apprehension. Tejada-Calleja ran down a wash upon seeing the agent. After a brief pursuit, Tejada-Calleja and another individual were found hiding under a tree and some brush. During attempts to apprehend the two individuals, the agent reached for his radio to let other agents know he needed assistance. Tejada-Calleja grabbed the agent’s gun belt area and his radio in an attempt to rip it out of the agent’s hands. During the assault, Tejada-Calleja wrapped his arms around the agent, taking him down to the ground backwards and onto his back. Tejada-Calleja and the other individual were able to evade apprehension again until they were subsequently captured and taken into custody. Case No. 25-4720 MJ.
United States v. Jimenez-Aguilar: Edgar Guadalupe Jimenez-Aguilar, an illegal alien living in Phoenix, was indicted last week for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens in violation of 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324(a)(1)(A)(v)(I), (a)(1)(A)(ii), (a)(1(B)(i), and Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 8411(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B)(i). Jimenez-Aguilar was identified by Border Patrol as an operator of a stash house and alien transporting coordinator. On October 3, 2024, officers with the Tohono O’odham Police Department stopped a vehicle and determined four passengers, including two in the trunk of the vehicle, were aliens unlawfully present in the United States. Officers learned that the driver had been recruited on social media, had participated in multiple prior smuggling ventures, and had been to Jimenez-Aguilar’s stash house to unload the aliens. On January 28, 2025, agents stopped a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Mesa and identified the driver as Jimenez-Aguilar via his Sonoran driver’s license. Inside the vehicle, agents located approximately 297 grams of black tar heroin. CR-25-00284-PHX-DJH.
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.
CASE NUMBER: 25-4720 MJ
CR-25-00284-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-031_March 7 Immigration Enforcement# # #
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.Three Wanted Defendants from Mexico Secured in ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jose Bibiano Cabrera-Cabrera, 37; Jesus Humberto Limon-Lopez, 43; and Jose Guadalupe Tapia-Quintero, 53; all of Mexico, appeared last week for their initial appearances after they were secured from Mexico on February 27, 2025.
The defendants taken into U.S. custody include leaders and managers of drug cartels recently designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Cártel del Noreste (formerly Los Zetas), La Nueva Familia Michoacana, and Cártel de Golfo (Gulf Cartel). These defendants are collectively alleged to have been responsible for the importation into the United States of massive quantities of poison, including cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin, as well as associated acts of violence.
Tapia-Quintero is charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine with Intent to Import into the United States; Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine; Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; Conspiracy to Commit Promotional Money Laundering; Conspiracy to Commit Concealment Money Laundering; and Aiding and Abetting. He is facing up to life imprisonment.
Limon-Lopez is charged with Continuing Criminal Enterprise; Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine; Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine; Distribution of Methamphetamine; Distribution of Fentanyl; Distribution of Heroin; Distribution of Cocaine; and Conspiracy to Unlawfully Export Firearms and Ammunition. He faces up to life imprisonment.
Cabrera-Cabrera is charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine; Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine, Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine; and Conspiracy to Unlawfully Export Firearms and Ammunition. He faces up to life imprisonment.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
The OCDETF Arizona Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Arizona Army National Guard, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, and the Scottsdale Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney Office for the District of Arizona.
CASE NUMBER: CR-13-00179-PHX-SRB
CR-21-01864-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-030_Cabrera-Cabrera# # #
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.Mexican Man Charged with Assaulting Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Gerardo Tejada-Calleja, 22, of Mexico, was arrested by the United States Border Patrol on March 2, 2025, and charged with Assault on a Federal Officer and Illegal Entry Into the United States.
The government’s complaint alleges that, on March 2, 2025, a United States Border Patrol agent responded to a report of suspected illegal aliens in the area of Vamori, Arizona. When an agent approached the area, Tejada-Calleja was found hiding under a tree, attempting to evade apprehension. Tejada-Calleja ran down a wash upon seeing the agent. After a brief pursuit, Tejada-Calleja and another individual were found hiding under a tree and some brush. During attempts to apprehend the two individuals, the agent reached for his radio to let other agents know he needed assistance. Tejada-Calleja grabbed the agent’s gun belt area and his radio in an attempt to rip it out of the agent’s hands. During the assault, Tejada-Calleja wrapped his arms around the agent, taking him down to the ground backwards and onto his back. Tejada-Calleja and the other individual were able to evade apprehension again until they were subsequently captured and taken into custody.
