District of Arizona
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Arizona Woman Sentenced to 57 Months for Conspiracy to Smuggle Fentanyl and Heroin into the U.S.Read the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Michelle Krystal Mendez, 36, of Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Mendez previously pleaded guilty to importing fentanyl into the United States from Mexico.
On November 21, 2020, Mendez was returning to the United States from Mexico through the Nogales, Arizona port of entry when a Customs and Border Protection canine alerted to her vehicle. Officers then conducted a search and found nearly five pounds of fentanyl and two pounds of heroin carefully hidden inside the battery compartment under the hood of Mendez’s car.
Customs and Border Protection completed the interdiction and Homeland Security Investigations-Nogales conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-0689-TUC-JGZ (LAB)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 028_Mendez, Michelle# # #
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 Nearly Five Years for Smuggling Drugs and Undocumented NoncitizensRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesenia Isabel Mendez, 40, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Mendez was convicted of one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit while Placing in Jeopardy the Life of any Person.
On August 1, 2020, Mendez was arrested for carrying nearly half a pound of fentanyl hidden on her body while she was a passenger on a commercial shuttle van inbound from Mexico. With no prior criminal history, she was released pending resolution of her case. On October 23, 2020, Mendez pleaded guilty to the charge; however, in January 2021, she absconded from her pretrial supervision, before her sentencing could take place. Three months later, on March 21, 2021, Mendez was again arrested, this time for Alien Smuggling. During the attempted traffic stop in that offense, she and her co-defendant tried to flee from Border Patrol but instead crashed into a concrete wash, resulting in injuries to herself, the co-defendant, and the undocumented noncitizen they were smuggling. She subsequently pleaded guilty on June 21, 2021, to the Alien Smuggling Offense. Her sentence included a mandatory enhancement due to the multiple offenses that she committed.
United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-2157-TUC-JGZ (LCK); CR-21-1408-TUC-JGZ (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 027_Mendez, Yesenia# # #
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.Chinle Man Sentenced to Nineteen Years for Killing of Navajo WomanRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Sito Aeroplan Nalwood, 33, of Chinle, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to nineteen years in prison. Nalwood previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On July 26, 2018, Nalwood attempted to take a bag from the victim by threatening her with a rifle. When the victim refused, Nalwood began firing shots around her. One of the shots hit the victim in the pelvis, which ultimately killed her. At the time he committed this crime, Nalwood was serving a term of supervised release, which had been imposed after Nalwood was convicted of an assault. The Court sentenced Nalwood to fifteen years in prison for voluntary manslaughter and an additional four years in prison for committing that crime while on supervised release.
Both Nalwood and the victim are members of the Navajo Nation, and the offense occurred in Chinle, on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William G. Voit and Sharon K. Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-08328-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-026_Nalwood# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man Indicted for Smuggling over 150 Pounds of Methamphetamine Across the U.S.-Mexico BorderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Tuesday, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a four-count indictment against Cesar Alberto Palomares, 23, of Somerton, Arizona.
The indictment alleges four violations of United States law related to Palomares’ importation and intended distribution of methamphetamine. On January 27, 2022, Palomares is alleged to have entered the United States through San Luis, Arizona. At the Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection Officers discovered over a hundred packages containing a white crystal-like substance that were hidden in Palomares’ car. The substance tested positive for methamphetamine and the combined weight of the packages was over 150 pounds.
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.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations-Yuma conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-158-PHX-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-024_Palomares# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former State Legislator, Justice of the Peace, Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Keith Allan Bee, 56, of San Tan Valley, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to six months in prison for filing a false tax return. Bee is a former Arizona state legislator and justice of the peace.
Bee, who owns a company providing school bus transportation, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of willfully filing a false tax return. Bee admitted that during each tax year from 2011 to 2013, to reduce his company’s profits and the taxes he owed on them, he inflated his business expenses by including personal expenses and the depreciation of personal assets as if they were costs incurred by his business. Those personal assets included several Ford Mustangs, a Chevrolet Corvette, and a Porsche. Bee agreed that the tax loss resulting from his conduct was $214,414.
“Reporting income and paying taxes are important aspects of patriotism,” observed U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “Let this case serve as a reminder that all people, no matter their rank and circumstance, may face prison time when they cheat on their taxes. Thanks to our partners at the Internal Revenue Service for pursuing these cases fairly and comprehensively.”
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this 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-18-1793-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-025_Bee# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.California Man Sentenced to 21 Months for National Forest BurglariesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Brian D. Lisanti, 51, of Weimar, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott Rash to 21 months in prison for his involvement in a scheme to burglarize user fee collection sites on the Coronado National Forest in Southern Arizona.
Lisanti previously pleaded guilty to destruction of government property by breaking into a fee envelope collection tube on the Coronado National Forest near Safford, Arizona and to stealing $1,408 of government funds from a fee envelope collection tube on the Coronado National Forest near Green Valley, Arizona in 2020. In pleading guilty, Lisanti also admitted that between July 23, 2020 and November 8, 2020, he committed at least 42 burglaries and theft of government funds at fee collection sites on national recreation lands in Arizona, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah. Lisanti committed these acts by breaking the locks on fee collection tubes and stealing monies that recreational users had deposited as fees payable to the United States government.
The U.S Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations Office conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-01603-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-023_Lisanti# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Law Enforcement Cooperation Between United States and Mexico Leads to Mexican Takedown of Significant Human SmugglersRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced today that extensive bilateral cooperation between the United States and Mexico resulted in Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office, Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), conducting a significant enforcement operation last week to dismantle a prolific transnational human smuggling organization operating in Nogales, Sonora, along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The targeted human smuggling organization is alleged to be responsible for illegally smuggling large numbers of individuals from Mexico, Central America, and South America into the District of Arizona and other locations throughout the United States. The enforcement operation on March 2, 2022 included the execution of six arrest warrants in Mexico for smuggling coordinators: Arturo Tienda-Garcia, aka “Tuercas,” Jose Guadalupe Tienda-Garcia, aka “Pantera,” Gilberto Escalante-Osuna, aka “Mochomo,” Uriel Cruz-Tienda, aka “Quiqui,” Cristal Tolentino-Hernandez, and Alfonso Sotelo-Contreras, aka “Pajaro.”
United States authorities provided assistance to Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office through coordination under Joint Task Force Alpha (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.
To date, the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, has prosecuted U.S.-based coordinators and operators with alleged ties to the same smuggling organization including Benjamin Gallegos, Amalia Gonzalez-Lara, Sergio Vazquez-Flores, Macario Ulises Barragan-Cisneros, Jaziel Tienda-Ibarra, Daniel Garcia-Salgado, Cesar Bermeo-Diaz, Isamar Chaparro-Vizcarra, and Oswaldo Tienda-Castro. These nine individuals have been convicted of Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit. Additional alleged coordinators for the organization have been indicted by a federal grand jury on alien smuggling charges including Enrique Villalobos-Lopez and Ian Esteban Serrano.
“The Attorney General established Joint Task Force Alpha to address the threat posed by transnational human smuggling networks, and this operation is a prime example of its impact,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “JTFA marshals the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department, and its law enforcement partners, to target human smugglers and enhances coordination in transnational law enforcement efforts to better combat these criminal organizations.”
“Border security is less about erecting barriers between nations, and more about increasing cooperation among neighbors,” said Gary Restaino, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. “This operation is a stellar example of what can be accomplished when U.S. and Mexican authorities work together across the border. For years, these individuals have violated the laws of the United States and Mexico with impunity, and their apprehension will make citizens of both countries safer.”
“HSI-Phoenix is grateful for its collaboration with HSI Mexico City and their partnership with the Government of Mexico. These joint efforts demonstrate the commitment of both of our nations to not let borders be barriers when it comes to confronting the transnational criminal organizations that negatively impact both of our nations,” said Scott Brown, Special Agent in Charge for HSI-Phoenix.
