District of Arizona
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Detroit-Area Man Found Guilty of Maliciously Setting Fires to Semi-Truck TrailersRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal jury found Viorel Pricop, 66, of Allen Park, Michigan, guilty of three counts of arson of a vehicle or property in interstate commerce. Pricop has been in federal custody since October 2022.
According to evidence presented at an 8-day trial, Pricop maliciously set fire to three semi-truck trailers belonging to Swift Transportation, a Phoenix-based commercial trucking company, as part of a larger pattern of arsons targeting Swift. Two of the arsons occurred in Willcox, AZ and one occurred in Holbrook, AZ. In each of the incidents, the Swift-owned trailer was parked at or near a truck stop when Pricop set a fire on or near the trailer tires.
According to other evidence presented at trial, Pricop set at least 16 additional Swift Transportation semi-trailers on fire in multiple states between October 2021 and September 2022. These arsons occurred at locations spanning Barstow, California to McCalla, Alabama, with most occurring along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40. Federal criminal charges associated with some of the fires were filed against Pricop in several districts and were the basis of a 2024 criminal trial in the Central District of California, where Pricop was found guilty of six arsons.
An analysis of cellular data showed that a specific device – later determined to be used by Pricop for navigation – had connected to cell towers in the vicinity and around the times of the fires. Pricop’s cellphone was also located in the general area of all three Arizona fires.
Additional items, including a gas torch, lighters, and fuel-soaked rags were found in the Pricop’s vehicle.
United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker has scheduled a November 13, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Pricop will face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison for each count.
The Albuquerque Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Phoenix Field Division, led the investigation in this case, with significant assistance from the ATF Fire Research and Forensic Laboratories, ATF Certified Fire Investigators, and Special Agents from the ATF National Cellular Analytics Program. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 22-CR-02747-JCH-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-141_Pricop# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Iranian Couple Pleads Guilty After June Confrontation with ICERead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, 41, an Iranian national, and his wife, Linet Vartanniavartanians, 37, a naturalized United States citizen, pleaded guilty on August 21 after a confrontation in June with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Eidivand pleaded guilty to Alien in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Vartanniavartanians pleaded guilty to Threats Against a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. Sentencing is scheduled for November 26, 2025, before United States District Judge David G. Campbell.
In his plea, Eidivand, a citizen of Iran without legal authority to be in the United States, admitted that, on or about June 21, 2025, in Tempe, Arizona, he possessed two firearms, which is prohibited for illegal aliens.
Vartanniavartanians admitted that, on the same date, when ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) came to her residence in Tempe, Arizona to contact her husband, she made threats intended to impede, intimidate, and interfere with the officers engaged in the performance of their official duties. Vartanniavartanias made the following threats:
- “I’m not letting anybody enter my home without my, you know, permission. So anybody that tries to invade my home, I’m going to shoot them. Like I said, I have a gun, and it’s loaded.”
- “Anybody trying to enter my house is going to be shooted. I don’t allow anybody in my house, including ICE.”
- When asked about the location of the gun, I responded “in my hand right now.”
- “I go outside the backyard, and I’ll just shoot them in the head.”
A conviction for Alien in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. The maximum term of probation is five years, including a minimum term of one year if probation is imposed.
A conviction for Threats Against a Federal Law Enforcement Officer carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000.00, or both, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. The maximum term of probation is five years, including a minimum term of one year if probation is imposed.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
ICE ERO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI’s Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00931-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-140_Asadi Eidivand, et al# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.District of Arizona Charges 170 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 16, 2025, through August 22, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 170 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 85 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 70 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 11 cases against 15 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Gonzalo Rafael Morales-Jimenez: On August 18, 2025, Gonzalo Rafael Morales-Jimenez, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Morales-Jimenez had been previously removed from the United States in 2018 after being convicted of Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, and Theft by Extortion, Aggravated Assault, and Misconduct Involving Weapons, all felony offenses, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County. The Court ordered all terms of incarceration for the various counts to run concurrently with one another, with the longest sentence being over 10 years in prison. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09342]
United States v. Alan William Fischbach: On August 19, 2025, Alan William Fischbach and two Mexican nationals, Rosario Robles-Morales and Jose Antonio Florez-Ramirez, were charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens. On August 19, Fischbach was observed picking up two loads of illegal aliens and taking them to a motel in Tucson. Robles-Morales and Florez-Ramirez had served as foot guides for the illegal aliens, leading them across the international border into the United States. In total, 10 smuggled illegal aliens were discovered. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09352]
United States v. Pedro Carrillo-Miranda: On August 19, 2025, Pedro Carrillo-Miranda was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Carrillo-Miranda had been previously removed from the United States in 2002 after being convicted of Attempted Sexual Abuse, a felony offense, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County. In that case, Carrillo-Miranda was sentenced to three months in prison, followed by lifetime probation. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09357]
United States v. Cesar Eduardo Parra-Ray: On August 20, 2025, a Department of Public Safety (DPS) Sergeant performed a traffic stop on Cesar Eduardo Parra-Rey, who was identified by his Mexico driver's license. After speaking with Parra-Rey, DPS suspected that he was engaged in a human smuggling event and contacted U.S. Border Patrol for assistance. When they arrived, Border Patrol Agents determined that Parra-Rey is a citizen of Mexico with a Border Crossing Card that allows him to enter and pass through the United States legally. However, agents also determined that Parra-Rey’s three passengers were all citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Parra-Rey was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09372]
United States v. Bryan Valenzuela-Caldera: On August 22, 2025, Bryan Valenzuela-Caldera was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. Valenzuela-Caldera was observed in Nogales, Arizona on multiple days, driving in unusual patterns close to the border. On August 20, Border Patrol Agents initiated a vehicle stop based on their observations, but Valenzuela-Caldera failed to yield, taking several turns and driving through Nogales, Arizona. As he drove, Valenzuela-Caldera struck a civilian vehicle, and then attempted to push the vehicle out of the way by pressing the accelerator of his truck. He then reversed and drove away, ending up on a dead-end road. As agents followed him, Valenzuela-Caldera reversed into one of their Border Patrol vehicles, then got out of his truck and fled on foot. He was eventually apprehended, and two illegal aliens were found inside his truck. [Case Number: 25-MJ-09414]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-139_August 22 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Owner of Taco Restaurants Pleads Guilty to Firearms Charge and Employing Unauthorized AliensRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Blademir Angulo Audeves, 42, of Mexico, pleaded guilty on August 20, to one count of Alien in Possession of a Firearm and one count of Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens. Sentencing is scheduled for October 28, 2025, before United States District Judge Humetewa.
In his plea, Audeves admitted that he owned and operated El Taqueria El Taco Loko LLC, which included a brick-and-mortar restaurant and two mobile restaurants in the Phoenix-metro area. As the owner and operator of the restaurants, Audeves knowingly hired and employed at least twelve unauthorized aliens, who were either not lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States or were not authorized to be employed in the United States.
Audeves, a Mexican citizen without legal authority to be in the United States, also admitted to knowingly possessing three firearms in July 2025, along with ammunition, all of which was prohibited because of his immigration status.
A conviction for Alien in Possession of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of fifteen years of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000. A conviction for Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens carries a maximum penalty of six months of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $3,000 for each unauthorized alien with respect to whom such a violation occurs.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01029
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-138_Audeves# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Assaulting a Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Sandra Meza-Casillas, 51, of Mexico, was sentenced on August 11, by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 24 months prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Meza-Casillas previously pleaded guilty to Assault on a Federal Officer.
On or about April 16, 2025, in Nogales, Arizona, a United States Border Patrol Agent was attempting to apprehend an individual who had jumped over the international border wall. The agent found Sandra Meza-Casillas lying flat on her stomach on the border road. When the agent approached, Meza-Casillas started running eastbound along the International Border road while two male subjects appeared to be guiding her from the south side of the border wall. After a brief foot pursuit, the Border Patrol Agent reached Meza-Casillas and grabbed her shoulder to make an arrest. Meza-Casillas turned around and sprayed the agent with pepper spray on his left cheek.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rui Wang, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-02225-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-137_Meza-Casilla# # #
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.Jury Finds Polacca Woman Guilty of Driving Under the Influence with Her Children, Killing One of ThemRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On August 13, a federal jury found Marian Marsha Josytewa, 40, of Polacca, Arizona, guilty of one count of Involuntary Manslaughter, one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, two counts of Child Abuse, and one count of Driving Under the Influence. The guilty verdict followed a six-day trial before United States District Court Judge Steven P. Logan. Sentencing is scheduled for November 3, 2025.
On December 10, 2021, Josytewa consumed several beers before picking up her two children from school in Flagstaff, Arizona. While traveling back to the Hopi Tribe homeland on a highway on the Navajo Nation, Josytewa rolled her car. One of her sons was ejected from the vehicle and died because of the crash. Josytewa’s blood was drawn and tested at a crime lab, which showed a BAC level of .113.