United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Precup, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-04720MJ-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-029_Tejada-Calleja# # #
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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Timothy Courchaine Appointed Interim United States Attorney for the District of ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Timothy Courchaine was sworn in today as the Interim United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine was appointed to the position by Attorney General Pam Bondi on February 28, 2025.
As Interim United States Attorney, Mr. Courchaine supervises the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in the District of Arizona in which the United States has an interest. He leads a staff of approximately 350 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel across Arizona. The District of Arizona serves over seven million residents.
Mr. Courchaine began his service to the District of Arizona in 2020 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. During his time with the office, Mr. Courchaine has handled numerous criminal cases related to border crimes and the predatory actions of Mexican-based cartels in the Southwest Border and OCDETF sections.
Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Mr. Courchaine served in the United States Marine Corps as a Judge Advocate and left the service as a Captain. He then served as a law clerk to the Honorable William G. Montgomery on the Arizona Supreme Court from 2019 to 2020.
Mr. Courchaine received his J.D., from the University of Alabama in 2014 and his B.A. from California State University, Long Beach, in 2011.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-028_Timothy Courchaine
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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.Illegal Alien Indicted for Conspiracy to Transport Other Aliens and Possession with Intent to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, a grand jury returned an indictment against Edgar Guadalupe Jimenez-Aguilar, an illegal alien living in Phoenix, for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin.
After an investigation, agents from Homeland Security Investigations and United States Border Patrol identified Jimenez-Aguilar as a load driver who picked up aliens in desert areas in Pinal and Pima Counties and transported them to Phoenix. Jimenez-Aguilar also operated a stash house in Phoenix used to harbor the aliens and assumed a coordinator role by recruiting others to act as load drivers.
From late 2024 through January 2025, agents interviewed other load drivers arrested for transporting aliens, who admitted Jimenez-Aguilar had recruited them. The agents also conducted surveillance on Jimenez-Aguilar and his stash house. On October 3, 2024, officers with the Tohono O’odham Police Department stopped a vehicle and determined four passengers, including two in the trunk of the vehicle, were aliens unlawfully present in the United States.
Officers learned that the driver had been recruited on social media, had participated in multiple prior smuggling ventures, and had been to Jimenez-Aguilar’s stash house to unload the aliens. On January 28, 2025, agents stopped a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Mesa and identified the driver as Jimenez-Aguilar via his Sonoran driver’s license. Inside the vehicle, agents located approximately 297 grams of black tar heroin.
Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin carries a minimum penalty of five years and up to 40 years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $5,000,000. Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
An indictment 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.
The United States Border Patrol, Alien Smuggling Unit – Tucson Sector and Homeland Security Investigations – Casa Grande, Pinal and Pima County Sheriff Departments, Tohono O’odham Police Department, and Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Kubota, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00284-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-027_Jimenez-Aguilar# # #
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.Former Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding His Elderly ClientRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Ronald Diaz, age 41, of Tucson, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 22 months in prison. Diaz pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud on July 18, 2024.
While working as a financial advisor, Diaz engaged in a scheme to defraud one of his elderly clients. To induce the victim into the scheme, Diaz falsely represented an investment opportunity in an “annuity” that “guaranteed” a 10% return. Between November 2020 and July 2022, to disguise his scheme, Diaz directed the victim to transfer $970,000 to Diaz’s family members. Diaz then instructed his family to distribute most of the victim’s funds back to Diaz. Diaz used large portions of the victim’s money for his own personal use including: (1) gambling at casinos; (2) a down payment for a 2021 Range Rover; (3) payments for credit card debt; (4) to remodel Diaz’s family pool; (5) mortgage payments; and (6) other personal expenses. Diaz made some “interest” payments to entice the victim into providing additional money throughout the scheme. None of the victim’s money was used towards any legitimate investment. During the investigation of the case, the victim passed away. As part of his sentence, Diaz was ordered to pay the victim’s next of kin $867,510.37 for the loss the victim suffered as a result of the scheme.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-04092-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-026_Diaz# # #
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.Nevada Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Tyree Eugene Rideaux, 31, of Henderson, Nevada, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 132 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Rideaux pleaded guilty to Sex Trafficking of a Minor on September 16, 2024.
