During the week of March 15-21, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona charged 217 individuals with immigration-related crimes. The cases include 91 instances of illegal re-entry and charges against 103 individuals for illegal entry into the United States. Additionally, there were 15 cases involving 23 people accused of smuggling illegal aliens in Arizona.
These prosecutions were supported by federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Among notable cases:
In "United States v. Juan Antonio Ruiz," Ruiz was indicted on March 18, 2025, for Naturalization Fraud under Title 18 U.S.C. § 1425(a). He allegedly made false statements during his naturalization process about prior criminal activities. Ruiz had pleaded guilty to sexual conduct with a minor and attempted molestation charges in January 2021.
"United States v. Jose Alejandro Medrano-Renteria" involves charges related to Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit. Medrano-Renteria was apprehended after attempting to evade Border Patrol agents during a vehicle stop, which led to his capture along with four illegal aliens he was transporting.
In "United States v. Tracy Ann Cook; Alex Puella; Yesenia Monique Ortiz," these individuals face conspiracy charges for transporting illegal aliens for profit after being stopped by Tohono O'odham Police Officers who found three illegal aliens in their vehicle.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint or indictment does not imply guilt; each individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.