District of Arizona
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Massachusetts Man Arrested for Making Bomb Threat to Arizona State Election OfficialRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was arrested today in Falmouth, Massachusetts for allegedly sending a communication containing a bomb threat to an election official in the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
James W. Clark, 38, of Falmouth, is charged with one count of making a bomb threat, one count of perpetrating a bomb hoax, and one count of communicating an interstate threat. Clark made his initial appearance today at the federal courthouse in Boston.
“Illegal threats of violence put election officials and workers at risk and undermine the bedrock of our democracy: free and fair elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Our Election Threats Task Force, working with partners across the nation, will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute illegal threats like these to hold accountable those who threaten our democracy.”
“Throughout Arizona, we are fortunate to have highly professional state, county and local officials who administer elections in a fair and impartial manner,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino. “Democracy requires that we support those officials, and that we take seriously allegations of threats or violence against them.”
“The FBI takes all threat-to-life matters very seriously,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. “While this arrest demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to intimidate a public official, it also shows that people cannot threaten others with violence and physical harm without repercussions.”
According to the indictment, on or about Feb. 14, 2021, Clark allegedly sent the following message via the website contact form of the Elections Division, Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, addressed to the election official: “Your attorney general needs to resign by Tuesday February 16th by 9 am or the explosive device impacted in her personal space will be detonated.”
The indictment also alleges that Clark utilized a web browser to search for the address of the election official and searched for “how to kill” the election official. The indictment further alleges that, on or about Feb. 18, 2021, Clark utilized a web browser to search for “fema boston marathon bombing” and “fema boston marathon bombing plan digital army.”
If convicted, Clark faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for making the bomb threat and up to five years in prison for each of the counts on the bomb hoax and making a threatening interstate communication.
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 Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
FBI Phoenix is investigating the case, with the assistance of FBI Lakeville (Mass.).
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 U.S. 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Massachusetts Man Arrested for Making Bomb Threat to Arizona State Election OfficialRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was arrested today in Falmouth, Massachusetts for allegedly sending a communication containing a bomb threat to an election official in the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
James W. Clark, 38, of Falmouth, is charged with one count of making a bomb threat, one count of perpetrating a bomb hoax, and one count of communicating an interstate threat. Clark made his initial appearance today at the federal courthouse in Boston.
“Illegal threats of violence put election officials and workers at risk and undermine the bedrock of our democracy: free and fair elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Our Election Threats Task Force, working with partners across the nation, will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute illegal threats like these to hold accountable those who threaten our democracy.”
“Throughout Arizona, we are fortunate to have highly professional state, county and local officials who administer elections in a fair and impartial manner,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino. “Democracy requires that we support those officials, and that we take seriously allegations of threats or violence against them.”
“The FBI takes all threat-to-life matters very seriously,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. “While this arrest demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to intimidate a public official, it also shows that people cannot threaten others with violence and physical harm without repercussions.”
According to the indictment, on or about Feb. 14, 2021, Clark allegedly sent the following message via the website contact form of the Elections Division, Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, addressed to the election official: “Your attorney general needs to resign by Tuesday February 16th by 9 am or the explosive device impacted in her personal space will be detonated.”
The indictment also alleges that Clark utilized a web browser to search for the address of the election official and searched for “how to kill” the election official. The indictment further alleges that, on or about Feb. 18, 2021, Clark utilized a web browser to search for “fema boston marathon bombing” and “fema boston marathon bombing plan digital army.”
If convicted, Clark faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison for making the bomb threat and up to five years in prison for each of the counts on the bomb hoax and making a threatening interstate communication.
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 Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
FBI Phoenix is investigating the case, with the assistance of FBI Lakeville (Mass.).
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 U.S. 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino Appoints Election Officer for the District of ArizonaRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Gary Restaino announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Sean Lokey will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the upcoming August 2, 2022, primary election. AUSA Lokey has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the District of Arizona, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of voting rights violations and election fraud in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington.
“Election Day is an opportunity for Arizona’s citizens to make their voices heard,” said United States Attorney Restaino. “The Department of Justice has strong partnerships with the highly professional and dedicated election officials throughout the state. Together we can do our very best to ensure that every eligible voter who chooses to vote can do so easily and efficiently, without interference or discrimination.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud and discrimination at the polls and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible voting rights violations and election fraud while the polls are open through election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, actions designed to interrupt or intimidate voters at polling places by questioning, challenging, photographing, or videotaping them under the pretext that these are actions to uncover illegal voting may themselves violate federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice if needed.
Voting is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote exercise that right if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt our elections are brought to justice. AUSA Lokey will be on duty on Primary Election Day on August 2, 2022, to respond to complaints of election fraud, voting rights violations, or intimidation. AUSA Lokey can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 602-514-7516.
The FBI will also have special agents available in the Phoenix Field Division to receive allegations of election abuses on election day. FBI in Arizona can be reached by phone at 623-466-1999 or online at https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
In the case of a crime of violence, call 911 immediately. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-125_Arizona-Primary-Election
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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San Xavier Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Voluntary Manslaughter and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Gilbert Martinez Jose, 22, of San Xavier, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to 19 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Jose was previously found guilty by a federal jury on one count of Voluntary Manslaughter, one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and one count of Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence.
On September 29, 2018, Jose, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, shot and killed a Tohono O’odham man. He also shot at a Tohono O’odham woman, who was uninjured. The offenses occurred on the Tohono O’odham Nation in San Xavier, Arizona.
The Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department and the FBI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances M. Kreamer Hope and Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-2313-TUC-CKJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-124_Jose# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Phoenix Man Sentenced to 40 Months for Six Valley Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Anthony Medina, 36, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 40 months in prison. Medina previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Bank Robbery. Medina was also ordered to pay full restitution for losses sustained during the six bank robberies.
