Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 115 border-related cases this week, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charges include bringing in undocumented individuals for financial gain, reentering the United States after deportation, and importing controlled substances.
The Southern District of California is among the busiest federal districts in the country due to its high volume of border-related crimes. This district covers San Diego and Imperial counties and shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes major crossings such as the San Ysidro Port of Entry, which is recognized as the world’s busiest land border crossing and connects San Diego and Tijuana.
In addition to these cases, the office also prosecutes matters related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking, and national security.
Recent arrests highlighted by prosecutors include:
On November 29, Oscar Rene Redondo, a U.S. citizen, was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry after Customs and Border Protection officers found 25 packages containing 260 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in his truck bed.
On December 2, Arturo Olazaba-Lopez was arrested and charged with attempted entry after deportation. According to court documents, he was discovered hiding under a blanket in a car’s cargo area while attempting to cross through San Ysidro. He had previously been removed from the United States on November 1, 2025 from San Ysidro and earlier in 1996 from El Paso.
On December 3, Joel Enrique Topete-Toparro and Aristeo Esteban Ceballos Lorea were arrested east of Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Authorities allege they acted as foot guides for other undocumented Mexican citizens entering north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Additionally, some defendants with prior criminal records were recently sentenced for border-related offenses. On December 5, 2024, Felipe Jesus Galindo received a sentence of 24 months in custody for illegally re-entering the United States after previous convictions for possession of a controlled substance for sale and weapons offenses.
These immigration cases involved cooperation among multiple federal agencies including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), as well as state and local law enforcement partners.
The office emphasized that indictments and criminal complaints are allegations only; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
