District of Arizona
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Tohono O'odham Man Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Domestic Violence Assault by StrangulationRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Jarret Haines, 37, of Sells Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Jennifer Zipps to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Haines previously pleaded guilty to Assault by Strangulation.
On Jan. 24, 2025, Haines, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, assaulted the victim by punching her multiple times in the face and then fastening a large zip tie around her neck until she lost consciousness. Her son called 911 and Tohono O’odham law enforcement promptly intervened.
“On the heels of the annual Four Corners Conference taking place this week in Glendale, Arizona, prosecutions such as this underscore the USAO’s dedication to working with our partners to protect indigenous victims of intimate partner violence within our native communities,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine.
The Tohono O’odham Police Department conducted the investigation, in conjunction with the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Micah Schmit, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01431-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-148_Haines# # #
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 293 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Aug. 22 through Aug. 28, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 293 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 149 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 132 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 11 cases against 12 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
U.S. v. Jesus Antonio Madrigal. Jesus Antonio Madrigal was charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 24, 2026, with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On Aug. 21, 2026, Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) observed a Honda Accord traveling south on Federal Route (FR) 19, a route that runs from Sells, AZ to the United States border with Mexico. A short time later, BPAs observed the same vehicle traveling north on FR19. BPAs initiated a stop to conduct an immigration inspection, but the driver failed to yield. BPAs pursued the vehicle as it traveled at speeds over 100 mph. BPAs at the immigration checkpoint on State Route 86 deployed spike strips and successfully immobilized the vehicle. The driver was identified as Jesus Antonio Madrigal. The rear seat passenger was determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-05507]
U.S. v. Jabari Kaleem Mims. Jabari Kaleem Mims was charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 24, 2026, with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. On Aug. 22, 2026, BPA camera operators observed a BMW pulled over at Border Road and saw one person get into the vehicle. BPAs who were parked further north attempted to follow the vehicle as it passed. The driver, later identified as Mims, ran a stop sign and began accelerating. BPAs attempted to stop the vehicle, but Mims failed to yield. Camera operators maintained a visual of the vehicle and saw Mims pull over. One subject got out of the BMW and ran into the brush on the side of the road. BPAs eventually found the subject, who was determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. BPAs continued to pursue Mims, who eventually yielded and was taken into custody. [Case Number: 26-MJ-05508]
U.S. v. Jose Manuel Arenas-Pinzon. On Aug. 23, 2026, Jose Manuel Arenas-Pinzon was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Arenas-Pinzon was previously removed from the United States on June 2, 2021, after being convicted of Transportation of Dangerous Drugs for Sale in the Superior Court of Arizona. Arenas-Pinzon was sentenced to ten years in prison in that case. [Case Number: 26-MJ-3275]
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: 2026-149_August 28, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Juan Jose Castillo, 28, of Lubbock, Texas, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of Coercion and Enticement. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 6, 2026, before Chief United States District Court Judge Jennifer G. Zipps.
According to the plea agreement, Castillo admitted that between Feb. 2024 and Oct. 2024, he communicated with a minor victim in Arizona and enticed the victim to engage in sexual activity with him. Castillo further admitted that between Oct. 18–21, 2024, he traveled to Arizona with the intent to engage in that conduct. During the trip, Castillo engaged in sexual activity with the victim.
A conviction for Coercion and Enticement carries maximum penalties of life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and lifetime supervised release.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations – Tucson conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Alessandra C. Bermudez, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01804-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-147_J. Castillo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Firearms Trafficker and Sicario Leader Sentenced to 130 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jorge Adan Garcia Martinez, 21, of Roll, Arizona, was sentenced on Aug. 25, 2026, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 130 months in prison. Garcia Martinez previously pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting the Receipt of Firearms for Use in a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Between April 2023 and November 4, 2024, Juan Carlos Yanez Molina, 27, of Somerton, Arizona, Jonathan Daniel Hernandez Noriega, 25, of San Luis, Arizona, Jose Guadalupe Cota Garcia, 25, of Mexico, and Roani Hernandez Jr., 27, of Bullhead City, Arizona, straw purchased firearms from federal firearms licensees in the Yuma area for Garcia Martinez.
On June 21, 2024, Garcia Martinez coordinated the delivery of five pistols and magazines to Carlos Eduardo Diaz-Barba, 21, of San Luis, Arizona. Diaz-Barba then tried to smuggle the pistols and magazines into Mexico at the port of entry in San Luis, Arizona on Garcia Martinez’s behalf. The investigation revealed that the firearms were destined for Los Salazares, a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Electronic evidence showed that Garcia Martinez was also the leader of Fuerzas Especiales Jackson, a group of sicarios operating in San Luis, Sonora, Mexico. The group carried out kidnappings, torture, and murders. Garcia Martinez was arrested on Oct. 7, 2024, after law enforcement discovered his plan to retaliate against a rival group for an attack in San Luis, Sonora, that killed and injured members of his group. Garcia Martinez’s arrest disrupted a firearms trafficking cell operating in the Yuma area, and dismantled a group of sicarios operating in San Luis, Sonora.
Yanez Molina, Hernandez Noriega, Cota Garcia, and Hernandez Jr. were all previously convicted of Material False Statements During the Acquisition of Firearms. Yanez Molina was sentenced to 18 months in prison, Hernandez Noriega was sentenced to 36 months in prison, Cota Garcia was sentenced to 10 months in prison, and Hernandez was sentenced to 8 months in prison.
Diaz-Barba pleaded guilty to Aiding and Abetting the Receipt of Firearms for Use in a Drug Trafficking Crime. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 31, 2026, before United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa.
Homeland Security Investigations Yuma led the investigation, in collaboration with the El Centro Field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, with assistance from the FBI Phoenix Division’s Yuma office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection - San Luis Port of Entry, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Phoenix Field Office, and U.S. Border Patrol Yuma Sector. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria R. Gutierrez, Brandon M. Brown, and Benjamin S. Goldberg, handled this prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-01820-01-PHX -DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-146_Garcia Martinez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Former Tribal Police Officer Indicted for Using Excessive Force and Falsifying a ReportRead the Press Release
A former tribal police officer with the San Carlos Apache Police Department (SCAPD) was charged in an indictment today with two federal crimes arising out of his use of excessive force against a handcuffed arrestee and his falsification of another officer’s report.
The indictment charges Jacob Christopher Slawson, 29, with deprivation of rights under color of law, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242, and falsification of records, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1519. According to the indictment, after an arrestee was handcuffed and secured in the back of a police vehicle, Slawson punched the arrestee in the face, knocking him unconscious, and then yanked him out of the vehicle causing N.G. to split his head open on the concrete, resulting in bodily injury. The indictment further alleges that when Slawson learned he was under investigation for excessive force, he falsified the report of a fellow detective by adding false and misleading information to the report with the intent to obstruct the investigation. If convicted of both charges, Slawson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona, and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by agents with the FBI’s Tucson Resident Agency and Phoenix Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Davenport III for the District of Arizona and Special Litigation Counsel Christopher J. Perras of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tucson Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Assaulting Victim with a Metal RodRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Aug. 19, 2026, Sonny Reyes Lozano, 38, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Rosemary Marquez to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Lozano previously pleaded guilty to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
On Dec. 14, 2025, Lozano, an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, confronted the victim as he was walking home. Lozano struck the victim approximately eight times with a metal rod, inflicting serious injuries. The victim sustained a fractured ulna.
At the time of the assault, Lozano was under supervised release for a previous conviction.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-05654-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-145_Lozano# # #
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 Indicted for Lying to Obtain Federal Contract Work While on Active Duty with the Air ForceRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Davide Velarde, 44, of Tucson for making materially false statements on background investigation forms to obtain employment with federal contractors for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The indictment alleges that while Mr. Velarde was still on active duty with the United States Air Force (USAF), he held positions with federal contractors for the IRS and NASA after making false statements about when he would retire from the USAF. After retiring, Mr. Velarde made additional false statements while applying to work for a federal contractor for NOAA to conceal that he had been previously fired from federal contract work. Mr. Velarde is alleged to have earned approximately $466,708 in wages from the USAF and the federal contractors between August 2021 and October 2025.