HSI-Nogales led the investigation in the United States, working in concert with United States Border Patrol. Support by HSI-Mexico City, with the assistance of HSI's Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU)-Mexico, was critical in providing coordination between United States and Mexican law enforcement agencies. The Department of Justice, including the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Tucson, the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and the Office of International Affairs, provided significant assistance in this matter.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-21-1322-TUC-SHR-BGM (Gallegos)
CR-21-0613-TUC-RCC-JR (Gonzalez-Lara/Vazquez-Flores)
CR-21-2672-TUC-SHR-MSA (Barragan-Cisneros)
CR-21-1882-TUC-JAS-MSA (Tienda-Ibarra)
CR-21-1615-TUC-JAS-MSA (Garcia-Salgado)
CR-21-1245-TUC-JCH-BGM (Bermeo-Diaz)
CR-21-0869-TUC-RCC-BGM (Chaparro-Vizcarra/Serrano)
CR-21-1038-TUC-SHR-LCK (Tienda-Castro)
CR-21-1323-TUC-RM-LCK (Villalobos-Lopez)RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-022_Pollos Hermanos
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Law Enforcement Cooperation Between United States and Mexico Leads to Mexican Takedown of Significant Human SmugglersRead the Press Release
Extensive bilateral cooperation between the United States and Mexico resulted in the Mexico Attorney General’s Office’s “Fiscalía General de la República” (FGR) conducting a significant enforcement operation to dismantle a prolific transnational human smuggling organization operating in Nogales, Sonora, along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The targeted human smuggling organization is alleged to be responsible for illegally smuggling large numbers of individuals from Mexico, Central America and South America into Arizona and other locations throughout the United States. The enforcement operation included the execution of six arrest warrants in Mexico for smuggling coordinators: Arturo Tienda-Garcia aka Tuercas, Jose Guadalupe Tienda-Garcia aka Pantera, Gilberto Escalante-Osuna aka Mochomo, Uriel Cruz-Tienda aka Quiqui, Cristal Tolentino-Hernandez, and Alfonso Sotelo-Contreras aka Pajaro.
“The Attorney General established Joint Task Force Alpha to address the threat posed by transnational human smuggling networks, and this operation is a prime example of its impact,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “JTFA marshals the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the department, and its law enforcement partners, to target human smugglers and enhances coordination in transnational law enforcement efforts to better combat these criminal organizations.”
“Border security is less about erecting barriers between nations, and more about increasing cooperation among neighbors,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “This operation is a stellar example of what can be accomplished when U.S. and Mexican authorities work together across the border. For years, these individuals have violated the laws of the United States and Mexico with impunity, and their apprehension will make citizens of both countries safer.”
“HSI-Phoenix is grateful for its collaboration with HSI Mexico City and their partnership with the Government of Mexico,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown of HSI-Phoenix. “These joint efforts demonstrate the commitment of both of our nations to not let borders be barriers when it comes to confronting the transnational criminal organizations that negatively impact both of our nations.”
U.S. authorities provided assistance to the Mexico Attorney General’s Office through coordination under Joint Task Force Alpha, 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 and endanger migrants, pose national security threats or are involved in organized crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has also prosecuted other U.S.-based coordinators and operators with ties to the smuggling organization, including Benjamin Gallegos, Amalia Gonzalez-Lara, Sergio Vazquez-Flores, Macario Ulises Barragan-Cisneros, Jaziel Tienda-Ibarra, Daniel Garcia-Salgado, Cesar Bermeo-Diaz, Isamar Chaparro-Vizcarra and Oswaldo Tienda-Castro. These nine individuals have been convicted of conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens for profit. Additional alleged coordinators for the organization have been indicted by a federal grand jury on alien smuggling charges including Enrique Villalobos-Lopez and Ian Esteban Serrano. For more information on individual cases, see the below case numbers:
CR-21-1322-TUC-SHR-BGM (Gallegos)
CR-21-0613-TUC-RCC-JR (Gonzalez-Lara/Vazquez-Flores)
CR-21-2672-TUC-SHR-MSA (Barragan-Cisneros)
CR-21-1882-TUC-JAS-MSA (Tienda-Ibarra)
CR-21-1615-TUC-JAS-MSA (Garcia-Salgado)
CR-21-1245-TUC-JCH-BGM (Bermeo-Diaz)
CR-21-0869-TUC-RCC-BGM (Chaparro-Vizcarra/Serrano)
CR-21-1038-TUC-SHR-LCK (Tienda-Castro)
CR-21-1323-TUC-RM-LCK (Villalobos-Lopez)
HSI-Nogales led the investigation in the United States, working in concert with the U.S. Border Patrol. Support from HSI-Mexico City, with the assistance of HSI’s Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU)-Mexico, was critical in providing coordination between American and Mexican law enforcement agencies. The Justice Department, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Tucson, the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and the Office of International Affairs, provided significant assistance in this matter.
Cooperación en Procuración de Justicia entre Estados Unidos y México Lleva a Captura de Traficantes de PersonasRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – La extensa cooperación bilateral entre Estados Unidos y México llevó a la Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) a realizar un operativo de procuración de justicia significativo y desmantelar a una prolífica organización transnacional de traficantes de personas que operaba en Nogales, Sonora, y a lo largo de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México.
Esta organización de traficantes de personas es presuntamente responsable del contrabando ilegal de un gran número de individuos de México, Centroamérica y Sudamérica al estado de Arizona y a otros lugares a lo largo de Estados Unidos. La operación de procuración de justicia incluyó seis órdenes de arresto en México para los coordinadores de contrabando: Arturo Tienda-Garcia conocido como “Tuercas,” Jose Guadalupe Tienda-Garcia conocido como “Pantera”, Gilberto Escalante-Osuna conocido como “Mochomo”, Uriel Cruz-Tienda conocido como “Quiqui,” Cristal Tolentino-Hernandez, y Alfonso Sotelo-Contreras conocido como “Pájaro.”
“El Procurador General estableció la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alfa en respuesta a la amenaza de las redes transnacionales de tráfico de personas, y esta operación es un gran ejemplo de su impacto,” aseguró el Procurador General Adjunto General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. de la División Criminal del Departamento de Justicia. “La Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alfa utiliza los recursos procesales y de investigación del departamento, así como a sus aliados en procuracion de justicia, para detectar a traficantes de personas y mejorar la coordinación y los esfuerzos transnacionales de procuración de justicia para combatir de una mejor manera a las organizaciones criminales.”
“La seguridad fronteriza debe enfocarse en el incremento de la cooperación entre vecinos y menos en la edificación de barreras entre naciones, y más sobre el incremento de la cooperación entre vecinos,” dijo el Fiscal estadounidense Gary Restaino del Distrito de Arizona. “Esta operación es un gran ejemplo de lo que se puede lograr cuando autoridades de Estados Unidos y México trabajan juntas a lo largo de la frontera. Por años, estos individuos han violado las leyes de Estados Unidos y México con impunidad, y su aprehensión hará que los ciudadanos de ambos países se encuentren más seguros.”
“HSI-Phoenix agradece la colaboración con HSI-CDMX y su alianza con el gobierno de México,” dijo el Agente Especial al Mando Scott Brown de HSI-Phoenix. “Estos esfuerzos conjuntos demuestran el compromiso de ambas naciones de no dejar que las fronteras se conviertan en muros en lo que se refiere a la confrontación del crimen organizado transnacional que impacta de forma negativa a nuestras dos naciones.”
Autoridades de Estados Unidos proporcionaron apoyo a la Fiscalía General de la República a través de la coordinación bajo la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alfa, que fue establecida por el Procurador General Merrick B. Garland en junio de 2021 para utilizar los recursos de investigación y procuración del Departamento de Justicia, en alianza con el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS), y mejorar los esfuerzos de procuración de justicia de Estados Unidos contra los peligrosos grupos de traficantes de personas que operan en México, Guatemala, El Salvador, y Honduras. La Fuerza de Tarea se enfoca en trastocar y desmantelar las redes de contrabando y tráfico de personas que abusan, explotan, y ponen en peligro a migrantes, representan una amenaza para la seguridad nacional, o están inmiscuidos en el crimen organizado.