A conviction for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and not more than three years of supervised release. Involuntary Manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and not more than three years of supervised release. The remaining three convictions include additional penalties that could amount to more than seven years in prison.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Flagstaff office and Navajo Police Department jointly conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, and the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08083-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-135_Josytewa# # #
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.District of Arizona Charges 161 Individuals with Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 9, 2025, through August 15, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 161 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 79 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 71 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 10 cases against 11 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Isidro Calleros-Sotelo: On August 11, Isidro Calleros-Sotelo was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Calleros-Sotelo had been previously removed from the United States in 2024 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain in the United States District Court, District of Arizona. In that case, Calleros-Sotelo was sentenced to 15 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08396]
United States v. Mario Alberto Rodriguez-Herrera: On August 13, a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Deputy performed a traffic stop on Mario Alberto Rodriguez-Herrera. Border Patrol Agents responded to the scene to conduct an immigration inspection and determined that the back seat passenger in the car was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Rodriguez-Herrera initially claimed to be a Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident (LAPR), and later explained that he “shared” a LAPR card with a friend who has similar physical attributes. However, when agents found a LAPR card bearing the name “Mario Rodriguez" located inside Rodriguez-Herrera’s vehicle, they determined that it was a fraudulent document. Agents then confirmed that Rodriguez-Herrera was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Rodriguez-Herrera was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien and Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits and Other Documents. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08447]
United States v. Ricardo Daniel Villalobos-Cardenas: On August 14, Ricardo Daniel Villalobos-Cardenas was charged with Conspiracy to Transport and Harbor Illegal Aliens, for his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that involved picking up aliens in southern Arizona and transporting them to a stash house in Phoenix. Villalobos-Cardenas was identified as both the caretaker of the stash house and someone who transported illegal aliens. [Case Number: 25-MJ-3060]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-136_August 15 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry and Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jessica Guillen-Morales, 38, of Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on August 12, by United States District Senior Judge Raner C. Collins to 37 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. Guillen-Morales previously pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien and Alien in Possession of a Firearm.
On November 19, 2023, Tucson Police Department officers executed a search warrant at Guillen-Morales’ residence and found approximately six firearms, including rifles, along with ammunition. Law enforcement officials determined that Guillen-Morales was previously convicted of the federal offense of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens in November 2012.
Law enforcement officials also learned that Guillen-Morales, a citizen and national of Mexico, had been previously removed from the United States on November 1, 2023, and did not have legal authority to be in the country.
This case is part of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception.
The Tucson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Sottosanti and Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00677-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-134_Guillen-Morales# # #
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 Guilty to Conspiracy after Illegal Alien DiesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Nathan Jr. Espinoza, 23, of Avondale, Arizona pleaded guilty on August 6, to one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2025, before United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez.
In his plea, Espinoza admitted that for a period of time leading up to March 2024, he recruited human smuggling drivers and coordinated the transportation of illegal aliens from areas near the Mexico border to places further in the interior of the United States. Espinoza’s involvement in the conspiracy was for personal financial gain and led to at least 25 illegal aliens receiving transportation.
Espinoza also admitted that on March 6, 2024, he coordinated an event in which a driver and a front seat passenger picked up two illegal aliens near Lukeville, Arizona. At some point while they were being transported, the aliens were told to get out of the vehicle. The two aliens then jumped, fell, or were pushed from the vehicle while it was still moving. As a result, one of the aliens hit his head on the ground, suffered serious injury, and died at the hospital two days later.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit carries a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000,000.
The investigation of this case is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 405 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 350 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-05407-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-133_Espinoza# # #
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.
District of Arizona Charges 172 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from August 2, 2025, through August 8, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 172 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 77 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 73 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 18 cases against 22 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Josue Sanchez: On August 5, 2025, a Pinal County Sherriff’s Detective attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle that was travelling at a high rate of speed on interstate 10. The vehicle quickly exited I-10 and abruptly drove off into the desert before coming to a stop. The vehicle’s doors opened, and three subjects fled on foot. Two of the subjects were wearing camouflage clothing. As the detective drove towards the three subjects, all three stopped and were taken into custody. The driver was identified as Josue Sanchez, an 18-year-old United States citizen. The two subjects in camouflage clothing were determined to be citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Sanchez was on federal probation for transporting illegal aliens at the time he was arrested. Sanchez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien, in violation of Title 8, U.S.C., § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and 1324(a)(1)(B)(ii). Case Number: 25-MJ-05345-PHX-DMF
United States v. Luis Alberto Romero Garcia: On July 9, 2025, a Payson Police Department officer conducted a vehicle stop on a minivan for traffic violations. The officer discovered eleven passengers in the minivan. The driver and passengers were citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Because the officer did not have federal authority to detain the occupants of the minivan and was unable to prolong the traffic stop, the occupants were released. The officer contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Agents located and conducted a stop on the minivan in Phoenix on August 5, 2025. At the time of the vehicle stop, agents observed more subjects in the minivan than seats or seatbelts, with two subjects lying on the vehicle floorboards unrestrained. Two subjects were unaccompanied minors. One minor was lying on the floor of the minivan. The eleven passengers were determined to be citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. The driver, Luis Alberto Romero Garcia, was also determined to be a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States. Romero Garcia was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien, in violation of Title 8, U.S.C., § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and 1324(a)(1)(B)(ii). Case Number: 25-MJ-05369-PHX-DMF
United States v. Gilberto Trevizo-Garcia: On August 7, 2025, Gilberto Trevizo-Garcia was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien in violation of Title 8, U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(1). Trevizo-Garcia had been previously removed from the United States in 2023 after being convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Controlled Substances, and Manufacture and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance in the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio. Romo-Ortiz was sentenced to 78 months of incarceration, and 3 years of supervised release in the Ohio case. Case Number: 25-mj-05368-PHX-DMF
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-132_August 8 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Albanian Woman Indicted for Willfully Refusing to Depart the U.S. after Receiving Final Removal OrderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On August 5, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned an indictment against Anxhela Spahi, 43, a citizen of Albania, for willfully refusing to depart the United States within 90 days of when her order of removal became final.
A conviction for willful failure or refusal to depart carries a maximum penalty of a $250,000 fine, up to four years in prison, and up to one year of supervised release.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01106-KML
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-131_Spahi# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Sentenced to 130 Months in Prison after Alien Smuggling Leads to DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jorge Adan Fontes-Garcia, 26, an illegal alien from Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on August 5, by United States District Judge James A Teilborg to 130 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. On May 20, Fontes-Garcia pleaded guilty to Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death. The sentence also addressed Fontes-Garcia’s violation of federal supervision, which the Court imposed after his prior conviction for Reentry of an Illegal Alien.
On August 23, 2023, Fontes-Garcia acted as the foot guide, leading a group of eight aliens across the Mexico-United States border into southern Arizona. United States Border Patrol apprehended all but one of the illegal aliens in the open desert approximately 19 miles south of Tacna, Arizona. The remaining alien was found by Border Patrol agents shortly thereafter, already deceased due to excessive heat exposure.
“This case demonstrates that human smugglers often have little regard for those entrusted to their care,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “My message to those trying to cross the border illegally is that their actions are not just a violation of the law, they can also lead to tragic consequences.”
“Human smuggling results in numerous deaths every year as smugglers are more concerned with profit than the lives of the people they are smuggling,” said Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre, Yuma Sector Border Patrol. “This sentence sends a clear message to anyone considering smuggling foreign nationals into the country – ‘if you do, we will arrest you, and you will be held accountable.’”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-23-01322-PHX-JAT, CR-22-00992-PHX-JAT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-130_Fontes-Garcia# # #
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.District of Arizona Charges 134 Individuals for Immigration-Related Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 26, 2025, through August 1, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 134 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 66 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 57 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 9 cases against 11 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Felipe Osuna Hernandez: On July 29, Felipe Osuna Hernandez, a Mexican national illegally present in the United States, was charged by criminal complaint with Illegal Reentry and with Bringing an Illegal Alien into the United States for Profit and While Placing Their Life in Jeopardy. On July 26, Osuna was arrested after it was determined he was a foot guide who smuggled two illegal aliens through the desert, from Mexico into the United States, without adequate food or water. The aliens made arrangements to pay to be smuggled into the United States and they were assigned Osuna as their guide. When one of the individuals was in medical distress, Osuna threatened the individual, took the aliens' phones so they could not call for help and, ultimately, left the individual deceased in the desert. [Case Number: 25-MJ-2438]
United States v. Luis Enrique Beltran-Ceballos: On August 1, Luis Enrique Beltran-Ceballos, a citizen of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States, was charged by criminal complaint with Bringing an Alien to the United States and Improper Entry by Alien. On July 30, Beltran-Ceballos smuggled a twelve-year-old girl, whom he had never met before, into the United States by scaling the international border wall using a ladder. After crossing, Beltran-Ceballos attempted to evade detection by hiding with the child in a canal. Beltran-Ceballos was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations agents. The investigation revealed that Beltran-Ceballos had engaged in the smuggling activity with the expectation of financial compensation. [Case Number: 25-MJ-1774]
United States v. Edgar Pedro Hernandez: On August 1, Edgar Pedro Hernandez was charged by criminal complaint with Transporting an Illegal Alien. On July 30, Hernandez was stopped by local law enforcement for driving significantly below the posted speed limit. During the stop, Hernandez provided inconsistent information regarding the identity of his two passengers. U.S. Border Patrol was contacted and ultimately determined that both passengers were unlawfully present in the United States and had made prior arrangements to be smuggled across the border. Hernandez admitted to picking them up at a gas station and agreeing to transport them to Phoenix in exchange for gas money. [Case Number: 25-MJ-6341]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-129_August 1 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.U.S. Department of Justice Announces Compensation Process for Victims Trafficked Through Backpage.comRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice announced the launch of the Backpage remission process to compensate victims whose trafficking was facilitated through the Backpage.com website. This marks the largest remission process to date to compensate victims of human trafficking.
“Backpage.com facilitated the exploitation of women and children as one of the largest online advertisers for commercial sex and sex trafficking over its 14-year existence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Backpage and its executives made millions off the trafficking of victims. Today’s announcement underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to use forfeiture to take the profit out of crime and to compensate victims.”
“Backpage used its position as the leading commercial sex advertisement website to make millions of dollars through their corrupt and heinous peddling of people,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “The District of Arizona was proud to hold its executives accountable though criminal convictions and is proud to continue our efforts by forfeiting those ill-gotten gains to compensate real victims.”
“Today’s announcement shows the FBI’s commitment to ensuring that those who profit from human trafficking face the consequences of their actions,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “We will continue to work alongside partners to thwart this industry by decimating its capacity for monetary gain while seeking safeguards for its victims.”
“Sex trafficking is one of the most horrific crimes we confront as a society,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation. “While traffickers try to operate in the shadows, the money always leaves a trail—and that’s where we come in. IRS-CI is committed to following that financial trail to expose criminal networks and help bring justice to survivors. We’re proud to work with our federal partners to dismantle those who profit from exploitation. Victims in this case should file their petitions by Feb. 2, 2026, to access the compensation they rightfully deserve.”
From 2004 to April 2018, criminals used Backpage.com as an online platform to facilitate commercial sex and sex trafficking, including trafficking of minors. In April 2018, the government seized Backpage.com. To date, Backpage.com, its owners, and key executives and businesses related to the platform have been found guilty of criminal offenses, including conspiring to facilitate unlawful commercial sex using a facility in interstate or foreign commerce and money laundering, and have been sentenced to federal terms of imprisonment.
In December 2024, the Department of Justice forfeited over $200 million in assets traceable to Backpage’s profits. These funds are now available to compensate victims for eligible losses. The Department of Justice has retained Epiq Global Inc. (Epiq) to serve as the Remission Administrator for this matter.
Victims whose sex trafficking was facilitated through advertisements posted on Backpage.com between Jan. 1, 2004, and April 6, 2018, and who incurred financial losses related to their trafficking may be eligible for remission. Individuals, their representatives, or estates of deceased victims may file a petition online or may obtain a Petition Form online at https://www.backpageremission.com/. Victims may also call, email, or write to the Remission Administrator to request that a Petition Form be sent to them.
The deadline to file a petition for remission is Feb, 2, 2026. For more information about the remission process – including eligibility requirements, updates, and frequently asked questions – please visit the official website at https://www.backpageremission.com/ or contact Epiq at 1-888-859-9206 toll-free, or 1-971-316-5053 for international calls, charges may apply. The Remission Administrator and the Justice Department will not ask for any payment to participate in this remission process.
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the FBI, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) investigated this matter.
Senior Trial Attorney Austin Berry of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rapp with assistance on forfeiture from Joseph Bozdech of the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Galatzan, Chief of the Central District of California’s Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section, handled the asset forfeiture aspects of the related civil cases. Special Agent Richard Robinson of IRS-CI, Special Agent Desirae Tolhurst of the FBI, USPIS Inspectors Lyndon Versoza and Quoc Thai, and Analyst Jane Chung with the Joint Regional Intelligence Center, spearheaded the investigation.
The Department of Justice, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to compensate victims of crime. Since 2000, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), which oversees the Asset Forfeiture Program’s victim compensation program, has successfully used its specialized expertise to return more than $12 billion in forfeited assets to victims of crime. MLARS Senior Attorney Advisor Jane K. Lee and Attorney Advisor Brittany R. Van Camp with the section’s Program Management and Training Unit are leading the remission process.
Navajo Tribal Members Sentenced to over 25 Years in Prison for Murder of Transgender VictimRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Isiah Adam Smith, 25, of Leupp, Arizona, was sentenced on July 28, by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 324 months in prison after pleading guilty to Second Degree Murder. Smith’s co-defendant, Trevor Joe Begay, 24, of Tuba City, Arizona, pleaded guilty to the same crime and was sentenced on September 23, 2024, by Judge Liburdi to 365 months in prison.
On or about June 11, 2021, Smith and Begay murdered the victim because of her gender identity. Smith and Begay had previously communicated with the victim online, where she disclosed to them that she was transgender. Smith and Begay decided to “teach the victim a lesson.” They arranged to meet the victim in the middle of the night, and when the victim got into their vehicle, they took her cell phone so that she could not call for help. Smith and Begay then drove the victim into the desert and beat her to death.
Smith and Begay attempted to cover up their crimes by burning their bloody clothes and the victim’s cell phone. The victim’s body was found the morning after her death by a hiker. Smith and Begay murdered the victim on the Navajo Nation, where they are both enrolled tribal members.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Phoenix and Flagstaff Indian Country squads and the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-8104-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-127_Smith, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Illegal Alien Indicted for Two Death Penalty Eligible Offenses after Attempted CarjackingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – This afternoon, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a five-count indictment against Julio Cesar Aguirre, 42, of Mexico, for Attempted Carjacking Resulting in Death, Use or Carrying of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence Causing Death, Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien, Reentry of a Removed Alien, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The first two counts carry a maximum penalty of life in prison or death.
According to court filings, Aguirre shot and killed a male driver with a 9mm caliber handgun, while attempting to carjack the victim’s Toyota Tundra on the morning of June 30, in Tucson, Arizona.
Shortly after the attempted carjacking, Tucson Police Department (TPD) officers found Aguirre hiding in a nearby shed. Aguirre, a Mexican citizen, who was previously removed from the United States in 2013, was living in the country illegally at the time of the shooting. When he was arrested, TPD officers discovered a Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol within Aguirre’s reach. As a convicted felon and as an illegal alien, Aguirre was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
“The focus in this case should be on the senseless loss of the victim and the pain that loss creates for his family and friends. Our criminal laws exist to protect our community, and the United States has an obligation to enforce those laws,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The alleged series of crimes in the indictment, starting with illegal immigration, escalating to prohibited possession of a firearm, and culminating in the death of an innocent individual, is why the United States Attorney’s Office takes this matter so seriously.”
“This indictment represents a meaningful step toward accountability and justice for the victim, their loved ones, and all those affected by the tragic events in early July,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “The allegations in this case involve a senseless act of violence that claimed an innocent life and deeply impacted our community. Carjacking resulting in death is a serious federal offense. The FBI, in partnership with the Tucson Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, remains dedicated to pursuing justice and ensuring public safety.”
A conviction for Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm or Felon in Possession of a Firearm each carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison. A conviction for Illegal Reentry carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
The federal prosecution of this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
TPD and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-3393-TUC-RM-MAA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-128_Aguirre Indictment# # #
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.District of Arizona Charges 135 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 19, 2025, through July 25, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 135 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 67 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 50 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 11 cases against 13 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement is a key part of border vigilance, and prosecutors also charged 5 individuals in 3 cases for assaulting federal officers.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Santos Mendivil Contreras, Jr., et al: On July 22, Santos Mendivil Contreras, Jr. and Emanuel Mendivil Cervantes were charged by criminal complaint with assaulting federal officers. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) had been investigating Contreras based on his unlawful presence in the United States and his attempt to purchase firearms in April 2025. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact Contreras in June and July, HSI agents initiated a traffic stop on July 22. Contreras, who was accompanied by Cervantes, attempted to flee by accelerating the vehicle. He ultimately stopped in front of his residence, exited the vehicle, and began walking toward the home. An HSI agent drew his firearm and gave commands, at which point Contreras reached for the agent’s weapon, leading to a physical struggle over control of the firearm. Three additional agents arrived at the scene. Cervantes exited the vehicle and began kicking the agents who were attempting to arrest Contreras. During the altercation, Contreras bit and struck multiple agents. Both Contreras and Cervantes were eventually taken into custody. All four agents sustained injuries. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9300]
United States v. Benigno Armando Rios Pacheco, et al: On July 24, Benigno Armando Rios Pacheco and Janeth Karina Montoya Estrada were charged by criminal complaint with assaulting federal officers. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were investigating Rios for being unlawfully present in the United States. During the course of their investigation, agents learned that Rios was also wanted in Mexico for the theft of a vehicle involving a firearm. DEA agents conducted a traffic stop on Rios, who complied with verbal commands and was placed in handcuffs without incident. Shortly thereafter, Montoya arrived at the scene with another individual. Montoya became aggressive toward the agents, approaching them closely and yelling. She then physically pushed a DEA agent. As agents attempted to place Montoya under arrest, she made erratic movements that resulted in injuries to several agents. Simultaneously, Rios began to resist by throwing his elbows and using his body weight, causing himself and one agent to fall to the ground. Both Rios and Montoya were eventually subdued and taken into custody. Two agents sustained injuries during the incident. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9327]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-126_July 25 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Three Phoenix-Area Men Sentenced to Prison for Telemarketing Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brian Hopkins, 62, of Chandler, Arizona, was sentenced on July 16, by Senior United States District Court Judge David G. Campbell to 21 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $1.8 million in restitution. Hopkins previously pleaded guilty to mail fraud, conspiring to defraud the United States, and false statement on a tax return. Hopkins is the third co-conspirator to be sentenced in connection with a telemarketing fraud scheme that stole millions of dollars from more than a thousand victims across the country.