“American servicemembers are held to the highest level of integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “This case is about protecting the honor of every other airman by holding David Velarde accountable for his alleged falsehoods. Our office is proud to stand with the United States Air Force and the many excellent investigators involved in this matter.”
“You cannot be in multiple places at once, and you certainly cannot mislead the federal government to obtain simultaneous employment,” said Jennifer Bryan, Special Agent in Charge of the NASA Office of Inspector General’s Western Field Office. “David Velarde’s scheme to collect multiple paychecks was both an abuse of taxpayer dollars and a breach of public trust. Let this indictment be an example to those who attempt to game the federal contracting system.”
“As the nation’s tax watchdog, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) is dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) contracting and procurement processes” said Special Agent in Charge Krystofor Proev of TIGTA’s Northwest Field Division. “We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners for their continued collaboration and critical support in this investigation.”
“According to the indictment, David Velarde knowingly provided false information to secure federal contract positions, including with NOAA,” said Judd Leinum, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General. “Misrepresenting employment history and eligibility threatens the integrity of federal procurement and the protection of taxpayer funds. Any attempt to deceive federal agencies will not be tolerated. We appreciate the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona and our law enforcement partners in pursuing this matter.”
“This is another great example of interagency efforts to stem fraudulent activity impacting entities across the federal government,” said Special Agent Richard Kautz, AFOSI Detachment 217 Commander. “This case highlights the ever-present commitment of the involved agencies to protecting the integrity of our hiring and employment practices.”
A conviction for making false statements carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
Investigators from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Department of Commerce, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; United States Air Force, Office of Special Investigations; and Department of Defense Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation in this case. 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: 26-CR-04345-TUC- SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-144_Velarde# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Two People Sentenced for Helping to Conceal the Murder of a Navajo ManRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Marlin Leon Nez, 45, and Megan Ashley Yarber, 36, both of Chinle, Arizona, were sentenced on Aug. 17, 2026, by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to time-served sentences, after serving more than 16 months in prison for their roles in concealing the murder of a Navajo man. Nez and Yarber were also ordered to pay restitution to the victim’s family for expenses incurred in searching for the missing victim. Nez and Yarber previously pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.
According to court documents, on July 11, 2024, Wendell Draper, a Navajo man, shot and killed the victim in Nez’s residence. Following the murder, Nez helped Draper wrap the victim’s body and lift it into the back of the victim’s own vehicle. Draper then drove out to a rural location, buried the victim in a shallow grave, drove to a secondary location, and set the victim’s vehicle on fire. Yarber picked Draper up from the site of the burned vehicle and drove him back to the residence. Nez and Yarber knew that Draper had committed a federal felony by unlawfully killing the victim but failed to notify a federal authority as soon as possible.
Following the murder, the victim’s family reported him missing and searched for him for weeks. His body was eventually recovered and returned to the family. Draper was shot and killed after allegedly pointing a firearm at law enforcement officers who were attempting to arrest him.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Gallup office and the Navajo Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-08034-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-142_Nez# # #
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 253 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Aug. 15 through Aug. 21, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 253 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 115 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 120 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 14 cases against 17 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 prosecutors also charged one defendant for assaulting a federal agent.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the 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. Joshua David Estrada, et al. On Aug. 17, 2026, Joshua David Estrada, Crystal Maria Vargs, and Erika Williams, were charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On Aug. 14, Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) followed Estrada, who was driving alone in a Toyota Tundra, to a field where he met up with several other drivers. About 30 minutes later, Estrada drove away from the field, closely followed by a gray Nissan Rogue and a black Jeep. All three vehicles were traveling in tandem toward Phoenix and appeared to be carrying several passengers. BPAs stopped the vehicles and learned that Estrada was transporting six passengers, all illegal aliens, Vargas, the driver of the Nissan Rogue, was transporting five illegal aliens, and Williams, the driver of the Jeep, was transporting six illegal aliens. In total, BPAs apprehended 16 illegal aliens, all unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-01663]
The 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.
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: 2026-143_August 21, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tucson Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Santiago Luis Valencia, Jr., 36, of Tucson, was sentenced earlier this month by Chief United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 87 months in prison. Valencia previously pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter.
On June 15, 2024, Valencia assaulted the victim at a private residence on the Pascua Yaqui Tribe after initiating a physical altercation. During the fight, the victim suffered a head injury that resulted in his death the following day. Both Valencia and the victim were enrolled members of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-04265-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-140_Valencia# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Texas Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Moises Gabriel Castillo, Jr., 40, of Weatherford, Texas, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Castillo previously pleaded guilty to Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person, Causing Serious Bodily Injury and Resulting in Death.
On July 24, 2024, Castillo, an interstate truck driver, caused a collision between the commercial semi-truck he was driving and another semi-truck on Interstate 10 near Rita Road, Tucson. At the time, Castillo was transporting four passengers inside his truck who were later determined to be illegal aliens, unlawfully present in the United States. During the crash, one passenger was ejected and two others, one of whom was 16 years old, suffered serious bodily injury. The ejected passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. The surviving aliens stated they were paying to be smuggled further into the United States, and Castillo admitted that he expected to be paid for transporting them.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-07586-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-139_Castillo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Phoenix Man Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining $1 Million in PPP LoansRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A Phoenix man who received over $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by submitting fraudulent applications was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Sharad H. Desai to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Jamar Johnson, 54, previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud.
Johnson admitted that he submitted false applications in order to obtain PPP loans on behalf of his entity, CBL Worldwide II. For example, in one of the applications, Johnson stated that the company had 73 employees and over $4.8 million in annual payroll expenses. In reality, CBL Worldwide II had zero employees and no payroll expenses. As a result of his fraudulent misrepresentations, Johnson received two PPP loans totaling $1,007,650.
Johnson spent the money on himself, including by purchasing cryptocurrency, a vehicle, and cosmetic dentistry. At sentencing, Johnson was ordered to pay full restitution to the Small Business Administration (SBA).
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief under the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with substantial assistance from the SBA, Office of Inspector General. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00738-PHX-SHD
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-141_Johnson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Fountain Hills Man Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud Schemes, Agrees to Pay Restitution to VictimsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jeremie Andrew Sowerby, 48, of Fountain Hills, Arizona, pleaded guilty earlier this month to Wire Fraud and admitted to scamming hundreds of victims through a series of investment fraud schemes spanning from 2017 through 2023. Sowerby’s plea resolves charges filed against him in three separate criminal cases. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2026, before United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich.
As part of his plea, Sowerby admitted to defrauding approximately 400 victims from 2017 through 2018 in a cryptocurrency investment scheme under the guise of three entities: Now Mining, VIP Mining, and Millennium Technologies. Sowerby represented himself as a multi-level marketing promoter and defrauded victims of at least $7.5 million. Sowerby was indicted for this scheme alongside a co-defendant, Luis Ortega, against whom the charges are still pending.
Sowerby also admitted to defrauding at least 150 victims through Dumanis Global Technologies from 2018 through 2019. Sowerby convinced victims to buy cryptocurrency mining machines, along with their monthly storage and power costs, but the machines did not actually exist. Victims of the Dunamis scheme suffered several million dollars in losses.
Finally, Sowerby admitted to engaging in a scheme called Justice Capital from 2021 through 2023, which was marketed as a hedge fund offered only to high-income earners. Justice Capital allegedly traded using a “bot” algorithm. Through Justice Capital, Sowerby admitted to defrauding an individual out of $207,000.A conviction for Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
As part of his plea agreement, Sowerby agreed to pay restitution of up to $30 million to victims of his schemes involving the following companies: Now Mining, VIP Mining, Millennium Technologies, Dunamis Global Technologies, SOFTEK, LLC, Justice Capital, Stealth Capital, FX Primary, Phoenix Ultra, Limitless Trading, Block Mint, Block X (BLKX), Digital Mint, 888 Management, Kannabiz Koin (KK), Kannabiz Monkeez, My Blockchain Life, My Block X, and We Sell Miners.
Law enforcement is continuing to work to identify all of the victims related to these schemes. If you have not already spoken to the FBI related to this matter, and you believe you are a victim of any of the entities listed above, Sowerby, or Ortega, please fill out the questionnaire at this link.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division and IRS-Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Short, 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 NUMBERS: CR-23-01586-PHX-SMB
CR-23-01321-PHX-SMB
CR-23-01757-PHX-SMBRELEASE NUMBER: 2026-138_Sowerby
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.District of Arizona Charges 268 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Aug. 8 through Aug. 14, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 268 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 122 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 17 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the 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. Martin Alberto Cota Jr.. Cota was charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 10, 2026, with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. On Aug. 8, 2026, BPAs observed a vehicle traveling east on State Route 82. Records checks revealed that the vehicle had a cancelled registration and had entered the United States through the Nogales Port of Entry with one occupant. BPAs now observed two occupants in the vehicle. BPAs initiated a vehicle stop but the driver rapidly accelerated. Approximately three miles later, the driver abruptly pulled to the side of the road where a subject exited from the passenger's side. The driver then continued traveling east on State Route 82 before eventually pulling into a gas station. BPAs took the driver, Cota, into custody. Other BPAs in the area apprehended the subject who had exited the vehicle earlier. The subject was determined to be a citizen of Mexican, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-2269]
United States v. Marcelino Iganacio Mendoza-Santos. On Aug. 10, 2026, Marcelino Iganacio Mendoza-Santos was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On Aug. 7, an Arizona Department of Public Safety Trooper stopped Mendoza-Santos for speeding. Border Patrol assisted with the stop and determined that Mendoza-Santos’ four passengers were citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-1648]
The 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.
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: 2026-137_August 14, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.HSTF Investigation Leads to Tucson Man Being Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Roman Emilio Rascon Jr., 36, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Aug. 11, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 78 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Rascon previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
As part of the drug conspiracy, Rascon distributed more than six kilograms of cocaine and possessed firearms when he distributed the cocaine. In addition to serving over six years in prison, the District Court ordered Rascon to forfeit vehicles, firearms, ammunition, and drug proceeds.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This HSTF Arizona investigation involved agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Customs and Border Protection, United States Border Patrol, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-5214-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-136_Rascon# # #
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 227 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Aug. 1 through Aug. 7, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 227 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 84 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 123 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 20 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the 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. Gerardo Parada-Reyes. On July 31, 2026, Gerardo Parada-Reyes was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Parada-Reyes had been previously removed from the United States in 2019 after being convicted of Manufacturing/Distributing/Possession with Intent to Distribute – Heroin/Cocaine – Equal to or Greater than 5 Ounces in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Ocean County. Parada-Reyes was sentenced to 10 years in prison in that case. [26-MJ-5371]
United States v. Norberto Antunez-Moreno. On Aug. 5, 2026, Norberto Antunez-Moreno was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Antunez-Moreno had been previously removed from the United States in 2017 after being convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana in the United States District Court, District of Arizona. Antunez-Moreno was sentenced to 16 months in prison in that case. [26-MJ-3205]
The 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.
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: 2026-134_August 7, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Ajo Man Sentenced to 19 Years in Prison for Sexual Contact with a MinorRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Eric Garcia, 31, of Tucson, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to 19 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Garcia previously pleaded guilty to one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child.
The investigation revealed that on an unknown date between November 11, 2014, and November 11, 2016, Garcia, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, had sexual contact with a child under the age of 12 on the Tohono O’odham Nation near Hickiwan, Arizona.
The Tohono O’odham Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-5231-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-133_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.San Francisco Woman Convicted of Selling Counterfeit Native American JewelryRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A woman convicted of selling counterfeit Native American jewelry was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine yesterday in federal court.
Molly Breivis, 57, of San Francisco, California, was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Alison Bachus to time served in addition to the fine. Breivis pleaded guilty on the same day to Misrepresentation of Indian Produced Goods of Less Than $1,000. Pursuant to her plea agreement, Breivis agreed to issue a public letter of apology to the Native America community that will be published on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) website.
Breivis fraudulently sold Native American jewelry online between approximately 2020 and 2024 on her eBay store. She claimed the jewelry was produced by Apache, Laguna, Navajo, or Zuni artists. Breivis, however, imported the jewelry from Asia and it was not produced by Native American artists. Breivis received two warning letters from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the IACB, warning her that selling counterfeit Native American jewelry violated the Indian Arts and Crafts Act but she ignored those warnings. In total, Breivis admitted to selling over $92,000 in counterfeit jewelry. In her letter of apology that will be published on the IACB website, Breivis wrote, “I recognize that my conduct harmed customers and affected Native American artists, artisans, and businesses that depend on the sale of authentic work. I understand that it also undermined confidence in the market for authentic Native American jewelry.”
“The deliberate misrepresentation and sale of counterfeit Native American jewelry, as seen in this case, inflicts real harm on both the marketplace and the cultural heritage of Native American artists and tribes,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “These fraudulent practices deceive consumers and undermine the economic wellbeing of Native American communities. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, remains steadfast in investigating Indian Arts and Crafts Act violations. Our dedicated team of special agents works tirelessly to protect the integrity and authenticity of Native American art, ensuring that artists and tribes are recognized and respected for their genuine craftsmanship.”
“By statute, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior, is responsible for administering and enforcing the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, a truth-in-marketing law intended to remove counterfeit Indian art from the marketplace to protect Indian artists, economies, and cultures, as well as consumers nationwide,” said Indian Arts and Crafts Board Director Meridith Stanton. “By selling imported jewelry from Asia misrepresented as authentic Apache, Laguna, Navajo, and Zuni jewelry through her eBay store, Breivis undercut the livelihoods and traditions of these Tribes and the integrity of their artists’ creative work and defrauded vulnerable customers. We thank the Office of the U.S. Attorney-District of Arizona and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service IACA Investigative Unit for their diligent work on this case.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aron Ketchel, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-26-00846-PHX-ASB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-132_Breivis# # #
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.28 Charged with Firearms Offenses in HSTF TakedownRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On July 21, following a two-year investigation, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 158-count indictment against Fernando Daniel Castro, Cruz Rafael Castro, Marque J’von Rogers, Taquan Antonio M. Carter, Zaccheus Faith Baselt, Juan Manuel Torres Perez, and 15 others for Conspiracy to Unlawfully Purchase Firearms for the Purpose of Dealing in Firearms Without a License, Making False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm, Dealing in Firearms Without a License, and Conspiracy to Traffic Firearms.
The indictment alleges that Fernando Daniel Castro of Phoenix and certain co-conspirators recruited others to purchase firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) in Arizona in exchange for payment. The firearms were purchased on behalf of Castro, who would then sell the firearms for profit. According to the indictment, Castro sold some of the firearms, including Glock 19 pistols and AK-style rifles, knowing or having reason to believe that they would be exported outside of the United States.
The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation that led to this 158-count indictment developed from information gathered in four previously charged federal cases.
On March 31, 2026, Emmanual Rabena-Velderrain of Mexico, pleaded guilty to Attempted Smuggling of Goods from the United States. Rabena-Velderrain was caught trying to cross the border into Mexico on Feb. 17, 2025, with 42 AK-style rifles and 42 7.62x39 magazines in his vehicle. Rabena-Velderrain is scheduled for sentencing on August 17, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash in Tucson.
On April 27, 2026, Amairany Guadalupe Armendariz Alvarez, of Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 24 months in prison. Alvarez previously pleaded guilty to Alien in Possession of a Firearm. In her plea, Alvarez admitted to entering the United States with a non-immigrant visa and traveling to Phoenix to pick up three M249 rifles and a Colt pistol. She also admitted that she knew that the firearms were going to be smuggled into Mexico.
