Southern District of California
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
El Cajon Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Conspiracy to Sex Traffic 15-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Samuel Melvin Cooper of El Cajon was sentenced in federal court today to 121 months in prison for directing a 15-year-old girl to perform commercial sex acts for his financial benefit in San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson.
Cooper pleaded guilty on October 14, 2025, to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking through Force, Fraud or Coercion. According to his plea agreement, Cooper was arrested in September 2024 by San Diego Police detectives during a traffic stop in an area known for street-based prostitution. Police discovered Cooper was tracking locations of two female teens, ages 15 and 18, on a cell phone application – a common method used by pimps to track the location of commercial sex victims under their control.
The case was further investigated by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force. The investigation revealed that Cooper had traveled by car with the 15-year-old to Arizona for the purpose of commercial sex work for Cooper’s financial benefit. Text messages revealed that Cooper intended to leave the 15-year-old victim stranded in Arizona if she did not make enough money through commercial sex work.
According to his plea agreement, Cooper admitted he also exploited another 15-year-old girl by directing her to engage in commercial sex for Cooper’s financial benefit. Sexually explicit videos and photographs of Cooper engaged in sexually explicit conduct with this second minor were recovered. Cooper was aware of the minor’s age as her date of birth, including the year, was Cooper’s unlock code for his cell phone.
“We won’t allow children to be bought and sold,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This sentence reflects the profound harm caused when predators exploit minors for profit.”
“Let this sentence stand as a clear and stern warning; there is no refuge for those who exploit or abuse children. I am proud of our Human Trafficking Task Force that investigated this case to ensure that Cooper would be held fully accountable,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Although nothing can undo the pain the victim has endured, we hope this sentence offers a measure of closure and a sense that justice has been served. My office will continue to pursue justice relentlessly, support survivors every step of the way, and diligently investigate these crimes. Above all, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protect the children of California and ensure they can grow up safe, supported, and free from harm.”
In the government’s sentencing memo, prosecutors noted that when San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force officers tried to interview the first 15-year-old victim after the defendant’s arrest, she was crying hysterically, denied any involvement in prostitution and refused to cooperate with the investigation. The victim’s mother has written a victim-impact statement to the court about how the girl is still a runaway and lost to her and her family. “That letter speaks more powerfully to the lasting trauma of living on the streets and being conditioned at such a young age that your worth is tied to commercial sex than any attorney can capture in words,” the government’s memo said.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Ko and Lyndzie M. Carter.
If you believe you or someone you know has been a victim of human trafficking, investigators ask that you contact the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr2623-JO
Samuel Melvin Cooper Age: 21 El Cajon, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking by Force/Coercion, 18 U.S.C., Section 1594(c)
Maximum penalty: Life imprisonment; $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
San Diego Police Department
Homeland Security Investigations
The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force is a cooperative effort involving the California Department of Justice, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, National City Police Department, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Probation Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, Southwest Border High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Special Victims Unit. Formed in April 2025, the SVU is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving sex trafficking and child exploitation, civil rights, and labor trafficking. The SVU oversees the Southern District of California liaisons to the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and Project Safe Childhood
Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests; Alleged Managers and Recruiters Charged in San DiegoRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Unprecedented cooperation between the FBI, Dubai Police Department, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security has resulted in the arrest of at least 276 individuals and the dismantlement of at least nine scam centers used for cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. These centers targeted Americans who have suffered millions of dollars in losses from such schemes.
This international crackdown last week was spearheaded by the Dubai Police, under the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Interior. Among the 275 arrested by Dubai authorities were three defendants charged in the Southern District of California with federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. An additional person was arrested by the Royal Thai Police.
Thet Min Nyi (27, a Burmese national), Wiliang Awang (23, an Indonesian national), Andreas Chandra (29, an Indonesia national), Lisa Mariam (29, an Indonesian national), and two fugitive co-conspirators have been charged with federal fraud and money laundering charges unsealed in San Diego today. Dubai Police apprehended Thet Min Nyi, Chandra, and Mariam, while the Royal Thai Police apprehended Awang.
“These scammers thought they were safe half a world away. But their world has changed. Global crime now faces global justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California.
“Fraudsters who target Americans from overseas cannot operate with impunity, no matter where in the world they reside,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The charges and arrests announced today reflect an international consensus that scam centers are unwelcome everywhere and must be rooted out. Scam center organizers and fraudsters who defraud Americans and others will face justice in American courts and in courts around the world. In contemporary society, fraud is borderless, and law enforcement activity to combat it and eliminate it is as well.”
“This operation demonstrates the FBI's steadfast commitment to preventing scammers from further defrauding the American people,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We can't do this work alone, and we are proud to coordinate and collaborate with our partners to hold accountable those who work to enable and facilitate these scams.”
“Today’s indictment demonstrates the FBI’s determination to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these global scam centers defrauding Americans no matter where they set up shop,” said Mark Remily, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement, private sector, and international partners to protect victims from cryptocurrency fraud, stop losses before they happen, and recover victim funds where we can.”
In 2025, FBI San Diego agents opened a Homeland Security Task Force investigation after identifying multiple companies and individuals managing scam compounds conducting cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. According to the indictment, two criminal complaints, and other court records, the defendants charged in San Diego managed, worked for, and recruited others to work at three different “companies” that operated several alleged scam centers: “Ko Thet Company,” “Sanduo Group,” and “Giant Company.” All six defendants allegedly engaged in cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes through “pig-butchering,” which is a type of fraud where scammers gain a victim’s trust over time – through friendship or romance – before persuading them to send money to fake investments which the scammers then take. Scammers entice victims with phony friendship or romance before financially exploiting them.
The defendants targeted citizens of the United States and other countries by cultivating trust and affection with the victims, based on the charging documents and court filings. After that, the scammers promoted investments in cryptocurrencies and assisted victims in setting up accounts and transferring cryptocurrency to investment platforms that, unbeknownst to the victims, were false. The alleged scammers touted their own successes and returns in cryptocurrency investments and encouraged their victims to invest more. They also encouraged their victims to borrow money from friends and family and take out loans, to be able to “invest” more. Unbeknownst to the victims, once they made transfers to the platforms the alleged scammers suggested, they lost control of their cryptocurrency. Fake platforms put the victims’ funds in the hands of the scammers, who then laundered the victims’ funds to other cryptocurrency accounts, including their own.
FBI agents have identified numerous victims around the United States through complaints filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Agents interviewed victims and analyzed financial and cryptocurrency records. So far, investigators have identified millions of dollars in losses caused by these cryptocurrency investment schemes operating across jurisdictions.
Thet Min Nyi, an alleged manager and recruiter for the Ko Thet Company, also called “Pixy,” managed scam compounds. In March 2026, a grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment against Thet Min Nyi and a fugitive co-defendant charging them with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, along with criminal forfeiture allegations.
Further, in April 2026, two criminal complaints in the Southern District of California charged Awang, Chandra, their fugitive co-defendant, and Mariam with wire fraud conspiracy. These charges were based on cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes from two other alleged scam organizations, Sanduo Group and Giant Company.
The Dubai Police Department, under the UAE Ministry of Interior, significantly disrupted the scam operations through their parallel investigation. The Dubai Police continue to collaborate closely with international law enforcement agencies to identify and dismantle transnational criminal networks, as part of Dubai’s commitment to combating financial crime and protecting victims worldwide.
Thailand’s Royal Thai Police’s (RTP) Immigration Bureau, Foreign Affairs, and Anti Cyber Scam Center provided significant assistance. Through RTP’s efforts, a key subject and defendant in this investigation, Awang, was apprehended in Thailand.
Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, provided critical information for this investigation. U.S. authorities appreciate Meta’s assistance in this matter.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Horn for the Southern District of California and Trial Attorneys Stefanie Schwartz and William Gullotta of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
FBI San Diego has investigated a number of other sophisticated cryptocurrency investment frauds. For example, Operation Level Up—which began in 2024 as a San Diego and Phoenix joint initiative—has proactively identified and notified victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. As of April 2026, the FBI notified almost 9,000 victims and saved victims an estimated $562 million. FBI-San Diego is also investigating the Tai Chang Scam Enterprise, a series of scam compounds located in Burma’s Karen State also conducting cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes against Americans.
If you have been defrauded out of your money by this type of scheme, please contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 26CR762-RSH
Thet Min Nyi
aka “Ko Thet,” aka “Ko” Age: 27 Burma
*Fugitive Age: 27 Indonesia
Case Number 26MJ2335-AHG
Wiliang Awang Age: 23 Indonesia
aka “Wiliang Ng,” aka “Wiliang Huang,” aka “Huang Wiliang,”
aka “Lincon,” aka “Lincoln”
Andreas Chandra Age: 29 Indonesia
aka “Andreas Chandra Kho,” aka “Jay”
*Fugitive Age: 22 Indonesia
Case Number 26MJ2437-AHG
Lisa Mariam Age: 29 Indonesia
aka “Melissa Chloe,” aka “Cipul,” aka “Naomi May Lingston,”
aka “Vanessa,” aka “Bella Theresia”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire fraud conspiracy (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349 and 1343)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of the gain or loss
Money laundering conspiracy (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(h), 1956(a)(2)(A), 1956(a)(2)(B)(i))
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the gain or loss
U.S. AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Secret Service
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
On March 6, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the Executive Order, President Trump is directing every available tool be used to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud.
Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests; Alleged Managers and Recruiters Charged in San DiegoRead the Press Release
Unprecedented cooperation between the FBI, Dubai Police Department, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security has resulted in the arrest of at least 276 individuals and the dismantlement of at least nine scam centers used for cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. These centers targeted Americans who have suffered millions of dollars in losses from such schemes.
This international crackdown last week was spearheaded by the Dubai Police, under the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Interior. Among the 275 arrested by Dubai authorities were three defendants charged in the Southern District of California with federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. An additional person was arrested by the Royal Thai Police.
Thet Min Nyi (27, a Burmese national), Wiliang Awang (23, an Indonesian national), Andreas Chandra (29, an Indonesia national), Lisa Mariam (29, an Indonesian national), and two fugitive co-conspirators have been charged with federal fraud and money laundering charges unsealed in San Diego today. Dubai Police apprehended Thet Min Nyi, Chandra, and Mariam, while the Royal Thai Police apprehended Awang.
“Fraudsters who target Americans from overseas cannot operate with impunity, no matter where in the world they reside,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The charges and arrests announced today reflect an international consensus that scam centers are unwelcome everywhere and must be rooted out. Scam center organizers and fraudsters who defraud Americans and others will face justice in American courts and in courts around the world. In contemporary society, fraud is borderless, and law enforcement activity to combat it and eliminate it is as well.”
“These scammers thought they were safe half a world away,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “But their world has changed. Global crime now faces global justice.”
“This operation demonstrates the FBI's steadfast commitment to preventing scammers from further defrauding the American people,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We can't do this work alone, and we are proud to coordinate and collaborate with our partners to hold accountable those who work to enable and facilitate these scams.”
“Today’s indictment demonstrates the FBI’s determination to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these global scam centers defrauding Americans no matter where they set up shop,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement, private sector, and international partners to protect victims from cryptocurrency fraud, stop losses before they happen, and recover victim funds where we can.”
In 2025, FBI San Diego agents opened a Homeland Security Task Force investigation after identifying multiple companies and individuals managing scam compounds conducting cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. According to the indictment, two criminal complaints, and other court records, the defendants charged in San Diego managed, worked for, and recruited others to work at three different “companies” that operated several alleged scam centers: “Ko Thet Company,” “Sanduo Group,” and “Giant Company.” All six defendants allegedly engaged in cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes through “pig-butchering,” which is a type of fraud where scammers gain a victim’s trust over time — through friendship or romance — before persuading them to send money to fake investments which the scammers then take. Scammers entice victims with phony friendship or romance before financially exploiting them.
The defendants targeted citizens of the United States and other countries by cultivating trust and affection with the victims, based on the charging documents and court filings. After that, the scammers promoted investments in cryptocurrencies and assisted victims in setting up accounts and transferring cryptocurrency to investment platforms that, unbeknownst to the victims, were false. The alleged scammers touted their own successes and returns in cryptocurrency investments and encouraged their victims to invest more. They also encouraged their victims to borrow money from friends and family and take out loans, to be able to “invest” more. Unbeknownst to the victims, once they made transfers to the platforms the alleged scammers suggested, they lost control of their cryptocurrency. Fake platforms put the victims’ funds in the hands of the scammers, who then laundered the victims’ funds to other cryptocurrency accounts, including their own.
FBI agents have identified numerous victims around the United States through complaints filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Agents interviewed victims and analyzed financial and cryptocurrency records. So far, investigators have identified millions of dollars in losses caused by these cryptocurrency investment schemes operating across jurisdictions.
Thet Min Nyi, an alleged manager and recruiter for the Ko Thet Company, also called “Pixy,” managed scam compounds. In March 2026, a grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment against Thet Min Nyi and a fugitive co-defendant charging them with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, along with criminal forfeiture allegations.
Further, in April 2026, two criminal complaints in the Southern District of California charged Awang, Chandra, their fugitive co-defendant, and Mariam with wire fraud conspiracy. These charges were based on cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes from two other alleged scam organizations, Sanduo Group and Giant Company.
The Dubai Police Department, under the UAE Ministry of Interior, significantly disrupted the scam operations through their parallel investigation. The Dubai Police continue to collaborate closely with international law enforcement agencies to identify and dismantle transnational criminal networks, as part of Dubai’s commitment to combating financial crime and protecting victims worldwide.
Thailand’s Royal Thai Police’s (RTP) Immigration Bureau, Foreign Affairs, and Anti Cyber Scam Center provided significant assistance. Through RTP’s efforts, a key subject and defendant in this investigation, Awang, was apprehended in Thailand.
Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, provided critical information for this investigation. U.S. authorities appreciate Meta’s assistance in this matter.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Horn for the Southern District of California and Trial Attorneys Stefanie Schwartz and William Gullotta of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
FBI San Diego has investigated a number of other sophisticated cryptocurrency investment frauds. For example, Operation Level Up —which began in 2024 as a San Diego and Phoenix joint initiative — has proactively identified and notified victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. As of April 2026, the FBI notified almost 9,000 victims and saved victims an estimated $562 million. FBI-San Diego is also investigating the Tai Chang Scam Enterprise, a series of scam compounds located in Burma’s Karen State also conducting cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes against Americans.
If you have been defrauded out of your money by this type of scheme, please contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 26CR762-RSH
Thet Min Nyi
also known as Ko Thet, also known as Ko Age: 27 Burma
*Fugitive Age: 27 Indonesia
Case Number 26MJ2335-AHG
Wiliang Awang Age: 23 Indonesia
also known as Wiliang Ng, also known as Wiliang Huang, also known as Huang Wiliang,
also known as Lincon, also known as Lincoln
Andreas Chandra Age: 29 Indonesia
also known as Andreas Chandra Kho, also known as Jay
*Fugitive Age: 22 Indonesia
Case Number 26MJ2437-AHG
Lisa Mariam Age: 29 Indonesia
also known as Melissa Chloe, also known as Cipul, also known as Naomi May Lingston,
also known as Vanessa, also known as Bella Theresia
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire fraud conspiracy (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349 and 1343)
Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of the gain or loss
Money laundering conspiracy (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(h), 1956(a)(2)(A), 1956(a)(2)(B)(i))
Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison; fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the gain or loss
U.S. AGENCIES
FBI
U.S. Secret Service
IRS Criminal Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
On March 6, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the Executive Order, President Trump is directing every available tool be used to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud.
Anti-ICE Agitator Unlawfully Present in the United States Pleads Guilty to Impersonating a Border Patrol Agent and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Jaime Ernesto Alvarez-Gonzalez, a citizen of Mexico who is unlawfully present in the U.S., pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he impersonated a U.S. Border Patrol Agent in order to disrupt deportation missions.
During an incident on January 8, 2026, Alvarez-Gonzalez closely followed an actual Border Patrol agent while driving a black Ford F-150 truck that appeared to be an undercover Border Patrol vehicle. The truck had a Border Patrol sticker on the windshield, non-functioning radio communications antennae on the roof, a lightbar on the dashboard, a license plate frame displaying the words “Ferderal Truck” [sic.], and handcuffs hanging from the rear-view mirror.
The defendant wore a face mask and thin green line baseball cap, typically worn by Border Patrol supporters, and made a recording in which he said he was actively looking for federal law enforcement involved in deportation missions by Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to a federal complaint, the actual agent who was being followed by Alvarez-Gonzalez believed the F-150 was being used by a legitimate federal law enforcement officer and he felt compelled to divert from his mission to “deconflict” for safety reasons. Generally speaking, law enforcement deconfliction is a process to prevent conflicts between different agencies or officers by sharing information about planned operations, such as surveillance or execution of warrants, to avoid having multiple officers/agents from different agencies working simultaneously in the same area. This is done to ensure officer safety, to prevent compromising investigations, to avoid confusion, and to promote public safety. Deconfliction is important to avoid a potentially dangerous situation where an officer or agency may misidentify another law enforcement officer as an armed perpetrator.
Alvarez-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of impersonating a federal agent and three counts of illegally possessing firearms. Alvarez-Gonzalez overstayed his tourist visa decades ago and has no lawful status in the United States.
According to the complaint and the government’s statements in court, when confronted by agents, Alvarez-Gonzalez shouted obscenities and demanded agents leave the community of Linda Vista. At some point, three additional vehicles drove to the agents’ location and began harassing the departing agents, chasing agents on the highway.
Alvarez-Gonzalez narrated this entire interaction on video and claimed to have brought in his “reinforcements.” On January 14, 2026, ICE-ERO arrested Alvarez-Gonzalez for his illegal status in the United States. Alvarez-Gonzalez had an FBI badge.
After further investigation, the government connected Alvarez-Gonzalez to three firearms illegally possessed by him: a Glock 26 9mm pistol, an Aero Precision Model X15 Multi-Caliber AR-style rifle, and an Interarms Hellpup 7.62x39 AK-style pistol. The government also seized ammunition from his place of business. Evidence showed that Alvarez-Gonzalez traveled to the Southern District of Texas to unlawfully possess firearms at a gun range in Houston. Alvarez-Gonzalez is unlawfully in the United States and legally could not possess those firearms or ammunition.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Siddharth Dadhich. .
DEFENDANT Case Number 26-cr-00911-RBM
Jaime Ernesto Alvarez-Gonzalez Age: 53 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Personation of a Federal Officer – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 912
Maximum penalty: Three years in prison and $250,000 fine
Knowing Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8)
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Removal Operations
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Customs and Border Protection
Federal Bureau of Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Alleged Guatemalan Drug Kingpin with $10 Million Reward Arrested in San DiegoRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Alleged Guatemalan drug kingpin Eugenio Dario Molina-Lopez, aka “Don Dario,” who is accused of being the leader of a transnational criminal organization known as Los Huistas, has been arrested in San Diego. Molina-Lopez made his initial appearance in federal court on Friday, April 24, 2026.
Los Huistas is a drug trafficking organization primarily based in the Huehuetenango region of Northwest Guatemala that borders Mexico and is engaged in a massive cocaine trafficking operation. Molina-Lopez was charged as part of Operation Guerrilla Unit, a multi-year investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), HSI Attaché Guatemala City, Guatemala, and the United States Attorney’s Office in San Diego. The investigation targeted Molina-Lopez, the Los Huistas organization, and its suppliers. High-level cocaine traffickers were targeted in a massive probe involving multiple countries, multiple law enforcement agencies around the United States, and a number of federal districts.
The indictment returned on January 29, 2019, charges Molina-Lopez with Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Intended for Unlawful Importation and Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine on Board a Vessel.
In March 2022, the U.S. Department of State announced that it was offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Molina-Lopez. This award was offered under the U.S. Department of State’s Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP). More than 75 transnational criminals and major narcotics traffickers have been brought to justice under the NRP and the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) since 1986. The Department has paid more than $135 million in rewards to date. The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs manages the NRP in close coordination with Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other U.S. government agencies.
Simultaneously in March 2022, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also designated the Los Huistas Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) and Eugenio Dario Molina-Lopez pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059 for drug trafficking that threatens the people and security of the United States and Guatemala.
“Cartel leaders don’t get to write the end of their stories. We do,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “And once again, the final chapter for a man alleged to be one of the world’s most notorious and prolific cocaine traffickers is here in the Southern District of California.”