Two of Hopkins’ co-conspirators were also sentenced over the last year. Richard Kuhlmann, Jr., 58, of Tempe, Arizona, was sentenced on May 30, 2025, by United States District Court Judge Susan M. Brnovich, to 42 months in prison and ordered to pay $2,140,231 in restitution. Kuhlmann previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States, mail fraud, and transactional money laundering.
David Bartlett, 54, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced on November 24, 2024, by United States District Court Judge Michael T. Liburdi to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $500,000 in restitution. Barlettt previously pleaded guilty to Mail Fraud.
Kuhlmann and Hopkins owned and operated an Arizona-based telemarketing company that went by various names, including GTT Financial. GTT Financial called potential customers, offering to help reduce their credit card interest rates. Individuals who used GTT Financial’s services to successfully lower their interest rates were then targeted by the fraud scheme. GTT Financial employees, including Bartlett, told victim-customers they could purchase a “sales lead” for $1 and that each “sales lead” represented another potential customer for GTT Financial’s credit card debt service. Victim-customers were promised a portion of any fees paid to GTT from each sales lead and told they would receive a significant return on their investment.
In reality, there was no “sales lead” investment opportunity and money from the victim-customers went to the co-conspirators and other employees of GTT Financial. In total, between 2014 and 2019, the co-conspirators raised more than $10 million for the fictious “sales lead” investment from more than a thousand victim-customers across the United States.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond Woo and Matthew Doyle, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-22-00221-PHX-DGC; CR-22-00276-PHX-SMB; CR-22-00562-PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-125_Hopkins# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Repeat Domestic Violence Offender from Ganado Sentenced to 96 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brian Jason Gishie, 46, of Ganado, Arizona, was sentenced on July 16, by Senior United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gishie, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault of an intimate partner by strangling.
On or about June 20, 2024, Gishie brutally assaulted an intimate partner at his home in Greasewood, Arizona, within the Navajo Nation community. Using a baseball bat, Gishie hit the victim several times on her head and body. He then strangled her with both hands for several seconds. The victim was medically treated for injuries related to the assault. Gishie had previously been convicted of multiple domestic violence related offenses, including Aggravated Domestic Violence in Maricopa County in 2004, and Assault by Strangling in the District of Arizona in 2019.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Flagstaff office and the Navajo Nation Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08120-PCT-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-123_Gishie# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Indicted after Illegal Alien Dies During Smuggling AttemptRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a seven-count indictment against Miguel Salomon-Lugo, 40, of Chihuahua, Mexico, for smuggling illegal aliens for profit resulting in death, bringing in illegal aliens for profit, smuggling illegal aliens for profit, and conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens for profit.
The indictment alleges that on June 19, Border Patrol Agents encountered two illegal aliens who told them that two other individuals in their group needed assistance in the area of Bonita Tank near Arivaca, Arizona. Border Patrol air assets were able to locate the illegal aliens in distress, but the helicopter could not land because of the terrain. The agents relayed the individuals’ location to other agents. Despite the excessive 100+ degree heat, Border Patrol Agents on the ground moved quickly to assist the distressed aliens. Upon arrival, agents discovered that one of the men had died after falling down a steep ravine.
All three of the surviving illegal aliens reported that they were part of a group led by two foot-guides who had brought them from Mexico into the United States. Salomon-Lugo was identified as one of those foot guides.
According to court documents, the deceased illegal alien began to feel faint due to heat while traveling. After being told to continue by one of the foot guides, he became dizzy and fell down a ravine, suffering the injuries that would lead to his death. His uncle, one of the other members of the group, stayed with him as the group moved on. The foot guides instructed others to leave the suffering man behind and continue north.
A conviction for smuggling illegal aliens for profit resulting in death carries a maximum penalty of death.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-3238-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-124_Salomon-Lugo# # #
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.Bapchule Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Stabbing DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Daryl Patrick Johns, 46, of Bapchule, Arizona, a member of the Gila River Indian Community, was sentenced on July 17 by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
On February 15, 2023, Johns stabbed and killed the victim on the Gila River Indian Community. Johns pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024, to Second Degree Murder.
The Gila River Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Indian Country squad conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynette Logan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-1639-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-122_Johns# # #
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.District of Arizona Charges 124 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 12, 2025, through July 18, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 124 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 62 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 54 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Arnold Perez: On July 12, Border Patrol Agents watched as a group of four suspected illegal aliens enter a Toyota RAV4 in the Coronado National Park. Agents initiated a vehicle stop, but the driver failed to yield and quickly accelerated to over 80 mph. Agents deployed a Vehicle Immobilization Device and successfully spiked the vehicle, but the driver continued driving with smoke coming from the front tires, lost control, and drove into a grassy field and through a barbed wire fence before coming to a stop. The driver, later identified as Arnold Perez, and two passengers ran from the vehicle. Agents apprehended Perez and the other subjects who ran, along with two additional individuals who remained in the vehicle. The four passengers were determined to be citizens of Mexico illegally present in the United States. Perez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-02295]
United States v. Luis Sahid Guanin-Manzaba: On July 13, Luis Sahid Guanin-Manzaba entered the primary inspection lane for the Interstate 19 Border Patrol Checkpoint in a Chevrolet Malibu. At secondary inspection, agents determined that the passenger in the Malibu was a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Agents then searched the trunk of the vehicle and discovered another individual who was also determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. Guanin-Manzaba was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-02338]
United States v. Jasiel Antonio Moreno-Cuevas: On July 16, Jasiel Antonio Moreno-Cuevas was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Moreno-Cuevas had been previously removed from the United States in 2014 after being convicted of Aid and Abet Impersonation of a United States Citizen, a felony, in the United States District Court, District of Arizona. Moreno-Cuevas was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08369]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-121_July 18 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Goodyear Man Sentenced to Nearly 10 Years in Prison for Check Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Cory Jermaine White, Jr., 31, of Goodyear, Arizona was sentenced on July 16, by United States District Michael T. Liburdi to 108 months in prison and ordered to pay $8,446,858.31 in restitution. White pleaded guilty on December 10, 2024, to conspiracies to commit bank and wire fraud, and money laundering. Six other co-defendants in this matter have already pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to varying years in prison.
“White stole nearly $8.5 million in checks meant for legitimate businesses and used the money for lavish expenditures,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine, “His actions not only impacted the victims but also undermined the integrity of our financial systems. Let this case serve as a reminder that crime does not pay, and that we will do whatever we can to uphold the law and safeguard our communities.”
“The fact this defendant and his co-conspirators would think that stealing business checks from the U.S. Mail and scheming ways to deposit them for their own use is mind-boggling,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “The defendant conspired with others with total disregard for the consequences. Financial crimes have long been a staple of the FBI’s investigative efforts, and we will continue to meticulously investigate any and all fraudsters in pursuit of our mission of protecting the American people.”
According to the court documents and statements made in court, White’s multi-year scheme involved several steps. First, a co-conspirator would steal a parcel of mail containing a legitimate check meant for a legitimate business. A second co-conspirator would then incorporate a sham entity using the same name as the legitimate company to whom the check was made out (often in another state to avoid detection). Using the sham corporate registration documents, co-conspirators would next open a corporate bank account in the name of the sham entity to deposit the stolen check. Finally, after the stolen check was deposited into the newly-opened bank account for the sham entity, the co-conspirators would quickly liquidate the funds and distribute the funds amongst themselves.
The FBI Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 23-01749- PHX-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-120_White# # #
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.Owners of Northern Arizona Businesses Arrested for Employment PracticesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Yesterday, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and other law enforcement agencies executed federal search warrants at five Colt Grill restaurants and 12 residences in two states after a three-year labor exploitation investigation and a five-count federal indictment against four individuals in Arizona.
On May 27, 2025, a grand jury in Phoenix returned an indictment against Robert and Brenda Clouston, both 61, of northern Arizona, and Luis Pedro Rogel-Jaimes, age 33, and Iris Romero-Molina, age 29, both Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States and residing in Cottonwood, Arizona, for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, Conspiracy to Harbor Illegal Aliens, Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States, and Pattern and Practice of Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens.
The indictment alleges that Robert and Brenda Clouston operated four Colt Grill restaurants in the northern Arizona cities of Cottonwood, Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Sedona, and one Colt Grill in Foley, Alabama. In September of 2022, the Cloustons, along with Rogel-Jaimes and Romero-Molina, made a plan that Romero-Molina would create a cleaning company, R&R AZ Cleaning, that would operate as a staffing company for the Colt Grill restaurants. Rogel-Jaimes and Romero-Molina would then find undocumented workers to work at the restaurants, paying them through R&R AZ Cleaning with funds from Colt Grill. The undocumented workers were paid below minimum wage and were not compensated for overtime. The Cloustons, Rogel-Jaimes, and Romero-Molina benefited financially from the plan and did not pay proper employment taxes for the workers.
All four indicted individuals were arrested on July 15 without incident. While executing the warrants, law enforcement also arrested several undocumented illegal aliens for criminal or administrative immigration violations.