On May 13, 2026, Alejandro Rodriguez and Maricruz Carrillo, both of Phoenix, pleaded guilty to Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. They each admitted to possessing an M249 rifle, a Barrett .50 BMG rifle, an FN SCAR rifle, 12 AK-style rifles, 6 pistols, and 57,000 rounds of ammunition at their Phoenix residence after being convicted of a felony offense. Rodriguez and Carrillo are both scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 19. 2026, before U.S. District Judge Sharad H. Desai.
On June 24, 2026, Jose Daniel Medina, of Mexico, and on July 1, 2026, Juan Jesus Estevez, of Mexico, each pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Firearms and Ammunition from the United States. In their pleas, Medina and Estevez admitted to conspiring to obtain firearms and ammunition in Arizona that were then smuggled across the border for buyers in Mexico. Both men are scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 11, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Krissa M. Lanham. A third co-conspirator, Christian Alberto Pereida Ramirez, of Nogales, Arizona, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing on August 12, 2026. As part of this investigation, law enforcement seized 10 pistols and 56,000 rounds of ammunition.
To date, HSTF partners have executed numerous federal search warrants on social media accounts, telephones, residences, and vehicles as part of this investigation. Law enforcement agents have also seized over 100 firearms and over 125,000 rounds of ammunition in Arizona.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Traffic Firearms and Prohibited Possessor of Firearms and/or Ammunition carries a maximum penalty of 15 years, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for Smuggling Goods Outside the United States carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for Conspiracy, Making False Statements During the Purchase of a Firearm, or Dealing in Firearms Without a License all carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Phoenix comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Customs and Border Protection, United States Border Patrol, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and the Bureau of Land Management, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol are handling the investigation, with assistance from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Department of Commerce. The FBI’s Phoenix Division and the Goodyear Police Department assisted in the arrests. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria R. Gutierrez and Benjamin Goldberg, District of Arizona, are handling the prosecutions in Phoenix. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Precup, District of Arizona, is handling the prosecution in Tucson.
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: 26-CR-00818-PHX-SHD (Castro, et al.); 25-CR-01537-TUC-SHD (Rabena-Velderrain); CR-25-00540-PHX-SHD (Rodriguez, et al.); CR-25-00383-PHX-KML (Estevez, et al.); 25-CR-00684-PHX-SMB (Alvarez)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-131_Castro, et al.
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.California Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Phantom Hacker Scheme Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Ajay Kumar, 24, of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty on July 28, to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8, 2026, before United States District Judge John J. Tuchi.
According to his plea, Kumar’s co-conspirators contacted victims posing as government employees, falsely claiming that the victims’ accounts had been compromised. The callers told victims they needed to move their funds to a government account to keep the funds safe. In some cases, co-conspirators maintained contact with the victims for weeks, convincing them to withdraw cash or purchase gold, which was then collected by individuals posing as government agents.
In December 2024, Kumar attempted to pick up approximately $500,000 in gold bullion from a victim in Arizona. As part of his plea, Kumar admitted he traveled to locations throughout the United States to collect cash and gold from victims to deliver it to the co-conspirators in the Phantom Hacker Scheme.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adriana Genco, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
Phantom hacker scams and government impersonation scams are increasingly prevalent and disproportionately affect elderly victims. Fraudsters in these schemes typically pose as government agents and pressure victims to act quickly to transfer their money to the perpetrators. The public is urged to remain vigilant, verify the identity of anyone requesting financial transactions, and report suspicious activity to law enforcement. The government will never call individuals to instruct them to transfer funds to the government. The government will never instruct a person to transfer assets into gold bullion. The government will never instruct a person to deliver funds to a “courier” who comes to the person’s residence. Educating potential victims and their families is a key component in preventing these crimes and minimizing financial harm.
If you or someone you know is a victim of elder fraud, we encourage you to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time. Services are available for speakers of English, Spanish, and other languages. Victims can also report the fraud to the FBI by filing a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (“IC3”) at https://www.ic3.gov/ by clicking the red “File A Complaint” button. Victims should be sure to include all available information about the scam.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00597-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-130_Kumar# # #
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.Bronx Man Sentenced to 58 Months in Prison for Multi-State Identify Theft and Bank Fraud RingRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Richard Modou Bah, 22, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced last Tuesday by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 58 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Bah previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud.
Bah and his co-conspirators engaged in a bank fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted individuals and banks in Arizona, Colorado, and California. The co-conspirators used victims’ personal identifying information and fraudulent identifications to open phony business accounts linked to the victims’ legitimate bank accounts. They then transferred the victims’ funds to the phony business bank accounts and withdrew the money in cash at financial institutions and casinos.
As part of the scheme, Bah recruited co-conspirators to impersonate victims using stolen identities and provided them with fake identifications to further the scheme. Bah also supervised at least one co-conspirator when they opened fraudulent accounts in victims’ names and withdrew the funds at banks and casinos.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-00927-AMM-MSA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-129_ Bah# # #
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 216 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 25 through July 31, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 216 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 106 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 98 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed cases against 12 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the 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. Sarah Desiree Rios-Martin. On July 29, 2026, Sarah Desiree Rios-Martin was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On July 28, 2026, an Arizona Department of Public Safety Trooper saw a blue Volvo SUV abruptly veer across the gore point to an exit. The Trooper initiated a traffic stop and the driver of the Volvo, Rios-Martin, pulled over on the dirt shoulder of the frontage road. After he pulled over, three Hispanic males wearing camouflage clothing got out of the Volvo and ran away while Rios-Martin and the front seat passenger remained in the car. Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) arrived on the scene and searched for the passengers who had fled. Following footprints, agents found one of the passengers hiding in a tree. The BPAs determined that he was a citizen of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-5354]
United States v. Tucto-Rivera. On July 27, 2026, Hector Maruicio Tucto-Rivera was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Tucto-Rivera had been previously removed from the United States on June 20, 2017, after being convicted of felony aggravated assault in the Superior Court of Arizona. Tucto-Rivera was sentenced to 18 months of probation in that case. [Case Number: 26-MJ-5337]
The 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.
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: 2026-128_July 31, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Phoenix Family Pleads Guilty to Role in $2.2 Million Covid-19 Fraud Scheme and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Mohammed Maio, 43, of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty earlier this month to Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Bank Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Mohammed Maio also pleaded guilty in a second matter to Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Aiding Another in Making a Materially False Statement to Purchase a Firearm. His sentencings in both matters are scheduled for Sept. 28, 2026, before United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi.
In addition, Mohammed Maio’s parents, Souzan El-Sayed, 66, and Abukar Maio, 70, also of Phoenix, pleaded guilty on July 24, 2026, to Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Bank Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Their sentencings are scheduled for Oct. 5, 2026, also before Judge Liburdi.
Between May 2020 and March 2024, the three family members conspired with each other to fraudulently obtain and misuse multiple Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan relief loans. They submitted false information to secure nearly $2.2 million in loans for multiple businesses that had no employees. The funds were instead used for personal enrichment, including the purchase of multiple properties.
According to his plea, Mohammed Maio, a convicted felon, also arranged for his mother to purchase a firearm on his behalf in May 2021. Mohammed Maio admitted that he caused his mother to falsely state on the application to purchase the firearm that it was for her use, rather than his, and that he later illegally possessed the firearm she purchased.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Bank Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. A conviction for Felon in Possession carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A conviction for Making a False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Rapp District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00766; CR-26-00488
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-127_Maio# # #
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 310 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 18 through July 24, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 310 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 114 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 175 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 20 cases against 21 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
U.S. v. Rubicel Nunez-Sanchez. Rubicel Nunez-Sanchez was charged by criminal complaint on July 20, 2026, with Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. On July 19, Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) observed a Ford F-150 with North Carolina plates driving near the Mexico border in the San Rafael Valley, an area frequently used for human smuggling. Based on their observations, BPAs initiated a vehicle stop to conduct an immigration inspection, but the driver, Nunez-Sanchez, failed to yield. Nunez-Sanchez eventually pulled over to the side of the road where five subjects got out and ran away. He then continued driving, only stopping after his vehicle was incapacitated by BPAs with a vehicle immobilization device. BPAs located the five subjects that gotten out of Nunez-Sanchez’s vehicle and determined that they were all citizens and nationals of Mexico and Columbia, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-05258]
United States v. Ahumada-Lugo, et al. On July 23, 2026, Jose Raul Ahumada-Lugo and Rony Ramirez-Valenzuela were charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. Ramirez-Valenzuela was also charged with Reentry of a Removed Alien. On July 21, a deputy with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office initiated a traffic stop on Ahumada-Lugo, who was driving a Ford F-150 with four passengers. The deputy noticed camouflage clothing and backpacks in the back seat and called Border Patrol for assistance. BPAs confirmed that all five occupants in the truck were citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. BPAs also learned that the front seat passenger, Ramirez-Valenzuela, was previously removed from the United States on August 15, 2017, and was assisting with smuggling the other passengers. [Case Number: 26-MJ-6287]
The 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.
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: 2026-126_July 24, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tuba City Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder, Aggravated Assault, and RobberyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, Derick Lee Myron, 46, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to life in prison, plus 40 years.
On April 29, 2024, Myron, an enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe, shot and killed an unarmed victim and shot and seriously injured two others on the Navajo Nation. Myron then stole a truck, ran over the victim he had killed, and fled the crime scene. Over the next two days, Myron hid the firearm he used, and evaded arrest by hiding in the Moenkopi Wash. On February 6, 2026, a federal jury found Myron guilty of eleven charges, including Second-Degree Murder, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Robbery, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
“Justice cannot restore a life lost to senseless violence, but it is always worth pursuing. My thoughts are with the victims of this terrible crime and their families,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “I am thankful for the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners, whose tireless work led to the conviction and sentence in this case.”
“A crime like this is heartbreaking for each victim and their families and there is no question that this sentence is just,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day. “The FBI takes its responsibility for investigating the most egregious crimes in Indian Country very seriously and we remain committed to aggressively pursuing justice for victims of these horrific crimes.”
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Flagstaff office and the Navajo Police Department jointly conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Flagstaff Police Department, and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Genevieve A. Ozark (Phoenix) and Dimitra H. Sampson (Flagstaff), District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08050-PCT-MTL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-124_Myron# # #
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.HSTF Investigation Leads to Avondale Man Being Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jose De Jesus Martinez, 25, of Avondale, was sentenced on July 13, by United States District Judge Sharad H. Desai to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Martinez previously pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
On May 5, 2025, near Phoenix, Martinez was caught delivering approximately 150,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Martinez was arrested and agents seized the 13.3 kilograms of drugs.
Fentanyl is a man-made opioid 50 times more potent than heroin. Just two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially deadly dose. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, appearing nearly identical to other prescription pills, are often sold through social media or other illegitimate sources.
Legitimate pharmaceutical pills cannot be bought through social media. The only safe medications are ones prescribed directly to you by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. For additional information and resources, including a Caregivers Fact Sheet, visit DEA.gov/onepill.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Phoenix comprises agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Customs and Border Protection, United States Border Patrol, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and the Bureau of Land Management, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
The Glendale Police Department also provided significant assistance in this case.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00829-PHX-SHD
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-125_Martinez# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Justice Department Announces Monitoring of Polling Sites in Three Arizona CountiesRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice is monitoring polling sites in three Arizona counties for the state’s primary election to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.
The Department, through the Civil Rights Division, enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The Department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country.
“The Department of Justice today continues to monitor elections consistently and in a uniform fashion nationwide, ensuring our elections are safe and secure,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice department’s Civil Rights Division. “Transparent election processes and election monitoring are critical tools for safeguarding our elections and ensuring public trust in the integrity of our elections. We appreciate Arizona’s cooperation in these important procedural safeguards.”
“Our democracy depends on free and fair elections,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “My office is pleased to be leading efforts to ensure election integrity for Arizona voters. Today’s monitoring effort is a critical piece of that.”
The Department is currently monitoring polls in Maricopa, Apache, and Pima counties with DOJ staff from the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section and Arizona’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This initiative is aimed at promoting transparency and an open flow of communication between poll observers and election monitors. Election officials in these three counties issued letters to DOJ personnel — giving them credentials to observe vote-casting procedures at various poll sites. Such communication ensures both election security and appropriate access to the franchise for all Americans.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces various federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Civil Rights Acts.
From now and up to Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. If you would like to request election monitoring in a particular jurisdiction, please contact the Voting Section at [email protected], and the Civil Rights Division will determine whether monitoring is warranted.
District of Arizona Charges 279 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 11 through July 17, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 279 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 56 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 206 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed cases against 17 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the 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. Braulio Espinoza. On July 11, 2026, Braulio Espinoza was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On July 9, 2026, a Department of Public Safety (DPS) Trooper initiated at traffic stop on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The driver, Braulio Espinoza, did not have his driver’s license. After speaking with Espinoza, the trooper suspected that he was engaged in alien smuggling. Border Patrol was called to the scene and determined that the two passengers in Espinoza’s vehicle were citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. One of the passengers was an unaccompanied minor. [Case Number: 26-MJ-6256]
United States v. Ionut Calciu. On July 11, 2026, Ionut Calciu was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Calciu had been previously removed from the United States on December 17, 2025 after being convicted of Unlawful use of Unauthorized Access Devices in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Central District of California. In that case, he was sentenced to 9 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release. [Case Number: 26-MJ-6265]
The 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: 2026-123_July 17, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Sells Man Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact of a ChildRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Mario JB Juan, 39 years old, of Sells, Arizona, pleaded guilty on June 26, to one count of Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8, 2026, before United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez.
Juan admitted that in 2015, he knowingly engaged in sexual contact with the victim, who was under the age of 12 at the time. Juan was employed at the Head Start Program in Sells at the time.
A conviction for Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life.
Anyone with information regarding this defendant or who may have also been a victim of this defendant is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-01242-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-121_Juan# # #
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 28 Years in Prison for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Andre Anthony Miller, 33, of Parker, Ariz., was sentenced on June 23, by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 336 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Miller previously pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder.
On February 18, 2024, on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (“CRIT”) Reservation, Miller shot the victim, who was a former intimate partner, in front of the victim’s minor children. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries from the shooting, including quadriplegia. Approximately eleven months later, the victim died from her injuries. Both Miller and the victim are enrolled CRIT members.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division and the CRIT Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-00743-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-119_Miller# # #
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 Phoenix Mariachi Instructor Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Carlos Jobany Castaneda Lechuga, 38, of Laredo, Texas, pleaded guilty yesterday to five counts of Producing Child Pornography involving five minor age girls. Sentencing is scheduled for September 15, 2026, before United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa. Lechuga has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in December 2024.
During the change of plea hearing, Lechuga admitted that between 2013 and 2019, he taught mariachi music classes at a school and gave private music lessons at his home in Phoenix, Arizona. The victims were students who came to his home for private music lessons. During this period, when each of the girls was between the ages of 6 – 11 years old, Lechuga recorded videos and images that showed him undressing, touching, and exposing the girls’ nude genitalia to the camera. In December 2024, the FBI located five video recordings on the dark web showing two of the identified girls.
