A federal criminal complaint has been filed in Charlotte, North Carolina, charging Oscar Gerardo Solorzano-Garcia, a 33-year-old Honduran national, with illegal reentry after removal and committing an act of violence on a mass transportation system. The announcement was made by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to authorities, Solorzano-Garcia allegedly stabbed a passenger during an incident on December 5, 2025, aboard the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte. The victim sustained serious injuries and was transported to the hospital.
The complaint alleges that Solorzano-Garcia had previously been deported from the United States twice. In 2012, he was convicted of robbery in New Jersey. He was later arrested in Florida for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and removed from the country in March 2018. After returning illegally and being apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol nine months later, he was convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to prison before being removed again in June 2021.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated: “Not only should this defendant have already been in prison — he should not have been in our country to begin with. This attack is more tragic evidence that soft-on-crime policies and vetting failures put innocent citizens at risk. My prosecutors will deliver swift, comprehensive justice in this case.”
FBI Director Kash Patel commented: “The people of Charlotte deserve to live in a safe city and this horrific act should never have happened. As the FBI has illustrated, we will not stand for this type of violence in our communities. Our mission is to keep our communities safe and that is exactly what the men and women of the FBI are working to accomplish each and every day.”
U.S. Attorney Ferguson said: “This defendant is charged with coming back to the United States after being deported not once, but twice, and then stabbing a passenger in the chest on our city’s public transit system. Everyone who uses public transportation is the victim of a crime like this, and we will act swiftly to prosecute those who violate our immigration laws and endanger the lives of citizens using public transit to go about their daily lives.”
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Charlotte Division, added: “Oscar Solorzano-Garcia should not have been on the Charlotte light rail last Friday. In fact, he should not have been in our country. He has a violent criminal history and was deported twice. These two recent attacks on the city’s light rail system make one thing clear. Safety measures on public transportation in our city must be strengthened. People deserve a secure and reliable transit system where they make it to work and back home unharmed.”
CMPD Chief Estella Patterson emphasized collaboration between agencies: “Our strong partnerships with federal and community stakeholders are essential to keeping our city safe,” she said. “Federal charges brought against violent offenders send a clear message: if you commit violent crimes, you will be held accountable. Actions have consequences, and we will continue working with our justice partners to ensure offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
If convicted on all counts, Solorzano-Garcia could face up to life imprisonment for violence on a mass transportation system charge as well as up to ten years for illegal reentry.
The investigation is ongoing by the FBI with assistance from Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD). Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller is prosecuting.
Authorities remind that these charges are allegations; Solorzano-Garcia remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
