District of Arizona
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Drug Dealer Who Distributed Methamphetamine on Hopi Reservation Sentenced to Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Vanessa Rene Dundon (a.k.a. Sioux Z, a.k.a. Suzie Q), 38, of Indian Wells, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. As a condition of her supervised release, Dundon cannot travel to, or be on, the Hopi Reservation. Dundon pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
“Drug trafficking causes particular harm for tribal communities,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “The exclusion of defendant from the Hopi Reservation is an additional tool to prevent future harm, and an extra measure of protection for Hopi villages.”
Dundon was stopped in her vehicle on the Hopi Reservation in April 2021, March 2022, and April 2022. On each occasion, she had controlled substances in her vehicle. At the change of plea hearing, Dundon admitted that on April 17, 2022, she possessed 58.4 grams of pure methamphetamine and that she intended to deliver it to other individuals in exchange for payment.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Phoenix Field Office, and Hopi Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-08043-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-128_Dundon# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.19-Year-Old Woman Sentenced to 16 Months for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Dulce Maria Haros, 19, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 16 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Haros pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl on March 7, 2023.
On October 1, 2022, Haros was traveling on a shuttle that stopped at a United States Border Patrol checkpoint. During a routine inspection, agents discovered a handbag containing three packages of fentanyl pills totaling three kilograms in weight. Haros admitted the handbag was hers, and that she intended to deliver the fentanyl to another person.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-02343-TUC-RM (BGM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-127_Haros# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man Sentenced for Threatening Maricopa County Election Official and Then-Attorney General of ArizonaRead the Press Release
An Iowa man was sentenced yesterday to two and a half years in prison for sending threatening communications to an election official on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and to the then-Attorney General of Arizona.
“This sentence makes clear that individuals who illegally threaten election officials and others associated with the electoral process will face meaningful penalties,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Justice Department will diligently investigate and prosecute attempts to illegally threaten, intimidate, and coerce the individuals administering the nation’s free and fair elections.”
According to court documents, on or about Sept. 27, 2021, Mark A. Rissi, 64, of Hiawatha, said the following in a voicemail message he left for Clint Hickman, an election official with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors: “Hello Mr. Hickman, I am glad that you are standing up for democracy and want to place your hand on the Bible and say that the election was honest and fair. I really appreciate that. When we come to lynch your stupid lying Commie [expletive], you’ll remember that you lied on the [expletive] Bible, you piece of [expletive]. You’re gonna die, you piece of [expletive]. We’re going to hang you. We’re going to hang you.”
“Those who weaponize election protests threaten our civility and our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “Thanks to our partners with the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force and the FBI for ensuring accountability.”
Additionally, on or about Dec. 8, 2021, Rissi said the following in a voicemail message he left for then-Attorney General of Arizona Mark Brnovich: “This message is for Attorney General Mark Brnovich . . . . I’m a victim of a crime. My family is a victim of a crime. My extended family is a victim of a crime. That crime was the theft of the 2020 election. The election that was fraudulent across the state of Arizona, that the Attorney General knows was fraudulent, that the Attorney General has images of the conspirators deleting election fraud data from the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors computer system. Do your job, Brnovich, or you will hang with those [expletive] in the end. We will see to it. Torches and pitchforks. That’s your future, [expletive]. Do your job.”
Rissi pleaded guilty to two counts of sending a threatening interstate communication.
“The FBI works to ensure that threats to election officials will not impact election results, but will result in legal consequences,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s sentencing represents the FBI and our partners’ dedication to keeping American elections impenetrable from criminal influences.”
The FBI Phoenix Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI Omaha Field Office, Cedar Rapids Resident Agency.
Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean K. Lokey for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers – whether elected, appointed, or volunteer – are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
22 Human Smugglers Using Social Media Charged in Law Enforcement TakedownRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, announced today the recent unsealing of 13 indictments charging a total of 22 individuals with Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit.
Each indictment charges a human smuggling coordinator who utilized social media, including Snapchat, to recruit individuals within Arizona to transport undocumented noncitizens for money. After recruiting the drivers on social media, the coordinators often switched to a messenger application such as WhatsApp to coordinate the logistics. Many of the indicted coordinators were identified through law enforcement contacts, data from cellular phones, and their social media accounts.
Smuggling coordinators often recruit juveniles and young adults as drivers with social media posts that glamorize alien smuggling. Many of the posts claim drivers can make large sums of money without the risk of being arrested, as depicted below in an exemplar from the first-listed case.
The charged cases include:
- United States v. Ramon Moreno-Lopez; CR-23-01022-DWL
- United States v. Mauricio Andrade-Garcia, et al.; CR-23-01024-DLR
- United States v. Juan Ausencio-Avendano, et al.; CR-23-01026-DJH
- United States v. Josiah Gomez, et al.; CR-23-01042-MTL
- United States v. Jalen Harris, et al.; CR-23-01051-MTL
- United States v. Ruben Ibarra, et al.; CR-23-01023-GMS
- United States v. Dominic Leos, et al.; CR-23-01025-MTL
- United States v. Jose Molina; CR-23-01041-SPL
- United States v. Keyani Perez, et al.; CR-23-01040-DGC
- United States v. Armando Ramirez, et al.; CR-23-01021-DLR
- United States v. Fabian Rivera, et al.; CR-23-01020-DLR
- United States v. Jose Sarabia, et al.; CR-23-01019-JJT
- United States v. Arnoldo Soto, et al.; CR-23-01043-MTL
A conviction for Conspiring to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Homeland Security Investigations–Casa Grande and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol–Tucson Sector conducted the investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Ross Arellano Edwards, John Ballos, Timothy Courchaine, Brett Day, Matthew Doyle, Lisa Jennis, Christine Keller, Marcus Shand, LeighAnn Thomas, and Stuart Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecutions.
CASE NUMBERS:
CR-23-01024-DLR
CR-23-01022-DWL
CR-23-01026-DJH
CR-23-01040-DGC
CR-23-01042-MTL
CR-23-01021-DLR
CR-23-01051-MTL
CR-23-01020-DLR
CR-23-01023-GMS
CR-23-01019-JJT
CR-23-01025-MTL
CR-23-01043-MTL
CR-23-01041-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-126_Snapchat Takedown
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Firearms Smuggler Sentenced to 60 Months for Conspiring to Smuggle Firearms into MexicoRead the Press Release
Defendant assisted in smuggling almost 50 assault rifles and high-capacity semi-automatic pistols from the United States into Mexico
TUCSON, Ariz. – Victor Coronado, Jr., 40, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Coronado pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States.
Coronado was the leader of a conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States into Mexico between October 2019 and July 2020. Coronado and his co-conspirators purchased firearms, made false statements to firearms dealers in the acquisition of firearms, provided funds to others for the purchase of firearms, and assisted in smuggling 49 assault rifles and high-capacity semi-automatic pistols into Mexico.
The firearms that Coronado conspired to smuggle are prohibited from being exported from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. Neither Coronado, nor any of his co-conspirators, had a valid license or any other lawful authority to export the firearms into Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, assisted by Homeland Security Investigations and United States Customs and Border Protection, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Bolling, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-02081-RM-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-125_Coronado, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Drunk Driver Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Derwin Davis Tsosie, Jr., 26, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes on Monday to 12 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Tsosie pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder.
On November 14, 2022, Tsosie was driving at approximately 135 miles per hour when he hit the victims’ car from behind, killing the driver and seriously injuring the passenger. Tsosie’s blood alcohol concentration was .323, more than four times the legal limit. At the time of the crash, Tsosie’s license was suspended for a previous DUI arrest. The crime occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, where Tsosie is an enrolled member.
The Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 23-8019-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-124_Tsosie# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Bomb Threat to Arizona State Election OfficialRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today to sending a communication containing a bomb threat to an election official in the Arizona Secretary of State’s office.
“Americans who serve the public by administering our voting systems should not have to fear for their lives simply for doing their jobs,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As this case demonstrates, the Justice Department is investigating and prosecuting violations of federal law against election officials and election workers. Only by protecting those who administer the election process can we ensure that the right to vote, itself, is protected.”
According to court documents, on or about Feb. 14, 2021, James W. Clark, 38, of Falmouth, sent a message via the website contact form of the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, Election Division, addressed to the election official, and warned her that she needed to “resign by Tuesday February 16th by 9 am or the explosive device impacted in her personal space will be detonated.”
“Threatening public officials is a serious matter, never warranted by the situation no matter how heated or politically charged,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “Cases like this are important in protecting not only the public official victimized by the conduct, but also the integrity of our election processes as a whole.”
Shortly after transmitting the message, Clark conducted online searches that included the full name of the election official in conjunction with the words “how to kill” and “address.” Additionally, on or about Feb. 18, 2021, Clark conducted online searches involving the Boston Marathon bombing.
“Defending the rights of Americans, particularly the right to vote, is a fundamental part of the FBI’s mission to protect the American people and uphold the constitution,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Election workers are dedicated members of our community who have the solemn responsibility of ensuring the integrity of the U.S. voting process. The FBI will fiercely protect election officials from threats of violence and intimidation, and in doing so, protect the fidelity of U.S. elections.”
Clark pleaded guilty to one count of making a threatening interstate communication. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 26 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Phoenix Field Office joined in the announcement.
The FBI Phoenix Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Boston Division.
Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean K. Lokey for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers – whether elected, appointed, or volunteer – are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ offices and FBI field offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.
Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Department of Justice, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.
To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.
FFL Owner Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Providing a Firearm to Essa Williams, Alleged Shooter of Phoenix Police Department Officer Tyler MoldovanRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Dwayne Keith Anderson, 51, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan on Monday to six months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Anderson pleaded guilty on May 24, 2023, to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, Aid and Abet.
Anderson was a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL), doing business as 602 Firearms Instruction L.L.C. in Phoenix, Arizona. Anderson met Essa Williams at a gun show, where he told Williams he could assist him with firearm sales by helping him avoid a background check. Williams had several felony convictions, had previously been sentenced to the Arizona Department of Corrections, and therefore could not legally possess a firearm.
On December 13, 2021, Williams texted Anderson about purchasing a firearm and sent false information for a female, including a photo of her driver’s license. Anderson filled out the Firearms Transaction Record with the false information and signature of the female. Although Anderson knew that the purchaser of the firearm must fill out the Firearms Transaction Record, Anderson completed the form with the false information. Anderson sold Williams a Masterpiece Arms Defender 9mm pistol, using the false information provided by Williams. Anderson had never met the female, and only saw Williams again when he arrived at Anderson’s house that night to pick up the firearm.
Williams is pending trial in Maricopa County Superior Court for allegedly shooting Phoenix Police Department (PPD) Officer Tyler Moldovan on December 14, 2021. The Masterpiece Arms Defender 9mm pistol was not the firearm that was used to shoot Officer Moldovan. Pursuant to a search warrant, PPD detectives searched Williams’ black Dodge Charger after the shooting of Officer Moldovan, locating the Masterpiece Arms Defender 9mm pistol on the back seat floorboard.
“Federal firearms laws and regulations make America safer,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “These laws are designed to make it harder for the drivers of violence in our communities to obtain guns. An FFL like Mr. Anderson who sells a firearm to a felon betrays the public trust and places his fellow citizens at risk.”
“Federal Firearms Licensees are held to a high standard and when they do not abide by these laws, it does a disservice to the community and to other law-abiding Federal Firearms Licensees,” said Brendan Iber, ATF Special Agent in Charge. “ATF will aggressively pursue anyone that thwarts these federal firearms laws and regulations. It is unacceptable for FFLs, or anyone, to provide firearms to felons.”
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00277-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-123_Anderson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Two Teens Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Smuggle AK-47-Style Rifles into MexicoRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Manuel De Jesus Guzman, 19, of Rio Rico, Arizona, and Joshua Francisco Mendez, 19, of Tucson, Arizona, were sentenced on June 21, 2023, and July 26, 2023, respectively, by United States District Judge James A. Soto. Guzman was sentenced to 18 months in prison and Mendez was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison; both sentences will be followed by three years of supervised release. Guzman and Mendez pleaded guilty to Smuggling Goods from the United States.
Guzman and Mendez attempted to exit the United States and enter Mexico on June 7, 2022, through the pedestrian gate at the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. During a search at secondary inspection, Customs and Border Protection officers located four AK-47-style rifles taped to their bodies. Guzman and Mendez had two Romarms WASR-10 rifles, one Century Arms VSKA rifle, and one Century Arms BFT rifle.
The firearms that Guzman and Mendez intended to take across the border are prohibited from being exported from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. Neither Guzman nor Mendez had a valid license or any other lawful authority to export the firearms into Mexico.
Homeland Security Investigations, Department of Homeland Security conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Bolling and Micah Schmit, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01487-JAS-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-122_Mendez et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Safford Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Assault by StrangulationRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Thomas Esquivias Ramirez, 31, of Safford, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Ramirez pleaded guilty to Assault by Strangling an Intimate Partner and a Dating Partner.
Ramirez, an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, assaulted a Pascua Yaqui woman on October 9, 2021, by strangling her and impeding her breathing. The offense occurred on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation in Tucson, Arizona.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Frances M. Kreamer Hope and Special Assistant United States Attorney Madelynn Franklin, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-1815-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-119_Ramirez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man Indicted Following Seizure of Almost 130 Pounds of Methamphetamine During Traffic StopRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Rudy Vasquez Cervantes, 20, of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury in Phoenix on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The indictment alleges that, on June 30, 2023, Cervantes was traveling by vehicle when he was stopped by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. A subsequent search of his vehicle revealed packages hidden under the floor between the back seat and trunk. The packages tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine and weighed a total of 128.75 pounds.
A conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and up to lifetime supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Yuma Office, is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Lisa E. Jennis, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01113-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-120_Cervantes# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest newsCalifornia Woman Indicted for Possessing More Than 110 Pounds of Methamphetamine and Nearly Three Pounds of Cocaine During Traffic StopRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Martha Betancourth Angulo, 34, of Torrance, California, was indicted last week on one count each of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
The indictment alleges that, on June 29, 2023, Angulo was traveling on Interstate 8 in Yuma County, Arizona when she was stopped by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. During the encounter, officers found 90 packages hidden within Angulo’s vehicle. Field tests on the contents of the packages revealed the presence of methamphetamine and cocaine. The total weight of the methamphetamine, including packaging, was 112.87 pounds. The total weight of the cocaine, including packaging, was 2.99 pounds.
Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and up to lifetime supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Yuma Office, is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph K. Nwoga, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01112-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-121_Angulo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Drug Importer Sentenced to 41 Months for Importing Fentanyl, Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Angel Daniel Miranda-Contreras, 29, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 41 months in prison. Miranda-Contreras pleaded guilty on April 10, 2023, to Importation of Fentanyl, Importation of Heroin, Importation of Methamphetamine, and Importation of Cocaine.
Miranda-Contreras crossed the border from Mexico into the United States in a 2015 Volkswagon Crossfox at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona on August 5, 2022. Concealed in hidden compartments inside the vehicle were 47 kilograms of fentanyl, five kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and 870 grams of heroin. At the time, Miranda-Contreras claimed that he was unaware that he was smuggling illegal narcotics into the United States, but that he had only agreed to smuggle money from the United States to Mexico.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01900-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-118_Miranda-Contreras# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.United States Attorney's Office Releases 2023 Second Quarter Immigration Enforcement StatisticsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office announced its immigration enforcement statistics for April 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the Tucson and Yuma Sectors of the Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the three-month period ending June 30, 2023, the United States brought criminal charges in Arizona against 1,552 individuals who illegally entered or re-entered the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 275 cases against individuals responsible for smuggling undocumented noncitizens to and within the District of Arizona. In this time period, the United States also prosecuted 90 reactive drug cases arising out of immigration ports of entry and checkpoints.
Reducing migrant smuggling and mitigating the risk to communities impacted by these offenses continues to be a priority for the Office and its law enforcement partners. Some of these prosecutions are directed against leaders and coordinators of alien smuggling organizations. Other prosecutions are aimed at deterring young adult drivers, often recruited over social media platforms, from engaging in this dangerous activity. Prosecutions against young drivers include three cases brought against juvenile smugglers during this time period.
These statistics represent United States Attorney’s Office prosecutions only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-117_2023 Second Quarter Immigration Enforcement Statistics
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Border Crosser Sentenced to 47 Months for Assaulting a Federal Officer After Illegally Attempting to Reenter the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Leudi Jesus Garcia-Jauregui, 25, of Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge James A. Soto to 47 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Garcia-Jauregui pleaded guilty on March 16, 2023, to Assault on a Federal Officer with Physical Contact and Attempted Reentry of a Removed Alien. Garcia-Jauregui also admitted that he had violated the terms and conditions of his supervised release after previously serving a 24-month sentence for Attempted Reentry of a Removed Alien and Importing a Stolen Vehicle.
On November 12, 2022, just two days after Garcia-Jauregui had been released from federal prison and deported from the United States, Garcia-Jauregui attempted to reenter the United States. He was seen running northbound in the southbound vehicle lanes at the DeConcini Port of Entry, in Nogales, Arizona. Garcia-Jauregui disregarded U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers’ commands to stop before being tackled to the ground. He attempted to break free multiple times, attempted to bite two officers, but was finally arrested. While in custody, Garcia-Jauregui became combative again, punching an officer twice in the shoulder and chest.
United States Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-02612-JAS and CR-21-01247-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-116_Garcia-Jauregui# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Plexus Worldwide, LLC, Agrees to Pay $600,000 to Resolve Alleged False Claims Violations for Mailing Packages with Underpaid and Duplicate PostageRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino announced today that Plexus Worldwide, LLC (Plexus), an Arizona limited liability corporation that directly markets health and wellness products, agreed to pay $600,000 to resolve allegations that the company violated the federal False Claims Act (FCA).