A conviction for Producing Child Pornography carries a minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years, and a possible $250,000 fine.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC coordinates federal, state, and local resources to investigate, prosecute, and rescue victims. For more investigation, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division and Phoenix Police Department conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00025-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-120_Lechuga# # #
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 Charged 325 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct Last WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 27 through July 2, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 325 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 101 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 196 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 20 cases against 26 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 two defendants for assaulting Border Patrol agents.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the 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. Davis Cabanillas-Flores. On June 29, 2026, Davis Cabanillas-Flores, was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Cabanillas-Flores had been previously removed from the United States in 2021. In June 2019, he was convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Five Kilograms or More of Cocaine while on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States, in the Middle District of Florida. In that case, Cabanillas-Flores was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. [26-MJ-08245]
United States v. Humberto Roman-Tapia. On June 30, 2026, Humberto Roman-Tapia was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On June 28, 2026, Border Patrol agents initiated a traffic stop on a Honda Accord traveling westbound on I-40. Agents determined that the driver, Humberto Roman-Tapia, was a citizen of Mexico with an employment authorization card. The three passengers in the car were citizens of Mexico with no legal documentation to be present in the United States. [26-MJ-01551]
The 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: 2026-117_July 3, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.California Man Who Assaulted Border Patrol Agents Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Joe Martin Cruz, Jr., 20, of San Pedro, CA, was sentenced on June 23, by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 60 months in prison. Cruz previously pleaded guilty to two counts of Assault on a Federal Officer and one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit.
On January 14, 2025, Cruz transported four illegal aliens near Arivaca, AZ. When Border Patrol began following Cruz, he stopped his vehicle and the aliens bailed out. Cruz then sped off at a high rate of speed. During his flight from law enforcement, Cruz intentionally crashed his vehicle into a Border Patrol vehicle occupied by two agents who were traveling in the opposing lane of travel.
Vehicle crash data and scene evidence showed that at the time of the collision, Cruz had the accelerator pedal pushed to 100%. Immediately before the collision, he turned his wheel to the left, crossing the lane divider and colliding with the victim agents’ vehicle. Despite the agents’ efforts to avoid the collision, their vehicle was violently struck by Cruz. The force caused the rear axle to be sheared off and spun the agents’ vehicle off the road and into the brush. The agents sustained several injuries during the collision. Cruz then fled on foot through the desert but was eventually caught by law enforcement.
Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol and Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Amlee, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-00980-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-118_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.California Man Pleads Guilty to Harassment in Connection with Ransom DemandRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty today to two counts of Harassment Using a Telecommunication Device. Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2026, before United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker.
In his plea, Callella admitted that he called and sent text messages to a missing person’s family on Feb. 4, 2026, which asked about a bitcoin transfer. Callella acknowledged that he knew an earlier ransom demand had been made. Callella also admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person’s disappearance.
A conviction for Harassment Using a Telecommunication Device carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, and one year of supervised release.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office is conducting the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-00940-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-116_Callella# # #
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.Michigan Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Role in Arizona-Based Drug Conspiracy in Homeland Security Task Force CaseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Mark Craythorn Thompson, 63, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced on June 25, by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 60 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Thompson previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl.
As part of this conspiracy, Thompson picked up a package in Detroit, Michigan on September 28, 2023, that contained 997.3 grams of powdered fentanyl. The package had been shipped to Michigan from Arizona in the U.S. Mail, and Thompson intended to deliver the fentanyl to individuals in the Detroit metro area.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF Arizona-Tucson comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Marshals Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, and various local and state law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-CR-2465-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-115_Thompson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Human Smuggler Who Assaulted Aliens Sentenced to 72 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Miguel Martinez-Meraz, 56, of Rancho San Felipe, Jalisco, Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States Chief District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 72 months in prison. Martinez-Meraz previously pleaded guilty to Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit and Reentry of a Removed Alien.
On January 16, 2025, Martinez-Meraz was apprehended by United States Border Patrol agents in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. At the time of his arrest, Martinez-Meraz was with a Chinese national who was unlawfully present in the United States. During the investigation, agents located the Chinese national’s brother who had been left behind in the desert. Martinez-Meraz admitted that he served as a foot guide for the two migrants through the desert near Ajo, Arizona. One of the migrants told agents that Martinez-Meraz beat his brother and held him at knifepoint to force him to continue moving.
Martinez-Meraz committed these offenses while under supervised release for a previous conviction.
Agents from United States Border Patrol-Ajo Station conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arturo Aguilar, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00975-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-114_Martinez-Meraz# # #
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 U.S. Pleads Guilty in Romance and Inheritance Scheme Targeting the ElderlyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, also known as, “Dada Joe Remix,” a citizen of Ghana, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, a felony. Boateng was arrested in Ghana on an extradition warrant on May 27, 2025. In June 2025, Boateng was extradited to the United States, and he has remained in custody since his arrest.
In his plea agreement, Boateng admitted that he and his co-conspirators engaged in a romance and inheritance fraud scheme from 2013 through March 2023, targeting the elderly from Arizona and around the United States. The co-conspirators pretended to be romantically involved with the victims through online dating sites, text, or other electronic communications. The co-conspirators also falsely represented that they had received an “inheritance” of gold and jewels and that to release such items to the victims, taxes and other fees would be required.
In addition to pleading guilty, Boateng agreed to pay restitution totaling approximately $4.4 million dollars, which was the direct loss caused by his involvement in the scheme. Boateng’s sentencing is scheduled for September 8, 2026, before United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Sierra Vista office conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, Tucson is handling the prosecution. The following partners provided essential support for the 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: 23-CR-00695-TUC-AMM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-113_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.Afghan Man Sentenced to 22 Months for Possessing a Firearm While Illegally in the U.S.Read the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Syed Haider Najib, 30, of Phoenix, was sentenced on June 22, by Senior United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 22 months in prison. Najib previously pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, an Alien Illegally and Unlawfully in the United States.
Najib, who is originally from Afghanistan, has been illegally and unlawfully present in the United States since at least March 8, 2018, when his asylum application to remain in the United States permanently was denied and a final order of removal was issued by a United States Immigration Judge. Because of conditions in Afghanistan, Najib was ordered removed to a third country. A third country could not be found for him, so he was released from custody. However, as he is still illegally and unlawfully present in the United States, Najib is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
In 2023, FBI special agents discovered photographs and videos of Najib with a firearm on a social media site. During a search of Najib’s home and car in October 2023, agents from FBI and HSI discovered an AR15-style rifle, a high-capacity magazine, and more than 175 rounds of ammunition in his car. As part of his plea agreement with the government, Najib agreed to forfeit the rifle and abandon the ammunition.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-1445-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-112_Najib# # #
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 365 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 19 through June 26, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 365 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 149 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 188 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 22 cases against 28 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the 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. Hernan Roberto Acosta-Valdez. On June 23, Hernan Roberto Acosta-Valdez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On June 22, a Border Patrol agent observed a driver of white GMC truck swerving while driving north on State Route 85. The agent attempted to conduct a vehicle stop for an immigration inspection, but the driver failed to yield and instead sped up, eventually crashing into a ditch 20 yards off the roadway. The agents then observed the driver, Acosta-Valdez, and the five other passengers flee the vehicle. Four of the passengers were wearing camouflage clothing. Officers apprehended five of the six occupants, including Acosta-Valdez. All five subjects were determined to be citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-5260]
United States v. Mauricio Loza-Rivera. On June 25, Mauricio Loza-Rivera, was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Mauricio Loza-Rivera had been previously removed from the United States in 2018. In 2015, he was convicted of Possession/Purchase for sale Narcotic/Controlled Substance, in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County. Loza-Rivera was sentenced to 180 days of incarceration and three years of probation. [Case Number: 26-MJ-05280]
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: 2026-111_June 26, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Repeat Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Hector Delacruz, 36, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Krissa M. Lanham to concurrent prison sentences of 300 months and 120 months for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The underlying convictions stem from Delacruz’s involvement in a conspiracy focused on the sale of more than 19 pounds of methamphetamine in West Phoenix on September 26, 2023. On October 20, 2025, a federal jury convicted Delacruz for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. The jury also found that Delacruz had committed two prior serious drug offenses.
“Delacruz’s 25-year sentence reflects his repeated disregard for the law and the devasting effects that methamphetamine inflicts on individuals, families, and communities across America,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the DEA and local enforcement agencies, will continue the fight to dismantle organizations that distribute these deadly drugs into our communities.”
