FEDERAL DISTRICT ARCHIVE
Southern District of California
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Two Alleged White Supremacists Charged with Hate Crimes for Attacks at Oceanside Pier; Third Attacker Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – An indictment unsealed in federal court today charges two alleged white supremacists from Riverside County with hate crimes in connection with racially-motivated attacks on two U.S. Marines and a third man at the Oceanside pier in June 2025.
Austin Yohe and Daniel Burns are also charged with obstruction of justice for lying to Riverside court personnel, local law enforcement officers in Oceanside, and FBI agents about their roles in the assault. The FBI arrested Yohe yesterday afternoon in Riverside, California. At approximately the same time, Burns was taken into custody at an associate’s home in Wilsonville, Alabama.
The third defendant, Johnny Lee Lane, pleaded guilty today to three federal hate crimes offenses—one for each of the victims. Lane admitted he participated in the attacks on the three victims along with Yohe and Burns, and that the assaults were racially motivated.
The indictment identifies the victim of the first attack as T.L.W., a 21-year-old Black and Asian American man, and the victims of the second attack as two U.S. Marines, T.J. and E.H., a 24-year-old black man and a 23-year-old white man, respectively.
The indictment alleges that Yohe and Burns both claim membership in the group COORS 88, which espouses white supremacy, and that Burns has a tattoo on his arm that reads, “skinhead.” Lane, charged separately in an information, is referred to in the indictment by the initials J.L.
According to the indictment, on June 7, 2025, Yohe, Burns, and Lane drove to Oceanside and went to the beach near the Oceanside Pier. At approximately 8:30 p.m., after attending a family funeral earlier that day, T.L.W. and his wife were sitting on a bench north of the Oceanside Pier and next to a concrete building that had restrooms and outdoor showers when Yohe and Burns approached, identified themselves as “skinheads,” and attacked T.L.W. without provocation.
The indictment alleges that Yohe and Burns punched T.L.W. multiple times, kicked and stomped on him, and slammed his head into the concrete wall of the building. As T.L.W. crawled away and back onto the sand, Lane approached, yelled “Get that n****r!,” and kicked and stomped on T.L.W. As a result of the attack, T.L.W. was hospitalized and suffered serious injuries to his upper body, including a concussion, swelling on his head, and cuts and bruises.
According to the indictment, after they finished assaulting T.L.W., Yohe, Burns and Lane walked southbound to the plaza near the Oceanside Pier. The two Marines, T.J. and E.H., were standing in the plaza eating funnel cake while they waited to get a table at a nearby restaurant. As they walked through the plaza and proceeded up the stairs, Yohe, Burns, and/or Lane yelled racial slurs, including n****r, at T.J. and E.H., who stood there and did not follow the defendants or make any gestures towards them.
About one to two minutes later, the indictment said, Yohe and Burns came back down the stairs with Lane following. Yohe walked up to E.H. and, without provocation, punched him forcefully in the face. Moments later, Burns approached T.J. and, without provocation, punched him forcefully in the head. Even then, T.J. and E.H. did not immediately fight back, and instead, they stepped backwards and tried to de-escalate the encounter.
Undeterred, Yohe and Burns lunged forward and continued assaulting T.J. and E.H., which included punching, grabbing, tackling, and kicking the Marines. The indictment alleges that Lane then joined the continuing assault, struck both T.J. and E.H., and kicked E.H. multiple times in or near his head while E.H. was on the ground trying to fight off Yohe.
During the attack, one of the defendants yelled that E.H.—who is white—was a “n****r lover.” As a result of the attack, E.H. suffered serious head injuries, including a concussion, orbital fracture, sinus fracture, and fractured cheekbone. T.J. also suffered injuries from the attack, including multiple contusions to his head and an injury to his hand that required him to undergo physical therapy.
The three obstruction of justice charges in the indictment—one against Yohe and two against Burns—stem from alleged false statements that the two defendants made on the night of the attacks and in interviews afterwards. Burns is alleged to have knowingly lied to the Oceanside Police Department on the night of the attacks, telling an officer that he was not with Yohe but instead was “coming to pick them up,” that he had “just left the gym in San Bernardino,” and that he was “not involved,” which he told the officer to “look at the video” to confirm.
Burns is also alleged to have knowingly lied to FBI agents during an interview months later, on November 25, 2025, when he told them that the incident began when E.H. punched Yohe first and that he only came down the stairs and started fighting after E.H. punched Yohe. The indictment alleges that Yohe knowingly lied to a court employee in Riverside County on June 13 and 17, 2025, when he claimed that he had gone to Oceanside because his friend was stranded there and needed a ride, that his friend had been involved in an altercation before Yohe arrived, and that Yohe and his friend were “attacked” as they were walking to Yohe’s car. According to the indictment, Yohe referred to himself as a “victim” of that attack.
Yohe made his initial appearance in federal court today in San Diego before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve B. Chu. The United States moved to detain Yohe as a serious risk of flight and danger to the community. At the request of Yohe’s appointed counsel, the detention hearing was continued to Friday, October 2, 2026, at 10 a.m. A motion hearing and trial setting is scheduled before U.S. District Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro on October 30, 2026, at 9 a.m.
Burns made his initial appearance in federal court today in the Northern District of Alabama where he will be held pending proceedings to effectuate his removal and transfer to San Diego.
After entering pleas of guilty to the three hate crimes charges, Lane was released on a $25,000 personal appearance bond. His sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2027, at 9 a.m. before Judge Montenegro.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Songer and C. Seth Askins. The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division provided assistance and certified hate crime charges pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 249(b)(1).
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 26cr3776-RBM
Austin Yohe Age: 23 Riverside, CA
Daniel Burns Age: 30 Wilsonville, AL
Case Number 26cr03839-RBM
Johnny Lee Lane Age: 23 Riverside, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Hate Crime – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 249
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
Obstruction of Justice – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1512
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 114 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 114 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On September 20, Sebastian Ulises Galeana Pierce, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 74 pounds of cocaine hidden beneath his feet on the driver’s side of his 2021 Toyota RAV4 as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On September 18, Daniel Herriberto Vega Laura, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 58 pounds of methamphetamine and 16 grams of fentanyl concealed in the quarter panels of the trunk, center console, and engine firewall of the 2025 Chevrolet Aveo the defendant was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On September 23, Fernando Contreras Santiago, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Transportation of Illegal Aliens. According to a complaint, the defendant arrived at the Campo Border Patrol Station’s Immigration Checkpoint. During the immigration inspection, Agents observed movement on the floorboard of the backseat beneath what appeared to be plastic. Before agents could further inspect the vehicle, the defendant fled the checkpoint at a high rate of speed, striking a Vehicle Immobilization Device, which is designed to stop or disable a vehicle typically by damaging or obstructing its tires. The vehicle then lost control, struck a light post, and all occupants fled on foot. Agents subsequently located two Mexican individuals who were illegally present in the United States and had been passengers in the vehicle driven by the defendant.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Presunto líder narcoterrorista “la Araña” extraditado de Colombia como parte de una investigación del Grupo de Trabajo de Seguridad NacionalRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Geovany Andrés Rojas, alias “Araña”, ciudadano colombiano, presunto narcoterrorista de alto nivel y prolífico traficante de cocaína, fue extraditado hoy de Colombia a Estados Unidos.
Esta mañana, Rojas fue entregado a funcionarios estadounidenses bajo un fuerte dispositivo de seguridad en una base aérea de la Policía Nacional de Colombia en Bogotá, con la presencia del presidente colombiano, Abelardo de la Espriella. Rojas llegó a un lugar no revelado en San Diego a las 4:30 p.m. flanqueado por agentes de la DEA y del FBI.
Fotografía de Rojas (centro), flanqueado por agentes de las fuerzas del orden tras su extradición de Colombia a Estados Unidos. De izquierda a derecha, sin contar a los agentes uniformados: Kristopher Jarvis, agregado judicial del Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos en Bogotá; Adam Gordon, fiscal federal de EE. UU. para el Distrito Sur de California; James Nunnallee, agente especial a cargo de la DEA en San Diego; “Araña”; Jacob Galvan, agente especial adjunto a cargo de la DEA en San Diego; Jagdeep Khangura, agente especial adjunto a cargo del FBI en San Diego; y Kevin Murphy, agente especial interino a cargo de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) en San Diego.
El 7 de marzo de 2025, un gran jurado federal del Distrito Sur de California emitió una imputación sustitutiva de dos cargos contra Rojas, cuyo alias es “la Araña”, por conspiración internacional para distribuir cocaína y por narcoterrorismo.
Las autoridades colombianas detuvieron a Rojas el 12 de febrero de 2025 en virtud de una notificación roja de la INTERPOL basada en delitos relacionados con estupefacientes. La Corte Suprema de Justicia de Colombia aprobó por unanimidad la extradición de Rojas en octubre de 2025. El presidente colombiano Gustavo Petro suspendió la extradición de Rojas posteriormente ese mismo año, mientras este participaba en una nueva ronda de conversaciones de paz entre grupos armados y el Gobierno colombiano. El 26 de agosto de 2026, el presidente colombiano Abelardo de la Espriella ordenó que la extradición de Rojas prosiguiera.
“Colombia y el Departamento de Justicia están realizando una barrida a fondo contra los narcoterroristas, comenzando por la Araña”, dijo el Fiscal Federal de EE. UU. para el Distrito Sur de California, Adam Gordon. “Antes de que el presidente De la Espriella asumiera el cargo, los grupos criminales armados en Colombia casi duplicaron su tamaño. Su cocaína alimentaba a los cárteles mexicanos que inyectan veneno en nuestras comunidades. Con la extradición de la Araña cae la telaraña que se extiende desde las montañas del Putumayo hasta las plazas de Tijuana que los cárteles se disputan brutalmente”.
“La extradición de hoy demuestra lo que Estados Unidos y Colombia podemos lograr cuando trabajamos juntos para desmantelar las redes criminales que trafican con drogas letales, corrompen instituciones y amenazan a nuestras comunidades”, afirmó el administrador de la DEA, Terry Cole. “Geovany Andrés Rojas enfrenta cargos de narcoterrorismo y tráfico de drogas por presuntamente haber orquestado cargamentos de varias toneladas de cocaína con destino a Estados Unidos. Su extradición demuestra que ni las fronteras, ni la influencia criminal, ni los esfuerzos por ocultar actividades ilícitas impedirán que la DEA y nuestros aliados lleven ante la justicia a importantes narcotraficantes transnacionales”.
“La extradición de Rojas debe enviar un claro mensaje a los líderes de los cárteles: el FBI y nuestros aliados del HSTF seguimos luchando sin tregua para desmantelar las organizaciones de narcotráfico que facilitan el flujo de drogas letales hacia nuestras comunidades”, declaró el agente especial a cargo Mark Remily, de la Oficina Local del FBI en San Diego. “La Oficina del FBI en San Diego seguirá trabajando estrechamente con nuestros aliados de las fuerzas del orden nacionales e internacionales para eliminar a los cárteles criminales, hacer que sus líderes rindan cuentas y proteger al pueblo estadounidense”.
En los años anteriores a su detención, Rojas fue portavoz y líder de Comandos de la Frontera, una organización paramilitar con unos 1,000 miembros que opera en el suroeste de Colombia. Rojas se presentaba como un líder de alto rango de Comandos de la Frontera y posaba con armas y combatientes fuertemente armados en publicaciones de redes sociales y en entrevistas con medios de comunicación en nombre del grupo terrorista.
En declaraciones públicas, Rojas describió a Comandos de la Frontera como parte de la Segunda Marquetalia, una organización integrada por excombatientes de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) que retomaron las armas y volvieron a combatir tras el acuerdo de paz de 2016 entre Colombia y las FARC. El propio Rojas fue miembro de las FARC y firmó el Acuerdo de Paz de 2016 antes de rechazar la paz y convertirse en líder guerrillero. El 1 de diciembre de 2021, el secretario de Estado de Estados Unidos designó a la Segunda Marquetalia como Organización Terrorista Extranjera (FTO).
Los cargos por tráfico de drogas y narcoterrorismo contra Rojas surgieron de una investigación prolongada del Grupo de Trabajo de Seguridad Nacional (HSTF), que reveló que Comandos de la Frontera, bajo el liderazgo de Rojas, se lucraba del cultivo y la producción de cocaína en el suroeste de Colombia y mantenía el control de su territorio mediante las armas y la violencia. La zona es una de las principales regiones productoras de cocaína de Colombia y tiene una influencia considerable en la cadena mundial de suministro de cocaína.
Se prevé que Rojas comparezca por primera vez en el tribunal federal el 28 de septiembre de 2026, a las 2 p. m., ante el juez federal adjunto Steve B. Chu.
El agregado judicial del Departamento de Justicia en Bogotá, Kristopher Jarvis, y el abogado litigante Aaron York, de la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales, hicieron posible la detención y la extradición de Rojas. El Servicio de Marshals de EE. UU. brindó una asistencia significativa para garantizar que el traspaso de la custodia se realizara de manera segura y sin contratiempos, y para trasladar a Rojas a Estados Unidos.
Los cargos y alegatos contenidos en una imputación o denuncia penal son solo acusaciones, y a la persona imputada se le considera inocente a menos y hasta que se pruebe su culpabilidad.
IMPUTADO Número de caso 25CR442H
Geovany Andrés Rojas, alias “Araña” Edad: 45 Colombia
RESUMEN DE LOS CARGOS
Conspiración internacional para distribuir cocaína – Título 21 del Código de los Estados Unidos (U.S.C.), secciones 959, 960 y 963
Pena máxima: mínimo obligatorio de 10 años y hasta cadena perpetua
Narcoterrorismo – Título 21 del Código de los Estados Unidos (U.S.C.), secciones 960a y 841
Pena máxima: mínimo obligatorio de 20 años y hasta cadena perpetua
AGENCIAS INVESTIGADORAS
Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA)
Buró Federal de Investigaciones (FBI)
Este caso fue investigado y perseguido penalmente por el Grupo de Trabajo de Seguridad Nacional de California (HSTF) como parte de la iniciativa de los HSTF establecida mediante la Orden Ejecutiva 14159, Protegiendo al Pueblo Estadounidense Contra una Invasión (Protecting the American People Against Invasion). El HSTF es una alianza que abarca a todo el gobierno dedicada a eliminar los cárteles criminales, las pandillas extranjeras, las organizaciones criminales transnacionales y las redes de tráfico y trata de personas que operan en Estados Unidos y en el extranjero. Mediante una colaboración interinstitucional histórica, el HSTF dirige todo el poderío de las autoridades del orden público de Estados Unidos hacia la identificación, investigación y persecución penal de todo el espectro de delitos cometidos por estas organizaciones, que por mucho tiempo han alimentado la violencia y la inestabilidad dentro de nuestras fronteras. Al realizar este trabajo, el HSTF pone especial énfasis en investigar y perseguir penalmente a quienes participan en la trata de niños u otros delitos que involucran a niños. Además, el HSTF utiliza todas las herramientas disponibles para perseguir penalmente y expulsar de Estados Unidos a los delincuentes extranjeros más violentos.
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Alleged Narco-Terrorist Leader “Araña” Extradited from Colombia as Part of Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Geovany Andres Rojas, aka “Araña,” a Colombian national and alleged high-level narco-terrorist and prolific cocaine trafficker, was extradited from Colombia to the United States today.
Rojas was handed over to U.S. officials this morning under heavy security at a Colombian National Police air base in Bogotá. The sendoff was attended by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella. Rojas arrived at an undisclosed location in San Diego at 4:30 p.m. PST, flanked by DEA and FBI agents.
Photo of Rojas (center) flanked by law enforcement after being extradited from Colombia to the United States. Left to right, excluding uniformed agents: U.S. Department of Justice’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Kristopher Jarvis; U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, Southern District of California; San Diego DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee; Araña; DEA San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jacob Galvan; FBI San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jagdeep Khangura; Acting Special Agent in Charge HSI San Diego Kevin Murphy
On March 7, 2025, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned a two-count superseding indictment charging Rojas, whose alias translates to “Spider,” with International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Narco-Terrorism.
Colombian authorities apprehended Rojas on February 12, 2025, pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice based on narcotics-related offenses. The Supreme Court of Colombia unanimously approved Rojas’s extradition in October 2025. Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended Rojas’ extradition later that year, while Rojas participated in a new round of peace talks between armed groups and the Colombian government. On August 26, 2026, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered that Rojas’ extradition should proceed.
“Colombia and the Department of Justice are making a clean sweep of narcoterrorists, starting with Araña,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Before President de la Espriella, armed criminal groups in Colombia roughly doubled in size. Their cocaine fueled the Mexican cartels pumping poison into our communities. The Araña extradition sweeps away a web that starts in the mountains of Putumayo and ends in the brutal, cartel contested plazas of Tijuana.”
“Today’s extradition demonstrates what the United States and Colombia can accomplish when we work together to dismantle the criminal networks that traffic deadly drugs, corrupt institutions, and threaten our communities,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “Geovany Andres Rojas faces narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges for allegedly orchestrating multi-ton cocaine shipments bound for the United States. His extradition shows that borders, criminal influence, and efforts to conceal illegal activity will not prevent DEA and our partners from bringing major transnational traffickers to justice.”
“Rojas’ extradition should send a clear message to cartel leaders: the FBI and our HSTF partners remain relentless in our fight to dismantle drug trafficking organizations that facilitate the flow of deadly drugs into our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego will continue working closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to eliminate criminal cartels, hold their leaders accountable, and protect the American people.”
In the years leading up to Rojas’ arrest, he served as the spokesman and leader of Comandos de la Frontera, a paramilitary organization with an estimated 1,000 members operating in southwestern Colombia. Rojas identified himself as a high-level leader of Comandos de la Frontera, posing with weapons and heavily armed fighters in appearances on social media and in interviews with news organizations on behalf of the terrorist group.
In public statements, Rojas described Comandos de la Frontera as part of the Segunda Marquetalia, an organization of former Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) combatants who rearmed and returned to fighting following Colombia’s 2016 peace accord with FARC. Rojas himself was a member of the FARC who signed the 2016 Peace Agreement before rejecting peace and becoming a guerilla leader. The United States Secretary of State designated Segunda Marquetalia a foreign terrorist organization on December 1, 2021.
The drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges against Rojas stemmed from a long-term Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation which revealed that Comandos de la Frontera, under Rojas’ leadership, profited from the cultivation and production of cocaine in southwestern Colombia, maintaining control of its territory using weapons and violence. The area is one of Colombia’s top cocaine producing regions, with significant influence over the cocaine supply chain worldwide.
Rojas is expected to make his initial court appearance at 2 p.m. on September 28, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve B. Chu.
The Justice Department’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Kristopher Jarvis, and Office of International Affairs Trial Attorney Aaron York, secured the arrest and extradition of Rojas. The U.S. Marshals Service provided significant assistance in ensuring a smooth and safe transfer of custody and transporting Rojas back to the United States.
The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr442H
Geovany Andres Rojas, aka Araña Age: 45 Colombia
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison
Narco-Terrorism – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 960a and 841
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years and up to life in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Bank Imposter Sentenced for Defrauding Elderly Victims of Hundreds of Thousands of DollarsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Franco Fuentes was sentenced in federal court today to 57 months in prison for defrauding elderly victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars by posing as a bank employee and tricking them into surrendering their bank cards, which he then used to make lavish purchases and large cash withdrawals.
Fuentes, a Peruvian national and green card holder, was also ordered to pay victims more than $270,000 and forfeit property seized from his residence, including over $37,000 in cash and a bill-counting machine.
“Fuentes saw elderly victims as easy targets and their bank accounts as his personal ATM—and today he is paying the price for stealing money, dignity and peace of mind,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“The actions of the defendant in this case showed a clear disregard for the harm he was causing innocent people,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said. “We have dedicated teams that are working day after day to help victims of scams just like this, because unfortunately, they happen far too often. Today’s sentencing sends a message to others that we will find and hold you accountable.”
“The defendant shamelessly preyed on older victims, then showered himself with extravagant items at their expense without regard to consequences,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego and the San Diego Police Department, along with all of our San Diego Elder Justice Task Force partners, will relentlessly seek justice for this vulnerable population, protecting them from scammers like Fuentes, and helping to safeguard their livelihood.”
In the government’s sentencing memo, a victim who lost $56,000 wrote to the court: “This experience has caused me significant emotional and financial stress. As a 72-year-old woman, I never expected to have to deal with something of this magnitude. I experienced ongoing worry, fear, frustration, and anxiety while trying to understand what had happened, protect my accounts, and work with the bank to resolve the unauthorized activity. The situation disrupted my sense of financial security and left me constantly concerned about whether my personal information and finances were safe. The financial impact and the amount of time and effort required to address this identity theft have been extremely stressful.
Another victim wrote to the court, noting that the defendant “fraudulently obtained my banking information by calling me from a phone line that appeared to have my U.S. Bank caller ID.”
“The financial loss was devastating, but the impact of this crime goes far beyond the money that was taken. I have experienced an unbelievable amount of stress because of what happened. As an elderly person in poor health, this experience has caused me significant worry and emotional distress…I hope the Court understands the lasting impact this crime has had on my life. I believe the defendant is a danger to society because his actions prey upon people's trust and can cause serious harm, especially to vulnerable people.”
In his plea agreement, Fuentes admitted he and his criminal associates called victims and falsely claimed to be bank employees investigating fraud on the victims’ accounts. Fuentes tricked the victims into surrendering their bank cards, which he used to make cash withdrawals and pay for lavish purchases.
Fuentes targeted one 80-year-old victim, sending a rideshare service driver to her house and then using her cards for withdrawals and purchases totaling over $43,000, including $22,000 in purchases at Apple stores. The daughter of that victim addressed the Court at sentencing, describing the significant emotional and psychological impacts on her mother.
In his messages about the fraud with one co-conspirator, the defendant referred to his victims as “vics” and boasted that the “targets are endless.” In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Benjamin J. Cheeks called Fuentes’s conduct an “awful crime” that took advantage of “some of the most vulnerable people in society—people that worked hard in their life.” Judge Cheeks also highlighted Fuentes’s extravagant spending of his victims’ money, including a social media post in which Fuentes bragged about purchasing a $6,000 outfit in New York. The judge further noted that Fuentes had previously received a generous resolution in state court for similar fraud, yet “you did it again and again, and you hurt people.”
This case is being investigated by the San Diego Elder Justice Task Force and its member agencies and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric R. Olah.
If you or someone you know is 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26cr404-BJC
Franco Fuentes Age: 30 Woodland Hills, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2)
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $1 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 132 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 132 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On September 15, Jose Camarillo De La Torre, a Mexican citizen and border crosser card holder, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered over 122 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the bed of the Dodge Ram he was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On September 16, Jocelyn Felix, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered nearly 86 pounds of cocaine concealed inside the Nissan Versa the defendant was driving as she applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On September 15, Antonio Jimenez-Reyez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in an Alien for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found an undocumented person from China hiding inside the rear spare tire wheel well of Jimenez-Reyez’ Jeep Cherokee when he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The undocumented person was paying nearly $60,000 to be smuggled into the U.S.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
- On September 15, Jose Camarillo De La Torre, a Mexican citizen and border crosser card holder, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered over 122 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the bed of the Dodge Ram he was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
High-Ranking Sinaloa Cartel Member Pleads Guilty to Importing Thousands of Kilograms of Cocaine, Laundering Millions of Dollars for Cartel in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Gerardo Julio Rueda Torres pleaded guilty in federal court today following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation to charges of conspiring to import and distribute multiple tons of cocaine and launder millions of dollars of drug proceeds for the Sinaloa Cartel.
According to the plea agreement, Rueda Torres was one of the leaders of the Los Rusos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. In that role, he oversaw the importation of approximately 50 kilograms of cocaine per week into the United States from Mexico for over a decade. Rueda’s underlings imported the cocaine into the United States in passenger cars crossing from Mexicali, Mexico into Imperial County, California, before transporting it to Arizona, Los Angeles, and elsewhere.
Rueda also admitted in his plea agreement that he maintained an armed security force to protect him and other Los Rusos leaders from violent attacks by members of the rival Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Rueda also pleaded guilty to his nearly 20-year involvement in laundering money for drug cartels. According to the plea agreement, this started with personally driving $30,000 to Mexico. Over the years, his operations evolved into a “network of load drivers” under his command who moved $500,000 at a time back to the Sinaloa Cartel.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2026, at 9:00am before U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Benjamin. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lauricella also assisted in the investigation and prosecution.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24-cr-2617-RSH
Gerardo Julio Rueda Torres Age: 49 Mexicali, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Import Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prisonConspiracy to Launder Money – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prisonINVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
United States Customs and Border ProtectionThis investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Twelve People Charged in $10 Million Home Daycare Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Twelve people are facing federal fraud charges after an investigation revealed that more than $10 million intended to help low-income families pay for childcare was instead funneled to bogus daycare providers.
In a coordinated takedown early Thursday morning, more than 250 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested all 12 defendants and executed 12 search warrants at homes in San Diego purported to be used as daycare facilities.
“These charges underscore a simple truth: anyone who steals from programs meant to support children will face swift and uncompromising accountability, said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Fraud against these programs is an attack on vulnerable families, and law enforcement will continue to dismantle schemes that exploit them. I want to thank the prosecutors and agents in the Southern District of California whose relentless work exposed this scheme and ensured that those responsible are being held accountable.”
“Today is a bad day for home daycare fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “These are the first charges alleging this type of fraud since the formation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. These fraudsters may have criminally gamed the system before. But today, the game is over.”
“Programs that help families access childcare are intended to support children and working parents, not to enrich fraudsters,” said Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Director Michael Krol. “HSI is proud to stand with our federal, state, and local partners to identify and disrupt schemes that steal taxpayer-funded benefits from the communities they are meant to serve. These arrests reflect our commitment to protecting public programs, safeguarding children, and holding accountable those who exploit systems designed to help vulnerable families.”
“Today’s takedown exposes a sprawling fraud scheme that siphoned more than $10 million from programs designed to help low-income families who depend on subsidized childcare. By following the money, IRS Criminal Investigation uncovered patterns of deceit that revealed twelve ghost daycare operations billing for children who were never present. This was not a victimless crime. It deprived working parents of critical support and eroded trust in programs meant to protect the most vulnerable in our communities. We remain steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding federal funds and ensuring that those who exploit public programs for personal gain are held fully accountable,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Jarod Koopman.
“Shameless attempts to steal taxpayer‑funded childcare funds for personal gain endanger support for some of our nation’s most vulnerable children,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working alongside our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to pursue these schemes relentlessly to protect these funds and the families who depend on them.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides federal funding to California to help low-income families pay for childcare. In San Diego County, the County of San Diego, Child Development Associates (CDA), and the YMCA administer childcare subsidy programs.
When CDA or the YMCA determines that a family qualifies for subsidized childcare, the organizations pay the eligible childcare provider directly after the provider submits required monthly attendance records documenting the care provided. The records must be signed by both the provider and parent under penalty of perjury and include the dates and times children are in care.
California law also requires licensed childcare providers to be present and ensure that children are supervised at all times, except for limited temporary absences when a qualified substitute is present.
While the 12 federal complaints are unrelated, the scheme was essentially the same: Defendants obtained a California license to operate a home childcare facility and registered with Child Development Associates (CDA) and the YMCA to provide subsidized childcare to eligible families. To receive government-funded payments, the defendants were required to submit monthly attendance records accurately documenting the dates and times they provided care to each child.
Instead, the defendants knowingly submitted false attendance records claiming they provided childcare on dates and at times when they did not. They also falsely certified, under penalty of perjury, that the information was true and correct. CDA and the YMCA relied on those fraudulent records and issued payments with federal funds intended to pay for childcare actually provided to low-income families.
The complaints describe how surveillance recordings of the defendants’ licensed facilities conflicted with what the defendants claimed in their attendance records. For example, Abdulrahman Ayman Alawad submitted attendance records claiming to have provided childcare to 23 children in March 2026 and 25 children April 2026, and that he provided childcare every day of those two months. But surveillance recordings covering 57 days of those months showed children entering or exiting Alawad’s facility on just one day—coincidentally, the day a state inspector showed up for an unannounced inspection, when children and Alawad himself arrived at the facility after the inspector arrived.
Additionally, Alawad and several other defendants submitted attendance records claiming to have provided childcare at their homes when border crossing records shows they were not even in the United States. For example, according to a complaint charging Turkiya Mamdouh Alawad, border crossing records show that she departed the United States on or about on January 1, 2024, and returned to the United States around January 30, 2024. Despite not being in the United States, Alawad submitted attendance records to CDA and YMCA for the month of January 2024 and afterwards received eight direct deposits from CDA and YMCA that totaled $14,970.00 in February 2024.
It’s a lucrative scam, the complaints indicate. Each defendant brought in between $538,000 and $1.2 million during various time periods that range from months to years. According to the complaints, Alawad received over $300,000 in payments from San Diego County, CDA, and YMCA in 2025 alone, and several defendants have each received over $1 million in payments in the course of their respective schemes.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric R. Olah, with prior assistance from Deputy Assistant Attorney General Siddharth Dadhich (National Fraud Enforcement Division) Assistant U.S. Attorney Oleksandra Johnson, Trial Attorney Sarah Fix (Antitrust Division).
DEFENDANTS
- Fosiya Mohamoud 26-mj-05074
Age: 50 City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
- Abdulrahman Alawad 26-mj-05174
Age: 25 City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
- Zetun Abdi 26-mj-05184
Age: 43 City of Residence: San Diego, CA
- Ikramullah Mohmmand 26-mj-05185
Age: 25 City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
- Khetam Haouash 26-mj-05187
Age: 37 City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
- Khatera Hashimi 26-mj-05188
Age: 39 City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
- Mariam Khamis 26-mj-05189
Age: 42 City of Residence: San Diego, CA
- Mohamad Alawad 26-mj-05190
Age: 29 City of Residence: San Diego, CA
- Mazin Alawad 26-mj-05191
Age: 22 City of Residence: San Diego, CA
- Turkiya Alawad 26-mj-05194
Age: 63 City of Residence: San Diego, CA
- Zaryab Daudzai 26-mj-05195
Age: 25 City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
- Cezar Yaqoob 26-mj-05215
Age: 36 City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
*Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
*While defendants are charged with wire fraud, not all are charged with money laundering.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
IRS-Criminal Investigation
Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
El Cajon Police Department
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Twelve Individuals Charged in $10M Home Daycare Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Twelve individuals are facing federal fraud charges after an investigation revealed that more than $10 million intended to help low-income families pay for childcare was instead funneled to bogus daycare providers.
In a coordinated takedown early Thursday morning, more than 250 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested all 12 defendants and executed 12 search warrants at homes in San Diego purported to be used as daycare facilities. The defendants are naturalized U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents originally from Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
“These charges underscore a simple truth: anyone who steals from programs meant to support children will face swift and uncompromising accountability,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Fraud against these programs is an attack on vulnerable families, and law enforcement will continue to dismantle schemes that exploit them. I want to thank the prosecutors and agents in the Southern District of California whose relentless work exposed this scheme and ensured that those responsible are being held accountable.”
“Today is a bad day for home daycare fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “These are the first charges alleging this type of fraud since the formation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. These fraudsters may have criminally gamed the system before. But today, the game is over.”
“Programs that help families access childcare are intended to support children and working parents, not to enrich fraudsters,” said Assistant Director Michael Krol of Homeland Security Investigations. “HSI is proud to stand with our federal, state, and local partners to identify and disrupt schemes that steal taxpayer-funded benefits from the communities they are meant to serve. These arrests reflect our commitment to protecting public programs, safeguarding children, and holding accountable those who exploit systems designed to help vulnerable families.”
“Today’s takedown exposes a sprawling fraud scheme that siphoned more than $10 million from programs designed to help low-income families who depend on subsidized childcare,” said Chief Jarod Koopman of IRS Criminal Investigations. “By following the money, IRS Criminal Investigation uncovered patterns of deceit that revealed twelve ghost daycare operations billing for children who were never present. This was not a victimless crime. It deprived working parents of critical support and eroded trust in programs meant to protect the most vulnerable in our communities. We remain steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding federal funds and ensuring that those who exploit public programs for personal gain are held fully accountable.”
“Shameless attempts to steal taxpayer‑funded childcare funds for personal gain endanger support for some of our nation’s most vulnerable children,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working alongside our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to pursue these schemes relentlessly to protect these funds and the families who depend on them.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides federal funding to California to help low-income families pay for childcare. In San Diego County, the County of San Diego, Child Development Associates (CDA), and the YMCA administer childcare subsidy programs.
When CDA or the YMCA determines that a family qualifies for subsidized childcare, the organizations pay the eligible childcare provider directly after the provider submits required monthly attendance records documenting the care provided. The records must be signed by both the provider and parent under penalty of perjury and include the dates and times children are in care.
California law also requires licensed childcare providers to be present and ensure that children are supervised at all times, except for limited temporary absences when a qualified substitute is present.
While the 12 federal complaints are unrelated, the scheme was essentially the same: Defendants obtained a California license to operate a home childcare facility and registered with Child Development Associates (CDA) and the YMCA to provide subsidized childcare to eligible families. To receive government-funded payments, the defendants were required to submit monthly attendance records accurately documenting the dates and times they provided care to each child.
Instead, the defendants knowingly submitted false attendance records claiming they provided childcare on dates and at times when they did not. They also falsely certified, under penalty of perjury, that the information was true and correct. CDA and the YMCA relied on those fraudulent records and issued payments with federal funds intended to pay for childcare actually provided to low-income families.
Locations of Executed Search Warrants in Daycare Fraud InvestigationThe complaints describe how surveillance recordings of the defendants’ licensed facilities conflicted with what the defendants claimed in their attendance records. For example, Abdulrahman Ayman Alawad submitted attendance records claiming to have provided childcare to 23 children in March 2026 and 25 children April 2026, and that he provided childcare every day of those two months. But surveillance recordings covering 57 days of those months showed children entering or exiting Mr. Alawad’s facility on just one day — coincidentally, the day a state inspector showed up for an unannounced inspection, when children and Mr. Alawad himself arrived at the facility after the inspector arrived.
Additionally, Mr. Alawad and several other defendants submitted attendance records claiming to have provided childcare at their homes when border crossing records shows they were not even in the United States. For example, according to a complaint charging Turkiya Mamdouh Alawad, border crossing records show that she departed the United States on or about on Jan. 1, 2024, and returned to the United States around Jan. 30, 2024. Despite not being in the United States, Alawad submitted attendance records to CDA and YMCA for the month of January 2024 and afterwards received eight direct deposits from CDA and YMCA that totaled $14,970.00 in February 2024.
This daycare scam is lucrative, the complaints indicate. Each defendant brought in between $538,000 and $1.2 million during various time periods that range from months to years. According to the complaints, Mr. Alawad received over $300,000 in payments from San Diego County, CDA, and YMCA in 2025 alone, and several defendants have each received over $1 million in payments in the course of their respective schemes.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric R. Olah for the Southern District of California, with prior assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Oleksandra Johnson for the Southern District of California, Trial Attorney Sarah Fix (Antitrust Division), and Senior Counsel Siddarth Dadhich (National Fraud Enforcement Division).
DEFENDANTS
1. Fosiya Mohamoud; (Country of Origin: Somalia) 26-mj-05074; Age: 50; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
2. Abdulrahman Alawad; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05174; Age: 25; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
3. Zetun Abdi; (Country of Origin: Somalia); 26-mj-05184; Age: 43; City of Residence: San Diego, CA
4. Ikramullah Mohmmand (Country of Origin: Afghanistan); 26-mj-05185; Age: 25; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
5. Khetam Haouash; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05187; Age: 37; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
6. Khatera Hashimi; (Country of Origin: Afghanistan); 26-mj-05188; Age: 39; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
7. Mariam Khamis; (Country of Origin: Sudan); 26-mj-05189; Age: 42; City of Residence: San Diego, CA
8. Mohamad Alawad; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05190; Age: 29; City of Residence: San Diego, CA
9. Mazin Alawad; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05191; Age: 22; City of Residence: San Diego, CA
10. Turkiya Alawad; (Country of Origin: Syria); 26-mj-05194; Age: 63; City of Residence: San Diego, CA
11. Zaryab Daudzai; (Country of Origin: Afghanistan); 26-mj-05195; Age: 25; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
12. Cezar Yaqoob; (Country of Origin: Iraq); 26-mj-05215; Age: 36; City of Residence: El Cajon, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
*Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
*While defendants are charged with wire fraud, not all are charged with money laundering.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
IRS-Criminal Investigation
Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Woman Sentenced in Cross-Border Identity Theft and Immigration Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Kassandra Sanchez was sentenced in federal court today to 12 and a half months in prison for aiding and abetting her boyfriend in stealing the identity of her brother to commit a variety of federal crimes in the United States. This included smuggling an alien through the San Ysidro Port of Entry and fraudulently obtaining public benefits such as Medi-Cal and CalFresh.
U.S. District Judge Barry T. Moskowitz ordered Sanchez to pay $8,690.69 in restitution to J.D.S., Medi-Cal, and the California Department of Social Services.
According to the indictment, Luis Enrique Villegas Brownell, a Mexican citizen without legal status in the United States, and Sanchez, a U.S. citizen, conspired to steal identification documents belonging to Sanchez’s brother, identified in court records as J.D.S. Villegas then used those documents to falsely pose as a U.S. citizen and apply for entry into the United States.
Once in the United States, Villegas and Sanchez went to the California DMV and provided false information under penalty of perjury to obtain a state ID card in the name of J.D.S. but bearing Villegas’s photo and thumbprint. He and Sanchez then used the fraudulent ID to impersonate J.D.S. and cross the border unlawfully for more than a year. They crossed together into the United States from Mexico more than 50 times in a 17-month period, often with Sanchez driving to the port of entry and presenting the fraudulent ID to border officers. Port-of-entry video shows Sanchez lying to officers about Villegas’s birthplace and concealing his true identity.
According to the United States’ sentencing memorandum, during a border crossing on May 21, 2025, Sanchez falsely the told a border officer that her front seat passenger, Villegas, does not really talk and offered to show the officer his U.S. birth certificate to prove he was born in the United States. Moments later, Sanchez handed her cell phone to the officer displaying an image of J.D.S.’s birth certificate.
Still shot from the port-of-entry video on May 21, 2025 of Sanchez showing an image of J.D.S.’s U.S. birth certificate on her cell phone to the border officer
Sanchez committed the offense while on supervised release for a prior federal conviction in the Southern District of California relating to an arrest for smuggling methamphetamine into the United States. According to the United States’ sentencing memorandum, the port-of-entry video from the May 21, 2025 crossing captured Sanchez admitting to the border officer that she knew she had been on probation for more than a year. She described her mindset regarding her probation as “chill.”
According to court documents, the real J.D.S. applied for entry to the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in April 2025 but was unable to cross due to the theft of his identity. During that encounter, J.D.S. reported to border officers that his sister, Sanchez, asked for his identity documents to smuggle her Mexican boyfriend into the United States. When he declined, she took them without his consent. According to court records, J.D.S. has lost work and money as a result of the offense and now has a felony alien smuggling arrest committed by Villegas associated with his name.
“The defendants thought a stolen identity was a ticket to a new life. Turns out it was a ticket to prison,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Identity theft and benefits fraud are serious crimes that undermine public trust and victimize innocent people, including U.S. citizens whose documents are misused,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Diego. “This case demonstrates our commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who abuse identity documents and benefits systems for personal gain.”
Villegas pleaded guilty to charges of false personation, false claim to U.S. citizenship, and aggravated identity theft in 25-cr-3286-BTM-1. Villegas is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Barry T. Moskowitz for sentencing on October 1, 2026.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 25-cr-3286-BTM-2
Kassandra Sanchez Age: 24 San Diego, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGE
False Personation in Immigration Matter – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1546(a) and 2
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Man Living Illegally in the U.S. Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Roberto Galeana-Guatemala, a Mexican national who was previously deported and living illegally in the U.S., was sentenced in federal court Friday to 33 months in prison for driving his vehicle into federal law enforcement officers and seriously injuring one officer while they attempted to arrest him.
The defendant pleaded guilty on June 18, 2026, to Assaulting a Federal Officer and Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to his plea agreement, Galeana-Guatemala admitted that he used his automobile to seriously injure a Task Force Officer when they attempted to arrest him for being found in the United States after previously being deported on February 6, 2024.
According to the court records, at about 4:25 a.m. on November 12, 2025, federal agents from the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) attempted to execute a court-authorized federal arrest warrant for Galeana-Guatemala outside an apartment complex in National City. Agents had positioned their vehicles in front of Galeana-Guatemala’s vehicle and identified themselves as police before Galeana-Guatemala attempted to flee in his car.
Law enforcement agents, wearing patches and insignia identifying themselves as law enforcement, pursued his car on foot while verbally shouting “Stop!” and “Police” at Galeana-Guatemala. Galeana-Guatemala attempted to maneuver his vehicle around the law enforcement vehicles but stopped approximately one foot away from the front bumper of one of the blocking vehicles.
According to the complaint, agents approached the driver side window and shouted, “Police, don't move!” multiple times. Galeana-Guatemala momentarily paused before accelerating towards them, forcing them to scatter to avoid being hit. Galeana-Guatemala steered his vehicle directly toward three agents, hitting one who was thrown onto the street and underneath adjacent parked vehicles. The agent was hospitalized with serious bodily injuries, including a fracture to his sternum.
After Galeana-Guatemala struck the agent, he continued to flee, hitting another law enforcement vehicle in the process. When the defendant was found by law enforcement later in the day, he attempted to run away on foot but was apprehended.
“Our law enforcement agents and officers have our backs every day,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We will hold accountable through federal prosecution anyone who puts them in harm’s way.”
“Law enforcement works every day to protect our communities and uphold the laws of our country. Violence and targeted attacks against those who serve will not be tolerated. We will continue to investigate and pursue justice against all criminal organizations and individuals who assault or attempt to harm to any law enforcement official.” said Kevin Murphy, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations. “The sentencing of Roberto Galeana-Guatemala to 33 months of federal custody sends a clear message that attacks against law enforcement are unacceptable and have significant consequences.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Van Demark and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lauricella.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr4733-CAB
Roberto Carlos Galeana-Guatemala Age: 21 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Assault on a Federal Officer – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 111 (a)(1) and (b)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Deported Alien Found in the United States – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1326
Maximum penalty: Two years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations
Man Extradited from Peru Pleads Guilty to Laundering More than $72 Million in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Frank Mahonri Cruz-Marentes, a Mexican national who was extradited to the United States from Peru in November 2025, pleaded guilty this morning to laundering more than $72 million in drug proceeds between January 2019 and April 2021.
According to court records, Cruz-Marentes secured contracts with drug trafficking organizations in Mexico to pick up drug proceeds in cities throughout the United States, including Baltimore, Detroit, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Chicago, New York, and numerous others.
Once he received a contract, Cruz-Marentes communicated with an Imperial Valley-based network of couriers and bank account holders using burner phones and code phrases to coordinate bulk cash deposits into fictitious funnel business bank accounts.
The couriers travelled from San Diego to cities throughout the country to receive the bulk cash after using photographs and codes to verify the meeting details. The bulk cash was typically concealed in trash bags, duffel bags, or shoe boxes. After the illicit cash proceeds were deposited into the fictitious funnel bank accounts, the monies were wired to personal bank accounts in Mexico where the money was then dispersed to the drug trafficking organizations.
Cruz-Marentes is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel on December 18, 2026.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Blanca Quintero and Keith D. Ellison.
DEFENDANT Case Number 20cr2682-GPC
Frank Mahonri Cruz-Marentes Age: 37 Sinaloa, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGE
Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration, Narcotics Task Force
Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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).
Former U.S. Navy Sailors Plead Guilty to Selling Fentanyl-Laden Pills to Servicemembers Assigned to the USS Abraham LincolnRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Former sailors Bailey A. Szramowski and Johnnese H. Poomaihealani pleaded guilty in federal court this morning to selling counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to active-duty U.S. Navy servicemembers stationed in San Diego, including during deployments.
According to court records, Szramowski provided an active-duty U.S. Navy servicemember assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln with 10 purported oxycodone pills in December 2022. The victim, identified in court records by his initials, A.N., overdosed and died of acute fentanyl intoxication in January 2023.
Despite knowing of A.N.’s death, Szramowski sold three more purported oxycodone pills to another sailor, identified as C.L., just 10 days later. After that sailor was taken to the hospital for a suspected overdose from which he recovered, Szramowski and Poomaihealani called C.L. and instructed C.L. to tell law enforcement he received the pills from A.N. and not Szramowski.
Szramowski and Poomaihealani are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro on December 11, 2026.
Special agents and task force officers with HSI San Diego’s Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST) led this investigation. HSI San Diego’s FAST is a multiagency task force comprising state, local, and federal partners and was first established in August 2022 focusing on the disruption and dismantlement of criminal organizations that smuggle and distribute fentanyl within San Diego County. HSI’s FAST targets fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks to counter the rising overdose rate and decrease the availability and accessibility of fentanyl.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith D. Ellison. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samson Schatz contributed significantly to the case.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 20cr2682-GPC
Bailey A. Szramowski Age: 29 Hawaii
Johnnese H. Poomaihealani Age: 25 Hawaii
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum penalties:
- Szramowski: A minimum of five years in prison up to 40 years, and $5,000,000 fine
- Poomaihealani: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
California Department of Justice
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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).
California Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Distributing Sadistic Child Sexual Abuse Material over the Dark WebRead the Press Release
James David Johnson, 58, of Santee, California, was sentenced today to 151 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for distributing images and videos over the dark web that depicted the sexual abuse of children.
Johnson pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography on Oct. 14, 2025. According to court documents, Johnson was a member of at least five dark web communities dedicated to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and the sexual exploitation of children. He distributed large volumes of CSAM on these websites and provided other users with advice on how to evade law enforcement. On one of these websites, which was in part dedicated to content depicting children being subject to pain and suffering, he rose through the ranks to become a high-ranking staff member. FBI agents executed search warrants at Johnson’s home and place of work and seized computer devices containing more than 260,000 images and videos of apparent child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as autopsy and crime-scene photos depicting deceased children.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California; Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office; and Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s San Diego Field Office and Child Exploitation Operational Section investigated the case.
Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Griffith for the Southern District of California prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Role in the Murders of a Couple and their Unborn Child During a Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta, a Mexican national in the country illegally who was living in Yakima, Washington, was sentenced in federal court today to 40 years in prison for his role in the murders of a man, his six-month pregnant wife and their unborn child during a drug-related dispute.
According to his plea agreement, Madrigal and co-conspirators fatally shot 44-year-old Cesar Murillo multiple times in the back of the head and torso on August 28, 2022, during an argument. The shooting took place at a remote ranch outside of Yakima, Washington. Madrigal’s co-conspirators then buried the victim’s body in a six-foot-deep grave under a gravel road near the ranch at Madrigal’s direction.
On September 2, 2022, Madrigal coaxed Murillo’s wife, Maira Sofia Hernandez, 33, to come to the ranch by claiming her husband was waiting for her there and wanted to see her. Hernandez did not know that only a few days earlier, Madrigal and his co-conspirators had shot, killed and buried her husband at the same ranch. Madrigal picked Hernandez up in Yakima and drove her 45 minutes into the mountains to the ranch.
When the visibly pregnant Hernandez arrived at the ranch, the defendant parked and they got out of his car. Soon thereafter, Madrigal’s co-conspirators shot her multiple times in the head and body. U.S. District Court Judge Dana M. Sabraw described Hernandez’s drive to the ranch as “a one-way ticket for her.” Madrigal’s co-conspirators then buried Hernandez in a separate deep grave under a gravel road near the ranch, again at Madrigal’s direction. The child died in utero when Hernandez was shot, killed and buried.
Madrigal also admitted in his plea agreement that the murders were committed while he was engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Court testimony revealed that Murillo and Hernandez had worked with Madrigal in the drug trafficking organization but had just informed Madrigal that they planned to cooperate with law enforcement.
During the sentencing, the judge repeatedly described the murders as “horrific.” “So horrific that they demand a significant sentence.” Although the Court agreed that Madrigal had a “horrible childhood” and needed money to assist his sisters with migrating from Mexico to the United States, “the answer is not to do this.” Madrigal’s motivation to murder these victims was “wrong on every possible level.”
Madrigal had months to think about his actions, the Court stated, and yet he remained in the drug trafficking business. The Court added that Madrigal and his co-conspirators “executed” Murillo, Hernandez and the fetus, so he could “stay in control” and continue to run his drug business. And Madrigal clearly profited from his involvement in drug dealing, driving fancy cars, using drugs, and overseeing a ranch in Yakima with a virtual arsenal of weapons. The Court noted that the murders were particularly troubling because Madrigal was involved in killing cooperating witnesses. The Court concluded by noting, “It is very clear, the enormity of the stress and damage you have caused to the victims’ families.”
“While here illegally, Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta chose a life of violence and greed,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “The victims’ families deserved this strong measure of justice.”
“Today’s 40-year sentence holds Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta accountable for the brutal murders of Cesar Murillo, Maira Hernandez, and their unborn child,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Diego. “This case reflects the extraordinary persistence of HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners to combat violent drug cartels, provide justice for victims and their families, and protect our communities.”
According to court filings, the investigation originated with the seizure of drugs from vehicles using San Diego area ports of entry between August and October of 2021. The organization built sophisticated compartments in high-end stolen vehicles to smuggle drugs through the ports of entry into the United States. Madrigal-Birrueta was a leader in the criminal enterprise. He coordinated the movements of the drug mules importing the drugs and worked to get the drugs up to Yakima for dispersal to other parts of the United States. Madrigal-Birrueta also coordinated the movement of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash back to the drug trafficking organization in Mexico.
By August of 2022, the investigation led agents from San Diego up to Yakima. HSI Agents interviewed Murillo and Hernandez in August 2022. Within days of those interviews, Murillo and Hernandez were murdered and their bodies were buried in deep graves in the high desert. Court filings describe how these charges follow an exhaustive, year-long investigation that employed geophysicists, ground penetrating radar, aircraft, laser imaging, chemical testing of the soil, numerous cadaver dogs, and other law enforcement techniques to search for the victims’ remains. HSI Special Agents successfully recovered the remains on September 13, 2023, aided by a Washington State Police Crime Scene Investigations team.
During the investigation agents seized methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and multiple firearms — including a machine gun — from Madrigal’s drug trafficking organization.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23cr1684-DMS
Benjamin Madrigal-Birrueta Age: 25 Yakima, WA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 4: Murder of Cesar Armando Murillo in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy – Title 21, United States Code, Section 848(e)
Mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life, or death
Count 5: Murder of Maira Sophia Hernandez in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy – Title 21, United States Code, Section 848(e)
Mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life, or death
Count 9: Causing the Death of a Child in Utero – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1841 and 1111
Mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life, or death
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Washington State Police
California Highway Patrol
Yakima Police Department
Tulare County Sheriff’s Office
Visalia Police Department
Fresno Sheriff’s Office
Fresno Police Department
Former Director of Nasdaq Company Convicted of Securities FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Donald Danks of Irvine was convicted by a federal jury today of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, and perjury in connection with a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud investors in a Nasdaq-listed company and his subsequent efforts to obstruct the investigation into his conduct.
After a two-week retrial, the jury found that Danks engaged in a six-year securities fraud scheme involving the stock of Loop Industries, Inc. Danks used his position as a company insider to obtain nonpublic information and influence investors while secretly selling Loop shares for his own benefit.
According to evidence presented at trial, Danks helped form Loop and served on its board of directors and audit committee, giving him access to a steady stream of inside information that continued even after he left the board. During the conspiracy, Danks solicited investors to purchase more than $100 million in Loop stock, including through the selective disclosure of inside information. He also directed investors to purchase shares at specific times, prices, and volumes in an effort to influence the stock price.
Danks carried out the scheme through Ventanas Capital LLC, a shell company he created with a former associate. He created fictitious employees and used the company to conceal his and his associate’s roles in the transactions. Danks transferred hundreds of thousands of Loop shares to Ventanas and gradually sold them to finance his and his associate’s lifestyle. He also used Ventanas to conduct stock transactions that concealed his identity as a seller.
Although Danks was required to disclose his control and trading of Loop stock, he failed to disclose that he was selling shares through Ventanas. At the same time, he repeatedly promoted Loop as a strong investment and represented that he was purchasing shares, while secretly selling shares himself and through Ventanas. In total, Danks profited more than $4 million from the scheme.
After the SEC and FBI began investigating, Danks and his associate took additional steps to conceal the fraud. Among other things, they fabricated and backdated promissory notes to create the appearance of legitimate loans. Evidence presented at trial showed that documents purportedly created over a period of years were actually prepared at the same time. Danks subsequently testified about those documents during his first trial without disclosing that they had been created after the investigation began.
Danks also tampered with his associate, encouraging her to repeat his false account of who controlled their shell company. His first trial ended in a mistrial.
Danks is scheduled to be sentenced on December 4, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Cynthia A. Bashant.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janaki G. Chopra and Nicholas W. Pilchak.
DEFENDANT Case Number 22-CR-2701-BAS
Donald Danks Age: 69 Irvine, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371
Maximum Penalties: Five years in prison; $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss
Witness Tampering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(1)
Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; $250,000 fine
Obstruction of Justice, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1503
Maximum Penalties: Ten years in prison; $250,000 fine
Perjury, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1623(a)
Maximum Penalties: Five years in prison; $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Kidnapping his Estranged WifeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Chad Oso of La Mesa was sentenced in federal court today to 121 months in prison for kidnapping his estranged wife and violently tearing her away from their two young children, who were left home alone as he forced their mother into his vehicle and drove away.
Oso was convicted of kidnapping by a federal jury in March. According to evidence presented at the trial, Oso showed up at the victim’s La Mesa home on September 17, 2024, unannounced and uninvited. Oso made demands of the victim, but she rejected them. Oso became increasingly aggressive, escalating the confrontation to the point where the victim left the apartment in an attempt to alert a nearby neighbor.
Oso chased after her, beat her, dragged her down the stairs to the garage of the apartment complex and forced her into the hatchback area of his Toyota RAV4. He then drove the victim away from her home against her will, away from her children who were left alone with the door to their home wide open.
Oso then drove around La Mesa, refusing to let the victim go while she desperately tried to escape. The victim banged on the back window of the hatchback area of the RAV4 and screamed for help so loudly and desperately that members of the community saw her, were alarmed and called 911.
