Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California have filed 135 border-related cases this week. These include charges for bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is among the busiest federal districts due to its high volume of border-related crimes. This district covers San Diego and Imperial counties, sharing a 140-mile border with Mexico, including the San Ysidro Port of Entry, noted as the world’s busiest land border crossing.
Beyond reactive border-related crimes, this district also prosecutes proactive cases involving terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking, and national security.
A few examples of recent arrests include:
On May 28, Leonardo Arturo Sandez Leal was charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance after Customs and Border Protection officers at Otay Mesa Port found methamphetamine and cocaine concealed in his vehicle.
On May 23, Jorge Luis Perez-Florez and Rumualdo Morales-Perez were charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain after being intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard off Point Loma with undocumented Mexican nationals on their boat.
On May 29, Noel Lopez Uribe was charged with Deported Alien Found in the U.S., discovered hiding near brush in Otay Mesa by a Border Patrol agent.
Additionally, several defendants with criminal records were recently convicted or sentenced for border-related crimes:
Raul Diaz was sentenced to six months for attempting illegal reentry into the U.S., following a previous conviction for embezzlement.
Temo Duble-Chaparro received an 18-month sentence for illegal reentry of a removed alien and an additional four months for violating supervised release conditions. This marks his fourth federal immigration conviction within four years.
Federal law enforcement has prioritized immigration prosecutions under Operation Take Back America against undocumented aliens involved in criminal activities such as drug and firearms crimes. Authorities are also focusing on prosecuting drug, firearm, and human smugglers who threaten community safety.
These cases are supported by federal partners 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 (USBP), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives (ATF), along with state and local law enforcement agencies.
It is important to note that indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
