E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
This week, federal prosecutors in Los Angeles filed charges against 20 individuals accused of being illegally present in the U.S. following removal, according to a statement from the Justice Department. The individuals worked in coordination with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other law enforcement agencies.
Several defendants had previously been convicted of felonies, including vandalism and firearm-related crimes, before being deported from the United States. Among them is Antonio Espinoza Zarate, 55, also known as "El Gato," from Los Angeles. Espinoza was arrested Wednesday, accused of selling two kilograms of fentanyl pills from July 2023 to February 2025. He faces charges of illegal reentry after removal and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane B. Roldán, Espinoza remains jailed without bond, with an arraignment set for April 15.
Espinoza, a Mexican citizen, was previously deported four times and has a history of felony convictions, including possession of narcotics for sale in 2008 and illegal reentry in 2015.
The investigation was led by the Homeland Security Investigations' El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, with various federal and state investigators involved, alongside support from the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistance was also provided by the Los Angeles Police Department.
The offense of reentering the United States after removal holds penalties of up to two years in prison. Those removed following a felony conviction may face up to 10 years, while those with aggravated felonies face a maximum of 20 years.
Other cases include Efrén García Jiménez, charged with being an illegal alien found in the U.S. after removal. García, deported in 2019, had been convicted of discharging a firearm and vandalism. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa S. Rabbani is on this case.
Aristeo González Rosas, also charged as an illegal alien, was arrested in Ventura County. Previously convicted of firearms offenses, González Rosas was deported twice in 2024. His case is being prosecuted by the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section.
Separately, a federal grand jury indicted Kevin Mauricio Ballardo-García for transporting 148.12 kilograms of methamphetamine. Arrested during a traffic stop in Westminster, Ballardo-García is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Keenan is handling this prosecution.
The above cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a Justice Department initiative targeting illegal immigration and criminal organizations to safeguard communities from violent crime.