La Oficina del Fiscal Federal del Distrito de Arizona también ha procesado a otros cordinadores y operadores, dentro de EE.UU., con nexos a la organización de contrabando de personas, incluyendo a Benjamín Gallegos, Amalia González-Lara, Sergio Vázquez-Flores, Macario Ulises Barragán-Cisneros, Jaziel Tienda-Ibarra, Daniel García-Salgado, César Bermeo-Díaz, Isamar Chaparro-Vizcarra, y Oswaldo Tienda-Castro. Estos nueve individuos han sido condenados por los delitos de conspiración para transportar y albergar a personas extranjeras en situación irregular para fines de lucro. Otros supuestos dirigentes de esta organización han sido imputados por un gran jurado federal por cargos de contrabando de extranjeros incluyendo Enrique Villalobos-López y Ian Esteban Serrano. Para más información sobre casos particulares, consulte los números de casos que se muestran a continuación:
CR-21-1322-TUC-SHR-BGM (Gallegos)
CR-21-0613-TUC-RCC-JR (Gonzalez-Lara/Vazquez-Flores)
CR-21-2672-TUC-SHR-MSA (Barragan-Cisneros)
CR-21-1882-TUC-JAS-MSA (Tienda-Ibarra)
CR-21-1615-TUC-JAS-MSA (Garcia-Salgado)
CR-21-1245-TUC-JCH-BGM (Bermeo-Diaz)
CR-21-0869-TUC-RCC-BGM (Chaparro-Vizcarra/Serrano)
CR-21-1038-TUC-SHR-LCK (Tienda-Castro)
CR-21-1323-TUC-RM-LCK (Villalobos-Lopez)
HSI-Nogales coordinó las investigaciones en Estados Unidos, trabajando junto a la Agencia de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza. El apoyo de HSI-CDMX, así como la ayuda de la Unidad de Investigaciones Criminales Transnacionales de HSI (TCIU)-México, fueron cruciales para la coordinación entre las agencias de procuración de justicia de Estados Unidos y México. El Departamento de Justicia, incluyendo la Oficina del Fiscal del Distrito de Arizona en Tucson, la Sección de Derechos Humanos y Enjuiciamientos Especiales de la División Criminal, y la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales, proporcionaron apoyo significativo en esta materia.
En Ingles
Virginia Woman Sentenced for Coercing and Enticing MinorRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Sara Belen Coltz, 38, of Norfolk, Virginia was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 120 months in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Coltz previously pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor. After she is released from prison, Coltz will be required to register as a sexual offender.
In late 2017 through mid-2018, Coltz used a computer to communicate with the victim who was under the age of eighteen. In these communications, Coltz chatted with the victim about sexual acts she wanted to perform.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica L. Seger, District of Arizona, Tucson handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 20-00678-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 021_Coltz# # #
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.Armed Bank Robber Sentenced to over 12 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jeffrey Patterson, 46, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 155 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Patterson previously pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, one count of armed bank robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
In early 2021, Patterson robbed six banks in Arizona. In each robbery, Patterson approached a teller and produced a note demanding money. During his last robbery, Patterson’s demand note included a threat to shoot up the bank. After the teller handed him some money, Patterson pointed a handgun at the teller and demanded more. In total, Patterson stole more than $28,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Phoenix Police Department, Tempe Police Department, Chandler Police Department, Scottsdale Police Department, Peoria Police Department, and Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Goldberg, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00231-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 020_Patterson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Lake Havasu City Woman Sentenced for Casting Illegal VoteRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Marcia Johnson, 70, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to one year of supervised probation and fined $1,000. Johnson previously pleaded guilty to one count of Voting More than Once, a felony offense.
“Election integrity has two pillars: ensuring that only eligible voters cast ballots; and insisting that all eligible voters who choose to vote can do so easily and efficiently, with confidence that their vote will be counted,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Prosecution is a key deterrent on the rare occasions when illegal votes are cast, and this prosecution comes with an important collateral consequence: as a result of her federal felony conviction, Ms. Johnson will lose the right to vote in Arizona until she completes her term of probation.”
Johnson pleaded guilty in December 2021 to casting two ballots in the November 2018 federal election. Johnson voted twice by casting her own mail-in ballot as well as the one that was sent to her father, who died in 2012 and whose name had remained on the Mohave County voter rolls. According to the charging document, mail-in ballots sent to Johnson’s deceased father were returned in seven other federal elections after his 2012 death.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Galati, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-08140-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-019_Johnson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Bullhead City Man Sentenced for Threatening to Kill Speaker of the House of RepresentativesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Steven Arthur Martis, 77, of Bullhead City, Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 21 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On November 18, 2021, a jury convicted Martis of one count of communicating an interstate threat to kill or harm Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
On January 17, 2021, Martis called Speaker Pelosi’s Washington District Office from his residence in Bullhead City, Arizona, and left two voicemails. In his first voicemail, Martis threatened, “I’m coming to kill you . . . .” Martis followed up with a second voicemail, in which he advised, “You’re dead . . . .” Martis made these two calls after the Federal Bureau of Investigation had approached him and warned him about making similar calls in the past.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the United States Capitol Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen Brook and Joseph Koehler, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-08140-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-018_Martis# # #
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 Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Gabriel Isaac Leivas, 23, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 33 months in prison, followed by a term of lifetime supervised release. Leivas previously pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor.
On March 30, 2019, Leivas sexually abused the minor victim in her home on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”) Indian Reservation. Both Leivas and the victim are members of the CRIT Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CRIT PD conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-01196-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-017_Leivas
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Human Smuggler Sentenced for Transporting and Harboring over 100 Undocumented NoncitizensRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Amalia Gonzalez-Lara, 43, of Oaxaca, Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to 21 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Gonzalez-Lara pleaded guilty on November 18, 2021 to one count of conspiring to transport and harbor over 100 illegal aliens for profit. Gonzalez-Lara managed, supervised, and coordinated smuggling operations for a stash house located in Avondale, Arizona. On January 12, 2021, law enforcement agents located 20 undocumented citizens, all nationals of Mexico or Guatemala, inside the residence. Over the course of the conspiracy, the house was used to conceal large numbers of noncitizens who had been smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border into Arizona and transported to the Phoenix area.
Co-conspirator Sergio Vazquez-Flores, 46, who operated the stash house on behalf of Gonzalez-Lara, will be sentenced on March 15, 2022.
Homeland Security Investigations – Nogales Office, with assistance from United States Border Patrol, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of Joint Task Force Alpha (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. Attorney’s 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. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration are also part of the Task Force.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-0613-TUC-RCC-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-016_Gonzalez-Lara# # #
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 Attempting to Smuggle Noncitizens in Water Tanker TruckRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Sean Christopher Hale, 33, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hale previously pleaded guilty to Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person.
“This case is a stark reminder of how human smuggling organizations endanger and exploit noncitizens looking for a better life in America,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We must deter illegal transportation not only to vindicate our border laws, but also to protect the vulnerable among us, regardless of their immigration status.”
On June 19, 2021, Hale was stopped while driving a large water truck that was reported to be smuggling noncitizens in its tank. When Border Patrol Agents opened the steel tank of the vehicle, they found 26 individuals inside. While the individuals had only been in the tank for a short period of time, most were already sweating and having difficulty breathing. Some of the individuals rescued from the tank had fainted due to the heat and lack of oxygen.
The United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-02462-RM-LCK
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-015_Hale# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Sacaton Woman Sentenced to 15 Years for Stabbing DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Nina Maria Harrison, 36, of Sacaton, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 15 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Harrison previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On February 22, 2020, Harrison stabbed the victim multiple times, killing her. The attack took place on the Gila River Indian Community, where Harrison is an enrolled member.
The Gila River Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Raynette Logan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00186-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-014_Harrison# # #
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.Peach Springs Man Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Monday, Marcus BlueCloud Querta, 39, of Peach Springs, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 48 months in prison. Querta previously pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer and admitted to violating the terms of his supervised release in a separate case. Judge Snow sentenced Querta to 37 months in prison for the assault and an additional 11 months for violating his supervised release.
On January 12, 2020, the victim, a law enforcement officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and another police officer were trying to detain Querta while he was on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. Querta resisted arrest, kicked the victim, and bit the victim in the leg. At the time of the offense, Querta was on supervised release for another assault on a federal officer that he committed on the Hualapai Indian Reservation in 2016. Querta is an enrolled member of the Hualapai Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-08024-PCT-GMS; CR-16-08297-PCT-CMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-013_Querta# # #
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 Woman Sentenced to Prison for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Kae Leen Nopah, 35, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Nopah previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.
On June 6, 2020, Nopah assaulted the victim in the victim’s home using a knife. Nopah slashed both of the victim’s hands with the knife causing the victim to suffer significant bodily injuries. Nopah and the victim are enrolled members of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”). This assault occurred on the Colorado River Indian Reservation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CRIT PD conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-00318-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-012_Nopah# # #
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.Weapons Smugglers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Alejandro Valles, 27, of Aguila, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 15 months in prison for smuggling weapons from the United States into Mexico. Judge Soto previously sentenced David Alberto Duarte-Marquez, 21, a Mexican citizen and Valles’ co-conspirator, to 33 months in prison. Both men pleaded guilty to their offenses.
On October 22, 2018, Valles placed an online order for an M203 40mm grenade launcher barrel. Valles received the barrel and sent the package to another individual in southern Arizona, who then smuggled the barrel into Mexico.
Similarly, on November 26, 2018, Valles’ co-conspirator Duarte-Marquez placed an online order for an M203 40mm grenade launcher barrel with the intent to smuggle it into Mexico. Duarte-Marquez had the barrel shipped to Valles. Once Valles received the barrel, he intended to follow the same steps of sending the package to southern Arizona so it could be smuggled into Mexico. However, the second barrel was intercepted by law enforcement while it was en route to Valles.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 21-0543-TUC-JAS and 20-2414-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-011_Valles# # #
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.Willcox Resident Sentenced to 210 Months for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Joshua William Scheu, 37, of Willcox, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to 210 months in prison. Scheu previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor.
In November 2004, Scheu pulled his vehicle over to the side of the road where the victim was waiting for some friends on the Gila River Indian Nation. Scheu then got out of his vehicle, chased the child, pushed her into a cornfield, and forcibly raped her. The case remained “cold” until 2019 when DNA led to the identification of Scheu as the perpetrator. The victim was an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Nation.
Upon release from prison, Scheu will be placed on lifetime supervised release with stringent sex offender conditions. He also will be required to register as a sex offender and to complete a sex offender treatment program.
“This case is another great example of the meaningful role that DNA testing has had in solving cold cases,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We are grateful for the tenacity of our law enforcement partners in continuing to pursue cases until the offenders are brought to justice.”
"This sentencing should send a clear message to those who sexually harm innocent children in our community," said Sean Kaul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office. "The FBI is committed to preventing violent crimes against children and to bring those who harm them to justice, no matter how long it takes. Thanks to the dedicated work from our agents and our law enforcement partners who aggressively pursue these heinous criminals, this individual will finally be held accountable for his actions."
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sierra Vista, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carin C. Duryee and Julie A. Sottosanti, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 19-2615-TUC-CKJ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-010_Scheu# # #
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 51 Months for Involuntary Manslaughter After Rollover CrashRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Travis Ray Preston, 27, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On June 25, 2021, a federal jury convicted Preston of one count of involuntary manslaughter.
On September 18, 2016, near Tuba City, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, Preston was operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and driving at a high rate of speed. Preston lost control of the vehicle and caused it to roll multiple times off the road. During this roll, one of Preston’s three passengers was ejected and killed. Later testing revealed that Preston’s blood alcohol content was at least .096 and the vehicle was traveling 69 miles per hour just before the accident. Both Preston and the victim are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.
The Navajo Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Simon and Timothy Courchaine, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-08264-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-009_Preston# # #
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 Prison for Possession of Unregistered Sawed Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Ryan Matthew Swick, 34, of Parker, Arizona was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 28 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Swick previously pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered weapon made from a shotgun.
On May 26, 2020, Swick possessed a modified shotgun. The barrel of the shotgun had been shortened to just 13.5 inches, below the required 18-inch length. The overall length of the shotgun was also under the legally required length of 26 inches. Because the shotgun was shortened, Swick was required to register the weapon with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, which he failed to do.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00775-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-008_Swick# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Human Smuggling Coordinator Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Benjamin Gallegos, 24, of Nogales, Arizona, pleaded guilty in federal court today in connection with his role as the coordinator for a human smuggling organization operating in the Nogales, Arizona area.
During a proceeding before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce G. Macdonald, Gallegos admitted that he conspired to transport and harbor illegal aliens for profit. Specifically, Gallegos managed, organized, and coordinated other co-conspirators to drive, provide guide services, and operate stash houses for undocumented persons seeking to be smuggled into the United States. Over the course of the conspiracy, Gallegos coordinated smuggling operations for well over 100 undocumented persons entering the country from Mexico.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit carries a maximum penalty of ten years, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.
Sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash on April 22, 2022.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations – Nogales Office, with assistance from United States Border Patrol. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of Joint Task Force Alpha (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. Attorney’s 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. The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration are also part of the Task Force.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-1322-TUC-SHR-BGM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-007_Gallegos# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announces Justice Department Strategy to Combat Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland yesterday released the Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
Rooted in the foundational pillars and priorities of the interagency National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which President Biden released on December 3, 2021, the Justice Department's National Strategy is expansive in scope. It aims to enhance the Department's capacity to prevent human trafficking; to prosecute human trafficking cases; and to support and protect human trafficking victims and survivors.
“Human trafficking is an insidious crime,” said Attorney General Garland. “Traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims unimaginable harm. The Justice Department’s new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking will bring the full force of the Department to this fight.”
“The new National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking provides our office with an opportunity to bolster our commitment to prosecuting human traffickers,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Over the years we have worked with federal and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute cases, and we have collaborated on task forces with energetic and compassionate non-profit partners across Arizona. We look forward to more opportunities to work together in the future to ensure traffickers are held accountable and victims are rescued and supported.”
Among other things, the Justice Department’s multi-year strategy to combat all forms of human trafficking will:
- Strengthen engagement, coordination and joint efforts to combat human trafficking by prosecutors in all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and by federal law enforcement agents nationwide.
- Establish federally-funded, locally-led anti-human trafficking task forces that support sustained state law enforcement leadership and comprehensive victim assistance.
- Step up departmental efforts to end forced labor by increasing attention, resources and coordination in labor trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
- Enhance initiatives to reduce vulnerability of American Indians and Alaska Natives to violent crime, including human trafficking, and to locate missing children.
- Develop and implement new victim screening protocols to identify potential human trafficking victims during law enforcement operations and encourage victims to share important information.
- Increase capacity to provide victim-centered assistance to trafficking survivors, including by supporting efforts to deliver financial restoration to victims.
- Expand dissemination of federal human trafficking training, guidance and expertise.
- Advance innovative demand-reduction strategies.
The Department’s strategy will be implemented under the direction of the National Human Trafficking Coordinator designated by the Attorney General in accordance with the Abolish Human Trafficking Act of 2017.
In December 2021, as part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to combat trafficking, the Office for Victims of Crimes awarded grants to two Arizona non-profits to assist victims of human trafficking. Our Family Services, Inc. in Tucson, Arizona was awarded $600,000 to provide safe, stable housing and individualized services to victims of human trafficking in Pima County, particularly those between the ages of 18 and 24. The International Rescue Committee in Tucson (IRC) received $349,585 to develop, expand, and strengthen services for domestic and foreign victims of human trafficking, including programs that provide trauma-informed, victim-centered services in Pima, Cochise, and Santa Cruz Counties.
