Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona has charged 232 individuals with immigration-related offenses during enforcement operations from March 8 to March 14, 2025. The charges include 92 cases of illegal re-entry into the United States and 124 cases of illegal entry. Additionally, 11 cases were filed against 15 individuals accused of smuggling illegal aliens within Arizona. One defendant was also charged with assaulting a Border Patrol agent.
Federal law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) supported these efforts.
In notable cases, Edwin Andres Valdez-Gutierrez was indicted on charges including Assault on a Federal Officer after allegedly reversing his vehicle into one occupied by ICE officers. Jorge Fontes-Garcia faces multiple charges related to smuggling activities that resulted in death due to heat exposure in August 2023.
Carlos Rene Montes and Miguel Angel Sesma were charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl after authorities seized approximately 700,000 pills from their possession. Investigators discovered drugs concealed in roofing shingles during traffic stops in Phoenix.
A criminal complaint or indictment does not imply guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.