Over the course of two months in 2021, Medina committed six bank robberies. He stole money from Phoenix branches of Chase Bank, Desert Financial Credit Union, US Bank, and Wells Fargo Bank. Medina was apprehended after fleeing the scene of the sixth robbery. Medina committed the robberies to obtain money to purchase fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The FBI, assisted by the Phoenix Police Department, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleen Schoch, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00539-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-123_MEDINA# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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California Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On July 14, Jahque Dijion Williams, 21, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 120 months in prison. Williams previously pleaded guilty to Sex Trafficking of a Minor.
On July 23, 2020, the Human Trafficking Unit of the Los Angeles Police Department found the 17-year-old minor, who appeared to have been physically assaulted, at a Los Angeles hospital. The victim indicated that she first met Williams on July 19, 2020, through her social media account and he invited her to a party in Phoenix. At the party, she realized it was a “recruiting party” for commercial sex workers. Williams then transported the minor and another adult female to Los Angeles where he told the minor she would work for him. Williams gave the minor details about the amount of money she would bring back each night. On the trip to Los Angeles, Williams prevented the minor from leaving the car by activating the child lock on his vehicle.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Mesa Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated the case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson and Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00687-PHX-DJH-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-121_Williams# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Arizona Men Found Guilty of Investment FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –Last week, a federal jury found Jeffrey D. McHatton, 68, of Chandler, Arizona, and Robert B. Sproat, 60, of Mesa, Arizona, guilty on 10 counts of Securities Fraud. The case was tried before United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez. Sentencing is scheduled for September 28, 2022. Prior to trial, a third co-defendant, Robert Moss, 56, of Gilbert, Arizona, pleaded guilty to his involvement in the scheme and was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that, between 2012 and 2014, McHatton, Sproat, and Moss used a religious charitable organization as a front to entice victims to invest over $1.2 million. Several of the victims targeted in the scheme were elderly. McHatton, Sproat, and Moss fraudulently promoted investments in the recovery of low alpha lead from Central America, gold from the Philippines, and diamonds from Africa, though none of the items were ever produced. McHatton, Sproat, and Moss used large portions of the investment funds for their own personal use. The victims never received a return on investments other than minimal “interest” payments derived from other victims’ money.
The FBI and the Arizona Corporation Commission conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-2220-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-122_McHatton et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit Justice.gov/AZ
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Mexican Man Indicted for Smuggling 163 Pounds of Methamphetamine Across the US-Mexico BorderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Last week, a federal grand jury in Phoenix, Arizona, returned a two-count indictment against Jose Luis Vazquez-Gonzalez, 39, of Mexico, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Importation of Methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico.
The indictment alleges that on June 18, 2022, Vazquez-Gonzalez entered the United States through San Luis, Arizona. At the Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 155 packages hidden in Vazquez-Gonzalez’s car. The packages contained a white crystal-like substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. The combined weight of the packages was over 163 pounds.
A conviction for each of the charged offenses carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 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.
Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00815-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-120_Vazquez-Gonzalez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Phoenix Man Charged with Assaulting Federal Officer During Arrest for Transporting Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Brandon Hall, 33, of Phoenix, Arizona, and Martina Vega, 41, of Superior, Arizona, were charged by criminal complaint with Conspiring to Transport Illegal Aliens While Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Another. The complaint also charged Hall with Assaulting a Federal Officer.
On July 8, 2022, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents responded to a citizen’s report claiming seven undocumented noncitizens were headed north from the border near Naco, Arizona. When agents responded, they discovered a silver vehicle, driven by Hall, transporting the group.
Hall initially appeared to stop for law enforcement, but almost hit a USBP agent as the agent approached the vehicle on foot. After Hall fled from USBP agents, he stopped the vehicle, and all of the undocumented noncitizens exited the vehicle. USBP agents later located Hall’s vehicle and apprehended Hall, his passenger Vega and four of the undocumented noncitizens.
A conviction for Conspiring to Transport Illegal Aliens while Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Another carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine, or both.
A conviction for Assaulting a Federal Officer carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison and up to a $250,000 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.
Customs and Border Protection’s USBP is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: MJ-22-4679-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-119_Hall et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Chinle Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Rogche Yoe Begay, 25, of Chinle, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 16 years in prison. Begay previously pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder.
On July 16, 2019, Begay stabbed the victim with a knife, killing him. The crime occurred on the Navajo Nation, where Begay is an enrolled member.
The FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Besancon, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-08185-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-118_Begay# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Leupp Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Monday, Rom Lee Bennett, 33, of Leupp, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 120 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Bennett previously pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
In 2018, Bennett sexually abused the minor at his home on the Navajo Nation, where Bennett and the minor victim are enrolled members.
The FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Crowley and Sharon Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 20-08109-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-116_Bennett# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Glendale Man Charged with Transporting 14 Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Saif Ali Al Najafi, 25, of Glendale, Arizona, was charged by criminal complaint with Transporting Illegal Aliens while Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Another.
According to the complaint, on July 8, 2022, Border Patrol Agents stopped a U-Haul box truck that Al Najafi was driving near Naco, Arizona. An undocumented non-citizen sat in the front passenger seat. Inside the box of the U-Haul truck, agents discovered 13 more undocumented non-citizens, including two minor children.
One witness inside the U-Haul stated the driver opened the cargo door for the group to enter and closed it behind them. The witness said he could hear the driver place a lock on the door, at which point the witness became frightened.