“This operation demonstrates the effectiveness of the Homeland Security Task Force and our partnerships with agencies across the United States and Guatemala,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego. “HSI and our law enforcement partners were able to dismantle a major transnational criminal organization responsible for trafficking massive quantities of cocaine and threatening the security of both nations. This operation underscores the importance of a whole-of-government approach and the relentless commitment of HSI and our partners to protect our communities and uphold the rule of law.”
At Friday’s hearing, the defendant entered a not guilty plea. A motion hearing/trial setting is scheduled for May 11, 2026, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari.
DEFENDANT Case Number 19-cr-0327-DMS
Eugenio Dario Molina-Lopez 61 Huehuetenango, Guatemala
aka “Don Dario,”
aka “Molis”SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 959, 960, 963
Criminal Forfeiture – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 853Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine on Board a Vessel – Title 46, U.S.C., Section 70503(b), 70506
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
HSI Attaché Guatemala City, Guatemala
HSI Attaché Mexico City Mexico
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
U.S. Coast Guard
Drug Enforcement Administration
Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S)
U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
U.S. Department of State
This case 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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States Prevails in Wrongful Death Lawsuit Alleging Excessive Force by Border PatrolRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –A federal judge has ruled in favor of the United States in a civil lawsuit brought by the estate of a human smuggler fatally shot during a smuggling incident, rejecting allegations that Border Patrol agents used excessive force.
The plaintiffs included the son of deceased smuggler Silvestre Estrada, as well as two individuals who were being smuggled, Francisco Madariaga and Jaime Madariaga-Gonzalez. U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia ruled that the Border Patrol agents’ use of force was reasonable and that deadly force was justified when Estrada drove toward them in a threatening manner, leading the agents to reasonably fear for their safety. The court also found that less-than-lethal alternatives were not viable given the rapidly evolving situation.
The allegations stemmed from the shooting death of Estrada on May 14, 2021. That evening, at approximately 10:13 p.m., Border Patrol agents using surveillance technology observed Estrada as he picked up the cousins on the shoulder of State Route 94.
The Madariagas, who are cousins, were both undocumented aliens with Mexican citizenship and no legal right to enter or remain in the United States. The Madariagas had crossed the United States/Mexico border days before. Agents using fully marked Border Patrol vehicles found Estrada’s vehicle, and engaged Estrada by activating their service vehicle lights and sirens. Initially, Estrada pulled over and yielded to the agents.
However, as agents approached Estrada’s vehicle, Estrada sped off, and a high-speed pursuit began. The length of pursuit was approximately four miles and lasted approximately six minutes. During the pursuit, Estrada swerved in and out of the eastbound and westbound lanes of State Route 94, and at times was driving over 80 miles per hour. At trial, the Madariagas testified that, during the pursuit, they were both frightened and believed they might get into an accident.
Ultimately, Estrada’s vehicle entered a Circle K gas station from State Route 94. Several Border Patrol vehicles were pursuing Estrada at that time. Some continued the pursuit by following Estrada into the Circle K, while others surrounded the gas station and remained outside on State Route 94. Estrada sped through the Circle K property apparently looking for an exit. Estrada attempted to reach the property’s entrance/exit to escape the property but was blocked by a high curb that Estrada crashed his vehicle into. The right front end of the vehicle sustained significant damage. Unable to proceed further, Estrada backed up to a point where he was blocked in by a Border Patrol vehicle. Estrada stopped the vehicle for four seconds.
As stated by Judge Battaglia in his written ruling, “[w]hile the vehicle was stopped, Agents approached the vehicle because almost everyone—including the Madariagas—believed the vehicle chase was over . . . . Although everyone else believed the vehicle chase was over, Estrada apparently thought otherwise.” After briefly stopping, and as a Border Patrol agent approached, Estrada revved the vehicle and then accelerated forward in the direction of the approaching agent, getting within a few feet of the agent in 1.6 seconds.
Two agents, who assessed the situation as creating imminent danger of serious injury or death to the agent in front of Estada’s vehicle, fired upon Estrada’s vehicle. Almost immediately after shots were fired, Estrada’s vehicle turned back towards State Route 94, in the direction of another agent, who also assessed the same risk and danger to himself and also fired one shot towards Estrada. Estrada was struck and killed by one of the bullets. The Madariagas were not struck by any of the gunshots.
In his ruling, Judge Battaglia wrote about one agent: “One cannot expect (the agent) to have gambled with his own life by speculating on Estrada’s intent or planned trajectory and hopefully jumping away. Clearly, Estrada gambled with his own life.”
The judge wrote that another agent involved in the shooting “had little choice or option once Estrada revved up and then accelerated the vehicle in his direction.”
“The Court’s ruling confirms that these Border Patrol agents acted lawfully and appropriately under dangerous and rapidly evolving circumstances,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Federal agents are authorized to use reasonable force to protect themselves and others while carrying out their mission to secure our borders.”
“The safety of our agents is paramount, and any act of violence directed at them will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey Stalnaker, “The court’s decision affirms our agents’ authority to act in defense of themselves and the public when faced with imminent threats.”
This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Glen Dorgan, Lisa Hemann and Shital Thakkar.
PLAINTIFFS Case Number 22-cv-00373-AJB-BJW
Silvestre Estrada
a minor, by and through is proposed guardian ad litem Emily PrietoFrancisco Madariaga
Jaime Madariaga-Gonzalez
DEFENDANT
United States of America
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”):
- Wrongful Use of Deadly Force
- Assault/Battery of Francisco Madariaga and Jaime Madariaga-Gonzalez
- Negligent Use of Force
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 134 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 134 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On April 18, Ebelia Lopez Orozco, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found more than 161 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the cargo area storage compartment of her Kia Sorrento at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On April 20, Santos Andres Torres-Hernandez, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered two unauthorized aliens concealed inside the roof storage compartment of the defendant’s convertible Mitsubishi Eclipse as he applied for entry at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On April 22, Javier Torres-Alvares, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Torres-Alvares was intercepted by Border Patrol agents north of the border, east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Torres-Alvares was previously deported to Mexico in 2018.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Healthcare Worker at Detention Facilities Pleads Guilty to FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Neery Velazquez admitted in federal court today that while he was a healthcare worker at U.S. Customs and Border Protection detention facilities in San Diego County, he submitted almost $250,000 in false travel claims for reimbursement.
Velazquez, who worked for a government contractor, pleaded guilty to a single count of False Claim. He is scheduled to be sentenced before District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo on July 14, 2026.
Contractor employees are eligible to request reimbursement of their lodging, meal and incidental expenses when they are on “Temporary Duty” (TDY) travel more than 50 miles from the employee’s permanent home.
The defendant was hired in January 2020 to work as a “traveler” performing contracted services for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) away from his permanent home in Las Vegas. In 2021, however, the defendant moved his permanent home to San Diego, making him ineligible for reimbursement for travel expenses.
According to his plea agreement, between 2021 and 2024, Velazquez submitted approximately 35 monthly travel claims to his employer and falsely attested that he was entitled to reimbursement of his lodging, meal, and incidental expenses because he was on TDY travel.
Velazquez also admitted he submitted forged documents to inflate and support his purported monthly expenses. This included a forged month-to-month lease agreement with a fake landlord, along with a forged rental receipt signed by the fake landlord, to make it appear as if he was paying thousands of dollars more for rent of a supposed temporary home each month than he was actually paying for his permanent residence.
In total, Velazquez submitted approximately $244,019.48 in false travel claims for reimbursement. CBP reimbursed approximately $181,082.85 of that amount before it discovered discrepancies in the submitted travel claims.
This case stemmed from an investigation led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, with assistance from CBP’s Office of Finance, Investment Analysis Office. The investigation revealed that nearly a third of the contractor’s 100 employees on TDY status in the San Diego area were committing some form of travel benefits fraud. Investigators determined that such employees had submitted more than $1.59 million in false travel claims to their employer for reimbursement, which CBP later reimbursed. CBP offset the loss by withholding funds payable to the contractor based on findings of false claims.
The investigation and subsequent scrutiny also resulted in a reduction in travel claims submitted by the contractor to CBP. Notably, the submitted claims decreased from an average of $3.9 million per month in calendar year 2023 to $3.1 million per month in calendar year 2024, resulting in a cost avoidance of approximately $9.6 million.
“Every dollar stolen through fraudulent travel claims is a dollar taken directly from the pockets of hardworking taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We stand committed to preserving a government that stewards the public’s money wisely and protects it from wrongdoers.”
“This guilty plea sends a strong message that those who attempt to defraud the government and American taxpayer will be identified and held accountable for their actions,” said Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “We appreciate the coordination with our law enforcement partners in their actions to exact justice for these crimes.”
“This plea agreement highlights CBP OPR’s ongoing commitment to accountability and integrity, said Jeffrey Egerton, Acting Executive Director of the Investigative Operations Directorate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility. “Today’s resolution reaffirms our duty to protect taxpayers and ensure those who misuse government funds are held accountable.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26-cr-1544-CAB
Neery Velazquez Age: 31 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Claim – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 287
Aiding and Abetting, Title 18, U.S.C. Section 2
Maximum penalties: Five years in prison and fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Finance
Brothers Sentenced for Leading Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Distribution Network Linked to Sinaloa CartelRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Brothers Eduardo and Francisco Mendoza were sentenced in federal court to 15 years and 10 years in prison, respectively, for leading a fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution network supplied by the Sinaloa Cartel.
Eduardo Mendoza was sentenced today; Francisco Mendoza was sentenced April 17.
According to public documents, the brothers and other members of their organization were identified through a long-term wiretap investigation. As the investigation unfolded, agents identified the Mendoza Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), which operated in the Imperial County and trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Investigators learned that the Mendoza DTO was supplied by a Sinaloa Cartel-linked source of fentanyl supply in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. The Mendoza DTO obtained drugs from Mexico and then distributed the drugs throughout the Imperial Valley and elsewhere, including as far as New York.
Eduardo Mendoza was the lead defendant charged in a 12-defendant indictment with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. In 2024, agents conducted a multi-district takedown, which led to Eduardo Mendoza’s arrest in Oregon and Francisco Mendoza’s arrest in the Imperial Valley, California.
In his plea agreement, Eduardo Mendoza admitted that he participated in the conspiracy between at least 2020 through his arrest in June 2024. Through the multi-year investigation, agents repeatedly seized methamphetamine and fentanyl that was being distributed by the organization, including some of the seizures highlighted below.
“Imperial Valley. New York. Las Vegas. Oregon,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “This was a sprawling investigation into prolific drug traffickers. But we wiretapped their phones, seized their drugs, and brought them to justice.”
“The sentencing of Eduardo and Francisco Mendoza marks a significant victory in our ongoing fight against transnational criminal organizations that threaten the safety of our communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy, HSI San Diego. “This case demonstrates the dedication and collaboration of law enforcement partners to dismantle drug trafficking networks responsible for distributing dangerous substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine. HSI remains committed to pursuing those who endanger lives through the illicit drug trade and to protecting our communities from the devastating impact of narcotics.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shivanjali Sewak and Kevin Mokhtari.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 24-cr-0504-CAB
Eduardo Mendoza, AKA “Casper” 33 Niland, CA
Francisco Javier Mendoza, AKA “Pancho” 35 Niland, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl (21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 846)
Maximum Penalties: Life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a $10 million fine.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
Department of Justice Office of Enforcement Operations
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Air and Marine Operations
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations
U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
California Highway Patrol
Brawley Police Department
El Centro Police Department
Calexico Police Department
Imperial County Sheriff’s Office
Imperial County District Attorney’s Office
Imperial County Probation Department
Imperial Police Department
Westmorland Police Department
Calipatria Police Department
Imperial Valley - Law Enforcement Coordination Center
Imperial County Child Protective Services
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
U.S. Marshals Service
This case 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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 143 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 143 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On April 12, Ramon Ramirez Jr., a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 317 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the rear bed of the defendant’s vehicle’s as he tried to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On April 13, Gabriel Soto-Baez, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Ortiz was intercepted by Border Patrol officers lying on the ground in an attempt to conceal himself near the Tecate Port of Entry. The defendant was previously removed from the U.S. in January 2026 through Nogales, Arizona.
- On April 14, Zelin Chen, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers determined that Chen’s passenger presented false immigration documents when they applied for entry to the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The passenger was a Chinese national without legal status to enter the U.S. who had made arrangements to pay $18,000 to be smuggled into the U.S.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
High-Level Guatemalan Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 10 YearsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Jorge Campos-Oliva, aka “Peluda,” an extradited Guatemalan national, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison on charges of international cocaine distribution conspiracy.
According to public documents, Campos-Oliva was identified as part of a multi-year proactive wiretap investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations targeting high-level cocaine traffickers operating in northwest Guatemala and their suppliers. The investigation offered one of the most comprehensive views of the inner workings of cocaine trafficking in Guatemala, which sits between South American cocaine producers and Mexico-based drug cartels.
In public documents, Jorge Campos-Oliva admitted that he participated in the distribution of multi-ton quantities of cocaine between at least 2017 and 2020 through a drug trafficking organization based in Guatemala City, Guatemala. The cocaine Jorge Campos-Oliva distributed was then further distributed to drug trafficking organizations in Huehuetenango, Guatemala or South Mexico and ultimately to the United States. During the wiretap, agents intercepted thousands of messages, including numerous photos of cocaine bricks, such as the ones shown below. Indeed, Campos-Oliva admitted to distributing at least 2,000 kilograms of cocaine during his participation in the conspiracy.
In July 2020, Campos-Oliva was indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine intended for unlawful importation into the United States, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963. He was arrested on August 31, 2021 in Guatemala pursuant to an extradition request from the United States. On February 10, 2022, he was extradited to the United States. One month after he was extradited from Guatemala, on March 2022, the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) issued treasury sanctions against the Los Huistas Drug Trafficking Organization (“DTO”) and some of its leaders. Based on extensive wiretap intercepts, Jorge Campos-Oliva distributed cocaine to Augusto Jean Carlo Castillo-Hernandez (charged in 20CR2242-DMS), who in turn offered that cocaine to a leader in Los Huistas.
“The Department of Justice will aggressively pursue high-level drug traffickers who earmark multi-ton quantities of cocaine for the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the seriousness of the offense.”
“This significant sentencing demonstrates HSI’s commitment to investigating and dismantling transnational criminal organizations around the world,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “This HSTF investigation disrupted the organization’s ability to transport ton quantities of cocaine into the United States and safeguarded our communities.”
In sentencing Campos-Oliva today, U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw found that Campos-Oliva was an organizer/leader in the conspiracy, which involved extensive “coordination” in a “multi-ton” cocaine trafficking conspiracy that defendant operated with his brother. Sentencing for the brother, Fabio Campos-Oliva, aka “Black Chivita,” who was separately charged in a related indictment, is scheduled for May 1, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Sabraw.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 20cr2241-DMS
Jorge Campos-Oliva Age: 48 Guatemala
aka “Peluda,” aka “Papa,” aka “Magico”Case Number 20cr2240-DMS
Fabio Campos-Oliva Age: 50 Guatemala
aka “Black Chivita”SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 959, 960, 963
Criminal Forfeiture – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 853Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
U.S. Coast Guard
HSI Attaché Guatemala City, Guatemala
HSI Attaché Mexico City Mexico
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)
Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S)
This case 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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty
Former Teacher Pleads Guilty in $51 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme in National Fraud Enforcement Division ProsecutionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Former teacher Jeanett Valenzuela Ayub pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that she conspired with others to launder millions of dollars of health care fraud proceeds.
In total, Valenzuela admitted that she and her co-conspirators billed Medicare nearly $51 million for bogus prescriptions and were paid approximately $20 million, ultimately laundering at least $14 million dollars of Medicare proceeds and paying $3.7 million in unlawful kickbacks.
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
According to her plea agreement, Valenzuela and co-conspirators owned and operated multiple durable medical equipment (DME) companies, which sold orthotics – including back, wrist, and knee braces – to Medicare beneficiaries.
Valenzuela admitted that in operating the DME companies, she and co-conspirators paid unlawful kickback payments to sham marketing companies who provided bogus prescriptions for DME. The prescriptions were signed by physicians who had no legitimate doctor-patient relationship with the beneficiary; had not conducted a legitimate medical evaluation of the beneficiary; and had not impartially determined that the beneficiary actually needed the DME.
When agents interviewed Medicare beneficiaries during its investigation, the Medicare beneficiaries confirmed that they never spoke with a doctor, were never examined by a doctor related to the prescribed DME, and were not familiar with the prescribing doctor; never used nor even opened the packages containing the DME; and many of the Medicare beneficiaries still had the DME in their original unopened packages.
Valenzuela further admitted that she used DME companies to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare. Once Valenzuela’s or her co-conspirator’s DME companies were suspended from billing Medicare, Valenzuela conspired to put DME companies in the names of nominee owners while she and her co-conspirators maintained control of the companies and the monies received from Medicare.
Among Valenzuela’s co-conspirators was her brother, Fernando Valenzuela Ayub, who previously pleaded guilty to the same offense and is pending sentencing. When her brother was arrested on December 9, 2024, for his involvement in this conspiracy, Valenzuela absconded to Tijuana. Ultimately, Valenzuela was detained in August 2025 in the Dominican Republic after she left Mexico and traveled with family for a vacation.
After being detained in the Dominican Republic, Valenzuela was removed to the United States through Miami, Florida, where she was then arrested by U.S. Marshals and ultimately transported to San Diego to face the pending charges against her.
Valenzuela is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24, 2026, at 9 a.m.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blanca Quintero of the Southern District of California. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Chu contributed significantly to the case.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr2489-DMS
Jeanett Valenzuela Ayub Age: 51 Chula Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)
Two U.S. Nationals Sentenced for Facilitating Fraudulent Remote Information Technology Worker Scheme that Generated $5M in Revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced the sentencings of two U.S. nationals, Kejia Wang, 42, and Zhenxing Wang, 39, for their roles in facilitating North Korean remote information technology (IT) workers posing as U.S. residents to obtain work at more than 100 U.S. companies. The multi-year scheme used the stolen identities of at least 80 U.S. persons and generated more than $5 million in illicit revenue for the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Kejia Wang, of Edison, New Jersey, was sentenced to 108 months in prison. In September 2025, he pleaded guilty in the District of Massachusetts to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit identity theft. Zhenxing Wang, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, was sentenced to 92 months in prison. In January 2026, he pleaded guilty in the District of Massachusetts to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to the sentences of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton ordered the defendants to serve three years each of supervised release and to forfeit a total of $600,000 that was paid to them for facilitating the North Koreans. As of today, the United States has already received $400,000 of the ordered forfeiture amount. The court also ordered Kejia Wang to pay a judgment of $29,236.03 in restitution.
“For years, the defendants enriched themselves by assisting North Korean actors in a fraudulent scheme to gain employment with U.S. companies,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The ruse placed North Korean IT workers on the payrolls of unwitting U.S. companies and in U.S. computer systems, thereby harming our national security. NSD will hold accountable those who facilitate North Korea’s illicit revenue generation efforts.”
“This case exposes a sophisticated scheme that exploited stolen American identities and U.S. companies to generate millions of dollars for a hostile foreign regime. By operating so-called ‘laptop farms,’ these defendants enabled overseas actors to infiltrate U.S. businesses, access sensitive data and undermine our economic and national security,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “The sentences imposed this week reflect the seriousness of this conduct and our commitment to holding accountable those who facilitate sanctions evasion and foreign threats from within our borders.”
“Today’s announcement sends a clear message: U.S. nationals who facilitate DPRK IT worker schemes and funnel revenue to North Korea will face FBI investigation and potential prison time,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Working closely with our partners, the FBI will pursue their co-conspirators and hold accountable those who seek to empower the DPRK by defrauding American companies and stealing the identities of private citizens.”
“These sentencings should act as a deterrent to foreign individuals and entities attempting to illegally access and export critical defense information,” said Special Agent in Charge John Helsing for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office. “Investigating the theft, illegal export, diversion, or proliferation of sensitive Department technologies is a priority for DCIS, particularly where such compromises could enable foreign adversaries to use those capabilities against our nation’s warfighters. We will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who threaten our national security.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is steadfast in its commitment to protecting the integrity of the U.S. financial system from foreign adversaries and criminal actors,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy of HSI San Diego. “This case demonstrates the critical importance of collaboration across law enforcement agencies to disrupt schemes that threaten our economy and national security. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit our financial institutions and technology infrastructure for illicit purposes, ensuring that the United States remains a safe and secure place to do business.”
“Today’s sentences should serve as a warning to those who continue to carry out schemes intending to deceive U.S. companies,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto of the FBI Las Vegas Field office. “We will relentlessly pursue those responsible! The FBI is committed to working with our partners to expose and mitigate these fraudulent IT schemes and provide unwavering support to victims of North Korean cyber actors. The FBI strongly advises organizations to closely monitor their data, strengthen their remote hiring processes, and report any suspicious activity or fraud to the FBI.”
According to court documents, from approximately 2021 until October 2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators compromised the identities of more than 80 U.S. persons to obtain remote jobs at more than 100 U.S. companies, including many Fortune 500 companies, and caused U.S. victim companies to incur legal fees, computer network remediation costs, and other damages of at least $3 million. Kejia Wang traveled to Shenyang and Dandong, China on two separate occasions in 2023, to meet with overseas actors about the scheme, including a former classmate that Kejia Wang knew was from North Korea. Kejia Wang went on to serve as the U.S.-based manager for the scheme, supervising at least five facilitators in the United States who collectively hosted hundreds of computers of U.S. victim companies at their residences. Zhenxing Wang was among the U.S. facilitators who received and hosted victim company laptops at his residence. He and the others also enabled overseas IT workers to access the laptops remotely by, among other things, connecting the laptops to hardware devices designed to allow for remote access (referred to as keyboard-video-mouse or “KVM” switches).
Kejia Wang and Zhenxing Wang created shell companies with corresponding financial accounts, including Hopana Tech LLC, Tony WKJ LLC, and Independent Lab LLC, to make it appear as though the overseas IT workers were affiliated with legitimate U.S. businesses. In fact, these companies had no employees or operations and existed only to further the scheme and enable the defendants and their co-conspirators to receive proceeds from the scheme. The financial accounts established by the two defendants for these shell companies ultimately received millions of dollars from victimized U.S. companies, much of which was subsequently transferred to overseas co-conspirators. In exchange for their services, Kejia Wang, Zhenxing Wang, and the four other U.S. facilitators received nearly $700,000 for their respective roles in the scheme.
IT workers employed under this scheme also gained access to sensitive employer data and source code, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) data from a California-based defense contractor that develops artificial intelligence-powered equipment and technologies. Specifically, between on or about January 19, 2024, and on or about April 2, 2024, an overseas co-conspirator remotely accessed without authorization the company’s laptop and computer files containing technical data and other information. The stolen data included information marked as being controlled under the ITAR.
The other eight defendants indicted in June 2025 remain at large and wanted by the FBI. Concurrent with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the disruption of financial mechanisms of persons engaged in certain activities that support DPRK, including money laundering, exportation of luxury goods to North Korea, specified cyber-activity and actions that support weapons of mass destruction proliferation. The reward is offered for the following eight defendants who are alleged to have participated in the above-described scheme and one suspected IT worker:
- Xu Yongzhe (徐勇哲)
- Huang Jingbin (黄靖斌)
- Tong Yuze (佟雨泽)
- Zhou Baoyu (周宝玉)
- Yuan Ziyou (Samuel Yuan)
- Zhou Zhenbang (周震邦)
- Liu Menting (劉孟婷)
- Liu Enchia (刘恩嘉)
- Song Min Kim (also known as Chengmin Jin)
Previously, in June 2025, the FBI and Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) announced the seizure of 17 web domains used in furtherance of this scheme and the seizure of 29 financial accounts, holding tens of thousands of dollars in funds, used to launder revenue for the North Korean regime through the remote IT work scheme. In October 2024, as part of this investigation, federal law enforcement executed searches at eight locations across three states that resulted in the recovery of more than 70 laptops and remote access devices, such as KVMs. Simultaneously with that action, the FBI seized four web domains associated with Kejia Wang’s and Zhenxing Wang’s shell companies Hopana Tech LLC, Tony WKJ LLC, and Independent Lab LLC.
The FBI Las Vegas Field Office, DCIS San Diego Resident Agency, and Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Field Office investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Holcomb and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Casey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section prosecuted the cases, with significant assistance from Legal Assistants Daniel Boucher and Margaret Coppes. Valuable assistance was also provided by Mark A. Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, and Southern District of California.
***
Today’s announcement represents the Department’s latest actions to combat North Korean IT worker schemes as part of a joint NSD and FBI Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions effort, the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative. This effort prioritizes targeting and disrupting the DPRK’s illicit revenue generation schemes and its U.S.-based enablers. The Department previously announced sentencings of DPRK IT worker facilitators in July and December 2025, and February and March 2026.
As described in Public Service Announcements published in May 2024, January 2025, and July 2025, North Korean remote IT workers posing as legitimate remote IT workers have committed data extortion and exfiltrated the proprietary and sensitive data from U.S. companies. DPRK IT worker schemes typically involve the use of stolen identities, alias emails, social media, online cross-border payment platforms, and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere. North Korean IT workers leverage these third parties, which include U.S.-based individuals, to gain fraudulent employment and access to U.S. company networks to generate this revenue
Other public advisories about the threats, red flag indicators, and potential mitigation measures for these schemes include a May 2022 advisory released by the FBI, Department of the Treasury, and Department of State; a July 2023 advisory from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and guidance issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As described the May 2022 advisory, North Korean IT workers have been known individually to earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons programs.
San Diego Couple Admit to Two-Year Mail Theft SpreeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – David Anthony Burge and Kyrsten Renee Bospflug pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that for two years, they stole mail from multiple post offices, apartment complexes and business complexes all over San Diego County – converting other peoples’ checks, credit cards and personal information into more than $150,000 in nefarious profit.
According to their plea agreements, from July 2023 to July 2025, the husband-and-wife team worked as partners in crime, using stolen U.S. Postal Service keys and counterfeit keys manufactured by Burge to access and steal mail from the Bonita Post Office and apartment complexes all over San Diego - on Island Avenue, Georgia Court, Broadway Street, Ohio Street, 31st Street, Riviera Drive, and Pacific Beach Drive.
Burge and Bospflug admitted they altered stolen checks so they could cash them. They also impersonated victims at banks using the victim’s personally identifiable information – such as names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers and credit and debit card account numbers - obtained from the stolen mail.
For example, Burge falsely presented himself to at least three different banks posing as one of his victims, using the victim’s actual birth date, Social Security number and other information to open bank accounts in the victim’s name. Burge then mobile deposited stolen checks that were altered to list the victim as the payee, and then he deposited the stolen checks into the bank accounts that he opened and controlled. Bospflug admitting doing the same at two other banks, posing as a different victim.
The plea agreement details how Burge and Bospflug exchanged text messages detailing their crimes. For instance, in February 2024, Burge reported to Bospflug that “mail was scarce” but that “we have 2 amex” and “let’s see what we can do with these checks.” Burge and Bospflug understood “2 amex” to mean two American Express credit cards stolen from the mail, and the reference to “checks” to mean checks intended for others and stolen from the mail. On another occasion, Bospflug texted Burge to ask him to confirm a victim’s social security number. Burge texted back a photograph containing that victim’s PII. Bospflug texted back, “Nice, I remembered it,” to which Burge replied, “[N]ice job … hopefully it works.”
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on June 25 at 12:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Rogge and Eric Olah.
If you believe you may have been a victim of this crime, please contact the United States Postal Inspection Service hotline at 877-876-2455.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26-cr-00726-BTM
David Anthony Burge Age: 33 Chula Vista, CA
Kyrsten Renee Bospflug Age: 36 Spring Valley, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Mail Theft Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
United States Postal Inspection Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Boat Captains Plead Guilty in Deadly Maritime Smuggling EventsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Two boat captains whose ill-fated maritime smuggling attempt resulted in the deaths of four migrants, including two children, pleaded guilty in federal court today.
Jesus Ivan Rodriguez Leyva and Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna admitted to their participation in a wide-ranging conspiracy that involved coordinating with individuals in Mexico to smuggle aliens into the United States using maritime vessels.
According to admissions in their plea agreements, the pair was working with a Mexico-based smuggling organization that provided the defendants with a 20-foot panga with a single motor. On the evening of May 4, 2025, the defendants piloted the vessel from Popotla, Mexico, with 19 aliens aboard, overloaded and ill-equipped for any emergencies that lay ahead.
The captains expected that upon arrival into the United States, other individuals would meet them at shore, conceal the aliens in vehicles, and then further transport them to their intended destinations within the United States. But things went very wrong.
As the vessel approached the United States shoreline near Del Mar, California, on May 5, 2025, the motor failed, causing the vessel to rotate and capsize approximately 200 yards from the coast and throwing all the migrants – many unable to swim - into the water. Many survivors said the captains told them to remove their life jackets as they approached shore so they could quickly transition to vehicles.
Four migrants on the vessel died. Gorgonio Placido-Diaz, Marcos Lozada-Juarez, and 14-year-old minor P.B.P. drowned while attempting to reach shore safely. All three were found unresponsive near the shore and pronounced deceased. On or about May 21, 2025, a human foot was found on the shoreline near Torrey Pines State Beach. Based on a subsequent DNA analysis, the foot was found to belong to a 10-year-old minor, whose parents were also on board.
Each of the aliens was paying about $13,500 for transportation into the U.S.
Three other defendants were charged separately with Conspiring to Transport Aliens within the United States, in connection with the same May 5 fatalities. They have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced (25-cr-2056-BJC).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill S. Streja, Edward Chang, and Sean Van Demark and Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr2057-BJC
Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna Age: 31 Mexico
Jesus Ivan Rodriguez Leyva Age: 37 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Bringing in Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death and Aiding and Abetting – Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(II), and (a)(1)(B)(iv)
Maximum penalty: Death or life in prison and a $250,000 fine
Bringing in Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain – Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii), and Aiding and Abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison with a three-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force
U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations
U.S. Border Patrol
United States Coast Guard
San Diego Lifeguard Service
San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office
This case 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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA is the Justice Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 450 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 395 U.S. convictions; more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 111 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 111 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On April 7, Daniel Lopez Patino, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 124 pounds of cocaine concealed in the door panels and rear quarter panels of Lopez Patino’s vehicle when he applied for entry at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
- On April 8, Jesus Obed Mejia Cortez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, the defendant was captain of a fishing vessel that was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard with three undocumented aliens on board, including a man who could not swim and was not given a life vest. Also charged was passenger Diana Eloisa Huerta De Los Santos with Attempted Entry after Deportation.
- On April 9, Jorge Madrid, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, a Border Patrol agent found the undocumented alien hiding behind a rock, about a half mile north of the U.S.-Mexico border, east of Tecate. He was previously deported in 2023 from Nogales, Arizona.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Carjacking a Cabdriver at GunpointRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Manuel Joseph Rose III of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 10 years in prison for committing an armed carjacking and unlawfully possessing ammunition as a convicted felon.
Rose was convicted in two separate jury trials in October. First, a jury found Rose guilty of Carjacking and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Violent Crime. The following week, a different jury found Rose guilty of possessing thousands of rounds of firearm ammunition while being a convicted felon.
“An armed carjacking is more than a theft — it is a violent crime that leaves lasting trauma for victims,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This sentence reflects the serious danger posed when a convicted felon arms himself and threatens innocent people.”
According to evidence presented at the carjacking trial, a cabdriver was dispatched to pick up Rose on the evening of July 3, 2024. After the cabdriver took Rose to several locations, Rose’s behavior became alarming. He started looking around and slinking down in the back seat of the cab. This prompted the cabdriver to stop at a 7-Eleven to ask for help. When the cabdriver did that, Rose said “Why did you go here? Why did you stop?” Rose then pulled out a handgun, racked the slide of the handgun, and pointed it at the cabdriver. As the cabdriver ran into the 7-Eleven, he dropped the keys to the cab just outside the driver’s door.
While the cabdriver was in the 7-Eleven calling police, Rose picked up the keys and fled from the in the cab. Minutes later, Chula Vista police found Rose driving the stolen cab and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Rose refused to yield to police and instead led police on a high-speed chase across multiple freeways. Rose drove so recklessly that police terminated the pursuit to protect the public. Rose eventually ditched the cab in North Park and, when apprehended by police, denied ever being the cab. However, Rose’s DNA and his hat were found in the cab, and the victim identified Rose as the carjacker.
The firearm Rose used during the carjacking was never recovered by police. However, on July 8, 2024 - five days after the carjacking - Rose’s living area was searched. During that search, investigators recovered, among other items, ghost gun kits, semiautomatic handgun parts and two loaded semiautomatic handgun magazines.
The July 8 search of the defendant’s living area also revealed a rifle-style firearm and safe containing more than five thousand rounds of various caliber ammunition, high-capacity ammunition magazines, and various gun-related items. Rose was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a previously convicted felon.
While the jury was deliberating in the carjacking trial, a second trial began concerning the firearm and ammunition seized from Rose’s residence. The second jury found Rose guilty of possessing the ammunition but did not reach a decision on whether Rose illegally possessed the rifle-style firearm.
When pronouncing the defendant’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Todd Robinson described the cabdriver’s experience as “horrific,” adding: “No one should have to go to work and face the situation he faced that day.”
“The FBI worked diligently on this investigation and our collaboration with our partners at the Chula Vista Police Department was the driving force that led to a successful prosecution,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego will continue to engage with our partners to ensure all violent criminals are held accountable.”
“I would like to recognize the exceptional efforts of both our Patrol officers and Special Investigations Unit detectives, along with our federal partners,” said Chula Vista Police Department Acting Chief Dan Peak. “Their teamwork, professionalism, and dedication were critical in ensuring a thorough investigation and successful prosecution of the suspect.”
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr1586-TWR
Manuel Rose III Age: 40 San Diego, CA
CHARGES
Carjacking (18 U.S.C. §2119)
Maximum penalty: 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine
Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (18 U.S.C. §924(c)(1)(A))
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and a $250,000 fine
Felon in Possession of Ammunition (18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1))
Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison and a $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Chula Vista Police Department
United States Marshals Service
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Two Defendants Charged with Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in Overdose Death of San Diego ResidentRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed in San Diego Monday charging Maegan Hobbs and David Michael Richards Hansen-Taylor with distributing the fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 33-year-old San Diego resident.
According to court records, the pair sold the fatal dose of fentanyl in September 2024. On September 14, 2024, Hobbs allegedly warned the victim about the dangerous nature of the drugs she was selling, messaging him “to be careful with the next stuff.” On September 15, 2024, the day the victim was found deceased, Hobbs allegedly messaged the victim, “Did you feel the Fetty [fentanyl] at least?” The following day, she agreed to sell additional fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Hansen, who allegedly conspired with Hobbs to sell fentanyl, is also charged with counterfeiting United States currency.
Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team led the investigation. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith D. Ellison.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25CR2955-JO
Maegan Hobbs Age: 31 San Diego, CA
David Michael Richards Hansen-Taylor Age: 35 Chula Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1 – Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Count 2 –Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Mandatory minimum: Twenty years in prison
Count 3 (Hansen-Taylor) – Counterfeiting United States Currency – Title 18, United States Code, Section 471
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police Department
Homeland Security Investigations
California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force
California Department of Health Care Services
La Mesa Police Department
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 131 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 131 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On March 29, Alfredo Chavez Montoya and Claudia Patricia Rivera, citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 113 pounds of cocaine concealed in the ceiling, dashboard, center console, floor and back seat rest of their vehicle when they applied for entry to the U.S. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
- On March 30, Frances Goenett, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 102 pounds of methamphetamine and three pounds of fentanyl hidden in the car she was driving when she applied for entry to the U.S. through the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On April 1, Gonzalo Vargas-Castaneda, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry After Deportation. According to a complaint, the defendant presented fraudulent documents to Customs and Border Protection officials while trying to cross into the United States in the pedestrian lanes of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Vargas-Castaneda had been previously removed from the United States in 2011 via Nogales, Arizona, and in 2025 via San Ysidro.
- On March 31, Edgar Eduardo Valencia, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Valencia attempted to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry with an undocumented immigrant in the passenger seat. The immigrant told Customs and Border Protection officers that he is a U.S. citizen from Yuma, Arizona. Unconvinced officers further questioned the passenger, who eventually said he is a Mexican citizen who was not being charged a smuggling fee in exchange for transporting drugs for the defendant once in the U.S.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chinese National in YouTube Video Pleads Guilty in $27 Million Multinational Fraud Scheme Targeting 2,000 SeniorsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Jiandong Chen, aka “Little Tiger,” pleaded guilty in federal court today and admitted he participated in a $27 million fraud and money laundering scheme targeting approximately 2,000 elderly victims across the United States.
Chen, a Chinese national, is the second defendant charged in a five-defendant indictment unsealed in 2024. According to public documents, members of the conspiracy operated a series of technical support, bank impersonation, government impersonation and refund scams targeting elderly victims. Victims received unsolicited phone calls, emails, and pop-up ads directing victims to call a phone number. Unbeknownst to the victims, those phone numbers belonged to India-based scam call centers.
Once a victim called the call center, members of the conspiracy used social engineering techniques to build trust with the victim. In many instances, the conspirators had victims download commercially available remote desktop software, which the conspirators used to access victims’ computers and to carry on the scams.
One of the most frequent scams was a refund scam. Victims were told they were entitled to a small refund, for example, from a retailer for an alleged unauthorized charge. While pretending to process the refund, the victim would be accidentally “over-refunded” money. The conspirators would then instruct the victim to send the alleged over-refunded money through wire transfer or in cash via express mail to members of the conspiracy. In reality, the victims had not received any money.
After building trust with a victim, the conspirators would induce victims to send money to members of the conspiracy in the United States, in locations throughout Southern California, Nevada and elsewhere. The money was sent to members of the conspiracy, including Chen, most often as bulk cash via express mail packages but also as wire transfers. Certain members of the conspiracy also did in-person pickups of money directly from victims.
In one such instance captured in a YouTube video, defendant Chen traveled to a residence in the Los Angeles area to pick up bulk cash from someone he believed to be an elderly victim of the fraud scheme. In a video posted to YouTube entitled “CONFRONTING SCAMMERS WITH A FAKE FUNERAL (EPIC REACTIONS),” Chen was confronted by a team of YouTubers about working for a scam organization. Here’s the video.
In most instances, however, victims were duped into sending bulk cash in the mail. When that would happen, members of the conspiracy would provide India-based co-conspirators a fictitious name plus an address of a retail location that could accept express mail packages. Those names and addresses would then be relayed to the victims, who were instructed to express mail the bulk cash. Then, once a victim had sent the cash in the mail, Chen and his co-conspirators would use fake IDs to get the packages of cash sent by the elderly victims.
In his plea agreement, Chen admitted that he used fraudulent driver’s licenses or IDs matching the fictitious recipient names to retrieve the victim packages containing bulk cash.
Investigators identified over 2,000 elderly victims from throughout the country, including victims in San Diego, who were defrauded and who suffered more than $27 million in losses over an approximately two-year period between 2021-2023. Victims were in their 70s and 80s. Chen also admitted that he and his co-conspirators laundered fraud proceeds through cryptocurrency to transfer funds to foreign-based counterparts, to pay co-conspirators, and to fund travel to retrieve cash packages sent by victims, including trips to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Chen and four co-defendants were charged by indictment in June 2024. In August 2024, federal agents conducted a nationwide takedown of this investigation, which led to Chen’s arrest in the greater Los Angeles area.
A sentencing hearing for Chen is scheduled for June 26, 2026, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24-cr-1317-RSH-02
Jiandong Chen, aka “Little Tiger” Age: 42 Los Angeles, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349, 2326
Maximum Penalties: Forty years in prison; $1 million fine
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(a)(1)(A)(i), 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) and 1956(h)
Maximum Penalties: Twenty years in prison; maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the amount laundered
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
San Diego County Sheriff’s DepartmentSan Diego Police Department
San Diego Elder Justice Task Force
Chino Police Department
Coronado Police Department
Escondido Police Department
Glendora Police Department
Long Beach Police Department
Orange County Sheriff’s Department
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty in $65 Million Multinational Fraud and Money Laundering Ring Targeting SeniorsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Ziyue Zhao, aka “Chris Zhao,” pleaded guilty in federal court today and admitted he participated in a $65 million fraud and money laundering scheme targeting elderly victims across the United States, including in San Diego.
Zhao, a Chinese national, is the first defendant to plead guilty following a nationwide takedown in August 2025 of 28 alleged members of a Chinese organized crime ring.
The defendants, who are charged in various related indictments, are accused of participating in a massive $65 million fraud scheme targeting thousands of seniors across the United States—including a 97-year-old San Diego widow of a Holocaust survivor who lost her entire life savings.
Operating since at least 2019 and rooted in Southern California, the criminal network—primarily composed of Chinese nationals, many in the U.S. illegally—worked closely with India-based scam call centers. Fraudsters who took the calls posed as technical support agents, government officials, or bank employees, according to court records.
Victims received unsolicited calls or emails directing them to call various phone numbers, which, unbeknownst to the victims, were for the India-based scam call centers. Once connected, the scammers used scripted lies and psychological manipulation to gain the victims’ trust and often remote access to their computers. The most common scheme involved convincing victims they had received a mistaken refund and pressuring—or threatening—them to return the supposed excess funds via wire transfer, cash, or gift cards.
Victims sending cash were instructed to use overnight or express couriers, addressing packages to fake names tied to false IDs. These were sent to short-term rentals in the U.S. used by conspirators, including the indicted defendants, to collect the fraud proceeds.
In his plea agreement, Zhao admitted that to facilitate receipt of victim packages, members of the conspiracy, including Zhao, booked short-term rentals in a hub-and-spoke pattern: a hub would be booked for approximately one week; spoke locations would be booked nearby for shorter stays. After some time, members of the conspiracy would relocate to a new location and continue the pattern.
Once a victim had been defrauded, victims were instructed to withdraw bulk cash, to conceal the cash in packages, and to send cash-laden packages via express mail carriers to names and addresses provided by the conspirators. The recipient names were fictitious names corresponding with fake IDs. The recipient addresses were for the short-term rental locations.
In his plea agreement, Zhao admitted that he participated in the fraud between February 2020 through March 2021. During that time, the organization received approximately 1,269 victim packages each containing an average of approximately $14,000, or an estimated $17,776,000 in victim losses during just that time period.
This multi-year fraud and money laundering investigation was led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California and Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
A sentencing hearing for Ziyue Zhao is scheduled for June 23, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25-cr-1765-TWR-07
Ziyue Zhao, aka “Chris Zhao” Age: 30 Flushing, NY
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1 – Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud - Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1349, 2326
Maximum penalty: Forty years in prison; a maximum $1 million fine
Count 2 – Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; a maximum $500,000 fine or twice the amount of monetary instruments involved in the offense, whichever is greatest
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBSD)
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Mountain View (CA) Police Department
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FLDE)
Alachua County (FL) Sheriff’s Department
Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT)
Irvine (CA) Police Department
La Verne (CA) Police Department
Mesa (AZ) Police Department
Sarpy County (NE) Sheriff’s Department
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Would-Be Sex Trafficker Sentenced for Attempted Coercion of a Child, Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Young AdultRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Steven Terrell Lewis of El Cajon was sentenced in federal court today to 19.5 years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a 14-year-old high school student and attempted sex trafficking by force or coercion of a 22-year-old woman.
At today’s hearing, the adult victim addressed the court, describing the devastating harm human traffickers inflict and how they deliberately target society’s most vulnerable – including children and, in her case, individuals experiencing homelessness. The mother of the minor victim provided a written statement to the court, sayng the defendant’s “predatory behavior” caused “immeasurable trauma.”
Lewis was convicted by a federal jury on May 2, 2025. According to evidence presented at trial, on April 22, 2024, as the 14-year-old victim was walking to a friend’s house after school around 3 p.m. in El Cajon, Lewis used his vehicle to block her path on the sidewalk, exited his vehicle and snatched her cellphone from her hand to get her cellphone number.
Lewis then proceeded to send sexually explicit text messages to the victim before she was able to block his phone number. The next day, on April 23, 2024, Lewis continued texting the victim, except this time from a different phone number through TextFree, a mobile application and web service.
When Lewis identified himself as “Pimpin,” sent a sexually explicit photograph and invited the minor to “go get some money” with him, the minor victim immediately notified a coach at her high school. The El Cajon Police Department and San Diego Sheriff’s Office responded. The case was further investigated by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force.
After Lewis’ attempt to sex traffic the minor victim failed, one week later, on April 28, 2024, he began recruiting the 22-year-old victim through MegaPersonals and sent her to Roosevelt Avenue in National City, known as “the blade,” to work street-based prostitution for his financial benefit. On April 29, 2024, the adult victim was picked up by an undercover National City police officer posing as a commercial sex buyer and was offered resources to leave prostitution. However, Lewis continued to message the adult victim, threatening to kill her if she did not continue to engage in commercial sex for his benefit.
“Sex traffickers prey on the most vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This sentence is a strong reminder that federal prosecution awaits those who attempt to traffic human beings for profit.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndzie M. Carter and Derek Ko.
If you believe you or someone you know has had an encounter with Lewis, investigators ask that you contact the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr1349-JES
Steven Terrell Lewis Age: 40 El Cajon, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Coercion/Enticement of a Minor – 18 U.S.C., Section 2422(b)
Maximum penalty: Ten-year mandatory minimum up to life
Attempted Sex Trafficking by Force/Coercion, 18 U.S.C., Section 1591(a)
Maximum penalty: Fifteen-year mandatory minimum up to life
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force
Homeland Security Investigations
National City Police Department
El Cajon Police Department
San Diego Sheriff’s Office
San Diego District Attorney’s Office
The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force is a cooperative effort involving the California Department of Justice, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, National City Police Department, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Probation Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, Southwest Border High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Special Victims Unit. Formed in April 2025, the SVU is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving sex trafficking and child exploitation, civil rights, and labor trafficking. The SVU oversees the Southern District of California liaisons to the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and Project Safe Childhood
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 132 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 132 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On March 22, Jacob Ross Juri, a citizen of the United States, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 59 pounds of cocaine concealed in a non-factory compartment in the roof of the vehicle the defendant was driving when applying for entry to the U.S. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
- On March 23, Victoriano Angulo-Estrada, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, a Border Patrol Agent encountered Angulo-Estrada, who was illegally present in the U.S., about 1.5 miles north of the international border, west of the Tecate Port of Entry. He had been previously deported in October 2025 through San Ysidro.
- On March 25, Miguel Rosas Zambrano, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, the defendant was the captain of a smuggling boat that was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard about 3.5 miles west of Point Loma with eight undocumented Mexican nationals on board. Also arrested were Daniel Eduardo Guerrero Miranda, Jose Guadalupe Padilla Munoz and Maria Elena Tello Figueroa. They were charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Florida Man Admits Running Nationwide Bank Impersonation SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Albert Guerra of Florida pleaded guilty in federal court today to bank fraud and money laundering charges, admitting he traveled across the country impersonating bank employees to defraud victims—many of them elderly.
According to his plea agreement, Guerra and his criminal associates obtained bank customer information, called victims and falsely claimed to be investigating fraud at the victims’ banks. He convinced victims to withdraw cash and deliver it to purported bank employees—which were just rideshare service drivers that Guerra sent to retrieve cash from victims and to deliver back to him. Guerra frequently told the drivers they were picking up documents from “my grandma” and “my grandpa.”
The plea agreement details how after flying from Houston to San Diego on October 26, 2025, Guerra defrauded at least three victims in the greater San Diego area, collecting $13,000 from one victim, $37,000 from another, and $86,300 from yet another. Just days later, Guerra made a $24,000 cash payment for a Tesla Model 3 in Las Vegas. And in January 2026, Guerra travelled to Portland, Oregon, where he defrauded at least one victim out of $40,000.
Guerra is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino on June 18, 2026, at 9 a.m.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric R. Olah.
If you or someone you know is aged 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26cr607-JLS
Albert Guerra Age: 26 Miramar, FL
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bank Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2)
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $1 million fine
Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
San Diego Elder Justice Task Force
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
Portland Police Bureau (Oregon)
Federal Jury Finds Mother and Daughter Guilty of Medicare Fraud Scheme and Payment of Illegal KickbacksRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal jury today convicted a mother and daughter from Melbourne, Florida, of multiple counts of health care fraud, payment of illegal kickbacks, and conspiracy to commit those offenses.
The mother, Cindy Justice, was the owner and president of PureScience Rx, a pharmacy located in Poway. The daughter, Ashleigh Davis, was the operations manager at PureScience Rx and was a licensed pharmacy technician.
Following an 11-day trial, a jury convicted the defendants of orchestrating a Medicare fraud scheme involving illegal kickbacks and medically unnecessary prescription drugs, largely tied to purported “footbath” treatments. Evidence showed the defendants paid marketers illegal commissions based on Medicare reimbursements in exchange for prescriptions generated through telehealth encounters that never involved legitimate medical examinations. The kickbacks were concealed through sham contracts and fabricated invoices falsely portraying the payments as hourly compensation.
Trial evidence further established that telemarketing call centers targeted Medicare beneficiaries and secured agreement to receive expensive medications regardless of medical need. Many prescriptions were fraudulently issued using the stolen identities of nurse practitioners. The defendants then billed Medicare as though the prescriptions were medically necessary and based on proper evaluations. Expert testimony confirmed, however, the drugs—particularly those ordered to be used in footbaths—were not FDA-approved or supported by recognized medical compendia for such use. Medicare ultimately paid more than $4.9 million on the fraudulent claims.
“Medicare exists to care for patients—not to bankroll sham prescriptions and kickback schemes disguised as medical treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“The FBI prioritizes Medicare fraud and meticulously investigates anyone trying to scam the United States Government and its taxpayers,” said TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Today’s conviction is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of FBI San Diego’s healthcare fraud team and our law enforcement partners at HHS-OIG to holding fraudsters accountable.”
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2026.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blanca Quintero and George Manahan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Chu contributed significantly to the case.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr01229-LL
Cindy Justice Age: 70 Melbourne, Florida
Ashleigh Davis Age: 41 Melbourne, Florida
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud and Pay Unlawful Remuneration—Title 18, U.S.C. Section 371
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
Health Care Fraud—Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1347
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine (Conspiracy to Commit Health Care
Payment of Unlawful Remuneration – Title 42, U.S.C. Section 1320-7d
Maximum penalty: Four years in prison and $250,000 fine (Payment of Unlawful Remuneration)
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG)
Eleven Defendants Charged in Takedown of Alleged Gang-Associated Drug DealingRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Five indictments and one complaint were unsealed in federal court this week charging 11 individuals with distributing methamphetamine throughout San Diego County.
The charges are the result of a 16-month investigation by the FBI San Diego Violent Crime Task Force – Gang Group and Homeland Security Investigations that targeted Asian Crips-affiliated drug dealers in Mira Mesa and elsewhere. The investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, undercover agents and confidential sources.
In a coordinated takedown this morning, more than 200 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials executed four search warrants in Escondido, National City, Ramona and San Diego and arrested seven defendants. Four defendants were arrested on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
Including seizures today and throughout this investigation, authorities have confiscated more than 11 pounds of methamphetamine and two firearms.
“We allege that these defendants turned neighborhoods into a marketplace for drugs and crime,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “By dismantling this network, we’re helping give the community back its streets—and its peace of mind.”
“The success of this joint Homeland Security Task Force operation is a testament to the dedication, collaboration, and professionalism of all our law enforcement partners,” said Kevin Murphy, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. “Together, we have made significant strides in disrupting gang-associated drug trafficking and protecting our communities. HSI remains committed to prioritizing public safety.”
“Today’s multiple arrests of alleged violent gang members resulted from FBI San Diego and our law enforcement partners at HSI, SDCSO, SDPD, CVPD, and CDCR working together to stop the flow of drugs into our neighborhoods,” said TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “The FBI will continue to coordinate complex joint investigations to ensure justice is served and our communities are safe.”
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Keith D. Ellison and Daniel Casillas.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 26CR0903-DMS
Muriel Burless (Age: 43)
Eric Rose (Age: 45)
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual), in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years in prison; $10 million fine.
Case Number 26CR0904-DMS
Roy Elazgui (Age: 50)
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual), in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Case Number 26CR0905-DMS
Rex Hernandez (Age: 57)
Antonio Gregorio Amposta (Age: 52)
Jesus Rodriguez (Age: 49)
Clyde Johnson (Age: 64)
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual), in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Case Number 26CR0906-DMS
Jeremy Espiritu (Age: 36)
Albert Mora (Age: 54)
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute more than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual), in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty: Forty years in prison, mandatory minimum five years; $5 million fine
Case Number 26CR0907-JLS
Jason Quila (Age: 45)
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of more than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual), in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Forty years in prison, mandatory minimum five years; $5 million fine.
Case Number 26MJ01036
Priscilla Violante (Age: 38)
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine (Actual) and 40 Grams of Fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Violent Crimes Task Force – Gang Group (VCTF-GG), which included investigators from the following agencies:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Homeland Security Investigations
- San Diego Police Department
- California Department of Corrections
- San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
- Chula Vista Police Department
- National City Police Department
- San Diego County District Attorney’s Office Investigations
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and INTERPOL, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
San Diego Man Sentenced to Three Months for Smuggling 17 Protected Parrots and ParakeetsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Ricardo Alonzo of San Diego was sentenced in federal court to three months in prison for smuggling protected parrots and parakeets into the United States without the required quarantines designed to prevent the spread of diseases.
At a hearing yesterday, Alonzo was also ordered to pay $3,262 in restitution to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the care and quarantine of the parakeets. Three of the 17 smuggled birds died.
“This defendant used illegal smuggling practices that disregarded the laws of the United States, the lives of the birds he was smuggling, and wildlife within the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Our office is committed to holding accountable anyone who endangers wildlife and the public.”
“This investigation highlights the critical work our law enforcement officers undertake to protect wildlife and natural resources from exploitation,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Alonzo undermined the vital conservation of vulnerable populations of Burrowing Parakeets, Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots, and Red-Lored Amazon Parrots by illegally removing them from their habitat and smuggling them into the U.S., circumventing controls meant to prevent the entry of zoonotic diseases and other pathogens into the U.S. This investigation demonstrates the strong collaboration between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Department of Justice in bringing wildlife traffickers to justice.
U.S. Department of JusticeAccording to court records and evidence presented in court, Alonzo crossed the border on May 4, 2025, at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. During inspection, the defendant lied and twice stated that he had nothing to declare. The defendant’s lies were uncovered in secondary inspection, when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer noticed some lunch box-sized bags hidden under the rear seat of the car. The bags contained three chickens and 17 juvenile birds—the birds were later identified by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspector as 10 Burrowing Parakeets (Cyanoliseus patagonus), five Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots (Amazona ochrocephala), and two Red-Lored Amazon Parrots (Amazona autumnalis). The parakeets and parrots were juvenile birds of differing ages, likely between one week and a few months old, some of them appearing young enough that they could not yet fully walk.
Burrowing Parakeets (Cyanoliseus patagonus) are local to Chile and Argentina, whereas Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots (Amazona ochrocephala) and Red-Lored Amazon Parrots (Amazona autumnalis) are native to Mexico, the West Indies, and northern South America. All three species are protected and listed under Appendix II to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The lawful importation of these parrots and parakeets requires the importer to follow a process, and the birds must be subject to quarantine before they can be introduced into the United States. Many animals have diseases that can be transferred to humans (zoonotic diseases) or other animals, which can have disastrous health effects. For example, birds can carry and spread avian influenza (bird flu), psittacosis, and histoplasmos. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including the United States poultry farms. There are many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and have disastrous effects, which is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission.
One of the juvenile birds the defendant hid in his car and illegally imported
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabet F. Brown.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25CR2234-AJB
Ricardo Alonzo Age: 27 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Unlawful Importation of Wildlife – 16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A) and 3373(d)(1)(A)
Maximum penalty: Five years in custody, $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Law Enforcement
Homeland Security Investigations
Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Danxiu Wang, a Chinese national residing in California, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting she participated in an international fraud and money laundering scheme that tricked more than 40 elderly victims out of more than $1.2 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this case arises from an investigation into a call center scam that targeted elderly individuals in California and elsewhere in the United States in May 2025. According to charging documents, Wang and others used the following methods to defraud the victims:
- Technical support scam: Scammers pose as legitimate tech support representatives, claiming a victim’s computer or account has been compromised and tricking them into paying for unnecessary or fake repairs.
- Refund scam: Fraudsters contact victims with claims they are owed a refund, then manipulate them into providing banking information or transferring money under the guise of correcting a supposed overpayment.
- Bank impersonation scam: Criminals impersonate banks or financial institutions through calls, texts, or emails, creating a false sense of urgency to pressure victims into revealing sensitive information or moving funds to fraudulent accounts.
Wang admitted in her plea agreement that she met victims in-person to collect the funds. She kept a percentage of the fraud proceeds before passing the remainder on to other members of the conspiracy.
Wang is scheduled to be sentenced June 15, 2026, at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Linda Lopez.
If you or someone you know is 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833 FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You can also report fraud to any local law enforcement agency or on the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
The FBI requests that victims report:
- The name of the person or company that contacted you.
- Methods of communication used, including websites, emails, and telephone numbers.
- Any bank account number(s) to which you wired funds and the recipient’s name(s).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Brooks.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr4149-LL-1
Danxiu Wang Age: 30 San Gabriel, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Venezuelan National Convicted of Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Robert Antonio Bastardo Llovera, a Venezuelan national residing illegally in the U.S., was sentenced in federal court today to eight months and two days in custody for assaulting a federal officer near Mission Bay.
Bastardo pleaded guilty March 3, 2026, admitting that on July 15, 2025, he assaulted an Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation officer by biting him on the forearm.
During his arrest for an immigration violation, Bastardo engaged in a five-minute struggle with federal officers culminating in the bite. Bastardo was living in the United States without legal immigration status and was ordered removed by an Immigration Judge on June 10, 2025, after failing to appear for court.
“Our office will continue to prioritize the protection of federal officers engaged in their lawful duties,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Assaulting a federal law enforcement officer is a serious offense and any actions that put agents and officers at risk will not be tolerated,” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. “We will continue to hold all individuals who assault law enforcement or interfere with investigations and operations fully accountable.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel F. Casillas and Loren G. Renner.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25-cr-3017-H
Robert Antonio Bastardo Llovera Age: 32 San Diego, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Assault on a Federal Officer – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 111(a) and (b)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
This case 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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 133 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 133 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On March 9, Yu Zou, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Zou applied for admission to the U.S. in the vehicle lanes of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry by presenting false immigration documents on behalf of his passenger. Zou was taken into custody after Customs and Border Protection officers determined the passenger was a citizen of China who was unauthorized to enter the U.S.
- On March 10, Carlos David Lizarraga Santos, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 41 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the dash and gas tank of the defendant’s vehicle as he applied for admission to the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On March 10, Johan Estuardo Garcia-Grajeda, a citizen of Guatemala, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. The unauthorized immigrant was arrested by Border Patrol agents in the U.S., about five miles west of the Tecate Port of Entry. He was previously deported in October 2025.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Teen Hitmen for Sinaloa Cartel Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Two teenage gang members were sentenced in federal court today to 25 years in prison for attempting to murder a target of the Sinaloa Cartel, and for the collateral death of a fellow gang member who was fatally shot during one of the failed murder attempts.
“California Senate Bill 1391 made state prosecutions of 14- and 15-year-olds a practical impossibility regardless of the seriousness of the crime. Then, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Mexican Mafia-affiliated Westside Wilmas recruited accordingly,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, “No. No to the Sinaloa Cartel recruiting juveniles. No to the Mexican Mafia directing gangland hits in San Diego. No to a lack of consequences for juveniles who would do their bidding.”
“The sentencing of these teenagers sends a clear message: individuals who commit acts of violence, regardless of age, will be held fully accountable under the law,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge TJ Holland of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to identify, dismantle, and eliminate the violent gangs, cartels, and criminal organizations responsible for this violence. FBI San Diego and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate anyone threatening the safety of our communities, including those who mistakenly believe they can exploit juveniles to carry out violent crimes without consequence.”
In issuing the court’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson likewise warned that the Sinaloa Cartel, Mexican Mafia, Westside Wilmas, and similarly situated gangs “need to be put on notice that you don’t get a pass when you have a juvenile commit an offense like this.”
Andrew Nunez and Johncarlo Quintero – who were both 15 at the time of the crimes on March 26 and 27, 2024 – pleaded guilty in December 2025 to murder and attempted murder charges, admitting they were acting as hired hitmen for the Sinaloa Cartel when they made two attempts in five hours to kill the cartel’s target.