Police responded to the victim’s apartment complex, called Oso and told him to bring the victim home. But Oso did not bring the victim home. Instead, he drove the victim, against her will into Mexico, to leave her in the “desert.”
Once in Mexico, the victim stuck her hand out of the car window and pleaded for help from Mexican Customs Officials, who then directed the car back to the United States Border. There Customs and Border Protection officers rescued the victim and arrested Oso.
The victim suffered injuries to her face, head, chin, arms, hands, and legs as a result of Oso beating her, dragging her and forcing her into his car.
“Violently ripping a mother away from her young children is an unconscionable act of violence and cruelty,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We will always stand with victims and fight for justice on their behalf.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores the extreme violence the defendant was willing to inflict and the grave danger his actions posed to the victim,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “We commend the citizens who reported what they witnessed and thank our partners at the La Mesa Police Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Their quick actions directly contributed to the victim’s safe recovery and return to her children. The FBI remains committed to pursuing justice for victims of violent crime and working with all of our law enforcement partners to continue reducing violent crime in our community.”
“This case is a stark reminder of how quickly domestic violence can escalate into life-threatening violence,” said La Mesa Police Chief Ray Sweeney. “We are grateful to the members of the La Mesa community who recognized the danger and immediately called 911. Their actions, together with the response of law enforcement and the outstanding work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, helped bring this terrifying ordeal to an end and hold the defendant accountable.”
“CBP officers acted quickly and decisively to protect the victim and take the defendant into custody,” said Sidney Aki, Director of Field Operations for CBP’s San Diego Field Office. “I am proud of their swift response and grateful for the coordination among our federal, local, and international law enforcement partners, whose collective efforts helped bring this dangerous situation to an end.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Sherwood and Evangeline Dech.
Anyone who needs assistance can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Free and confidential help is available 24/7 at 800-799-SAFE (7233)or text START to 88788
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr2134-RBM
Chad Oso Age: 55 La Mesa, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Kidnapping (18 U.S.C. §1201)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and a $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
La Mesa Police Department
United States Border and Customs Protection
Former Navy Civilian Employee Sentenced to 72 Months for Bribery and Tax Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – James Soriano, a former public official at the Naval Information Warfare Center in San Diego, was sentenced in federal court today to 72 months in prison for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes.
According to his plea agreement, Soriano admitted he accepted bribes from defense contractors in the form of lavish meals, employment opportunities for family members and friends, and tickets to premier sporting events. In exchange, he used his position to help the contractors secure and maintain hundreds of millions of dollars in government contracts.
Soriano also admitted to filing false tax returns in connection with the bribes he received.
U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson ordered Soriano to forfeit $209,527.51 and pay $18,722.40 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to Soriano’s plea agreement, the defense contractors – acting through their presidents, officers, and employees – gave various things of value to Soriano, including dinners at Ruth’s Chris, Island Prime, and Fogo de Chão; tickets to the 2018 MLB All-Star Game, 2018 World Series, and 2019 Superbowl; and jobs for Soriano’s family and friends, including Soriano’s wife and Soriano’s family friend, Liberty Gutierrez, who gave Soriano $2,000 a month in cash from her salary at one of the companies working under a defense contract.
In return, Soriano took official action to aid his benefactors, such as allowing defense contractors to draft government documents in competitive and non-competitive procurements, submitting those documents as part of the procurement process, and advocating for their selection as defense contractors. Soriano also willfully failed to disclose the cash payments he received from Gutierrez on his federal tax returns.
According to Soriano’s plea agreement, from approximately March 2016 through at least October 2019, Soriano and a coworker, Dawnell Parker, received bribes from Philip Flores, the president and CEO of Intellipeak Solutions, Inc., a defense contractor headquartered in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Soriano also admitted that from approximately May 2015 through at least October 2019, he separately received bribes from another defense contractor, with offices in San Diego and Stafford, Virginia, who gave him things of value, such as expensive dinners, a job for his wife, and rounds of golf at a private country club.
Further, according to Soriano’s plea agreement, from approximately June 2014 through at least October 2019, Soriano received bribes from Russell Thurston, the Vice President of Cambridge International Systems, Inc., a defense contractor headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. In return for these bribes, Soriano used various methods to steer contracts to these defense contractors and kept his contracting activities hidden from the Naval Information Warfare Center.
“Corruption in federal procurement undermines fair competition and cheats law-abiding businesses,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This is a strong sentence that proves corrupt officials will be held accountable.”
“The sentencing of Mr. Soriano should serve as a deterrent to anyone seeking to enrich themselves through fraudulent contracting practices,” said John E. Helsing, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Department of War Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “This type of criminal behavior undermines the Department or War’s procurement system and erodes public trust. DCIS will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute public corruption affecting America’s Warfighters.”
“Mr. Soriano abused his position of trust to benefit favored contractors and undermine the integrity of the procurement process,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Merkal of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “This sentencing reinforces our unwavering commitment to holding public officials accountable when they betray the public trust for personal gain.”
“This case shows how greed and corruption drive people to exploit public systems for personal gain,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge with IRS Criminal Investigation’s Los Angeles Field Office. “IRS‑CI’s financial expertise allows us to cut through even the most complex schemes, follow the money, and hold those who betray the public trust accountable.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.
DEFENDANT Case Numbers 23-cr-2282-TWR-1 and 24-cr-341-TWR-1
James Soriano Age: 65 Las Vegas, NV
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Bribery - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalties (per count): Five years in prison; $250,000 fine
False Statements in Tax Returns – Title 26, U.S.C., Section 7206(1)
Maximum penalties: Three years in prison; $100,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General
If you have information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse relating to Department of Defense personnel or operations, please contact the DoD Hotline at 800-424-9098.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Seventeen Charged in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation of Fentanyl Trafficking Network in San DiegoRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Two complaints were unsealed in federal court this week charging 17 alleged members of a San Diego-based fentanyl trafficking organization with distributing large quantities of fentanyl throughout San Diego.
In a coordinated takedown Thursday, more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested 13 defendants and executed a search warrant in San Diego; two defendants were arrested earlier in the week; and two are fugitives.
Including seizures this week and throughout this 10-month Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation, authorities have seized more than 27 kilograms of fentanyl; preventing more than 13 million potentially lethal doses from being distributed in San Diego. Additionally, agents seized more than 14.5 kilograms of cocaine, .6 kilograms of heroin, .8 kilograms of methamphetamine, and $49,000 in cash.
“Fentanyl is still out there—but so are we, and we’re coming for those who traffic it,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Through the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), HSI San Diego and our federal, state, and local partners are bringing the full weight of a unified law enforcement effort against the criminal organizations pushing deadly fentanyl into our neighborhoods,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Diego. “This investigation reflects the strength of that partnership, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and illicit proceeds. Together, we will continue working to disrupt and dismantle the networks that threaten public safety across our community.”
“As the Sheriff, I stand committed to working with local, state, and federal law enforcement to keep our communities safe,” said San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez. “This investigation exemplifies the resources and level of law enforcement cooperation necessary to bring those responsible for distributing deadly narcotics to justice. These cases are time- and labor-intensive. The dedication of local, state, and federal law enforcement, analysts, and prosecutors is what makes it happen. I am extremely proud of everyone involved in this investigation and particularly the members of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office.”
According to court documents, in November 2025, HSI San Diego and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, as part of the Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST), initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) supplying fentanyl to multiple street-level dealers throughout San Diego, California. On November 25, 2025, agents seized 4.8 kilograms of fentanyl, 0.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, $10,042, and arrested Fabian Iniguez Ontiveros. A subsequent search of Iniguez’s cell phone revealed dozens of different fentanyl sub-distributors working for this DTO.
Through multiple investigative methods agents identified the leader of this DTO responsible for coordinating the smuggling and distribution of the fentanyl. Investigators also seized drug ledgers showing the organization routinely sells an ounce of fentanyl for $600 to $700, including making up to $20,000 in one night of deliveries. AfterIniguez was arrested, agents identified the new principal fentanyl distributor in the United States as Maricielo Ibarra Barrera.
From April to May 2026, investigators infiltrated the organization, conducting multiple fentanyl purchases coordinated by the organization and delivered by Ibarra. Investigators utilized months of surveillance operations to observe hundreds of instances where Ibarra drove from her residence to various locations around San Diego making multiple short stops consistent with drug distribution.
Beginning in June 2026 and continuing through August 2026, investigators obtained federal wiretaps targeting cellular telephones used by DTO. During these periods of interceptions, investigators intercepted dozens of calls and text messages between members of the organization located in the United States and Mexico. These wiretaps led directly to multiple seizures of fentanyl.
Evidence gathered indicated that Ibarra received as much as $50,000 per week for trafficking fentanyl on behalf of the DTO. On August 17, 2026, agents arrested Ibarra and executed a search warrant at Ibarra’s residence, where investigators discovered approximately 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 0.6 kilograms of heroin and $15,568.
On September 1, 2026, agents arrested two more members of the organization, Richard Alexander Arias Cruz and Juan Manuel Godinez and seized 14.52 kgs (32.01 lbs.) of cocaine and 20.28 kgs (44.71 lbs.) of fentanyl.
Special agents and task force officers with HSI San Diego’s Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST) led this investigation.
HSI San Diego’s FAST is a multiagency task force comprising state, local, and federal partners and was first established in August 2022 focusing on the disruption and dismantlement of criminal organizations that smuggle and distribute fentanyl within San Diego County. HSI’s FAST targets fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks to counter the rising overdose rate and decrease the availability and accessibility of fentanyl.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26mj5181
*Redacted
Travis Faircloth Age: 42 Lemon Grove, CA
Diego La Madrid Age: 68 San Diego, CA
Leonardo Monteleone Age: 50 San Diego, CA
Andrew Reva Age: 51 Encinitas, CA
Garret Hutter Age: 56 Spring Valley, CA
Renee Trujillo Age: 55 San Diego, CA
Robert Clark Age: 61 San Diego, CA
Joseph Egan Age: 51 San Diego, CA
Nicole Lines Age: 37 Spring Valley, CA
Jeremy Jarrell Age: 39 Lakeside, CA
Erika Price Age: 39 Lakeside, CA
Stan Szumilas Age: 43 El Cajon , CA
Christopher Curll Age: 54 San Diego, CA
*Redacted
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl - Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846 (Felony)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26mj5173
Richard Alexander Arias Cruz Age: 26 El Cajon, CA
Juan Manuel Godinez Age: 22 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine - Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846 (Felony)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
San Diego Police Department
California Department of Justice
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Drug Enforcement Administration
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
U.S. Marshals Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
California National Guard - Counterdrug Task Force
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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).
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Panga Boat Pilot Sentenced in Human Smuggling Event that Killed FiveRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – David Alfonso Barrera Nunes, pilot of a smuggling boat that capsized off Imperial Beach in rough surf last year, resulting in the deaths of five undocumented immigrants, was sentenced in federal court today to 57 months in prison.
On November 14, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents were notified of a small vessel crossing north from Mexico, heading towards Imperial Beach. Attempts to intercept the vessel were unsuccessful because dense fog significantly limited visibility. About an hour later, agents saw a small boat in the water, with several people emerging from the area. The boat soon capsized.
Shortly after people were seen emerging from the water near the boat, an agent saw an adult male run inland from the beach and climb over a jagged rock separating the beach from houses nearby. That person, later identified as Barrera, entered an enclosed backyard area. Barrera never attempted to rescue his passengers.
Law enforcement scoured the area for survivors and decedents. Ultimately, they found four bodies in the surf. A fifth decedent washed up in the surf several days later and was identified as a co-pilot of the vessel.
According to court documents, the defendant had agreed to pilot the boat in exchange for a reduced smuggling rate for himself.
“This case is a reminder that there is no harmless way to participate in human smuggling: If you choose to play a role, you will be held accountable for your actions,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Transnational criminal organizations routinely place profit over human life, and this tragic case shows the devastating consequences of that callous disregard,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “As part of the Homeland Security Task Force, HSI’s Marine Task force and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who exploit vulnerable people, endanger our coastal communities, and contribute to deadly smuggling ventures.”
“The loss of life in this incident is a tragic and entirely avoidable consequence of human smuggling,” said Acting Chief Border Patrol agent RJay Rippel. “Smugglers prioritize profit over life, often placing people in dangerous life-threatening conditions with no regard for their safety. This sentencing serves as a clear message that those who facilitate illegal border crossings and endanger lives will be held accountable for their actions. Our agents remain committed to disrupting these criminal networks and preventing such senseless tragedies.”
According to his April 2026 plea agreement, Barrera admitted that he was the pilot of the panga with nine undocumented aliens on board; that its single outboard motor repeatedly had engine trouble; and that there weren’t enough life jackets. He also admitted that as the vessel approached the United States shoreline near Imperial Beach, the motor failed again, causing the vessel to rotate and capsize in the surf about 200 yards from the coast, throwing everyone into the water.
Bartolo Baltazar Baltazar, Luis Humberto Mazariegos De Leon, Hector Gomez Lopez, and Margarita Espinosa Castellanos drowned while attempting to reach shore safely. A week later, on November 21 , 2025, a body was found on the shoreline near the Naval Base Coronado Silver Strand Training Complex in Imperial Beach, later identified as Jose Angel Vera- Romero. Vera- Romero had similarly been on the boat piloted by the defendant.
Passengers told harrowing stories about their ordeal.
One man, who had been trapped inside the cabin below deck when the boat overturned, found a pocket of air and was able to breathe while the boat was submerged with him and several others inside. He was able to exit the cabin after Border Patrol agents flipped the boat over. He said he didn’t know how to swim and believed that he was going to drown. Somehow, he said, he was able to reach the shore where he was aided by Border Patrol agents.
A complaint quoted several passengers who said the boat experienced engine problems, leading to an argument between the captain and passengers who urged him to return to Mexico. The captain refused and attempted to reach shore despite having no engine power, causing the vessel to rotate in the waves and capsize.
One passenger told agents he was reluctantly accompanying his granddaughter on the voyage. He said that before the vessel capsized, the captain ordered everyone to jump into the water. The vessel then capsized; the grandfather and granddaughter were trapped inside the vessel. As it rolled, the grandfather was able to pull his granddaughter out, but he remained trapped. He said a piece of metal penetrated his leg, causing a severe injury. He believed he was going to die, he said, but when the vessel came to a stop, he was pulled out and rescued.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco Nagel and Sean Van Demark.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr4550-TWR
David Alfonso Barrera Nunes Age: 38 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bringing in Aliens Resulting in Death – Title 8, U.S.C., Sections 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(II), and (a)(1)(B)(iv)
Maximum penalty: Death or Life in Prison and $250,000 fine
Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison with a three-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations
United States Coast Guard
Imperial Beach Fire-Rescue Department
Imperial Beach Marine Safety - Lifeguards
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA is the Justice Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
Husband and Wife Sentenced in International Property Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan and his wife, Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez, Mexican nationals who entered the U.S. on tourist visas, were sentenced to 27 months and 10 months in custody, respectively, for participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently sell homes they did not own and launder approximately $1 million in proceeds.
According to the June plea agreement, conspirators posed as legitimate property owners and used fraudulent documents to sell real estate they did not own to unsuspecting buyers. They then routed the proceeds from the illegal sales through bank accounts controlled by the defendants.
“It is difficult to imagine a more brazen betrayal of trust than pretending to own someone else’s home and selling it for your own gain,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Real estate fraud and money laundering schemes like this can devastate victims and undermine confidence in legitimate financial transactions,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “HSI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify transnational criminal networks, follow the money, and hold accountable those who exploit our financial systems for personal profit.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message: Those who engage in fraud will be held accountable,” said Darren Lian, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “The defendants employed sophisticated tactics to exploit the trust of innocent real estate buyers and undermine the integrity of our financial system. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to following the money, uncovering the truth, and collaborating with our law enforcement partners to protect victims and ensure justice is served.”
According to the plea agreement, to carry out the scheme, the defendants’ co-conspirators created email addresses that closely resembled those of the legitimate property owners and used them to market properties they did not own to unsuspecting buyers. By conducting transactions entirely through email, they avoided meeting buyers in person and concealed their identities.
Once a sale was arranged, the defendants’ co-conspirators used forged property transfer documents that falsely appeared to bear the property owner’s signature, allowing ownership of the property to be fraudulently transferred to the unwitting buyer. Villalobos and Montoya admitted they opened bank accounts using business names similar to those of the legitimate property owners and used those accounts to receive the illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sales before transferring the money abroad.
Specifically, Villalobos and Montoya admitted they lied to open bank accounts to facilitate the illegal sales of homes at 3873 36th Street and 555 Hollister Street in San Diego. The plea agreement said the defendants received:
- $400,748 of illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sale of 3873 36th Street. In April 2023, Montoya transmitted nearly the entire amount of money to bank accounts in Mexico.
- $561,463 of illicit proceeds from the fraudulent sale of 555 Hollister Street. Upon receipt, Villalobos withdrew all the money by international wire transfers to accounts in Mexico and Jordan, and in cash withdrawals.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Beeler and David Kete.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25-CR-4686-DMS
Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan Age: 48 Mexico
Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez Age: 48 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bank Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2)
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Mexican Man Charged with Smuggling Banned PesticidesRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Juan Velderrain Perez, a citizen of Mexico and resident of San Diego, appeared in federal court today to face charges that he smuggled unapproved pesticides into the United States.
Velderrain Perez was apprehended at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry last month with 24 liters of dangerous Mexican-labeled pesticides concealed in his car. According to a complaint, which charges Velderrain Perez with the felony offense of smuggling merchandise, he failed to declare the chemicals at the border and then asked the Customs and Border Protection officer not to refer him to secondary because he knew he would get in trouble. Later, he admitted this was not the first time he had smuggled pesticides, and that he expected to be paid a smuggling fee when he delivered the product, the complaint said.
The pesticides, labeled “Taktic,” contain the active ingredient amitraz at an emulsifiable concentration of 12.5 percent. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in the United States, amitraz in this form is a cancelled and unregistered pesticide and has been banned since at least 2019. The handling of amitraz poses reproductive, developmental, and neurological risks, as well as potential long-term cancer risks from exposure to the chemical, which led to regulations and restrictions on its commercial use.
