District of Arizona
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Firearms and Ammunition Smuggler Sentenced to 51 MonthsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Miguel Armando Castro, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker, to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Castro pleaded guilty to Smuggling Goods from the United States.
On January 19, 2022, Castro attempted to exit the United States into Mexico via the vehicle lanes at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. Castro was the driver and sole occupant of a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had received alerts on the Silverado and Castro related to a prior ammunition smuggling incident. Upon initial inspection of the Silverado, CBP found a bag on the front seat that contained a loaded .22 caliber revolver. CBP further inspected the vehicle and found two high-capacity Glock firearm magazines, four regular-capacity Glock firearm magazines, and one .22 caliber Walther firearm magazine.
The firearm, ammunition, and firearm magazines Castro smuggled and intended to export to Mexico are all designated on the United States Commerce Control List as prohibited by law for export from the United States into Mexico without a valid license. Castro did not have a license or any other lawful authority to export any of the items from the United States into Mexico.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Bolling and Austin Fenwick, United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 4:22-cr-00678-JCH-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-083_Castro# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Drug Dealer Sentenced to 70 Months for Attempted Drug Sale at Arizona Mills MallRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Steve Lugo Leon, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 70 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Leon pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl.
Leon’s co-defendant, Rafael Ivan Valenzuela Chairez, 20, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on the same day by Judge Snow to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Chairez pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine.
During the investigation, DEA agents determined that, on September 15, 2021, Leon arranged to sell fentanyl pills and methamphetamine at the Arizona Mills mall in Tempe, Arizona. Gila River Police Department officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the mall parking lot, but Leon, the driver of a Ford F-150, attempted to flee the scene. He collided with a third-party vehicle, causing it to turn on its side. Chairez, the front-seat passenger, attempted to flee on foot and was apprehended by officers. Leon continued to drive until he crashed the truck into a light pole. Agents located 12.83 kilograms of methamphetamine and 946 grams of fentanyl pills in the truck bed.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case with assistance from the Gila River Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00362-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-081_LEON# # #
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 Charged for Assaulting TSA OfficersRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ma’Kiah Cherae Coleman, 19, of Glendale, Arizona, was indicted on May 17, 2023, by a federal grand jury in Phoenix. The six-count indictment included three counts of assault on Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and three counts of Interference with Airport Security Screening Personnel.
The indictment alleges that, at approximately 6:00 a.m. on April 25, 2023, at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, Coleman interfered with TSA officers who were conducting security screenings at Security Checkpoint D of Terminal 4. The indictment further alleges that during her interference with TSA officers, Coleman inflicted bodily injury on two TSA officers; specifically, she grabbed one officer by the hair, forcing the officer’s head down against a table, and hitting the officer in the head multiple times, and elbowed the other TSA officer in the head. Coleman also is alleged to have bit the hair of a third TSA officer who had come to the aid of the other two officers who were struggling with Coleman during the altercation.
Each conviction for Assault on a Federal Officer resulting in Bodily Injury carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. Assault on a Federal Officer with contact and during the commission of another felony carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. Each conviction for Interference with Airport Security Screening Personnel carries a maximum penalty 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. Coleman has been released from detention on personal recognizance with conditions pending trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Glenn McCormick, U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-00780-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-080_M. 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.Tucson Man Convicted of Immigration Fraud After Lying About Military Service and Atrocities Committed During the Bosnian Civil WarRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Sinisa Djurdjic, 50, of Tucson, Arizona, was convicted on May 19, 2023, by a federal jury on charges of Visa Fraud and Attempted Unlawful Procurement of Citizenship. The guilty verdicts came after a nine-day jury trial before United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps.
In 2009, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) launched an investigation upon receiving a roster of a police brigade suspected of various atrocities during the 1990s war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (“Bosnia”) that identified one of the members of that brigade as Sinisa Djurdjic, who emigrated to Tucson under the United States refugee program in 2000. HSI discovered that, on various United States immigration applications, Djurdjic had denied serving in foreign military and police units. The multi-year international investigation by HSI confirmed that Djurdjic was indeed a member of that police brigade and other Bosnian-Serb military units, and that Djurdjic harmed prisoners in his custody.
HSI agents traveled to Bosnia on multiple occasions, interviewed dozens of witnesses, and collected documentation from the Bosnian government, the Serbian government, and from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague. Agents discovered that Djurdjic was a prison guard at two prison camps established north of Sarajevo by “Republika Srpska,” the Bosnian-Serb entity which espoused the idea of “ethnic cleansing” during the civil war and sought to exclude all Bosnian Muslims and Catholic Croats from certain areas within Bosnia.
During the trial, five Bosnian men who were held at the prison camps testified as to the abuses they suffered or witnessed at the hands of Djurdjic. The United States presented extensive documentation demonstrating that Djurdjic had lied on various immigration applications about his previous military and police service, and had intentionally misled United States immigration officials about his past to gain legal status in the United States.
"We commend the courage and tenacity of the Bosnians who testified against the defendant and held him accountable for his false statements while seeking legal status in the United States,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Providing opportunities for refugees and asylees is quintessentially American. Safeguarding those opportunities requires vigilance to ensure that the American dream is foreclosed to those who lie about a disqualifying past.”
“When a person attempts to become a U.S. citizen under false pretenses, it jeopardizes our naturalization process — and it is especially damaging to those who faithfully follow the judicial system,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “Simply put, those who knowingly and willfully misrepresent themselves, especially those who are considered national security threats, war criminals and human rights violators, to try and obtain U.S. citizenship status, will be held accountable for their deceitful actions. This defendant was found guilty due to the unwavering commitment by those who investigated and are prosecuting this case.”
Djurdjic’s sentencing hearing is set for August 8, 2023.
Homeland Security Investigations, Tucson Field Office, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Liza Granoff and Kevin Schiff, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 17-01658-TUC-JGZ (DTF)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-077_DJURDJIC# # #
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 15 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Victor Adrian Shortey, 40, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced on May 8, 2023, by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 180 months in prison, followed by a term of lifetime supervised release. Shortey pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
Between May 2017 and November 2017, when the minor victim was temporarily residing with Shortey, he sexually abused the victim on multiple occasions at his residence. Shortey is a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”), and the sexual abuse occurred on the CRIT Indian Reservation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the CRIT Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00167-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-078_Shortey# # #
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.Clarkdale Resident Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Abusing Young ChildRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Damian Andrew Wathogoma, 22, of Clarkdale, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 51 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Wathogoma was convicted by a federal jury of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in March 2023.
The evidence presented at trial revealed that Wathogoma sexually abused a seven-year-old girl on the Yavapai-Apache Indian Reservation, on or about December 11, 2021. Wathogoma is an enrolled member of the Yavapai-Apache Nation.
The Yavapai-Apache Police Department and 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-22-08029-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-079_Wathogoma# # #
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, in Conjunction with HSI Arizona, OFO Arizona and the Tucson and Yuma Border Patrol Sectors, Announces Drug Interdiction Results in Operations Blue Lotus and Four HorsemenRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Customs and Border Protections, Office of Field Operations’ (OFO) Tucson Field Office and Border Patrol’s Tucson and Yuma Sectors announced today the results of drug interdiction operations along the border from March 6 through May 8. HSI and OFO’s Operation Blue Lotus, along with the Four Horsemen operation coordinated by the Border Patrol, seized substantial amounts of methamphetamine and interdicted more than a ton of fentanyl.
Representative drug cases referred federally for prosecution include the following:
- United States v. Guadalupe Trujillo-Quintana and Sabrina Renee Alaniz-Lopez: The driver and his passenger were each charged after their Dodge Challenger was referred to secondary inspection at the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, and x-rayed. Customs and Border Protection Officers found 156 packages of pills that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 94 kilograms.
- United States v. Kevin Rodriguez-Ballesteros: The driver and sole occupant was charged after his Ford Lobo was referred to secondary inspection in Nogales, and x-rayed. Further inspection resulted in the seizure of 236 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 188.56 kilograms.
- United States v. Adela Baez: The driver was accompanied by her two minor children. At the Lukeville Port of Entry, a canine alerted to the odor of narcotics emanating from her Chevrolet Traverse. Subsequent investigation resulted in the interdiction of 32 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 33.12 kilograms.
- United States v. Elvia Canez: The driver and sole occupant was charged after her Dodge Grand Caravan was referred to secondary inspection at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, and subsequent x-ray showed packages in the quarter panels and seats of the vehicle. In total, 73 packages were interdicted that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 54.81 kilograms.
- United States v. Isidro Pantoja-Ramirez: The driver and sole occupant of a Ford F-150 presented at the immigration checkpoint located near Wellton, Arizona, and was referred to secondary inspection after a canine alerted to the vehicle. During the subsequent search, 16 vacuum sealed packages containing small blue pills were located in the inside of the tailgate and in the spare tire on the undercarriage of the vehicle. The pills field-tested positive for fentanyl, and had a total weight of 62.5 kilograms.
- United States v. Melody Karina Romero Quezada: The driver and her passenger, driving in a Honda HR-V, approached the Border Patrol Checkpoint on Interstate 19 outside Amado, Arizona. A Border Patrol canine alerted to the vehicle, and further investigation revealed a trap door to a hidden compartment. Inside the compartment, Border Patrol Agents located 114 bundles that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 14 kilograms.
- United States v. Zulma Corrales-Hernandez and Manuel Mendoza-Gonzalez: The driver and his passenger were charged after applying for entry into the United States at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales. The defendants and their Mazda CX-7 were referred to secondary inspection where a Z-Portal x-ray scan led to the removal of 588 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 73.90 kilograms.
- United States v. Rosio Lopez Carrillo: The driver, accompanied by a minor child, applied for entry into the United States at the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales. After a canine detected the odor of narcotics coming from his Volkswagen Touareg, the defendant was referred to secondary inspection. Following a search, 65 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl were removed from the vehicle, with a total weight of 46.70 kilograms.
- United States v. Jeancarlos Reyes: The defendant, accompanied by his girlfriend and two children, applied for admission at the San Luis Port of Entry in his GMC Sierra. After a canine alerted to the odor of narcotics, he was referred to secondary inspection, resulting in the interdiction of 201 packages of suspected drugs in the doors of the vehicle, including 131 packages that field-tested positive for fentanyl, with a total weight of 38.54 kilograms.
Department of Homeland Security law enforcement personnel interdicted more than just drugs during these operations. The facts underlying United States v. Jesus Castillo Durazo reflect quick work by agents with HSI and the Casa Grande Border Patrol Station, with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in interdicting crates of .50 caliber ammunition bound for Mexico.
