News Releases and Statements

On Tuesday, Juan Gerardo Trevino-Chavez, aka Huevo, 39, of Laredo, Texas, was arrested in San Diego, Calif. on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in drug trafficking in Mexico and the United States. According to the indictment filed in San Antonio, Trevino is the current leader of the Cartel Del Noreste drug cartel (CDN).

Information presented in court revealed that in April 2021, Christopher Cobb, 33, called the SSA office in Memphis, Tennessee, to inquire about the status of his claim.

Alejandro Valles, 27, of Aguila, Arizona, joins his co-conspirator David Alberto Duarte-Marquez, 21, a Mexican citizen was previously sentenced to 33 months in prison – both men pleaded guilty to their offenses.

An investigation by ICE HSI led to the arrest and charge of Joseph Raymond Berger, 67, and Joseph Paul Berger, 32, of Bethlehem, PA, this week with multiple firearms offenses including possessing machine guns, possessing non-registered firearms, and possessing non-registered silencers.

Based on information provided DRPD applied for the arrests warrants of Aldo Esquivel, 18, and Victor Garcia, 17, both from Del Rio.

The individuals in question were part of Neo-Nazi cells that were planning attacks against public areas, such as schools, as well as hate crimes against Jewish and black civilians. Operation Bergón was initiated in May 2021 due to criminal neo-Nazi groups using U.S.-based online platforms to call for violence against Jewish and black civilians.

Jose Rafael Vasquez, 64, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced Dec. 15 by U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana to 63 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by a three-year term of supervised release.

The operation, which ran from April 7 – Sept. 30, targeted violent fugitives including documented gang members and other firearms-related offenders in Corpus Christi and surrounding areas.

Zachary Ronzell Mitchell, 30, of Fargo, was sentenced before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, to 72 months in federal prison on a federal charge of interfering with commerce by threats and violence, more commonly known as a Hobbs Act robbery. Chief Judge Welte also sentenced Mitchell to three years supervised release and a $100 Special Assessment.

Mauricio Robles, 26, of Phoenix, Arizona, was indicted in federal court Oct. 21. The court previously sentenced Robles’ co-defendant, Arlando Torres, 36, of Texas, to 70 months in prison on Sept. 30.

Omot Musa Karlo, 20, was indicted by a federal grand jury Nov. 9. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy Nov. 22 to enter his not guilty plea.

Stacey Edward Williams, Jr., 42, formerly of Detroit, Michigan, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl; multiple counts of possession and distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl; distribution of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl resulting in death; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on Oct. 29, Kevin Alan Aguilar-Moreno, 20, attempted to board a Delta Airlines flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix, checking two suitcases prior to boarding. TSA agents screening luggage determined that Aguilar-Moreno’s baggage contained approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine; a FN, Model 509 9x19 pistol; a Rock Island Armory, 1911 A1-FS pistol; an AR-15-type firearm with no serial number; and 241 rounds of .223 ammunition, of which 39 were armor piercing ammunition.

According to court documents and testimony at trial, between December 2019 and August 2020, Jose Luis Garcia Jr., 34, purchased at least 49 firearms from federal firearm licensees in El Paso. Agents observed that Garcia, who was living in Mexico at the time, would often cross into the United States for just a few hours to purchase firearms and then return to Mexico.

On Nov. 4, 2020, Bray-Vazquez, a driver for the U.S. Consulate in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, attempted to enter Mexico through the Nogales Port of Entry while driving a U.S. Consular vehicle.

Leonel Avalos-Santoyo, 50, was sentenced in U.S. district court to 46 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Avalos-Santoyo pleaded guilty June 6.

Significant disruption to Mexico-bound gun trafficking continues under Operation Without a Trace, with seizures of 1,125 firearms, over 680,000 rounds of ammunition, $28 million in currency and 360 arrests made to date. Along with this multi-agency, ongoing operation, agents seek the public’s assistance in reporting suspicious activity.

Cecilio Gonzalez-Espino, 31, was convicted of multiple felony methamphetamine charges in California in 2011. As a result of his prior convictions and undocumented status, Gonzalez-Espino is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

On June 1, four arrest warrants and eight search and seizure warrants were carried out in the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro by Brazilian authorities, while one arrest warrant for a U.S.-based TCO member was simultaneously executed in Orlando, Florida by HSI Miami and HSI Orlando as part of Operation Iron Tire.

Jorge Armando Lopez-Espinoza, 42, of Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez. Lopez-Esponza previously pleaded guilty Nov. 25, 2020.

A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison May 23, after being convicted at trial in October for illegally possessing a stolen firearm as a convicted felon. Desmond Boris Washington, 35, was sentenced to four years in federal prison and three years supervised release.

Jonathan Tai, 36, of Kurtistown was arrested at his home Friday, following the execution of a search warrant at that location.

George Harrison, 56, of Estill County, Kentucky, was found guilty of three counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, all charges contained in an August 2019 indictment.

After a five-day jury trial in federal court, Jorge Santos Caballero Melgar, 36, formerly of Nashville, Tennessee, was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; conspiracy to use and carry firearms during and in relation to crimes of violence; interference with commerce by robbery in a March 2017 robbery in Bowling Green, Kentucky; murder through the use of a firearm during and in relation to the commission of a crime of violence; and illegal reentry into the United States after a previous deportation.

Daniel Ague Masters, 51, kept a substantial arsenal at both an underground bunker and in a garage on a property in Rainer, Thurston County.