If you believe that you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text 233733.
To read the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking click here.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-006_Combat Human Trafficking
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Attorney's Office Collects over $38 Million in Criminal and Civil Actions in Fiscal Year 2021Read the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – United States Attorney Gary Restaino announced today that the District of Arizona collected $38,381,652 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2021. Of this amount, $24,125,534 was collected in criminal actions and $14,256,117 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the District of Arizona worked with other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $180,168,099 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $10,637 was collected in criminal actions and $180,157,462 was collected in civil actions.
Included in the civil collections was a settlement with TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corp. in which TriWest agreed to pay the United States $179,700,000 to resolve claims that it received overpayments from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in connection with its administration of certain VA health care programs.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $4,755,309 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2021. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-005_FY21 Collections
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Phoenix Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yesterday, Carlos Devon Lewis, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Lewis was convicted of three counts of Armed Bank Robbery.
In late 2019, Lewis and his co-conspirators robbed three area banks at gunpoint. In each robbery, Lewis, fully masked, jumped the bank teller counter, stole cash from teller drawers, and hopped back over the counter while his masked co-conspirator pointed a gun at bank employees and customers. Both then escaped in a getaway car. In total, Lewis and his co-conspirators stole more than $80,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Peoria Police Department, Surprise Police Department and the Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tracy Van Buskirk, Emma Mark, and Lindsay Short, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-00045-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 004_Lewis# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Parker Man Sentenced to 51 Months for RobberyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yesterday, Justin Ray Mike, 30, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Mike previously pleaded guilty to robbery.
On May 28, 2020, Mike broke into the residence of one of the victims, threatened her with a knife while demanding money, and punched her in the face, causing her to sustain bodily injury. Mike also demanded money from the other victim who was present at the residence. This robbery occurred on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”) Indian Reservation. Mike and both of the victims are members of the CRIT Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CRIT PD conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-2020-00782-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022- 003_Mike# # #
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.Glendale Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Participating in Darknet Drug Distribution RingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Jacob Matthew Medina, 29, of Glendale, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 160 months in federal prison. Medina previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess fentanyl and heroin with intent to distribute, in connection with an Internet-based drug trafficking operation.
In November 2018, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service began an investigation of Darknet vendor “Ghost831,” who advertised heroin, methamphetamine, and oxycodone for sale on the Internet. On March 4, 2019, after identifying drug packages mailed by the vendor, investigators executed a federal search warrant at Medina’s residence in Glendale. Medina admitted that he had $31,000 in cash, a firearm, customer lists, package tracking numbers, 502 grams of counterfeit “M30” pills containing fentanyl, and over a pound of heroin in his residence. One of the customers on the list suffered a fatal drug overdose.
“Individuals like this defendant have played a direct role in fueling this nation’s opioid crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “The presence of powerful drugs, such as fentanyl, in counterfeit pills that are sold over the Internet has endangered many lives throughout the United States. We are thankful for the strong efforts of our partners at the Postal Inspection Service for their role in interdicting and investigating dangerous contraband.”
“Mr. Medina profited off of numerous individuals addicted to opioids with his fentanyl-laced pills. He utilized the dark web, mistakenly thinking he could outsmart the authorities. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to investigating and dismantling drug trafficking organizations to keep U.S. Postal Service customers and employees safe from such dangerous drugs,” stated Inspector in Charge Melisa Llosa, of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Phoenix Division.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 19-329-001-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-002_MEDINA# # #
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.Chinle Man Sentenced to Nearly 15 Years for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yesterday, Jeroy Johnson Benally, 23, of Chinle, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 177 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Benally previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On August 28, 2020, Benally shot the victim two times with a rifle, resulting in the victim’s death. Benally is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-08018-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2022-001_Benally# # #
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.Department of Justice Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the Stop School Violence ActRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.
“The Justice Department has no greater responsibility than protecting Americans from harm,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Schools must be safe places to learn, and today’s investment of more than $125 million under the STOP School Violence Act will help ensure that they are.”
“These grants provide important support to a diverse range of school districts, rural and urban, throughout Arizona,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Direct awards enable local districts to make local choices to ensure that schools are safe and nurturing places.”
The Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the “STOP School Violence Act”) gives the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines, and websites.
The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.
The following Arizona school districts were awarded grant funding:
- Cartwright School District No. 83 $500,000
- Colorado City Unified School District No. 14 $150,000
- Gadsden Elementary School District #32 $420,852
- Mohave Valley Elementary School District 16 $490,218
- Pendergast Elementary School District 92 $45,000
- Prescott Valley, Town of $187,500
The full list of SVPP awards can be found here: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp-award.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found on the OJP Grant Awards page.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Former Tucson Insurance Agent Sentenced to Prison for Million Dollar Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Friday, Koreasa M. Williams, 46, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 51 months in prison. Williams previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
In her guilty plea, Williams, a licensed insurance agent, admitted that she devised a scheme to defraud nine annuity clients out of $1,064,522. In furtherance of her scheme, Williams sent request forms to various life insurance companies seeking to withdraw funds from her clients’ annuities without their knowledge and consent. Williams also directed the life insurance companies to wire the fraudulently obtained funds directly to her personal bank account. Williams then used the mostly elderly victims’ money for her personal benefit.
“It is essential that individuals who use their position and skill to harm others be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “We are grateful to our partners at the FBI for bringing this case forward and are hopeful that its resolution will bring some closure for the victims.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-19-1276-TUC-JGZ (BGM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021- 095_Williams# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Nine Indicted for Payment Protection Program FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Jason Coleman, 40, and Kimberly Coleman, 38, of Mesa, Arizona, made their initial appearance in federal court on a 62-count indictment charging them with Conspiracy, Bank Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Transactional Money Laundering. A federal grand jury previously indicted the Colemans and seven other individuals in connection with a fraudulent scheme to obtain approximately $23 million in Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. The nine defendants are accused of then using those PPP funds to purchase vehicles, properties, and other luxurious items.
According to the indictments, from April 2020 through April 2021, the conspirators in this scheme submitted or assisted in submitting PPP loan applications on behalf of 18 businesses, seeking loans between $100,000 and $2.2 million for each company.
In the loan applications, the defendants certified that each business was in operation and had employees for whom it paid salaries and payroll taxes, that the funds would be used to retain workers or make mortgage, lease, or utility payments, and that the information provided in the loan applications was true and accurate.
According to the indictment charging Jason and Kimberly Coleman, the married couple conspired to prepare and submit approximately two dozen false and fraudulent PPP loan applications in an attempt to receive more than $30 million in PPP funds. The Colemans were successful in ten of those submissions and fraudulently obtained more than $13 million in PPP funds.
According to the eight other connected indictments, seven defendants conspired to submit eight false and fraudulent PPP loan applications and received more than $10 million in PPP funds. The individuals named in the indictments include:
- Willie Mitchell aka Blu Mitchell, 40, of Phoenix, Arizona.
- Jason Nolte, 39, of Phoenix, Arizona.
- Sean Swaringer, 56, of Peoria, Arizona.
- Vanessa Swaringer, 54, of Peoria, Arizona.
- Toni Richardson, 52, of Phoenix, Arizona.
- Keenya Williams, 40, of Phoenix, Arizona.
- Darrell Lieteau, 56, of Phoenix, Arizona.
Indictments are only accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigation, and the Small Business Administration-Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecutions.
To learn more about the Justice Department’s COVID response, visit: https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
For further information on the Criminal Division’s enforcement efforts on PPP fraud, including court documents from significant cases, visit the following website: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.
CASE NUMBERS: 21-00975-PHX-SPL; 21-00976-PHX-JJT; 21-00977-PHX-GMS;
21-00978-PHX-DLR; 21-00979-PHX-SMB; 21-00980-PHX-SPL;
21-00981-PHX-SPL; 21-00982-PHX-SPL; 21-00983-PHX-GMSRELEASE NUMBER: 2021-094_Coleman, et al.