The settlement resolves allegations by the United States that Plexus presented mail to the United States Postal Service (USPS) for delivery with postage that was based upon and calculated with attributes not associated with the items mailed, which resulted in underpaid postage. The United States also alleged that Plexus mailed other items with re-used postage. According to the United States’ allegations, the postage Plexus affixed to the mailed items represented that postage had been appropriately paid, when in fact, it had not, and the misrepresentations facilitated Plexus’ underpayment or non-payment of postage.
“The Postal Service is a unifying force in America,” said United States Attorney Restaino. “It has always delivered mail through snow and rain and heat and ‘gloom of night’; during the pandemic it delivered free masks to protect our Nation; and it increasingly connects our fellow citizens with access to the ballot box for local, state and federal elections. It is therefore incumbent on all businesses to pay their fair share to support this integral means of communication.”
“Mailers who underpay postage short-change the U.S. Postal Service of necessary funds to carry out our mission,” stated Phoenix Division Acting Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson. “Postal Inspectors are committed to protecting the Postal Service from abuse and ensuring its financial viability by holding businesses accountable for underpaying postage. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to vigorously investigate mailers who fail to comply with postal regulations.”
As part of the settlement, Plexus admitted to underpaying postage and submitting duplicate postage that resulted in a net deficit of postage due to the USPS. Plexus also admitted that it presented mail to the USPS for delivery, even though the postage weights and other attributes used to calculate postage were underreported, resulting in underpaid postage and duplicates. Additionally, Plexus admitted that systems and controls were lacking, resulting in duplicate postage and in payments that understated the postage due. Additional details of the United States’ allegations and Plexus’ admissions are set forth in the settlement agreement, available here.
Plexus Settlement AgreementThe investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was handled by the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona.
Individuals with information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse related to federal programs should contact the relevant federal agency. A list of agencies and contact information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/agency-links.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-114_Plexus
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Firearms Smuggler Sentenced for Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jorge Alexis Hernandez-Martinez, 25, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on July 14, 2023, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hernandez-Martinez pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States.
Hernandez-Martinez and his co-conspirators obtained firearms and ammunition from licensed firearms dealers within Arizona with the intent to smuggle them into Mexico. In January 2020, Hernandez-Martinez and his co-conspirators obtained 6,800 rounds of 9mm ammunition, which are designated on the United States Commerce Control List as prohibited by law for export from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. Neither Hernandez-Martinez nor any other individual involved in the conspiracy to export firearms and ammunition had a license or any other lawful authority to export them from the United States into Mexico.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Bolling and Sandra M. Hansen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01250-SHR-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-115_Hernandez-Martinez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Eric David Marrufo, 43, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to life in prison. Marrufo was convicted of five counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact With a Child.
A jury convicted Marrufo on August 19, 2022, of sexually abusing the victims at his home on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation between August 1, 2006, and August 1, 2008. Marrufo is a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew C. Cassell and Rui Wang, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-0976-TUC-CKJ-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-113_Marrufo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Parker Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Anthony William Delgado, 28, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 144 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Delgado pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On October 24, 2021, Delgado struck the victim multiple times in the head and face with a sledgehammer, causing the victim to sustain fatal injuries. The victim died one week later. Delgado is an enrolled member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) and the offense occurred on the CRIT Reservation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CRIT Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina J. Reid-Moore and LeighAnn M. Thomas, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00427-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-112_Delgado# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former University of Arizona Student Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jonathan Edward Mayer, 22, of Tacoma, Washington, was sentenced on June 30, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 84 months in prison. Mayer previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and three counts of Possession of Unregistered Firearms, specifically pertaining to a privately manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun,” machine gun conversion devices, and a silencer.
Mayer was attending the University of Arizona in October of 2021 when agents executed a search warrant on his apartment. Underneath his bed, agents found a bag of marijuana and a “ghost gun” with an automatic conversion switch that rendered it a machine gun. Agents also discovered $20,000 in U.S. currency, individually wrapped cocaine, a small bulk quantity of cocaine, six firearms, high-capacity magazines, a silencer, 10 grams of mushrooms, 15 grams of amphetamines, approximately one gram of LSD, and a gold money counter. Several firearms were seized, including a Glock pistol loaded with a 30-round magazine found in a backpack that Mayer carried around campus. Mayer admitted to mailing marijuana, mushrooms, and machine gun conversion devices through the United States Postal Service to various locations in the United States.
“Schools and guns are a dangerous combination,” said United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino. “The defendant got caught up with the wrong people from out-of-state, and his actions created a public safety risk here in Tucson.”
“The conviction and sentencing of Mayer is an excellent example of multiple law enforcement agencies combining their expertise and resources to combat narcotics and firearms trafficking. U.S. Postal Inspectors are committed to continuing our work to dismantle drug trafficking organizations to keep USPS customers and employees safe,” stated Acting Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Phoenix Division.”
“I commend the outstanding work conducted by law enforcement in this investigation, which saved lives,” said DEA Phoenix Division Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. “DEA and our partners are dedicated to public safety and will continue to stand strong, protecting the communities we serve.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—Phoenix Division, the multi-agency Tucson Strike Force, the United States Postal Inspectors Service (USPIS)—Phoenix Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case in partnership with the Spokane, Washington Field Offices of the DEA and USPIS, local and regional law enforcement partners in Eastern Washington, and the University of Arizona Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan P. DeJoe, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution with assistance from Richard R. Barker and Stephanie Van Marter, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.
CASE NUMBER: 21-CR-3187-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-111_Mayer# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Border Crosser Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Miguel Angel Acatzihua-Temoxtle, 26, a citizen and national of Mexico, was sentenced last Thursday, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Acatzihua-Temoxtle pleaded guilty on March 15, 2023, to Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon and Assault on a Federal Officer Resulting in Bodily Injury.
United States Border Patrol agents received information on May 31, 2022, that several groups of non-citizens were passing though the Baboquivari Mountain range near the area of Newfield, Arizona. When agents located the group, Acatzihua-Temoxtle fled up the side of a wash, kicking several large boulders towards one of the agents to slow his pursuit. When agents apprehended Acatzihua-Temoxtle, he physically assaulted one agent by using the agent’s flashlight and attempted to strangle another agent with his lanyard used to hold night vision goggles.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Raquel Arellano, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01420-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-110_Acatzihua-Temoxtle# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest newsTucson Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Alien Smuggling and Threats to Murder a Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Alberto Ibarra-Barraza, 31, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Monday, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to a term of 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Ibarra-Barraza pleaded guilty on February 27, 2023, to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit and Threats to Murder an Employee of the United States.
On March 16, 2023, Ibarra-Barraza was transporting four undocumented noncitizens when he encountered law enforcement. Ibarra-Barraza stopped his vehicle, directed the passengers to exit, then fled at a high rate of speed. Ibarra-Barraza then crashed his vehicle sustaining serious injuries. While at the hospital, Ibarra-Barraza verbally confronted the victim, a United States Border Patrol Agent, and threatened to kill the victim upon his release from the hospital.
United States Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01958-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-109_Ibarra-Barraza# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute More than 332 Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Hector Francisco Ramirez-Roman, 39, of San Luis, Rio Colorado, Mexico, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 108 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Ramirez-Roman also was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Ramirez-Roman pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine.
Ramirez-Roman was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on May 21, 2021, while crossing from Mexico into the United States driving his tractor-trailer loaded with cucumbers. Upon inspection, agents discovered that the passenger-side gas tank was filled with a combination of gasoline and liquified methamphetamine. More than 332 kilograms of methamphetamine -approximately 1.3 million individual doses - was removed from the gas tank.
United States Customs and Border Protection, assisted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01384-JCH-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-107_Ramirez-Roman# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Inscription House Man Sentenced to over 24 Years for MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Eric Lee Kinney, 37, of Inscription House, Arizona, was sentenced on June 26, 2023, by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 292 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Kinney pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder.
On or about November 5, 2022, Kinney, a member of the Navajo Nation, stabbed the victim to death and later fled from law enforcement. Upon his arrest, Kinney directed law enforcement agents to where he had hidden the murder weapon.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-08132-PCT-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-108_Kinney# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mesa Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraud Targeting AHCCCSRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Diana Marie Moore, 42, of Mesa, Arizona, pleaded guilty on Monday to Wire Fraud and Money Laundering. Sentencing is scheduled for September 18, 2023, before United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich.
Moore admitted that she owned two behavioral health counseling services, Harmony Family Services (HFS) and Harmony Family Services II (HFS II) and that she had also submitted an application for a third behavioral health counseling service, Logan Family Health, LLC (LFH). All three then applied to be medical providers for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona’s Medicaid agency - HFS applied in 2019, HFS II applied in 2020, and LFH applied in 2022. AHCCCS approved all three applications. At the times that HFS and HFS II applied to AHCCCS, Moore admitted that she failed to disclose her ownership interest in the other entity. Moore also failed to disclose her prior felony conviction, which was required to be disclosed on the AHCCCS application form.
Moore further admitted that she engaged in fraudulent billing practices targeting AHCCCS. Starting in January 2020, Moore began obtaining AHCCCS identification numbers for AHCCCS enrollees by paying other providers to transport AHCCCS enrollees to the HFS or HFS II facility for a single day, and then obtaining the enrollees’ identification numbers once they arrived. After these AHCCCS enrollees left the HFS or HFS II facility, Moore would submit bills to AHCCCS, which falsely claimed that HFS and HFS II continued providing services to those same enrollees for up to 90 days. Moore regularly claimed that HFS or HFS II provided counseling services to a given AHCCCS enrollee for eight or more hours each day, five days a week, for months in a row, even though Moore knew such services were not provided. In addition, Moore submitted claims to AHCCCS which falsely claimed that HFS or HFS II provided services to certain AHCCCS enrollees who were, in fact, deceased or imprisoned at the time Moore claimed to have provided services. Moore later established LFH to knowingly engage in the same pattern of fraudulent billing. Between January 2020 and December 2021, HFS, HFS II, and LFH collectively received over $22 million in payments from AHCCCS.
In her plea agreement, Moore agreed to forfeit four residences, seven luxury vehicles, and over 100 other items, including jewelry, artwork, and designer clothing, all of which Moore purchased using fraudulent proceeds.
A conviction for Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. A conviction for Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aron Ketchel, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00040-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-106_Moore# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Final Defendant Sentenced for Tucson-Based Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Cecilia Campos, 49, of Pellham, Alabama, was sentenced on June 14, 2023, by United States District Court Judge James A. Soto to 18 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Campos pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Commit Laundering of Monetary Instruments.
Campos’ co-conspirators pleaded guilty and were sentenced as follows:
- Juan Randolfo Parrado-Herrera, 63, of Tucson, Arizona pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Cocaine and Conspiracy to Commit Laundering of Monetary Instruments. He also admitted that these crimes were committed while he was serving a term of supervised release in another federal case. He was sentenced to 180 months in prison on the new charges and a concurrent term of 24 months on the supervised release violation. His prison term will be followed by 60 months of supervised release.
- Ana Fernanda Contreras, 32, of Tucson, Arizona pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Laundering of Monetary Instruments. She was sentenced to a term of one year probation.
- Markita Denise Caldwell, 48, of Raytown, Missouri, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Laundering of Monetary Instruments. She was sentenced to 10 months in prison, followed by 24 months of supervised release.
Parrado-Herrera and his co-conspirators possessed with intent to distribute 1,412.5 grams of methamphetamine, 122.8 grams of heroin, and 29 grams of cocaine to locations in and outside of Arizona for several years up until June 2, 2017.
As part of the conspiracy, Parrado-Herrera and Campos mailed numerous packages containing drugs from Tucson, Arizona to Hialeah and Orlando, Florida. Caldwell also mailed several different packages of narcotics to her residences in Kansas City, Missouri. Parrado-Herrera, Campos, Contreras, and Caldwell conspired to launder United States currency by directing the proceeds of narcotic sales to be deposited into accounts in the name of or accessible to Parrado-Herrera and Campos. Parrado-Herrera and Campos directed other co-conspirators across the country to deposit the proceeds of narcotic sales into bank accounts under their control, later withdrawing these proceeds from accounts in Tucson, Arizona. Parrado-Herrera and Campos laundered over $250,000 of narcotic proceeds using this method.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sandra M. Hansen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-02174-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-105-Campos# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Cooperation Between United States and Mexican Law Enforcement Leads to Significant Actions Against Transnational Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, United States and Mexican law enforcement announced significant enforcement actions against a prolific transnational drug trafficking organization operating in Nogales, Sonora, along the U.S.-Mexico border.
After extensive bilateral cooperation between the United States and Mexico, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office, Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) – conducted a significant enforcement operation on June 23, 2023, to dismantle a prolific transnational drug trafficking organization operating in Nogales, Sonora, along the U.S.–Mexico border. The operation resulted in the arrest of five people and the seizure of 120,000 fentanyl pills, 15 pounds of methamphetamine, 17 pounds of heroin, 15 pounds of cocaine, 3 assault rifles, one 9mm handgun, and a vehicle.
In addition, seven U.S.-based coordinators and operators with alleged ties to the same drug-trafficking organization have been arrested and indicted in the United States. Gerardo Bernal-Mazon, 29, Ashley Bernal, 31, Jessica Yesenia Valenzuela, 32, and Delyanira Lovio, 29, all of Nogales, Arizona, Juan Murillo, 48, of Rio Rico, Arizona, and Lilian Sugey Siegfried, 38, of Tucson, Arizona, were indicted by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges on February 2, 2023. George Armenta-Vasquez, 45, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 25, 2023.
“Transnational drug trafficking organizations pose an unprecedented public safety threat to both the United States and Mexico,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “These coordinated law enforcement actions demonstrate the success our countries can have when we work together to meet that threat.”
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Nogales led the investigation in the United States, in concert with the DEA Mexico City Country Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Nogales, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Tucson. Support from DEA–Mexico City Country Office and FGR’s Agencia de Investigación Criminal (AIC) was critical in providing coordination between United States and Mexican law enforcement agencies. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is prosecuting the seven individuals named above.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00124-TUC-SHR (JR)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-104_Bernal-Mazon, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Will Serve 78 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Glen Adam Romero, Jr., 42, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on June 27, 2023, by United States District Judge James A. Soto to 78 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Romero also was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Romero pleaded guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl.
In October 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation initiated an investigation into the Southside Murder Gang Killaz (SMGK) criminal street gang in Tucson, Arizona. The investigation revealed individuals associated with SMGK were involved in the smuggling of aliens, narcotics, and firearms in the Tucson area. Romero, Jr. conspired to distribute 1.7256 kilograms of fentanyl.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Bolling and Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00979-JAS-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-103_Romero# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Phoenix Man Sentenced to 40 Months for Alien Smuggling and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – John Edward Crenshaw, 40, of Phoenix, Arizona was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On January 19, 2023, Crenshaw pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
On March 3, 2022, Crenshaw was encountered at a United States Border Patrol checkpoint, which he approached while erratically driving a Ford Fusion. After he stopped, Border Patrol agents discovered that he was transporting five passengers, who were determined to be undocumented noncitizens that Crenshaw was smuggling further into the country. Four of the passengers were in the rear of the vehicle, which did not have seats or seat belts. Crenshaw was in possession of a knife and a loaded .380-caliber pistol. He was later determined to be a convicted felon who could not legally possess a firearm.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-CR-00595-TUC-RM (JR)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-102_Crenshaw# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.MediaMuv L.L.C. Principal Guilty of Stealing Millions in Music Royalties Sentenced to 70 MonthsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jose Teran, 38, of Scottsdale, Arizona was sentenced on June 26, 2023, by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 70 months in prison for his part in one of the largest music-royalty frauds ever perpetrated.
Teran pleaded guilty to Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, and Transactional Money Laundering on February 3, 2023. Teran’s plea followed a November 6, 2021, indictment in which a federal grand jury charged him and his co-conspirator, Webster Batista, with 30 felony counts involving Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, Transactional Money Laundering, and Aggravated Identity Theft. In pleading guilty, Teran admitted to conspiring with Batista to monetize music on Y.T., which he had no lawful rights to monetize or otherwise control. Teran further admitted that he and Batista created the entity MediaMuv L.L.C. for the purpose of stealing royalty proceeds. In particular, Teran admitted that he and Batista falsely claimed to own, and thereby stole the royalty proceeds from, more than 50,000 song titles. In total, Teran and Batista received approximately $23,400,000 from their fraudulent scheme.
Batista pleaded guilty to Conspiracy and Wire Fraud in April 2022. He will be sentenced in August 2023.
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Seth T. Goertz, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecution.
If you believe you were defrauded by the defendants in this case, and would like further information, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/programs/victim-notifications/US-v-Webster-Batista-Fernandez-et-al.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-0955-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-101_Teran# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Smuggle Firearms from the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Cesar Ignacio Perez-Barrios, 48, of Santa Cruz, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Perez-Barrios also was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Perez-Barrios pleaded guilty to Smuggling Goods from the United States.
On April 28, 2019, Perez-Barrios knowingly attempted to smuggle from the United States into Mexico: five AR-style upper receivers; five AR-style lower receivers; five AR-style barrels; five AR-style buffer tubes; five trigger kits; and five AR-style pistol grips. These items were concealed in a vehicle driven by a co-conspirator who then attempted to exit the United States into Mexico. Perez-Barrios expected to be paid for his role in the operation, whose purpose was to illegally smuggle the firearm parts into Mexico from the United States.
The firearm parts, whose transportation across the border was arranged by Perez-Barrios, are prohibited from being exported from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. Neither Perez-Barrios nor any of his associates had a valid license or any other lawful authority to export the items to Mexico.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Bolling and Sandra M. Hansen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00944-RM-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-099_Perez-Barrios# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Justice Department Launches Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Regional Outreach ProgramRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Department of Justice today announced the creation of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which permanently places 10 attorneys and coordinators in five designated regions across the United States to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people.
“This new program mobilizes the Justice Department’s resources to combat the crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons, which has shattered the lives of victims, their families, and entire Tribal communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will continue to accelerate our efforts, in partnership with Tribes, to keep their communities safe and pursue justice for American Indian and Alaska Native families.”
“These new positions represent the Justice Department’s continuing commitment to addressing the MMIP crisis with urgency and all of the tools at our disposal,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “MMIP prosecutors and coordinators will work with partners across jurisdictions and alongside the Tribal communities who have been most devastated by this epidemic.”
“Vindicating the rights of missing and murdered indigenous persons and their families is a top priority for our office,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “As home to 22 federally-recognized tribes, this District has been thinking about — and working on — this issue for several years. It is a complex issue, with no easy solution. Hosting an MMIP coordinator for the Region will allow us to dedicate even more resources to this important issue.”
The MMIP regional outreach program prioritizes MMIP cases consistent with the Deputy Attorney General’s July 2022 directive to United States Attorneys’ offices promoting public safety in Indian country. The program fulfills the Justice Department’s promise to dedicate new personnel to MMIP consistent with Executive Order 14053, Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People, and the Department’s Federal Law Enforcement Strategy to Prevent and respond to Violence Against American Indians and Alaska Natives, Including to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons also issued in July 2022.
The program will dedicate five MMIP Assistant U.S. Attorneys and five MMIP coordinators to provide specialized support to United States Attorneys’ offices to address and combat the issues of MMIP. This support includes assisting in the investigation of unresolved MMIP cases and related crimes, and promoting communication, coordination, and collaboration among federal, Tribal, local, and state law enforcement and non-governmental partners on MMIP issues. The five regions include the Northwest, Southwest, Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Southeast Regions, and MMIP personnel will be located within host United States Attorneys’ offices in the Districts of Alaska, Arizona, Eastern Washington, Minnesota, New Mexico, Northern Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and Western Michigan. Programmatic support will be provided by the MMIP Regional Outreach Program Coordinator at the Executive Office for United States Attorneys.
“The Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the United States Attorney community are committed to preventing and responding to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people. "To that end, we will work together with all relevant federal, Tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners to locate missing persons and solve crimes where they have occurred," said Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson. “This new program will allow the Department to build upon the work done by individual United States Attorneys’ offices and ensure continued support to those offices by coordinating outreach regionally on MMIP matters.”
More broadly, this MMIP program will complement the work of the Justice Department’s National Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who is helping amplify the voices of crime victims in Indian country and their families as they navigate the federal criminal justice system. Further, the MMIP program will liaise with and enhance the work of the Department’s Tribal Liaisons and Indian Country Assistant United States Attorneys throughout Indian Country, the Native American Issues Coordinator, and the National Indian Country Training Initiative Coordinator to ensure a comprehensive response to MMIP.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-098_MMIP Regional Outreach Program
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.22-Year-Old Man Receives 21 Months in Prison for Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Hugo Alexander Garcia-Sales, 22, of Guatemala, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to a term of 21 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Garcia-Sales pleaded guilty on April 11, 2023, to Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon and Improper Entry by an Alien.
On October 13, 2022, Garcia-Sales threw five softball-sized rocks at a United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations helicopter Air Interdiction Agent while the helicopter was in the air. Although the rocks failed to hit the helicopter, one rock came within several feet of striking the aircraft. As part of his guilty plea, Garcia-Sales admitted that striking the helicopter with any of the rocks could have caused the aircraft to crash. Additionally, Garcia-Sales admitted he is a Guatemalan national who knowingly entered the United States near Newfield, Arizona, without legal permission to enter or remain in the United States.
CBP’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-02445-RM-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-100_Garcia-Sales# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Prolific Human Smuggler Extradited to United States from HondurasRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – A Honduran national has been extradited from Honduras to the United States to face charges related to human smuggling and money laundering.
Maria Mendoza-Mendoza, aka “La Guera,” will make her initial court appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona in Tucson.
According to court documents, Mendoza-Mendoza is a high-level, Honduran-based human smuggling coordinator who, along with co-conspirators throughout Central America, Mexico, and the United States, was responsible for facilitating the illegal entry, transport, and harboring of numerous undocumented non-citizens (UNCs). Through phone conversations captured on wire intercepts, Mendoza-Mendoza is alleged to have directed the movement of UNCs and the collection of their smuggling fees. She also is alleged to have exercised extensive control over co-conspirators. The smuggling organization is alleged to have utilized numerous funnel accounts to collect millions of dollars in smuggling fees deposited across the United States and withdrawn primarily in the Phoenix, Arizona area.
Mendoza-Mendoza is charged in an indictment with Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit and Transportation of and Harboring Illegal Aliens for Profit, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This extradition resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security , to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime.
Homeland Security Investigations – Sells Office conducted the investigation in this case, with significant assistance from the United States Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, and numerous state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the country. The United States Marshals Service assisted with the extradition efforts. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Honduras to secure the arrest and extradition of Mendoza-Mendoza. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Honduras to secure the arrest and extradition of Mendoza-Mendoza.
A video recording of the press conference held to announce Mendoza-Mendoza’s extradition can be found here.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-0078-TUC-RCC-MAA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-097_Mendoza-Mendoza# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Co-Conspirator of Tucson Amtrak Shooter Sentenced to 10 YearsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Devonte Okeith Mathis, 24, of Mesquite, Texas, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 10 years in prison (60 months on Count 2, consecutive to 60 months on Count 1), followed by 60 months of supervised release. Mathis pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Using and Carrying a Firearm During and In Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
On October 4, 2021, Mathis and his co-conspirator were traveling together aboard an Amtrak train in Tucson, Arizona, when his co-conspirator shot and killed Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Michael Garbo aboard the train. His co-conspirator also shot and injured a second DEA Special Agent and a DEA Task Force Officer. The co-conspirator died on the scene after a shootout with a Tucson Police Department Sergeant. In pleading guilty, Mathis admitted that he knew that his co-conspirator possessed two handguns. He also admitted that it was reasonably foreseeable that his co-conspirator would possess the firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking conspiracy, and that he would carry and use the two handguns during and in relation to their drug trafficking conspiracy.
“Today we honor resilience,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We commemorate the strength of a fallen hero’s family; the courage and recovery of a TPD officer and a DEA agent injured in the line of duty; the esprit de corps of our law enforcement partners at DEA and TPD; the dedication of the FBI in its investigation; and the renewed commitment by local, state, and federal law enforcement to uphold the rule of law and keep our communities safe. Most of all, we honor DEA Group Supervisor Michael G. Garbo for being an agent who made everyone around him better.”
“Every day, law enforcement officers face dangerous situations to keep our communities safe. Supervisory Special Agent Michael Garbo made the ultimate sacrifice to protect everyone on that train and prevent others from being harmed,” said Akil Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. “Today is for Michael Garbo, and his loved ones and colleagues. We hope this sentence will bring a degree of comfort and closure knowing that Mr. Mathis has been held accountable for his criminal conduct.”
“Supervisory Special Agent Michael Garbo dedicated himself to DEA’s mission and gave his life in service to his country,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Today, we remember him as a hero, mentor, and friend and, each and every day, we honor his legacy by continuing our fight to keep Americans safe. His daughter Alexis and wife Vida are in our thoughts, as well as our DEA Special Agent and Task Force Officer who were injured during the tragic events of October 4, 2021. We want to thank the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona for their dedicated work on this case and pursuit of justice.”
“That day is seared in our collective memory as an agency and as a law enforcement community,” said Tucson Chief of Police Chad Kasmar. “We will never forget our fallen colleague, DEA Group Supervisor Mike Garbo, and we are thankful that more lives were not lost that day - due to the heroic actions of many of our TPD members. Two others were seriously injured, a DEA agent and a TPD officer. I remain extremely proud of TPD's response and I hope that today's decision brings closure and peace to the family of GS Garbo, and to all who were affected by this event.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-2714-TUC-RM-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-096_Mathis# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Smuggle Firearms from the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Luis Eduardo Terminel Jr., 27, of Tucson, was sentenced on June 14, 2023, by United States District Judge James A. Soto to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Terminel also was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. Terminel pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States.
Terminel and his co-conspirators concocted a scheme to smuggle firearms and firearm magazines from the United States into Mexico from November 2019 leading up to June 27, 2020. As part of the conspiracy, Terminel and his co-conspirators purchased and transported firearms and magazines in Arizona and elsewhere, made false statements to firearms dealers, and provided funds to others for the purchase of firearms and magazines.
The firearms and magazines that Terminel and his co-conspirators intended to bring across the border are prohibited from being exported from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. None of the conspirators had a valid license or any other lawful authority to export the items to Mexico.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Bolling and Sandra Hansen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00880-JAS-LCK
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-095_Terminel, Jr.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney and Federal Law Enforcement Partners Announce Formalization of Darknet Marketplace and Digital Currency Crimes Task ForceRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino, HSI SAC Scott Brown, IRS-CI SAC Al Childress, DEA SAC Cheri Oz, and United States Postal Inspection Service Acting Inspector in Charge Greg Torbenson yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) memorializing a Darknet Marketplace and Digital Currency Crimes Task Force (DNMDCC Task Force).