“Cooperation is the cornerstone for law enforcement in Arizona and this case demonstrates the great outcome that comes from federal and local law enforcement working together,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The United States Attorney’s Office is grateful to HSI for their hard work on this investigation and extremely appreciative to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office for their support and willingness to keep their community safe from bad actors.”
“The success of this investigation is in large part due to the coordinated efforts of many law enforcement agencies working alongside HSI through the Homeland Security Task Forces,” said Ray Rede, acting special agent in charge for HSI Arizona. “This multiyear case involving several federal charges is a testament of our commitment to combatting crime that has true impact to communities. I thank everyone involved – this case was true team effort.”
“On behalf of the citizens of Yavapai County, I want to thank our federal partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and all our local agencies for their collaboration with the men and women of Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office in dismantling this criminal enterprise,” said Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes. “Coordinated, multi-agency enforcement actions like this one are essential to protecting our communities from the destabilizing impacts of organized crime. By working together, we will continue to leverage every available resource to safeguard the people of Yavapai County from those who seek to do harm.”
A conviction for Conspiracy to Bring Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, Conspiracy to Harbor Illegal Aliens, and Conspiracy to Encourage and Induce an Alien to Unlawfully Enter the United States each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. A conviction for Pattern and Practice of Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and up to a $3,000 fine per unauthorized employee.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
HSI, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office are conducting the federal investigation in this case. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office assisted with execution of the search warrants. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Clouston, et al IndictmentCASE NUMBER: CR-25-08086-PCT-SPL (ASB)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-119_Clouston, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Alien Smuggling and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jon Christian Schacht, 37, of Tucson, was sentenced on July 14, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 72 months in prison. Schacht previously pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. He was sentenced to concurrent sentences of 72 months and 24 months, respectively, on the two counts.
Schacht managed an alien smuggling organization in southern Arizona, personally transporting illegal aliens, and conspiring and coordinating with others for their transportation further into the United States.
During the course of the alien smuggling conspiracy, Schacht was also involved in a drug conspiracy and transported 42 kilograms of fentanyl to Phoenix from Tucson.
United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-0899-JCH
CR-23-0900-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-117_Schacht# # #
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.Pakistani Leader of International Alien Smuggling Organization Extradited from MexicoRead the Press Release
Note: See indictment here.
A Pakistani man made his initial appearance in court in Tucson, Arizona, today after being extradited from Mexico to face charges relating to his role in leading an international alien smuggling organization.
In May 2024, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Abbas Ali Haider, 48, of Sialkot, Pakistan, for conspiring to smuggle Pakistani nationals into the United States.
Haider allegedly operated two sham film production companies, Diamond TV World Productions and Multimedia Advertising Ltd., which were fronts for his alien smuggling organization. According to court documents, Haider used those Pakistan-based companies to contract with film companies in Ecuador, Cuba, and Colombia. He then had those companies sponsor visas for Pakistani nationals purporting to work for Haider’s companies under the guise that they were working on a joint filming project in Latin America. Haider provided the Pakistani nationals with phony paperwork indicating that they worked for his companies, which they used at ports of entry in Panama, Brazil, and Colombia. Haider coached the aliens to say they worked in the film industry to deceive and thwart customs and border officials. Haider’s network of smugglers then assisted the Pakistani nationals in traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border, where they illegally crossed into California, Texas, and Arizona. Haider charged the aliens up to $40,000 for the trip.
Haider travelled from Pakistan to Mexico in late 2024 and was arrested in Mexico in January 2025 at the request of the U.S. government. Extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities resulted in Haider’s timely extradition.
Haider is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring illegal aliens to the United States and four counts of bringing in illegal aliens for profit. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona, and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego, made the announcement.
HSI Calexico led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI’s Brasilia, Quito, Tijuana, and Caribbean attaché offices and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Border Patrol; the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Miami, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Detroit provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Haider.
Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Kreamer Hope and Evan Wesley for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
The indictment and extradition are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 390 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 350 U.S. convictions; more than 300 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Border Patrol AgentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Elias Lunes-Gomez, 19, of Mexico, was sentenced on July 8, by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 12 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Lunes-Gomez pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025 to Assault on a Federal Officer.
On October 26, 2024, a Border Patrol Agent encountered Lunes-Gomez wearing camouflage clothing and hiding in a tree near Menagers Dam. When the agent confronted Lunes-Gomez, a struggle ensued as Lunes-Gomez attempted to flee. During the struggle, Lunes-Gomez elbowed the agent in the ribs, causing both men to fall off a three-foot drop. Lunes-Gomez then placed his knee on the agent’s back and struck the agent several times in the back of the head. Eventually the agent was able to handcuff Lunes-Gomez, but because of the assault, the agent suffered a sprained ankle, knee pain, an elbow contusion, and lacerations to his face and hands.
United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Sottosanti, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 24-08208-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-118_Lunes-Gomez# # #
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 over 8 Years for Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jose Antonio Ornelas, Jr., 33, of Tucson, was sentenced on July 10, by United States District Court Judge Rosemary Márquez to 98 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Ornelas, Jr. previously pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
On October 3, 2024, Ornelas, Jr. met with another person to purchase methamphetamine for $2,250. When law enforcement tried to stop Ornelas, Jr., he fled at a dangerous speed, ran a red light, and drove in the opposite lane of traffic. Police eventually located Ornelas, Jr. at a nearby apartment complex. In addition to the methamphetamine, Ornelas, Jr. was in possession of fentanyl pills, a .45 caliber extended magazine, a drug ledger, and a scale.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Culver, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-07594-TUC-RM (MSA)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-116_Ornelas, Jr.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Scottsdale Man Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Brandon Scott Menaged, 22, of Scottsdale, Arizona was sentenced on July 9, by Senior United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 33 months in prison and ordered to pay $751,000 in restitution. Menaged previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud.
Between January 2023 and December 2024, Menaged defrauded multiple victims by soliciting their money for investments that did not exist. For example, Menaged misrepresented to victims the nature of the investments and referenced phantom investors to convince the victims to provide him with funding. Meanged then diverted victims’ funds for his personal expenses. When victims asked Menaged to return their funds, he provided them with a series of excuses for why the funds could not be returned or blocked their communications. Through this scheme, Menaged fraudulently received $1,000,000 from victims and used the money to fund his lavish lifestyle by gambling at casinos, traveling internationally, and purchasing luxury vehicles, firearms, and Rolex watches.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01974- PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-112_Menaged# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Arrested for Selling 100% Pure MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Antonio Cruz, 36, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Distribution of a Controlled Substance, after selling over 1000 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover agent.
According to the complaint, in April, Cruz met with an undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) agent and another individual at a business parking lot in Phoenix, Arizona, to sell them methamphetamine. Cruz provided the agent with approximately 3 pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine in exchange for $2700.
A records check showed that Cruz is a Mexican national and previously convicted felon, illegally present in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
ATF is conducting the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Usry, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-3289
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-113_Cruz# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Mexican National Arrested for Harboring Illegal Aliens and Employing Them at Taco RestaurantsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Blademir Angulo Audeves, 42, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, and charged by criminal complaint for Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. Angulo will have his initial appearance in federal court today.
According to the complaint filed in this case, in March 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating allegations that Angulo was employing illegal aliens without work authorization at his taco restaurants in the Phoenix area. Through the investigation, HSI identified at least 12 illegal aliens working for Angulo, some of whom were living at Angulo’s home in Laveen, Arizona or at a second residence on 16th Avenue.
On July 8, HSI executed federal search warrants on Angulo’s residence and restaurant locations, as well as the 16th Avenue residence. Inside the two residences, agents encountered several Mexican citizens without legal permission to be in the United States. Agents also arrested Angulo without incident.
At Angulo’s residence, agents found three firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the master bedroom closet. According to immigration records, Angulo, a Mexican national, was encountered by authorities in 2011 while illegally present in the United States, and eventually left the country via Nogales, Arizona pursuant to a voluntary departure in May 2021. When he was arrested on July 8, Angulo did not have legal permission to be in the United States and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At Angulo’s taco restaurant locations, HSI agents also found Mexican citizens without legal permission to be present or employed in the United States legally.
