Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 103 border-related cases this week. The charges include bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the United States after deportation, and importing controlled substances.
The Southern District of California is one of the busiest federal districts in the country due to its high volume of border-related crimes. The district covers San Diego and Imperial counties and shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, which is recognized as the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego and Tijuana.
In addition to responding to border-related crimes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this district also prosecutes cases involving terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking, and national security.
Recent arrests include Yasmin Cruz, a U.S. citizen who was charged with Attempted Transportation of Illegal Aliens on August 16. According to a complaint, Cruz posed as the mother of two children while trying to enter the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry using birth certificates that did not belong to them.
On August 19, Christin Arnulfo Cruz Yepez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. A complaint states that Border Patrol agents intercepted Cruz Yepez walking near Tecate after he had previously been deported through San Diego on July 24.
Arturo Gonzalez Aguilar, identified as a Tijuana police officer by Customs and Border Protection officers, was arrested on August 20 and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. Officers reportedly found 87 pounds of cocaine concealed in his vehicle at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
Other recent cases resulted in convictions or sentences for defendants with criminal records related to illegal reentry into the United States. On August 20, Jesus Horacio Soto-Leyva was sentenced to just over one year in custody for illegal entry after previous felony convictions. On August 22, Efren Espinoza-Garcia received a similar sentence following prior conviction for methamphetamine distribution.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by several federal law enforcement 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), along with state and local 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.”