Nunez and Quintero were members of the Mexican Mafia-affiliated Westside Wilmas gang from the greater Los Angeles area. They drove from Wilmington, California to a Chili’s restaurant in Chula Vista, where their target was dining with his family.
The target and his family were leaving the Chili’s restaurant when Quintero and Nunez pulled up behind them in the parking lot. Quintero got out of the car and fired a single bullet that struck the victim’s legs. After that single shot, Quintero’s firearm jammed, and he was unable to unjam the weapon in time to shoot again. Quintero got back into the car Nunez was driving, and Nunez attempted unsuccessfully to hit and kill the intended victim with the vehicle. The teen gunmen then fled the scene.
Later that night, in the early hours of March 27, 2024, the teen hitmen showed up at the intended victim’s home to finish the job. They were joined this time by an older accomplice, 28-year-old Ricardo Sanchez. Nunez and Quintero each expected to be paid approximately $50,000. The trio approached the target’s home, carrying at least one firearm apiece.
Two family members and a friend of the intended victim were present in the home. Sanchez banged on the front door, and once the friend responded, Quintero and Nunez shot at the friend and fired indiscriminately at the family home. According to the plea agreements, Nunez and Quintero acted with the intent of ending the life of the friend and anyone within the kill zone they created in targeting the intended victim.
The friend was shot in the hand, arm, and face by Quintero and Nunez, but he survived. In response to Quintero and Nunez’s actions, the friend shot toward Nunez, Quintero and Sanchez to protect himself and the others within the home and, in so doing, he shot and killed Sanchez—a provocative-act murder to which Nunez and Quintero pleaded guilty. After that, the hitmen fled the scene.
The defendants admitted they were tapped to murder the cartel’s target because they were minors and, specifically, only 15 at the time. According to admissions in their plea agreements, the defendants knew—if apprehended for this conduct—that they were ineligible to be transferred to adult status under the laws of the State of California because they were under the age of 16 at the time of the offense. For example, among other discussions Nunez had with his co-defendant after being arrested, Nunez and Quintero talked about not being able to “catch a…707” because of their age at the time, which referred to not being subject to adult transfer under California Welfare & Institutions Code Section 707.
In February 2026, a federal grand jury indicted alleged Sinaloa Cartel associates Poly Antunez, Antonio Quinones, and Jovanny Enriquez for conspiring with the teens to execute the cartel target. The 15-year-olds were thought to be too young for serious legal consequences. That indictment charged the defendants with Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering, Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering, Conspiracy to Commit Murder for Hire, and Use of Interstate Facilities in Commission of Murder for Hire. That related case, Case Number 26cr402-TWR, is pending.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Goff, Peter Horn and Joshua Mellor.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr4822-TWR
Andrew Nunez
aka “Shooter,” aka “Felon” Age: 16 Wilmington, CA
Johncarlo Quintero Age: 17 Wilmington, CA
aka “Dumper”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering (Title 18, U.S.C., Secs. 1959(a)(5) and 2)
Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison, $250,000 fine
Murder in Aid of Racketeering (Title 18, U.S.C., Secs. 1959(a)(1) and 2).
Maximum penalty: Life in prison; $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Chula Vista Police Department
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
United States Marshals Service
California Highway Patrol
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case 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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Two Men Admit Pocketing Millions in Donations from Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium Meant for CharityRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Noly Hermoso Ilarde of San Diego pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he and a co-conspirator created a sham charity and then fraudulently pocketed millions of dollars in donations.
Ilarde and his partner in crime, Martin Jose Rebollo Jr., presented themselves as the non-profit “Chula Vista Fast Pitch,” a defunct charity that provided support for youth softball activities. They applied and were selected to provide unpaid volunteers to work concessions at Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium in exchange for approximately 10 percent of the sales going to their charity.
However, Ilarde and Rebollo admitted they paid each supposed volunteer about $50 in cash per event and then divided the remaining money between themselves.
Ilarde pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy. In his plea agreement, he admitted the fake charity received approximately $3.5 million in payments from Delaware North, the hospitality management company in charge of concessions at Petco Park, and more than $250,000 in payments from Aztec Shops, the non-profit in charge of concessions at Snapdragon Stadium. Delaware North and Aztec Shops deposited money into bank accounts under the control of Rebollo, and Ilarde and Rebollo used that money to pay volunteers in cash before splitting the remaining money. Ilarde admitted that he personally gained more than $550,000 from the scheme.
Rebollo pleaded guilty in December 2025 to Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Filing a False Tax Return and
Social Security Fraud in connection with the scheme. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2026. According to his plea agreement, Rebollo’ gain as a result of this conspiracy is greater than $1.5 million – which he failed to report on his tax return.According to the plea agreements, the defendants did not pay any funds to the Chula Vista Fast Pitch charity, and no funds were used for any youth softball activities or other charitable or non-profit purposes.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey D. Hill.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 26-CR-0643
Noly Hermoso Ilarde Age: 57 San Diego
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
DEFENDANT Case Number: 25-CR-4668
Martin Jose Rebollo Jr Age: 58 Chula Vista
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
Filing a False Tax Return – Title 26, U.S.C., Section 7206(1)
Maximum penalty: Three years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
Failure to Disclose Event to the Social Security Administration – Title 42, U.S.C., Section 408(a)(4)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
IRS Criminal Investigation
Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General
San Diego Man Indicted for $6 Million Counterfeit U.S. Postage Stamp SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO –Wayne Fister, aka Wayne Wong, was indicted by a federal grand jury for selling millions of counterfeit U.S. postage stamps, earning more than $6 million as part of the scheme.
The indictment, unsealed yesterday, charged Fister with Mail Fraud, Selling Counterfeit Stamps, and Money Laundering.
According to court documents and statements made in court, since July 2024, Fister used his account in an online marketplace to sell the counterfeit U.S. postage stamps.
In one instance, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted five different packages intended for Fister, in total containing more than one million counterfeit stamps. Fister is alleged to have procured the counterfeit stamps from a manufacturer in China as part of the mail fraud scheme.
Fister is also accused of using a significant portion of criminal proceeds from counterfeit stamp sales to purchase a home in San Diego.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan Brooks and Alyssa Sanderson.
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26cr0723
Wayne Fister Age: 38 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Mail Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1341
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison and $1 million fine
Selling Counterfeit Stamps – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 501
Maximum Penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1957
Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
United States Postal Inspection Service
More than 50 Charged in Thefts of Millions of Dollars in California Benefits for Low-Income FamiliesRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – More than 50 defendants have been charged in a yearslong crackdown on organized theft rings – many with ties to Romania – that steal millions of dollars in public assistance benefits from low-income families who depend on those funds for food, housing, and other necessities.
The cases are part of an ongoing enforcement effort in the Southern District of California targeting crews that allegedly exploit the government’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system. Investigators say members of these rings often descend on ATMs, often in the pre-dawn hours almost immediately after the funds are dispersed by the state, rapidly draining funds from compromised accounts and leaving vulnerable victims without the benefits they rely on to survive.
“These criminals target people living one paycheck away from crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Exploiting that vulnerability is as cruel as it is criminal.”
“These charges underscore the serious consequences faced by individuals who exploit federal programs for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Robb R. Breeden of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This scheme diverted valuable taxpayer funds from programs designed to support people most in need. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to pursue those who target the vulnerable and compromise public trust in government assistance programs.”
“The U.S. Secret Service and our partners on the Southern California Cyber Fraud Task Force are committed to combatting EBT fraud and credit card skimming,” said Andre Remy, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s San Diego Field Office. “This years-long investigation is a testament to the hard work and tireless dedication of law enforcement to actively investigate and arrest criminals that target our most vulnerable community members.”
Four of the most recent defendants appeared in federal court last week to face charges that they each stole public assistance benefits from low-income families that need the funds to pay for food, housing, and other necessities.
The four defendants are Razvan Balu, Juan Trandafir, Hassib Baraekzay, and Veronica Ochoa. Balu and Trandafir, both Romanian, are respectively accused of stealing $160,000 and $145,250 from victims’ CalWORKS benefit accounts. CalWORKS administers grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that are designed to help families remain housed. Baraekzay and Ochoa, who are U.S. citizens, are each charged with stealing more than $20,000 of CalWORKS benefits.
Last week’s arrests bring the total number of people charged with stealing CalWORKS benefits by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego to 52 since 2023. These federal arrests are the work of the U.S. Secret Service’s Southern California Cyber Fraud Task Force (SoCal CFTF).
The defendants sentenced so far in this crackdown are collectively responsible for stealing at least $4 million from the EBT accounts of hundreds of California victims, including scores of San Diego County residents. Please see chart below for status of all cases charged.
EBT theft has significantly impacted California, with substantial losses reported in recent years. Between June 2022 and January 2026, more than $310 million was stolen from EBT beneficiaries in California, primarily through unauthorized ATM withdrawals.
Balu was arrested March 1 in Los Angeles County for Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud during a SoCal CFTF operation targeting EBT card skimming fraud at ATMs, while Baraekzay and Ochoa were arrested in San Diego County on March 2 and 3.
According to the complaint charging Balu, between January 1, 2026, and March 1, 2026, Balu used the public assistance account information of approximately 210 victims who live in San Diego, Fresno, Los Angeles, Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties. He used this account information to make unauthorized withdrawals at Los Angeles County ATMs in which he accessed, attempted to steal, and stole from the victims’ public assistance benefit accounts.
During this period, Balu attempted to withdraw $196,650 and successfully withdrew $159,990 from the victims’ accounts.
EBT is a card-based system used to distribute government assistance benefits like CalFresh (food assistance) and CalWORKs (cash aid). It works like a debit card, allowing recipients to purchase food and withdraw cash at participating retailers and ATMs.
According to charging documents, the U.S. Secret Service has gathered evidence indicating members of what appear to be one or more criminal enterprises are stealing California EBT account information by installing skimmers on point-of-sale terminals and inside ATMs, often in communities with higher concentrations of public benefit recipients. The skimmed data is then often re-encoded onto the magnetic strips of cards that members of the conspiracy use to make unauthorized withdrawals and purchases.
These re-encoded cards are sometimes referred to as “cloned” cards. Cloned cards can be a blank white plastic card, or another debit, credit, or gift card. Cloned cards may have names or numbers embossed on the physical face of the card. A common feature of cloned cards is that the account number encoded on the card’s magnetic strip will not match the number embossed on the card’s face. To facilitate the use of the stolen EBT benefits, members of the scheme will commonly put stickers bearing the account’s PIN on the physical cards, or access devices, that are swiped at a point-of-sale terminal, along with the account balance.
Once in possession of the cloned cards, account PIN, and anticipated balance, the thieves will go to ATMs, often in the pre-dawn hours, to drain those benefits before the rightful recipients can access them.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sabrina Fève.
If you or someone you know has had EBT benefits stolen, San Diego County’s Department of Health & Human Services Agency requires that the theft be reported within 10 days. More information for San Diego County victims is available at:
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/ssp/ebt_fraud.html.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24MJ1234
Razvan Balu 35 Drobeta Turnu Severin City, Romania
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud – Title 18, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1029(b)(2), 1029(a)(2), 1029(a)(4), and (c)(1)(A)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the pecuniary gain or loss
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
U.S. Secret Service’s Southern California Cyber Fraud Task Force
San Diego District Attorney’s Office
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General
California Department of Social Services
San Diego Police Department
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General
Homeland Security Investigations
Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office
United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
LAST NAMEFIRST NAMECourt Case #
Date of Arrest
Disposition
Restitution Ordered
MIHAIBEATRICE23CR0794
3/17/2023
16 months
$305,274.52
GROSURADU23CR1164
6/3/2023
10 months
$25,700.00
CALINRICHARD23CR1165
6/3/2023
18 months
$95,304.06
IONITAGABRIEL23CR1165
6/3/2023
18 months
$21,510.00
IRIMIACONSTANTIN23CR1300
6/1/2023
18 months
$139,780.00
PIPKINSDEVONTE23CR1303
6/2/2023
11 months
$17,030.00
TROFINTUDOR23CR1655
7/18/2023
21 months
$186,450.00
CICAFLORIAN24CR0229
7/14/2023
State Custody TX
IORDACHEGABRIEL24CR0229
1/24/2024
20 months
$446,535.87
UDRICAROBERT24CR0229
1/29/2024
33 months
$446,535.87
UDRICAGABRIEL24CR0229
1/29/2024
20 months
$446,535.87
PUICUTAMIHAELA24CR0229
Fugitive
BUDAIOAN24CR0510
2/12/2024
6 months
$13,360.00
IONITAVASILE24CR0819
4/1/2024
6 months
$5,730.00
GEANGASUANDREI24CR0819
4/1/2024
6 months
$5,730.00
UNGURU DUCILADUMITRU24CR0822
4/2/2024
12 months + 1 day
$32,290.00
CALINROBERTO24CR0822
4/2/2024
6 months
$1,140.00
DOGARUMARIAN24CR0823
4/1/2024
30 months
$182,530.00
GASPARRAZVAN24CR0878
4/2/2024
10 months
$12,860.00
CRACIUNCATALIN24CR0967
4/16/2024
30 months
$223,240.00
PETRACHENICUSOR24CR1610
6/29/2024
14 months
$37,640.00
BUCURAURELIAN24CR2116
8/21/2024
8 months
$37,320.00
UNGURU DUCILAMARINELA25CR1815
4/30/2024
18 months
$22,710.00
TRANDAFIRJUAN24MJ1736
3/3/2026
Pending removal to SDCA
ARTENIANDREI24CR2103
9/5/2024
24 months
$483,650.00
ARTENIALIN25CR2872
6/23/2025
24 months
$483,650.00
FUMEASANDU24CR1877
8/13/2024
14 months
$47,060.00
BALAZSALIN24CR2047
9/9/2024
24 months
$154,260.00
IGNATIONUT24CR2009
8/28/2024
14 months
$30,060.00
STOICAROBERT24CR2194
9/23/2024
15 months
$88,040.00
STEFANMIHAI24MJ3480
fugitive
MIHAILESCUDORIN24CR2485
10/8/2024
37 months
$397,265.00
ARDELIANUVASILE25CR4656
10/29/2026
Motion Hearing/Trial Setting set for 03/20/2026
PARASCHIVCARMEN25CR4656
10/29/2026
Motion Hearing/Trial Setting set for 03/20/2026
IONITANICOLAE25CR1476
3/31/2025
16 months
$152,240.00
CHIVEAALBERTO25CR2983
7/2/2025
7 months
$199,100.00
YORDANOVYORDAN25CR0126
12/4/2024
14 months
$41,660.00
Chaabani Chaima24CR2713
9/24/2024
Sentencing set for 4/13/2026
StoicaFlorin25CR1148
3/4/2025
13 months
$46,160.00
VirtanRemus Cristian25CR0926
3/4/2025
14 months
$72,597.00
Nazaire
Devon25CR03054
5/29/2025
Sentencing set for 3/20/2026
PavelescuCristian25MJ2246
Fugitive
FrumosuAurelian25MJ2246
State Custody CA
MaresPetre Daniel25CR2002
5/2/2025
Sentencing set for 4/14/2026
MoldovanMarius Liviu25CR3822
5/5/2025
10 months
$41,460.00
MoiseiAdrian Florin25CR3061
7/11/2025
24 months
$142,240.00
OpreaViorel26MJ0156
2/10/2026
Preliminary Hearings 3/10/2026
BuleandraFlorin26MJ0156
2/10/2026
Preliminary Hearings 3/10/2026
MicaAlexandruIonut26MJ0156
2/10/2026
Preliminary Hearings 3/10/2026
BaluRazvan Alezandru26MJ1127
Pending removal to SDCA
BaraekzayHassib26MJ1140
3/2/2026
Preliminary Hearing 3/17/26
OchoaVeronica26MJ1184
Preliminary Hearing 3/19/2026
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 126 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 126 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On February 27, Ulises Gallardo, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, when the defendant applied for entry into the U.S. in his vehicle at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, Customs and Border Protection officers inspected the vehicle and discovered a human foot sticking out of the gas tank. The officers removed the rear passenger seats and carpet and found an access panel in the metal flooring of the vehicle, secured by what appeared to be weld marks. An officer began to pry open the access panel and found a woman lying in a puddle of gasoline in a non-factory gas tank compartment. She seemed to be in distress, unable to exit the compartment. She was disoriented and had what appeared to be chemical burns on her legs and feet. The woman, a citizen of Mexico without legal documents to enter the U.S., was treated at a hospital. She later told officers she was in the gas tank for about 90 minutes, covered in sweat and soaked in gasoline and unable to breathe. She said she felt very dizzy from the gas fumes and felt like she was burning alive but couldn’t get out because she was trapped inside the gas tank.
- On February 27, Jose Angel Vidal Ayala, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents intercepted Vidal north of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in a group of undocumented immigrants. He was previously deported to Mexico through Calexico.
- On March 3, Benny Jesus Niz Ledezma, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered seven packages containing 19 pounds of cocaine concealed in a non-factory compartment behind the radio of the vehicle when he applied for entry into the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former San Diego Securities Attorney Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Former Securities lawyer Robert Blair Krueger, Jr., was sentenced in federal court today to 12 months and one day in prison for evading his personal taxes. U.S. District Judge James Simmons Jr. also ordered Krueger to pay $357,666.41 in restitution to the IRS.
According to court filings and statements made in court, from 2017 to 2019, Krueger, Jr., 63, was the sole owner of The Krueger Group LLP, a firm that specialized in providing legal services to companies seeking to become publicly traded.
During that time, Krueger regularly received payments for legal services he provided to clients. In 2017, Krueger received more than $167,000 for payment of legal services. After providing his return preparer with false information about his law firm’s profits, however, he reported only $10,000 in receipts on his 2017 tax return. In 2018 and 2019, Krueger willfully failed to file a tax return with the IRS, even though he earned income during those years and was required to do so. In total, Krueger caused a tax loss to the United States of more than $130,000.
Krueger pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion on October 23, 2025.
Trial Attorneys Megan E. Wessel and Robert A. Kemins of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24-cr-02141
Robert Blair Krueger, Jr Age: 63 Las Vegas, NV
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempt to Evade or Defeat Tax – Title 26, U.S.C., Section §7201
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
IRS Criminal Investigation
Las Vegas Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Threats Against Two Federal Judges and Probation OfficerRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Latonia Smith of Las Vegas was sentenced in federal court today to 10 years in prison for threatening two federal judges and a probation officer, all of whom were involved in her previous federal conviction for death threats she made against lawyers in yet another case.
The sentencing hearing took place in Dallas, Texas, where Smith is being detained.
“Threatening the judiciary strikes at the heart of our justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “These were not impulsive words typed in anger — they were calculated, researched, and designed to terrorize. Today’s sentence makes clear that targeting judges and their families will be met with serious consequences.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a powerful message: the FBI stands firm against threats of violence and is unwavering in our commitment to protect every member of our community,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto of the Las Vegas field office. “Acts that endanger others — especially those safeguarding our democratic process — will not be tolerated. We are dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and investigate violent rhetoric, holding accountable anyone who seeks to harass, intimidate, or harm others.”
Smith was originally convicted in 2021 of mailing threats to, among others, certain lawyers involved in a civil case.
In the current case, after a six-day trial in June 2025, a jury found that Smith threatened U.S. District Judge Richard Franklin Boulware, who presided over Smith’s 2021 trial and sentenced her to 36 months in prison for that offense. The jury also found that Smith targeted U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey, who presided over the defendant’s supervised release, and Shawn Mummey, her probation officer.
The trial took place in the federal courthouse in Las Vegas. The presiding judge was Senior District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman, from the District of Oregon, who was appointed to preside over the case by special designation of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
According to court documents, in the weeks and months leading up to today’s sentencing hearing, Smith demonstrated no remorse for her crimes. In June 2025, Smith told Deputy U.S. Marshals “I won’t be locked up forever; I will get out. When I get out, people are going to die.” In February 2026, Smith sent a letter to U.S. Probation to indicate that she “will not be censored” and that she “will continue to wage war” against government officials and that the “road to systemic change has always been paved with blood.”
In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Mosman explained that “community safety” was a significant factor because Smith had “proven to be smart, strong, but dangerous.”
When Smith was released from federal prison in the first case against her, she was sent to Washoe County jail to face allegations related to an October 31, 2019, armed home-invasion in Reno she allegedly committed against another lawyer involved in a prior case..
