Federal prosecutors, in coordination with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies, have charged 20 individuals with being illegally present in the United States following their removal. This announcement was made by the Department of Justice.
Many of these individuals were previously convicted of felonies—including vandalism and firearms-related crimes—before their removal from the United States. Among those charged is Antonio Espinoza Zarate, also known as "El Gato," a 55-year-old resident from Los Angeles. Espinoza was arrested on allegations of selling fentanyl and illegally re-entering the U.S. after removal. According to court documents, Espinoza, a Mexican citizen, was deported in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2017 and re-entered the country illegally. His previous convictions include narcotics possession and illegal reentry. Espinoza's arraignment is set for April 15 in the U.S. District Court, Los Angeles.
The case against Espinoza is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane B. Roldán. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa S. Rabbani and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Keenan are handling related cases. Gotham emphasizes that "all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
These cases form part of "Operation Take Back America," an initiative aimed at combatting cartel and organized crime activities and addressing illegal immigration. The efforts are supported by the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The investigation draws on support from various entities, including the HSI-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in California, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and local law enforcement, such as the Los Angeles Police Department.
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