A conviction for Transporting Illegal Aliens while Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Another carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 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.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: MJ-22-4680-LCK
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-117_Al Najafi# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Parker Man and Woman Sentenced in Connection with Robbery After Stealing Victim’s VehicleRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Monday, Andre Stephan Stevens, 21, and Tenelle Inez Moses, 32, both of Parker, Arizona, were sentenced by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi. Stevens, who previously pleaded guilty to Robbery, was sentenced to 126 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Moses, who previously pleaded guilty to Accessory After the Fact, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
On October 29, 2019, Stevens assaulted the victim outside of Moses’ residence in Parker. After the assault, Moses and Stevens drove the victim’s vehicle to a remote location near a casino in Parker. The victim was in the back seat when Stevens told Moses to pull over. Moses stopped the vehicle and Stevens threw the victim out of the victim’s own vehicle. Moses and Stevens then fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. Stevens later led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, driving the victim’s vehicle with Moses in the passenger seat. The police pursuit was abandoned due to safety concerns, but Stevens and Moses were arrested later that morning. These offenses occurred on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Reservation. Stevens, Moses, and the victim are all enrolled members of the CRIT Tribe.
The FBI and the CRIT Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00317-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-115_Stevens-Moses# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Sells Man Sentenced to 25 Months for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Thursday, Kyle Devan Cachora, 28, of Sells, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 25 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Cachora previously pleaded guilty to Assault With a Dangerous Weapon.
On July 2, 2020, Cachora, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, stabbed a Tohono O’odham woman. The offense occurred on the Tohono O’odham Nation in San Xavier, Arizona.
The FBI and Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances M. Kreamer Hope, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00956-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-113_CachoraPhoenix Brothers Sentenced to Prison for Dealing in Firearms Without a LicenseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On July 8, 2022, Jay Derek Ramirez Ramirez, 21, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 12 months and one day in prison. His brother, Juan Ali Ramirez Ramirez, 23, also of Phoenix, was sentenced on June 22, 2022, to 36 months in prison by Judge Brnovich. Both brothers previously pleaded guilty to Dealing Firearms Without a License.
In July and August 2020, the Ramirez brothers bought and sold at least 40 firearms for profit. Included in those 40 firearms were AR-type rifles, shotguns, Glock handguns, a stolen firearm, and a Privately Made Firearm (ghost gun), as well as an inert grenade, suppressors, body armor, and high-capacity magazines. Some of the firearms the brothers purchased and resold have been connected to crimes in the valley or were found in the hands of prohibited possessors. The Ramirez brothers advertised firearms for sale on social media and sold them out of their family tire shop.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Tobacco, assisted by the Phoenix Police Department, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Coleen Schoch, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00512-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-114_Ramirez Ramirez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Alien Smuggling Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Rafael Almanza-Guillen, 41, of Mexico, was sentenced Wednesday by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 63 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Almanza‑Guillen previously pleaded guilty to Unlawfully Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States, Resulting in Death.
On August 1, 2021, Almanza-Guillen brought three undocumented noncitizens from Mexico into the United States in exchange for payment. He led the noncitizens on foot through the desert, in temperatures averaging 106 degrees Fahrenheit. After running out of food and water, the four individuals found themselves stranded in the desert. Ultimately, one of the noncitizens died from hyperthermia, which is abnormally high body temperature. Yuma Border Patrol Agents rescued Almanza-Guillen and the two other noncitizens.
Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, and the Yuma Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa E. Jennis and Genevieve A. Ozark, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00650-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-111_Almanza-Guillen# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Chandler Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Stabbing DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Alanna Marleice Jackson, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, was sentenced Wednesday by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On October 7, 2019, Jackson and co-defendant Jose Carpio, stabbed the victim, killing her. Jackson previously pleaded guilty on March 9, 2021, to Voluntary Manslaughter.
The Gila River Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00182-02-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-112_Jackson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Tucson Man Sentenced to 48 Months as Coordinator for Human Smuggling OrganizationRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Benjamin Gallegos, 24, of Tucson, Arizona was sentenced by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gallegos previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit for his role in organizing, managing, and supervising other co-conspirators within an organization that smuggled individuals from Mexico, Central America, and South America, into the District of Arizona. Gallegos was initially charged in 2018 for his illegal conduct, but he was a fugitive until his arrest in 2021.
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. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration are also part of the Task Force.
Homeland Security Investigations – Nogales and the Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 21-01322-TUC-SHR(BGM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-110_Gallegos# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Sacaton Man Sentenced to over 7 Years for Helping Dispose of BodyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. –Jordan Gene Hoover, 35, of Sacaton, Arizona, an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced on Wednesday by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 7.5 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on August 23, 2017, Gabriel Quinn Enos shot the victim in the face with a shotgun, killing him. After Enos shot the victim, Hoover helped dispose of the victim’s body by throwing the body over a bridge and hiding the victim’s body within the terrain below. Enos was previously sentenced to 15 years for Voluntary Manslaughter. Hoover pleaded guilty to Accessory After the Fact on February 11, 2021.
The FBI and Gila River Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-00834-01-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-109_Hoover# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Three Individuals Arrested for Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor 86 Illegal Aliens from Mexico, Guatemala, and HondurasRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On June 30, 2022, three individuals were arrested and charged in a complaint with Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit. Federal agents executed two search warrants resulting in the discovery of 79 undocumented non-citizens from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, inside a house and an apartment at the Sundowner complex in Phoenix, Arizona. An additional seven undocumented non-citizens were located in a nearby vehicle driven by Salvador Lopez-Vargas, 36, of Mexico. Jesus Gabriel Villela-Duran, 28, of Mexico, and Eleazar Soto-Diaz, 34, of Mexico, were identified as caretakers of the residences.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.