“Thanks to the efforts of our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, we prevented substantial amounts of fentanyl and other drugs from reaching Arizona neighborhoods,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “These operations resulted in interdictions at four different ports of entry in addition to two checkpoints, and we appreciate the fine efforts of the law enforcement officers and their canine partners.”
“The success of this initiative is largely attributed to the federal, state and local partners that spent countless hours not just by responding to port calls but assisting HSI with seizures throughout Arizona,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “Drugs, but especially fentanyl are decimating communities, but together and with education, we all can make a significant impact in curbing the senseless deaths associated with the sale of these deadly drugs. I thank every agent, officer, trooper and anyone else that stood alongside HSI throughout the surge to support many of our efforts.”
“The successes we’ve seen at our ports cannot be overstated. Our continued layered enforcement actions, our entire team’s dedication to protecting the homeland, and collaboration with our federal partners are key to fulfilling our mission,” said Guadalupe Ramirez, Director of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection.
“Collaborative efforts like these are critical to protecting towns and cities across the country,” said Tucson Sector Border Patrol Chief John Modlin. “Border security is national security, and I am immensely proud of the men and women who performed these operations to keep drugs like fentanyl from reaching our communities.”
“The success of the Four Horsemen operation was due to the collaborative efforts and teamwork of multiple agencies. I am especially proud of the Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents who worked tirelessly during this operation to take deadly drugs off our streets and out of the communities we proudly serve,” said Chief Patrol Agent Yuma Sector Patricia McGurk-Daniel.
A complaint or 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.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-23-00507-JCH; CR-23-00508-JGZ; CR-23-00574-JGZ; CR23-00689-SHR; CR-23-00594-MTL;
CR-23-00690-JGZ; 23-08751MJ; 23-02741MJ; 23-01837MJ; CR-23-00596-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-074_Blue Lotus/Four Horsemen# # #
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 Mexican Takedown of Significant Firearms TraffickerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Michel Bacasegua-Barriga, the leader of a prolific transnational firearms trafficking organization operating in Nogales, Sonora, along the U.S.-Mexico border, was arrested last week by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office, Fiscalía General de la República (FGR). The enforcement operation last week by the FGR is the result of extensive bilateral cooperation between the United States and Mexico. In addition to Bacasegua-Barriga’s arrest, the operation resulted in the seizure of firearms and ammunition.
Four U.S.-based coordinators and operators with alleged ties to the same firearms trafficking organization have been indicted. Jose Bacasegua-Barriga, Mike Anthony Gomez-Lozada, Marco Olguin-Torres, and Pedro Perez-Trujillo were indicted by a federal grand jury on firearms trafficking charges on December 8, 2022.
“I would like to commend our law enforcement partners, both here in the United States and in the Republic of Mexico, for their hard work on this investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “Stopping the flow of American firearms to Mexican drug-trafficking organizations will help break the cycle of violence, death, and destabilization. This joint investigation between our two countries demonstrates how much we can achieve together for our mutual benefit.”
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. 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.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Nogales led the investigation in the United States, working in concert with HSI-Tucson, HSI-Casa Grande, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Phoenix, Drug Enforcement Administration – Nogales, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Support by HSI – Mexico City, with the assistance of HSI's Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU) – Mexico, was critical in facilitating coordination between United States and Mexican law enforcement agencies. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is prosecuting the four individuals named above.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-2653-TUC-JGZ (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-075_Jose Bacasegua-Barriga, 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.Colorado City Man and 10 Members of Polygamist Sect Charged with Illicit Sexual Conduct with Minors, and Related CrimesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Samuel Rappylee Bateman, 47, of Colorado City, Arizona, along with 10 of his followers, were indicted on May 18, 2023, by a federal grand jury on charges relating to a years-long conspiracy to travel across state lines in order to amass “wives” for Bateman, including minor girls. The grand jury returned a Second Superseding Indictment, which was unsealed today, in the case of United States of America v. Samuel Rappylee Bateman, et al.
The Second Superseding Indictment alleges that Bateman, the self-proclaimed leader of a polygamist sect in Colorado City, Arizona, began amassing “wives” from among his followers in several states. In order to claim these “wives”—10 of whom were under the age of 18—Bateman travelled extensively between Nebraska, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Throughout the conspiracy, Bateman had sex with the minor girls on a regular basis.
Bateman was previously charged federally by Indictment in September 2022 with destruction of records in an official proceeding, tampering with an official proceeding, and destruction of records in a federal investigation.
A First Superseding Indictment was returned by the federal grand jury in December 2022, adding charges against Bateman and adding three co-conspirators—Naomi Bistline, Donnae Barlow, and Moretta Rose Johnson—on charges of tampering with an official proceeding and conspiracy to tamper with an official proceeding, as well as kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Among other things, all of these defendants were charged with unlawfully removing minors from the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety and fleeing across state lines in order to evade law enforcement. The most serious of these charges, the kidnapping counts, are punishable by up to life in prison.
The Second Superseding Indictment unsealed today realleges these prior crimes and includes additional charges against Bateman. Among other things, Bateman is charged with conspiracy to transport a minor for criminal sexual activity, conspiracy to travel across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, using a means of interstate commerce to persuade or coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity, and interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. The Second Superseding Indictment further alleges that a number of Bateman’s followers participated in several of these alleged crimes as co-conspirators, including defendants Josephine Barlow Bistline, Leia Bistline, Torrance Bistline, LaDell Bistline, Jr., Leilani Bistline, and Brenda Barlow.
The Second Superseding Indictment also charges Bateman with production of child pornography. It alleges that in late November 2020, Bateman coordinated group sexual activity in a hotel room in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with some of his followers, including minor girls. Bateman is alleged to have then coordinated a video call to a follower in Colorado City, Arizona, in which the video participants, including a minor, were naked. Production of child pornography carries a maximum term of 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison.
The Second Superseding Indictment also charges defendant LaDell Bistline, Jr. with receiving child pornography, while a number of the defendants, including Bateman, Josephine Barlow Bistline, LaDell Bistline, Jr., Brenda Barlow, and Marona Johnson are charged with distributing obscene material to a minor.
Finally, the Second Superseding Indictment includes charges for obstructive conduct lasting into at least March 2023. Bateman is charged with witness tampering, while Josephine Barlow Bistline is charged with attempted obstruction of a criminal prosecution, making interstate threats, and cyberstalking arising out of threatening conduct toward employees of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The status of the co-conspirators/defendants charged in the Second Superseding Indictment is as follows:
- Bateman remains in federal custody pending trial. He, along with defendants Naomi Bistline, Donnae Barlow, and Moretta Rose Johnson, who are also in federal custody, will have initial appearances and be arraigned on Friday, May 26, at 11:45 a.m. in Phoenix, Arizona.
- Josephine Barlow Bistline had an initial appearance Monday in federal court in Phoenix, Arizona. She also is currently detained pending trial.
- Leilani (Bistline) Barlow had an initial appearance this morning in federal court in Flagstaff, Arizona, during which she clarified that she is a Barlow and not a Bistline. She is temporarily detained pending a detention hearing on May 30, which also will be in federal court in Flagstaff, Arizona.
- LaDell Bistline, Jr., Torrance Bistline, Brenda Barlow, Leia Bistline, and Marona Johnson, were all arrested earlier this week. They will have initial appearances tomorrow, May 25, in federal court in St. George, Utah.
The Phoenix Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is handling the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. The United States Attorney’s Office continues to extend special gratitude to the Arizona Department of Child Safety for its work protecting Arizona children impacted by this matter, as well as the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah; the Colorado City Police Department; the Iron County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office; the Washington County (Utah) Attorney’s Office; the Washington County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations in St. George, Utah; the U.S. Marshals Service in St. George, Utah; and the St. George Resident Agency of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office for their assistance in this matter.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-08092-PCT-DGC (ESW)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-076_Bateman, 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.Hacker Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Stealing Customer Credit Card NumbersRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Chirag Patel, 38, most recently of Norfolk, Virginia, was sentenced on May 8, 2023, by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $87,522.25 in restitution. Patel pleaded guilty to Computer Fraud.
On numerous occasions between August 2017 and July 2020, Patel hacked into the Phoenix-based computers of an international hospitality company. Patel fraudulently transferred and redeemed customer reward points from the company’s customer loyalty program. He also stole credit card numbers and other personally identifying information (PII) from customers and loyalty program members, which were stored in the company’s computers. Patel took screenshots of customers’ and members’ information, which included credit card numbers and other PII, and saved the screenshots to a Google Drive he controlled. In total, between August 2017 and July 2020, Patel stole and possessed more than 1,200 credit card numbers. Patel used some of the stolen credit card numbers to make unauthorized purchases and also tried to sell some of the stolen credit card numbers.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, National Security Section, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00699-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-073_Patel# # #
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 30 Months for Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Michael Lopez-Loreto, 22, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On February 9, 2023, Lopez-Loreto pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person.
On January 17, 2023, Lopez-Loreto was encountered by United States Border Patrol agents after a property owner reported a vehicle on their property. Agents subsequently observed individuals run from the desert and enter that vehicle that was being driven by Lopez-Loreto. Lopez-Loreto then drove toward an area where the roadway was blocked by agents. Lopez-Loreto was forced to slow to a near stop due to the obstruction. At that time, an agent activated his emergency equipment; however, Lopez-Loreto sped up and maneuvered around agents and their patrol vehicles to evade apprehension. As he sped away, Lopez-Loreto narrowly missed striking agents who were standing outside their vehicles. Agents pursued Lopez-Loreto and deployed spike strips to stop his vehicle. Lopez-Loreto swerved around one set of spike strips, attempted to avoid a second set by driving into an oncoming lane, and then crashed into water barriers, rolling the vehicle. The two passengers in Lopez-Loreto’s vehicle suffered injuries in the crash and were transported to the hospital for treatment. Both were determined to be undocumented non-citizens who Lopez-Loreto was smuggling further into the country at the time of this incident.
Customs and Border Protection’s 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: 23-CR-00164-TUC-RM (JR)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-071_Lopez-Loreto# # #
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 Announces Five Cases as Part of Recently Launched Disruptive Technology Strike ForceRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced criminal charges in five cases and four arrests from five different U.S. Attorney’s offices in connection with the recently launched multi-agency Disruptive Technology Strike Force.
The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce to counter efforts by hostile nation-states to illicitly acquire sensitive U.S. technology to advance their authoritarian regimes and facilitate human rights abuses. The Strike Force’s work has led to the unsealing of charges against multiple defendants in five cases accused of crimes including export violations, smuggling and theft of trade secrets.
