Socorro Jesus Lopez-Spindola, a 59-year-old tow truck operator from Pasco, Washington, has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced the charge. Lopez-Spindola was arraigned on March 13, 2025, before the U.S. District Court in Richland.
Court documents reveal that in November 2024, Pasco Police detained Lopez-Spindola during an investigation related to robbery, extortion, and threats to kill. A search warrant was executed at Classic Towing and Recovery, owned by Lopez-Spindola. Investigators reportedly found a loaded .22 caliber revolver in his office desk drawer.
Lopez-Spindola has prior convictions, including one for unlawful reentry after deportation.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America. This initiative aims to combat illegal immigration and dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime. It utilizes resources from the Department of Justice's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The FBI and Pasco Police Department are investigating the case, with Assistant United States Attorney Brandon L. Pang prosecuting.
An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