These charges 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 the 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. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration are also part of the Task Force.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Douglas, Sells and Phoenix offices, Enforcement and Removal Operations - Phoenix, Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol - Brian A. Terry and Casa Grande Stations - conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: MJ-22-6059-TUC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-108_Villela-Duran et. al# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Woman Charged for Smuggling 108 Pounds of Methamphetamine Across the US-Mexico BorderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Maria Arredondo De Sanchez, 56, of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint on July 1, 2022, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Importation of Methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico.
The complaint alleges that on June 30, 2022, Arredondo De Sanchez entered the United States through the San Luis Port of Entry where Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 105 packages hidden in Arredondo De Sanchez’s car. The packages contained a white crystal-like substance that tested positive for methamphetamine. The combined weight of the packages was over 108 pounds.
A conviction for each charged offense carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.
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.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) are conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 2022-MJ-02088
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-107_Arredondo De Sanchez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Mexico-Based Marijuana Trafficker Sentenced to Lengthy Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On June 28, 2022, Juan Carlos Juarez-Torres, 41, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 240 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. Juarez-Torres previously pleaded guilty on October 13, 2021, to conspiracy to import marijuana, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
In October 2014, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an 18-month wiretap investigation of Mexico-based members of a large international drug-trafficking organization (DTO) that smuggled multiple tons of marijuana from Mexico into the southern Arizona desert. Juarez-Torres coordinated and directed marijuana smuggling activities on behalf of the DTO and the pick-up and repatriation of marijuana proceeds to DTO members in Mexico. Additionally, Juarez-Torres coordinated and directed the purchase and smuggling of firearms and ammunition and the acquisition and distribution of equipment and vehicles for use by the DTO. HSI also intercepted communications between Juarez-Torres and other members of the DTO regarding the killing of rival drug traffickers, bribing public officials in furtherance of the DTO’s illicit activities, and the use of residences to store marijuana smuggled into the United States
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.
HSI Phoenix, Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, HSI Mexico City, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Desert Task Force conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-15-1211-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-106_JUAREZ-TORRES# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against the State of Arizona over Restrictive Voter Registration RequirementsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the State of Arizona challenging voting restrictions imposed by House Bill 2492 (2022), a recently-enacted law set to take effect in January 2023. The United States’ complaint challenges provisions of House Bill 2492 under Section 6 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) and Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“House Bill 2492’s onerous documentary proof of citizenship requirement for certain federal elections constitutes a textbook violation of the National Voter Registration Act,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “For nearly three decades, the National Voter Registration Act has helped to move states in the right direction by eliminating unnecessary requirements that have historically made it harder for eligible voters to access the registration rolls. Arizona has passed a law that turns the clock back on progress by imposing unlawful and unnecessary requirements that would block eligible voters from the registration rolls for certain federal elections. The Justice Department will continue to use every available tool to protect all Americans’ right to vote and to ensure that their voices are heard.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is dedicated to protecting voters in the state,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “We are proud to join the Civil Rights Division in bringing this lawsuit to ensure that all eligible citizens in Arizona have the opportunity to register to vote and exercise their fundamental right to participate in our elections.”
The United States’ complaint contends that House Bill 2492 violates the NVRA by requiring that applicants produce documentary proof of citizenship before they can vote in presidential elections or vote by mail in any federal election when they register to vote using the uniform federal registration form created by the NVRA. This requirement flouts the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Ariz., Inc., 570 U.S. 1 (2013), which rejected an earlier attempt by Arizona to impose a similar documentary proof of citizenship mandate on applicants seeking to vote in federal elections. The United States’ complaint also contends that House Bill 2492 violates Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act by requiring election officials to reject voter registration forms based on errors or omissions that are not material to establishing a voter’s eligibility to cast a ballot.
The United States’ complaint asks the court to prohibit Arizona from enforcing the provisions of House Bill 2492 that violate the NVRA and the Civil Rights Act.
More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice’s website at https://www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about discriminatory voting practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through the internet reporting portal at https://civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.
Whiteriver Man Sentenced to 96 Months' Imprisonment for Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On June 29, 2022, Nathan Brooks Manuelito, 41, of Whiteriver, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 96 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Manuelito was previously convicted by a jury of Assault of an Intimate Partner by Strangulation or Attempted Strangulation, Assault of an Intimate Partner Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that on April 16, 2018, Manuelito repeatedly punched, kicked, and strangled the victim, who was his girlfriend. The victim suffered serious bodily injuries including bruising and a facial fracture. The assault happened on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, where Manuelito is a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
The FBI and the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dimitra Sampson, Jillian Besancon, and Anthony Church, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8252-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-104_Manuelito_et_al# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Farmington Man Sentenced to 86 Months in Prison for StabbingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On June 27, 2022, Fabian Yazzie, 33, of Farmington, N.M., was sentenced by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to 86 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Yazzie had previously pleaded guilty on February 11, 2022, to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
On March 15, 2018, Yazzie stabbed the victim in the neck and hand with a knife. The assault occurred in Lukachukai, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, where both Yazzie and the victim are enrolled members.
The FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emma Mark and Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-08030-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-105_YAZZIE# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Two Guatemalan Nationals Plead Guilty to Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –On June 28, 2022, Esdly Amarilis Gonzalez, 28, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty to one count of assault on a federal officer. Sentencing is scheduled for September 7, 2022, before United States District Judge James A. Soto. Co-defendant Nayber Eziquiel Juarez-Mantanic, 24, of Guatemala, previously pleaded guilty to one count of assault on a federal officer. Juarez-Mantanic’s sentencing is scheduled for August 29, 2022, before United States District Judge James A. Soto.