“In protecting our communities, DEA Arizona is never out of the fight and will continue to be tenacious in dismantling organizations that are distributing these deadly drugs,” said Apolonio Ruiz, Jr., DEA Phoenix Special Agent in Charge.
“This sentence sends a clear message: those who endanger our communities will be held accountable,” said William Mack, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Office. “Through strong partnerships with our federal, state, and local counterparts—and by leveraging our unique technical and investigative capabilities—we remain committed to bringing to justice those who threaten the safety of the people of Arizona.”
“Violent crime and Illicit drug trafficking go hand-in-hand,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge A. J. Gibes. "This significant sentence exemplifies how our combined partnerships give us the collective power to target, convict, and remove violent criminals from our communities and hold them accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Glendale Police Department, the United States Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-01374-002-PHX
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-109_Delacruz# # #
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 and Arrested on "Kingpin" Drug Trafficking Charges from Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jorge Luis Castro-Mercado, 51, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was arrested earlier this month by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nogales Special Agents as he tried to cross the border into the United States from Mexico. Castro-Mercado faces federal charges related to drug trafficking from an indictment in March.
On March 11, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 12-count indictment against Castro-Mercado, for operating a Continuing Criminal Enterprise; Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Conspiracy to Import Fentanyl and Methamphetamine; Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments; three counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Aiding and Abetting; three counts of Importation of Fentanyl; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting, and Importation of Methamphetamine.
The indictment alleges that Castro-Mercado was a principal leader of a drug trafficking enterprise that involved the importation and distribution of dangerous drugs into the United States from Mexico. The law that prohibits the operation of a continuing criminal enterprise is known as the “kingpin” statute. As charged in the indictment, this crime carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF Tucson comprises agents and officers from HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Tucson Police Department, Pima County Sheriff's Office, Oro Valley Police Department, Marana Police Department, and Arizona HIDTA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Lizano, District of Arizona, 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: 26-CR-01041-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-108_Castro-Mercado# # #
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.Buckeye Man Sentenced to Ten Months in Prison for Laser Strikes on United States Air Force F-35 Fighter JetsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz – William Wilson, 56, of Buckeye, Arizona, was sentenced on June 15, by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan to ten months in prison for aiming a laser pointer at U.S. Air Force F-35 Fighter Jets.
“Military pilots risk their lives to protect Americans. They should not have to worry about threats from people on the ground when they are training here at home,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Interfering with any aircraft is dangerous and the United States Attorney’s Office can and will protect our pilots by bringing bad actors to justice.”
“Directing a laser pointer at aircraft of any kind, much less an F-35 Air Force fighter jet, is extremely dangerous and a federal felony,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day. “The FBI advises people to think twice before committing this crime because we’re focused on identifying and investigating people who do, and a federal prosecution could lead you straight to prison.”
“Interfering with aircraft by pointing lasers or any other means is dangerous and illegal. It puts the safety of the aircrew, passengers, and everyone on the ground in jeopardy,” said Special Agent Keith M. Daniels, Senior Enlisted Leader, AFOSI Detachment 421. “The Air Force Office of Special Investigations will continue to partner with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to hold offenders accountable for their actions.”
Wilson struck multiple United States Air Force F-35 jets training in the airspace around Luke Air Force Base with lasers between September 2024 and January 2025. On the night of January 8, 2025, an FBI surveillance plane captured video of the laser strikes coming from Wilson’s residence in Buckeye. Pilots of the FBI plane and of two F-35 jets were all struck by lasers that night. Wilson’s home was later searched, and two lasers, one red and one green, were found in his possession. Wilson admitted to agents that he had pointed the lasers at planes on several occasions.
On July 29, 2025, Wilson was indicted on four counts of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft. Wilson later pleaded guilty to two of the counts.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division and Air Force Office of Special Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbie Broughton, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00391-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-110_Wilson# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Fort Defiance Man Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing TeenagerRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Earlier this month, Ernest Larry Tabaha, 65, of Fort Defiance, AZ, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 87 months in prison, followed by 180 months of supervised release. Tabaha previously pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a teenager on the Navajo Nation.
In 2024, Tabaha provided alcohol to a teenaged girl until she became highly intoxicated and passed out. Tabaha then engaged in a sexual act with the victim while she was unconscious. Tabaha is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Flagstaff office and the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-8028-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-106_Tabaha# # #
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.Arizona Man Charged with Hate Crime for Defacement of SynagogueRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A federal grand jury in Phoenix yesterday returned an indictment against Kevin Charles Pyles, 33, of Glendale, Arizona for the Intentional Defacement of Religious Real Property.
The indictment alleges that Pyles defaced Sha’arei Shalom Congregation, a synagogue in Phoenix, on July 11, 2025. On that day, Pyles posted an antisemitic flyer on the synagogue’s front door. Pyles had previously pleaded guilty to Attempted Making and Communicating a Terrorism Threat in Maricopa County Superior Court. Those charges related to online threats Pyles made targeting the Jewish community and Sha’arei Shalom Congregation.
“This indictment is a message to the community – we will not tolerate the defacement or destruction of any house of worship,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Members of the Arizona community should feel free to worship without the fear of harassment.”
“Every Arizonan has the right to feel safe in his or her community,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day. “For this reason, investigating hate crimes is one of the FBI’s highest priorities and this office along with our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our pursuit of offenders.”
“Everyone who calls Phoenix home, and everyone who visits our city, deserves to feel welcome and safe. Acts that target or intimidate any part of our community undermine the values we stand for,” said Phoenix Police Department Chief Matt Giordano. “The Phoenix Police Department takes these crimes seriously, and we remain committed to working with our partners to protect our community.”
A conviction for Intentional Defacement of Religious Real Property carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division and the Phoenix Police Department are handling the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Goldberg and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Rehrig for the District of Arizona are handling the prosecution, in conjunction with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: CR-26-00688-PHX-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-107_Pyles# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Navajo Man Sentenced to 31 Years in Prison for Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Last week, McRenoisen Morales Sagina, 57, of St. Michaels, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 31 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. On March 18, 2026, a federal jury convicted Sagina of one count of Sexual Abuse by Threat, two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact by Threat, and three counts of Sexual Abuse Without Consent.
The evidence at trial showed that between Jan. 2025 and March 10, 2025, Sagina, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, sexually abused a 17-year-old on the Navajo Nation Reservation, in St. Michaels, Arizona. As part of the abuse, Sagina, who served as a medicine man on the Navajo Nation Reservation, threatened the victim with witchcraft and violence. Sagina’s threats included pointing a shotgun at the victim to make her take her clothes off.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Gallup Office and the Navajo Nation Criminal Investigator’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Genevieve A. Ozark and Tracy Van Buskirk, District of Arizona, Phoenix, prosecuted the case.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-08052-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-104_Sagina# # #
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.Israeli Citizen Sentenced for Conspiring to Steal Trade SecretRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Guy Galanti, 48, an Israeli citizen who resided in Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced yesterday to time served with three years of supervised release by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow. Galanti was previously charged for Conspiring to Steal a Trade Secret on September 10, 2025, and was arrested the following day. Galanti has been in custody since his arrest. He pleaded guilty to Conspiring to Steal a Trade Secret on May 26, 2026.
Galanti worked as a senior level manager for Green Technology Investments (GTI) in Scottsdale, Arizona. GTI is based in Arizona and is in the business of servicing semiconductor testing machines and selling remanufactured semiconductor testing machines with new functionalities designed by GTI.
Beginning sometime in early January 2025, and continuing to August 2025, Galanti conspired with another individual to steal GTI’s newly created Glass Detect Design, which would allow a semiconductor testing machine to locate microscopic defects on a semiconductor wafer made of glass instead of silicon material. Galanti’s co-conspirator sought to recreate GTI’s new design as he operated a Taiwanese company that directly competed with GTI.
