Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 91 border-related cases this week, with charges including assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The Southern District of California is among 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.
Beyond reactive prosecution for border-related crimes, authorities in the district also handle cases involving terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking, and national security.
Among this week’s arrests:
On July 28, Martin ALFARO Arambula, a Mexican citizen, was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry and charged with importation of a controlled substance after being found with over 487 pounds of cocaine by Customs and Border Patrol agents.
On July 29, Luis Antonio CARCAMO and Isabel VERA-Cortes were arrested on charges related to bringing in and harboring certain aliens. Border Patrol agents observed a suspicious vehicle on Interstate 5. After conducting an immigration inspection following a traffic stop, they determined that one passenger was a Mexican citizen without immigration documents and arrested CARCAMO and VERA for alien smuggling.
Recent convictions included:
– Abner Leon-Mote received a sentence of 30 months in custody for illegally re-entering the U.S., following a prior felony conviction.
– Juan Carlos Luna Valenzuela was sentenced to 67 days’ custody for illegal reentry after deportation in 2024 and an additional 30 days for probation violation.
– Gustavo Sanchez Meneses received a sentence of 15 months after entering illegally following previous felony sexual abuse conviction.
– Antonio Reyes-Camacho was sentenced to time served after unlawful presence in the U.S., having been previously convicted of a felony.
– Noe Dario Lopez Saavedra received 21 months for participating in an international cocaine distribution conspiracy.
– Sabino Valderas-Largo was sentenced to 30 months plus three years’ supervised release for illegal reentry following multiple DUI convictions.
– Ricardo Barajas-Beltran received 30 months plus two years’ supervised release for illegal reentry after previous drug trafficking convictions.
According to officials: “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.”
These 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 & Explosives (ATF), along with state and local law enforcement partners.
Officials noted: “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.”