Two of these cases involve the disruption of alleged procurement networks created to help the Russian military and intelligence services obtain sensitive technology in violation of U.S. laws. In the Eastern District of New York, a Greek national was arrested on May 9 for federal crimes in connection with allegedly acquiring more than 10 different types of sensitive technologies on behalf of the Russian government and serving as a procurement agent for two Russian Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) operating on behalf of Russia’s intelligence services. In the District of Arizona, two Russian nationals were arrested for their involvement in a procurement scheme to supply multiple Russian commercial airline companies – which were subject to bans from engaging in certain type of commercial transactions – with export-controlled parts and components, including braking technology.
Two of the other cases announced today charge former software engineers with stealing software and hardware source code from U.S. tech companies in order to market it to Chinese competitors. In the Central District of California, a senior software engineer was arrested on May 5 for theft of trade secrets for allegedly stealing source code used in metrology software which is used in “smart” automotive manufacturing equipment. The defendant then allegedly marketed the stolen technology to multiple Chinese companies. In the Northern District of California, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and former Apple engineer is accused of allegedly stealing thousands of documents containing the source code for software and hardware pertaining to Apple’s autonomous vehicle technology. This defendant fled to China and is believed to be working for a PRC-based autonomous vehicle competitor.
The fifth and final case involves a Chinese procurement network established to provide Iran with materials used in weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and ballistic missiles. In the Southern District of New York, a PRC national is charged with allegedly participating in a scheme to use his employer to conduct transactions with a U.S. financial institution for the benefit of a purported Iranian entity, as part of an effort to provide isostatic graphite, a material used in the production of WMDs, to Iran.
“These charges demonstrate the Justice Department’s commitment to preventing sensitive technology from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries, including Russia, China, and Iran,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We will not tolerate those who would violate U.S. laws to allow authoritarian regimes and other hostile nations to use advanced technology to threaten U.S. national security and undermine democratic values around the world.”
“Protecting sensitive American technology – like source code for ‘smart’ automotive manufacturing equipment or items used to develop quantum cryptography – from being illegally acquired by our adversaries is why we stood up the Disruptive Technology Strike Force,” said Matthew S. Axelrod, Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement at the Department of Commerce. “The Strike Force actions announced today reflect the core mission of our Export Enforcement team – keeping our country’s most sensitive technologies out of the world’s most dangerous hands.”
“The theft of technology and trade secrets from U.S. companies is a threat to our economic and national security,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The charges announced today aren’t the only instances of foreign adversaries trying to steal our technology. Combating the illegal transfer of technology is one of the FBI’s highest priorities, and we will continue to work with our federal partners, including the Department of Commerce, to investigate those who steal U.S. technology to ultimately use it in weapons that threaten us and our allies.”
“The protection of sensitive U.S. technologies has been and continues to be a top priority for HSI,” said Assistant Director James Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations. “HSI and the partners of the Strike Force will ensure that the U.S. maintains its technologic edge to protect the economic and national security interests of the United States. The Strike Force will be relentless in its pursuit of bad actors that attempt the theft of any sensitive U.S. technologies.”
United States v. Bogonikolos, Eastern District of New York
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Dr. Nikolaos “Nikos” Bogonikolos, 59, of Athens, Greece, with wire fraud conspiracy and smuggling. Bogonikolos was arrested in Paris on May 9 and remains in custody pending the resolution of extradition proceedings.
“As alleged, while ostensibly operating as a defense contractor for NATO and other ally countries, the defendant and his Aratos Group were double dealing, helping to fuel Russia’s war effort and their development of next generation weapons,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “Our office continues to work tirelessly to ensure that disruptive technologies do not fall into the wrong hands.”
As alleged in the complaint, the defendant headed the Aratos Group (Aratos), a collection of defense and technology companies in the Netherlands and Greece, which are both member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). According to Aratos’s website, the companies’ areas of expertise included space technologies, homeland security, blockchain, and counter-drone systems. One of Aratos’ subsidiaries, Aratos Systems BV, was a finalist in the NATO Innovation Challenge for space applications in 2021 for a proposal involving the use of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology for satellites and spacecraft. The defendant presented himself having experience advising the European Parliament and “governments worldwide,” and Aratos supplied defense equipment and related technologies to countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
However, as alleged in the complaint, since 2017 the defendant has been involved in smuggling U.S.-origin military and dual-use technologies to Russia in violation of U.S. law. These highly regulated and sensitive components included advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment used in military applications, including quantum cryptography and nuclear weapons testing, as well as tactical battlefield equipment. The defendant claimed that these items were to be used by Aratos, when in reality they were reshipped and sent to Russia in violation of U.S. law. Some of the Russian end users included nuclear and quantum research facilities, as well as Military Unit 33949, part of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, known as the SVR.
As described in the complaint, many of these orders were solicited by Serniya Engineering and Sertal LLC (the Serniya Network), Moscow-based companies that operate under the direction of Russian intelligence services. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce (DOC) Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) levied sanctions against Serniya, Sertal, and several individuals and companies used in the scheme, calling them “instrumental to the Russian Federation’s war machine.”
As alleged in the complaint, the defendant was recruited as a procurement agent for Russia in 2017. In an email message with a Serniya affiliate, on Dec. 27, 2017, the defendant was told to come to Moscow alone “since the agenda will be a very sensitive one.” Regarding one subsequent order, the defendant advised that he would falsify an export license, saying “I sign that the items are only for Netherlands ;) . . . Sensitive case . . . For the same reason I cannot press the [U.S.] supplier.” The defendant also signed several false end use statements and provided them to U.S. companies, certifying that Aratos was the end user of the requested items, that Aratos would not reexport the goods elsewhere, and that the goods would not be used for weapons development.
The FBI New York Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell and Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance provided by Litigation Analyst Ben Richmond.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable support to the investigation. The United States thanks French authorities for their assistance.
The investigation was also coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing sanctions, export controls and economic countermeasures imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. For more on the work of Task Force KleptoCapture, see here.
United States v. Besedin and Patsulya, District of Arizona
On May 11, two Russian nationals, Oleg Sergeyevich Patsulya and Vasilii Sergeyevich Besedin were arrested in the District of Arizona and charged via criminal complaint with conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) and conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
The complaint alleges that Patsulya and Besedin, both of whom reside in Miami-Dade County, Florida, used their Florida limited liability company, MIC P&I, LLC, and worked with others to evade U.S. export laws and regulations to send aircraft parts to Russian airline companies. The complaint alleges that Patsulya and Besedin fielded requests for parts directly from the Russian airlines — many of which were already subject to increased export sanctions as a result of Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine — and then used intermediary companies and foreign bank accounts in third-party countries to mask the true identity of the customers and the source of payments. Patsulya and Besedin then approached aircraft parts suppliers in the United States, lied about who their customers were, and lied about where the parts would be going. In furtherance of their criminal conspiracy, Patsulya and Besedin traveled to the District of Arizona in September 2022 and attempted to purchase export-controlled aircraft brake systems from an Arizona aircraft parts supply company.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for violating the ECRA and up to 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit international money laundering.
The BIS Phoenix Field Office and the FBI Phoenix Field Office are conducting the joint investigation. The BIS Boston Field Office, FBI Miami Field Office, HSI Phoenix Field Office, Customs and Border Protection-Phoenix Field Office, and the U.S. Marshals Office in Miami provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd M. Allison and William G. Voit for the District of Arizona and Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida provided valuable assistance.
The investigation was also coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing sanctions, export controls and economic imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.
United States v. Li, Central District of California
A California man was arrested on May 6 in the Central District of California on criminal charges related to his alleged theft of sensitive technologies from his Southern California-based employers and use of them to market his own competing company to businesses in the PRC.
According to court documents, Liming Li, 64, of Rancho Cucamonga, stole trade secrets belonging to two of his former employers based in Southern California then used them to build his own competing business in China.
Li was arrested at Ontario International Airport on May 6 after arriving on a flight from Taiwan pursuant to a criminal complaint that charges him with theft of trade secrets. Since his arrest, Li has been in federal custody, and he has a detention hearing scheduled for May 22.
“Li stole thousands of files of sensitive technology that did not belong to him and used it to help foreign companies build competing technology – technology that could be used in the manufacture of nuclear submarines and military aircraft,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Protecting our nation’s national security is paramount, and my office will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who misappropriate sensitive intellectual property to the benefit of foreign actors.”
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, from 1996 to November 2019, Li worked in various engineering, management, and software development roles for two companies in Southern California software businesses. The companies are identified in court documents as “Company #1” and “Company #2.”
These software programs are related to high precision measurement studies interpretation and point cloud technology, which often are used in making 3D models. They can be used in various sensitive manufacturing contexts, including manufacturing parts for nuclear submarines and military aircraft, and are subject to U.S. export controls for national security, nuclear nonproliferation and anti-terrorism reasons. As a result of its military application, federal law mandates that this software cannot be exported to the PRC without a license from the Department of Commerce.
Li worked for Company #1 from 1996 to 2018 and then worked at Company #2 from 2018 until November 2019. Shortly before beginning his employment with the Company #2, Li and his wife established their own business, JSL Innovations, which was based out of their Rancho Cucamonga home.
After Company #2 terminated Li, company security discovered that Li was using his company-issued laptop to attempt to download files from Company #2’s root directory onto his personal external hard drive, according to the complaint affidavit. Company security searched Li’s company-issued laptop and found a folder labeled “ChinaGovernment.” That folder allegedly contained numerous documents showing Li’s efforts to participate in the PRC’s Thousand Talents Program and to use JSL Innovations to provide services and technology to PRC business and government entities related to the export-controlled and trade secret technology that Li took from his former employers in Southern California.
In March 2020, Li entered into an agreement with a PRC-based manufacturing company to serve as its chief technology officer. Li’s agreement with this employer required him to spend at least six months per year in the PRC.
Six months later, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Li’s home and found numerous digital devices containing millions of files belonging to Company #1 and Company #2 and containing the source code for those companies’ proprietary software, the complaint alleges. Although the source code files had been developed by and belonged to these companies, some of the files had been moved into folders labeled “JSL” or “JSL Projects.”
Both Company #1 and Company #2 derive significant value from the secrecy of their proprietary software source code and take extensive steps to protect the source code from discovery by competitors.
If convicted, Li faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter with substantial assistance from the Department of Commerce BIS.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Solomon Kim of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section; David Ryan, Chief of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section; Aaron Frumkin of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crime Section; and Trial Attorney Stephen Marzen of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Wang, Northern District of California
Today, a federal court in the Northern District of California unsealed an indictment of former Apple Incorporated (Apple) employee Weibao Wang, 35, formerly of Mountain View, California, for charges related to his alleged theft and attempted theft of trade secrets in connection with a scheme to access, download, and steal Apple technology related to autonomous systems.
