Previously Deported Alien Indicted for Illegal Reentry and Selling False Immigration Documents

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

A federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment against Luis Eduardo Torres-Hernandez, 39, residing in Sacramento, charging him with 10 counts of transferring false identification documents, and one count of illegally reentering the United States after being previously removed, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

According to court documents, between September and December 2024, Torres-Hernandez sold multiple sets of false identification documents to undercover agents. The documents included Permanent Resident (green) cards and Social Security cards that, while appearing to be issued by and under the authority of the United States, were instead false documents produced without lawful authority.

According to the indictment, on Aug. 29, 2014, Torres-Hernandez was deported from the United States after a previous conviction for transferring false identification documents in the Eastern District of California.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Torres-Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each false documents count and 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the illegal reentry count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Davis Picnic Day Shooter Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Joseph Allen Davis, 19, of Sacramento, with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

According to court documents, police officers began investigating Joseph Allen Davis after determining that he was a shooter at the April 12, 2025, shooting at Rainbow City Park in Davis, California, where three people were injured by gunfire. Law enforcement officers conducted a search of Joseph Allen Davis’s apartment and seized a short-barrel AR-15-style pistol. Davis is prohibited from possessing any firearms and ammunition because he has previously been convicted of a felon gun possession offense.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Davis Police Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Lee is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Davis faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is 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.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

District of Arizona Charges 134 Individuals for Immigration-Related Conduct this Week

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/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Bronx Man Charged With Federal Narcotics Offenses Resulting In Death

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Frank A. Tarentino, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ESTHERLYN FRIAS, a/k/a “Platinum,” a/k/a “Silver,” with conspiring to distribute narcotics resulting in death in connection with the poisoning death—or “overdose”—of a victim in Greenwich, Connecticut (“Victim-1”).  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Kevin P. Castel.

“As alleged, Estherlyn Frias has been pumping deadly drugs into our communities for years, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and more,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “The drugs that he sold claimed someone’s life, and it appears they may have claimed others before.  Shockingly, Frias appears to have stored his significant drug supply in an apartment where his two young children lived with him, mere feet away from where they slept.  Our communities’ suffering from this kind of personal profit ends now.  As the charges in this case show, together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who distribute illegal drugs.”

“Another senseless death at the hands of an individual pushing illicit narcotics laced with fentanyl,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino. As alleged, Estherlyn Frias repeatedly trafficked and sold fentanyl laced products, going so far as to recklessly stash these deadly drugs in a bedroom where his children slept. While today’s indictment against Mr. Frias will not bring back the person whose life was lost; it undoubtably represents a step towards justice and likely saved countless others.  The DEA is committed to saving lives and will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners in targeting those responsible for poisoning our communities and destroying families.”

As alleged in the Indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:[1]

From at least in or about January 2023 through at least in or about July 2025, FRIAS and others conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl, cocaine base, cocaine, heroin, and methadone, including from FRIAS’s apartment in the Bronx, New York.  FRIAS used that apartment—where his girlfriend and two young children resided—as a stash house, where he stored significant quantities of a variety of narcotics.

As a consequence of the drug conspiracy engaged in by FRIAS and his co-conspirators, Victim-1 died from acute fentanyl and cocaine intoxication on or about July 1, 2025.  Victim-1 met FRIAS outside of FRIAS’s apartment the day before to buy drugs. Within about twelve hours of their meeting, Victim-1 died from consuming fentanyl and cocaine purchased from FRIAS. FRIAS had been selling Victim-1 drugs for weeks in the lead-up to dealing the drugs that killed Victim-1. Below are text messages from Victim-1’s phone in which FRIAS, saved in Victim-1’s phone under his alias “Platinum,” sent Victim-1 a menu of the drugs that he had for sale, among them “soft” (heroin), “hard” (cocaine), “down” (fentanyl), and “everything.”

Law enforcement searched FRIAS’s apartment on the night of Victim-1’s death, pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant.  There, they found, among other things: 1,413 white glassine envelopes containing fentanyl; 603 purple glassine envelopes containing fentanyl; two plastic bags containing fentanyl; a third plastic bag containing fentanyl; 585 pink glassine envelopes containing para-fluorofentanyl; a plastic bag containing heroin; a second plastic bag containing heroin; two plastic bags containing crystal methamphetamine; a third plastic bag containing methamphetamine; 777 colored capsules containing crack cocaine; and 20 plastic bottles containing methadone.  Law enforcement also recovered various drug paraphernalia, including bulk packages of empty capsules, a digital scale, and a ledger summarizing FRIAS’s drug deals.

Additional records from FRIAS’s phones include two videos, both of which depict FRIAS walking into his apartment bedroom to retrieve drugs.  In both videos, FRIAS walks past a bed in which a young child can be seen asleep.  And, in both videos, after passing the bed, FRIAS pans the camera to a dresser—mere feet from where his children slept—covered in drugs, cash, and drug paraphernalia, including, in one video, a digital scale on which a plastic bag containing a white substance is resting (depicted in a screenshot below).

*               *                *

FRIAS, 34, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute narcotics resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of possession with intent to distribute narcotics, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA and the Greenwich Police Department.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca R. Delfiner and Benjamin M. Burkett are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 


[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Folsom Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

William James Fitzgerald, 25, of Folsom, pleaded guilty today to one count of sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

According to court documents, between Oct. 15, 2020, and May 4, 2022, Fitzgerald used a minor child he met on Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit conduct with her for the purpose of creating photographs and video recordings. Fitzgerald coerced and persuaded the minor child into creating multiple sexually explicit depictions at least four times by offering and later sending Amazon gift cards ranging in value from $20 to $30.

Additionally, between Feb. 9, 2021, and Feb. 20, 2021, Fitzgerald used a minor child he met on Snapchat to engage in sexually explicit conduct with her for the purpose of creating photographs and video recordings.

Finally, Fitzgerald knowingly possessed more than 1,000 files depicting the sexual abuse of children on his phone and iPad. The files included images of children engaged in sexual activity with adults and other children and adults sexually abusing toddlers.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Folsom Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.

Fitzgerald is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins on Nov. 7, 2025. Fitzgerald faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison with a lifetime of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.

San Joaquin County Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Illegal Firearms Trafficking

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Alejandra Susana Castillo, 34, of Tracy, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to five years in prison for illegal firearms trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

According to court documents, between Aug. 22, 2023, and Aug. 27, 2024, Castillo and a co‑conspirator trafficked firearms by purchasing them in Nevada and selling them on the black market in California. Because Castillo’s co-conspirator is a convicted felon and was not able to purchase the firearms himself, he entered into a criminal partnership with Castillo to purchase the firearms for him. In general, the two obtained firearms by traveling together to firearms dealers in Nevada, where the co-conspirator would enter the stores first, identify the firearms he wanted to Castillo via text message or other communications, and then exit the store. Castillo, who was not prohibited person at the time, would then enter the store and purchase the firearms, pretending they were for her. Once Castillo had the firearms, the two would then travel back to California, where they would unlawfully sell them to people who could not lawfully purchase firearms.

On July 27, 2024, Castillo’s co-conspirator led a law enforcement officer on a high-speed chase, which was ultimately ended because of public safety concerns. Two days later, another law enforcement officer observed the car involved in the chase parked at a gas station. The officer detained Castillo, who was then using the car. During a search of the vehicle, the officer discovered a semi-automatic rifle in the trunk, along with three extended magazines.

In total, more than 30 firearms were traced to this conspiracy. At least four of these firearms have since been recovered in connection with suspected firearm-related crimes. One such firearm, for example, was recovered by the California Highway Patrol in the possession of a felon in Vallejo on July 25, 2024, only three days after Castillo purchased the firearm in Nevada.

Castillo was ordered report to prison on Nov. 1, 2025. Her co-conspirator is currently in federal custody for a related case.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the Pleasanton Police Department, the Reno Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl Conspiracy Involving Shipments to Alabama

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that Shanarion Lee, 32, of La Mesa, California, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Lee pleaded guilty to the charge earlier this year and was sentenced on July 31, 2025. In addition to his prison term, the court ordered Lee to serve five years of supervised release following his release from custody. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records and Lee’s plea agreement, the investigation began in March 2023 when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) began investigating a suspected drug-trafficking network transporting fentanyl from California to Alabama. Investigators determined that Lee conspired with others, including 32-year-old Hillary Lewis of Lemon Grove, California, and 35-year-old James Walker of Enterprise, Alabama, to ship illegal controlled substances to various addresses within the Middle District of Alabama.

Throughout 2023 and 2024, federal agents intercepted multiple packages containing pills designed to look like legitimate oxycodone tablets. Laboratory analysis later confirmed that the pills were counterfeit and contained fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. Lee pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl on March 26, 2025.

Earlier this year, both Lewis and Walker entered guilty pleas to federal drug conspiracy charges for their roles in the operation. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for the coming months.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Enterprise Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Markovits is prosecuting the case.

Montgomery Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Firearm Possession

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that, on July 31, 2025, Calvin Craig Griffin, 22, of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 81 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Following his prison term, Griffin will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records, on August 28, 2024, officers with the Montgomery Police Department were conducting patrols in the area of Eastern Boulevard and Carmichael Road when they observed an individual entering a hotel room carrying what appeared to be an AR-style pistol. Hotel management informed officers that they suspected illegal activity in that room and requested assistance in having the individuals removed from the property.

When officers entered the room, they identified the armed individual as Calvin Griffin. Inside, they recovered an AR-style pistol with an extended magazine containing 63 rounds of ammunition. Because of prior felony convictions, Griffin is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. Griffin pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on April 21, 2025.

The case was investigated by the Montgomery Police Department (MPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Metro Area Crime Suppression Unit, which includes the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, ATF, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and MPD. Assistant United States Attorney John J. Geer III prosecuted the case.

Lancaster County Man Sentenced to 15 years for Drug Conspiracy

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tymarious Nydarious Thompson, 24, of Lancaster, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a quantity of cocaine and marijuana.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Thompson conspired with Mikel Stewart and others to obtain and distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, a quantity of cocaine, and a quantity of marijuana. During a search of his home in 2019, investigators found 7 pounds of marijuana, a sawed-off shotgun, a handgun, ammunition, and counterfeit money. Law enforcement also made several purchases of pure ice methamphetamine from him.  During a subsequent search of his home in 2020, law enforcement found more than 198 grams of pure ice methamphetamine, marijuana, and crack cocaine along with another firearm and over $4,000. Even after this discovery, Thompson continued to sell more ice methamphetamine to an undercover agent. 

United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Thompson to 180 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Lancaster Police Department, and the York County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.

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U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force Apprehends Capital Murder Suspect Sought in Robin Bledsoe Park Shooting

Source: US Marshals Service

Austin, TX – Members of the U.S. Marshals-led Lone Star Fugitive Task Force Thursday evening arrested an individual who was sought for a July 29th homicide in Leander. 

Shaunathan Gabriel Raby, 18, was arrested and charged with capital murder by terror threat from an incident that occurred at Robin Bledsoe Park located at 601 S. Bagdad Road in Leander on July 29th.  

The Leander Police Department investigated the deadly incident and obtained an arrest warrant in the Leander Municipal Court on July 30th.  

On August 1st, the Leander Police Department, Criminal Investigations Division (CID), requested assistance from the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in the Austin Division to locate and apprehend the Raby.

Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force initiated a fugitive investigation and developed information, where task force officers surrounded a residence in the 6800 of McNeil Drive in Austin, where Raby was arrested without incident. 

Raby was transported to the Leander Police Department where he was transferred to local authorities.

Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in Austin:

  • Austin Police Department-Tactical Intelligence Unit
  • Georgetown, Round Rock, and San Marcos Police Department
  • Hays, Travis, and Williamson County Sheriff’s Office
  • Texas Attorney General’s Office
  • Texas Department of Criminal Justice OIG
  • Texas Department of Public Safety
  • U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
  • U.S. DHS/Homeland Security Investigations