Two of the illegal aliens that HSI encountered while executing the warrants as part of this operation, Christian Sagaste-Garcia and Jose Luis Ambriz-Cortes, were also arrested and separately charged with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Sagaste-Garcia and Ambriz-Cortez were previously removed from the United States in October 2024 and February 2013, respectively.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-3297; 25-MJ-3296; 25-MJ-3298
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-114_Angulo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.District of Arizona Charges 147 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 5, 2025, through July 11, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 147 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 71 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 57 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 19 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Ismael Viera-Villa: On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents working along State Route 83 attempted to stop and conduct an immigration inspection on the driver of a Dodge Ram truck after noticing suspicious behavior. The driver of the truck, Ismael Viera-Villa failed to yield, so agents deployed a vehicle immobilization device to stop the vehicle. Inside the truck, agents found seven individuals in the back seat who were trying to hide under the floor mats and backpacks. Agents learned that the back seat passengers and the front seat passenger, Fausto Gil-Cruz, were citizens of Mexico and Guatemala, all illegally present in the United States. Gil-Cruz was identified as the group’s foot guide that led the illegal aliens to the Dodge Ram truck. Viera-Villa and Gil-Cruz were both charged by criminal complaint with Conspiracy to Transport an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06416]
United States v. Carlos Meza-Alcantar: On July 7, 2025, Border Patrol Agents were conducting surveillance of a residence that was suspected of being used in human smuggling operations. Agents observed two vehicles driving in tandem towards the residence. One of the vehicles pulled into the garage while the other waited in the driveway. Several minutes later, the vehicle that had been in the garage left, and both vehicles drove in tandem until they pulled into a warehouse where semi-trucks were parked. A few minutes later, both vehicles left the warehouse, and then a semi-truck departed shortly thereafter. Agents investigated the area where the semi-truck had been parked and noticed several sets of footprints leading to the trailer. Agents at a nearby Border Patrol checkpoint encountered the same semi-truck and a Border Patrol canine alerted to the trailer. Agents inspected the trailer and discovered 14 individuals hiding inside. All 14 individuals were determined to be illegally present in the United States. The driver of the semi-truck was identified as Carlos Meza-Alcantar. Meza-Alcantar was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06415]
United States v. Blademir Angulo Audeves: On July 8, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Blademir Angulo Audeves, who was charged by criminal complaint for violations of Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. HSI executed four federal search warrants after a five-month investigation into Angulo’s business practices which revealed that he was employing at least twelve unlawfully present aliens. Angulo also harbored several of the illegal aliens at his residence. During the execution of the search warrant, agents found three firearms in Angulo’s bedroom closet. Angulo, a Mexican national, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition as an illegal alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-3297]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-115_July 11 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Phoenix Return Preparer Indicted for Filing False Tax Returns for Himself and OthersRead the Press Release
A Phoenix man made his initial appearance in federal court recently after a grand jury in Phoenix returned an indictment charging him with filing false tax returns for himself and for clients of his tax preparation business.
The following is according to the indictment: from 2021 to 2023, Pacifique Kashosi allegedly prepared and filed false tax returns for clients of Africa Union Tax Services LLC, his return preparation business. On those returns, Kashosi claimed false or inflated sick and family leave and fuel credits that created or increased refunds to which he knew the clients were not entitled. The indictment further alleges that Kashosi earned income through the operation of his tax preparation business for the years 2022 and 2023 that he did not report on the tax returns he filed for himself for those two years.
If convicted, Kashosi faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant Chief Andrew Kameros of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rapp for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District of Arizona Charges 114 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 28, 2025, through July 4, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 114 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 60 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 45 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one individual for assaulting a Customs and Border Protection Officer.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez: On June 27, 2025, Border Patrol Agents attempted to conduct a stop on Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez while he was driving a vehicle on Arizona Highway 93. Garcia-Gonzalez failed to yield, attempting to flee law enforcement by driving over 106 miles per hour. He eventually slammed on the brakes and stopped in the median of the highway. Three subjects, including Garcia-Gonzalez, then exited the vehicle and ran across the northbound lanes of Highway 93. All three subjects were ultimately apprehended. The two passengers were citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. One of the passengers was an unaccompanied 14-year-old male. Garcia-Gonzalez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-01710]
United States v. Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola: On July 1, 2025, Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Zepeda-Arreola had been previously removed from the United States in 2023 after being convicted of Attempted Burglary in the Third Degree for Purposes of Sexual Gratification, a felony, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06270]
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-111_July 4 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mexican National Charged After Killing of Attempted Carjacking Victim in Tucson, ArizonaRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Julio Cesar Aguirre, 42, of Mexico, was charged by criminal complaint on July 2, for Attempted Carjacking, Use and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm. Aguirre had his initial appearance in federal court in Tucson today.
According to the complaint, Aguirre shot and killed a male driver with a 9mm caliber handgun, while attempting to carjack the victim’s Toyota Tundra on the morning of June 30, in Tucson, Arizona.
Tucson Police Department (TPD) officers who were called to the scene spoke with witnesses before being directed to a nearby residence for a potential burglary. When they arrived at the home, the residents explained that a Hispanic male with a bleeding arm, matching Aguirre’s description, had entered their backyard and threatened them with a gun, demanding they turn over their vehicle to him. The individual later fled.
Shortly thereafter, TPD officers located Aguirre, who was hiding in a nearby storage shed. Officers also found a Smith & Wesson 9mm caliber pistol within Aguirre’s reach. Aguirre was taken into custody without further incident.
A search of Aguirre’s record revealed that he is a Mexican citizen, illegally present in the United States. Aguirre was arrested over 10 times from 2007 to 2013 for immigration-related crimes and was last removed from the country in 2013 pursuant to a court order.
The federal prosecution of this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
TPD and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office are conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution on the federal charges. TPD and the Pima County Attorney’s Office will have an ongoing and parallel investigation into additional felony state charges, including homicide.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-06320-MAA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-110_Aguirre# # #
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 Arrested for Selling Devices to Convert Glocks into Automatic FirearmsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Damien Jax Schaffer, 45, of Tucson, was arrested on June 24, 2025, by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) special agents, and charged by criminal complaint for Engaging in the Business of Dealing in Firearms without a License and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. Schaffer appeared in court today for his initial appearance.
According to the complaint, from May 8, 2025, through June 24, 2025, ATF monitored Schaffer and learned that he had manufactured and sold 15 illegal machinegun conversion devices. These devices are used to allow semi-automatic firearms, like Glocks, to expel more than one projectile with a single press of the trigger, effectively converting a semi-automatic firearm into a machinegun.
Machinegun conversion devices are required to be registered with ATF in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. After learning of Schaffer’s activities, ATF agents queried that record and determined that his devices were not registered to anyone. Agents also learned that Schaffer does not possess a federal license to sell firearms.
This case was part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
ATF is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-09160
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-109_Schaffer# # #
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.
Ghanaian National Extradited to the United States for Participating in Fraud Scheme Targeting the ElderlyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On June 26, 2025, Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, also known as, “Dada Joe Remix,” a citizen of Ghana, was extradited to the United States to face charges related to a romance and inheritance scheme targeting the elderly. A federal grand jury in Tucson indicted Boateng in May 2023 with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Boateng was arrested in Ghana on an extradition warrant on May 27, 2025. Boateng had his initial appearance in the District Court of Arizona today.
The indictment alleges that from 2013 through March 2023, Boateng and his co-conspirators engaged in a romance and inheritance fraud scheme that targeted the elderly around the world, to include victims in Arizona and throughout the United States. As part of the scheme, the co-conspirators pretended to be romantically involved with the victims. The co-conspirators also falsely represented that they had gold and jewels and that to release such items to the victims, those individuals had to pay taxes and other costs.
Convictions for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Sierra Vista office conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson is handling the prosecution. The following partners provided essential assistance in securing the arrest and extradition: FBI Legal Attaché in Accra, Ghana; the Office of Attorney General and Ministry of Justice; the Republic of Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crime Office, Ghana Police Services – INTERPOL, and the Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-00695-TUC-AMM-LCK
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-108_Boateng# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possession of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jose Fernando McCormick, 52, of Tucson, was sentenced on June 27, 2025, by United States District Court Judge Scott H. Rash to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. McCormick previously pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
On October 3, 2024, McCormick drove to a gas station in Tucson with approximately 8 kilograms of methamphetamine in his truck. McCormick intended to deliver the drugs to someone at the gas station but fled when law enforcement officers tried to stop him. McCormick drove to a nearby neighborhood and jumped out of his moving truck causing it to crash into a nearby electricity pole. Soon after his flight, officers found McCormick hiding in a residential shed.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Culver, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR 24-07595-TUC-SHR (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-107_McCormick# # #
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.District of Arizona Charges 7 Defendants as Part of National Health Care Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Today, United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine announced criminal charges against seven defendants in connection with alleged schemes to receive health care kickbacks and to defraud Medicare and Medicaid (specifically AHCCCS, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System). The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The charges stem from alleged schemes to obtain over $1.1 billion by the collective submission of approximately $1.65 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicaid and Medicare and the receipt of health care kickbacks and bribes.
“Health care fraud doesn’t just steal money from taxpayers, it also degrades trust in the system Americans rely on to care for themselves and their loved ones” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “I am proud that the District of Arizona, in coordination with the entire Department of Justice, is working hard to hold criminals accountable for putting ill-gotten gains above their community’s well-being.”
“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”
The charges announced today by United States Attorney Courchaine are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets in connection with the takedown.
The following individuals were charged in the District of Arizona:
Farrukh Jarar Ali, 41, of Pakistan, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with an alleged $650 million scheme involving at least 41 substance abuse treatment clinics in Arizona. As alleged in the indictment, Ali owned ProMD Solutions (“ProMD”), a Pakistan-based company that provided credentialing, enrollment, medical coding, and billing services for outpatient treatment centers that were purportedly in the business of providing addiction treatment services for persons suffering from alcohol and drug addiction. Ali and ProMD credentialed and enrolled multiple substance abuse treatment clinics as providers with Arizona’s Medicaid agency, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (“AHCCCS”), but these clinics did not provide legitimate care to patients, many of whom were recruited from the homeless population or Native American reservations. Ali submitted approximately $650 million in false and fraudulent claims to AHCCCS for addiction treatment services that were not provided, were not provided as billed, were so substandard that they failed to serve a treatment purpose, were not used as part of or integrated into any treatment plan, and were medically unnecessary. AHCCCS paid approximately $564 million for these false and fraudulent claims. Ali also created false therapy notes for treatment that was never provided, and the clinics working with Ali provided these falsified records to AHCCCS in response to audits. Ali personally received approximately $24.5 million of AHCCCS funds as a result of the scheme, and he used $2.9 million of the funds to purchase a home located on a golf estate in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney S. Babu Kaza of the Midwest Strike Force, Assistant Chief James Hayes of the National Rapid Response Strike Force, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the District of Arizona.