On February 3, 2022, a U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agent attempted to conduct an immigration inspection of the vehicle in which Gonzalez and Juarez-Mantanic were passengers. When the agent approached the vehicle and identified himself as a USBP agent in both English and Spanish, Gonzalez and Juarez-Mantanic attempted to run from the vehicle on foot. When the agent tried to detain them, Juarez-Mantanic intentionally struck the agent in the head and shoulders. As the agent was struggling to handcuff Juarez-Mantanic, Gonzalez came up behind them and intentionally struck the agent on his shoulders. The driver of the vehicle fled the scene.
A conviction for assault on a federal officer carries a maximum penalty of 8 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, or both.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Houston and Frances M. Kreamer Hope, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00271-TUC-JAS (BGM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-102_Gonzalez_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.Repeat Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On June 28, 2022, Modesta Solano, 51, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Solano previously pleaded guilty on April 6, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
A federal grand jury indicted Solano in October 2020 on drug and firearms charges after Solano sold a handgun and over 4,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover agent in Tucson. Solano was prohibited from possessing firearms due to a prior felony drug conviction for which she was sentenced to five years. Solano was on supervision when she committed these new offenses.
Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefani Hepford, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 20-01978-TUC-JCH (MSA)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-103_SOLANO# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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22 Indicted After Phoenix-Area TakedownRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced today that the following individuals are in custody following the return of a 70-count indictment by a federal grand jury against 22 Arizonans, including:
- Marcus Wayne Wesley, 35, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Jesus Salazar, 24, of Avondale, Arizona
- Philip Nathaneal Austin, 42, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Alfred Wayne Wesley, 61, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Lequisha Shantai Jack, 36, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Rayvontae Virshon Hampton, 28, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Edward Jewel Norwood, 28, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Michael Dewanz Gibson, 26, of Florence, Arizona
- Joshua Jordaun Jackson, 31, of Buckeye, Arizona
- David Andrew Connelly, 59, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Terry Lee King II, 40, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Lancer Edward Williams Jr., 36, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Tyrell Ann Gray, 53, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Donald Eugene Reed, 60, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Quincy Lamar Davis, 38, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Joseph Kizzee, 36, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Christopher Duane Guy, 30, of Phoenix, Arizona
- James Donald Estell, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Terry Lee King, Sr., 62, of Phoenix, Arizona
- Christopher Marcus Mitchell, 35, of Goodyear, Arizona
Each of the above individuals was charged with either conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, or both. A number of the defendants are also charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Furthermore, Marcus Wesley, Hampton, Williams, Austin, Davis, Guy, Estell, and King Sr. are charged with being felons in possession of a firearm. Finally, Hampton, Wesley, and Gray face additional charges for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and Hampton faces additional charges for transferring or possessing a machinegun.
According to the criminal complaints filed last week, in January 2020, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) began an investigation targeting a drug and firearms supplier in South Phoenix. In February 2021, in conjunction with the DPS investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (“FBI”) Violent Street Gang Task Force began investigating the Lindo Park Crips (“LPC”), a criminal street gang operating in South Phoenix. The investigation targeted numerous LPC members and associates, as well as their drug suppliers. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers seized over 2,430 grams of cocaine, 35,000 counterfeit M30 pills suspected to contain fentanyl, 26 grams of methamphetamine, 4.5 grams of crack cocaine, 32 doses of MDMA, 8 Glock Conversion devices, and 17 firearms. In connection with the investigation, the FBI also executed over a dozen search warrants on June 23, 2022, leading to the additional seizure of ammunition, narcotics, and 62 firearms.
A conviction for conspiracy to distribute or possessing with intent to sell the amounts of cocaine charged carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. A conviction for conspiracy to distribute or possessing with intent to sell the amounts of fentanyl charged in the complaint carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a $10,000,000 fine. A conviction for illegally possessing a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A conviction for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a mandatory penalty of 5 years imprisonment, and a conviction for transferring or possessing a machinegun carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment 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 case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The FBI, Phoenix Police Department, and DPS led the investigation, with significant contributions from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Marshals Service. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-725-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-101_Wesley, 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.Tuba City Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Ralph Yellow, 78, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 240 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Yellow previously pleaded guilty to one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child.
Yellow admitted that in 2012 or 2013, he knowingly engaged in sexual contact with a six-year-old child. The evidence also showed that Yellow engaged in sexual acts with other children for decades. The crimes took place on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, where Yellow is an enrolled tribal member.
The FBI, Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations, and Gallup Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-08133-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-100_Yellow# # #
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.Honduran National Sentenced to Eight Years for Conspiracy to Import MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Sergio Geovany Cruz-Sabillon, 32, of Rio Lindo, Honduras, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to 96 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. Cruz-Sabillon previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico.
On October 1, 2019, Cruz-Sabillon orchestrated the importation of 13 kilograms (28.6 pounds) of pure methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico through the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted and arrested the driver transporting the drugs before she could travel further into the country.
The evidence showed that Cruz-Sabillon managed and directed this smuggling incident and had encouraged the driver of the narcotics to bring along her young children. Cruz-Sabillon himself had illegally entered the United States a few months before the offense and had set up residence in Tucson, Arizona.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Lizano, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-00286-RCC (EJM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-099_Cruz-Sabillon# # #
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 Tucson-Based Narcotics Distributors Sentenced to Lengthy Prison TermsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Jamaar Charles Samuels, 39, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 72 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Last summer, Judge Rash sentenced Samuels’ co-defendant, Patrick Michael La Fever, 60, also of Tucson, to 97 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. Both men previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and, in La Fever’s case, the conspiracy included the distribution of heroin.