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Parker Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for RobberyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Thomas Leon Hamalowa, 39, of Parker, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 41 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Hamalowa previously pleaded guilty to robbery.
On September 4, 2020, Hamalowa was an inmate at the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”) Adult Detention Facility when the victim, a CRIT Detention Officer, transported Hamalowa to Indian Health Services (“IHS”) for medical treatment. After leaving the IHS facility, Hamalowa physically wrestled with the victim in the parking lot, threw the victim to the ground, and drove off in the CRIT Adult Detention Facility vehicle. This robbery occurred on the CRIT Indian Reservation and both Hamalowa and the victim are members of the CRIT Tribe.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the CRIT PD conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-2020-00679-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-093_Hamalowa# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Justice Department Awards More Than $17.5 Million to Support Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Department of Justice announced today that it has awarded more than $17.5 million in grants to support the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Funding will support efforts across the country to address violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission was awarded $379,981 to administer PSN grant funds in the District of Arizona.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), will administer the 88 grant awards, which are being made to designated fiscal agents to support local PSN projects that work in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
“This latest Project Safe Neighborhoods grant is critical to addressing the violent crime threatening cities and towns all across our country,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “Ensuring the safety of all Americans is the highest priority for the Department of Justice, but when it comes to violent crime, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We have to work closely with local public safety agencies as well as community organizations to craft individual strategies unique to each community’s needs. Programs like Project Safe Neighborhoods and the funding it provides allow us to do just that.”
“Combatting violent crime is a national priority that requires a coordinated effort,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has partnered with various local, state, tribal, federal, and non-government agencies to support a data-driven approach to identify high gun-crime areas and target its resources to combat violent offenders. Our statewide approach under the PSN Program includes community engagement to address prevention, outreach, and reentry initiatives to reduce violent crime and recidivism.”
Grant funds awarded in the District of Arizona will support local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies to improve collaborative efforts in violent crime reduction in the highest crime areas in Phoenix, Tucson, and Tribal communities. The grant funds will also support community stakeholders from the faith community, neighborhood groups, and other social service disciplines to provide a holistic approach to violent crime reduction activities. Additionally, the PSN Program grant funding is used to research and analyze violent crime data to improve our targeting strategy.
“Investing in our communities, supporting victims and building a justice system that both keeps people safe and earns their trust – these are mutually reinforcing goals that stand at the heart of Project Safe Neighborhoods,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon for OJP. “The Office of Justice Programs is pleased to join with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and with jurisdictions across the country, as we work together to meet the challenges of crime and violence and achieve our shared aspirations of public safety and community trust.”
In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime issued by Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.
This fall, U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country have enhanced their violent crime reduction efforts to ensure alignment with the department’s comprehensive violent crime reduction strategy. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have engaged in outreach to law enforcement and other agencies and organizations serving communities to identify the most significant drivers of violence in their districts. Working together with a broad coalition of stakeholders, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices are addressing the most pressing violent crime issues in their district to make our neighborhoods safer for all.
PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies, community stakeholders and other agencies and organizations that work to reduce violent crime.
For a list of all grantees, please visit: PSN Grant List
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-092_PSN Grants
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Proud Boys Member Sentenced to 87 Months on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jonathan M. Cuney, age 38, and a part-time resident of East Greenbush, New York, was sentenced today to 87 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for unlawfully possessing firearms including “ghost guns,” and ammunition.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
Cuney previously pled guilty to unlawfully possessing, as a felon, a Springfield Armory rifle and an FMK Firearms Inc. AR-15-style rifle receiver/frame, and to possessing three unregistered silencers, between September 9, 2019 and November 14, 2019.
Cuney has a prior conviction for unlawful gun trafficking. In December 2015, he pled guilty, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, to transporting and selling firearms with obliterated serial numbers while he was a licensed firearms dealer. He was sentenced to 37 months in prison, and returned to East Greenbush in April 2017 upon his release from prison.
In pleading guilty on June 22, 2021, Cuney also admitted that from at least August 2018 until November 12, 2019, he purchased firearms parts from several dozen online retailers, and had these items shipped to East Greenbush; Willits, California (where he maintained a residence); and Providence, Rhode Island (where he formerly maintained a legitimate firearms business). Cuney then used these firearms parts to manufacture non-serialized handguns and rifles, and silencers. These firearms are often called “ghost guns” because they do not have serial numbers, making them more difficult for law enforcement to track.
ATF searched Cuney’s East Greenbush storage unit on November 14, 2019, and found it to contain, among other items:
- Two (2) rifles,
- One (1) revolver,
- Four (4) serialized AR-15-style rifle receivers/frames,
- Two (2) completed “ghost” guns,
- Five (5) pistol parts kits,
- Two (2) completed silencers and enough parts to build more than ten (10) silencers, and
- An assorted quantity of firearm parts and accessories – of which five (5) would be classified as machine guns under federal law – and 3,250 rounds of assorted rifle and pistol ammunition.
Cuney also rented a storage unit in Redway, Humboldt County, California. ATF searched this storage unit on November 20, 2019, and found it to contain, among other items:- Two (2) Glock pistols,
- Seven (7) additional handguns,
- Three (3) rifles,
- One (1) shotgun,
- Five (5) machinegun conversion kits,
- More than ten (10) silencers, and
- More than 1,000 rounds of assorted rifle and handgun ammunition.
Cuney also admitted to unlawfully possessing, on September 17, 2019, in Columbia, Missouri, several thousand rounds of ammunition that he purchased at a firearms store through a straw purchaser.He also admitted to unlawfully possessing, on November 12, 2019, near Tucson, Arizona, a pistol and a rifle, which were discovered during a traffic stop of a vehicle that Cuney was driving.
Cuney has also admitted to joining the Proud Boys organization in late 2018.
In sentencing Cuney, Senior United States District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. noted that “ghost guns are killing people on the streets every day in this country.”
Judge Scullin noted Cuney’s prior service in the United States Marine Corps, including a combat deployment to Iraq, but said that “any credit you might get for being a veteran is outweighed by your conduct as a criminal. You know how to play the system. You tell a good story – an ‘A’ for creating writing, but an ‘F’ for conduct.”
As part of his plea agreement, Cuney agreed to abandon a variety of firearms, silencers, ammunition, and firearm parts found in both East Greenbush and Redway, California, as well as the following items, all found in Redway: one pair of handcuffs with key; 56 Monadnock disposable single cuffs; and clothing items, patches and badges bearing law enforcement acronyms and insignia, including a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) ball cap, FBI badges, FBI patches, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) patches, and DEA badges.
These cases were investigated by the ATF New York Field Division, with assistance from ATF Special Agents and Task Force Officers in Arizona, California, Missouri, Rhode Island, and Wyoming. The California Highway Patrol also assisted in the investigation.
The New York case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
The Arizona case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai of the District of Arizona.
The Missouri case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver of the Western District of Missouri.
Ammunition Smugglers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Mauricio Robles, 26, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to 37 months in prison for attempting to smuggle ammunition from the United States into Mexico. The court previously sentenced Robles’ co-defendant, Arlando Torres, 36, of Texas, to 70 months in prison on September 30, 2021.
On May 4, 2020, Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Torres was driving. Robles was the sole passenger and the owner of the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, DPS troopers found almost 6,000 rounds of ammunition and thirty ammunition magazines. Torres and Robles intended to provide the ammunition to other individuals who would then smuggle the ammunition from the United States into Mexico on behalf of a criminal organization, in exchange for payment.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela W. Woolridge, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 20-2122-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-091_Torres# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.MediaMuv Principals Charged with Stealing Millions in Music RoyaltiesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jose Teran, 36, of Scottsdale, Arizona appeared today in federal court on charges for Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, Transactional Money Laundering, and Aggravated Identity Theft. In mid-November, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 30-count indictment against Teran, and his co-conspirator, Webster Batista, 38, of Doral, Florida. On November 18, Special Agents with the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation arrested Batista at his residence in Florida.