Rideaux met the 16-year-old minor, Jane Doe, at a party in Phoenix a short time before August 15, 2021. Jane Doe traveled with Rideaux and two other females to Inglewood, California. Rideaux told Jane Doe to pretend that she was 18 years old. Once in California, Rideaux placed Jane Doe on the “blade,” an area in a city known for high rates of prostitution. Rideaux assigned a fictitious name to Jane Doe and posted commercial sex advertisements of her online for sex buyers. Jane Doe gave the money she earned to Rideaux, as he directed her to do. On August 15, 2021, Jane Doe convinced a sex buyer to take her to a hospital where she could notify police and family, who returned her home.
“Predators who traffic in teenagers and force them into prostitution to support the trafficker’s own lifestyle are deserving of the harshest sentences,” stated Rachel C. Hernandez, Acting United States Attorney. “I’m pleased with the excellent results in this case that came about through the diligent efforts of our law enforcement partners and our prosecutors.”
“As law enforcement officers, we are used to handling difficult encounters, but few can prepare us for working on human trafficking investigations involving vulnerable children,” said ICE HSI Arizona Special Agent in Charge, Francisco B. Burrola. “HSI is committed to ensuring sex traffickers face the fullest extent of the law by putting them behind bars for years – significant prison time rightly awaits this trafficker.”
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecutions.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01291-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-024_Rideaux# # #
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.Man Sentenced to 12 Months for Indecent ExposureRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Anthony Leroy Haygood, 36, of Sarasota, Florida, was sentenced last week by United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Rateau to two consecutive six-month sentences. The sentences will be served consecutive to Haygood’s prior federal sentences. Haygood pleaded guilty to two counts of Indecent Exposure on November 20, 2024.
Between November 2, 2023, and January 7, 2024, Haygood was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex, Tucson, in the District of Arizona. On November 2, 2023, Haygood exposed himself to a correctional officer. When directed to stop, Haygood told her, “I don’t care. I will do it again.” On January 7, 2024, Haygood called a different correctional officer to his cell and exposed himself to her.
The Bureau of Prisons conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Houston, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 24-04388-TUC-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-025_Haygood# # #
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 newsDrug Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years After Agents Seize over 15 Kilograms of Fentanyl and Six Firearms from Phoenix ResidenceRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jefferson Alejandro Lopez Alcaraz, 45, of Phoenix, was sentenced on February 13, 2025, by United States District Judge John T. Tuchi to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, to run consecutive to the 60-month sentence Lopez Alcaraz is currently serving in CR-21-00451-TUC-JCH. Co-defendant, Jaime Solorio-Torres, was sentenced to 57 months in prison on March 20, 2023.
According to court documents, on February 1, 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration was surveilling a residence in Phoenix when agents observed a Toyota Prius arrive and park on the street. Agents then observed Solorio-Torres exit the Prius carrying a white and blue cooler. He then met with Lopez Alcazar inside the residence before exiting with the cooler and placing it back inside the Prius. After Solorio-Torres drove away, agents stopped the Prius and found 6.5 kilograms of fentanyl pills inside the cooler.
Agents obtained a search warrant for the residence and seized approximately 9 kilograms of fentanyl pills, 248 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 239 grams of Xanax pills, 6.6 grams of cocaine, and $26,532 in U.S. currency, along with a drug ledger and cache of six firearms. Two of the firearms had been reported stolen at the time they were seized.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart J. Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00103-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-023_Lopez Alcaraz# # #
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.Prolific Alien Smuggler Extradited from Mexico to the United States in Joint Task Force Alpha InvestigationRead the Press Release
Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities culminated in the extradition of an alleged alien smuggler who operated in Mexicali on the U.S.-Mexico border for several years as part of an international alien smuggling conspiracy.
Raul Saucedo-Huipio, 49, was arrested in Mexico on March 2, 2023, pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition, and was surrendered by Mexico to U.S. authorities on Feb. 21 to face charges previously filed in the District of Arizona. Saucedo-Huipio made his initial appearance on Feb. 21 in the Southern District of California. His co-conspirator, Ofelia Hernandez-Salas, 62, was extradited to the United States from Mexico in 2023 and pleaded guilty on Dec. 18, 2024, to conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States and substantive counts of bringing an alien to the United States.
According to court documents, Saucedo-Huipio conspired with other smugglers, including Hernandez-Salas, to facilitate the travel of large numbers of migrants into the United States from and through Bangladesh, Yemen, Pakistan, Eritrea, India, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Russia, Egypt, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. Saucedo-Huipio and Hernandez-Salas allegedly charged the migrants as much as tens of thousands of dollars to make the journey and directed the migrants where to unlawfully cross the border into the United States, including by providing them with a ladder to climb over the border fence. Saucedo-Huipio and co-conspirators also allegedly robbed the migrants of money and personal belongings while armed with guns and knives.
In June 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed corresponding sanctions on this transnational criminal organization.
Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachel C. Hernandez for the District of Arizona, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Arizona Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola, made the announcement.
ICE HSI Yuma is investigating the case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection (CBP); U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; FBI; and the U.S. Marshals Service, working in concert with ICE HSI Tijuana, INTERPOL, and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI also received substantial assistance from CBP’s National Targeting Center/Counter Network Division and OFAC.
Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart J. Zander for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Mexico. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting Saucedo-Huipio, and the Mexican Attorney General’s Office and the Mexican Foreign Ministry for making the extradition possible.
The indictments against Raul Saucedo-Huipio and Hernandez-Salas, and their subsequent arrests and extraditions, were coordinated through Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA was created in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to strengthen the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse, or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime. The initiative was expanded to Colombia and Panama to combat human smuggling in the Darién in June 2024. JTFA comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, the District of Arizona, the District of New Mexico, and the Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; the Office of Enforcement Operations; OIA; and the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; more than 300 U.S. convictions; more than 245 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This investigation is also supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks or raise 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
San Carlos Man Charged with Arson for Causing Watch Fire on San Carlos Apache Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Keanu Rudy Dude, 25, an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and a San Carlos, Arizona resident, was arrested today on an outstanding indictment issued by a federal grand jury in Phoenix. He is charged with Arson for the July 2024 Watch Fire on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation.
The Watch Fire burned over 2,000 acres of land owned by the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Twenty-one homes identified in the indictment were destroyed by the fire. Four hundred families had to be evacuated from their homes and the areas surrounding San Carlos. Dude will have his initial appearance on Monday, February 24, 2025.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the San Carlos Apache Police and Fire Departments and the San Carlos Ranger and Forestry Departments conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-1579-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-022_Dude# # #
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.Colorado City Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Role in Child Sexual Abuse RingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – LaDell Jay Bistline, Jr., 46, of Colorado City, was sentenced on Wednesday by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to life in prison. On October 2, 2024, a jury convicted Bistline of one count of Receipt of Child Pornography; one count of Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor; two counts of Persuading or Coercing Travel to Engage in Sexual Activity; two counts of Using a Means of Interstate Commerce to Persuade or Coerce a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity; and two counts of Transportation of a Minor for Criminal Sexual Activity.
Bistline’s charges are based on his participation in a years-long child sexual abuse conspiracy that spanned several states and victimized at least 10 children. Bistline committed his crimes with others, including co-defendant Samuel Rappylee Bateman, the self-proclaimed leader of a religious sect based in Colorado City. Bateman and 10 of his other followers previously pleaded guilty to charges related to the child sexual abuse conspiracy and were not part of the trial against Bistline.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bistline delivered two of his own daughters to Bateman to become child “brides” and be sexually abused when the girls were nine and 11 years old. Bistline and others transported the victims between states including Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona to facilitate the sexual abuse. Bistline also participated in group sexual activity involving children, including one event he watched over a video livestream.
The Phoenix Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work rescuing and protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, the Colorado City Police Department, the Iron County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the St. George Resident Agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-8092-006-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-021_Bistline# # #
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.Tempe Man Sentenced to 47 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Animal CrushingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Eric Thomas Scionti, 36, of Tempe, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 47 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Scionti pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person and Animal Crushing in two separate cases on October 3, 2024.