On April 24, 2020, La Fever was arrested as he attempted to smuggle approximately 1.56 kilograms of heroin into the United States from Mexico through the vehicle lane at the port of entry in Nogales, Arizona. La Fever was released from custody pending further investigation of the incident. Over the following months, La Fever continued to distribute narcotics. In October and November 2020, he engaged in a series of transactions involving the sale of approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, in total.
La Fever was again arrested on November 12, 2020, during an enforcement operation jointly conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS). At the time of this second arrest, La Fever was in possession of drugs, two firearms, 457 rounds of ammunition, a sword, brass knuckles, and approximately one pound of high explosives.
During the investigation into La Fever’s conduct, law enforcement officers identified Samuels as one of La Fever’s drug associates. Samuels was subsequently arrested and, at the time he was taken into custody, he was found in possession of drugs, over $3,000 in cash, and a stolen firearm.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, HSI, DEA, AZDPS, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Lizano, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00920-SHR(LCK) & CR-21-03031-SHR(LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-098_Samuels# # #
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 Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Juan Carlos Rubio, 26, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 30 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Rubio previously pleaded guilty to four counts of Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States, Smuggling Goods from the United States, False Statements in Connection with Acquisition of Firearm, and Aiding and Abetting False Statements in Connection with Acquisition of Firearm.
In early 2020, Rubio, a former Arizona Department of Corrections Officer, conspired with others to smuggle three firearms and 500 AK-type rifle magazines from the United States to Mexico. On January 18, 2020, Rubio also lied while purchasing a firearm from a licensed dealer, claiming on the required paperwork that he was buying the gun for himself, when he was actually purchasing it for someone else. On February 18, 2020, Rubio aided and abetted a third party in making a similar false statement to a licensed dealer while purchasing a firearm on Rubio’s behalf.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from Custom and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-2526-TUC-JCH (EJM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-097_Rubio# # #
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.Missouri Woman Sentenced to 9 Years for Importing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Connie Sue Lorenzo-Molina, 30, of Slater, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker to nine years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Lorenzo-Molina previously pleaded guilty to Importation of Methamphetamine.
On May 26, 2021, Lorenzo-Molina entered the United States at the port of entry in Naco, Arizona with over 50 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in her vehicle. During her interview with federal agents, Lorenzo-Molina also admitted to prior involvement in drug smuggling.
Homeland Securities Investigations (HSI) - Douglas conducted the investigation in this case, with the assistance of HSI Kansas City and the Saline County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley B. Culver, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01457-JCH (JR)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-096_Lorenzo-Molina# # #
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 for Lying to Purchase FirearmRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Bobby Lee Seely, Jr., 48, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 80 months in prison. Seely previously pleaded guilty to making a false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm.
In September 2020, Seely made the false statement when he attempted to purchase a pistol from a federally-licensed firearms store in Arizona. When Seely attempted to purchase the pistol, he stated on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives form that he was not prohibited from possessing a firearm. However, Seely was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition because he had previously been convicted of a felony offense as well as a domestic violence misdemeanor.
“Federal law doesn’t just prohibit felons from possessing firearms,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence, including where the victim is a spouse or intimate partner, also preclude gun ownership and possession in America. And for good reason: victims are more vulnerable when their abusers have firearms.”
Following his arrest in this matter, agents searched a storage unit owned by Seely and recovered a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” that was loaded with a high-capacity magazine. Agents also found over 100 rounds of ammunition.
The FBI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen Brook and Aron Ketchel, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-0643-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 094_Seely# # #
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.Kingman Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Monday, James Steele Saunders, 60, of Kingman, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 12 months and 1 day in prison. Saunders previously pleaded guilty to Tax Evasion.
Saunders evaded paying taxes for 15 years. Between 2003 and 2013, Saunders failed to file timely income tax returns with the IRS. In 2009, an IRS revenue officer was assigned to collect taxes owed by Saunders for tax year 2003 and to solicit the filing of tax returns for tax years 2004-2008. Saunders did not cooperate with the IRS and failed to pay what he owed. In 2014, Saunders began to funnel his income through third parties in an attempt to deceive the IRS. He continued this practice until February 2018.
In addition to his prison sentence, the Court ordered Saunders to pay $180,079 in restitution to the IRS, which represents the federal income taxes Saunders failed to pay for tax years 2008 through 2017.
IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Stone, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00331-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 093_Saunders# # #
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.Casa Blanca Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Rolando Jesus Quintero, 33, of Casa Blanca, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to seven years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Quintero previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On February 17, 2021, Quintero was found in possession of 54 grams of methamphetamine and a .22 caliber rifle. Quintero is an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community.
The FBI and the Gila River Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00996-01-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-095_Quintero# # #
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 57 Months for Possessing Device to Convert Glock into Automatic FirearmRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Anthony Michael Brumfield, 24, of Tucson, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Brumfield previously pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of a Machine Gun.
On February 12, 2020, Brumfield posted a video on his social media account showing him in possession of two conversion devices, which are designed to convert Glock pistols into automatic firearms. These conversion devices are defined as machine guns under federal law. On the same date, Brumfield sold one of the conversion devices to another individual.
“Conversion devices like the ones possessed by the defendant are inherently dangerous,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “And let’s be clear: these aren’t used for hunting, or for personal protection. These devices are drivers of violence in communities across America.”
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00889-TUC-SHR (EJM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-092_Brumfield# # #
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 Federal Prison for RobberyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Leroy Bedell, Sr., 44, of Parker, Ariz., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 100 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Bedell previously pleaded guilty to robbery.
