Rogelio Moises Rosel Dimas, a Mexican national, appeared in federal court on July 30 in Atlanta to answer to criminal charges following the alleged discovery of a handgun at his Stockbridge, Georgia, residence and over two pounds of fentanyl hidden nearby. Federal agents executed a search warrant at Rosel Dimas’s home on July 29 as part of a narcotics investigation.
U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said, “Fentanyl and illegal firearms are a lethal combination that gravely threatens the safety of our citizens. My office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold fentanyl traffickers accountable and eradicate this deadly drug from our streets.”
Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Field Division, said, “Our mission has always been about protecting people. Every seizure of fentanyl is an opportunity to prevent tragedy, and every trafficker held accountable makes our communities safer. This case underscores the importance of the strong partnerships that make these investigations possible, and DEA will continue pursuing those who endanger lives as we work toward a Fentanyl Free America.”
According to information presented in court by U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, agents found a 9mm pistol inside Rosel Dimas’s residence; he is allegedly prohibited from possessing firearms as an illegal alien. The agents also located more than two pounds of fentanyl hidden in woods near his home.
Rosel Dimas was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. He remains detained under the custody of the United States Marshals Service while awaiting further proceedings.
Members of the public are reminded that criminal complaints contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with assistance from Henry County Police Department. The case falls under Operation Take Back America, which utilizes Department of Justice resources against illegal immigration and transnational crime organizations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin Hall and Kendall Runyan are prosecuting this case for the Northern District of Georgia—a region serving 7.5 million residents across north Georgia mountains, Atlanta suburbs, and borders with Alabama and the Carolinas—as well as enforcing federal laws related to terrorism threats, human trafficking cases, civil rights violations, public safety collaboration with law enforcement agencies nationwide or internationally coordinated cases, according to the official website.