Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California have filed 135 border-related cases this week. The charges include transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances.
The Southern District of California is one of the busiest federal districts due to border-related crimes. This district, including San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico and has the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world's busiest land border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana.
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the district prosecutes cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking, and national security.
Recent arrests include Jesus Manuel Zuniga Huerta and Jose Alberto Flores Avalos of Mexico on April 15 at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry for importing fentanyl. Brian Jaime Sanchez was arrested and charged for bringing in aliens for financial gain, while Sergio Villalba-Serrano was charged with deported alien found in the United States, both near the Tecate Port of Entry.
Federal jury trials and convictions this week include Miguel Rolon for conspiring to bring in aliens, and Mexican nationals such as Javier Gracia-Meza, Cruz Torres-Gonzalez, Pablo Lazcano-Quinonez, and Jesus Eduardo Morga-Ceballos for illegal reentry offenses.
The Department’s "Operation Take Back America" focuses on immigration prosecutions against undocumented aliens engaged in criminal activities, including drug and firearm crimes.
These immigration cases are supported by various federal law enforcement entities, including Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, and other agencies.
Indictments and criminal complaints are considered allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.