On November 7, 2020, Bedell threatened the victim with a shotgun at a gas station in Parker, Arizona. Bedell then drove off in the victim’s vehicle but was stopped shortly after. While arresting Bedell, law enforcement seized a shotgun from inside the victim’s vehicle, and it matched the victim’s description of the shotgun used by Bedell during the robbery. Bedell is a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”) and the robbery occurred on the CRIT Indian Reservation.
The FBI and the CRIT PD conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00548-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 090_Bedell# # #
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.Fort Defiance Man Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Carlton Sandoval, 43, of Fort Defiance, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Sandoval previously pleaded guilty to Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
On January 4, 2020, Navajo Nation police pulled Sandoval over for a traffic violation near Chinle, Arizona and discovered Sandoval had a firearm. Sandoval, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The FBI and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-08027-PCT-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-091_Sandoval# # #
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.Repeat Drug Trafficker Sentenced to over 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Sigfrido Adolfo Rivero, 56, of Nogales, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 121 months in federal prison, followed by 120 months of supervised release. Rivero previously pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
On May 19, 2021, Rivero was arrested as he attempted to pass through the Interstate 19 immigration checkpoint near Amado, Arizona, after it was discovered that he had approximately 190,000 pills (19.24 kilograms) of fentanyl hidden in his vehicle. In a previous case, Rivero was sentenced to 10 years in state prison for trafficking bulk quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine. Rivero served most of that sentence before being released, and was on parole for about five months when he committed this new drug trafficking crime.
“The United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Arizona is committed to combatting the fentanyl epidemic plaguing this country and will advocate vigorously for appropriately strict punishment for those involved in the distribution of this dangerous drug,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino.
Members of the Counter Narcotics Alliance, including the Drug Enforcement Administration and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, conducted the investigation in this case. The Counter Narcotics Alliance is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force operating in the Pima County and Greater Tucson area. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Lizano, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01382-SHR(LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-089_Rivero# # #
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.Orlando Man Sentenced to Four Years for Laundering Funds from Lottery Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Sheldon Shaun Hibbert, 43, most recently of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 48 months in prison. Hibbert previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
Hibbert participated in a scheme where scammers called elderly victims and falsely stated they had won a lottery. To receive their “winnings,” the victims were told they must first submit money for taxes and fees. Hibbert’s role in the scheme was to help launder the fraudulent proceeds to Jamaica on behalf of his co-conspirators. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered a forfeiture money judgment against Hibbert totaling $196,523. A restitution hearing has been scheduled for August 5, 2022.
IRS - Criminal Investigation, FBI, United States Postal Inspection Service, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in the case. The Financial Crimes and Public Corruption section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-1973-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-088_Hibbert# # #
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 Brothers Sentenced to 11 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Friday, brothers Osmar Martinez-Ochoa, 30, and Hector Martinez-Ochoa, 28, of Tucson, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker to each serve 11 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. The Martinez-Ochoa brothers previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
The investigation in this case revealed that the Martinez-Ochoa brothers ran a drug trafficking organization that supplied street dealers in Tucson. Over the course of the investigation, the brothers and their organization were responsible for the distribution or possession with intent to distribute at least 10 kilograms of “ice” methamphetamine, 1.44 kilograms of heroin, and 180 grams of fentanyl. As part of a series of search warrants executed in this case, agents seized five firearms, including an AK-47 style assault rifle, and more than $50,000.00 in cash from the Martinez-Ochoa brothers.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Tucson Counter Narcotics Alliance, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, the Tucson Police Department, and the Oro Valley Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-1864-01 and -02-TUC-JCH (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-087_Martinez-Ochoa# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Charged with Assaulting Border Patrol AgentsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Miguel Angel Acatzihua-Temoxtle, 25, a citizen and national of Mexico, was arrested on two counts of Assault on a Federal Officer and Assault on a Federal Officer with the Use of a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon. Acatzihua-Temoxtle was charged by criminal complaint and had his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Leslie A. Bowman on Thursday.
On May 31, 2022, Border Patrol Agents working near Newfield, Arizona received information that several groups of undocumented non-citizens were passing through the Baboquivari Mountain range. Agents inspected the area and found several individuals, including Acatzihua-Temoxtle.
Acatzihua-Temoxtle fled from the agents by running up the side of a wash. In his effort to flee, Acatzihua-Temoxtle kicked several large boulders to slow the pursuit of one of the agents. While Border Patrol was trying to detain him, Acatzihua-Temoxtle physically assaulted two of the agents, including by attempting to strangle one agent with his own lanyard.
Convictions for assault on a federal officer carry a maximum penalty of 8 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine. Assault on a federal officer with the use of a deadly or dangerous weapon carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and up to a $250,000 fine.
A criminal complaint is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquel Arellano, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-03230MJ-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-086_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.Tucson Woman Sentenced to Four Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Selene Marie Camacho, 48, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez to four years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Camacho previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
The investigation into the case revealed that Camacho operated as a courier, retrieving narcotics that were transported into the United States on foot. Camacho was arrested in Tucson on June 30, 2020 after retrieving a load of narcotics near Mount Hopkins, Arizona. At the time of her arrest, Camacho was driving a vehicle that was transporting three backpacks containing approximately 1.46 kilograms of cocaine, 342.5 grams of heroin, and 19.19 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as a loaded handgun magazine.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-2246-01-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-085_Camacho# # #
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.Tuba City Man Sentenced to 262 Months for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Wednesday, Kristopher Lionel Goldtooth, 38, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 262 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Goldtooth previously pleaded guilty to one count of second degree murder.
On April 24, 2019, Goldtooth intentionally shot the victim in the face with a shotgun, killing him. The murder took place on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, where Goldtooth is an enrolled tribal member.