Velderrain Perez is due in court on September 15, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. for a preliminary hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie E. Torres.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are members of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Criminal and Civil Divisions, the Energy and Natural Resources Division, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily W. Allen from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
DEFENDANT Case No. 26-mj-5136-DDL
Juan C. Valderrain Perez, Age: 43 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Smuggling Merchandise – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Homeland Security Investigations
Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Attempting to Pay Teenage Girls for SexRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Jose De Jesus Anguiano of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 168 months in prison plus 10 years of supervised release for coercing or attempting to coerce at least four children, ages 13 to 17, to engage in sexual activity in exchange for money, marijuana, or alcohol.
Anguiano pleaded guilty on February 24, 2026, to one count of Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. According to his plea agreement, Anguiano also admitted similar conduct with three other minors, including that from at least April 28, 2022, through August 29, 2024, he repeatedly solicited minors for sex and on at least one occasion raped a 14-year-old girl after agreeing to meet with her to provide her with marijuana.
As a part of his scheme, Anguiano would insert himself into the youth population through social media, offering to be underage girls’ hookup for “weed,” “booze” and money.
Anguiano’s conduct came to the attention of the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force when, on August 29, 2024, he himself brazenly called the police. Anguiano had arranged to meet with a minor for sex in an alley. When Anguiano arrived, the minor’s trafficker held Anguiano up at gun point in an attempted carjacking. Anguiano then dialed 911 for help from the San Diego Police Department. When officers arrived on scene, they quickly put together the facts and called in the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force.
“There’s an irony in a child predator calling the cops on another criminal,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “But more important is the justice this sentence serves. It’s a clear reminder to predators that the law is not your shield or your weapon. The law belongs to the victims.”
“This sentence proves that combating the trafficking and exploitation of children remains an utmost priority for my team and me at the California Department of Justice,” said Attorney Rob General Bonta. “Crimes against children will never be tolerated in California, and I remain dedicated to holding perpetrators of child exploitation accountable. I am grateful for the hard work of my team in the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force that made securing this prison sentence possible.”
In the government’s sentencing memo, prosecutors noted that Anguiano “had become so brazen in his criminal acts that he had no hesitation of harassing children into having sex with him, over several years, attempting to recruit friends or siblings, photographing one victim behind a police car, and calling the police on another victim whose trafficker car-jacked him when he arrived in an alley to pay for sex with the minor.”
The mother of one of the victims submitted a statement to the court explaining that, “Sexual assault does not simply end when the assault is over. The effects can continue long after the physical event has ended. It can affect a survivor’s ability to trust, their sense of safety, their relationships, their emotional well-being, and the way they see themselves and the world around them.”
At the end of her statement, the mother wrote that Anguiano “did not get to take away my daughter’s future. You hurt her. You violated her trust. You changed her. You changed me. You changed our family. You forced us to make decisions we never should have had to make…. But you did not take away her ability to heal…. [She] is still here. She is loved. She is supported. She is healing.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndzie M. Carter and Derek Ko.
If you believe you or someone you know has been a victim of human trafficking, investigators ask that you contact the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr01293-BJC
Jose De Jesus Anguiano
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, 18 U.S.C., Section 2422
Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment with a 10-year mandatory minimum; $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
San Diego Police Department
Chula Vista Police Department
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Homeland Security Investigations
The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force is a cooperative effort involving the California Department of Justice, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, National City Police Department, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Probation Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, Southwest Border High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Special Victims Unit. Formed in April 2025, the SVU is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving sex trafficking and child exploitation, civil rights, and labor trafficking. The SVU oversees the Southern District of California liaisons to the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and Project Safe Childhood
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 71 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 71 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On August 22, Adan Alejandro Cardenas, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 251 pounds of cocaine concealed in the bed of the 2014 GMC Sierra truck he was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On August 24, Christopher Jaymes Boegeman, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Boegeman presented a U.S. passport card belonging to another person on behalf of his passenger as he applied for admission in the vehicle lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The complaint said the passenger was a woman from India who had paid the defendant a smuggling fee.
- On August 26, Nancy Beatriz Ortega Olazagasti, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 153 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in a non-factory compartment under the floor of the driver side and passenger side seats of the 2020 Nissan Rogue she was driving as she applied for entry to the U.S. at the Tecate Port of Entry.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department and FBI Seize Platforms Operated and Used by China State-Sponsored Hackers to Target U.S. Critical InfrastructureRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO — The Justice Department and FBI announced court-authorized domain seizures today to deny malicious cyber actors access to two complementary hacking platforms known as “QScan” and “QTRouter,” used to target U.S. critical infrastructure and other sensitive networks.
As described in court documents unsealed in the Southern District of California, a People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-sponsored group known as “QTFY,” employed by China-based Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company (南京鑫玖维网络科技有限公司), created and operated QScan and QTRouter. Among the victims of QTFY computer intrusion activity are the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Federal Reserve, Department of Energy, Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Senate.
“State-sponsored malicious hackers preying on America’s critical infrastructure will be stopped and prosecuted. We are here to ensure security for the American people and will use every tool we have to keep that promise,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Federal law enforcement investigated and disabled the PRC’s malicious software, the latest in a series of technical operations to dismantle indiscriminate hacking activities sponsored by the People’s Republic of China.”
“Today we announced the disruption of a global botnet and hacking platform used by Chinese state-sponsored hackers to target U.S. critical infrastructure,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These tools were used by PRC cyber actors to hide the origin of their attacks. Thanks to the work of FBI San Diego, FBI Cyber Division, and DOJ partners, we seized adversary infrastructure and shut these platforms down. Today’s action is just the latest technical operation against PRC-sponsored hacking - and in support of President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America, the FBI is surging efforts to shape adversary behavior and defend the homeland in cyberspace.”
“Today’s announcement demonstrates the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to going on the offensive against cyber threats to the national security,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These court-authorized seizures deny PRC-linked hackers access to tools they use to mount online attacks against our Nation’s critical infrastructure.”
“We’re taking the fight to PRC-sponsored cybercriminals to protect the critical services Americans rely on every day,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California.
“The FBI remains relentless in our efforts to counter nation state cyber actors, taking decisive action against those threatening the United States and our critical infrastructure,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Through complex investigations, aggressive technical operations, and strong partnerships, FBI San Diego will continue to identify, disrupt, and impose costs on our cyber adversaries. We are committed to dismantling the tools behind these state-sponsored crimes and protecting the American people from malicious cyber activity.”
According to court documents, QTFY offers computer hacking services to its paying customers, including the PRC’s Ministry of State Security and the People’s Liberation Army. These computer hacking services include QScan and QTRouter, which work in conjunction. QScan scans and automatically infects thousands of “internet-of-things” (IoT) devices worldwide, which are then added to the QTRouter network of QTFY-controlled devices. QTRouter consists of these compromised IoT devices, as well as commercial proxy service devices and leased virtual private servers. QTRouter then serves as an “obfuscation network” – meaning it allows QTFY and other malicious cyber actors to conceal the PRC-origin of their computer intrusion activities because the malicious communications appear to originate from computers (such as those compromised by QScan) that are outside of the PRC and may even be local to the targeted networks. Because the seized domains were hard-coded into both the QScan and QTRouter malware and used for essential tasks such as communication and authentication, the court-authorized seizures made QScan and QTRouter inoperable.
This disruption announced today is among a series of court-authorized technical operations against indiscriminate hacking activities by the PRC. In 2025, the FBI removed PlugX surveillance malware from over 4,000 U.S. computers after they had been infected by the PRC-sponsored hacker group Mustang Panda. In 2024, the FBI disabled a botnet consisting of hundreds of thousands of infected internet-of-things devices, which the PRC-sponsored hacking group Flax Typhoon was providing to customers in the Chinese government. In 2023, the FBI disrupted a different botnet used by the PRC-sponsored hacking group Volt Typhoon to conceal their exploitation of U.S. and foreign critical infrastructure. Also today, the FBI and National Security Agency published a cybersecurity advisory providing indicators-of-compromise by QTFY based on their analysis of QTFY malicious cyber activity dating back to at least 2018. In addition, Lumen Technologies’ threat intelligence group, Black Lotus Labs, published a description of QTFY’s tactics, techniques, and procedures.
The FBI’s San Diego Field Office and Cyber Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, and the National Security Cyber Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division investigated this hacking activity and led this disruption effort.
Note: View the affidavit here.
Justice Department and FBI Seize Platforms Operated and Used by China State-Sponsored Hackers to Target U.S. Critical InfrastructureRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and FBI announced court-authorized domain seizures today to deny malicious cyber actors access to two complementary hacking platforms known as “QScan” and “QTRouter,” used to target U.S. critical infrastructure and other sensitive networks. As described in court documents unsealed in the Southern District of California, a People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-sponsored group known as “QTFY,” employed by China-based Nanjing Xinjiuwei Network Technology Company (南京鑫玖维网络科技有限公司), created and operated QScan and QTRouter. Among the targets of QTFY are the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Federal Reserve, Department of Energy, Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Senate.
“State-sponsored malicious hackers preying on America’s critical infrastructure will be stopped and prosecuted. We are here to ensure security for the American people and will use every tool we have to keep that promise,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Federal law enforcement investigated and disabled the PRC’s malicious software, the latest in a series of technical operations to dismantle indiscriminate hacking activities sponsored by the People’s Republic of China.”
“Today we announced the disruption of a global botnet and hacking platform used by Chinese state-sponsored hackers to target U.S. critical infrastructure,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These tools were used by PRC cyber actors to hide the origin of their attacks. Thanks to the work of FBI San Diego, FBI Cyber Division, and DOJ partners, we seized adversary infrastructure and shut these platforms down. Today’s action is just the latest technical operation against PRC-sponsored hacking - and in support of President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America, the FBI is surging efforts to shape adversary behavior and defend the homeland in cyberspace.”
“Today’s announcement demonstrates the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to going on the offensive against cyber threats to the national security,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These court-authorized seizures deny PRC-linked hackers access to tools they use to mount online attacks against our Nation’s critical infrastructure.”
“We’re taking the fight to PRC sponsored cybercriminals to protect the critical services Americans rely on every day,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California.
“The FBI remains relentless in our efforts to counter nation state cyber actors, taking decisive action against those threatening the United States and our critical infrastructure,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Through complex investigations, aggressive technical operations, and strong partnerships, FBI San Diego will continue to identify, disrupt, and impose costs on our cyber adversaries. We are committed to dismantling the tools behind these state-sponsored crimes and protecting the American people from malicious cyber activity.”
According to court documents, QTFY offers computer hacking services to its paying customers, including the PRC’s Ministry of State Security and the People’s Liberation Army. These computer hacking services include QScan and QTRouter, which work in conjunction. QScan scans and automatically infects thousands of “internet-of-things” (IoT) devices worldwide, which are then added to the QTRouter network of QTFY-controlled devices. QTRouter consists of these compromised IoT devices, as well as commercial proxy service devices and leased virtual private servers. QTRouter then serves as an “obfuscation network” – meaning it allows QTFY and other malicious cyber actors to conceal the PRC-origin of their computer intrusion activities because the malicious communications appear to originate from computers (such as those compromised by QScan) that are outside of the PRC and may even be local to the targeted networks. Because the seized domains were hard-coded into both the QScan and QTRouter malware and used for essential tasks such as communication and authentication, the court-authorized seizures made QScan and QTRouter inoperable.
This disruption announced today is among a series of court-authorized technical operations against indiscriminate hacking activities by the PRC. In 2025, the FBI removed PlugX surveillance malware from over 4,000 U.S. computers after they had been infected by the PRC-sponsored hacker group Mustang Panda. In 2024, the FBI disabled a botnet consisting of hundreds of thousands of infected internet-of-things devices, which the PRC-sponsored hacking group Flax Typhoon was providing to customers in the Chinese government. In 2023, the FBI disrupted a different botnet used by the PRC-sponsored hacking group Volt Typhoon to conceal their exploitation of U.S. and foreign critical infrastructure. Also today, the FBI and National Security Agency published a cybersecurity advisory providing indicators-of-compromise by QTFY based on their analysis of QTFY malicious cyber activity dating back to at least 2018. In addition, Lumen Technologies’ threat intelligence group, Black Lotus Labs, published a description of QTFY’s tactics, techniques, and procedures: www.lumen.com/blog/en-us/the-infrastructure-quartermaster-inside-a-china-nexus-state-enablement-model.
The FBI’s San Diego Field Office and Cyber Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, and the National Security Cyber Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division investigated this hacking activity and led this disruption effort.
Note: View the affidavit here.
Edits have been made to ensure this press release accurately reflects the government’s allegations in the affidavit in support of the domain seizures.
DermTech Inc. to Pay up to $5M to Resolve Allegations It Submitted False Claims to Medicare for Unreliable Skin Cancer TestsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO — A skin cancer testing company formerly known as DermTech Inc., which was headquartered in San Diego, has agreed to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting false claims for unreliable skin cancer tests to the Medicare program. DermTech is now liquidating as DTech Liquidating Inc. after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware in June 2024. As part of the resolution announced today, the United States received an Allowed Class Three General Unsecured Claim of $5,038,011 in the bankruptcy proceeding.
The settlement resolves allegations that DermTech submitted claims to Medicare for skin cancer tests despite knowing the tests had quality control issues. First, from October 2022 to March 2023, DermTech billed Medicare for skin cancer tests that it conducted after switching to an unvalidated positive control range for one of the test’s two key melanoma markers. Without a validated positive control range, it is impossible to confirm that the positive control is working and thus impossible to verify whether the test results are accurate. Second, from January 2020 to February 2022, DermTech billed Medicare for skin cancer tests that did not contain enough patient RNA to be tested but still generated positive or negative test results. For both categories of tests, DermTech reported results to patients. When concerns were raised about these tests, DermTech neither retracted the test results nor adequately refunded Medicare.
“The Justice Department is committed to protecting Medicare patients, especially in an area as serious as skin cancer testing,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will hold accountable health care providers who put patients at risk by billing Medicare for grossly substandard services.”
“This company billed Medicare for unreliable tests that may have misled patients and their doctors,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “This settlement is a perfect example of why the Department’s focus on fraud against the taxpayer directly leads to improved health and safety for Medicare patients.”
“Patients must be able to rely on the accuracy and integrity of diagnostic testing when making critical healthcare decisions,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Submitting claims to Medicare for tests that fail to meet established clinical standards undermines patient safety and public trust. HHS-OIG remains committed to ensuring that healthcare providers deliver services that meet federal requirements and to pursuing accountability for alleged misconduct.”
“DermTech Inc. allegedly administered inadequate skin cancer tests that led to the fraudulent billing of Medicare, raising serious concerns about the company’s practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to investigating any company whose illicit actions may undermine the integrity of our healthcare system and ensure they are held accountable.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by a former DermTech employee. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Luong v. DermTech, Inc. et al., No. 3:23-cv-01404 (S.D. Cal.). Ms. Luong will receive 20% of the recovery received from the bankruptcy court in connection with the settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement pertain to DermTech Inc., a company that is now bankrupt. These claims do not pertain to DermTech LLC, a company that purchased DermTech Inc.’s assets in 2024 as part of the bankruptcy proceedings.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen H. Wong for the Southern District of California and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Clare Elizondo.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Two Arrested in Years-Long Scheme to Smuggle Protected Reptiles Across U.S.-Mexico BorderRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Georgina Bribiesca Chavez of Tijuana, Mexico, appeared in federal court today to face a wildlife trafficking charge after she allegedly participated in a years-long scheme to smuggle exotic reptiles into and out of the United States. Chavez’s alleged wildlife trafficking partner, Salvador Pelayo of Chula Vista, was arrested in July and faces a similar federal charge for trafficking exotic wildlife.
Chavez was arrested last week while attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border with a vehicle containing dozens of concealed reptiles, including four venomous, yellow-blotched palm pit vipers; three caimans; one baby crocodile; and more than 60 other reptiles protected under international treaties because of declining populations worldwide.
According to court documents, on the morning of August 10, 2026, Chavez applied for entry into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. She told a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer that she had nothing to declare. While checking her identification, the officer discovered that Chavez had an outstanding arrest warrant related to a long-term wildlife trafficking investigation. She was taken into custody, and her vehicle was seized.
The following morning, CBP officers assigned to the seized-vehicle lot inspected Chavez’s red Volkswagen. Inside, they discovered a concealed factory compartment behind the rear bench seat. The compartment contained pillowcases that had been knotted closed and sealed with tape. One of the pillowcases was moving. The officer called for backup.
Later that day, the pillowcases were transported to the San Diego Zoo for examination and handling. Zoo staff carefully opened the packages and discovered the 60 abronia lizards, four venomous yellow-blotched palm pit vipers, three caimans, one baby crocodile, and one indigo snake. Several of these species are protected under international treaties because of their endangered or threatened status.
Even after her arrest, Chavez never told CBP officers about the live animals in her car, leaving them abandoned for nearly 24 hours in the August heat in San Ysidro. All three caimans died before the San Diego Zoo could provide care. As of last week, the remaining animals were stable and remained under the Zoo’s care.
“These animals were not cargo—they were living creatures subjected to dangerous conditions for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
At today’s hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt ordered Chavez held without bond pending trial. Chavez and Pelayo have both pleaded not guilty.
According to court documents, Chavez and Pelayo began working together to traffic wildlife into the U.S. to sell to American buyers in 2023. Investigators with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began an undercover investigation about 18 months ago, targeting their trafficking activity. Over the course of the investigation, Pelayo and Chavez were involved in several undercover buys of protected turtles and were surveilled by investigators sending and receiving wildlife at shipping centers around San Diego.
On one occasion in March 2025, as alleged in Chavez’s complaint, undercover agents purchased four protected Mexican box turtles from Pelayo and their partner in Mexico; Chavez met the undercover agent in person to deliver the live animals just hours after she crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. The agent paid Chavez $2,600 cash in exchange for the turtles. After the undercover buy, the turtles were transferred to the Oakland Zoo for care and keeping, where they were identified as protected species native to Mexico. The turtles were in bad health, likely because they were caught in the wild and had contracted a respiratory disease. By May 2025, all four of the turtles had died.
On another occasion also in March 2025, as alleged in Pelayo’s complaint, another undercover agent purchased four protected Mexican and Yucatan box turtles from their partner in Mexico to be shipped to New York. The turtles, which are native to Mexico, were smuggled into the U.S. On March 11, 2025, Pelayo used a fake name, “Jose Lopez,” to ship a box containing the four turtles to the undercover agent in New York. The agent received the turtles the next day and transferred them to the Buffalo Zoo for care and keeping.
