The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has reported on the outcomes of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program over the past four years. This initiative targets high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations using a multi-agency approach that includes federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Since January 2021, the OCDETF program in Arizona has charged 536 defendants across 174 indictments. The collaboration involves several agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Diplomatic Security Service; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service; U.S. Marshals Service; and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Highlighted cases from this period include:
- **Nestor Hernandez-Morales**: Sentenced to 96 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and other charges related to firearms smuggling.
- **Jose Raul Diaz-Acedo**: Received a 37-month sentence after attempting to smuggle an arsenal into Mexico.
- **Keivin Crosswell-Cervantes et al.**: Crosswell-Cervantes was sentenced to 17 years for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
- **Maria Mendoza-Mendoza**: Known as "La Guera," she was sentenced to 10 years for her role in human smuggling operations.
- **Jesus Ernesto Dessens-Romero**: Convicted for his involvement in a fatal human smuggling incident, resulting in a 10-year sentence.
- **Peter Vega**: Apprehended in Mexico and sentenced to 15 years for leading a drug trafficking organization.
- **Luis Salvador Flores**: Sentenced to 84 months following charges related to firearm possession by a convicted felon.
- **Hector Francisco Ramirez-Roman**: Received a sentence of 108 months for attempting to transport liquid methamphetamine.
- **Martin Garcia-Velazquez et al.**: Garcia-Velazquez was sentenced to 90 months for organizing illegal alien transportation.
Other significant sentences include those given to individuals involved in various drug trafficking conspiracies such as Enrique Flores-Diaz, Dennis Kelly, Jesus Hector Lagarda-Gil, Charles Corey McCoy, Oscar Martinez-Miranda et al., Yvette Porras-Ochoa, Gabriel Vejar-Cota, Jose Angel Rodriguez, Sally Joyce Nyemba, and Heriberto Lopez-Landeros.
Further details about these cases can be found on the OCDETF Program's website at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.