According to the indictment, Apple hired Wang to work as a software engineer beginning in March 2016. The indictment describes how Wang signed a confidentiality agreement with Apple. The indictment further states that Apple provided Wang with in-person secrecy training that covered the appropriate handling of confidential material and established rules prohibiting the transfer and transmission of the company’s intellectual property without Apple’s consent. Wang was assigned to work with a team at Apple that designed and developed hardware and software for autonomous systems, which can have a variety of applications, such as self-driving cars.
According to the indictment, in November 2017, Wang signed a letter accepting an offer of full-time employment as a staff engineer with the U.S.-based subsidiary of a company headquartered in the PRC. The parent company is described in the indictment as “COMPANY ONE” and allegedly was working to develop self-driving cars. The indictment alleges Wang waited more than four months after signing the new employment agreement before informing Apple that he was resigning.
After Wang’s last day at Apple on April 16, 2018, Apple representatives reviewed access logs documenting historical activity on Apple’s network. Apple identified Wang as having accessed large amounts of sensitive proprietary and confidential information in the days leading up to his departure from Apple.
The indictment describes the June 27, 2018, search by law enforcement of Wang’s Mountain View residence and the discovery of large quantities of data taken from Apple prior to his departure. Wang was present during the search and told agents he had no plans to travel. Nevertheless, Wang purchased a one-way plane ticket from San Francisco International Airport to Guangzhou, China and boarded a flight that night.
The indictment describes six categories of trade secrets that Wang allegedly stole, or attempted to steal, and charges him with one count for each category.
Wang faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine in the amount of $250,000 (or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the scheme) for each count of theft or attempted theft of trade secrets.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sloan Heffron and Marissa Harris for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case. Within the National Security Division, this matter is being handled by Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
United States v. Xiangjiang Qiao, Southern District of New York
Today, a federal court in the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment charging Xiangjiang Qiao aka Joe Hansen, 39, of the People’s Republic of China with sanctions evasion, money laundering, and bank fraud offenses based on Qiao’s alleged participation in a scheme to use a sanctioned Chinese company to provide materials used in the production of WMDs to Iran, in exchange for payments made through the U.S. financial system. Qiao is at large in China.
“As alleged, Xiangjiang Qiao conspired to send isostatic graphite to Iran, in violation of U.S. sanctions. Isostatic graphite is a high-tech material used in the nose tips of intercontinental ballistic missiles,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “The Iranian regime of terror and repression, and those who facilitate it, pose a grave threat to our national security. This office will continue to work relentlessly to bring to justice those who advance the interests of the Iranian regime and thereby threaten the safety and security of the American people.”
According to court documents, Qiao is a Chinese national and an employee of the China-based company Sinotech Dalian Carbon and Graphite Manufacturing Corporation (Sinotech Dalian). Sinotech Dalian is part of a network of Chinese companies involved in the proliferation of WMDs and that, in particular, provide assistance in the procurement of materials for Iran’s ballistic missile program. In 2014, OFAC sanctioned Sinotech Dalian, adding the company to OFAC’s SDN and Blocked Persons list, explaining that Sinotech Dalian is part of a network of China-based entities used to proliferate WMDs and, specifically, to aid Iranian ballistic missile procurement. Sinotech Dalian’s inclusion on the SDN list prohibits it from using the U.S. financial system to conduct transactions without authorization from OFAC. Qiao is an associate of Li Fangwei, aka Karl Lee, who managed the Sinotech Dalian network of companies and was charged in 2014 with sanctions evasion and other offenses based on his alleged illicit activities as a principal contributor to Iran’s ballistic missile program through China-based entities.
In willful violation of U.S. sanctions on Iran and Sinotech Dalian, between at least March 2019 and September 2022, Qiao participated in a scheme to use Sinotech Dalian, including through transactions involving the U.S. financial system, to supply isostatic graphite to Iran for the production of WMDs. Isostatic graphite is a type of graphite with an ultra-fine grain that is used in the manufacture of WMDs. In particular, isostatic graphite is used in the manufacture of rocket nozzles and reentry vehicle nose tips in intercontinental ballistic missiles. Qiao further took steps to conceal Sinotech Dalian’s involvement in the transaction by creating a bank account in the name of a front company to receive two transfers from a U.S. bank totaling over $15,000 as part of his efforts to facilitate the supply of isostatic graphite to Iran.
Qiao is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions against Iran and Sinotech Dalian, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; two counts of violating the IEEPA, which each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; two counts of attempted bank fraud, which each carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and two counts of money laundering, which each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The FBI New York Field Office and Counterintelligence Division are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gillian S. Grossman and Nicholas S. Bradley for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case. Within the National Security Division, this matter is being handled by Trial Attorney S. Derek Shugert of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
* * *
Today’s actions were coordinated through the Disruptive Technology Strike Force, an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states. Under the leadership of the Assistant Attorney General for National Security and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement, the Strike Force leverages tools and authorities across the U.S. Government to enhance the criminal and administrative enforcement of export control laws.
An indictment, complaint or criminal information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
21-Year-Old Man Charged for Assaulting Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Adbiel Martinez-Barrera, 21, of Mexico, was arrested on May 5, 2023, by United States Border Patrol agents for Assault on a Federal Officer and illegal entry into the United States.
The government’s complaint alleges that on May 5, 2023, Border Patrol agents responded to a remote location near Douglas, Arizona, where a surveillance camera had observed two suspected undocumented non-citizens. An agent located two individuals, a female and Martinez-Barrera. As the agent was attempting to gain control of the female, Martinez-Barrera began vigorously pulling on the agent. Martinez-Barrera then climbed on the agent from behind, pinned the agent’s face to the ground, and placed his hand over the agent’s mouth, preventing the agent from being able to breathe. Martinez-Barrera told the agent to stop and let them go. Each time Martinez-Barrera removed his hand momentarily, the agent would yell and Martinez-Barrera would cover her mouth again, impeding the agent’s breathing. When the agent stopped struggling, Martinez-Barrera and the female undocumented noncitizen fled on foot. Border Patrol agents were later able to detain them and arrested Martinez-Barrera. Agents determined that he is a citizen of Mexico without proper immigration documents. He admitted to illegally crossing the international boundary without being inspected by an immigration officer at a designated port of entry.
A conviction for Assault on a Federal Officer carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-00355MJ-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-072_Martinez-Barrera# # #
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.18-Year-Old Man Charged for Assaulting Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Alfredo Perez-Rodriguez, 18, of Mexico, was arrested by the United States Border Patrol last week for Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon.
The government’s complaint alleges that on May 8, 2023, Border Patrol agents responded to a report of five undocumented non-citizens walking north in the San Pedro River area near the international border between the United States and Mexico. When the agents approached the group, they all fled on foot, including Perez-Rodriguez. After a brief pursuit, agents attempted to arrest Perez-Rodriguez, but he resisted and fought with the agent-victim. During the struggle, Perez-Rodriguez gained control of the agent-victim’s taser and pointed it at the agent-victim’s chest and face. The defendant continued to fight even after another agent arrived to assist the agent-victim, but was eventually taken into custody.
A conviction for Assault on a Federal Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Customs and Border Protection’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: 23-00383MJ-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-070_Perez-Rodriguez# # #
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.Human Smuggler Sentenced to 101 Months for Causing Crash That Killed PassengerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Andres Urias-Soto, 28, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 96 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Because Urias-Soto was on supervised release for the offense of transporting illegal aliens for profit when he committed this offense, Judge Hinderaker imposed a sentence of 5 months consecutive for the violation of supervised release. Urias-Soto pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Resulting in Death and admitted to violating a condition of supervised release.
On June 17, 2021, Urias-Soto agreed to drive to Lukeville, Arizona, to pick up undocumented non-citizens who were present illegally in the United States. Urias-Soto was to be paid to transport them to another location within the United States. On that same date, United States Border Patrol agents observed Urias-Soto pick up two suspected undocumented non-citizens from a gas station and drive northbound on State Route 85 towards Interstate 8. When Border Patrol agents activated their lights and sirens to conduct a traffic stop, Urias-Soto sped up, failed to yield to the agents, and eventually reached speeds up to 110 miles per hour. Shortly thereafter, Urias-Soto lost control of the vehicle and crashed in the desert. One of the passengers succumbed to his injuries. The surviving passenger also sustained injuries.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Sells, in coordination with Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, Ajo Station, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Arturo Aguilar, United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 21-cr-01933-JCH-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-069_Urias-Soto# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Final Member of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Carlos Alberto Castro-Ruiz, 26, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty yesterday to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine before United States District Judge Steven P. Logan. A sentencing hearing is set for July 18, 2023.
Castro-Ruiz’s co-conspirators also pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine. On April 13, 2023, Alexander Ortega-Islas, 22, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty before Judge Logan. Keivin Crosswell-Cervantes, 27, of Mexico, pleaded guilty on May 2, 2023, before Judge Logan. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for July 10 and July 17, 2023, respectively.
The three co-conspirators all admitted that they delivered approximately 400,000 blue fentanyl pills, approximately 20,000 multi-colored fentanyl pills (“skittles”), and approximately 25 pounds of methamphetamine to undercover officers on September 22, 2022. Law enforcement officers also seized an AK-47-style pistol, a .45 caliber Kimber 1911 semi-automatic pistol with two magazines, and a .45 caliber FN semi-automatic pistol.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000, or both.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. 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.
Homeland Security Investigations, Nogales, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, Nogales conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew G. Eltringham, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 22-01295-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-068_Castro-Ruiz, 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.Recidivist Felon Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Hermelindo Velazquez-Rivera, 45, of Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on April 18, 2023, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to a total of 90 months in prison. Velasquez-Rivera pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien and admitted to violating conditions of supervised release.
In May 2022, Velazquez-Rivera illegally returned to the United States while on a term of supervised release, less than three months after he was deported. Velazquez-Rivera had been deported following a prior illegal reentry conviction. His criminal history includes two prior federal convictions for alien smuggling (one that resulted in a crash, and another that involved erratic driving), and a state felony conviction in North Carolina for a fatality he caused while driving under the influence. Velazquez-Rivera was apprehended by a Border Patrol agent near the border in southern Arizona.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: 22-CR-01352-RCC-MSA
22-CR-50092-RCC-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-065_Velazquez-Rivera# # #
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 48 Months in Prison After Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Brandon Hall, 33, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 48 months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release. Hall was convicted of Assaulting a Federal Officer with a Deadly Weapon.