Over the course of several months, Galanti secretly sent photos of GTI’s Glass Detect Design, information, and software, to his co-conspirator in an effort to recreate GTI’s proprietary system. To conceal their interactions, Galanti and his co-conspirator communicated over an encrypted messaging system, deleted emails and transaction data sent from Galanti’s work email, and created fictitious invoices to document the transfer and potential payment of funds to Galanti.
The FBI’s Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Raymond K. Woo and Matthew Williams, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-1391-PHX-GMA
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-103_Galanti# # #
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.Gun Store Owner Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Abetting Straw Purchasing and Failing to Report Cash Payments over $10,000Read the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Alejandro Montemayor, 33, of Chandler, Arizona pleaded guilty earlier this month to Aiding and Abetting a False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm and Failure to File a Report Related to Currency. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 17, 2026, before United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich.
Montemayor admitted that between Jan. 6, 2022 and May 29, 2024, he operated and ran AV AZ Firearms, a Federal Firearms Licensee in Phoenix. During that time, he facilitated the straw purchase of firearms and later transferred at least 72 of those firearms to other individuals.
One example of Montemayor’s criminal acts took place on May 22, 2024, when he allowed and encouraged an individual to commit the crime of False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm by showing them how to fill out the forms required for purchasing a firearm. Montemayor directed the individual to attest he was the true purchaser of the firearm, even though Montemayor knew that was false. Montemayor then gave the firearm to a third individual.
Montemayor also failed to file reports with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for sales greater than $10,000. In total, Montemayor admitted that he failed to file 15 such reports between Feb. 23, 2024 and May 14, 2024, accounting for over $258,000 in proceeds.
A conviction for False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for Failure to File Forms 8300 Relating to Cash Received in Trade or Business carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Goldberg and Sheila Phillips, District of Arizona, are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-00501-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-102_Montemayor# # #
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 Announces Charges Involving over $1.2 Billion in False or Fraudulent Claims as Part of National Health Care Fraud TakedownRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Today, United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine announced criminal charges against four defendants in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs of over $1.2 billion. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
“The billions of dollars of fraud highlighted in today’s announcement should shock and anger every American,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “We must protect our valuable federal health care programs from exploitation by criminals. The message from the success of this takedown is clear – the United States government will protect taxpayer dollars and will prosecute those who seek to defraud our country.”
The charges announced today by U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. Today’s Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
Today’s coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The following individuals were charged in the District of Arizona:
- Susie Kamien, 55, of West Chester, Illinois, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with submitting over $918 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for amniotic wound allografts. As alleged in the information, Kamien was a medical biller who submitted claims to Medicare for allografts that were medically unreasonable and unnecessary, and procured through illegal kickbacks and bribes. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Shane Butland and William Hochul III of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the District of Arizona.
- Jimmy Muyumbu, 38, formerly of Glendale, Arizona, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and money laundering, in connection with an alleged scheme involving a substance abuse treatment clinic in Arizona that billed Arizona Medicaid over $44 million. As alleged in the indictment, Muyumbu owned and operated an outpatient treatment center called Motherland Counseling LLC (“Motherland”) in Phoenix, Arizona, which was purportedly in the business of providing addiction treatment services for vulnerable patients suffering from alcohol and drug addiction. Muyumbu enrolled Motherland as a provider with Arizona’s Medicaid agency, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (“AHCCCS”). Muyumbu sought out patients enrolled in AHCCCS’s American Indian Health Program, a fee-for-service program for Native American AHCCCS members. Muyumbu and his co-conspirators exploited these patients by submitting approximately $44,920,644 in false and fraudulent claims to AHCCCS for 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, were tainted by illegal kickbacks and bribes, and, in some cases, were medically unnecessary. AHCCCS paid approximately $36,678,016 based on these fraudulent claims. Muyumbu then laundered the fraudulent proceeds by purchasing real estate in the greater Phoenix area. The government seized approximately $104,463 in proceeds from Muyumbu’s alleged fraud scheme. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Sarah Edwards and Assistant Chief Jim Hayes of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the District of Arizona. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Bozdech is handling the forfeiture aspects of the case.
- Sandra Peters, 45, of Saint Johns, Florida, was charged by information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with over $10 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for amniotic wound allografts. As alleged in the information, Peters was a sales representative who ordered and recommended allografts that were medically unreasonable and unnecessary, and procured through illegal kickbacks and bribes. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Shane Butland and William Hochul III of the National Rapid Response Strike Force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the District of Arizona.
- Brian Rowan, 47, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay health care kickbacks, paying health care kickbacks, and transactional money laundering, in connection with a $1.2 billion wound allograft scheme. As alleged in the Indictment, Rowan, the Vice President of Sales for a company that sold expensive amniotic wound allografts, caused hundreds of millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks, bribes, and rebates to be paid to sales representatives and medical providers throughout the country to unlawfully induce purchases of the company’s allografts. Rowan and his co-conspirators concealed these kickbacks and bribes by issuing sham sales invoices to providers in amounts that exceeded the providers’ actual cost of the allografts and directing providers to use the amounts reflected on those invoices for Medicare reimbursement, thereby inflating Medicare’s reimbursements and concealing the providers’ undisclosed and unreported profits. Rowan and his co-conspirators further concealed the kickbacks and bribes by using pass-through bank accounts associated with a shell company to funnel the illegal kickbacks and bribes to providers in exchange for purchasing the company’s allografts. Induced by these unlawful financial incentives, sales representatives and providers targeted elderly patients, many of whom were terminally ill in hospice care, and caused medically unreasonable and unnecessary allografts to be applied to these vulnerable patients. Between December 2021 and June 2024, Rowan and his co-conspirators caused the submission of $1.2 billion in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, TRICARE, CHAMPVA, and commercial insurers, of which approximately $614 million was paid. Rowan personally made over $24 million, which he used to purchase multi-million-dollar houses, million-dollar life insurance policies, luxury vehicles, and luxury watches. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Shane Butland and William Hochul III of the National Rapid Response Strike Force, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Williams of the District of Arizona.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Middle District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Hawaii, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nebraska, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Puerto Rico, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, 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 Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices, through their MFCUs, in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In addition, the MFCUs for Alabama, North Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virigina participated in the investigation of federal cases announced today.
Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.
The District of Arizona, in particular, worked with the Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit of the Fraud Division and the following law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the Takedown: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of War Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: U.S. v. Susie Kamien CR-26-0676-PHX-KML
U.S. v. Jimmy Muyumbu CR-26-0668-PHX-DJH
U.S. v. Sandra Peters CR-26-0673-PHX-SMB
U.S. v. Brian Rowan CR-26-0660-PHX-DGCRELEASE NUMBER: 2026-105_National Health Care Fraud Takedown
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Mesa Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Fentanyl Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Edgar Giovany Baca-Anaya, 27, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 120 months in prison, followed by 96 months of supervised release. Baca-Anaya previously pleaded guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl and admitted that the distribution resulted in the death of another person.
On June 23, 2019, in Mesa, Arizona, a man was found deceased in his apartment from an apparent drug overdose. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of death was fentanyl toxicity. Through their investigation, law enforcement agents learned that the victim contacted Baca-Anaya through Facebook Messenger and obtained fentanyl from him shortly before overdosing.Fentanyl is a man-made opioid 50 times more potent than heroin. Just two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially deadly dose. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, appearing nearly identical to other prescription pills, are often sold through social media or other illegitimate sources.
Legitimate pharmaceutical pills cannot be bought through social media. The only safe medications are ones prescribed directly to you by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. For additional information and resources, including a Caregivers Fact Sheet, visit DEA.gov/onepill.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Forsyth (N. Dist. Ga.), Brandon M. Brown, and William H. Bryan, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-22-01041-PHX-SMB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-100_Baca-Anaya# # #
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 Charged 330 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct Last WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 13 through June 18, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 330 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 153 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 148 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 25 cases against 29 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The 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: 2026-101_June 19, 2026 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 Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.