On January 18, 2023, pursuant to a search warrant, federal agents seized six firearms and 1,826 rounds of ammunition from areas of a residence controlled by the defendant. Scionti had previously been convicted of multiple Arizona state felonies and was consequently prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
On September 29, 2023, federal agents received authorization to search records and information associated with Scionti’s email account. During that search, agents seized approximately 168 videos and 89 digital photographs depicting Scionti torturing and mutilating live pigeons.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigations in these cases. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecutions.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00600-PHX-JJT
CR-24-00890-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-019_Scionti# # #
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.Career Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Mailing Threats to Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Charles Morice Gilmore, 52, of Missouri, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to concurrent statutory maximum sentences of 10 years in prison for Mailing Threatening Communications, and six years for Influencing Federal Official by Threat. Gilmore pleaded guilty to these crimes on October 1, 2024.
Between February 28, 2023, and March 27, 2023, while an inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Gilmore mailed letters to a federal judge claiming there were bombs in the courthouse where the victim worked and that the bombs could be remotely detonated. The letters to the judge contained religious slurs and asserted ties to the Hells Angels and the Ku Klux Klan. Gilmore also sent a threatening letter to a federal prosecutor who had previously handled one of his cases. Gilmore attached pipe bomb instructions to that letter. He claimed he had mailed the instructions to others outside the prison to carry out his orders. A third letter from Gilmore to a former cellmate with instructions for making pipe bombs and listing locations where the pipe bombs should be placed was also intercepted.
Gilmore has a lengthy criminal history for violent offenses and is a career offender. Judge Martinez imposed concurrent stipulated sentences of 10 years for each mailing of threatening communications and six years for threatening a federal judge. The sentences will be consecutive to Gilmore’s 10-year federal sentence for mailing threatening communications in 2017; a 10-year sentence for threatening federal officials in 2014; a 90-month sentence in 2013 for mailing threatening communications to a different federal judge; and a 20-year prison sentence for stabbing an inmate in Jefferson City, Missouri in 2018. A separate case against Gilmore for mailing a hoax bomb threat to a state courthouse in Missouri was dismissed as part of the stipulated agreement in this case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-2122-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-020_Gilmore# # #
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.United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino Completes His Service to the Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced that United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino has completed his service to the Department, effective yesterday.
Mr. Restaino was informed of his termination in a communication from the White House. As a Presidential appointee, Mr. Restaino is subject to removal from office in the discretion of the sitting President. The White House thanked him for his service to the United States.
“Getting the opportunity to lead an Office in which I have worked for many years has been energizing,” said U.S. Attorney Restaino. “I am grateful to President Biden for the appointment, to Senators Kelly and Sinema for their support of my nomination, and to Attorney General Garland for his stewardship of the Department of Justice. And most of all I am thankful for our people here in Arizona – the dedicated prosecutors, victim advocates and administrative professionals at the United States Attorney’s Office, as well as the agents, analysts, and accountants at our federal law enforcement agencies – who work collaboratively and collegially with state and local partners and leaders of underserved communities to make Arizona a better and safer place.”
Since 2021 the Office has continued its strong efforts at border security, enhanced violent crime prosecutions and increased civil rights prosecutions and interventions.
Border Security
- In fiscal year 2024 the District led the nation in criminal consequences for illegal entry and reentry into the United States.
- Prosecutors engaged in victim-centric prosecutions of alien smugglers, including a defendant who sexually assaulted a migrant and leaders extradited from Mexico and from Honduras who threatened, harassed and robbed aliens in their care.
- Our team dismantled transnational criminal organizations trafficking fentanyl and other poisons into the United States.
- Working with federal partners, the Office has disrupted firearms trafficking organizations through: interdictions at ports of entry; increasing cooperation with Mexico; seizures en route to Canada; undercover sting operations; long-term straw purchasing investigations tied to border interdictions; and in a case alleging an attempt to incite regime change in South Sudan via attempts to export grenade launchers and Stinger missiles.
Violent Crime Prosecutions
- Indian Country prosecutors secured a first-degree murder conviction arising out of a missing persons case from the Navajo Nation.
- Federal partners in Tucson reimagined federal firearms prosecutions through a Public Safety Partnership.
- The District secured a second-degree murder conviction against a man who shot and killed a Deputy United States Marshal.
- Our team developed consistency and rigor in prosecuting threats of violence conveyed against President Biden, President Trump, election officials, law enforcement agents, university students, and victims of “swatting” incidents.
Civil Rights
- The District secured convictions (and a 438-month sentence) for arson and interference with the free exercise of religion against a man who burned two churches in Douglas, Arizona.
- Prosecutors vindicated the rights of a minor who was sexually assaulted by a Customs and Border Protection Officer by obtaining convictions for kidnaping and deprivation of rights.
- The Office and its colleagues in the Civil Rights Division reached a settlement with the Arizona Department of Corrections to improve accommodations for inmates with vision limitations and therefore to increase opportunities for positive reentry.
- Our team intervened in an election lawsuit to ensure that Arizona voters have access to ballot drop boxes free from intimidation.
- Lawyers and advocates from around the District participated in many United Against Hate outreach events to increase reporting of hate crimes and bias incidents.
Mr. Restaino became United States Attorney in November 2021 after 20 years of service as a federal employee, including two years in the Peace Corps in Paraguay and 18 years as an Assistant United States Attorney here in Arizona. During his tenure, Mr. Restaino served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, advising Attorney General Garland on matters of policy, procedure, and management, and also elevating the voices of the U.S. Attorney community in Washington. In addition, for nearly 90 days in the spring and summer of 2022, and at the direction of President Biden, Mr. Restaino served the women and men of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as their Acting Director, pending the confirmation of the agency’s nominee.
Pursuant to the Vacancy Reform Act, career prosecutor and First Assistant United States Attorney Rachel C. Hernandez currently serves as the Acting United States Attorney for the District.
The United States Attorney’s Office represents the interests of the United States in criminal and civil cases in federal court in Arizona, coordinates the efforts of its federal law enforcement partners, advocates for the rights of victims, and enhances and strengthens communities through dialogue, outreach, and engagement. The Office currently has approximately 180 Assistant United States Attorneys and approximately 160 additional administrative professionals spread between two large offices in Phoenix and Tucson, and two smaller branch offices in Yuma and Flagstaff.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-018_Departure of United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino
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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.Phoenix Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 151 Months After Agents Seize over 90 Pounds of Fentanyl and over 40 Pounds of Cocaine from Stash HouseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Miguel Angel Gaytan-Ramirez, 34, an undocumented Mexican National living in Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 151 months, followed by three years supervised release. Gaytan-Ramirez pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl on November 5, 2024.
According to court documents, on January 25, 2024, an undercover agent working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agreed to purchase 150,000 fentanyl pills (approximately 15 kilograms) from a member of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Mexico. The individual in Mexico instructed the undercover agent to travel to a parking lot in Phoenix to complete the transaction.
At the parking lot, investigators identified a Dodge Ram pickup truck as the vehicle in which a DTO member was located. A man later identified as Gaytan-Ramirez called the undercover agent and said that he was occupying the Dodge Ram pickup. Thereafter, investigators moved in and detained Gaytan-Ramirez.
After detaining Gaytan-Ramirez, investigators identified a nearby apartment used by Gaytan-Ramirez to store narcotics. Gaytan-Ramirez provided investigators consent to search the apartment. Inside a closet in the apartment investigators seized a black American Tactical Omni Hybrid 5.56 NATO caliber rifle with an AOMEKIE Scope, approximately 34 kilograms (74.9 pounds) of blue pills stamped M30 which contained fentanyl, 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) of fentanyl powder, and 19 kilograms (41.9 pounds) of cocaine. Authorities also seized over $18,000 in drug proceeds from Gaytan-Ramirez’s vehicle and the stash house.
Drug Enforcement Administration, Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jospeh K. Nwoga and Stuart J. Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00257-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-017_Gaytan-Ramirez# # #
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 newsEleven Defendants, Including Nine Aliens Illegally in the United States, Charged with Possessing over $440,000 of Stolen Nike Shoes in Latest BNSF Train TheftRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On February 11, 2025, an indictment was returned by the grand jury in the case of United States of America v. Noe Cecena-Castro, et al. Noe Cecena-Castro and ten others were indicted for possessing over $440,000 worth of Nike shoes, which had been stolen from a BNSF train in Northern Arizona. This is the latest case addressing a series of thefts from trains in Northern Arizona and California (CR-24-05306-TUC-MAA, CR-08161-PHX-SPL).
Criminal organizations that specialize in stealing from trains, which consist primarily of Mexican citizens with connections to the Mexican State of Sinaloa, have used the technique of cutting air hoses to control where trains with valuable cargo come to a stop. This act is very dangerous and can cause the trains, which travel up to 70 miles per hour, to derail. Once the train is stopped at a location of the organization’s choosing, crews will break into select containers and unload the cargo alongside the tracks. Another crew will then drive box trucks or other cargo vehicles to the location of the stolen goods. This second crew will load the goods into the vehicles for transport to California, where the goods will be sold online.