Smith was granted bail in early June 2022. Upon her return to Las Vegas, Smith immediately began searching Google for information about Judge Boulware along with his wife, Las Vegas City Councilwoman Nancy Brune, and their family. At the same time, she googled “judges should die.”
Over the next several weeks, the defendant became increasingly frustrated with judges and anyone involved with her prior federal case. On June 23, 2022, the defendant emailed her probation officer and explained, “Some good advice: Life is short, society should be careful who they piss off.” Below the warning, the defendant sent a link to a YouTube video showing a six-minute compilation of cell phone videos from the October 1 mass shooting at the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
Over the next few days, Smith sent a series of emails. Some threatened a mass casualty event: “LET THE SHOW BEGIN. NEVADA IS GOING TO LOVE THIS!!!!” Some were designed to let victims know their loved ones were in jeopardy: “LETS KEEP [YOUR KIDS] IN FOCUS”.
Throughout many of the emails, the defendant made it clear that she had deeply researched the recipients of her threats, accurately identifying where they could be found, either during hobby activities, or in their actual homes. For example, to Judge Jennifer Dorsey the defendant wrote: “Tell Jennifer, Henderson is nice I see why she chose that area. Lots of shops nearby. Smart.” At trial, Judge Dorsey testified that the defendant’s identification of her personal residence was a significant factor in the decision to sell her home and move.
The victims of Smith’s threats testified at trial they were frightened and believed Smith was capable of violently acting on her threats as she had allegedly done in the pending case regarding the armed home invasion targeting the lawyer in Reno.
The investigation, which was led by the FBI, found that Smith, who has a biochemistry degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Googled phrases like “judges die,” “how to become a bomb maker,” “how to be a mass shooter,” “buying a gun,” and “ar 15 for sale.” She also watched the compilation of videos from the October 1 mass shooting 13 times over a three-week period. At the same time, the defendant repeatedly searched the names of her targets, some of their children, and some of their home addresses. The jury deliberated for less than a day before returning a guilty verdict on three counts of cyberstalking for the emails sent to Judges Dorsey and Boulware, along with her probation officer. The jury acquitted the defendant on the other two counts of cyberstalking.
Smith’s prosecution was initiated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, out of their office in Reno. In March 2024, the Department of Justice recused the entire U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada and had the prosecution reassigned.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Haden and Francisco Nagel for the Southern District of California, both of whom were named Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Las Vegas after the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada was recused.
DEFENDANT Case Number 22CR051-MWM
Latonia Dyshawna Smith Age: 32 Las Vegas, NV
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Three Counts of Cyberstalking – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 2261A
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison, as to each count of conviction
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Nearly Half Ton of Liquid Meth Seized at Otay Mesa Cargo FacilityRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 944 pounds of liquid methamphetamine concealed inside the fuel tank of a 2019 Kenworth T680 commercial tractor-trailer at the Otay Mesa Import Cargo Facility yesterday.
The driver, Oscar Alonzo Cesena Camacho, a Mexican citizen traveling on a business visa, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, on March 2 at approximately 11:20 a.m., a Customs and Border Protection officer observed a white, crystalline substance atop the passenger-side fuel tank.
Further inspection of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of 29 buckets-worth of liquid concealed in the passenger-side fuel tank of the vehicle, with a total approximate weight of 428.60 kilograms (944.90 lbs.). A sample of the substance contained within the fuel tank field tested positive for the characteristics of methamphetamine.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26mj1162
Oscar Alonzo Cesena Camacho Age: 26 City of Residence: Tijuana, BC
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Importation of a Controlled Substance – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 952 and 960
Maximum penalty: Life in prison with mandatory minimum 10 years, $10 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Further inspection of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of 29 buckets-worth of liquid concealed in the passenger-side fuel tank of the vehicle
Federal Jury Finds Former San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Guilty in Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Fleeing ArresteeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal jury today convicted former San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Richard Russell in the fatal shooting of a 36-year-old unarmed man who was shot four times from behind while running away from authorities.
Following a two-week trial and less than seven hours of deliberation, the jury found that Russell violated the civil rights of the victim in taking his life by shooting him in the back as he ran away. He was convicted on both counts filed against him - Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law and Use and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence.
Russell is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson. He was allowed to remain free on bond. Russell faces a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and up to life in prison.
“This is an important verdict because it demonstrates our commitment to impartially and unceasingly seeking justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Civil rights have long been a priority for the FBI,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge TJ Holland of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “In conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI will vigorously investigate any potential violations.”
According to evidence presented at trial, on May 1, 2020, Russell – who at the time was a deputy with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department – fired five shots at the victim, N.B. – who was unarmed – as he attempted to flee from custody while California State Parks Police officers were transporting him to the San Diego Central Jail in downtown San Diego. The victim was struck multiple times, including once squarely in the back. That shot punctured his lung and struck his heart, and N.B. died as a result of the multiple gunshots.
The initial encounter with the victim began on the afternoon of May 1, 2020, when a California State Parks officer approached N.B. in the Old Town State Historic Park because she saw him hitting golf balls to his dog while the park was closed by COVID-19 regulations. N.B. ran from the officer, who chased him on foot.
A short time later, N.B. was taken into custody. He was searched and handcuffed before being placed into the back of a law enforcement vehicle for transport to the San Diego Central Jail, located at Front and B Streets in downtown San Diego. Due to COVID-19 protocols in place at the time, the officers traveled in separate vehicles.
The transport was uneventful until they arrived at the intersection in front of the jail. As they pulled through the intersection and up to the jail’s sallyport, N.B. slipped one hand free from his handcuffs, managed to get his arm through the partially lowered rear passenger window – which had been lowered pursuant to a COVID-19 protocol to allow for ventilation – and was able to open the rear passenger door from the outside.
N.B. opened the rear door, exited the sedan, and briefly attempted to prevent the California State Parks officer in the other vehicle from exiting his truck before turning and running northbound on Front Street. That officer was only momentarily delayed and chased N.B., only a few feet behind.
At the same time, the defendant and another deputy were standing at the intersection of Front and B Streets. The defendant immediately stepped into the street, drew his firearm, and fired five shots in rapid succession at close range. No other officer even pulled their firearm, and at trial, multiple officers testified that it was apparent that N.B. was not a threat to anyone, that they never for a moment considered shooting N.B., and that it “wasn’t even a close call.” Other eyewitnesses, including a nurse and a firefighter, testified that they were “shocked” that the defendant shot N.B. in the back.
Four of the rounds fired by the defendant struck N.B., including one that entered his back and fatally pierced his heart and lung. N.B. staggered to the northwest corner of Front and B Streets, where he collapsed, his body falling half on the sidewalk and half in a planter next to a tree. Other officers and paramedics tried to save his life, but he was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the hospital.
The shooting was captured on multiple surveillance cameras along Front Street, as well as on body-worn camera footage from officers who responded to the scene shortly afterward. The fifth round fired by the defendant struck the driver’s side fog lamp of a civilian’s vehicle that was traveling southbound on Front Street.
The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 16, 2024. Russell’s first trial on the charged offenses in May 2025 ended when the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Askins and Michael Songer and Department of Justice Civil Rights Trial Attorney Lia Wright Tesconi.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24-cr-1015-TWR
Aaron Richard Russell Age: 29
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law Using a Dangerous Weapon and Resulting in Death – 18 U.S.C. § 242
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $500,000 fine
Use and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence – 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory Minimum 10 years in prison and $500,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Alleged Boss of Violent Sinaloa Cartel Indicted on Drug, Firearm and Material Support of Terrorism ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted an alleged boss of the violent Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico on drug, firearm, and material support of terrorism charges.
JESUS OMAR IBARRA FELIX led an armed security group known as the Las Fuerzas Especiales de Chuta (FECH), which engaged in armed conflict on behalf of the Guzman faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization previously headed by Joaquin Guzman Loera, also known as “El Chapo,” according to an indictment returned Thursday in the Northern District of Illinois. Ibarra Felix’s group allegedly provided armed security in support of Guzman Loera’s four sons, collectively known as “the Chapitos,” who took over leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel after Guzman Loera’s arrest in 2016. Guzman Loera was later convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn, N.Y., and sentenced to life in prison.
The indictment alleges that from 2016 to 2026, Ibarra Felix supplied machineguns to the Chapitos and conspired with them and others to import methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States from Mexico. One of the alleged co-conspirators—Fausto Isidro Meza Flores—worked with Ibarra Flores to deploy the armed guards, the indictment states. Meza Flores was indicted in 2019 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and is currently on the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
In addition to leading the FECH, the indictment accuses Ibarra Felix of serving as a “plaza boss,” overseeing drug trafficking operations in his assigned region near Ahome, Mexico, from 2016 to 2025.
The indictment charges Ibarra Felix, also known as “El Chuta,” 49, of Los Mochis, Mexico, with terrorism, drug, and firearm charges. The charges are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Ibarra Felix is not in custody, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The indictment is the result of a collaboration between prosecutors in the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of California, as well as law enforcement partners from the FBI’s Washington, D.C. and San Diego Field Offices, and Homeland Security Investigations’ San Diego and Arizona offices.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Adam Gordon, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, Darren Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington, D.C. Field Office, TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office, Kevin Murphy, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI San Diego, and Matthew Murphy, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI Arizona. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Maione, Michelle Parthum, and Hanna Helwig of the Northern District of Illinois and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton of the Southern District of California.
The indictment was announced as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve various law enforcement goals, including the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect American communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
“The indictment of El Chuta should leave no doubt that this Administration is going to aggressively pursue transnational criminal organizations and hold their highest-ranking members accountable for poisoning the American public with illegal and harmful drugs and for the violence they perpetrate in the process,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of violent drug cartels, several of which, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have very deservedly been designated as foreign terrorist organizations. Working closely with other prosecutors and law enforcement partners across the United States, our goal is crystal clear: to disrupt and dismantle the cartels’ drug empire and bring its leaders to justice.”
“The indictment of El Chuta reinforces a simple message to him and other Sinaloa Cartel leaders: Foreign terrorist organizations may operate across borders–but justice doesn’t stop at them,” said U.S. Attorney Gordon.
“Ibarra Felix allegedly led an armed security group that committed heinous acts of violence in defense of the Sinaloa Cartel and its illicit drug trafficking monopoly,” said FBI Washington Assistant Director in Charge Cox. “His indictment is the first step toward bringing him to justice for facilitating the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the U.S. and the terrorization of communities in Ahome.”
“This indictment makes clear that Jesus Omar Ibarra Felix would do whatever it took to reap the spoils of his alleged illicit cartel activities,” said FBI San Diego Acting SAC Holland. “It is the FBI’s priority to dismantle and eliminate these designated foreign terrorist organizations, so they can no longer threaten our communities with guns and drugs and violence. The FBI will remain relentless until we achieve this mission.”
“The indictment of Ibarra Felix underscores HSI’s dedication to disrupting transnational criminal organizations operating in the United States and abroad,” said HSI San Diego Acting SAC Murphy. “This major impact to Sinaloa cartel leadership is the result of persistent investigative efforts by HSI and our partner agencies to bring criminals to justice, protect our communities, and safeguard our nation.”
“This indictment underscores the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to disrupt and dismantle violent transnational criminal organizations that threaten the safety of our communities,” said HSI Arizona Acting SAC Murphy. “HSI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure those responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs and perpetrating violence are brought to justice.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sinaloa Cartel Leader Charged with Narcoterrorism, Material Support of Terrorism and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A superseding indictment unsealed today charges René Arzate-García, aka “La Rana,” alleged Tijuana plaza boss for the Sinaloa Cartel, with Narcoterrorism and Material Support of Terrorism in connection with trafficking massive amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States.
Also today, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced that it is offering up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of La Rana and his brother, Alfonso Arzate-García, a/k/a “Aquiles.” These rewards are offered in coordination with the DEA San Diego Field Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California in a unified effort to bring the brothers to justice.
“Foreign terrorist organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel have spent decades poisoning our children and committing acts of unimaginable violence against innocent civilians -- no longer under President Trump,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This latest indictment, which follows the landmark conviction of Sinaloa Cartel co-founder “El Mayo” on American soil, is a key development in this Department of Justice's ongoing campaign to permanently dismantle these cartels and deliver American justice to their cowardly leaders.”
“The FBI and its partners commitment to thwarting the Sinaloa Cartel is unwavering,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We will continue to use everything at our disposal to disrupt their operations and prevent further drugs and violence from coming into our communities. The Sinaloa Cartel, including its leaders, will be forced to face the consequences of their actions.”
“Rene Arzate-García is a ruthless Sinaloa Cartel plaza boss who is accused of exploiting U.S. ports of entry to flood our nation with fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “He and his brother, Alfonso, are among DEA’s wanted fugitives for these alleged crimes against the United States. This superseding indictment underscores Arzate-García’s role, not only as a cartel operative but as a narco-terrorist who preys on vulnerabilities to flood communities with poison, violence, and fear. I want to recognize U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for his leadership and his aggressive pursuit of those who traffic deadly drugs into our country. His partnership and resolve have been instrumental in advancing this case and ensuring that cartel leaders are held accountable. DEA remains relentless in its mission to dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel, a foreign terrorist organization, and bring its members to justice.”
“To the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel who remain at large: Hide. Run. Fight. Flee. The illusion is that you have a choice. The reality is that you can either surrender to justice or you’ll be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon of the Southern District of California.
“President Donald Trump has made clear that narcoterrorists sending deadly drugs to the United States will be tracked down and prosecuted,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “Under the Narcotics Rewards Program, we are offering rewards of up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of René and Alfonso Arzate-García, key figures sustaining the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations at the U.S. border with Mexico in Tijuana.”
“René Arzate-García has progressed up the ranks of the Sinaloa Cartel to become one of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers in the region,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge TJ Holland of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, the Sinaloa Cartel threatens our national security and the safety of our citizens. FBI San Diego, in coordination with our local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate these transnational criminal organizations and their leaders targeting our neighborhoods with narcoterrorism and other criminal activity until they are eliminated from our communities.”
“Those who traffic in violence, corruption, fear, and addiction destroy lives and destabilize our communities,” said James Nunnallee of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) San Diego. “The DEA remains unwavering in our mission to dismantle Foreign Terrorist Organizations and drug trafficking networks that threaten public safety and national security.”
“This indictment demonstrates the power of financial investigations in dismantling criminal enterprises that fuel violence and terror. René Arzate-García and his co-conspirators allegedly laundered millions in drug proceeds through complex international transactions designed to hide the source and ownership of illicit funds,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “IRS-CI followed the money, exposing the financial lifelines that sustain narcoterrorism and global drug trafficking. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure these organizations are stripped of their resources and held accountable for their crimes.”
According to court documents, René Arzate-García is a Baja California, Mexico-based “plaza boss” for the Sinaloa Cartel, along with his brother Alfonso Arzate-García, aka “Aquiles” (previously charged in case number 14-cr-00722-DMS). René Arzate-García manages the cartel’s drug trafficking operations in Tijuana and the surrounding municipalities and is involved in importing large quantities of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, into the United States. Known to be extremely violent, Arzate-García is also involved in carrying out enforcement operations, such as kidnappings and executions, for the Sinaloa Cartel.
This indictment supersedes a 2014 indictment for conspiracy to import marijuana and demonstrates that René Arzate-García is a key member of the Sinaloa Cartel and controls the Tijuana plaza that includes the entire state of Baja California. He has imported thousands of kilograms of drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana into the Southern District of California and laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds. In addition to his drug trafficking, the indictment shows his history of corrupting Mexican law enforcement and public officials, extortion of businesses in the Tijuana Plaza, and his reputation for extreme violence, including numerous kidnappings and murders in Tijuana, Mexico on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel. René Arzate-García was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, as a Drug Kingpin in 2023. These indictments follow a storied tradition in the Southern District of California for dismantling leadership and operations of powerful Mexican cartels – from the dismantling of the Arellano Felix Cartel to major strikes against today’s most dangerous, powerful and violent cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Beltran Leyva Organization.
If you have any information about René Arzate-García or Alfonso Arzate-García, please contact either
- FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or your nearest local FBI office; If you are outside the United States, you may contact the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. You can also submit a tip online, anonymously, at https://tips.fbi.gov/home; or
- DEA by phone (WhatsApp and Signal) at +1-858-298-5670, at Threema ID: PTJ4HS3J, or by email at [email protected]. If you are located outside of the United States, you may also contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are located in the United States, you may also contact the local DEA field office.
The superseding indictment is a direct result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14157 which designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and the Secretary of State’s subsequent designation of the same on February 20, 2025.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton.
DEFENDANT Case Number 14cr2122-DMS
René Arzate-García Age: 42 City of Residence: Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
aka “La Rana,”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 960a and 841 – Narcoterrorism
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years in prison; $20 million fine
Title 18, U.S.C. Sec. 2339B – Providing Material Support to Terrorism
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Sec. 848(a) -Continuing Criminal Enterprise
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 20 years; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 959, 960, and 963 - International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 841(a)(1) and 846 - Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years in prison; $10 million fine
Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960 and 963 – Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances
Maximum penalty: Life in prison, mandatory minimum 10 years; $10 million fine
Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $500,000 fine or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Drug Enforcement Administration
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
Homeland Security Investigations
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs were established by President Trump in 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. Operation Take Back America is 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.
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
Remarks of U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon at La Rana Press Conference - English and SpanishRead the Press Release
Remarks as Prepared for Delivery
United States Attorney Adam Gordon
La Rana Press Conference
February 26, 2026
My name is Adam Gordon, and I’m the United States Attorney for the Southern District of California. Joining me are:
- The lead prosecutors on this case, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Mellor and Matthew Sutton;
- James M. Nunnallee, Special Agent in Charge, DEA San Diego;
- TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office;
- Executive Assistant United States Attorney Victor White
- Jason Powell, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and
- Homeland Security Investigations SAC Kevin Murphy, together representing the Homeland Security Task Force
At the end of the statements, we will provide an opportunity for questions related to this case and have Spanish language media availability.
Sagitario. Chavo Felix. Flaquito. Payo. Valdez-Ruiz.
They’re here. They’re charged. They’re only the beginning.
Less than 300 days ago, these cartel kingpins were free and unafraid. Now they sit in federal custody in the Southern District of California.
When I told them that they were no longer the hunters, they were the hunted, that wasn’t a threat, it was a certainty. Foreign terrorist organizations may operate across borders – but justice doesn’t stop at them. Recent reports regarding cartel leadership in Mexico underscore a simple truth: criminal organizations built on fear and violence are inherently unstable. Individuals may rise and fall, but the rule of law endures.
Building on these unprecedented successes, today we are announcing a superseding indictment against Rene Arzate Garcia, infamously known as “La Rana,” a high-ranking, ultra-violent Sinaloa Cartel lieutenant who has controlled the Tijuana drug corridor for 15 years through fear and force.
We are also announcing that the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is offering up to $5 million each for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of La Rana and his brother, Alfonso Arzate-Garcia, a/k/a “Aquiles.” This partnership is a credit to President Trump’s and Attorney General Bondi’s vision of the complete eradication of foreign terrorist organizations.
In 2014, the Arzate-Garcia brothers were charged in the Southern District of California with drug trafficking offenses in separate indictments and have been fugitives since that time.
After that, La Rana has taken a greater role in the Sinaloa Cartel and is one of the cartel’s most prolific drug traffickers and enforcers.
The new indictment unsealed this morning adds far more serious allegations. La Rana is charged with narco-terrorism, material support of terrorism, conducting a continuing criminal enterprise, international conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and money laundering.
You’ll hear shortly about the specific ways that La Rana has brutally controlled the Tijuana Plazas for the Sinaloa Cartel through intimidation and bloodshed. These charges reflect the devastating harm inflicted on communities on both sides of the border — through violence, addiction, and intimidation.
As we can all see, the remaining free members of the Sinaloa cartel have become liabilities to one another. Each knows too much about the other. In that world, betrayal is not a question of if – but when.
To those cartel leaders that remain at large, here’s the question: Who can you trust when you can’t trust anyone? When the fear you once used to control others now controls you.
Because for those who remain at large:
Hide. Run. Fight. Flee.
The illusion is that you have a choice. The reality is simple: surrender to justice or you’ll be brought to justice.
What unites us in law enforcement is a belief in the rule of law – and in the inevitability of justice. Today, we reaffirm that commitment. The rule of law does not blink. It does not back down.
To describe the indictment in detail, I’d ask Assistant United States Attorney Josh Mellor to come up.
END
Líder del cártel de Sinaloa es acusado de narcoterrorismo, apoyo material al terrorismo y tráfico de drogasRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO - Una imputación de cargos federales sustitutiva hecha pública hoy le imputa a René Arzate-García, alias “La Rana”, presunto jefe de plaza en Tijuana del Cártel de Sinaloa, los delitos de narcoterrorismo y de proporcionar apoyo material al terrorismo, en relación con el tráfico de cantidades masivas de fentanilo, cocaína, metanfetamina y marihuana a Estados Unidos.
También hoy, la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales de Narcóticos y Aplicación de la Ley del Departamento de Estado de EE. UU. anunció que ofrece hasta 5 millones de dólares por información que conduzca al arresto y/o condena de cada uno de los hermanos Arzate-García: René Arzate-García, alias “La Rana”, y Alfonso Arzate-García, alias “Aquiles”. Estas recompensas se ofrecen en coordinación con la División de San Diego de la DEA y la Fiscalía Federal del Distrito Sur de California en un esfuerzo unificado para poner a los hermanos a disposición de la justicia.
“Durante décadas, organizaciones terroristas extranjeras como el Cártel de Sinaloa han envenenado a nuestros niños y cometido actos de violencia inimaginables contra personas inocentes. Bajo el mandato del presidente Trump, esto se termina”, afirmó la fiscal general Pamela Bondi. “Esta reciente imputación federal, que se suma a la histórica condena en territorio estadounidense del cofundador del Cártel de Sinaloa, “El Mayo”, es un paso decisivo en la campaña permanente de este Departamento de Justicia para desmantelar de manera definitiva a estos cárteles y hacer que sus líderes cobardes rindan cuentas ante la justicia estadounidense.”
“El compromiso del FBI y sus aliados para frustrar los planes del Cártel de Sinaloa es inquebrantable,” afirmó el director del FBI, Kash Patel. “Seguiremos utilizando todo lo que esté a nuestro alcance para desarticular sus operaciones e impedir que continúe la infiltración de drogas y violencia a nuestras comunidades. El Cártel de Sinaloa, incluidos sus líderes, se verá obligado a afrontar las consecuencias de sus actos.”
“René Arzate-García es un despiadado jefe de plaza del Cártel de Sinaloa, acusado de explotar los puertos de entrada de Estados Unidos para inundar nuestro país con fentanilo, cocaína y metanfetamina,” dijo el administrador de la DEA, Terrance Cole. “Él y su hermano, Alfonso, figuran entre los fugitivos más buscados por la DEA por estos presuntos delitos contra Estados Unidos. Esta imputación sustitutiva subraya el papel de Arzate-García no solo como operador del cártel, sino también como narcoterrorista que se aprovecha de vulnerabilidades para inundar a las comunidades con veneno, violencia y miedo. Deseo reconocer al fiscal federal Adam Gordon por su liderazgo y su lucha implacable contra quienes trafican drogas mortales hacia nuestro país. Su colaboración y determinación han sido fundamentales para impulsar este caso y garantizar que los líderes del cártel rindan cuentas. La DEA se mantiene implacable en su misión de desmantelar al Cártel de Sinaloa, una organización terrorista extranjera, y llevar a sus integrantes ante la justicia.”
“A los líderes del cártel de Sinaloa que siguen en libertad: Escóndanse. Corran. Peleen. Huyan. La ilusión es que tienen una opción. La realidad es que o bien se rinden a la justicia o serán traídos a la justicia”, dijo el fiscal federal Adam Gordon.
“El presidente Donald Trump ha dejado claro que los narcoterroristas que envían drogas mortales a Estados Unidos serán perseguidos y enjuiciados,” afirmó Chris Landberg, alto funcionario de la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales de Narcóticos y Aplicación de la Ley del Departamento de Estado. “Como parte del Programa de Recompensas contra el Narcotráfico, ofrecemos recompensas de hasta 5 millones de dólares por información que conduzca al arresto y/o condena de cada uno de los hermanos Arzate-García: René y Alfonso, figuras clave que dirigen y mantienen las operaciones del Cártel de Sinaloa en Tijuana, en la frontera de Estados Unidos con México.”
“René Arzate-García ha ido ascendiendo en las filas del Cártel de Sinaloa hasta convertirse en uno de los narcotraficantes más violentos y prolíficos de la región”, declaró el agente especial a cargo Mark Dargis, de la Oficina Local del FBI de San Diego. “El Cártel de Sinaloa, designado como Organización Terrorista Extranjera, amenaza nuestra seguridad nacional y la de nuestros ciudadanos. El FBI de San Diego, en coordinación con nuestros colaboradores locales, estatales, federales e internacionales encargados del cumplimiento de la ley, continuará investigando agresivamente a estas organizaciones criminales transnacionales y a sus líderes que atacan nuestros vecindarios con narcoterrorismo y otras actividades delictivas hasta que sean eliminados de nuestras comunidades”.
“Quienes trafican con la violencia, la corrupción, el miedo y la adicción destruyen vidas y desestabilizan nuestras comunidades”, afirmó James Nunnallee, de la Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA) de San Diego. “La DEA se mantiene férrea en nuestra misión de desmantelar las Organizaciones Terroristas Extranjeras y las redes de narcotráfico que amenazan la seguridad pública y la seguridad nacional”.
“Esta imputación de cargos demuestra el poder de las investigaciones financieras para desmantelar empresas delictivas que fomentan la violencia y el terror. René Arzate-García y sus coconspiradores presuntamente lavaron millones en ganancias provenientes de la droga a través de complejas transacciones internacionales diseñadas para ocultar el origen y la propiedad de los fondos ilícitos,” dijo Tyler Hatcher, agente especial a cargo de la División de Investigación Criminal (CI) de la Oficina Local del IRS en Los Ángeles. “IRS-CI siguió el dinero, desenmascarando las redes financieras que sostienen el narcoterrorismo y el narcotráfico mundial. Seguiremos trabajando con las fuerzas del orden que colaboran con nosotros para asegurarnos de que estas organizaciones sean despojadas de sus recursos y respondan ante la justicia por sus delitos.”
Según documentos judiciales, René Arzate-García es un “jefe de plaza” del Cártel de Sinaloa con base en Baja California, México, junto con su hermano Alfonso Arzate-García, alias “Aquiles” (previamente imputado en el caso número 14-cr-00722-DMS). René Arzate-García dirige las operaciones de narcotráfico del cártel en Tijuana y los municipios circundantes y está implicado en la importación a Estados Unidos de grandes cantidades de drogas ilícitas, como fentanilo, cocaína, metanfetamina y marihuana. Conocido por ser extremadamente violento, Arzate-García también está implicado en la realización de operaciones represivas para el Cártel de Sinaloa, como secuestros y ejecuciones.
La presente imputación de cargos sustituye otra de 2014 por conspiración para importar marihuana y demuestra que René Arzate-García es un miembro clave del Cártel de Sinaloa y controla la plaza de Tijuana, que incluye todo el estado de Baja California. Ha importado miles de kilos de drogas, incluyendo metanfetamina, cocaína, fentanilo y marihuana al Distrito Sur de California y ha lavado millones de dólares de las ganancias de las drogas. Además de sus actividades de narcotráfico, la imputación muestra su historial de corrupción de las fuerzas del orden y funcionarios públicos mexicanos, su extorsión a empresas de la plaza de Tijuana y su reputación de violencia extrema, incluidos numerosos secuestros y asesinatos en Tijuana, México, en nombre del Cártel de Sinaloa. En 2023, René Arzate-García fue designado por la Oficina de Control de Activos Extranjeros del Departamento del Tesoro de EE. UU. (OFAC), como un cabecilla del narcotráfico. Estas imputaciones siguen una tradición legendaria en el Distrito Sur de California de desmantelamiento de cúpulas y operaciones de poderosos cárteles mexicanos -desde el desmantelamiento del Cártel de los Arellano Félix hasta importantes golpes contra los cárteles más peligrosos, poderosos y violentos de la actualidad, incluidos el Cártel de Sinaloa, el Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) y la Organización Beltrán Leyva.
Si usted tiene información sobre René Arzate-García o Alfonso Arzate-García, por favor comuníquese con:
• El FBI al 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) o con la oficina local del FBI más cercana. Si se encuentra fuera de Estados Unidos, puede comunicarse con la embajada o el consulado de Estados Unidos más cercano. También puede enviar información en línea, de manera anónima, en https://tips.fbi.gov/home; o
• La DEA por teléfono (WhatsApp y Signal) al +1-858-298-5670, a través de Threema ID: PTJ4HS3J, o por correo electrónico en [email protected]. Si se encuentra fuera de Estados Unidos, también puede comunicarse con la embajada o el consulado de Estados Unidos más cercano. Si se encuentra en Estados Unidos, también puede comunicarse con la oficina local de la DEA más cercana.
La imputación de cargos federales sustitutiva es un resultado directo de la Orden Ejecutiva 14157 del presidente Trump que designó al Cártel de Sinaloa como Organización Terrorista Extranjera y la posterior designación de lo mismo por parte del secretario de Estado el 20 de febrero de 2025.
Este caso está siendo procesado por los fiscales federales adjuntos Joshua Mellor y Matthew Sutton.
IMPUTADO Caso Número 14cr2122-DMS
Rene Arzate-García Edad: 42 Ciudad de Residencia: Culiacán, Sinaloa, México
alias “La Rana”.
RESUMEN DE CARGOS
Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 960a y 841 - Narcoterrorismo
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 20 años de prisión; multa de 20 millones de dólares
Título 18, U.S.C., sección 2339B - Proporcionar apoyo material al terrorismo
Pena máxima: Veinte años de prisión y multa de $250,000
Título 21, U.S.C., sección 848(a) - Empresa Criminal Continuada
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 20 años; multa de 10 millones de dólares
Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 952, 959, 960 y 963 - Conspiración internacional para distribuir sustancias reguladas
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 10 años; multa de 10 millones de dólares
Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 841(a)(1) y 846 - Conspiración para distribuir sustancias reguladas
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 10 años de prisión; multa de 10 millones de dólares
Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 952, 960 y 963 - Conspiración para importar sustancias reguladas
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 10 años; multa de 10 millones de dólares
Conspiración para el lavado de dinero - Título 18, U.S.C., sección 1956(h)
Pena máxima: Veinte años de prisión y multa de $500,000 o el doble del valor del instrumento monetario o de los fondos implicados, lo que sea mayor
AGENCIAS INVESTIGADORAS
Buró Federal de Investigaciones (FBI)
Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA)
División de Investigación Criminal (CI) del IRS
Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI)
Programa de Áreas de Tráfico de Drogas de Alta Intensidad (HIDTA)
*Los cargos y alegatos contenidos en una imputación o denuncia son solo acusaciones, y a los imputados se les considera inocentes a menos y hasta que se pruebe su culpabilidad.
Este caso fue investigado y procesado por el Grupo Operativo de Seguridad Nacional de California (HSTF) como parte de la Operación “Take Back America” (“Recuperemos América”). Los HSTF fueron establecidos por el presidente Trump en la Orden Ejecutiva 14159, Protegiendo al Pueblo Estadounidense Contra una Invasión. El HSTF es una colaboración de todo el gobierno dedicada a eliminar los cárteles delictivos, las pandillas extranjeras, las organizaciones delictivas transnacionales y las redes de tráfico y trata de personas que operan en Estados Unidos y en el extranjero. A través de una histórica colaboración interinstitucional, el HSTF dirige todo el poder de las fuerzas del orden de Estados Unidos para la identificación, investigación y persecución penal de todo el espectro de delitos cometidos por estas organizaciones, que desde hace tiempo fomentan la violencia y la inestabilidad dentro de nuestras fronteras. En el desempeño de esta labor, el HSTF se centra especialmente en la investigación y persecución penal de quienes se dedican al tráfico de niños o a otros delitos que implican a niños. El HSTF utiliza además todas las herramientas disponibles para procesar y expulsar de Estados Unidos a los extranjeros con antecedentes penales más violentos. La Operación “Recuperemos América” es una iniciativa de ámbito nacional que moviliza todos los recursos del Departamento de Justicia para repeler la invasión de la inmigración ilegal, lograr la eliminación total de los cárteles y las organizaciones criminales transnacionales (OCT) y proteger a nuestras comunidades de los autores de delitos violentos.
El programa de Áreas de Tráfico de Drogas de Alta Intensidad (HIDTA), creado por el Congreso con la Ley Contra el Abuso de las Drogas de 1988, proporciona asistencia a las fuerzas del orden federales, estatales, locales y tribales que operan en zonas determinadas como regiones críticas para el tráfico de drogas en Estados Unidos. Este programa de subvenciones está administrado por la Oficina de la Política Nacional de Control de Drogas (ONDCP). En la actualidad existen 33 HIDTA, y hay condados designados como HIDTA en 50 estados, así como en Puerto Rico, las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. y el Distrito de Columbia.
Líder del cártel de Sinaloa es acusado de narcoterrorismo, apoyo material al terrorismo y tráfico de drogasRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO - Una imputación de cargos federales sustitutiva hecha pública hoy le imputa a René Arzate-García, alias “La Rana”, presunto jefe de plaza en Tijuana del Cártel de Sinaloa, los delitos de narcoterrorismo y de proporcionar apoyo material al terrorismo, en relación con el tráfico de cantidades masivas de fentanilo, cocaína, metanfetamina y marihuana a Estados Unidos.
También hoy, la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales de Narcóticos y Aplicación de la Ley del Departamento de Estado de EE. UU. anunció que ofrece hasta 5 millones de dólares por información que conduzca al arresto y/o condena de cada uno de los hermanos Arzate-García: René Arzate-García, alias “La Rana”, y Alfonso Arzate-García, alias “Aquiles”. Estas recompensas se ofrecen en coordinación con la División de San Diego de la DEA y la Fiscalía Federal del Distrito Sur de California en un esfuerzo unificado para poner a los hermanos a disposición de la justicia.
“Durante décadas, organizaciones terroristas extranjeras como el Cártel de Sinaloa han envenenado a nuestros niños y cometido actos de violencia inimaginables contra personas inocentes. Bajo el mandato del presidente Trump, esto se termina”, afirmó la fiscal general Pamela Bondi. “Esta reciente imputación federal, que se suma a la histórica condena en territorio estadounidense del cofundador del Cártel de Sinaloa, “El Mayo”, es un paso decisivo en la campaña permanente de este Departamento de Justicia para desmantelar de manera definitiva a estos cárteles y hacer que sus líderes cobardes rindan cuentas ante la justicia estadounidense.”
“El compromiso del FBI y sus aliados para frustrar los planes del Cártel de Sinaloa es inquebrantable,” afirmó el director del FBI, Kash Patel. “Seguiremos utilizando todo lo que esté a nuestro alcance para desarticular sus operaciones e impedir que continúe la infiltración de drogas y violencia a nuestras comunidades. El Cártel de Sinaloa, incluidos sus líderes, se verá obligado a afrontar las consecuencias de sus actos.”
“René Arzate-García es un despiadado jefe de plaza del Cártel de Sinaloa, acusado de explotar los puertos de entrada de Estados Unidos para inundar nuestro país con fentanilo, cocaína y metanfetamina,” dijo el administrador de la DEA, Terrance Cole. “Él y su hermano, Alfonso, figuran entre los fugitivos más buscados por la DEA por estos presuntos delitos contra Estados Unidos. Esta imputación sustitutiva subraya el papel de Arzate-García no solo como operador del cártel, sino también como narcoterrorista que se aprovecha de vulnerabilidades para inundar a las comunidades con veneno, violencia y miedo. Deseo reconocer al fiscal federal Adam Gordon por su liderazgo y su lucha implacable contra quienes trafican drogas mortales hacia nuestro país. Su colaboración y determinación han sido fundamentales para impulsar este caso y garantizar que los líderes del cártel rindan cuentas. La DEA se mantiene implacable en su misión de desmantelar al Cártel de Sinaloa, una organización terrorista extranjera, y llevar a sus integrantes ante la justicia.”
“A los líderes del cártel de Sinaloa que siguen en libertad: Escóndanse. Corran. Peleen. Huyan. La ilusión es que tienen una opción. La realidad es que o bien se rinden a la justicia o serán traídos a la justicia”, dijo el fiscal federal Adam Gordon.
“El presidente Donald Trump ha dejado claro que los narcoterroristas que envían drogas mortales a Estados Unidos serán perseguidos y enjuiciados,” afirmó Chris Landberg, alto funcionario de la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales de Narcóticos y Aplicación de la Ley del Departamento de Estado. “Como parte del Programa de Recompensas contra el Narcotráfico, ofrecemos recompensas de hasta 5 millones de dólares por información que conduzca al arresto y/o condena de cada uno de los hermanos Arzate-García: René y Alfonso, figuras clave que dirigen y mantienen las operaciones del Cártel de Sinaloa en Tijuana, en la frontera de Estados Unidos con México.”
“René Arzate-García ha ido ascendiendo en las filas del Cártel de Sinaloa hasta convertirse en uno de los narcotraficantes más violentos y prolíficos de la región”, declaró el agente especial a cargo Mark Dargis, de la Oficina Local del FBI de San Diego. “El Cártel de Sinaloa, designado como Organización Terrorista Extranjera, amenaza nuestra seguridad nacional y la de nuestros ciudadanos. El FBI de San Diego, en coordinación con nuestros colaboradores locales, estatales, federales e internacionales encargados del cumplimiento de la ley, continuará investigando agresivamente a estas organizaciones criminales transnacionales y a sus líderes que atacan nuestros vecindarios con narcoterrorismo y otras actividades delictivas hasta que sean eliminados de nuestras comunidades”.
“Quienes trafican con la violencia, la corrupción, el miedo y la adicción destruyen vidas y desestabilizan nuestras comunidades”, afirmó James Nunnallee, de la Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA) de San Diego. “La DEA se mantiene férrea en nuestra misión de desmantelar las Organizaciones Terroristas Extranjeras y las redes de narcotráfico que amenazan la seguridad pública y la seguridad nacional”.
“Esta imputación de cargos demuestra el poder de las investigaciones financieras para desmantelar empresas delictivas que fomentan la violencia y el terror. René Arzate-García y sus coconspiradores presuntamente lavaron millones en ganancias provenientes de la droga a través de complejas transacciones internacionales diseñadas para ocultar el origen y la propiedad de los fondos ilícitos,” dijo Tyler Hatcher, agente especial a cargo de la División de Investigación Criminal (CI) de la Oficina Local del IRS en Los Ángeles. “IRS-CI siguió el dinero, desenmascarando las redes financieras que sostienen el narcoterrorismo y el narcotráfico mundial. Seguiremos trabajando con las fuerzas del orden que colaboran con nosotros para asegurarnos de que estas organizaciones sean despojadas de sus recursos y respondan ante la justicia por sus delitos.”
Según documentos judiciales, René Arzate-García es un “jefe de plaza” del Cártel de Sinaloa con base en Baja California, México, junto con su hermano Alfonso Arzate-García, alias “Aquiles” (previamente imputado en el caso número 14-cr-00722-DMS). René Arzate-García dirige las operaciones de narcotráfico del cártel en Tijuana y los municipios circundantes y está implicado en la importación a Estados Unidos de grandes cantidades de drogas ilícitas, como fentanilo, cocaína, metanfetamina y marihuana. Conocido por ser extremadamente violento, Arzate-García también está implicado en la realización de operaciones represivas para el Cártel de Sinaloa, como secuestros y ejecuciones.
La presente imputación de cargos sustituye otra de 2014 por conspiración para importar marihuana y demuestra que René Arzate-García es un miembro clave del Cártel de Sinaloa y controla la plaza de Tijuana, que incluye todo el estado de Baja California. Ha importado miles de kilos de drogas, incluyendo metanfetamina, cocaína, fentanilo y marihuana al Distrito Sur de California y ha lavado millones de dólares de las ganancias de las drogas. Además de sus actividades de narcotráfico, la imputación muestra su historial de corrupción de las fuerzas del orden y funcionarios públicos mexicanos, su extorsión a empresas de la plaza de Tijuana y su reputación de violencia extrema, incluidos numerosos secuestros y asesinatos en Tijuana, México, en nombre del Cártel de Sinaloa. En 2023, René Arzate-García fue designado por la Oficina de Control de Activos Extranjeros del Departamento del Tesoro de EE. UU. (OFAC), como un cabecilla del narcotráfico. Estas imputaciones siguen una tradición legendaria en el Distrito Sur de California de desmantelamiento de cúpulas y operaciones de poderosos cárteles mexicanos -desde el desmantelamiento del Cártel de los Arellano Félix hasta importantes golpes contra los cárteles más peligrosos, poderosos y violentos de la actualidad, incluidos el Cártel de Sinaloa, el Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) y la Organización Beltrán Leyva.
Si usted tiene información sobre René Arzate-García o Alfonso Arzate-García, por favor comuníquese con:
• El FBI al 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) o con la oficina local del FBI más cercana. Si se encuentra fuera de Estados Unidos, puede comunicarse con la embajada o el consulado de Estados Unidos más cercano. También puede enviar información en línea, de manera anónima, en https://tips.fbi.gov/home; o
• La DEA por teléfono (WhatsApp y Signal) al +1-858-298-5670, a través de Threema ID: PTJ4HS3J, o por correo electrónico en [email protected]. Si se encuentra fuera de Estados Unidos, también puede comunicarse con la embajada o el consulado de Estados Unidos más cercano. Si se encuentra en Estados Unidos, también puede comunicarse con la oficina local de la DEA más cercana.
La imputación de cargos federales sustitutiva es un resultado directo de la Orden Ejecutiva 14157 del presidente Trump que designó al Cártel de Sinaloa como Organización Terrorista Extranjera y la posterior designación de lo mismo por parte del secretario de Estado el 20 de febrero de 2025.
Este caso está siendo procesado por los fiscales federales adjuntos Joshua Mellor y Matthew Sutton.
IMPUTADO Caso Número 14cr2122-DMS
Rene Arzate-García Edad: 42 Ciudad de Residencia: Culiacán, Sinaloa, México
alias “La Rana”.
RESUMEN DE CARGOS
Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 960a y 841 - Narcoterrorismo
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 20 años de prisión; multa de 20 millones de dólares
Título 18, U.S.C., sección 2339B - Proporcionar apoyo material al terrorismo
Pena máxima: Veinte años de prisión y multa de $250,000
Título 21, U.S.C., sección 848(a) - Empresa Criminal Continuada
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 20 años; multa de 10 millones de dólares
Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 952, 959, 960 y 963 - Conspiración internacional para distribuir sustancias reguladas
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 10 años; multa de 10 millones de dólares
Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 841(a)(1) y 846 - Conspiración para distribuir sustancias reguladas
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 10 años de prisión; multa de 10 millones de dólares
Título 21, U.S.C., secciones 952, 960 y 963 - Conspiración para importar sustancias reguladas
Pena máxima: Cadena perpetua, mínimo obligatorio de 10 años; multa de 10 millones de dólares
Conspiración para el lavado de dinero - Título 18, U.S.C., sección 1956(h)
Pena máxima: Veinte años de prisión y multa de $500,000 o el doble del valor del instrumento monetario o de los fondos implicados, lo que sea mayor
AGENCIAS INVESTIGADORAS
Buró Federal de Investigaciones (FBI)
Administración para el Control de Drogas (DEA)
División de Investigación Criminal (CI) del IRS
Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional (HSI)
Programa de Áreas de Tráfico de Drogas de Alta Intensidad (HIDTA)
*Los cargos y alegatos contenidos en una imputación o denuncia son solo acusaciones, y a los imputados se les considera inocentes a menos y hasta que se pruebe su culpabilidad.
Este caso fue investigado y procesado por el Grupo Operativo de Seguridad Nacional de California (HSTF) como parte de la Operación “Take Back America” (“Recuperemos América”). Los HSTF fueron establecidos por el presidente Trump en la Orden Ejecutiva 14159, Protegiendo al Pueblo Estadounidense Contra una Invasión. El HSTF es una colaboración de todo el gobierno dedicada a eliminar los cárteles delictivos, las pandillas extranjeras, las organizaciones delictivas transnacionales y las redes de tráfico y trata de personas que operan en Estados Unidos y en el extranjero. A través de una histórica colaboración interinstitucional, el HSTF dirige todo el poder de las fuerzas del orden de Estados Unidos para la identificación, investigación y persecución penal de todo el espectro de delitos cometidos por estas organizaciones, que desde hace tiempo fomentan la violencia y la inestabilidad dentro de nuestras fronteras. En el desempeño de esta labor, el HSTF se centra especialmente en la investigación y persecución penal de quienes se dedican al tráfico de niños o a otros delitos que implican a niños. El HSTF utiliza además todas las herramientas disponibles para procesar y expulsar de Estados Unidos a los extranjeros con antecedentes penales más violentos. La Operación “Recuperemos América” es una iniciativa de ámbito nacional que moviliza todos los recursos del Departamento de Justicia para repeler la invasión de la inmigración ilegal, lograr la eliminación total de los cárteles y las organizaciones criminales transnacionales (OCT) y proteger a nuestras comunidades de los autores de delitos violentos.
El programa de Áreas de Tráfico de Drogas de Alta Intensidad (HIDTA), creado por el Congreso con la Ley Contra el Abuso de las Drogas de 1988, proporciona asistencia a las fuerzas del orden federales, estatales, locales y tribales que operan en zonas determinadas como regiones críticas para el tráfico de drogas en Estados Unidos. Este programa de subvenciones está administrado por la Oficina de la Política Nacional de Control de Drogas (ONDCP). En la actualidad existen 33 HIDTA, y hay condados designados como HIDTA en 50 estados, así como en Puerto Rico, las Islas Vírgenes de EE. UU. y el Distrito de Columbia.
Conferencia de prensa del 26 de febrero de 2026 sobre “La Rana”Read the Press Release
Buenos días. Mi nombre es Adam Gordon, y soy el Fiscal Federal del Distrito Sur de California. Hoy me acompañan:
- Los principales fiscales de este caso, los fiscales federales adjuntos Joshua Mellor y Matthew Sutton;
- James M. Nunnallee, agente especial interino a cargo de la DEA en San Diego;
- TJ Holland, agente especial interino a cargo de la oficina local del FBI en San Diego;
- Victor White, fiscal federal ejecutivo adjunto;
- Jason Powell, agente especial adjunto a cargo de la División de Investigación Criminal del IRS; y
- Kevin Murphy, agente especial a cargo de la Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional, en representación del Grupo Operativo de Seguridad Nacional.
Al final de las declaraciones, ofreceremos la oportunidad de hacer preguntas relacionadas con este caso y estaremos a disposición de los medios en español.
Sagitario. Chavo Félix. Flaquito. Payo. Valdez-Ruiz.
Todos ellos se encuentran aquí. Están acusados de delitos federales. Y ellos son solo el principio.
Hace menos de 300 días, estos cabecillas del cártel andaban libres y sin temor. Hoy están detenidos y en custodia federal en el Distrito Sur de California.
No era una amenaza cuando les dije que ya no eran los cazadores, sino los cazados. Era una certeza. Las organizaciones terroristas extranjeras pueden operar a través de fronteras. Pero la justicia no se detiene allí. Los recientes informes sobre el liderazgo de los cárteles en México subrayan una sencilla verdad: las organizaciones criminales construidas sobre el miedo y la violencia son inherentemente inestables. Los individuos pueden ascender y caer, pero el estado de derecho perdura.
Sobre la base de estos éxitos sin precedentes, hoy anunciamos una imputación de cargos federales sustitutiva contra René Arzate García, infamemente conocido como “La Rana,” un lugarteniente de alto rango y ultraviolento del Cártel de Sinaloa que ha controlado el corredor de drogas de Tijuana por 15 años mediante el terror y la violencia.
También anunciamos que la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales de Narcóticos y Aplicación de la Ley del Departamento de Estado está ofreciendo hasta 5 millones de dólares por información que conduzca al arresto y/o condena de “La Rana” o de su hermano, Alfonso Arzate-García, alias “Aquiles”. Esta colaboración es un logro de la visión del presidente Trump y de la fiscal general Bondi de erradicar por completo a las organizaciones terroristas extranjeras.
Desde 2014, los hermanos Arzate-García se encuentran prófugos tras ser acusados por separado por delitos de narcotráfico en el Distrito Sur de California.
A partir de entonces, “La Rana” asumió un papel aún mayor dentro del Cártel de Sinaloa y se ha convertido en uno de sus más activos narcotraficantes y operadores del brazo armado.
La nueva imputación federal hecha pública esta mañana incorpora cargos mucho más graves. “La Rana” está imputado por narcoterrorismo, por proporcionar apoyo material al terrorismo, por dirigir una empresa criminal continuada, por conspiración internacional para distribuir metanfetamina, cocaína, fentanilo y marihuana, y por lavado de dinero.
En unos momentos escucharán detalles específicos sobre cómo “La Rana” ha ejercido un control brutal sobre la plaza de Tijuana para el Cártel de Sinaloa mediante la intimidación y el derrame de sangre. Estos cargos reflejan el daño devastador causado a comunidades a ambos lados de la frontera, mediante la violencia, la adicción y la intimidación.
Como todos podemos ver, los restantes miembros libres del Cártel de Sinaloa se han convertido en un riesgo mutuo. Cada uno sabe demasiado sobre los demás. En ese mundo, la traición no es una cuestión de si ocurrirá, sino de cuándo.
A los líderes del cártel que aún siguen prófugos, les planteo esta pregunta: ¿En quién pueden confiar cuando no pueden confiar en nadie? Cuando el miedo que antes usaban para controlar a otros ahora los controla a ustedes.
Y para los que siguen libres:
Escóndanse. Corran. Peleen. Huyan.
La ilusión es que tienen una opción. La realidad es simple: entréguense a la justicia o serán traídos ante la justicia.
Lo que nos une en las fuerzas del orden público es la convicción de que impera el estado de derecho y de que la justicia es inescapable. Hoy reafirmamos ese compromiso. El estado de derecho no vacila. No claudica.
Para describir la imputación en detalle, invito al fiscal federal adjunto Josh Mellor que pase al frente.
Gracias.
END
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 84 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 84 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On February 13, Mexican nationals Carlos Cortes De La Cruz and Carlos Cortes Garcia – a father and son who were the alleged captains of a smuggling vessel carrying a dozen undocumented passengers - were arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted the vessel which was dead in the water and riding low under the weight of the passengers, off the coast of Point Loma. Officials deemed the vessel unsafe and transported the passengers to Ballast Point, where the defendants were arrested by Border Patrol. Also arrested were Mexican nationals Jorge Andrade-Guzman, Aristeo Cortez-Abarca, Jose Antonio Lorenzo De La Cruz, Allan Alfonso Mancilla Garcia, Lorenzo Meza Hernandez, Sergio Luis Rico-Ornelas, Ciriaco Rojas-Duarte, Luis Vargas-Vill and Javier Zavala-Paredes. They were passengers charged with Attempted Entry After Deportation.
- On February 15, Aracely Guadalupe Herrera Gutierrez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 153 packages containing 154 pounds of methamphetamine and seven pounds of fentanyl concealed in the rear bumper of the defendant’s vehicle as she tried to cross into the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On February 18, John Nixon, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Nixon and a passenger applied for admission to the U.S. in the vehicle lanes of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Customs and Border Protection officers found the passenger’s identification to be fraudulent. The passenger, Mexican citizen Jose Rosales-Murillo, was arrested for Attempted Entry After Deportation. Rosales-Murillo had been previously removed from the U.S. in 2008. According to the complaint, Nixon claimed he accepted the smuggling job in order to pay off his girlfriend’s $5,000 drug debt.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ukrainian National Sentenced in ‘Laptop Farm’ Scheme That Generated Income for North Korean IT WorkersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Oleksandr Didenko, 29, of Kyiv, Ukraine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison in connection with a years-long scheme that stole the identities of U.S. citizens and sold them to North Korean workers so they could fraudulently gain employment at 40 U.S. companies, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Didenko, aka “Alexander Didenko,” pleaded guilty Nov. 10, 2025, before Judge Randolph D. Moss to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Didenko agreed to forfeit more than $1.4 million, which includes approximately $181,438 in USD and cryptocurrency seized from Didenko and his co-conspirators. Judge Moss also ordered Didenko to serve 12 months of supervised release and to pay $46,547.28 in restitution.
“Defendant Didenko’s scheme funneled money from Americans and U.S. businesses, into the coffers of North Korea, a hostile regime. Today, North Korea is not only a threat to the homeland from afar, it is an enemy within. By using stolen and fraudulent identities, North Korean actors are infiltrating American companies, stealing information, licensing, and data that is harmful to any business. But more than that, money paid to these so-called employees goes directly to munitions programs in North Korea,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We should be holding accountable to the fullest extent of the law the individuals, like Didenko, who are knowingly assisting North Koreans so that they can amass more weapons to harm the United States and peace in our world. This is not just a financial crime; it is a crime against national security.”
“Oleksandr Didenko’s fraudulent activity inflicted systemic and deliberate financial harm on U.S. companies and American citizens to benefit not only himself, but a hostile nation state,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI will not tolerate North Korea’s sustained campaign to victimize American citizens, businesses, and financial institutions to fund its authoritarian regime. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that the FBI will pursue full accountability for anyone found complicit in our adversary’s efforts to defraud and undermine American economic security, and we ask all U.S. companies that employ remote workers to remain vigilant to this new and sophisticated threat.”
According to court documents, Didenko ran a website using a U.S.-based domain, "Upworksell.com," designed to help overseas IT workers buy or rent stolen identities. Beginning in 2021, the IT workers used the identities to get hired on online freelance work platforms based in California and Pennsylvania. The work platforms allowed users to advertise themselves as contract gig workers, create free accounts, advertise their skills and bid on IT work contracts.
Didenko paid individuals in the United States to receive and host computers at residences in Virginia, Tennessee and California.
Through his company, Didenko managed as many as 871 proxy identities and facilitated the operation of at least three U.S.-based “laptop farms.” He enabled his overseas clients to access the U.S. financial system through Money Service Transmitters rather than having to physically open an account at a bank within the United States, which was then used to facilitate the transfer of employment income to foreign bank accounts.
The IT worker clients were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their work, much of which was falsely reported to the Department of Homeland Security, the IRS and Social Security Administration in the names of actual U.S. persons whose identities had been stolen.
On May 16, 2024, the Justice Department seized the online domain, Upworksell.com, and diverted all traffic to the FBI. Polish authorities arrested Didenko and on Dec. 31, 2024, extradited him to the United States.
“Oleksandr Didenko participated in a scheme that stole the identities of hundreds of people, to include United States citizens, which were used by North Korea to fraudulently secure lucrative IT jobs,” said Assistant Director in Charges James Barnacle of the FBI’s New York Field Office. “This massive operation not only created an unauthorized backdoor into our country’s job market, but helped fund the regime of an adversary. This case is an example of how the FBI continues to safeguard our critical infrastructure from foreign threat actors seeking to exploit our nation’s sensitive information.”
This case was investigated by the FBI New York Field Office, with assistance from the FBI Norfolk, San Diego and Knoxville Field Offices.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Steven Wasserman for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of California, Eastern District of Tennessee, and Eastern District of Virginia, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Trial Attorney Jacques-Singer Emory of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section provided valuable assistance.
24cr261
Alleged Major Sinaloa Cartel Drug Trafficker Appears in San Diego CourtRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Alleged Sinaloa Cartel member Miguel Angel Valdez Ruiz, aka Flaco, made his initial appearance in federal court today following his arrest on charges that he participated in an international conspiracy to traffic cocaine from Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, and Mexico into the United States.
Valdez was a fugitive following his 2019 indictment in the Southern District of California charging him with International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances.
Prior to his arrest, on February 10, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Valdez pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059 for materially contributing to the illicit activities of major Mexican cartels to traffic cocaine into the United States.
According to the OFAC designation, Valdez worked as an intermediary between major Ecuadorian drug trafficker Wilder Emilio Sanchez Farfan and Ismael Zambada Garcia, aka El Mayo, who at the time was a major leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. OFAC alleges that Valdez used a fleet of private aircraft to transport cocaine from Ecuador to Mexico and coordinated with associates to import the cocaine into the United States.
At today’s hearing, Valdez entered a not guilty plea. A detention hearing is scheduled for February 20, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Berg.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Martin, Jordan Arakawa, Ashley Goff and Mary Walters.
DEFENDANT Case Number 19CR1610-GPC
Miguel Angel Valdez Ruiz Age: 36 Sinaloa, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
International Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960, 963
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Department of the Treasury
United States Coast Guard
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 114 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 114 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On February 8, Raul Rodriguez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 55 packages containing 137 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the front and rear bumpers of the defendant’s vehicle’s as he tried to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On February 11, Gelacio Ortiz-Dominguez, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged with Attempted Entry after Deportation. According to a complaint, Ortiz was intercepted by Customs and Border Protection officers as he ran northbound in the primary vehicle lanes at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. The defendant was previously removed from the U.S. in 2022, and at least twice before that.
- On February 9, Juan Manuel Estrada Cortez and Manuel Monterrosa Mendoza, citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged with Transportation of Illegal Aliens. According to a complaint, the defendants were arrested by Border Patrol agents north of the border, about eight miles east of Tecate, after a brief chase. The defendants and three others fled their disabled vehicle after its tires were deflated by the Border Patrol’s Vehicle Immobilization Device was deployed.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
San Diego Woman Sentenced to 63 Months in Embezzlement and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Ping “Jenny” Gao of Point Loma was sentenced in federal court today to 63 months’ custody after admitting that she embezzled and laundered more than $8.5 million from her employer’s bank accounts.
U.S. District Judge James E. Simmons, Jr. also ordered Gao to pay $3,295,000 in restitution to victims of the offense – Nautical Hero Group, LLC and Vitality International Management, LLC.
According to admissions in her plea agreement, Gao worked for three aviation investment firms – Nautical Hero Group, LLC, Axiom United Holdings, LLC, and Vitality International Management, LLC – based at Montgomery Field airport and owned by the same employer. She funneled company funds into accounts she fraudulently created and then went on a spending spree, buying a $160,000 Porsche and a $2.9 million home with views overlooking San Diego Bay and the downtown skyline.
When her employer discovered the theft and sued in San Diego Superior Court, Gao falsely claimed her actions were authorized by the real owner of the companies in China and the person who sued her was an “imposter.” To support this false defense, Gao paid more than $100,000 of embezzled funds to people in China to fabricate evidence, which she then knowingly filed with the Superior Court to oppose a motion for a preliminary injunction. Gao also committed perjury at her deposition in the civil matter by claiming the funds in the companies’ bank accounts belonged to her.
Though the Superior Court issued multiple orders barring Gao from further spending, transferring, or dissipating the proceeds during the pendency of the civil case, Gao disregarded the orders and continued to make transactions with the embezzled proceeds. Those transactions included wiring $1.6 million overseas to a bank account in Hong Kong, China.
According to the United States’ Sentencing Memorandum, Gao knowingly completed more than 300 financial transactions in violation of court orders and purposefully deceived her own lawyers into unwittingly filing fabricated evidence to the Superior Court to support her false defense.
In September 2023, the civil case went to trial and Gao testified in her defense. Gao committed perjury again by claiming the funds were from her investments in China. She also falsely claimed that one of the managers of the companies was helping to move her funds into the United States using “underground banks” to avoid Chinese laws limiting overseas transfers.
The Superior Court ultimately ruled against Gao and converted the preliminary injunction into a permanent injunction. Despite the permanent injunction, Gao continued to dissipate proceeds in violation of the court order. This included selling the $160,000 Porsche to CarMax for $75,000 and exchanging a $70,000 cashier’s check from proceeds of that transaction with another individual for cash.
According to her plea agreement, Gao admitted that she transferred more than $1 million of the embezzled funds to her personal bank accounts and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxuries and at high-end fashion stores. There is also more than $3.29 million of embezzled funds that were squandered or remain unaccounted for to date.
“The cover-up is often worse than the crime,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Those who fabricate evidence and lie under oath to conceal their crimes undermine our judicial system – and they will be held accountable.”
“The lengths that Gao took to hide her criminal activity are appalling in and of themselves, showing a complete disregard for our justice system,” said TJ Holland, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Today’s sentence reflects the magnitude of these types of financial crimes. FBI San Diego is dedicated to using all of its resources to investigate any criminal activity impacting our local industries and ensure a fair and just outcome for the victims.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 23-CR-2380-JES
Ping Gao, aka Jenny Gao, Gao Ping Age: 55 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
Concealment Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation