Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from July 26, 2025, through August 1, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 134 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 66 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 57 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 9 cases against 11 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), 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).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Felipe Osuna Hernandez: On July 29, Felipe Osuna Hernandez, a Mexican national illegally present in the United States, was charged by criminal complaint with Illegal Reentry and with Bringing an Illegal Alien into the United States for Profit and While Placing Their Life in Jeopardy. On July 26, Osuna was arrested after it was determined he was a foot guide who smuggled two illegal aliens through the desert, from Mexico into the United States, without adequate food or water. The aliens made arrangements to pay to be smuggled into the United States and they were assigned Osuna as their guide. When one of the individuals was in medical distress, Osuna threatened the individual, took the aliens’ phones so they could not call for help and, ultimately, left the individual deceased in the desert. [Case Number: 25-MJ-2438]
United States v. Luis Enrique Beltran-Ceballos: On August 1, Luis Enrique Beltran-Ceballos, a citizen of Mexico unlawfully present in the United States, was charged by criminal complaint with Bringing an Alien to the United States and Improper Entry by Alien. On July 30, Beltran-Ceballos smuggled a twelve-year-old girl, whom he had never met before, into the United States by scaling the international border wall using a ladder. After crossing, Beltran-Ceballos attempted to evade detection by hiding with the child in a canal. Beltran-Ceballos was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations agents. The investigation revealed that Beltran-Ceballos had engaged in the smuggling activity with the expectation of financial compensation. [Case Number: 25-MJ-1774]
United States v. Edgar Pedro Hernandez: On August 1, Edgar Pedro Hernandez was charged by criminal complaint with Transporting an Illegal Alien. On July 30, Hernandez was stopped by local law enforcement for driving significantly below the posted speed limit. During the stop, Hernandez provided inconsistent information regarding the identity of his two passengers. U.S. Border Patrol was contacted and ultimately determined that both passengers were unlawfully present in the United States and had made prior arrangements to be smuggled across the border. Hernandez admitted to picking them up at a gas station and agreeing to transport them to Phoenix in exchange for gas money. [Case Number: 25-MJ-6341]
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-129_August 1 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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