Pelayo and Chavez are believed to have trafficked exotic wildlife together for several years and court documents allege that they made tens of thousands of dollars in profits from the sale of those animals to buyers in the United States. According to court records, at times, they would buy protected wildlife that was sourced in the United States and export it to Mexico, where customers in Mexico would purchase the rare animals. Chavez was observed picking up Eastern box turtles native to New York at a shipping center in San Diego, which she smuggled into Mexico in the trunk of her red Volkswagen.
Chavez is due in court on August 27, 2026, at 9:30 a.m., for a preliminary hearing before Judge Burkhardt. Pelayo’s next hearing is on October 2, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Cathy A. Bencivengo.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are members of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Criminal and Civil Divisions, the Energy and Natural Resources Division, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily W. Allen for the Southern District of California.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Law Enforcement is investigating this case with assistance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
DEFENDANTS
Salvador Pelayo, Case No. 26-mj-4326-DDL Age: 28 Chula Vista, CA
Georgina Bribiesca Chavez, Case No. 26-mj-4598-JLB Age: 66 Tijuana, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Lacey Act Trafficking – Title 16, U.S.C., Sections 3372(a)(1) and 3373(d)(1)(B)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Six Charged in Gang-Related RICO Conspiracy Involving Drugs, Guns and ViolenceRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Five alleged members and associates of the “El Cajon Locos” criminal street gang have been indicted on federal racketeering charges in connection with drug and firearms trafficking and violent crimes. A sixth defendant has been charged with witness tampering and witness harassment.
The defendants are charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which makes it a federal crime to participate in an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, including drug trafficking, firearms offenses and violent crimes. All defendants are in custody.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by state and federal authorities into alleged criminal activity by the El Cajon Locos (ECLS), including offenses allegedly committed on behalf of the gang between April and November 2025.
The indictment alleges that ECLS and its associates have primarily operated out of the Terraza Hills Apartments in El Cajon. According to the indictment, ECLS and its associates committed violent acts such as assaulting and robbing an individual believed to have cooperated with law enforcement, and robbing another person of drugs, guns, and money.
In addition, the indictment charges defendant Nicole Cristina Gracia with witness tampering and witness harassment. According to the indictment, the defendant intimidated, harassed, threatened and persuaded a robbery victim to mislead law enforcement by falsely claiming that a video depicting a robbery was staged for a music video.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26-CR-2808-LL
Defendant 1 – SEALED Defendant 2 – SEALEDJose Morales
aka “Pee Wee”
Age: 49San Diego, CALuis Baltierrez
aka “Snow Owl”
Age: 40San Diego, CAOscar Mendoza Alatorre Sr.
aka “Lurch”
Age: 43San Diego, CANicole Christine GraciaAge: 34San Diego, CASUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity – 18 U.S.C. §1962(d)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
*Redacted defendants, Jose Morales, Luis Baltierrez, and Oscar Mendoza Alatorre Sr.
Felon in Possession of a Firearm — 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine
*Redacted defendant
Possessing a Firearm During and In Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime – 18 U.S.C. §924(c)(1)(A)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine
*Redacted defendant
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine — 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
*Redacted defendant
Witness Tampering – 18 U.S.C. §1512(b)(3)
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
*Nicole Cristina Gracia
Harassing a Witness – 18 U.S.C. §1512(d)(2)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison and $100,000 fine
*Nicole Cristina Gracia
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
El Cajon Police Department
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 116 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 116 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On August 7, Apolinar Diaz Lopez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 180 pounds of methamphetamine concealed throughout the vehicle he was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
- On August 10, Lino Vega-Martinez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents found Vega-Martinez hiding in large bushes approximately four and a half miles east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and three miles north of the United States/Mexico International Boundary.
- On August 11, Carmen Ivette Hernandez-Vergara, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found a Chinese national hiding under a blanket in the trunk of the vehicle Hernandez-Vergara was driving as she applied for entry into the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
La Jolla Teen Pleads Guilty to Harassing La Jolla Sea LionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Tyler Muehl, an 18-year-old from La Jolla who appeared in a viral video repeatedly kicking at a California sea lion in La Jolla Cove, pleaded guilty in federal court today to violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act’s prohibition on harassment of wildlife.
“Federal crime. Federal consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement takes all violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act very seriously,” said NOAA-Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement West Coast Division Assistant Director Eric Morgan. “Intentionally striking or kicking a marine mammal is not only illegal—it is dangerous for the well-being of the animal.”
According to his plea agreement, Muehl admitted that late in the evening on July 22, 2026, he repeatedly kicked at the sea lion that was peacefully sitting on the sea wall in La Jolla Cove near Ellen Browning Scripps Park. Muehl approached the animal with his hands at high guard as if preparing to box with or fight the animal. As Muehl approached, he referred to himself as “Max Holloway,” the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter.
The defendant admitted that he kicked at the sea lion four different times and that he made contact while kicking at the animal. Muehl twice forcefully kicked at the sea lion’s face, which caused the sea lion to rear flinch and immediately recoil. After the second kick, the sea lion turned and tried to flee, but Muehl chased after the animal and kicked at it a third time. As the sea lion tried to get away, it stumbled on the sea wall as it fled. Muehl kicked at the sea lion a fourth time and continued to chase the animal, ending his pursuit only when the sea lion escaped over the sea wall and made it to the beach. Muehl agreed as part of his plea agreement that a video capturing the event was a fair and accurate recording of what occurred.
Muehl pleaded guilty to the charge of “knowingly and unlawfully tak[ing] a marine mammal in waters or on lands under the jurisdiction of the United States in that he did harass and hunt” a California sea lion (Zalphus californianus). Under the Marine Mammal protection Act, the word “take” includes harassment, which means “any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance which: (i) has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild; or (ii) has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering.”
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt on October 20, 2026, at 9:30 am.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Allen and Elizabet Brown from the Southern District of California.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26CR3151-JO-JLB
Tyler Muehl Age: 18 La Jolla, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (misdemeanor) – Title 16, U.S.C., Sections 1372(a)(2)(A) and 1375(b)
Maximum penalty: One year in prison and $100,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 107 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 107 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On August 1, Oscar Salado and Brayan Manuel Castro Sanchez, Mexican nationals, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Salado and Castro were the captains of a smuggling vessel that was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard near the entrance of Quivira Basin in Mission Bay. The nine undocumented aliens aboard the vessel included the defendants plus Luz Mayda Andres Ignacio, Jorge Garcia Santiago and Everado Gonzalez-Gonzalez, who were charged with Attempted Reentry after Deportation.
- On August 4, Jose Alexis Rojas Palomera, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 70.33 pounds of fentanyl, 29.85 pounds of cocaine, and 24.52 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the spare tire, quarter panels, fuel tank, rear seat, fire wall area and center console of the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta she was driving as she applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On August 5, Gustavo Espinoza Hernandez, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 74.91 pounds of methamphetamine and 23.63 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the driver side floor, front passenger floor, front passenger seat, passenger backrest, passenger rear seat, and passenger backseat of the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas he was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ex-CBP Officer Sentenced for Opening His Inspection Lane to Cartel Drug SmugglersRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Jesse Clark Garcia was sentenced in federal court today to nine years in prison for allowing drug-laden vehicles to pass through his inspection lane at the Tecate Port of Entry on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The sentencing follows a long‑term, multi‑agency investigation that uncovered a significant corruption scheme involving Garcia and his co-defendant, then-Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer Diego Bonillo. Both officers pleaded guilty in July 2025, with Garcia admitting that since at least 2021, he provided the Sinaloa Cartel-linked drug trafficking organization with his duty schedules and lane assignments so vehicles carrying cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl could pass through his lanes unchecked. Bonillo was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November 2025.
“Officer Garcia betrayed his oath, his fellow officers, and his country. Officer Garcia’s conduct warranted this significant sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
To coordinate with the traffickers, both defendants used a secret emoji-based code in text messages to discreetly communicate their shift and lane assignments. The cartel then routed drug-laden vehicles through those lanes, where the defendants allowed them to enter the United States without inspection.
Garcia also exploited CBP’s flexible duty-switching policies to place himself in inspection lanes where he was not scheduled to work. Other times, he falsely claimed technical issues prevented required checks, allowing narcotics to enter the United States despite mandatory system alerts.
In exchange for his assistance, the Garcia received at least $10,000 for each drug-filled vehicle he allowed to pass through the port. Evidence further showed that his illicit proceeds funded a lifestyle far beyond his government salary, including luxury purchases, a high-end vehicle, a San Diego residence, co-ownership of an equine racing business, and construction of a ranch in Mexico.
As the investigation progressed, the Garcia attempted to evade law enforcement. He stopped reporting for duty, ignored inquiries from CBP supervisors, and was observed driving into Mexico in a fully packed vehicle in late March 2024. On May 2, 2024, Mexican authorities—acting on a request from the United States and pursuant to a federal warrant—arrested the defendant and transferred him to U.S. custody later that same evening.
On July 8, 2025, Garcia pleaded guilty to nine felony counts, including conspiracy to import controlled substances and multiple counts of importation and aiding and abetting. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted facilitating the entry of substantial quantities of controlled substances, including at least 100 kilograms of fentanyl, 107 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 270 kilograms of cocaine.
DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., said, “DHS employees who abuse their positions and betray the public’s trust will be held accountable for their actions. The Office of Inspector General will continue to relentlessly root out corruption. We appreciate the continued partnership between DHS OIG and our law enforcement partners in bringing these individuals to justice.”
“Jesse Clark Garcia showed total disregard for the oath he took as a CBP Officer to protect our communities when he knowingly and repeatedly allowed cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego and our partners work tirelessly to ensure those individuals dishonoring the badge are held accountable. The corrupt few do not represent the whole of the federal law enforcement workforce. Today’s sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to rooting out those unworthy individuals and paving the way for justice to be served.”
According to Special Agent in Charge Sara Esparagoza, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, San Diego Field Office, “The Office of Professional Responsibility is unwavering in its commitment to upholding the highest standards within our ranks. Today’s events underscore our dedication to rooting out corruption and ensuring that those who betray the public trust are held accountable.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna R. Prewitt, Sean Van Demark, and Bianca Calderon-Peñaloza.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24-CR-0908-RBM
Jesse Clark Garcia Age: 38 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952, 960, and 963
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum
Importation of Controlled Substances – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952 and 960
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation – Border Corruption Task Force
Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility
U.S. Border Patrol – San Diego Sector Intelligence Unit
Homeland Security Investigations – SDNET
Drug Enforcement Administration
Homeland Security Investigations – Hermosillo Attaché
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 115 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 115 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On July 24, Wilfredo Rivera-Herrera, a citizen of El Salvador, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents encountered Rivera entering the United States illegally about half a mile north of the border, east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Rivera was previously deported to Mexico in December 2025.
- On July 28, Mariela De Anda Madrigal, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 40 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the passenger side undercarriage and engine filter box of the 2013 Kia Optima she was driving as she applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On July 30, Adrian Balderas-Zazueta, a Mexican national with a Border Crossing Card, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered a 15-year-old boy concealed in a non-factory compartment of the dashboard of the van Balderas was driving as he applied for admittance to the United States at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. The boy told authorities he had to ask the defendant for a rag to cover a hot metal pipe he was laying on during transport.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CEO of Cross-Border Currency Exchange Business Arrested in Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO— Marcos Arturo Kleiman Tronllan, chief executive officer of MoneyFlip LLC, a registered Money Services Business (MSB) offering cross-border currency exchange services, was arrested in Miami this morning in connection with a federal complaint filed in San Diego alleging that Kleiman hired a hitman to murder someone over an unpaid debt.
Kleiman, a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident of the United States who previously worked and lived in San Diego, was taken into custody by Homeland Security Investigations agents and Homeland Security Task Force partners.
During an ongoing investigation into money exchange businesses in San Diego and Imperial counties, agents identified Kleiman as a suspected money launderer. According to the complaint, Kleiman previously owned and operated a licensed money service business known as MXN Financial LLC, which was an international wholesale currency dealer and currency exchange operating within the Southern District of California. In 2025, MXN Financial LLC changed its name to MoneyFlip LLC, where Kleiman remains the CEO.
Investigators suspected that Kleiman used his business to engage in cross-border currency transactions that evaded Bank Secrecy Act filing requirements and to launder illicit proceeds from drug sales that were further placed and layered into the financial system through money service businesses near the U.S-Mexico border.
Photograph depicting supposed murder victim lying dead in a field with a banner covering his body with the Spanish phrase “Por ser Rata,” which translates to “For being a thief.”
In February of 2026, undercover Homeland Security Investigations agents contacted Kleiman, asking him to convert United States dollars into cryptocurrency. These undercover agents made representations to Kleiman that their dollars came from drug sales and among many statements Kleiman made indicating he understood the money’s source, he said “Give me the major details. I need to know if . . .what you have is clean or if it’s dirty. I mean, I don’t get scared, dude.”
To facilitate the illicit financial transactions, Kleiman allegedly created a unique email account, shared its password with the undercover agents, and announced that they would communicate by leaving draft emails in the account so that no emails were ever sent. In total, Kleiman converted approximately $750,000 of United States currency into cryptocurrency and caused the transmission of those crypto coins into an undercover federal agent’s wallet. Kleiman charged a 10 percent fee.
During the money laundering discussions, Kleiman allegedly asked undercover federal agents if they would help recover a debt from a Mexican businessman and kill the man. Kleiman agreed to pay $40,000 to kidnap and murder the businessman, with two $5,000 “deposits” to be paid in advance.
In May 2026, Kleiman arranged for a third party to deliver a $5,000 cash “deposit” to one of the undercover agents in San Diego, the complaint said. Then, in early July of 2026, one of the undercover agents asked Kleiman for a second $5,000 deposit to “reserve the savages” and told Kleiman “whether [the victim] pays or not he will be left dead on the side of the road.” Kleiman responded by telling the undercover agent, “I will get those 5 ready for you in 2–3 weeks.”
According to the complaint, Kleiman later paid the second “deposit” for the murder. On July 28, 2026, the undercover agents showed Kleiman three photographs and one video purporting to show the victim captured, tortured and killed. One of the agents then told Kleiman that “they already killed the guy, so those people need to get paid.” Kleiman responded, “Okay. Count on…count on it.” The next day, July 29, 2026, Kleiman delivered a $5,000 cash payment to the undercover agents and transmitted approximately 25,000 USDT into an undercover cryptocurrency wallet as the final payments for the victim’s murder.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Deshong and Christopher Beeler, and Daniel Casillas contributed significantly to the case.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26-MJ-4495
Marcos Arturo Kleiman Tronllan Age: 40 Miami, Florida
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Murder-for-Hire—Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1958(a)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Drug Enforcement Administration
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation
Imperial County Sheriff’s Office
Brawley Police Department
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Spring Valley Man Charged with Distributing Potent Synthetic Opioid that Resulted in Overdose Death of Pacific Beach ResidentRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Matthew Ray Calas of Spring Valley with distributing a powerful synthetic opioid—N-Pyrrolidino Protonitazene—that resulted in the death of a 67-year-old San Diego resident.
According to court records, Calas advertised drugs for sale on Craigslist using coded language. In text messages with the victim, Calas offered to sell the victim “red devil nitazene,” a smokeable crystal powder. The victim was found on the floor holding drug paraphernalia, suggesting he died shortly after ingesting the substance. Three months later, Calas sold more of the “Red Devil” to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Calas is also charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Butonitazene, and Methamphetamine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
N-Pyrrolidino Protonitazene (often abbreviated NPP) is a synthetic opioid in the nitazene family. Nitazenes are a class of laboratory-made opioids that were originally developed decades ago in pharmaceutical research but were generally not approved for medical use. Some newer nitazene analogs have emerged in the illicit drug supply and are associated with overdose deaths. It is extremely potent and has opioid effects similar to fentanyl and other powerful opioids. Naloxone (Narcan) can help reverse opioid overdose effects from NPP, though multiple doses may sometimes be needed with very potent opioids.
Special agents and officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team led the investigation. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, the California Department of Health Care Services, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith D. Ellison.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25CR4692-DMS
Matthew Ray Calas Age: 44 Spring Valley, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Counts 1, 2, and 4
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(l) – Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Butonitazine, and Methamphetamine
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison
Count 3
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(l), (b)(1)(C) – Distribution of N-Pyrrolidino Protonitazene Resulting in Death
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory minimum 20 years
Count 5
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 924(c)(l) – Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum five years in prison
Count 6
Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 922(g)(l) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police Department
Homeland Security Investigations
California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force
California Department of Health Care Services
La Mesa Police Department
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Estimated $20 Million Worth of Cocaine Seized from Commercial Truck at BorderRead the Press Release
CALEXICO – Federal law enforcement officers seized more than half a ton of cocaine worth more than $20 million hidden in the floorboards of a commercial truck and attached flatbed trailer at the Calexico Port of Entry.
It was the second-largest cocaine seizure in 2026 in the Southern District of California. The largest seizure was in May when more than a ton of cocaine estimated to be worth $45 million was discovered in connection with a subterranean cross-border tunnel.
In the most recent case, the driver and only occupant of the truck, Jose Manuel Lopez Lopez, was arrested and charged with illegally importing cocaine into the United States.
The amount of cocaine seized is considered “a tremendous amount of drugs, even by the standards of this district,” according to the government’s motion to detain the defendant. Lopez entered a not-guilty plea at his arraignment in federal court yesterday. A detention hearing is scheduled for August 3 at 10 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lupe Rodriguez Jr.
In addition to the hidden cocaine, the trailer was loaded with 269 bundles of rebar . Customs and Border Protection officers, working with agents from Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, X-rayed the trailer and observed anomalies in the floorboards. A drug-sniffing dog alerted to the trailer. After unloading the rebar, officers unscrewed the planks from the wooden floor of the trailer and discovered they were stuffed with drugs. In total, 366 packages of cocaine weighing 1002.13 pounds (454.56 kilograms) were removed from the trailer.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Benjamin and Lawrence Casper.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26-mj-08705
Jose Manuel Lopez Lopez Age: 44 Mexicali, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Importation of Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952 and 960
Maximum penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory minimum 10 years
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Customs and Border Protection
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. Operation Take Back America is 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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 122 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 122 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On July 19, Marcos Chavez-Nieto, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien found in the U.S. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents encountered Chavez entering the United States illegally in the mountains east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, after having been ordered removed from the United States in 2020.