Since 2017, these federal partners have focused on darknet drug vendors and cryptocurrency-enabled crimes. Ever-evolving technology has allowed drug traffickers and other criminal actors to expand into the digital world and use the darknet to engage in their illegal activity. Criminals have long sought to launder the proceeds of their illegal activity through various means, and technology has facilitated this on a grand scale. As these criminal activities and enterprises have become more sophisticated, law enforcement tools, resources, and intelligence have had to adapt.
Federal partners in Arizona have collectively investigated and prosecuted many of these cases in recent years. Some significant prosecutions include:
United States v. Ruelas et. al., CR17-0317-PHX-JAT: Silvester Ruelas, Kevin Dean McCoy, Amber Nicole Worrell, and Peggy V. Gomez conspired together to traffic heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine on the darknet. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized from Ruelas’ residence and subsequently forfeited nine firearms, various bars of silver, gold and platinum, assorted jewelry, three high-end watches, and a Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl ring. The Court sentenced Ruelas to 240 months in prison, McCoy to 180 months in prison, Worrell to 120 months in prison, and Gomez to 60 months in prison. Liliana Sibirian Gomez was also charged with the others, pleaded to possession with intent to distribute, and was sentenced to 24 months in prison. The last defendant in the case was sentenced in 2021. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.
United States v. McCoy et. al., CR21-0427-PHX-SPL: Charles McCoy, Lauren Rempel, and John Barnhill conspired together to distribute fentanyl through the dark web. Customers paid in cryptocurrency, and McCoy and Rempel laundered the proceeds of the offense through a cryptocurrency exchange. The Court sentenced McCoy to 180 months in prison, Barnhill to 72 months in prison, and Rempel to 87 months in prison. The last defendant in the case was sentenced in 2023. This prosecution is part of an OCDETF investigation.
United States v. Cummings, CR22-0172-PHX-DWL: Michael Brian Cummings sold blue M-30 pills containing fentanyl on the dark web under the vendor name “PillPlugPaul.” He pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute and agreed to forfeit all of the computers and cell phones used in the offense. His sentencing is scheduled for July 31, 2023, in front of United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza.
“We’ve done great work with our federal partners in the dark web and crypto space,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “This task force will enable us to continue the great collaboration with USPIS, DEA, IRS-CI and HSI, and I look forward to robust interdiction and prosecution efforts to deter digital crimes.”
“HSI and our partners have been working at the forefront of combating criminal activities facilitated through the use of cryptocurrency on dark web marketplaces and other anonymous platforms,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “This taskforce will have impactful repercussions on those criminal operators who attempt to grow their businesses and launder the illicit proceeds through advancing technology. HSI looks forward to growing in this investigative space alongside our law enforcement partners.”
“IRS-CI is increasingly dedicating more investigative time and agent expertise to tackle darknet and cryptocurrency crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Albert Childress of the IRS Phoenix Field Office. “Our agents excel in addressing sophisticated cyber-related schemes and are up to the challenge of locating and apprehending criminals who try to hide in the digital world.”
“DEA is committed to saving lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. “Drug traffickers who are hiding in the darknet will be aggressively targeted and unmasked by this task force.”
“The U.S Postal Inspection Service’s participation in this task force with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice underscores our commitment to keeping the U.S. Mail safe for all who handle and receive it,” said Phoenix Division Acting Inspector in Charge Glen Henderson. “Dark web vendors and their operatives believe they can hide anonymously while perpetrating their crimes. The collaborative effort of this task force proves criminals operating on the web are never truly anonymous and they will be uncovered and prosecuted.”
Over the last several years federal partners have seen an increase in the use of the internet, both clear net and darknet, to facilitate the illegal sale and distribution of narcotics, firearms and parts, technologies, and Personal Identification Information (PII), and other contraband. Additionally, there has been a rise in the use of digital currency to facilitate these activities. The parties to the MOU agree that the unique investigative capability of a DNMDCC Task Force will serve the needs of all the communities within the District of Arizona.
The mission of the DNMDCC Task Force is to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that are exploiting the appearance of anonymity on the darknet or using digital currency to facilitate criminal activities, such as drug trafficking, money laundering, theft of PII, and child exploitation. The goal of the DNMDCC will be to provide increased collaboration, enhance resources, and disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that are using these new and emerging technologies.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-094_DNMDCC Task Force
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Ten Indicted and Six Arrested in Joint Task Force Alpha Investigation of the Lopez Crime Family Human Smuggling Organization Operating in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Thursday, Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Francisco B. Burrola, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, announced the unsealing of an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on May 24, 2023, and the arrest of, six alleged human smugglers in a coordinated, multistate enforcement operation that included arrests in Arizona and California.
According to the indictment and other court records, Ronaldo Galindo Lopez-Escobar, aka “Tio Roni,” 45, of Guatemala City, Guatemala, and his sister, Rosa Adriana Lopez-Escobar, aka “Tia Rosa,” 38, of Phoenix, and citizens of Guatemala, allegedly led the Lopez Crime Family, a transnational criminal organization principally involved in human smuggling with operations in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. The organization smuggled undocumented noncitizens into the United States utilizing a series of coordinated transports, stash houses, and directed electronic money transfers to avoid detection. Rosa Adriana Lopez-Escobar was arrested in Phoenix on June 14, 2023, and is detained pending further proceedings, which have not been scheduled.
Ronaldo Galindo Lopez-Escobar’s family associates, who are alleged to have been involved in moving money through funnel bank accounts and through electronic money transfers on behalf of the organization were also arrested. Deysi Marisela Lopez-Ambrosio, 25, was arrested in Long Beach, California. Both are citizens of Guatemala.
Arrests in Arizona on June 14 also were made of Rosa Adriana Lopez-Escobar’s family and their close associates, who allegedly coordinated the transportation and harboring of the smuggled undocumented noncitizens: Jose Denilson Lopez-Chilel, aka “Andres,” 24, Franklin Leonardo Chilel-Ramirez, aka “Arisona,” 37, and Junior Vanegas-Portillo, 20, citizens of Guatemala.
If convicted, they each face up to ten years in prison and some will be subject to deportation.
Suny Diaz-Salguero, an associate of the Lopez family associate, was also arrested in a related in case in Los Angeles, California.
“Today’s human smuggling organizations prey on the hope of Latin American migrants, targeting those who are most vulnerable for exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “To combat human smuggling we will dismantle networks, arrest leaders, and seize bank accounts. And that is our promise, and our solemn duty to each other and to our neighbors south of the border seeking a better life—this team will tirelessly target those who profit from the misery of others.
“We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their invaluable contribution to the success of this tri-state enforcement action - a significant joint effort and victory against unscrupulous human smugglers,” said Special Agent in Charge Burrola. “Criminal organizations, such as the Lopez Crime Family, not only jeopardize the safety and lives of the people on whom they prey for profit and greed, they also threaten the security of the United States. HSI remains steadfast in vigorously investigating and dismantling transnational criminal networks that pose a threat to our nation.”
“El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents continue to successfully disrupt smuggling schemes and the illegal operations of Transnational Criminal Organizations through our law enforcement partnerships,” said El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good. “I am grateful for these partnerships at the state, local and federal level and are vital to our National Security Mission. This alliance is successfully disrupting dangerous criminal organizations, their leadership, and their human smuggling schemes.”
JTFA was created by Attorney General Merrick Garland in June 2021 in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to strengthen the Department’s overall efforts to combat these crimes based on the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.
Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations who have the most impact on the United States, and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. To date, JTFA’s work with its partners has resulted in criminal charges and over a hundred domestic and international arrests, including against leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling activities; several dozen convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorney’s Offices, including the New Mexico, the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California, and dedicated support for the program is also provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division that are part of JTFA – led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS). JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement investment from HSI, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners.
HSI New Mexico led U.S. investigative efforts, with enforcement assistance from HSI in Arizona and the Central District of California.HSI received investigative assistance from U.S. Border Patrol Deming, Lordsburg, Blythe, El Centro, Yuma, and Tucson, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. HRSP and MLARS also provided support in this matter.
The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ramirez for the District of New Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Nelson for the Central District of California and Stuart Zander for the District of Arizona provided critical support fugitive location and search warrants.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Salt River Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Fentanyl Overdose Death of Her BabyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz.– Sarah Caitlin Burnette, 23, of the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community, was sentenced on June 12, 2023, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 180 months in prison. Burnette previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On February 27, 2021, Burnette’s 18-month-old baby boy died of acute fentanyl toxicity after ingesting the drug. On October 19, 2021, Burnette was charged with murder and child abuse for the fentanyl overdose death of her son, and exposing another child to the same risk of death by fentanyl overdose.