According to the indictment, from 2016 to the present, Teran and Batista used fraudulent pretenses and made false representations to collect over $20 million in royalty payments for music that was monetized through a third-party company. Through their company MediaMuv, Teran and Batista allegedly first claimed they had the legal right to monetize over 50,000+ songs on February 13, 2017. The indictment alleges that contractual agreements were executed between MediaMuv and two third party companies in which MediaMuv made false and fraudulent affirmations that they had legal rights over the music they claimed to control. According to the indictment, Teran and Batista did not pay anything to the top 30 artists or their representatives, whose music generated royalties that the defendants collected. Teran and Batista allegedly used the identities of others to make false claims about ownership and to create the false impression that MediaMuv had other employees. The indictment further alleges that Teran and Batista used the fraudulent proceeds to purchase high-end items such as cars, jewelry, and property.
If convicted, Teran and Batista face up to 5 years in prison for Conspiracy, up to 20 years for Wire Fraud, up to 10 years for Transactional Money Laundering, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of 2 years for Aggravated Identity Theft. They may also be fined up to $250,000 per felony conviction.
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 guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Seth T. Goertz, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR21-0955-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-090_Batista# # #
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.Red Mesa Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Jarred Darnell Benally, 24, of Red Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 132 months in prison. Benally previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter.
In October 2019, Benally was driving under the influence of alcohol when he struck the victim’s vehicle at 95 miles an hour. The impact caused the victim’s vehicle to collide with a second vehicle. Two individuals died from the collision. Benally and one victim are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.
Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiyoko Patterson, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-8034-PCT-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-089_Benally# # #
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.Gary M. Restaino Takes Office as United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Gary M. Restaino took office today as United States Attorney for the District of Arizona.
President Biden nominated Mr. Restaino to serve as U.S. Attorney on October 27, 2021.The Senate confirmed his nomination on November 19, 2021. Mr. Restaino was sworn into office by the Honorable Chief Judge G. Murray Snow this morning at the U.S. District Courthouse for the District of Arizona.
Mr. Restaino, 53, is assuming the position after having worked in the office for nearly two decades. During that time, he served as the Chief of the Criminal Division in Phoenix from 2012 to 2016 and as the Chief of the White Collar Crime Section from 2008 to 2009. From 2009 to 2010, Mr. Restaino was detailed as a Trial Attorney to the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice in Washington.
“I thank the President, and Senators Sinema and Kelly, for the trust they have placed in me. I am thrilled at the opportunity to partner with such fine colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and with the dedicated law enforcement professionals throughout the State. And I look forward to the opportunity to work with the civic and civil rights organizations who hold us accountable and who, with their energy and compassion, help push Arizona to be a better place,” said Mr. Restaino.
As an Assistant United States Attorney, Mr. Restaino handled numerous high-profile matters, including the successful prosecutions of former Fiesta Bowl executives in a scheme to make illegal campaign contributions, and of former U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi for extortion and bribery in connection with a federal land swap deal. Additionally, he prosecuted scores of cases involving investment fraud, money laundering and human smuggling. Aside from his litigation activities, he also collaborated extensively with prosecutors in Mexico and Colombia through the Department’s Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training.
Mr. Restaino received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1996 and his B.A. from Haverford College in 1990. Prior to his employment as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Restaino was a civil rights lawyer from 1999 to 2003 with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, and represented migrant and seasonal farmworkers with Community Legal Services, Inc. from 1996 to 1999. Between college and law school, he served for two years with the Peace Corps in rural Paraguay.
Mr. Restaino succeeds Glenn McCormick, who had been serving as Acting U.S. Attorney since April 24, 2021.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-088_Gary Restaino
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Bullhead City Man Convicted for Threatening to Kill Speaker of the House of RepresentativesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yesterday, Steven Arthur Martis, 77, of Bullhead City, Arizona, was found guilty by a jury of one count of communicating an interstate threat to kill or harm Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. Martis is set to be sentenced on January 25, 2022.
On January 17, 2021, Martis called Speaker Pelosi’s Washington District Office from his residence in Bullhead City, Arizona, and left two voicemails. In his first voicemail, Martis threatened, “I’m coming to kill you . . . .” Martis followed up with a second voicemail, in which he advised, “You’re dead . . . .” Martis made these two calls after the Federal Bureau of Investigation had approached him and warned him about making similar calls in the past.
“This case is an important reminder that, although the First Amendment protects our right to free speech, which is one of our most precious individual rights, the United States Attorney’s Office takes threats to kill or harm another individual through a phone call or other form of interstate communication very seriously,” said Acting United States Attorney Glenn B. McCormick.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the United States Capitol Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen Brook and Joseph Koehler, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-2021-08043-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-087_Martis# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Justice Department Announces $139 Million for Law Enforcement Hiring to Advance Community PolicingRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Department of Justice today announced more than $139 million in grant funding through the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) COPS Hiring Program (CHP). The awards provide direct funding to 183 law enforcement agencies across the nation, allowing those agencies to hire 1,066 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. In the District of Arizona, two agencies were awarded funding totaling $750,000.
“We are committed to providing police departments with the resources needed to help ensure community safety and build community trust,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The grants we are announcing today will enable law enforcement agencies across the country to hire more than 1,000 additional officers to support vitally important community oriented policing programs.”
The following law enforcement agencies in Arizona received awards:
- City of Glendale – $500,000
- La Paz County - $250,000
CHP is a competitive award program intended to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing. CHP provides funds directly to law enforcement agencies to hire new or rehire additional career law enforcement officers, thereby increasing their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts. Of the 183 agencies awarded grants today, approximately half will use the funding to focus on building legitimacy and trust between law enforcement and communities; 41 agencies will seek to address high rates of gun violence; 21 will focus on other areas of violence; and 19 will focus CHP resources on combating hate and domestic extremism or supporting police-based response to persons in crisis. The complete list of awards can be found here.
Since its creation in 1994, COPS has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. CHP, COPS’ flagship program, continues to be in demand today: In FY21, COPS received 590 applications requesting nearly 3,000 law enforcement positions. For FY22, President Biden has requested $537 million for CHP, an increase of $300 million.
To learn more about CHP, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/chp-award. For additional information about the COPS Office, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/.
The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-085_Community Policing Funding
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.- City of Glendale – $500,000
Human Smugglers Plead Guilty to Transporting and Harboring over 100 Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Amalia Gonzalez-Lara, 43, of Phoenix, pleaded guilty in federal court today in connection with her role as the coordinator of a human smuggling operation in Avondale, Arizona.
During a proceeding before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Rateau, Gonzalez-Lara admitted that she conspired to transport and harbor over 100 illegal aliens for profit. On January 12, 2021, law enforcement agents located 20 illegal aliens, all nationals of Mexico or Guatemala, inside a residence located at 1905 North 119th Drive in Avondale, Arizona. Over the course of the conspiracy, the house was used to conceal large numbers of illegal aliens who had been smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border and transported to the Phoenix area. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations and United States Border Patrol made the arrests.
Co-conspirator Sergio Vazquez-Flores, 46, of Goodyear, Arizona, pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport and harbor over 100 illegal aliens for profit on November 5, 2021. Vazquez-Flores operated the stash house at the Avondale address on behalf of Gonzalez-Lara.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Profit carries a maximum penalty of ten years, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.
Sentencing is set before Senior U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins for Vazquez-Flores on January 25, 2022, and for Gonzalez-Lara on February 1, 2022.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations – Nogales Office, with assistance from United States Border Patrol. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, is handling the prosecution.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is part of Joint Task Force Alpha (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. Attorney’s 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. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration are also part of the Task Force.