- On July 20, Rosario Lopez Gamez and Jose Manuel Aguero Garcia, Mexican nationals, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Lopez and Aguero were the captains of a smuggling vessel that was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard about six miles off the coast of Point Loma. The five undocumented aliens aboard the vessel included Jeremy Marin Avilez, who was charged with Attempted Reentry after Deportation. He was previously deported in 2024 from Texas.
- On July 21, Marly Soledad Cruz Guardado, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found more than 133 pounds of methamphetamine and almost nine pounds of cocaine concealed inside the doors, dashboard, glove compartment, firewall and quarter panels of her Volkswagen Tiguan as she applied for entry into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fallbrook Woman Sentenced to Prison for Multi-Year Fraud Against Customers of Her Porsche Restoration and Resale BusinessRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Fallbrook business owner Andrea Nicole Doherty was sentenced in federal court today to 21 months in prison for defrauding customers of her former Porsche restoration and resale business and pocketing more than $827,000.
“She took customers for a ride. Today, justice brought the trip to an end,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
"Ms. Doherty’s long-running fraud was a deliberate scheme that exploited her customers’ trust and left her victims with significant financial losses,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue anyone who chooses deception over lawful business practices through close coordination with investigative partners, such as the California Department of Motor Vehicles – Criminal Investigation, who worked this case side by side with FBI agents. Today’s sentence demonstrates that if you defraud consumers, you will be found, investigated, and held fully accountable.”
In her plea agreement, Doherty, 38, admitted that she took over CPR Classic from her father after his death in 2021. Doherty did business as CPR Classic, which was never registered as a corporation or a limited liability company, restoring classic Porsches and selling them on consignment from its storefront in Fallbrook. In December, Doherty pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud, relating to three specific vehicles sold on consignment by the defendant through CPR Classic.
During 2022 and 2023, Doherty sold a 1973 Porsche 911E Targa to two different buyers, accepting payment from both without informing or paying the seller. The seller eventually transferred the vehicle’s title after receiving a check from Doherty, which bounced when he attempted to cash it.
In February 2023, Doherty admitted that she agreed to sell a 1972 Porsche 911S for its owner. She found a buyer the next day who wired her $280,000 within a week. Although this buyer received the vehicle, Doherty did not transfer legal title and admitted that she had not used the wired funds to pay the seller. Instead, in October 2023, Doherty sold the vehicle again to another buyer, who wired her $275,000, part of which she used to pay the seller, who then transferred title to the October 2023 buyer, unaware of the February 2023 sale.
Also in 2023, Doherty admitted that she sold a 1983 Porsche 930T Slantnose on consignment for $130,000, without telling (or paying) the owner. To complete the sale, Doherty forged the seller’s signature on the transfer of title document. More than a year later, this buyer contacted the vehicle’s owner, who then learned that his car had been sold and delivered to the buyer despite still being listed as available for sale on the CPR Classic website.
CPR Classic’s vehicle dealer license was suspended by the California Department of Motor Vehicles in September 2024, and it ceased operations soon thereafter.
As a part of her plea agreement, Doherty agreed to pay restitution not only to her five victims but also to more than 50 additional former CPR Classic customers. By the time of her sentencing, she had agreed to make restitution to additional former customers who came forward after her guilty plea.
At the sentencing hearing this afternoon, U.S. District Judge Andrew G. Schopler ordered Doherty to pay restitution to 66 individuals in the total amount of $9,951,763.04.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr4683-AGS
Andrea Nicole Doherty Age: 38 Fallbrook, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343 (three counts)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
California Department of Motor Vehicles – Criminal Investigations
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 111 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 111 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On July 11, Saul Castro Valenzuela was arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Castro Valenzuela was the captain of a white sport fishing vessel that was transporting 21 undocumented aliens. The vessel was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard as it entered Mission Bay. Sixteen of the passengers had previously been ordered removed from the United States and were arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation.
- On July 12, Salvador Lopez Chee, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 131 pounds of cocaine in the walls of his Ford F-150 truck when he applied for entry into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On July 15, Hector Bejerano-Bejerano (aka Bejarano-Bejarano), a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents encountered the defendant 2.5 miles north of the border and 5 miles west of the Tecate Port of Entry. Bejerano-Bejerano has three prior felony immigration convictions.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ten-Time Felon Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Ten-time felon Robert Stokes of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 10 years in prison for his latest crimes: Trafficking PCP and methamphetamine and illegally possessing multiple firearms as a convicted felon.
According to court records, on August 28, 2025, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Narcotics Task Force and the San Diego Police Department were conducting proactive patrols in Logan Heights when they observed what appeared to be a drug sale involving Stokes and another individual. Officers stopped Stokes’ Jeep and found 67 small vials of PCP and several baggies of methamphetamine inside.
That seizure led investigators to identify two RVs Stokes owned in Julian, California. On September 18, 2025, law enforcement searched the RVs and recovered more than a kilogram each of PCP and methamphetamine, along with digital scales and six loaded firearms, including rifles and a handgun equipped with a suppressor.
Stokes was not present during the RV search. But within hours, investigators found him in Southeast San Diego driving another vehicle carrying additional PCP and methamphetamine packaged identically to the drugs seized during the August 28 traffic stop.
Stokes pleaded guilty to the most recent charges in April. The defendant is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his nine prior felony convictions. Court records show his criminal history in San Diego County includes burglary, robbery and drug crimes.
“Four decades of crime. Ten felony convictions. Finally, after this federal conviction, one problem solved,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Drug trafficking and the illegal possession of firearms are a dangerous combination that threatens the safety of our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee. “For decades, the defendant has engaged in criminal activity that put lives at risk. DEA and our law enforcement partners remain committed to holding violent and repeat offenders accountable and protecting the communities we serve.”
“A combination of proactive police work, investigative follow-up and great prosecution is keeping San Diego communities safer,” said San Diego Police Deputy Chief Shawn Takeuchi. “This sentence keeps someone who was committed to criminal activity off our streets for a long time. We are grateful for the continued collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement here in San Diego to hold criminals accountable.”
DEFENDANT Case Number 25-CR-4665-JES
Robert Thomas Stokes Age: 62 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Possession with intent to distribute 1 or more kilograms of PCP — 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Possession with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of methamphetamine — 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Felon in Possession of a Firearm — 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police Department
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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and INTERPOL, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Chula Vista Woman on Supervised Release for Fraud Admits New Forgery and Fraud CrimeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – While on supervised release for two prior federal fraud convictions, Ashleigh Lynn Chavez pleaded guilty today in federal court to yet another fraud, admitting she used forged letters purportedly from her former attorney and former employer to obtain employment with a San Diego-area company.
According to court documents, Chavez, 42, submitted six letters by email as part of a job application in November 2024, after she had been terminated from a human resources position at a local nonprofit organization when her criminal convictions were discovered during a background check.
Among the documents Chavez submitted was a forged letter falsely attributed to the attorney who had represented her in a prior federal criminal case. The fabricated letter, supposedly sent by the attorney to Chavez, falsely claimed that Chavez had been exonerated and the prosecution had agreed to dismiss all charges against her. The letter advised Chavez not to share any court records on her cases because they were supposedly sealed.
Chavez also submitted a forged recommendation letter purportedly signed by the chief executive officer of the nonprofit organization that had fired her weeks earlier. The letter praised Chavez's volunteer work for the nonprofit and recommended her for employment.
When contacted by law enforcement, both Chavez's former attorney and former employer confirmed that they had not written the letters and that the signatures on the documents were forged.
As part of her plea agreement, Chavez admitted that the fraudulent letters caused the company to hire her and that she remained employed there from December 2024 through March 2025.
In March 2021, Chavez was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiring to embezzle more than $160,000 from a former employer. In July 2022, Chavez received an additional 24-month sentence after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice for forging medical letters that falsely claimed she had been diagnosed with cancer and causing those forged letters to be submitted to a federal judge. Chavez was released from federal custody onto supervised release in both cases in November 2023.
Chavez is scheduled to be sentenced on October 8, 2026, at 9 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia.
DEFENDANT Case No. 26-cr-02598-AJB
Ashleigh Lynn Chavez Age 42 Chula Vista, CA
aka “Ashleigh Lynn Coulson”
aka “Ashleigh Chavez Coulson”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Obstruction of Justice – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in custody and a $250,000 fine.
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Thirty Charged in Takedown of Gang-Associated Crack Cocaine Street MarketRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed today charging 30 alleged West Coast Crips gang members and associates with distributing large amounts of cocaine base to customers at an open-air crack market on Imperial Avenue about a mile and a half east of Petco Park.
In a coordinated takedown this morning, more than 350 members of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force – Gang Group, plus federal, state, and local law enforcement officials executed 21 search warrants on homes and vehicles in San Diego and arrested 28 defendants. As of 1 p.m, two defendants were still being sought.
Surveillance recording of hand-to-hand transactions allegedly being conducted by defendants Elton Wilson (in the reflective vest) and Eric Grady (white shirt at the bottom of the photograph) at the Imperial Avenue Crack Market. All photos are contained in court documents.
The investigation began in 2024 and focused on West Coast Crips (WCC) gang members suspected of drug trafficking and committing acts of violence in San Diego at and near the Crips-controlled outdoor drug market located at 2900 Imperial Avenue, pictured below.
According to court documents, the market functioned as both a retail outlet and a wholesale hub, supplying users directly while also feeding a network of low-level dealers who spread across East Village, downtown, Logan Heights, Sherman Heights, and beyond to redistribute crack cocaine.
Investigators believe thousands of customers repeatedly purchased cocaine base at the Imperial Avenue Crack Market in 2025. Those customers would approach Crips members staffing the market and buy cocaine base with cash. Investigators estimate that about 20 pounds of cocaine - with an estimated street value of at least $550,000 - were sold at the Imperial Avenue Crack Market weekly.
Including seizures today and throughout this investigation, authorities have confiscated more than 11 pounds of cocaine; more than $14,000 in U.S. currency; two handguns and a money counting device. According to wiretapped conversations between coconspirators, defendants frequently sold out their inventory and would then look to replenish their supply.
For most of the investigation, a surveillance camera was trained on the Imperial Avenue Crack Market, capturing daily activity consistent with the sale of cocaine base, cocaine base, commonly known as crack cocaine.
According to court documents, the conspirators fell into three categories based on their roles: (1) street-level dealers who sold crack cocaine at the Imperial Avenue Crack Market; (2) suppliers who provided powder cocaine to be converted into crack cocaine for sale at the market; and (3) purchasers who bought crack cocaine at the market for redistribution elsewhere, including in San Diego's East Village neighborhood near Petco Park.
Investigators also identified associated gang activity occurring at or near the Imperial Avenue Crack Market. For example, WCC members celebrate “set day,” a gang holiday, every year on or around March 30 in recognition of their claim of the 30th Street corridor as WCC territory. On the evening of March 30, 2025, as captured in the photo above, WCC members and associates congregated at and around the Imperial Avenue Crack Market, effectively shutting off traffic through the area, and defied commands from San Diego Police Department officers to disperse.
The Imperial Avenue Crack Market was also a backdrop for violence. In one instance, on the evening of January 9, 2026, a car drove up to, and stopped in front of, the Imperial Avenue Crack Market. An occupant got out of the car and fired four or five gunshots at people congregating near the market, striking at least two. The occupant then returned to the car, which sped away.
“With these 30 indictments, the message is simple: San Diego is a paradise, but it’s not a gangster’s paradise,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Today marks another important milestone in the FBI’s mission to wipe out gang violence in America,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation ENCRIPTED – led by FBI San Diego with our federal and regional partners – marked a full-scale op targeting local Crips street gang members and their affiliates perpetrating criminal activities, including drug trafficking, violent crime, and more.
Twelve tactical FBI teams and partners targeted 23 locations and executed 28 arrests – building on the 1,200+ alleged gangs and criminal enterprises this FBI has disrupted so far in 2026 alone. This FBI is not letting up."“Today's operation sends a clear message: the FBI will not allow violent gangs to threaten our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Crips street gangs and affiliated members have allegedly committed numerous violent crimes while trafficking drugs, harming and intimidating our neighborhoods. This takedown shows the power of determined investigative work and strong collaboration with the San Diego Police Department, Chula Vista Police Department, and our federal, state and local partners. We united the full strength of our agencies to dismantle this violent network and ensure they face justice. The FBI remains committed to working with our partners to keep San Diegans safe.”
“Gang activity has no place in our city,” said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl. “Disrupting large-scale operations like this is what will keep San Diego one of the safest big cities in the nation. I am incredibly proud of the work being done by the Violent Crime Task Force and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to dismantle this operation.”
“The Chula Vista Police Department is proud to be part of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force. This investigation highlights the importance of strong partnerships, as this criminal network impacted communities across San Diego County. We commend the coordinated efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in bringing those responsible to justice,” said Captain Henry Martin of the Chula Vista Police Department. “The charges are the result of a year-long investigation that included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, undercover agents, and confidential sources.”
“This investigation highlights the dedication and teamwork of our law enforcement partners in confronting organized drug trafficking in our city,” said HSI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “HSI is proud to support this collaborative effort, targeting those responsible for fueling addiction and violence. By working together, we are helping to restore safety and peace of mind to the community and remain committed to supporting initiatives that disrupt criminal activity and protect San Diego’s neighborhoods.”
Many of the defendants charged in the conspiracy have significant criminal histories, underscoring how the market became a haven for repeat offenders.
At least 22 of the defendants have prior felony convictions, mostly for drug sales. Five defendants are presently subject to some form of post-conviction supervision. Rynell Baker, one of the alleged leaders of the Crack Market conspiracy, was convicted of first-degree murder in 1994, paroled in 2021, and discharged from parole in 2022. Four of the defendants— Elton Wilson, Roshawn Walls, Shawn King, and Alejandro McFadden—have prior federal convictions that qualify as serious drug felonies. At least three others also have prior federal criminal convictions—Darnell Butler and Jerry Davis (RICO conspiracy), and Kendall Evans (Felon in Possession of Ammunition).
Cash, cocaine base, and marijuana found in defendant Grady’s car after he was arrested by police
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Keith D. Ellison, Mario Peia, and David Kete.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26CR2402
Name AgeCityElton Wilson58San DiegoRynell Baker55San DiegoEric Grady55San DiegoLorenzo Miller43San DiegoFUGITIVE Elmer Salgado-Pineda25National CityJulio Rangel38San DiegoJulio Rangel Jr.19San DiegoFelipe Benitez33San DiegoMichael Pollard46San DiegoDarnell Butler39San DiegoFUGITIVE Stephanie Singleton57San DiegoDerrick Taylor60San DiegoJames Wright76San DiegoLeray Shine52San DiegoRoshawn Maurice Walls56San DiegoAundray Eatmon48San DiegoKirk Patterson47San DiegoBrandon Antwaun Jones39San DiegoShawn Monique King56San DiegoAnthony Suffern65San DiegoPatrick Davis51San DiegoLarry Haynes64San DiegoNancy McSwain58San DiegoKendall Evans42San DiegoJerry Davis38San DiegoWendy Williamson57San DiegoAlejandro McFadden55San DiegoNorman Martin58San DiegoSUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Cocaine Base, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), 841 (b) (1) (ii), 841 (b) (1) (iii)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison; Mandatory Minimum: Ten years in prison; $10 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Violent Crimes Task Force – Gang Group (VCTF-GG), which includes investigators from the following agencies:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- San Diego Police Department
- Homeland Security Investigations
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- California Department of Corrections
- San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
- Chula Vista Police Department
- National City Police Department
- U.S. Bureau of Prisons
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and INTERPOL, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Alleged Drug Trafficker with Connections to 2022 Drug Tunnel Extradited to San Diego from MexicoRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Genaro Lopez was arraigned in federal court today following his extradition from Mexico Friday in connection with allegations that he moved cocaine and other drugs into the United States via a sophisticated tunnel discovered in 2022.
At the hearing, the defendant entered a not guilty plea to drug trafficking charges. U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel E. Butcher granted the government’s request to hold Lopez without bond on grounds that he posed a serious risk of flight from prosecution.
According to court records, Lopez, who is a United States citizen, was a powerful drug trafficker operating on both sides of the border. Prior to July 2021, Lopez operated from the United States out of a stash house in Chula Vista, until July 9, 2021, when investigators stopped three cars leaving the stash house with drugs and executed a search warrant. Authorities seized 241 kilograms of cocaine, eight guns (including two ghost guns), a bulletproof vest, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and close to $40,000 in cash.
Lopez was not present at the search; he fled to Mexico after the search and remained a fugitive until his recent arrest in Mexico on March 10 at the request of the United States. Four of Lopez’s employees were arrested and charged with drug trafficking crimes and have since pleaded guilty and been sentenced.
The United States also alleges that Lopez used a cross-border tunnel discovered in 2022 to smuggle illegal drugs into the United States. Investigators discovered the tunnel on May 12, 2022, while surveilling a second stash house in National City. Authorities stopped four cars leaving the stash house and during subsequent searches of the house and cars, investigators seized close to 800 kilograms of cocaine, 74.8 kilograms (163 pounds) of methamphetamine, and 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds) of fentanyl. For more information, please see this link.
Beneath the warehouse, they discovered a tunnel from Tijuana to a warehouse in Otay Mesa that was estimated to be about 1,744 feet long, 61 feet deep and 4-feet in diameter, with reinforced walls, a rail system, electricity and a ventilation system. Six people were arrested in that case; five have since pleaded guilty and been sentenced while one other fled while awaiting sentencing and remains a fugitive.
Lopez’s next court appearance for motion hearing and trial setting is scheduled for August 14 before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Benjamin and Lawrence Casper. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Genaro Lopez.
