SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 132 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.A sample of border-related arrests this week: On September 15, Jose Camarillo De La Torre, a Mexican citizen and border crosser card holder, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered over 122 pounds of fentanyl concealed in the bed of the Dodge Ram he was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On September 16, Jocelyn Felix, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered nearly 86 pounds of cocaine concealed inside the Nissan Versa the defendant was driving as she applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. On September 15, Antonio Jimenez-Reyez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in an Alien for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found an undocumented person from China hiding inside the rear spare tire wheel well of Jimenez-Reyez’ Jeep Cherokee when he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The undocumented person was paying nearly $60,000 to be smuggled into the U.S.The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of 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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice