Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 91 border-related cases this week, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charges include assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the United States after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The Southern District of California, which covers San Diego and Imperial counties, is among the busiest federal districts due to its proximity to the border. The district shares a 140-mile boundary with Mexico and includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, recognized as the world’s busiest land border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana.
In addition to responding to border-related crimes, prosecutors in this district also handle proactive cases involving terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security.
Recent arrests highlighted by the office include:
- On July 28, Martin Alfaro Arambula was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry for allegedly attempting to bring more than 487 pounds of cocaine into the United States.
- On July 29, Luis Antonio Carcamo and Isabel Vera-Cortes were arrested on Interstate 5 for allegedly smuggling an undocumented Mexican citizen into the country.
Several individuals with prior criminal records were also sentenced for border-related offenses:
- Abner Leon-Mote received a 30-month sentence for illegal reentry after a previous felony conviction.
- Juan Carlos Luna Valenzuela was sentenced to 67 days in custody plus an additional 30 days for probation violation related to illegal entry.
- Gustavo Sanchez Meneses received a 15-month sentence following a prior conviction for felony sexual abuse of a child.
- Antonio Reyes-Camacho was sentenced to time served after being found unlawfully present in the U.S. following two prior removals.
- Noe Dario Lopez Saavedra was sentenced to 21 months for participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy.
- Sabino Valderas-Largo received a sentence of 30 months plus three years supervised release after multiple DUI convictions and illegal reentry.
- Ricardo Barajas-Beltran was sentenced to 30 months plus two years supervised release after previous convictions related to drug trafficking and weapons offenses.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office: “Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.”
The office noted that these cases were referred or supported by agencies such as Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with state and local law enforcement partners.
“Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” stated officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