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr681-LL
Genaro Lopez Age: 54 Tijuana, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance- – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841 and 846
Maximum penalty: Life in prison
Conspiracy to Import a Controlled Substance- – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 952, 960, and 963
Maximum penalty: Life in prison
PREVIOUS DEFENDANTS AND SENTENCES
22-CR-01697-LL
Soukha Phimpasouk 48 months
Gabriel Ali Ruelas 70 months
Kevin Omar Carbajal 30 months
Josselyn Paige Smitko 345 days
22-CR-1169-LL
Juan Cruz 24 months
Mario Jaramillo 27 months
Manuel Perez-Herrera Fugitive
Vanessa Ramirez 120 months
Luz de Luna Olmos 92 days
Adrian Enriquez 120 months
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and INTERPOL, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
United States Files False Claims Act Complaint Against Founder of Cannabis Companies for Illegally Obtaining Pandemic LoansRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA) against Laurie Holcomb, founder of multiple cannabis companies, alleging that she illegally obtained five pandemic-related loans from the federal government.
The United States alleges that Holcomb secured $1.4 million in federally-guaranteed Paycheck Protection Program loans, and subsequent forgiveness of the loans, by falsely certifying under penalty of perjury on loan applications that the businesses were not involved in illegal activity.
In fact, Holcomb and her companies were engaged in the cultivation, distribution, and retail sale of recreational cannabis and cannabis products, which is illegal under federal law.
Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide emergency financial support to eligible small businesses experiencing economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Small Business Administration (SBA) administers the PPP.
Due to its status as a Schedule I controlled substance under the United States Controlled Substances Act, the manufacture, distribution, dispensation, and possession of cannabis, with the exception of use in federal government-approved research, is illegal under federal law. SBA eligibility rules generally excluded a business from eligibility for PPP loans if the business engaged in activities involving federally illegal cannabis, even if state law permitted cultivation or sale.
The government’s complaint alleges that Ms. Holcomb, a resident of Huntington Beach, California, obtained loans for the following businesses she founded and controlled: Gold Flora LLC; GF Distribution LLC; Gold Flora Partners LLC; and Black Lion Farms LLC - collectively known as the “Gold Flora Companies”.
The Gold Flora Companies have since filed for receivership in California State Superior Court. As alleged in the United States’ complaint against Ms. Holcomb, the Gold Flora Companies’ petition in support of receivership stated that Gold Flora LLC and Black Lion Farms LLC, along with other affiliate entities, could not file for bankruptcy protection due to the illegality of cannabis under federal law.
The United States filed its complaint in a lawsuit originally brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The act permits the United States to intervene in such lawsuits, as it has done in this case. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Aidan Forsyth v. Gold Flora LLC, et al., No. 23cv1962-W (MMP) (S.D. Cal.).
This matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Price Jr.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here.
The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 151 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 151 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On July 2, Julio Villa-Urzua, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 929 pounds – 28 buckets – of liquid methamphetamine dissolved into the fluid of the passenger-side fuel tank of a semi-truck driven by Villa-Urzua while applying for entry to the U.S. at the Otay Import Cargo Facility Port of Entry.
- On July 4, Edgar Clemente Gonzalez Huales, a Guatemalan national, was arrested and charged with Transportation of Illegal Aliens. According to a complaint, a Border Patrol agent made a traffic stop of Gonzales Huales’ vehicle in Boulevard. The defendant stopped briefly, ordered two undocumented aliens to exit his car and run, and then sped away in his white BMW sedan. The defendant was apprehended two days later, on July 6, after agents used a spike strip to disable his vehicle.
- On July 7, Geronimo Benitez Velazquez, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered the undocumented defendant hiding under a tree approximately 500 yards north of the U.S.-Mexico border, three miles east of the Tecate Port of Entry. He was previously deported in April 2026 from San Diego.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced to Federal Prison for Excessive Force and Cover-UpRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Former San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremiah Manuyag Flores was sentenced in federal court today to 57 months in prison for violating the civil rights of a pretrial detainee by using excessive force that caused a spinal injury, then lying in a report to cover up his illegal conduct.
“When a law enforcement officer abuses his authority and violates someone’s constitutional rights, there will be serious consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Upholding civil rights is fundamental to the mission of every law enforcement agency. When an officer violates that oath, equal accountability is essential to maintaining the public’s trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. “Today’s sentence reflects the commitment of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate such matters and ensure those who abuse their authority face appropriate consequences.”
After a weeklong trial in December 2025, it took a jury just two hours to convict Flores of both counts filed against him, including Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law and Falsification of Records in a Federal Investigation.
The jury found that Flores violated the civil rights of the victim, identified by the initials J.P., by unnecessarily shoving him from behind while his legs were shackled and his hands were cross-chained at his waist, causing J.P. to fly across his holding cell, slam headfirst into the far wall, and collapse to the ground with what was later determined to be a fracture of his spinal column.
Flores did not provide J.P. with medical aid and failed to report his use of excessive force to a supervisor, both of which are required by the Sheriff’s Department’s Use of Force Policy. As a result, J.P. lay on the floor of his cell next to a pool of his own blood for over two hours before his injuries were discovered by another deputy. When Flores then was directed to write an Inmate Status Report about his earlier interaction with J.P., he included multiple false statements, including “no force was used.”
In advocating for a lengthy prison term, Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Askins argued: “The power disparity between the defendant who was in complete control and [J.P.] who couldn’t do anything to protect himself was as wide as the ocean. The defendant’s only job was to walk with him.” Askins continued: “There was no escalation here. There was no resistance here. The defendant didn’t have to use any force at all. All he had to do was to keep walking.”
Before pronouncing sentence, U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez noted that the public does not get to see what goes on inside jail facilities and relies on law enforcement officers to “do the right thing.” She discussed at length that Flores not only used excessive force but then told another deputy “nothing happened” and repeatedly ignored multiple opportunities in the two hours afterwards to help the victim. Addressing Flores, Judge Lopez said: “What you do then matters.” In referencing a still-shot from a surveillance camera that showed Flores walking away from the victim’s cell smiling in the moments afterward, Judge Lopez said: “I don’t know how many years it’s going to be before I get that photo out of my mind. Your conduct was egregious.”
Flores, who had been free on bond, was ordered to report to prison by August 18, 2026. As a result of his convictions, Flores was terminated by the San Diego Sheriff’s Office and will not be able to work as a law enforcement officer at any level of government—local, state, or federal—in the future.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Askins and Michael Deshong.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr0254
Jeremiah Manuyag Flores Age: 45 La Jolla, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
Falsification of Records in a Federal Investigation – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1519
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office (Homicide Unit)
Alleged Leader of a Violent Wing of the Sinaloa Cartel Charged with Narcoterrorism, Material Support of Terrorism and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – An indictment unsealed today charges Carlos Paez Pereda, aka “Carlitos,” aka “Carlitos Rugrats,” alleged high-ranking lieutenant and leader of a violent wing of the Sinaloa Cartel called “Los Rugrats,” with Narcoterrorism and Material Support of Terrorism in connection with trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine into the United States.
“No se puede capturar a un personaje de dibujos animados. Pero a un narcoterrorista, sí,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Today’s indictment underscores the FBI’s determination to dismantle the most violent elements of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Los Rugrats has fueled brutal violence in Mexico that reaches into the United States along with a relentless flow of deadly drugs into our communities. Together with our federal and state partners, we will continue to target cartel leadership wherever they operate to bring them to justice and protect the public.”
“For years, Pereda allegedly fueled the drug crisis by trafficking deadly drugs into the United States while using violence, intimidation, and fear to protect his criminal enterprise,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee. “As alleged in the indictment, his organization relied on murder, kidnapping, and armed enforcers to maintain power and ensure the continued flow of drugs that have devastated families and communities across our nation. DEA and our law enforcement partners remain relentless in our pursuit of those who profit from addiction and violence. Together, we are strengthening a global network of partnerships that is disrupting cartel operations, dismantling their criminal enterprises, and ensuring those responsible have fewer places to hide and nowhere to run.”
“This indictment highlights the collaboration and strength of the Homeland Security Task Force,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. “HSI will continue to support our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners as HSTF San Diego continues to dismantle the cartels and protect our communities.”
All photos are published in court documents and were pulled from social media accounts associated with Paez. The images depict drugs, guns and trafficking proceeds connected to the defendant.
According to court documents, Paez operates a prolific manufacturing and distribution network of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine for the Mayo Zambada faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. Paez also enforces the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations in Sinaloa and Tijuana through murder, kidnappings, and other violent activity, using a group of armed fighters and hitmen. Paez also manages and controls a portion of the Sinaloa Cartel’s transportation operations from Sinaloa to Tijuana, and the surrounding municipalities, ultimately leading to the importation of these drugs into the United States and distribution in the Southern District of California and elsewhere.
Over the past decade, Paez has imported tens of thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, into the United States and laundered hundreds of millions of dollars in drug proceeds. Paez was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, as a Drug Kingpin in September 2025.
Paez has also assisted the Los Mayos faction during their ongoing bloody conflict with the “Los Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. Paez has provided fighters, weapons, logistics, and money during the conflict.
This indictment follows a storied tradition in the Southern District of California for dismantling leadership and operations of powerful Mexican cartels – from the dismantling of the Arellano Felix Cartel to major strikes against today’s most dangerous, powerful and violent cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Beltran Leyva Organization.
The indictment is a direct result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14157 which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the Secretary of State’s subsequent designation of the same on February 20, 2025.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Peter Horn.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26cr1044-DMS
Carlos Paez Pereda Age: 30 City of Residence: Laguna Colorada, Sinaloa, Mexico
aka “Carlitos”
aka “Carlitos Rugrats”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 960a and 841 – Narcoterrorism
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years in prison; $20 million fine
Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 2339B – Providing Material Support to Terrorism
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 848(a) -Continuing Criminal Enterprise
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 959, 960, and 963 - International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years in prison; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960 and 963 – Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Drug Enforcement Administration
Homeland Security Investigations
Chula Vista Police Department
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. Operation Take Back America is 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.
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Lead Defendant and 10 Others Plead Guilty in $65 Million Multinational Fraud Ring Targeting Thousands of SeniorsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Hua Wang pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting his involvement in a $65 million multinational fraud and money laundering scheme targeting elderly victims across the United States, including in San Diego. Videos by YouTubers from Scammer Payback and Trilogy Media helped law enforcement identify multiple defendants and uncover the structure of the fraud conspiracy.
Wang, shown below, is the lead defendant charged in the scheme. In April 2025, Wang was arrested at his residence in Flushing, New York just days after his co-defendant, Weining Su, aka “Ning Ma,” was arrested at JFK International Airport attempting to board a one-way flight to China.
Following Wang’s arrest, in August 2025, federal agents coordinated a sweeping nationwide takedown of the investigation, including arrests in Southern California, Texas, Michigan and New York. To date, more than 30 defendants have been publicly charged in related indictments.
In addition to Wang, over the past two months, nine co-conspirators, Xiao Lei Xu, Wen Chang Wang, aka “Cookies,” Jiawen Cai, aka “Johnny Cai,” Zhuhan Yin, Wenzhi Chen, Yuhui Sun, Jiaxin Jiang, Bing Shen and Chongchong Li, have also pleaded guilty in federal court and admitted their roles in the same scheme. Other defendants are scheduled to plead guilty later this month. Defendants Wen Chang Wang, Jiawen Cai, Zhuhan Yin, Yuhui Sun, Bing Shen and Chongchong Li are Chinese nationals.
Operating since at least 2019 and rooted in Southern California, the criminal network—primarily composed of Chinese nationals, many in the U.S. illegally—worked closely with India-based scam call centers. Fraudsters who took the calls posed as technical support agents, government officials, or bank employees, according to court records. Once a victim had been defrauded, victims were instructed to withdraw bulk cash, to conceal the cash in packages, and to send cash-laden packages via express mail carriers to names and addresses provided by the conspirators. The recipient names were fictitious names corresponding with fake IDs. The recipient addresses were for the short-term rental locations.
In their respective plea agreements, each defendant admitted that to facilitate receipt of victim packages, members of the conspiracy booked short-term rentals in a hub-and-spoke pattern: a hub would be booked for approximately one week; spoke locations would be booked nearby for shorter stays. After some time, members of the conspiracy would relocate to a new location and continue the pattern.
The investigation started in December 2020 after an elderly victim contacted an express mail carrier after being defrauded into sending bulk cash in the mail. That led to the discovery of 11 total packages, containing approximately $135,000 in cash. Each of the packages was addressed to a fake name and a short-term rental in the San Diego area.
The investigation also led to the discovery of several YouTube videos posted in 2020 and 2021 that helped identify other members of the conspiracy. YouTuber Pierogi from “Scammer Payback”— which is known for exposing scammers—documented his interaction with the India-based scam call centers. In a series of videos, Pierogi from Scammer Payback teamed up with two other YouTubers from “Trilogy Media” to publish videos on their respective YouTube channels.
In coordinated sting operations, Scammer Payback and Trilogy Media baited fraudsters, confronted them on camera, and published those videos to their respective YouTube channels. Videos posted in 2020 and 2021 helped law enforcement identify Zhiyi Zhang, Dudu Chen and Huajian Chen. All three are named in the indictments. The videos also helped shed light on how the conspiracy operated and led to the identification of high-level members of the organization.
After defrauding victims, members of the conspiracy laundered the proceeds of the fraud scheme. For example, in March 2021, several members of the conspiracy, including Hua Wang and Xiao Lei Xu, were operating in Las Vegas, Nevada. On March 4, 2021, co-conspirator Xiao Lei Xu was stopped by law enforcement on the way to the Los Angeles area carrying $70,000 in bulk cash that were proceeds of the scheme. Just eight days later, on March 12, 2021, Hua Wang, Xiao Lei Xu and a third co-conspirator were stopped traveling from Las Vegas to Los Angeles again. This time, law enforcement seized $120,860 in fraud proceeds.
In total, Hua Wang admitted that he participated from 2019 through 2023 and was responsible for over 2,000 cash packages, each sent by an elderly victim, and $64 million in victim loss.
Sentencing hearings for each of the defendants are scheduled before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson as set forth below.
DefendantNext EventDate/Time25-cr-1097-TWR Hua WangSentencing HearingSeptember 18, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Weining SuChange of PleaJuly 2, 2026, at 10 a.m. 25-cr-1762-TWR Hongsen CaoChange of PleaJuly 16, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. 25-cr-1765-TWR Xiao Lei XuSentencing HearingJuly 7, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Wen Chang WangSentencing HearingSeptember 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Jiawen CaiSentencing HearingSeptember 18, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Zhuhan YinSentencing HearingSeptember 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Ziyue ZhaoSentencing HearingSeptember 18, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Wenzhi ChenSentencing HearingSeptember 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Jiaxin WangSentencing HearingSeptember 11, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Yuhui SunSentencing HearingSeptember 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Jiaxin JiangSentencing HearingAugust 7, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Bing ShenSentencing HearingJuly 7, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.Chongchong LiSentencing HearingJuly 7, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Rookard.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 25-cr-1097-TWR
Hua Wang Age: 48 Flushing, NY
Weining Su, aka “Ning Ma” Age: 27 Flushing, NY
Case Number 25-cr-1762-TWR
Hongsen Cao, aka “Shawn Cao,” Age: 24 Los Angeles, CA
Case Number 25-cr-1765-TWR
Xiao Lei Xu, aka “Xiaolei Xu” Age: 39 Flushing, NY
Wen Chang Wang, Age: 26 Detroit, MI
Jiawen Cai, aka “Johnny Cai” Age: 28 Flushing, NY
Xinyu Shao Age: 27 Flushing, NY
Zhuhan Yin, aka “Iron Yin” Age: 30 Flushing, NY
[Redacted]
Ziyue Zhao, aka “Chris Zhao” Age: 30 Flushing, NY
Guangli Lin Age: 30 Flushing, NY
Wenzhi Chen Age: 23 Austin, TX
[Redacted]
Jiaxin Wang Age: 24 Flushing, NY
[Redacted]
Haotian Zhang, aka “Kevin Z” Age: 28 Flushing, NY
Dudu Chen, aka “Norris Chen” Age: 31 In Custody
Yuhui Sun, aka “Ian Sun” Age: 27 Flushing, NY
Jiaxin Jiang, aka “YiYi” Age: 26 In Custody
Dexiao Lin, aka “Prozac” Age: 27 Flushing, NY
Zhiyi Zhang, aka “Cream Pablo” Age: 29 Los Angeles, CA
Zhiwei Chen Age: 30 Levittown, NY
Bing Shen Age: 41 Flushing, NY
Zetian Zhang Age: 29 Flushing, NY
Huajian Chen, aka “Marco Chen” Age: 24 Austin, TX
Chongchong Li Age: 29 Los Angeles, CA
Jianhao Gao, aka “Gh Ghao” Age: 31 Flushing, NY
Case Number 25-cr-2208-TWR
Cheng Li Age: 28 In Custody
Case Number 25-cr-3371-TWR
Kaiwen Zhang Age: 32 Irvine, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1 – Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud - Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1349, 2326
Maximum penalty: Forty years in prison; a maximum $1 million fine
Count 2 – Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; a maximum $500,000 fine or twice the amount of monetary instruments involved in the offense, whichever is greatest
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBSD)
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Mountain View (CA) Police Department
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FLDE)
Alachua County (FL) Sheriff’s Department
Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT)
Irvine (CA) Police Department
La Verne (CA) Police Department
Mesa (AZ) Police Department
Sarpy County (NE) Sheriff’s Department
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
For further information, see previous press release.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 122 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 122 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On June 18, Manuel Salvador Hernandez Perez, Mexican national and border crossing card holder, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 185 pounds of methamphetamine in the hood, spare tire and tailgate of the Ford F-150 truck driven by Hernandez Perez while applying for entry to the U.S. at the the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On June 22, Ismael Molina-Ayala, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered the undocumented defendant approximately three miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. He was previously convicted of immigration offenses and deported three times, including May 2026 from San Diego.
- On June 23, Jose Alonso Fernandez-Zavala and Edgar Luna-Ochoa, Mexican nationals, were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, the defendants were co-captains of a panga-style smuggling vessel and were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard about 15 miles west of Point Loma. The vessel had 25 Mexican nationals and 1 Guatemalan national aboard, none of whom had lawful immigration status in the United States. Each passenger was paying between $4,000 and $17,000 to be smuggled into the United States by sea. The remaining defendants (Juve Garcia Santiago, Manuel Hernandez-Savedra, Leticia Policarpio Juarez Manuel Ramos, Francisco Roman Velasquez, Sureyma Velazquez Velazquez – all Mexican citizens, and Jose Lopez-Mendoza of Guatemala) had all been previously ordered removed from the United States and were charged with attempted reentry after deportation.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.