Cle’Esther Davenport, 51, of Peoria, Arizona, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and receive and pay kickbacks, and receiving kickbacks, in connection with a substance abuse treatment scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Davenport owned a company, Davenport House LLC, that purportedly provided housing to individuals enrolled in health plans funded by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (“AHCCCS”), Arizona’s Medicaid program. Davenport received approximately $739,000 in illegal kickbacks to refer individuals to Tusa Integrated Clinic, LLC (“Tusa”), an outpatient treatment center that purported to provide substance abuse and behavioral health treatment to AHCCCS-insured patients, resulting in improper payments of approximately $1.58 million from AHCCCS to Tusa. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief James Hayes and Trial Attorneys Sarah Edwards and Lauren Randell of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the District of Arizona.
Ira Denny, 56, of Surprise, Arizona, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare by billing for medically unnecessary amniotic allografts that were procured through kickbacks and bribes. As alleged in the information, medically untrained sales representatives identified and referred elderly Medicare beneficiaries to Denny, a nurse practitioner, who applied amniotic allografts to the beneficiaries without exercising independent medical judgment and in the amount and frequency determined by the sales representatives. Medicare was billed approximately $209,359,607 for allografts ordered and applied by Denny, which were medically unreasonable and unnecessary, ineligible for reimbursement, and procured through kickbacks and bribes. Medicare paid approximately $138,590,922 based on these false and fraudulent claims. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys William Hochul III and Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the District of Arizona.
Tyler Kontos, 29, of Mesa, Arizona, Joel “Max” Kupetz, 36, of Scottsdale, Arizona, and JorgeKinds, 49, of Phoenix, Arizona, were charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with a $1 billion amniotic wound allograft fraud scheme. Kontos and Kupetz were also charged with transactional money laundering, and Kupetz was charged with receiving health care kickbacks. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants targeted elderly Medicare patients, many of whom were terminally ill in hospice care, through Arizona-based companies Apex Mobile Medical LLC, Apex Medical LLC, Viking Medical Consultants LLC, and APX Mobile Medical LLC to cause unnecessary and expensive allografts to be applied to these vulnerable patients’ wounds indiscriminately, without coordination with the patients’ treating physicians, to superficial wounds that did not need this treatment, and in sizes excessively larger than the wound. Kontos and Kupetz—neither of whom had any medical training—located elderly Medicare patients with wounds of any size or severity, ordered and recommended the ordering of allografts to be placed on the patients’ wounds, and referred the patients to Kinds and other nurse practitioners to apply the allografts. Kinds, a licensed nurse practitioner, applied whatever quantities and sizes of allografts medically untrained sales representatives ordered for the patients, without conducting an independent medical assessment, resulting in the application of numerous and inappropriately large allografts to single small wounds and wounds that required only traditional conservative treatment to heal. In just fourteen months, the defendants and their co-conspirators caused the submission of over $1 billion in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, CHAMPVA, TRICARE, and commercial insurers, of which over $600 million was paid. Kontos and Kupetz received illegal kickbacks for ordering and arranging for and recommending the purchasing and ordering of allografts, while Kinds received up to $1,000 for each allograft application. Assets were seized upon the defendants’ indictment, including cryptocurrency and bank accounts totaling more than $7.2 million. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys William Hochul III and Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the District of Arizona. Trial Attorney Yuliana Reyes of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bozdech of the District of Arizona are handling asset forfeiture.
Gina Palacios, 40, of Phoenix, Arizona, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare by billing for medically unnecessary amniotic allografts that were procured through kickbacks and bribes. As alleged in the information, medically untrained sales representatives identified and referred elderly Medicare beneficiaries to Palacios, a nurse practitioner, who applied amniotic allografts to the beneficiaries without exercising independent medical judgment and in the amount and frequency determined by the sales representatives. Medicare was billed approximately $59,470,478 for allografts ordered and applied by Palacios, which were medically unreasonable and unnecessary, ineligible for reimbursement, and procured through kickbacks and bribes. Medicare paid approximately $28,442,271 based on these false and fraudulent claims. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys William Hochul III and Shane Butland of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the District of Arizona.
"The FBI takes the responsibility to investigate and pursue those who commit fraud for personal gain extremely seriously,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “Fraud and dishonesty undermine the integrity of our health care system and cost taxpayers’ money; but beyond that and most importantly, when funds are diverted from where they are truly needed, the people who are most vulnerable are hurt the most.”
The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle, District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Middle, District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Maine, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Western District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, District of North Dakota, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, District of South Carolina, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Vermont, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Washington, and Northern District of West Virginia; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are prosecuting the cases in the National Health Care Fraud Takedown, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Website.
The District of Arizona, in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of Defense - Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, and the Texas Department of Health, Office of Inspector General.
A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-25-00822-PHX-DWL, CR-25-0083-PHX-MTL, CR-25-00915-PHX-SMB, CR-25-00944-PHX-SPL, CR-25-00947-PHX-DWL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-106_Health Care Fraud Takedown# # #
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.Jury Finds Oregon Man Guilty of StalkingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On June 13, 2025, a federal jury found Brian Thomas Balda, 52, of Oregon, guilty of one count of Cyberstalking and one count of Interstate Stalking. The guilty verdict followed a four-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Angela M. Martinez. A conviction for Cyberstalking and Interstate Stalking each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and not more than three years supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2025.
In 2023 and 2024, Balda engaged in a campaign to intimidate and harass a former United States government official. For approximately ten months, Balda sent abusive and profane text messages and voicemails to the victim. Balda ultimately drove from Oregon to Arizona to confront the victim, and was arrested by law enforcement near the victim’s home. Four knives, binoculars, and a replica handgun were found in Balda’s car at the time of his arrest.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office investigated this matter, with the assistance of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the University of Arizona Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-1182-TUC-AMM-MAA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-103_Balda# # #
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.District of Arizona Charges 164 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 21, 2025, through June 27, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 164 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 84 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 71 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed cases against 9 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Jesus Alfred Salazar-Ruiz: On June 22, 2025, Border Patrol Agents attempted to conduct a stop on Jesus Alfred Salazar-Ruiz while he was driving. Salazar-Ruiz failed to yield and turned on to a dirt road, breaking through a chain gate in barbed wire fencing. Salazar-Ruiz drove at approximately 50 mph on the dirt road for several miles before coming to an abrupt stop. When agents approached the vehicle, it was empty. Agents searched the area and were able to locate Salazar-Ruiz, who still had the vehicle key in his possession. Agents were able to locate and apprehend three passengers from Salazar-Ruiz's vehicle who were determined to be in the United States illegally. Salazar-Ruiz was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-02859]
United States v. Miguel Angel Mezo-Antele: On June 24, 2025, Border Patrol Agents stopped a vehicle on Interstate 40 in Yuma, Arizona. Miguel Angel Mezo-Antele, the driver of the vehicle and a citizen of Mexico, was transporting four passengers who were also citizens of Mexico. Mezo-Antele and the four passengers did not possess any documents allowing them to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States legally. Mezo-Antele was transporting the four passengers from New Mexico, through Arizona, to their ultimate destinations in California and Oregon. Mezo-Antele was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25‐MJ‐1696]
United States v. Dalesio Hernandez-Bautista: On June 27, 2025, Dalesio Hernandez-Bautista, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Hernandez-Bautista had been previously removed from the United States in 2018 after being convicted of manslaughter, a felony, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pinal County. Hernandez-Bautista was sentenced to five years in prison for the manslaughter. [Case Number: 25-MJ-53146]
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-105_June 27 Immigration Enforcement
# # #
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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Bagdad Man Sentenced for Aiming a Laser Pointer at Air Force Fighter JetsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Glenwood Arthur Bringle, 56, of Bagdad, Arizona, was sentenced on June 25, 2025, by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to nine days in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for aiming a laser pointer at United States Air Force planes. Bringle previously pleaded guilty to the felony crime of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft or the Flight Path of an Aircraft.
On October 5, 2021, Bringle aimed a laser pointer at two United States Air Force F-16 fighter jets while the pilots were conducting training exercises in the desert area near Bringle’s home. The laser strikes caused the F-16 cockpits to be illuminated, interfering with the pilots’ ability to see and affecting their ability to fly the F-16s and complete their training exercise.
Bringle entered a plea of guilty on February 26, 2025. As part of the plea agreement and sentence, Bringle abandoned ownership and possession of several firearms and lasers seized during the execution of a search warrant at his home on November 8, 2021.
The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Yavapai 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-23-08120-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-104_Bringle# # #
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 in Prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Mohave Valley Arizona Woman Sentenced to 118 Months in Prison for Assaulting a ChildRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Starla Shaffer, 36, of Mohave Valley, Arizona, was sentenced on June 25, 2025, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 118 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Shaffer previously pleaded guilty to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Between January 1, 2022, and September 21, 2022, Shaffer assaulted a three-year-old minor victim by shaking and striking her on the face, buttocks, chest, and back, while the victim was in her care. Shaffer’s assault caused permanent and life-threatening injuries to the minor victim. Both Shaffer and the minor victim are enrolled members of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Lake Havasu office and the Fort Mojave Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08052-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-102_Shaffer# # #
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 Police Officer Sentenced to Prison and 20 Years of Supervised Release for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Samuel Joseph Weimer, 46, of Show Low, Arizona, was sentenced on June 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa, to 42 months in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release. Weimer previously pleaded guilty to Possessing Child Pornography.
Between August and November of 2022, Weimer used a social media chat room to contact an individual he believed to be a father living in Pennsylvania who was willing to provide his 11-year-old daughter for sex. Weimer sent two images and one video of child pornography to this individual. In an interview with law enforcement, Weimer admitted to possessing and sending the pornographic files. At the time of the offense, Weimer was employed as a police officer with the Show Low Police Department.
“Police officers swear an oath to uphold the law and protect our citizens” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “This makes Mr. Weimer’s possession of child pornography even more appalling. Child pornography humiliates and degrades our most vulnerable members of society and will never be tolerated.”
"The conduct of this former police officer was beyond shocking and a gross betrayal of public trust,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “When someone in a position of authority commits such a revolting crime, the damage extends beyond the youthful victims— it shakes the very foundation of our communities’ trust. No matter their badge or title, the FBI will always aggressively pursue cases like this one.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08089-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-100_Weimer# # #
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.
Iranian National and Wife Federally Indicted After Wife Threatens to Shoot ICE Officers in TempeRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On June 24, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned an indictment against Iranian national, Mehrzad Asadi Eidivand, 40, of Tempe, Arizona for Alien in Possession of a Firearm, and against his wife, Linet Vartanniavartanians, 37, a United States Citizen from Tempe, Arizona, for Threatening to Assault a Federal Officer.
Documents filed in the case allege that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers went to Eidivand and Vartanniavartanians’ Tempe residence on Saturday, June 21, 2025, to administratively arrest Eidivand for failing to comply with a 2013 removal order. Eidivand, an Iranian national, had challenged the removal order on several occasions, but the Board of Immigration Appeals denied those motions repeatedly. Despite the court order to return to his home country, Eidivand remained in the United States for over a decade.
When ICE ERO officers arrived at the couple’s residence, they announced themselves and were answered by Vartanniavartanians, who refused to open the door and told the officers to return with a warrant. Shortly thereafter, Tempe Police officers arrived on the scene and told ICE ERO that Vartanniavartanians had called the police and threatened to shoot the federal officers. She claimed that she had a loaded gun and that she would shoot anyone who tried to come inside the house. She also threatened to go outside and shoot ICE officers in the head. When the police dispatcher spoke with Eidivand, he confirmed that there were guns in the home.
The following day, June 22, 2025, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and officers from ICE ERO executed a federal search warrant on the residence. Inside the home, agents found a loaded firearm on the kitchen counter and a second loaded firearm on a nightstand. Both Vartanniavartanians and Eidivand were arrested at the scene and taken into custody without further incident.
A conviction for Alien in Possession of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both. A conviction for Threatening to Assault a Federal Officer carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, or both.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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.
HSI Phoenix, ICE, ERO, and the FBI’s Phoenix Office are conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00931-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-099_Eidivand, et al.# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former Santa Cruz County Treasurer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Stealing over $38 Million in County FundsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Elizabeth Gutfahr, 63 of Rio Rico, Arizona, was sentenced on June 23, 2025, by United States District Judge Rosemary C. Márquez to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Gutfahr previously pleaded guilty to Embezzlement by a Public Official, Money Laundering, and Tax Evasion. Gutfahr was also ordered to pay approximately $51.8 million in restitution to Santa Cruz County and the United States Treasury.
“The people of Santa Cruz County and all Arizonans have a right to expect their elected leaders to serve with integrity and in the best interest of their constituents,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Ms. Gutfahr stole more than money from the people of her county, she betrayed the confidence of the voters who elected her. This sentence shows that abuse of public trust will be punished.”
“Ms. Gutfahr will now be held accountable for using her official position for huge financial gain at the expense of the residents of Santa Cruz County,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. “Each act of greed and dishonor negatively affected fundamental aspects of the county’s operations. The FBI continues to investigate public corruption cases, and we remain committed to identifying and pursuing those who violate the public’s trust.”
“Ms. Gutfahr violated her sworn duty by enriching herself with the public money she was entrusted to protect,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office. “Taxpayers deserve to know that their elected leaders are working in the community’s best interest — not just their own. IRS-CI remains committed to rooting out corruption at every level.”
According to court documents, Gutfahr, who served as Santa Cruz County Treasurer from 2012 through 2024, embezzled and laundered approximately $38.7 million by wiring public funds from Santa Cruz County’s account to accounts in the names of fake companies she had created that performed no legitimate business. Gutfahr then used the money to purchase real estate, to renovate her family ranch, to pay expenses for her cattle business, and to buy at least 20 vehicles.
Gutfahr’s 10-year scheme involved approximately 187 wire transfers, which she was able to complete by undermining the two-step approval process required for transfers. Gutfahr used the token of a subordinate Santa Cruz County employee so that she could both initiate and approve the wire transfers. To cover up the scheme, Gutfahr falsified accounting records, cash reconciliation records, and reports of the County’s investment accounts, thereby hiding the millions of dollars that she had stolen from Santa Cruz County. Gutfahr also failed to report any of the stolen funds as income for tax purposes.
The FBI and IRS-CI conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane L. Westby for the District of Arizona and Senior Litigation Counsel Nicholas W. Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-08132-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-098_Gutfahr# # #
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.District of Arizona Charges 177 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 14, 2025, through June 20, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 177 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 80 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 87 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 9 cases against 10 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Heriberto Medina: On June 16, 2025, Heriberto Medina drove a Toyota Camry from Mexico into the United States through the Douglas Port of Entry. At the port, Customs and Border Protection Officers asked Medina to open his trunk. As officers were inspecting the trunk, they noticed a speaker box that seemed out of place. When officers moved the speaker box, they found an individual hiding behind it who was a Mexican citizen, illegally present in the United States. Medina was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. [Case Number: 25-MJ-08110]
United States v. Carlos Barrera-Aguilar: On June 17, 2025, Border Patrol Agents arrested Carlos Barrera-Aguilar near Wellton, Arizona. At the time of his arrest, Barrera-Aguilar was illegally present in the United States, and had previously been removed from the United States on three occasions. He also has a prior felony conviction for burglary. Barrera-Aguilar was charged by criminal complaint with Illegal Re-entry. [Case Number: 25-MJ-1674]
United States v. Juan Carlos Morales-Chavez: On June 18, 2025, law enforcement officers were arresting Juan Carlos Morales-Chavez for an administrative immigration violation when they found him in possession of a handgun. Morales-Chavez was charged by criminal complaint with Alien in Possession of a Firearm. [Case Number: 25-MJ-9270]
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-097_June 20 Immigration Enforcement
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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 X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Sergio Herran, 47, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on June 17, 2025, by Senior United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to a term of 8 years in prison and a term of 5 years in prison, to be served concurrently. Following a four-day trial in March, a jury convicted Herran of Distribution of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography. Herran will be on lifetime supervision upon release from prison and must register as a sex offender. Herran was also ordered to pay restitution to identified victims.
Herran was previously tried and convicted in 2019 before a jury, but the conviction was reversed on appeal by the Ninth Circuit. On retrial, the evidence presented showed that Herran was responsible for downloading, viewing, and sharing images and videos of child pornography. These videos and images were located on Herran’s computer hard drive, phone SD card, and a tablet, which were found in Herran’s bedroom within an arm’s reach from where he slept. In total, there were over 10,000 images and 1,500 videos of child pornography on Herran’s devices, although only a representative sample was charged in the indictment. Herran was found guilty of distribution of two videos of child pornography, possession of 13 images of child pornography, and possession of eight videos of child pornography.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Tucson Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Sandra M. Hansen and Anshul Krishn, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-01026-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-096_Herran# # #
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.Jamaican National Extradited to United States for Participating in Lottery and Romance Scheme Targeting Elderly Arizona ResidentRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On June 12, 2025, Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie, a.k.a. “Ice Man,” of Jamaica, was extradited to the United States to face charges related to a romance and sweepstakes scheme that targeted an Arizona resident. A federal grand jury in Tucson indicted Bellinfantie in March 2022 for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Bellinfantie was arrested in Jamaica on an extradition warrant on July 3, 2023.
The indictment alleges that from December 2015 through January 2019, Bellinfantie and his co-conspirators participated in a romance and sweepstakes scheme targeting an elderly 85-year-old resident of Vail, Arizona. Using a fictitious name, Bellinfantie and his co-conspirators deceived the victim by leading her to believe she was engaged in a romantic relationship. In furtherance of the scheme, one of the co-conspirators would send flowers with love messages to the victim’s residence. The co-conspirators also falsely represented to the victim that she had won the lottery or another monetary prize to induce her into sending them money to pay “taxes” or other “fees.” As a result of the scheme, the victim lost over $400,000.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering each carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with securing the arrest and extradition of Bellinfantie to the United States.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-0523-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-095_Bellinfantie# # #
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.