On July 8, 2022, United States Border Patrol agents received information that seven suspected undocumented non-citizens had entered a silver 2011 Ford Edge near Naco, Arizona. Agents responded to the area and located the vehicle suspected of transporting the group. After initially yielding to law enforcement, Hall, who was driving the Ford Edge, sped up and drove directly at a Border Patrol agent approaching on foot. Hall narrowly missed hitting the agent, as the agent had leapt onto his service vehicle’s hood. Hall then proceeded to drive at nearly 90 miles per hour on State Route 92, passing vehicles on the shoulder, driving through a stop sign, and barely avoiding colliding with other vehicles on the road. Border Patrol agents later found Hall and arrested him, along with his co-defendant, Martina Vega, who was riding in the vehicle’s front seat.
Vega, Hall’s co-defendant, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit While Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Another Person. Judge Zipps sentenced Vega on February 8, 2023, to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Customs and Border Protection’s 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-01695-JGZ-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-067_Hall# # #
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.Human Smuggling Stash House Coordinators Sentenced to Combined 220 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Angelico Roa-Joachin, age 43, of Mexico, was sentenced on April 21, 2023, by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Roa-Joachin was convicted of Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit and Reentry of a Removed Alien.
Judge Zipps sentenced three other co-conspirators in 2022. Co-conspirator Rafael Hernandez-Garcia, age 35, of Mexico, was also sentenced to 78 months in federal prison. Additional co-defendants Luis Alberto Calixto-Pegueros, age 25, and Alexis Mejia-Zamora, age 26, both of Mexico, were sentenced to 37 months, and 27 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the conspiracy.
On April 22, 2021, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents executed a search warrant at two human smuggling stash houses in Phoenix, Arizona, and apprehended Roa-Joachin, Hernandez-Garcia, Calixto-Pegueros, and Mejia-Zamora, along with over 30 undocumented non-citizens. Agents seized firearms, cash, and ledgers detailing smuggling activities. The HSI investigation revealed that the organization regularly moved hundreds of undocumented non-citizens through the two stash houses. The individuals were often held in overcrowded conditions and were not permitted to leave until their families or sponsors paid the smuggling organization for their release. Judge Zipps further found that Roa-Joachin, Hernandez-Garcia, and Calixto-Pegueros sexually coerced or sexually assaulted at least one female undocumented non-citizen who was being held at the stash houses, which resulted in a sentence enhancement.
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 (DHS), 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 – Douglas Office conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01176-TUC-JGZ-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-066_Roa-Joachin# # #
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 Unlawfully Possessing a Semiautomatic FirearmRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Esteban Gonzalez-Melendez, 26, of Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gonzalez-Melendez also was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Gonzalez-Melendez pleaded guilty to Possession of Firearms and Ammunition knowing that he was an undocumented non-citizen illegally and unlawfully in the United States.
On September 9, 2022, Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Gonzalez-Melendez was a passenger. One of the officers observed the muzzle of a rifle on the passenger floorboard protruding from under a blanket covering Gonzalez-Melendez. A search of the vehicle revealed a semiautomatic AR-15 pistol with large capacity magazine capabilities, along with a 9mm pistol and .380 pistol where Gonzalez-Melendez was seated. The search further revealed a two-way radio, a 30-round AR-15 magazine, a 100-round AR-15 drum magazine, two .380 magazines, a 9mm magazine, 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 14 rounds of .380 ammunition, 92 rounds of 5.56x45 NATO ammunition, and a pair of handcuffs.
United States Border Patrol agents, who were called by DPS, determined that Gonzalez-Melendez was illegally present in the United States. Gonzalez-Melendez stated he knew it was illegal for him to possess a firearm and indicated he had purchased two of the weapons in Phoenix, and a friend gave him the third gun “to hold.”
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Bolling, United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-cr-02127 -TUC-JGZ (EJM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-063_Gonzalez-Melendez# # #
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 More Than 150 Pounds of Fentanyl at Border Patrol CheckpointRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Isidro Pantoja-Ramirez, 57, of Mexicali, Mexico, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The United States alleges that, on March 24, 2023, Pantoja-Ramirez was stopped while in a vehicle at a Border Patrol checkpoint located between Yuma and Wellton, Arizona. United States Border Patrol agents conducted an inspection that revealed a total of 16 packages hidden within the vehicle’s tailgate and spare tire. The total weight of the packages was more than 150 pounds, and they contained a substance that field tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.
A conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $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 Joshua B. Tesoriero, District of Arizona, Yuma, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00594-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-064_Pantoja-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 Found Guilty of Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jorge Oliverio Moran-Can, 42, of Guatemala, was found guilty on Monday by a federal jury of one count of Assault on a Federal Officer – Bodily Injury and one count of Assault on a Federal Officer – Physical Contact. Sentencing is scheduled for July 6, 2023, before United States District Judge Scott H. Rash.
On July 3, 2022, a United States Border Patrol agent responded to a remote location near New Field, Arizona. The agent was tracking a group of suspected undocumented noncitizens in a remote mountainous area when the agent spotted three people hiding near a ledge. When the agent approached them, two of the suspected undocumented noncitizens fled on foot. Moran-Can stayed and initially remained compliant. However, when the agent reached out to handcuff him, Moran-Can rammed his shoulder into the agent’s torso causing them both to fall and tumble several yards down a rocky slope. Moran-Can continued to struggle, but the agent was able to gain control and handcuff him. The agent sustained abrasions and bruising on his left knee and hip and was treated at a hospital.
A conviction for Assault on a Federal Officer – Bodily Injury carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both. A conviction for Assault on a Federal Officer – Physical Contact carries a maximum penalty of 8 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah B. Houston and Frances Kreamer-Hope, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01661-SHR-LCK
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-062_Moran-Can# # #
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 First Quarter Immigration Enforcement StatisticsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office announced its immigration enforcement statistics for January 1, 2023, to March 31, 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 March 31, 2023, the United States brought criminal charges in Arizona against more than 1,700 individuals who illegally entered or re-entered the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 335 cases against individuals responsible for smuggling undocumented noncitizens to and within the District of Arizona.
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: 2023-060_2023 First 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.Southern Arizona Human Smuggling Coordinator Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Tyler Myers, 25, of Sierra Vista, Arizona, pleaded guilty in federal court on April 3, 2023, in connection with his role as the coordinator for a human smuggling organization operating in the Tucson and Sierra Vista, Arizona area. Specifically, Myers pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit.
Between 2018 and 2022, Myers conspired to transport undocumented non-citizens for profit on at least 13 occasions. Myers utilized social media applications Snapchat and Telegram to recruit drivers and also to manage, supervise, and coordinate the smuggling, often in real time.
United States Border Patrol agents and Cochise County Sheriff’s officers arrested at least 44 undocumented non-citizens whose transportation in southern Arizona was connected to Myers’ role in the conspiracy.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.
Sentencing is set before United States District Judge Scott H. Rash on June 12, 2023.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-1144-TUC-SHR-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-061_Myers# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit Justice.gov/AZ
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to Six YearsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Taylor Melton Addington, 33, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced on April 13, 2023, by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Addington also was ordered to pay a $5,000.00 fine. Addington pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
In September 2019, Addington sold approximately four pounds of methamphetamine to undercover government agents at his auto shop in Phoenix. In the weeks that followed, Addington negotiated with an undercover agent to provide an additional 100 pounds of methamphetamine, which the parties agreed would be delivered to a location in Washington State. While the transaction was being negotiated, Addington sent the attached photo to the undercover agent of a partial shipment of the drugs.
Addington was arrested on October 23, 2019, in Oak Harbor, Washington, when he delivered 50 pounds of methamphetamine, as the first part of the 100-pound transaction, to the undercover agent.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Stefani K. Hepford, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR19-03120-TUC-JGZ (MSA)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-059_Addington# # #
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 Member of Human Smuggling Organization Sentenced for Smuggling 90 Individuals from Mexico, Guatemala, and HondurasRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Salvador Lopez-Vargas, 36, of Michoacan, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to a term of 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his management role in a criminal conspiracy to harbor and transport 90 undocumented non-citizens (UNCs). Lopez-Vargas pleaded guilty on December 8, 2022, to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations-Douglas conducted surveillance and discovered that UNCs were being transported to a house and an apartment in the Phoenix Metro area from various parking lots nearby. During the execution of search warrants, 51 UNCs were found in the house, and 32 UNCs were located in the apartment. As agents searched the house, Lopez-Vargas arrived driving a van and then attempted to leave. Agents stopped the van, and discovered seven UNCs were located inside the vehicle. During the investigation, several UNCs, who had traveled from Mexico, Guatemala, or Honduras, provided statements indicating they had crossed into the United States from Mexico in automobiles, and then arrived at the house or apartment to await further transportation to their final destinations in the United States. It was determined that Lopez-Vargas picked up UNCs at various locations and transported them to the apartment or the house, which were stash houses he managed as part of his role in the conspiracy.
Previously, Lopez-Vargas’s co-conspirators, Eleazar Soto-Diaz, 35, and Jesus Gabriel Villela-Duran, 28, both from Michoacan, Mexico, were each sentenced to 13 months and one day in prison for their roles in the conspiracy as supervisors of the stash houses.
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-Douglas, in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations-Sells and Phoenix, Enforcement and Removal Office -Phoenix, and Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol in Tucson and Casa Grande. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-02072-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-058_Lopez-Vargas# # #
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 78 Months for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Luis Ernesto Morales-Reyes, 38, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge James A. Soto to 78 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Morales-Reyes pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl.
In September of 2022, Morales-Reyes agreed to deliver approximately 99,500 fentanyl pills to an individual in Tucson who, unbeknownst to Morales-Reyes, was an undercover agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). On September 15, 2022, Morales-Reyes drove from Phoenix to Tucson with the fentanyl and met with the agent. After delivering the pills, Morales-Reyes was arrested, and agents found a loaded 9mm handgun in his possession. After his arrest, Morales-Reyes admitted to making multiple prior deliveries of narcotics on behalf of a Phoenix-based drug trafficking organization.
As part of its One Pill Can Kill public service campaign, the DEA recently announced that six out of every 10 fentanyl-laced pills tested in 2022 contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl (https://www.dea.gov/alert/dea-laboratory-testing-reveals-6-out-10-fentanyl-laced-fake-prescription-pills-now-contain).
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Culver, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-02230
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-057_Morales-Reyes# # #
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.Smugglers Sentenced for U-Haul Transport Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Trajahn Alexander Johnson, 25, of Glendale, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to six months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Johnson, the final co-conspirator to be sentenced, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death.