CASE NUMBER: CR-21-0613-TUC-RCC-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-086_Gonzalez-Lara# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Man Sentenced to 70 Months for Role in International Lottery Fraud Scheme Targeting the ElderlyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Joseph Andre Batts, 44, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to 70 months in prison. Batts previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering and Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud.
Between 2013 and 2018, Batts participated in a scheme where Jamaican-based scammers and others called elderly victims in the United States, claiming the victims had won a lottery or other prize. To receive their winnings, the victims were told that they must first pay money for taxes and fees. Batts’ role in this scheme was to sell and distribute “lead lists,” which contained the names and personal information of thousands of primarily elderly individuals for the scammers to contact. Batts also distributed scamming scripts and template letters to teach others how to conduct the scheme. He then used others to help launder portions of the fraudulent proceeds.
The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations – Tucson Office, U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Diplomatic Security Service, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR18-2216-RCC-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021- 084_Batts# # #
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.Caregivers Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding 73-Year-Old Homebound VictimRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Michael Tagle Santos, 34, and Cherry Mae De Los Reyes-Santos, 28, most recently of Tucson, Arizona, were sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps for defrauding a 73-year-old homebound victim. Santos received 33 months in prison and De Los Reyes-Santos received 16 months in prison. The Court also ordered the married couple to pay restitution to the victim. Santos previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and De Los Reyes-Santos pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.
During the time of the scheme, Michael Santos and De Los Reyes-Santos worked as caregivers for the victim, who was disabled. Between 2013 and 2018, Michael Santos and De Los Reyes-Santos made unauthorized transfers of the victim’s funds. Santos admitted that he and his wife fraudulently disguised the transfers to make them appear as wage advances, gifts, and reimbursements for medical and grocery expenses of the victim. De Los Reyes-Santos was aware that these transactions were not legitimate reimbursements. The couple used the fraudulently-obtained proceeds to fund their lifestyle, paying for expensive cars, trips to Las Vegas, high end jewelry, and home remodeling.
The United States Secret Service and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-20-2707-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-083_Santos# # #
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.Chandler Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Securities Fraud and EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Wednesday, Vu Anh Nguyen, 26, of Chandler, Arizona was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg to 30 months in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $700,000 in restitution to his victims.
Nguyen previously pleaded guilty to orchestrating two fraudulent schemes. In the first, Nguyen committed a type of securities fraud known as “free riding,” consisting of making transfers of funds into stock trading accounts from bank accounts that Nguyen knew were insufficiently funded. Nguyen traded with the transferred funds during the two or three days it took for the insufficiency in funds to be processed, resulting in losses to the trading entities of nearly $650,000.
In the second, Nguyen embezzled from his then-employer, Amazon.com. During the short time he was employed by Amazon, Nguyen used his employee access to issue $96,000 worth of refunds to several buyer accounts that he owned or controlled. Amazon discovered, investigated, and reported the fraud to the FBI.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Phoenix Division, conducted the investigation in this case. Monica Klapper, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 20-000796-PHX-JAT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-082_Nguyen# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.United States Attorney's Office District of Arizona October 2021 Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
I. Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
289 individuals were charged in October with illegal reentry
A. 217 of those 289 individuals had previously been convicted of non-immigration criminal offenses in the U.S.
Of the 217 individuals with non-immigration criminal records:
1. 49 had violent crime convictions, including:
0 individuals had homicide convictions
11 individuals had sex offense convictions
15 individuals had domestic violence convictions2. 17 had property crime convictions
3. 31 had DUI convictions
4. 115 had drug crime convictions
B. 142 of those 289 individuals had been deported three or more times
II. Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
48 individuals were charged in October with alien smuggling
III. Illegal Entry (Criminal Consequence Initiative) (8 U.S.C. 1325)
0 individuals were charged in October with illegal entry on the CCI calendar
Criminal conviction information is based on preliminary criminal history reports provided by the arresting agency.
These numbers represent United States Attorney's Office prosecutions only. These numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-081_October Immigration and Border Crimes Report
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Marana Man Sentenced to Five Years for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Roy Dominic Robles, 35, of Marana, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to a total of 60 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release. A jury previously convicted Robles on five counts, including two counts of sexual abuse of a minor, one count of abusive sexual contact with a minor, and two counts of abusive sexual contact without permission.
On September 14, 2019, during a trip to Lake Mead, Arizona with family and friends, Robles sexually abused the minor victim. On that same date, Robles engaged in an abusive sexual contact without permission with the adult victim.
The National Park Service conducted the investigation in this case. Christina J. Reid-Moore and Wayne Venhuizen, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix and Flagstaff, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-2019-08235-PCT-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021- 080_Robles# # #
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.Readout of Justice Department Leadership Meeting on Human Smuggling and Trafficking NetworksRead the Press Release
On Nov 3, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division convened a meeting on efforts to combat human smuggling and trafficking networks as part of the department’s work on Joint Task Force Alpha (JTF Alpha). Participants included Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, the U.S. Attorneys in districts along the southern border of the United States, Acting Deputy Director Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Acting Commissioner Troy A. Miller of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and additional members of JTF Alpha.
The meeting focused on: discussing JTF Alpha’s investigations and prosecutions, and the challenges thereto; supporting JTF Alpha’s efforts to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras; and identifying ways to strengthen efforts to disrupt and dismantle human smuggling and trafficking networks, including those that abuse or exploit those being smuggled, pose national security risks, or have links to transnational organized crime. The meeting discussed multiple examples of migrants being killed, sexually assaulted, kidnapped and abused by the smuggling and trafficking networks, as well as exploring those networks’ links with cartels, gangs and weapons smuggling.
Assistant Attorney General Polite highlighted how this joint law enforcement effort has already resulted in a number of successful prosecutions, new indictments, increased forfeitures and stronger international partnerships. He praised the partnership among ICE, CBP and other participating federal law enforcement agencies including FBI and DEA, in concert with JTF Alpha prosecutors and attorneys, to coordinate investigative resources and focus on the most prolific human smuggling and trafficking networks. The meeting also recognized the key role played by our law enforcement partners in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco both reaffirmed the Justice Department’s commitment to combat human smuggling and trafficking networks and noted the serious risk of violence, injury and even death that too often results from exploitation of migrants by transnational criminal organizations.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff for the Western District of Texas, Acting U.S. Attorney Randy S. Grossman for the Southern District of California, Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery for the Southern District of Texas and Acting U.S. Attorney Glenn McCormick for the District of Arizona spoke about smuggling trends in their respective districts and the ways in which JTF Alpha resources and enhanced law enforcement efforts have been and could be used against the most prolific and dangerous smuggling organizations. ICE Acting Deputy Director Lechleitner and CBP Acting Commissioner Miller spoke about the need to continue coordinating law enforcement strategy and prioritizing resources and efforts in support of JTF Alpha. The Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT) spoke about the important collaborative work being done with our partners in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. Numerous components of the Criminal Division that are part of JTF Alpha – including the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs – also participated in the meeting, along with representatives from the Civil Rights Division and the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.
The meeting ended with the participants confirming their steadfast support and prioritization of JTF Alpha and focus on its continued success.
High-Ranking Members of the Sinaloa Cartel Charged with International Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, announced the unsealing of two indictments charging high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel with international drug trafficking. On November 13, 2019 and February 19, 2020, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned superseding indictments against cartel members Aureliano Guzman-Loera of Sinaloa, Mexico, and brothers Ruperto, Jose, and Heriberto Salgueiro-Nevarez of Guadalupe Y Calvo, Mexico.
The indictments allege various violations of United States law related to the international distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, occurring over several years.
The Salgueiro-Nevarez brothers allegedly operate a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel known as the SNO, which stands for the Salgueiro-Nevarez Organization. Aureliano Guzman-Loera is the brother of former Sinaloa Cartel leader, Joaquin Guzman-Loera.
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, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: 18-CR-1840-TUC-RCC(JR); 18-CR-00597-TUC-RCC(BGM)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2021-079_Guzman-Loera# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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