The Salt River Police Department and FBI jointly conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer E. LaGrange and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alane Breland, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. SAUSA Breland is also the Chief Prosecutor for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00867-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-093_Burnette# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Russian National Arrested and Charged with Conspiring to Commit LockBit Ransomware Attacks Against U.S. and Foreign BusinessesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced charges against a Russian national for his involvement in deploying numerous LockBit ransomware and other cyberattacks against victim computer systems in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov (АСТАМИРОВ, Руслан Магомедовичь), 20, of Chechen Republic, will make his initial appearance later today.
“This LockBit-related arrest, the second in six months, underscores the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to hold ransomware actors accountable,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “In securing the arrest of a second Russian national affiliated with the LockBit ransomware, the Department has once again demonstrated the long arm of the law. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt cybercrime, and while cybercriminals may continue to run, they ultimately cannot hide.”
According to a criminal complaint obtained in the District of New Jersey, from at least as early as August 2020 to March 2023, Astamirov allegedly participated in a conspiracy with other members of the LockBit ransomware campaign to commit wire fraud and to intentionally damage protected computers and make ransom demands through the use and deployment of ransomware. Specifically, Astamirov directly executed at least five attacks against victim computer systems in the United States and abroad.
“Astamirov is the third defendant charged by this office in the LockBit global ransomware campaign, and the second defendant to be apprehended,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “The LockBit conspirators and any other ransomware perpetrators cannot hide behind imagined online anonymity. We will continue to work tirelessly with all our law enforcement partners to identify ransomware perpetrators and bring them to justice.”
According to the criminal complaint, the LockBit ransomware variant first appeared around January 2020. LockBit actors have executed over 1,400 attacks against victims in the United States and around the world, issuing over $100 million in ransom demands and receiving at least as much as tens of millions of dollars in actual ransom payments made in the form of bitcoin.
In furtherance of his LockBit-related activities, Astamirov owned, controlled, and used a variety of email addresses, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and other online provider accounts that allowed him and his co-conspirators to deploy LockBit ransomware and to communicate with their victims. Additionally, in at least one circumstance, law enforcement was able to trace a portion of a victim’s ransom payment to a virtual currency address in Astamirov’s control.
“The FBI is committed to pursuing ransomware actors like Astamirov, who have exploited vulnerable cyber ecosystems and harmed victims,” said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. “We, in collaboration with our federal and international partners, are fully committed to the permanent dismantlement of these types of ransomware campaigns that intentionally target people and our private sector partners. We will continue to leverage every resource to prevent this type of malicious, criminal activity.”
Astamirov is charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud and conspiring to intentionally damage protected computers and to transmit ransom demands. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the first charge and a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the second charge. Both charges are also punishable by a maximum fine of either $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
This announcement follows LockBit-related charges in two other cases from the District of New Jersey. In November 2022, the department announced criminal charges against Mikhail Vasiliev, a dual Russian and Canadian national, who is currently in custody in Canada awaiting extradition to the United States. In May 2023, the department announced the indictment of Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev, aka Wazawaka, aka m1x, aka Boriselcin, aka Uhodiransomwar, for his alleged participation in separate conspiracies to deploy LockBit, Babuk, and Hive ransomware variants against victims in the United States and abroad.
The FBI Newark Field Office’s Cyber Crimes Task Force is investigating the case. The Jersey City Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Newark IRS Criminal Investigation, and the international partners from Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, Eurojust, National Police Agency of Japan, France’s Gendarmerie Nationale Cyberspace Command (Cyber Crime Investigation Unit / C3N), National Crime Agency and South West Regional Organized Crime Unit of the United Kingdom, Kantonspolizei Zürich of Switzerland, Landeskriminalamt Schleswig-Holstein and the Bundeskriminalamt of Germany, and Swedish Police Authority of Sweden also provided valuable assistance.
Trial Attorney Jessica C. Peck and Jorge Gonzalez of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, Vinay Limbachia, and David E. Malagold for the District of New Jersey’s Cybercrime Unit in Newark are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided significant assistance.
Victims of LockBit ransomware should contact their local FBI field office and visit StopRansomware.gov for further information.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three People Plead Guilty to Illegally Providing Firearms to Essa Williams, Alleged Shooter of Phoenix Police Department Officer Tyler MoldovanRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Erika LaRae Williams, 51, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty on May 22, 2023, to Making a Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. Williams purchased a Taurus G3 pistol from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) on September 3, 2020, for her son, Essa Williams, five months after his release from the Arizona Department of Corrections. During the purchase, Williams completed the Firearms Transactions Record, and represented that she was the actual purchaser of the firearm. However, Williams knew she was purchasing the firearm on behalf of her son. Essa Williams is pending trial in Maricopa County Superior Court for allegedly shooting Phoenix Police Department (PPD) Officer Tyler Moldovan on December 14, 2021. This Taurus G3 pistol was not the firearm that was used to shoot Officer Moldovan. Sentencing for Erika Williams is scheduled for July 31, 2023, before United States District Judge Steven P. Logan. A conviction for Making a Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
On May 24, 2023, Dwayne Keith Anderson, 51, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting the Making of a False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. At the time, Anderson was a FFL, doing business in Phoenix, Arizona. Anderson met Essa Williams at a gun show, where he told Essa Williams he could assist him with firearm sales by helping him avoid a background check. On December 13, 2021, Essa Williams texted Anderson information for a female, in addition to a photo of her ID. Anderson filled out the Firearms Transaction Record with the false information of the female, including her signature. Through that transaction, Anderson actually sold a Masterpiece Arms Defender 9mm pistol to Essa Williams. Although Anderson knew that the true purchaser of the firearm must fill out the Firearms Transaction Record, Anderson completed the form using the false information, knowing Essa Williams was not providing his true identification. Anderson had never met the female, and only saw Essa Williams again when Essa arrived at Anderson’s house in a black Dodge Charger to pick up the firearm. Upon completion of the transaction, Essa Williams left with the firearm.
On December 14, 2021, pursuant to a search warrant, PPD detectives searched Essa Williams’ black Dodge Charger after the shooting of Officer Moldovan. During the search, detectives found the Masterpiece Arms Defender 9mm pistol on the back seat floorboard. This Masterpiece Arms Defender 9mm pistol was not the firearm that was used to shoot Officer Moldovan. Sentencing for Anderson is scheduled for August 7, 2023, before Judge Logan. A conviction for Aiding and Abetting the Making of a False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Alice Berdicchia, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty last week to Misprision of a Felony. On November 26, 2021, Berdicchia agreed to bring Essa Williams, her boyfriend, a Glock 9 mm pistol. At the time Essa Williams possessed the firearm, Berdicchia knew that Essa Williams had been convicted of numerous felonies, and she also knew that Essa Williams could not legally possess a firearm. Berdicchia deliberately helped Essa Williams illegally possess a firearm and helped him conceal that crime. This Glock 9 mm pistol was not the firearm that was used to shoot Officer Moldovan. Sentencing for Berdicchia is scheduled for August 14, 2023, before Judge Logan. A conviction for Misprision of a Felony carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00277-PHX-SPL (ESW)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-092_Williams# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Leader of Human Smuggling Organization Sentenced to 96 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Manuel Ochoa-Vasquez, 39, of Paso Hondo, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to a term of 96 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for his management role in a criminal conspiracy to harbor and transport thousands of undocumented non-citizens. Ochoa-Vasquez pleaded guilty on December 15, 2022, to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a year-long court-approved wiretap after discovering that people were being smuggled from the United States border to a mechanic’s shop and several residences in the Phoenix Metro area. During the execution of search warrants, 54 undocumented non-citizens were found in the primary stash house operated by Ochoa-Vasquez and his co-conspirators. The investigation revealed that the people being smuggled were detained at the stash house until their smuggling fees were paid. Additionally, wire communications revealed that Ochoa-Vasquez and his co-conspirators sometimes threatened the families or sponsors of the people being smuggled if the smuggling fees were late.
During search warrants executed at the residences of Ochoa-Vasquez and co-conspirator Carlos Barron-Arredondo, agents located guns, ammunition and over $1.4 million in cash. Ledgers recovered at their residences documented the smuggling of more than 7,000 people. Further investigation by HSI and the Internal Revenue Service also identified the ways in which co-conspirators had laundered the money gained from the smuggling operations.
In addition to Ochoa-Vasquez’s sentence, Barron-Arredondo received a sentence of 57 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. The remaining 13 co-conspirators, all of whom pleaded guilty and who had various levels of culpability in the organization, were given sentences ranging from time served to as much as 63 months in prison.
This prosecution resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations – Sells Office, in coordination with IRS Criminal Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-21-01042-TUC-JCH
CR-21-01601-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-091_Ochoa-Vasquez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Whiteriver Man Will Serve 30 Months for Assault on Ex-GirlfriendRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Eli Myles Mansfield, 35, of Whiteriver, Arizona, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 30 months in prison. Mansfield pleaded guilty to Assault by Strangling.
On August 22, 2022, while on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, Mansfield, a member of the White Mountain Apache Indian Tribe, was in a vehicle visiting with his ex-girlfriend and their three children. Mansfield became angry and assaulted his ex-girlfriend multiple times in the presence of the children.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The prosecution was handled by Anthony Church, Assistant United States Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: 22-08122-PCT-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-090_Mansfield# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Seven Mile Man Sentenced to 32 Months for Assault on Police OfficerRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Troy Pete Curtis, 33, of Seven Mile, Arizona, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 32 months in prison. Curtis pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
On April 12, 2021, while on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, Curtis, a member of the Navajo Nation Indian Tribe, was in the vicinity of a White Mountain Apache Tribal police officer when the officer heard Curtis load a firearm. The officer confronted Curtis and Curtis walked away from the officer. While walking away, Curtis discharged the firearm multiple times over his shoulder in the direction of the officer.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Anthony Church, Assistant United States Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-08141-PCT-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-089_Curtis# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Four Arizona Swindlers Sentenced for Paycheck Protection Program FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Four Arizona residents were sentenced to significant prison terms in connection with their schemes to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, a federal loan initiative designed to help businesses pay their employees and meet expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. All four defendants, Willie Mitchell, Sean Swaringer, Kimberly Coleman, and Jason Coleman pleaded guilty to Bank Fraud.
They were each sentenced as follows:
- Willie Mitchell, aka Blu Mitchell, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on February 6, 2023, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 97 months in prison.
- Sean Swaringer, 57, of Peoria, Arizona, was sentenced on April 4, 2023, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 121 months in prison.
- Kimberly Coleman, 39, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on April 10, 2023, by Judge Logan to 120 months in prison.
- Jason Coleman, 41, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced on May 15, 2023, by Judge Logan to 60 months in prison.
In addition to their respective prison terms, all four defendants also were ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
Mitchell, working with others, fraudulently obtained seven PPP loans totaling $9,470,900. He purchased a vehicle, multiple properties, and vacations with the PPP funds.
Swaringer obtained four fraudulent PPP loans totaling more than $1.5 million on behalf of two entities: Cryotherapy for Veterans and Cryoworld Therapy, LLC. In addition to his own loans, Swaringer also recruited more than 10 individuals to apply for fraudulent PPP loans. He assisted in preparing and submitting their PPP applications in exchange for kickbacks from their PPP loan proceeds. Swaringer was ordered to pay more than $3.8 million in restitution for his own loans and the kickbacks from at least 15 other PPP loans. Swaringer purchased jewelry, vehicles, vacations, and real estate with the fraudulent funds.
Kimberly Coleman and her husband, Jason Coleman, collectively prepared and submitted approximately two dozen fraudulent PPP loan applications in an attempt to receive more than $30 million in PPP funds. They were successful in at least 10 of those submissions and fraudulently obtained more than $13 million in PPP funds. The Colemans’ purchases included luxury vehicles and real estate properties, personal property from several high-end retail outlets, vacation, and jewelry.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation in these cases, with significant assistance from Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Small Business Administration-Office of the Inspector General. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecutions.
CASE NUMBERS: CR21-00977-001-PHX-GMS
CR21-00981-001-PHX-SPL
CR21-00975-002-PHX-SPL
CR21-00975-001-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-088_Mitchell-Swaringer-Coleman# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Hostage-Taking Co-Conspirators Will Serve a Combined 32 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Olegario Lares-De La Rosa, 30, of Mexico, was sentenced last Friday by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 18 years in prison. Lares-De La Rosa was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Hostage Taking, Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit, Transportation of Illegal Aliens and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, after a jury trial in February 2023.
Ivan Heriberto Borboa-Ruiz, 28, of Mexico, Lares-De La Rosa’s co-conspirator, was sentenced last Thursday to 14 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Hostage Taking and Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
On April 6, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations received a tip from an individual in New York who reported that his two cousins were being held captive and that their captors had demanded a $16,000 ransom for their release. The two victim cousins were undocumented non-citizens who were part of a group of six individuals abducted in the desert by three armed men after the group crossed illegally into the United States. One of the victims was kicked in the head when he refused to cooperate. The armed captors confiscated all of their cellphones and then transported the six captives to a house where they were held for multiple days in a room where the door was screwed shut each night to prevent escape. The two victim cousins were the final hostages to have the ransom paid.
Borboa-Ruiz made the phone calls arranging for the ransom and hostage exchange. On April 8, 2022, Borboa-Ruiz arrived at the location of the money exchange in Tucson, Arizona and met with two undercover agents. Borboa-Ruiz, who was armed with a loaded 9mm pistol, received and counted the $16,000 in cash twice to confirm the ransom had been paid, made a phone call stating “they were good,” and that the two victims could be released. Lares-De La Rosa was parked a short distance away with the two victims. Shortly after the money exchange, Lares-De La Rosa directed them to get out of the car. The victims walked single file to the vehicle where the ransom had been paid. As the two victims reached the undercover vehicle, Borboa-Ruiz was immediately arrested by law enforcement.
While agents were arresting Borboa-Ruiz, Lares-De La Rosa sped away, leading agents on a high-speed vehicle chase. During the pursuit, Lares-De La Rosa threw a loaded 9mm pistol out of the window and bailed out of the vehicle. He then fled into a residential neighborhood, concealing himself in several private backyards before being arrested.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marana Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney, Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-0974-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-087_Lares-De La Rosa# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Sacaton Man Receives Sentence of over 20 Years for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Reggie Marion Lewis, Sr., 46, of Sacaton, Arizona, was sentenced on May 26, 2023, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 245 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Lewis pleaded guilty on September 21, 2022, to Second Degree Murder.
On May 15, 2021, Lewis shot the victim, killing him. Lewis is an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community.
The Gila River Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00331-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-086_Lewis# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Law Enforcement Disrupts Networks Used to Transfer Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Over the past three months, federal, state, and local law enforcement operating in Arizona took part in a national campaign to disrupt networks used by foreign fraudsters who obtain proceeds through various schemes. The campaign addressed conduct by individuals sometimes referred to as “money mules,” who provide critical services to fraudsters by receiving money from victims and forwarding the fraud proceeds to the perpetrators, many of whom are based overseas.
In Arizona, law enforcement took approximately 52 disruption actions against individuals responsible for facilitating a range of fraud schemes. These schemes included those that target consumers such as romance and lottery schemes. During this same time period around the United States, law enforcement took over 4,000 disruption actions against such individuals.
In Arizona, law enforcement that took part in these disruption actions served warning letters on the “money mules,” notifying them that they are moving illicit proceeds and that their activities are facilitating fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with its federal and state law enforcement partners, also conducted outreach events to raise public awareness about scams and how fraudsters recruit and use people to receive and transfer fraudulent proceeds.
The agencies involved in this effort urge consumers to be on the lookout for signs someone is trying to recruit them to receive and transmit fraud proceeds. Do not agree to receive money or checks mailed to you or sent to your bank account for someone you have met over the phone or online. Do not open bank accounts or cryptocurrency accounts at someone else’s direction or request. Fraudsters will lie to persuade you to help them. They may falsely tell you various stories to persuade you to help; for example, that they are helping you get a lottery prize, or initiate a purported romantic relationship, that they need money for some type of fake “emergency,” or pretend to offer you a job, an opportunity to invest in a business venture, or the chance to help a charitable effort.
Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline:1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-084_Money Mule Campaign
# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Felon Sentenced to 60 Months for His Role in Illegal Firearms PurchaseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Keymal Bert Rucker, 31, of Laughlin, Nevada, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 60 months in prison. Rucker pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting a False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm.
From May 2019 to July 2020, Rucker directed his co-defendant, Rochelle Renee Conlin, to buy at least 102 firearms from Arizona gun stores on his behalf. Rucker provided Conlin with the money to purchase firearms, instructed her on what firearms to purchase, and took possession of the firearms after she purchased them. At the time, Rucker knew that he was a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Five of the handguns that Conlin purchased for Rucker have been recovered by law enforcement in California.
At the time of Rucker’s arrest, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives seized two machine gun conversion devices, a Glock pistol, an AR-15 style rifle, and several hundred rounds of ammunition from his residence. A machine gun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “switch,” converts a pistol from semi-automatic to fully automatic. Previously seized from his vehicle and residence were two loaded .40 caliber handguns, an AK-47 pistol, extended and drum magazines, over 2,000 rounds of ammunition, body armor, approximately $14,000 in U.S. currency, marijuana, cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA, an embossing machine with accessories, seven jars of Tannerite, and binary explosives.
This case was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-08082-SMB-PHX
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-085_Rucker# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Navajo Man Sentenced to over 15 Years for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Adren Yazzie, 39, of Blue Gap, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 15.5 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Yazzie pleaded guilty to second degree murder.
In June 2022, Yazzie struck the victim in the head multiple times with a shovel, killing him. Both Yazzie and the victim are members of the Navajo Nation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Kiyoko Patterson, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-8078-PCT-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-082_Yazzie# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.