Johnson’s co-defendants were charged for their role in the transportation of the undocumented noncitizens and they also pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death and were sentenced by Judge Rayes:
- Israel Omar Vargas, 21, of Avondale, Arizona, was sentenced on September 19, 2022, to 80 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Worine Terrell Sams, Jr., 25, of Mesa Arizona, was sentenced on March 27, 2023, to 64 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Two other individuals also were charged by a separate indictment for their role in the transportation of undocumented noncitizens and pleaded guilty to Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death and were sentenced by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich:
- Tristan James Mott, 22, of Mesa, Arizona was sentenced on January 18, 2023, to 78 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Jera Simone Richard, 25, of Tempe, Arizona, was sentenced on January 30, 2023, to 36 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
On October 1, 2020, in response to a 911 call, the Gila River Police Department (GRPD) conducted an investigative traffic stop of a U-Haul box truck. Upon investigation, GRPD officers discovered that there were 14 undocumented noncitizens in the U-Haul truck, one of whom had died during the transportation. Four others were taken to the hospital, suffering from heat-related illnesses. GRPD officers identified Richard as the driver of the U-Haul and Mott as the passenger. It was later determined that Richard and Mott had coordinated the transport of the 14 individuals with Vargas, Sams, and Johnson.
“Human smuggling is always a risky business proposition, and sometimes those seeking a better life in America pay the ultimate price,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “Thanks to the collective work of a private citizen calling 911, observant tribal police officers and dedicated federal agents, we disrupted an alien smuggling scheme and held these five defendants accountable for the death of a migrant in their care.”
“Dismantling human smuggling networks has been a longtime focus for HSI Arizona, but for those events that have resulted in a death of a migrant our investigation intensifies,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “No one should ever lose their lives at the hands of a smuggler. Together, with our law enforcement partners, we continue to identify smuggling syndicates to safeguard the U.S. border and help save the lives of people these organizations regularly prey upon.”
Homeland Security Investigations–Casa Grande Office conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00646-PHX-SMB
CR-21-00210-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-056_Johnson# # #
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.California Man Indicted for Importing More Than 100 Pounds of Methamphetamine from MexicoRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – David Daniel Gallegos, 21, of Pomona, California, was indicted last week on two counts: Importation of Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The United States alleges that, on March 14, 2023, Gallegos applied for admission into the United States from Mexico via a vehicle lane at the San Luis Port of Entry in San Luis, Arizona. United States Customs and Border Protection officers conducted an inspection that revealed a total of 103 packages hidden within the vehicle’s doors, rear quarter panel, and center console. The total weight of the packages was 104.47 pounds, and they contained a white substance that field tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.
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.
Homeland Security Investigations, Yuma Office, is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph K. Nwoga, District of Arizona, Yuma, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00553-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-055_Gallegos# # #
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 Pleads Guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer and Improper EntryRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Hugo Alexander Garcia-Sales, 22, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty last week to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer With a Deadly Weapon or Dangerous Instrument and one count of Improper Entry by an Alien.
On October 13, 2022, Garcia-Sales assaulted a United States Customs and Border Protection helicopter pilot by throwing five softball-sized rocks at the helicopter. Although Garcia-Sales failed to hit the helicopter, one rock came within several feet of striking the aircraft. As part of his plea agreement, Garcia-Sales admitted that striking the helicopter with any of the rocks could have caused the aircraft to crash. Additionally, Garcia-Sales admitted that he is not an American citizen, and that he entered the country without legal permission to enter or remain in the United States.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 21, 2023, before United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez.
Customs and Border Protection’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: 2023-054_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.Tucson Man Sentenced for Coordinating Alien Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Adrian Duran-Estrada, 39, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Zipps also ordered Duran-Estrada to pay a $200 special assessment and a $20,000 money judgment. Duran-Estrada pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
From at least May 2019 through May 2021, Duran-Estrada conspired with co-defendants to transport undocumented non-citizens in southern Arizona. As the coordinator and leader of the conspiracy, he used WhatsApp, text messages, and voice calls to coordinate the movement of undocumented non-citizens. Examples of Duran-Estrada’s actions in furtherance of the conspiracy include:
- On May 30, 2019, Duran-Estrada coordinated the transport of 10 undocumented non-citizens, who were later apprehended by Border Patrol agents on Highway 286 near Sasabe, Arizona. Later that same day, a juvenile co-conspirator became lost and died in the desert east of Highway 286 while attempting to guide another group of undocumented non-citizens at the direction of Duran-Estrada.
- About one week later, on June 7, 2019, Duran-Estrada coordinated with co-defendant Bruce Rivera to pick up two undocumented non-citizens near San Miguel, Arizona, including providing Rivera with GPS coordinates to locate the two individuals. Although Rivera traveled to a location near San Miguel intending to pick up the two undocumented non-citizens, he was stopped by Border Patrol agents before he was able to pick them up.
- On July 23, 2019, Duran-Estrada coordinated with co-defendants Kaitlan Cox and Arturo Alday Cordova to pick up a group of undocumented non-citizens near Sasabe, Arizona.
In addition, a May 4, 2021, search of his residence revealed evidence that, in November 2020, Duran-Estrada knowingly possessed a .22 caliber rifle that he used to poach a deer on the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. At the time Duran-Estrada possessed the firearm, he was a convicted felon, having previously been convicted of two separate felony offenses.
Duran-Estrada’s co-defendants, Kaitlan Cox, Arturo Alday Cordova, and Bruce Rivera, were previously convicted of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, and Attempted Transportation of Illegal Aliens, respectively, for their involvement in the conspiracy. Cox was sentenced to 27 months in prison; Cordova was sentenced to eight months in prison; and Rivera was sentenced to a term of three years’ probation.
Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-0883-TUC-JGZ (BGM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023- 053_Duran-Estrada# # #
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 Making Threats to Maricopa County Election Official and to Official with Office of Arizona Attorney GeneralRead the Press Release
An Iowa man pleaded guilty today to sending a threatening communication to an election official on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and to sending a threatening communication to an official with the Office of the Arizona Attorney General.
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.”
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.”
“Public officials who administer the most fundamental aspect of our democracy – elections – must be able to do their jobs free from illegal threats,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As today’s guilty plea demonstrates, our Election Threats Task Force, working with partners across the nation, will continue to hold accountable those who unlawfully threaten election workers.”
“I’m proud of Arizona’s public servants who administer elections with integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “When the people speak at the ballot box, all Americans should respect their voices.”
“As part of the FBI’s mission to defend the democratic process, we are equipped with the expertise to respond to allegations of election interference – whether by fraud, cyber intrusion, or in this case, intimidation,” said Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. “Election security is and will continue to be one of the FBI’s highest national security priorities.”
Rissi pleaded guilty to two counts of making a threatening interstate communication. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Phoenix Field Office investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI Cedar Rapids Field Office.
Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the Task Force is continuing this work and supporting the United States 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: https://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: 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.
Yuma Contractor Sentenced to 87 Months for Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Isrrael Millan, III, 43, of Yuma, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 87 months in prison. Millan also was ordered to pay $391,279.45 in restitution to the victim insurance companies. Millan was found guilty by a jury on December 13, 2022, of Conspiracy, Wire and Mail Fraud, and Money Laundering.
Millan’s conviction was related to several insurance fraud schemes that took place between 2018 and 2020 in Yuma, Arizona. The schemes included staging vehicle accidents, as well as deliberately flooding residences, and then submitting fraudulent claims to insurance companies. One of the incidents occurred in the early morning of June 2, 2019, when two individuals Millan recruited deliberately crashed a U-Haul moving truck into the Sunshine Market and Liquors Convenience Store in Yuma. Millan worked as a general contractor and made fraudulent claims related to the damage caused by some of these incidents in an effort to collect insurance proceeds.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Aron Ketchel, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00713-PHX-ROS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-052_Millan# # #
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.18-Year-Old Sentenced to Prison for Flight from Immigration CheckpointRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Derek Ira Pablo Jr., 18, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 10 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Pablo pleaded guilty to one count of High-Speed Flight from Immigration Checkpoint.
On November 3, 2022, Pablo drove his vehicle through a United States Border Patrol checkpoint on Arizona State Route 86 near Robles Junction, Arizona. He did not slow down or stop as directed by the speed bumps and signage. Pablo accelerated and operated his vehicle at speeds up to 100 mph in a 45 mile per hour zone during the chase, but would not stop as agents pursued him. He finally stopped his vehicle because of a flat tire and then tried to flee on foot, but was apprehended and arrested.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon M. Bolling, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-2593-TUC-JCH AS (BGM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-051_Pablo# # #
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.Murderer Sentenced to 30 YearsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brian Riggs, 51, of Jeddito, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Riggs, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was convicted of Second Degree Murder following a seven-day jury trial.
On February 16, 2019, emergency medical services responded to a home on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation. The victim was deceased and had sustained injuries over his entire body. Riggs was the only other person present at the home when the victim was killed. The victim and Riggs were involved in an intimate relationship.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracy Van Buskirk and Brian Kasprzyk, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR19-08091-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-050_Riggs# # #
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.Tax Evader Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ryan C. Patterson, 34, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced last week to 20 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $436,194 in restitution to the IRS. Patterson was convicted on September 23, 2022, by a federal jury of three counts of tax evasion, after a two-week trial.
Patterson, a contractor specializing in remodels, directed customers to make out checks to him personally and deposited the checks into his personal checking accounts. He failed to report $1.9 million in income and avoided nearly $550,000 in taxes. He also reported a loss of $38,000 in 2016, while at the same time purchasing a primary residence for $445,000 in cash and making other lavish expenditures.
“The conviction and sentencing of the defendant are the result of an effort by the Internal Revenue Service to vindicate the rights of honest American taxpayers by holding scofflaws to account,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “Instead of following the law, Patterson blatantly ignored it, and selfishly lined his pockets with money to which he wasn’t entitled.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Rapp and Aron Ketchel, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00724-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-048_Patterson# # #
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.Surprise Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for False Claims to the IRSRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Anthony Henry Williams, 52, of Surprise, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to four years in prison. Williams was convicted on January 11, 2023, of 17 counts including conspiracy, false claims to the IRS, and transactional money laundering.
In 2018 and 2019, Williams submitted seven false tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), claiming over $3 million in owed refunds. The IRS processed one of these returns that resulted in an unwarranted $600,000 refund to Williams. The IRS later advised him that the return was fraudulent, and that Williams needed to return the money. Williams failed to do so; instead, he purchased two luxury vehicles and a home, among other expenditures.
His co-defendant, Shakina Williams, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served followed by 12 months of supervised release for her role in the offense. Both defendants were ordered to pay almost $600,000 in restitution. They also were ordered to forfeit their interests in a Surprise home, an Audi A7, and a Porsche Panamera.
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin M. Rapp and Kristen Brook, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00722-PHX-MLT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-047_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.Charges Brought in Missing Person InvestigationRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Preston Henry Tolth, 23, of New Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix on March 14, 2023. The grand jury returned a two-count indictment for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Carjacking Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
The indictment alleges that, on or about June 15, 2021, Tolth assaulted the victim, resulting in serious bodily injury to her. It further alleges that Tolth took the victim's Ford F150 pick-up truck, and transported it across state lines, with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury to the victim.
“This indictment is an important first step in determining the truth about what happened to an elderly victim on the Navajo Nation,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “The indictment charges the defendant with carjacking and assault; the investigation is ongoing.”
A conviction for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A conviction for Carjacking Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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 investigation is part of the Department of Justice’s efforts to address cases involving missing and murdered indigenous persons.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations, conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-8043-PCT-DLR-MTM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-049_Tolth# # #
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 Seizes over $112M in Funds Linked to Cryptocurrency Investment SchemesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has seized virtual currency worth an estimated $112 million linked to cryptocurrency investment scams.
Seizure warrants for six virtual currency accounts were authorized by judges in the District of Arizona, the Central District of California, and the District of Idaho.
According to court documents, the virtual currency accounts were allegedly used to launder proceeds of various cryptocurrency confidence scams. In these schemes, fraudsters cultivate long-term relationships with victims met online, eventually enticing them to make investments in fraudulent cryptocurrency trading platforms. In reality, however, the funds sent by victims for these purported investments were instead funneled to cryptocurrency addresses and accounts controlled by scammers and their co-conspirators.
“Transnational criminal organizations are combining confidence scams with technological savvy to swindle Americans out of their hard-earned funds,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These particularly vicious frauds – where scammers carefully cultivate relationships with their victims over time – have devastated families and cost individuals their life savings. Now that we have seized this virtual currency, we will seek to swiftly return it to victims. In addition to our tireless efforts to disrupt these schemes, we must also work to raise public awareness and help inform potential victims: be wary of people you meet online; seriously question investment advice, especially about cryptocurrency, from people you have not met in person; and remember, investments that seem too good to be true, usually are.”
In 2022, investment fraud caused the highest losses of any scam reported by the public to the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3), totaling $3.31 billion. Frauds involving cryptocurrency, including pig butchering, represented the majority of these scams, increasing a staggering 183% from 2021 to $2.57 billion in reported losses last year.
According to the FBI, the highest number of reports came from victims between the ages of 30 and 49. In these schemes, often called “Sha Zhu Pan,” a Chinese phrase that loosely translates to “pig butchering,” scammers often target their victims through social networking and online communications platforms, dating websites, and phone calls and text messages that are meant to appear to have been misdialed. After gaining the trust of their victims – sometimes over a period of months – scammers eventually introduce the idea of trading in cryptocurrency. They then direct victims to cryptocurrency investment platforms or to co-conspirators posing as investment advisors or customer service representatives. Scammers control websites that are built to look similar to legitimate trading platforms, applications that victims download onto their phones, or malicious smart contracts accessed through cryptocurrency wallet software. Once victims make an initial “investment,” the platforms purport to show substantial gains. Sometimes, victims are even allowed to withdraw some of these initial gains to further engender trust in the scheme. It is not until a large investment is made that victims find that they are unable to withdraw their funds. Even when a victim is denied access to their funds, the fraud is often not yet over. Scammers request additional investments, taxes, or fees, promising that these payments will allow victims access to their accounts. These scam operations often continue to steal from their victims and do not stop until they have deprived victims of any remaining savings.
“Depriving scam organizations of their ill-gotten gains is an important part of our strategy to combat these ruthless schemes,” said Director Eun Young Choi of the Criminal Division’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET). “We will continue to use all tools at our disposal to disrupt and deter cryptocurrency confidence schemes, including by following the money on the blockchain and seizing cryptocurrency to return funds to victims, and by targeting and taking down online infrastructure used by the scammers. Today’s announcements also demonstrate the value of early notification by victims to law enforcement; we thank those victims who came forward to notify the FBI when they were targeted by this scheme.”
“Financial fraud schemes like these demonstrate the great lengths criminals will take to swindle innocent victims out of their money,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “We continue to see these schemes evolve and provide new avenues for criminals to exploit. Today's announcement should serve as reminder of the FBI's unwavering commitment, alongside our federal and international law enforcement partners, to investigating and pursuing criminal actors who seek to defraud the American public. There is no place beyond the reach of the FBI.”
The FBI Phoenix Division is investigating this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Goertz and Ryan Ellersick for the District of Arizona, Daniel Boyle for the Central District of California, and Bill Humphries for the District of Idaho are in charge of the seizures announced today, with significant assistance and coordination by Georgiana MacDonald of the NCET and Tian Huang and Brandon Burkart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
If you or someone you know is a victim, visit www.fbi.gov/cryptoguard , contact your local FBI field office, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report it to the IC3.gov. In your complaint, please reference, “Pig Butchering PSA.” Include as much information as possible in your complaint including names of investment platforms, cryptocurrency addresses and transaction hashes, bank account information, and names and contact information of suspected scammers. Maintain copies of all communications with scammers and records of financial transactions.
33-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Importation of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Sergio Caballero, 35, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on Wednesday by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Caballero pleaded guilty to Importation of Methamphetamine.
On September 1, 2021, Caballero entered the United States from Mexico via the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. At the time of his crossing, Caballero was driving a Chevrolet Suburban that he claimed to own. During a routine inspection, Customs and Border Protection officers noticed irregularities with the vehicle’s gas tank. They later discovered 90 packages in the gas tank that contained approximately 43.04 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: 21-CR-02517-TUC-RM (DTF)
21-CR-50140-TUC-RM (DTF)RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-046_Caballero
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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.Coordinator and Money Middleman Indicted for Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Undocumented Non-CitizensRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week against Juan Manuel Soto-Guzman, 41, of Mexico, and Adulfo Soto-Guzman, 45, of Mexico, for conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens for profit.
The complaint alleges, in part, that an investigation identified Juan Manuel Soto-Guzman, as a person involved in a conspiracy to transport undocumented non-citizens (UNCs) for profit. J. Soto-Guzman was identified as a UNC smuggling coordinator, responsible for coordinating the transportation and harboring of UNCs and housing them in Phoenix, Arizona, before coordinating their transportation to their final destinations within the United States.
Adulfo Soto-Guzman also was identified as a member of the conspiracy. The complaint alleges that he was responsible for delivering money to other co-conspirators to pay load drivers and finance human smuggling activities within this organization. Many of the UNCs had crossed the border from Mexico, and were transported through Southern Arizona to stash houses in Phoenix, Arizona, as they waited for further transportation within the United States.
During the course of the investigation, agents seized over 20 notebooks containing ledgers detailing human smuggling, cash payments due, and cellphones previously identified as being used by this organization.
A conviction for conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This 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 (DHS), 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 (HSI)–Douglas Office, with the assistance of HSI-Phoenix, Enforcement and Removal Operations-Phoenix and United States Border Patrol-Sonoita. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 23-0386-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023- 045_Soto-Guzman# # #
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 10 Years for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – David Wayne Radde, 60, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 120 months in prison. Radde pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
On November 10, 2020, Pima County Sheriff’s deputies stopped a vehicle driven by Radde for multiple traffic violations. A drug detection canine was called to the scene and alerted to the presence of drugs inside the vehicle. Sheriff’s deputies then searched the vehicle and found 2.68 kilograms of methamphetamine inside the passenger area of the vehicle. Due to the large quantity of methamphetamine, Drug Enforcement Administration agents were called to the scene. Inside the trunk, agents found a loaded Taurus 9 mm firearm and $14,695 in cash. A criminal records check revealed that Radde had multiple prior felony convictions, which prohibited him from possessing firearms.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case with the assistance of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-0940-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-044_Radde# # #
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.Foreign National Sentenced for Victimizing U.S. Persons Through Cyber-Enabled Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
A Nigerian national was sentenced today to four years and one month in prison for his role in a cybercriminal group operating out of Nigeria and Malaysia, among other places, that executed complex financial fraud scams using the internet.
According to court documents, between December 2011 and January 2017, Solomon Ekunke Okpe, 31, of Lagos, and his co-conspirators devised and executed business email compromise (BEC), work-from-home, check-cashing, romance, and credit card scams that targeted unsuspecting individuals, banks, and businesses in the United States and elsewhere, and were intended to cause more than a million dollars in losses to U.S. victims. Among the victims of the scheme were First American Holding Company and MidFirst Bank.
To execute the scheme, Okpe and his co-conspirators launched email phishing attacks to steal victim login credentials and other sensitive information, hacked into victim online accounts, impersonated people, and assumed fake identities to defraud individuals, banks, and businesses, and trafficked, possessed, and used stolen credit cards in furtherance of the scheme. For instance, in BEC scams, Okpe and his co-conspirators posed as trusted individuals in order to deceive banks and companies into making unauthorized wire transfers to bank accounts specified by the co-conspirators. The co-conspirators also falsely posed as online employers on job websites and forums and purported to “hire” individuals in Arizona and elsewhere to positions that were marketed as legitimate. In reality, these work-from-home “employees” were often unwittingly directed to perform tasks that would facilitate the co-conspirators’ fraud schemes. Some of these tasks included creating bank and payment processing accounts, transferring/withdrawing money from these accounts, or cashing/depositing counterfeit checks.
Okpe and his co-conspirators additionally conducted romance scams by creating accounts on dating websites, feigning interest in romantic relationships with individuals under fictitious identities, and causing these victims to transfer their moneys overseas and/or receive money from wire-transfer scams. Okpe caused and intended to cause individual romance scam victims to suffer tens of thousands of dollars of losses.
Okpe was previously arrested in Malaysia at the request of the United States and detained for over two years as he contested extradition to the United States.
On March 20, one of Okpe’s co-conspirators, Johnson Uke Obogo, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison in connection with his role in related financial fraud activity.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona, and Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Knoxville Field Office made the announcement.
Senior Counsel Aarash Haghighat of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Goertz for the District of Arizona prosecuted the cases against Okpe and Obogo. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance throughout the investigation and extradition process.
A number of victims have been identified by the FBI. However, there is evidence of many more victims that remain unidentified. Anyone who believes they were defrauded by the defendants in this case should contact the Victim Witness Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona at [email protected].
Benson Man Arrested for Unlawful Possession of an Unregistered MachinegunRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Dillyn Anthony Dust, 19, of Benson, Arizona, was charged by criminal complaint last week for Unlawful Possession of an Unregistered Machinegun.
The complaint alleges that, in January 2023, Special Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), were alerted about an individual named Dillyn Anthony Dust possessing two machinegun conversion devices. Machinegun conversion devices are designed to convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic firearm or machinegun, with the single pull of the trigger. The devices, by themselves, are machineguns. All machineguns are required to be registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
On February 15, 2023, an undercover ATF Special Agent attempted to arrange for the purchase of two firearms from Dust. Although Dust sent the undercover agent a video of himself with numerous weapons including two Glock-type firearms with machinegun conversion devices attached, he refused to sell them to the undercover agent. On March 15, 2023, ATF executed a federal search warrant for Dust’s residence and located two machinegun conversion devices inside the residence.
ATF Special Agents examined the machinegun conversion devices at the scene and determined the devices met the definition of a machinegun requiring registration. After further investigation, the agents learned that the machinegun conversion devices were not registered to anyone, and that Dust did not have firearms registered to his name.
A conviction for Possession of an Unregistered Machinegun carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This 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.
ATF is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: MJ-23-02948-N/A-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-043_Dust# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney's Office Hosts Second Community Event as Part of DOJ's United Against Hate InitiativeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona held its second United Against Hate event yesterday at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in Phoenix, Arizona. The event provided an opportunity for an informative and robust discussion with members and leaders from Arizona’s LGBTQIA+ community. Approximately 80 invited guests, including community members and leaders, law enforcement, lawyers who prosecute or litigate hate crimes/incidents and discrimination claims, and a reporter with LookoutPhx.org, were in attendance. The event focused on establishing a dialogue, brainstorming ways to increase trust in law enforcement, and increasing community understanding of the critical importance of reporting hate crimes and hate incidents.
“Hate crimes harm not just individuals, but also traumatize communities and families,” said Gary Restaino, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “My office is committed to using all the tools in our law enforcement arsenal, both to prosecute acts motivated by hate, and to educate against ignorance and bias.”
Yesterday’s event featured a discussion with a panel comprised of community leaders, law enforcement partners, and members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The panel discussion, moderated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, allowed attendees to hear directly from leaders in the community, who shared their thoughts, concerns, and experiences with hate crimes and incidents. The event also included presentations from the FBI, the Phoenix Police Department, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the Arizona Attorney General’s office.
The District of Arizona will hold additional United Against Hate events in the coming months to engage with communities across the state. These events will further encourage collaboration, support hate crimes prevention efforts, and encourage more Arizonans to report hate crimes and hate incidents.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-042_United Against Hate
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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.Two Co-Conspirators Indicted for Role in Prolific, Global Human Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Note: View the indictment here.
Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities culminated in the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) Mexico and the Fuerza Estatal de Seguridad Ciudadana (FESC) executing the arrests of a human smuggler, along with a co-conspirator, alleged to have operated on the U.S.-Mexico border for several years.
Ofelia Hernandez-Salas, 60, and co-conspirator Raul Saucedo-Huipio, 48, were arrested in Mexico at the request of the United States pursuant to charges previously filed in the District of Arizona and unsealed last week. Hernandez-Salas and Saucedo-Huipio allegedly conspired with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of large numbers of migrants from and through Bangladesh, Yemen, Pakistan, Eritrea, India, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Russia, Egypt, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and ultimately, into the United States. Hernandez-Salas and Saucedo-Huipio allegedly charged the migrants as much as tens of thousands of dollars to make the illegal and perilous journey. In addition to the large-scale smuggling of migrants to the United States, Hernandez-Salas and Saucedo-Huipio often allegedly robbed the migrants of their personal belongings while armed with weapons such as guns and knives.
“The indictment and arrests of human smugglers send a stark message that the Department of Justice will not rest until all those who feed on the desperation of others are brought to justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “By dismantling an organization that has operated with impunity for so many years, we have taken yet another stride toward making the global community a safer place. It is thanks to our tremendous partnerships with countries like Mexico that we are able to draw a line in the sand and make it crystal clear that people will no longer be treated like commodities and their lives will no longer be put at risk in the name of profit.”
“Once again we see that international cooperation is far more important to a border strategy than physical barriers,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “These defendants allegedly conspired to flout America’s immigration laws, and to victimize the very migrants they were purporting to help. Our friends and neighbors in Mexican law enforcement have been integral to our efforts to bring this smuggling ring to justice.”
The indictments against Hernandez-Salas and Saucedo-Huipio and their subsequent arrests were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA was created by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021, in partnership with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, 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.
“This administration has led an unprecedented anti-human smuggling campaign that leverages the full weight of the U.S. government, and it is showing results,” said Deputy Secretary John K. Tien of the Department of Homeland Security. “These indictments build on tremendous collaboration across the federal government, which includes JTFA, and the investments we continue to make in strengthening our relationships with partners in the region and throughout the hemisphere. We are unwavering in our commitment to continuing to hold transnational criminal networks accountable, and to bring them to justice.”
“Combatting human smuggling is one of our top law enforcement priorities, and a critical component of national security,” said Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director Tae D. Johnson of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “Homeland Security Investigations special agents are committed to holding transnational criminal organizations accountable for perpetrating this horrific crime. We will continue to employ our full range of law enforcement techniques and authorities against human smugglers – let today’s announcement serve as a reminder that we will expose you, dismantle your networks, and see that you face justice.”
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), along with our partners, will continue to use every authority at our disposal to curtail these threats and prevent harm,” said Acting Commissioner Troy Miller of the CBP. “Our ongoing joint enforcement efforts to attack and dismantle these dangerous global criminal networks will keep our borders strong and local streets and communities safe.”
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. Attorneys’ offices across the country. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ offices, including the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of New Mexico, 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 DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners.
The investigation is also supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
HSI Yuma is investigating the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), CBP, U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), working in concert with HSI Tijuana, INTERPOL, and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI also received substantial assistance from CBP’s National Targeting Center/Counter Network Division and the Office of Foreign Assets Control. The Department of Justice thanks Mexican law enforcement, who were instrumental in arresting Hernandez-Salas, including substantial assistance provided by FESC.
JTFA Co-Director James Hepburn and Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Jennis for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Charged Following Seizure of over One Million Suspected Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Juan Alfonso Torres-Rodriguez, 27, of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint on March 9, 2023, with one count of Possessing Suspected Fentanyl Pills for Distribution.
The complaint alleges that, on the evening of March 8, 2023, law enforcement officers observed Torres-Rodriguez participating in a suspected drug transaction. Subsequent searches of Torres-Rodriguez’s residence and vehicle led to the seizure of more than one million pills (approximately 108 kilograms of pills), suspected of containing fentanyl. The complaint further alleges that Torres-Rodriguez intended to distribute more than one million fentanyl pills.
A conviction for Possessing 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl for Distribution carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison with a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and five years up to a lifetime of supervised release.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Group. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: MJ-23-09152-ESW
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-041_Torres-Rodriguez# # #
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.
Serial Bank Robber Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – James Valentine Siehien, 53, of Tucson, Arizona, pleaded guilty last week to one count of Bank Robbery and two counts of Armed Bank Robbery. Sentencing is scheduled for May 30, 2023, before United States District Judge Raner C. Collins.
Siehien admitted that, on October 21, 2021, he robbed approximately $4,000 from a Chase Bank located in Tucson, Arizona. He also admitted that five days later, he robbed approximately $2,700 from a PNC Bank in Tucson, with what was later determined to be a fake explosive device. Finally, Siehien admitted that, on November 5, 2021, he robbed approximately $2,200 from a First Convenience Bank in Tucson, while possessing an axe.
A conviction for Bank Robbery carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. A conviction for Armed Bank Robbery carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-03071-TUC-RCC (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-040_Siehien# # #
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.Rip Crew Co-Conspirator Sentenced to 117 Months for Robbery, Drug Trafficking, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Abelardo Rodriguez-Arvizu, 38, of Mexico, was sentenced on March 3, 2023, by United States District Court Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 117 months in prison. Rodriguez-Arvizu was found guilty following a bench trial of one count each of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, and Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Offense.
On October 24, 2015, United States Border Patrol (USBP) agents encountered Rodriguez-Arvizu and several other individuals in the desert south of Tucson. Rodriguez-Arvizu and his co-conspirators were part of a drug “rip crew” whose goal was to rob marijuana backpackers of their drug loads. When Border Patrol agents arrived, Rodriguez-Arvizu fled, but forensic testing later revealed his DNA on a water jug and jacket left behind. Rodriguez-Arvizu and his co-conspirators were armed with at least five semi-automatic firearms, body armor, and other items indicative of a rip crew.
USBP agents arrested Rodriguez-Arvizu on November 18, 2019, for his role in the crimes. Co-conspirators Francisco Javier Caballero-Bustamante and Jose Carlos Lemus-Veliz were arrested by USBP and sentenced, prior to Rodriguez-Arvizu’s arrest, by Judge Zipps to 98 months and 144 months, respectively, for their roles in the rip crew.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-15-1390-003-TUC-JGZ-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-039_Rodriguez-Arvizu# # #
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.
26-Year-Old Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Two Border Patrol AgentsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Miguel Angel Acatzihua-Temoxtle, 26, of Mexico, pleaded guilty Wednesday before United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Rateau to one count of Assault on a Federal Officer Resulting in Bodily Injury and one count of Assault on a Federal Officer with the Use of a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon.
On May 31, 2022, near Newfield, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Nation, United States Border Patrol agents, as part of their official duties, were assigned to Border Patrol operations at the San Miguel Forward Operating Base. While on duty, the agents received information that several groups of undocumented non-citizens were passing though the Baboquivari Mountain range. Agents inspected the area where one of the subjects, later identified as Acatzihua-Temoxtle, was located.
Acatzihua-Temoxtle fled from the agents by running up the side of a wash while kicking several large boulders above one of the agents to slow his pursuit. While Border Patrol was trying to detain him, Acatzihua-Temoxtle physically assaulted two agents, which included the use of an agent’s flashlight and use of an agent’s lanyard which held night vision goggles. The agents ultimately detained and arrested Acatzihua-Temoxtle.
A conviction for assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine. A conviction for assault on a federal officer with the use of a deadly or dangerous weapon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Raquel Arellano, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01420-TUC-JCH-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-038_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 news.