The FBI and the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Powell and Amy Chang, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-08108-PCT-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-084_Goldtooth# # #
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.Albuquerque Man Charged with Smuggling Aliens and Placing Life in JeopardyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Isaiah Osorio, 23, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit while Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person and High Speed Flight from an Immigration Checkpoint. Osorio was arrested on May 24 and appeared in federal court yesterday afternoon.
The complaint alleges that Osorio met an alien smuggling coordinator on Facebook and then arranged the smuggling event through WhatsApp communications. On May 24, Osorio drove to southern Arizona and picked up multiple undocumented non-citizens. After transporting the individuals for approximately half an hour, Osorio noticed law enforcement behind him. He stopped and began yelling at his passengers to get out. The last passenger had not fully exited the vehicle when Osorio pushed him out and started driving again. The passenger fell and Osorio ran over him as he fled from law enforcement. United States Border Patrol immediately rendered aid and called for emergency medical services to respond. The passenger was transported to the hospital where he was treated for injuries including abrasions and head trauma. Osorio later fled from a Border Patrol immigration checkpoint before eventually yielding to agents.
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.
Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-MJ-04608
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-083_Osorio# # #
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 newsRetired VA Employee Sentenced for Stealing from VA & VetsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Dennis Gene Godbolt, 66, of Buckeye, Arizona, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to five years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $95,000 in restitution to the Department of Veteran Affairs. Godbolt previously pleaded guilty to one count of Theft of Government Property, a felony offense.
Godbolt pleaded guilty to stealing property, mostly consisting of home furnishings, that had been donated by Walmart to the Veterans Affairs Phoenix Health Care System (VAPHCS) for use by homeless and destitute veterans. Godbolt typically picked up donated items from the Walmart distribution center in Buckeye, Arizona and transported the donations in a truck belonging to Voluntary Services. On numerous occasions, instead of taking the donations to the VAPHCS facilities in Phoenix, Godbolt stole items and placed them in his personal storage lockers.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Galati, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00906-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-082_Godbolt# # #
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.Texas Man Guilty of Lewd Acts on Flight from Seattle to PhoenixRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Antonio Sherrodd McGarity, 34, of Arlington, Texas, pleaded guilty last week to Lewd, Indecent, or Obscene Acts While on an Aircraft and was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah M. Fine to 48 days in prison, followed by one year of probation. McGarity is also prohibited from flying commercially in the United States while on probation. A conviction for this offense carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail.
On April 2, 2022, during a Southwest Airlines flight from Seattle to Phoenix, McGarity exposed himself while other passengers sat next to him in the emergency exit row. McGarity also masturbated several times. The passenger sitting beside McGarity reported the incident to a flight attendant who then informed Phoenix Police and FBI agents on the ground. Immediately upon landing, McGarity was arrested and charged with committing a lewd, indecent, or obscene act while on an aircraft. In addition to this offense, McGarity has several prior state and local convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct.
The Phoenix Police Department and FBI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Hakala and Tim Courchaine, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-03085MJ-PHX-MTM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-081_McGarity# # #
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.Marana Man Sentenced to 57 Months for Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Tyrell Kester, 36, of Marana, Arizona, was sentenced last week by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Kester previously pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
On April 22, 2021, federal agents and Tucson Police Department officers conducted surveillance on a residential trailer in preparation to execute a search warrant. Kester parked his car near the trailer and when agents announced their presence, Kester threw several items from his pockets onto the ground, including his car keys and $3,587 in cash. Agents searched Kester’s car and found an AR-type rifle magazine loaded with 25 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition and other loose rounds of ammunition in various calibers in the trunk. Kester is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing ammunition.
This investigation was a collaborative effort between federal law enforcement agencies and is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) initiative in Southern Arizona that is being led by the Tucson Strike Force.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Culver and David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-1114-TUC-RM (MSA)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-078_Kester# # #
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.Investigation by Tucson Strike Force Leads to Indictment of 13 Members of Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced the unsealing of a 30-count indictment against 13 individuals for charges related to the distribution of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. On May 4, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned the indictment against the following individuals:
- Jasiel Soloman Corral-Cinco, 32, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.
- Eduardo Martinez-Torres, 38, of Tucson, Arizona.
- Carlos Edgardo Rincones Vega, 25, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.
- Hector Manuel Cruz, 37, of Tucson, Arizona.
- Angel Ariel-Zubia, 31, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.
- Melecio Hernan Garcia, 32, of Rio Rico, Arizona.
- Alejandro Reyes Altamirano, 29, of Tucson, Arizona.
- Ruben Sebastian Felix-Escamilla, 24, of Sonora, Mexico.
- Jesus Castenada, 22, of Tucson, Arizona.
- Jose Flores, 32, of Rio Rico, Arizona.
- Alejandro Linares, 35, of Rio Rico, Arizona.
- Eduardo Linares, 36, of Rio Rico, Arizona.
- Alejandro Melendez, 43, of Phoenix, Arizona.
The indictment alleges that the 13 individuals were members of a Mexican-based drug trafficking organization that was involved in the delivery of large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, counterfeit M-30 oxycontin pills laced with fentanyl, and heroin. The investigation leading to their indictment involved a series of drug transactions in Arizona as well as seizures of drugs at Ports of Entry.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Possess with the intent to Distribute the quantities of drugs alleged in the Indictment carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a $10,000,000.00 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 was a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local investigators and is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) initiative in Southern Arizona that is being led by the Tucson Strike Force.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Arizona Department of Public Safety led the investigation, with significant contributions from Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshal Service, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, the Marana Police Department, and the South Tucson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney and Lead Strike Force Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 22-00980-TUC-RM (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-079_Corral-Cinco, 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.