The initial complaint connected to the most recent indictment alleges that on January 13, 2025, Noe Cecena-Castro and ten other defendants worked together to pack and transport approximately 1,900 pairs of unreleased Nike shoes. Around 11:00 am, a BNSF train was immobilized due to a cut air hose in Perrin, Arizona. Shortly after the emergency stop, a BNSF police officer observed several cases of Nike shoes on the side of the tracks where the train had been forced to stop. Law enforcement later located a U-Haul box truck and a privately owned Ford Econoline truck traveling near the stolen goods. The U-Haul was seen at the site of the Nike shoes where several people loaded the Nike cases into the U-Haul. Both trucks were searched by law enforcement and found to contain 1,985 pairs of unreleased Nike shoes, which are worth over $440,000. A Chevy Tahoe, which had also been seen in the area, was stopped and found to be transporting the rest of the crew that had loaded the Nike cases. All eleven defendants were taken into custody.
Nine of the eleven defendants are Mexican nationals without legal status in the United States. In addition to the charge of possessing stolen goods, the grand jury also returned charges for three of the defendants of Re-entry of Removed Alien and six of the defendants of Improper Entry by Alien.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
All eleven defendants are in federal custody pending trial. The defendants will be arraigned on the charges in the Indictment on February 19, 2025.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Flagstaff is handling the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Stanley, District of Arizona, Flagstaff, is handling the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Police Team at BNSF, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Flagstaff Police Department, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, and Navajo County Sherriff’s Office for their valuable assistance in this matter.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-8020-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-016_Cecena-Castro# # #
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.Two Arizona Department of Economic Security Employees Convicted of Receiving Bribes to Approve Unemployment Insurance ClaimsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jacqueline Espino, 53, of Phoenix, pleaded guilty last week to one count of Bribery Concerning a Program that Receives Federal Funds. Sentencing is scheduled for May 5, 2025, before United States District Michael T. Liburdi. In a separate case, Brandilyn Lorenzen, 48, of Gilbert, was sentenced on January 22, 2025, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 30 months in prison for Bribery Concerning a Program that Receives Federal Funds. Lorenzen was also ordered to pay over $2.9 million in restitution. Lorenzen pleaded guilty to that charge on November 6, 2024. (CR 24-01749-PHX-DJH)
Both Espino and Lorenzen were employed by the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) as adjudicators who evaluated claims for both unemployment insurance (UI) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). Between 2020 and 2022, when DES was facing a higher volume of UI and PUA claims as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Espino and Lorenzen each accepted bribes to approve UI and PUA claims for individuals who were not qualified to receive such assistance. In addition, both Espino and Lorenzen admitted that they embezzled large sums money from DES for their own benefit and for the others.
“These defendants didn’t just accept bribes,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “When public employees cheat, they damage the credibility of their colleagues across the country. In a time of unprecedented attacks against the integrity of public servants, it’s important for us all to recognize the patriotic service of federal and state employees, and their key role in protecting and cherishing Arizona and America.”
“Government employees are entrusted to protect the integrity of these crucial aid programs. Those who betray that trust will be held accountable,” said DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D. said. “We appreciate the continued partnership between DHS OIG and our law enforcement partners in bringing these individuals to justice.”
Espino admitted in her plea agreement that she received bribes related to 9 UI/PUA claims, which caused DES to pay $140,298 in claims that were not properly adjudicated by DES. During the same period of time, Espino also embezzled $600,672 in DES funds for her own benefit and others.
Lorenzen admitted in her plea agreement that she received bribes related to 24 UI/PUA claims, which caused DES to pay $532,964 in claims that were not properly adjudicated by DES. During the same period of time, Lorenzen also embezzled $2,461,520 in DES funds for her own benefit and others. At her sentencing, Lorenzen was ordered to pay $2,994,484 in restitution to DES.
The U.S Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation in these two cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aron Ketchel, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: CR 24-01749-PHX-DJH (Lorenzen)
CR 25-00009-PHX-MTL (Espino)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-015_Espino and Lorenzen# # #
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.