Federal grand juries in Bowling Green and Paducah, Kentucky, have indicted five foreign nationals from China, Guatemala, and Mexico on charges related to immigration and firearms offenses. The indictments were announced by U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky alongside officials from various law enforcement agencies.
Artemio Ruiz-Medina, a 45-year-old Mexican citizen, was charged with reentry after deportation in Bowling Green. He had been previously removed from the United States multiple times since July 2003. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Santos Pastor-Juarez, a 52-year-old Guatemalan citizen, faces similar charges in Paducah for being found in the U.S. after deportation in March 1998. His potential sentence could reach two years if convicted.
Zhouchen Yan, a 29-year-old Chinese citizen residing in Bowling Green, was charged with making false statements on federal firearms transaction records between October 2023 and December 2024. He could face up to 30 years imprisonment if found guilty.
Ulises Macario Gonzaga-Guillen from Mexico is accused of making false statements on firearms forms and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship while possessing firearms illegally between January and April 2025 across McCracken and Marshall counties. He risks a maximum sentence of 73 years if convicted.
Rodrigo Waldemarr Caal-Caal from Guatemala and Rodolfo Ruiz-Hernandez from Mexico were both indicted for illegal possession of firearms discovered during an investigation by Mayfield Police Department. Each faces up to 15 years imprisonment upon conviction.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, aiming to combat illegal immigration and transnational crime through coordinated efforts by the Department of Justice's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Nicholas Rabold, Mark J. Yurchisin II, Seth Hancock, and Raymond McGee are prosecuting these cases which are under investigation by several federal agencies including ATF, HSI ICE ERO along with local police departments.
All defendants remain presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt as per legal standards set by the court system where no parole exists federally.