Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 102 border-related cases this week. These included charges such as bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importing controlled substances.
The Southern District of California, which covers San Diego and Imperial counties, is among the busiest federal districts in the country due to its high volume of border-related crimes. The district shares a 140-mile border 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 crimes, prosecutors in this district also handle cases involving terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking, and national security.
A sample of arrests from this week includes Ruben Castaneda, a U.S. citizen arrested on September 18 for allegedly attempting to import methamphetamine into the United States. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found 15 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in his vehicle at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
On the same day, Efrain Viveros Otero, a Mexican citizen previously deported through San Ysidro in January, was arrested for being found in the United States without authorization. He was intercepted by a Border Patrol agent near Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
Several defendants with prior criminal records were recently convicted or sentenced for illegally re-entering the U.S. after deportation:
- Edgar Ramirez-Guzman received a sentence of 12 months and one day after attempting to enter the country again following previous convictions.
- Manuel Francisco Gallegos-Felix was sentenced to 10 months for illegal entry; he had earlier been convicted for narcotics conspiracy and possession of multiple firearms.
- Andrew Aquarious Thomas was sentenced to 15 months for importing 33 kilograms of methamphetamine from Mexico.
- Erik Adrian Serveriano-Torres received a sentence of 19 months; he has seven prior immigration offenses.
- Francisco Marvel Melchor Rosales was sentenced to 140 days after previously being convicted for felony importation of methamphetamine.
These immigration cases were referred or supported by several federal agencies including 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), as well as 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."
