U.S. Attorneys
Here's a look at documents from U.S. attorneys
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Submariner Smugglers Extradited From Colombia to Face International Cocaine Distribution Charges
BROOKLYN, New York, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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Submariner Smugglers Extradited from Colombia to Face International Cocaine Distribution Charges
Defendants Allegedly Used Semi-Submersible Vessels to Traffic Tons of Cocaine from Colombia, Through the Pacific Ocean to Mexico, and Ultimately to the United States
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This afternoon, in federal court in Brooklyn, Elkin Armando Alomia Quinones, Luis Alberto Arboleda Escobar, Diego Luis Obregon Aguirre, Edwin Obregon Castro, Juan Matias Obregon
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BROOKLYN, New York, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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Submariner Smugglers Extradited from Colombia to Face International Cocaine Distribution Charges
Defendants Allegedly Used Semi-Submersible Vessels to Traffic Tons of Cocaine from Colombia, Through the Pacific Ocean to Mexico, and Ultimately to the United States
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This afternoon, in federal court in Brooklyn, Elkin Armando Alomia Quinones, Luis Alberto Arboleda Escobar, Diego Luis Obregon Aguirre, Edwin Obregon Castro, Juan Matias ObregonCastro, Rodrigo Obregon Saavedra and Narjel Paredes, all citizens of Colombia, will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho on an indictment charging them with violations of the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act and international cocaine distribution conspiracy. The seven defendants were extradited yesterday to the Eastern District of New York from Colombia where they were previously arrested in March 2025.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, Associate Chief of Operations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Northeast Region, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York) announced the extraditions.
"As alleged, the defendants are members of a Colombian transnational maritime drug trafficking organization who sought to clandestinely traffic tons of cocaine on semi-submersible vessels to Mexico, ultimately for distribution in the United States," stated United States Attorney Nocella. "With these arrests and extraditions, the defendants' smuggling scheme has been sunk and holding them accountable in a U.S. courtroom demonstrates the Administration's resolve through Operation Take Back America and the Homeland Security Task Force to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from these evildoers."
Mr. Nocella praised the outstanding investigative work of DEA New York's Task Force, DEA Bogota and HSI New York's Homeland Security Task Force Cartel Investigations Group. Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to Colombia's Cuerpo Tecnico de Investigacion, the Colombian Navy, DEA Puerto Rico, DEA Madrid, HSI Bogota and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico for their substantial assistance. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division's Office of the Judicial Attache in Bogota provided significant assistance in this matter.
"The extradition of these seven individuals underscores DEA's global pursuit to identify and target those responsible for trafficking illicit narcotics destined for the United States," stated DEA Northeast Regional Associate Chief of Operations Tarentino. "Using submersible vessels in a calculated attempt to evade law enforcement doesn't make you invisible! Whether you attempt to hide beneath the surface or above, the DEA, alongside our domestic and international partners, will relentlessly pursue and defeat those drug trafficking organizations threatening our communities and killing Americans."
"Today, seven alleged drug smugglers are facing charges in the United Stated after years of unchecked cocaine trafficking. Homeland Security Investigations' international footprint gives us the ability to track bad actors back to the source and, through our partnerships, bring them to justice," stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. "These drugs have done untold damage to millions of families across the country. HSI works alongside our law enforcement partners every day to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and stop the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities."
According to the indictment and court filings, the defendants were members of an international drug trafficking organization (DTO) which conspired to traffic more than five tons of cocaine in self-propelled semi-submersible vessels, like submarines, launched from the Pacific coast of Colombia towards areas controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. The drug trafficking organization conducted a sophisticated maritime drug distribution operation, managing each step of the process. First, members of the conspiracy found investors to finance multi-ton cocaine loads and to finance the construction of semi-submersible vessels. Next, members of the conspiracy built semi-submersible vessels capable of carrying thousands of kilograms of cocaine. The trafficking organization also hired crew members to fill the semi-submersible vessels with cocaine and then transport the cocaine to Mexico. Members of the conspiracy also conducted countersurveillance on the high seas by strategically positioning fishing vessels on the same routes as the semi-submersible vessels. These countersurveillance ships attempted to spot military and law enforcement ships that might intercept the semi-submersible vessels.
On June 27 2023, the Colombian Navy seized approximately 2,312 kilograms of cocaine from a DTO semi-submersible vessel near the Colombian Pacific coast, which, based on a coordinate chart located aboard the vessel, was en route to Mexico (pictured below).
[View image in the link at bottom.]
On October 7, 2023, the Colombian Navy seized approximately 3,300 kilograms of cocaine from another DTO semi-submersible vessel near the Colombian Pacific coast, which was en route to Mexico (pictured below).
[View image in the link at bottom.]
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New York comprises agents and officers from the FBI; DEA New York; the New York City Police Department; IRS Criminal Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Secret Service; with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York leading this prosecution.
The government's case is being handled by the Office's International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Lorena Michelen and Katherine P. Onyshko are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
ELKIN ARMANDO ALOMIA QUINONES
Age: 40
Colombia
LUIS ALBERTO ARBOLEDA ESCOBAR
Age: 53
Colombia
DIEGO LUIS OBREGON AGUIRRE
Age: 47
Colombia
EDWIN OBREGON CASTRO
Age: 41
Colombia
JUAN MATIAS OBREGON CASTRO
Age: 49
Colombia
RODRIGO OBREGON SAAVENDRA
Age: 69
Colombia
NARJEL PAREDES
Age: 56
Colombia
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-462 (EK)
View letter here: detention_letter.pdf (https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/media/1432976/dl?inline)
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/submariner-smugglers-extradited-colombia-face-international-cocaine-distribution
Local Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled by Joint Federal and State Investigation
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky posted the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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Local Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled by Joint Federal and State Investigation
Paducah, KY - On February 11, 2026, a federal Grand Jury in Paducah returned an Indictment charging four people with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in McCracken County.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Chief Brian Laird of
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky posted the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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Local Drug Trafficking Organization Dismantled by Joint Federal and State Investigation
Paducah, KY - On February 11, 2026, a federal Grand Jury in Paducah returned an Indictment charging four people with conspiring to distribute controlled substances in McCracken County.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Chief Brian Laird ofthe Paducah Police Department, Sheriff Ryan Norman of the McCracken County Sheriff's Office, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division, Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department, Chief Steve Bryan of the Madisonville Police Department, Sheriff Nicky Knight of the Calloway County Sheriff's Office, and Nathan Kent of the Mayfield Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, federal and state partners have been investigating Demarlo Henderson, 41, of Paducah, Kentucky, and his drug trafficking organization (DTO), including Lafaeabeian Stingley, 54, of Hickory, Kentucky, and others for the past several months. Henderson has two prior federal convictions for trafficking in cocaine and is currently on federal supervision in the Western District of Kentucky. Between December 12, 2024, and January 18, 2026, the group obtained and distributed large amounts of cocaine in and around McCracken County. On January 8, 2026, federal search warrants were executed at numerous residences and locations in McCracken and Graves Counties. The search warrants resulted in the seizure of large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, and U.S. currency. On January 17, 2026, agents intercepted 2 kilograms of cocaine destined for the DTO. The investigation revealed that the cocaine had been ordered by the DTO from a source, identified as Toddriquez Bradley, 38, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Bradley has a prior federal conviction for trafficking in cocaine and is currently on federal supervision in the Middle District of Louisiana. On that date, Bradley sent a runner, Joseph K. Baker, 38, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana to deliver the drugs to the DTO. Baker was arrested when he arrived in Paducah with 2 kilograms of cocaine. Bradley was subsequently arrested in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Henderson was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, three counts of distribution of cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Stingley was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Baker and Bradley were each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, Henderson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and up to life; Stingley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life; Baker faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life; and Bradley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life.
"Because of exceptional law enforcement work, large quantities of poison were seized before they hit the streets of Paducah," said U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner. "Now, our office will vigorously prosecute these defendants to finish the strong work started by investigators. Justice will be served."
"This case highlights the tenacity of DEA agents and our law enforcement partners, who worked tirelessly for more than a year to shut down a source of supply for drugs flowing into Western Kentucky," said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA's Louisville Field Division. "Mr. Henderson and his associates should expect to experience the full weight of our justice system for their efforts to poison our communities with illicit drugs."
"The safety of our citizens is a top priority and this investigation demonstrates our commitment to the Paducah community," said Paducah Police Chief Brian Laird. "Our partnership with the DEA, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and regional agencies is essential to these efforts. This collaboration stopped a significant amount of drugs from entering our community and is holding repeat offenders fully accountable for their actions."
McCracken County Sheriff Ryan Norman stated, "When agencies come together to protect the public, good outcomes happen. This is a direct result of law enforcement officers being solely concerned with protecting our residents, our children, from these dangerous drugs. We have great cooperation in our area and it shows in the results."
The defendants will make their initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Western District of Kentucky at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentences after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty with assistance from the Paducah Police Department, McCracken County Sheriff's Office, Kentucky State Police, United States Postal Inspectors Service, Hopkinsville Police Department, Madisonville Police Department, Calloway County Sheriff's Office, and Mayfield Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney's Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting this case.
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.
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An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdky/pr/local-drug-trafficking-organization-dismantled-joint-federal-and-state-investigation
Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Leading Group That Trafficked More Than 850 Kilograms of Meth and Cocaine From U.S. Into Canada
LOS ANGELES, California, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California posted the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Leading Group that Trafficked More Than 850 Kilograms of Meth and Cocaine from U.S. into Canada
A Canadian national pleaded guilty today to leading a criminal organization that - during a roughly one-month span - trafficked from the United States into Canada hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine worth up to $17 million.
Guramrit Sidhu, 62, of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty
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LOS ANGELES, California, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California posted the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Leading Group that Trafficked More Than 850 Kilograms of Meth and Cocaine from U.S. into Canada
A Canadian national pleaded guilty today to leading a criminal organization that - during a roughly one-month span - trafficked from the United States into Canada hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine worth up to $17 million.
Guramrit Sidhu, 62, of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, pleaded guiltyto one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise.
Sidhu is the lead defendant in a 23-count January 2024 federal indictment targeting a drug trafficking organization. He has been in federal custody since October 2024 after being extradited from Canada.
According to his plea agreement, from September 2020 to February 2023, Sidhu led an organization responsible for trafficking drugs from the U.S. into Canada for distribution.
From September 13, 2022, to October 24, 2022, Sidhu orchestrated the distribution of eight separate drug loads, totaling approximately 523 kilograms (1,153 pounds) of methamphetamine and 347 kilograms (765 pounds) of cocaine, which law enforcement seized. These drug loads had an estimated wholesale value of approximately $15 million to $17 million.
After buying the bulk quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine in the U.S., Sidhu arranged for the narcotics' transportation into Canada via long-haul semi-trucks for further distribution. Sidhu provided telephone numbers and serial numbers on bills of currency for couriers to use as a "token" for identification purposes during the delivery and transportation of the cocaine and methamphetamine.
Sidhu and co-conspirators then retrieved the cocaine and methamphetamine from locations within Canada for further distribution.
United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt scheduled a July 9 sentencing hearing, at which time Sidhu would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Sidhu is the seventh defendant to plead guilty in this matter. Several other defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal charges in this case and have been sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from 27 months to 108 months.
The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, United States Customs and Border Protection, and law enforcement authorities in Mexico investigated this matter. Significant assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with the Canadian authorities to secure the arrest and October 2024 extradition of Sidhu.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Larocque of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/canadian-national-pleads-guilty-leading-group-trafficked-more-850-kilograms-meth-and
Brooklyn-Based Ninedee Gang Member Sentenced to 145 Months' Imprisonment for Covid-19 Unemployment Benefits Fraud Scheme
BROOKLYN, New York, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York posted the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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Brooklyn-Based Ninedee Gang Member Sentenced to 145 Months' Imprisonment for Covid-19 Unemployment Benefits Fraud Scheme
Darnell Jones, also known as "EJ," was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry in federal court in Brooklyn to 145 months' imprisonment for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. During the height of the COVID 19 pandemic, from March 2020 through August 2021, Jones used stolen
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BROOKLYN, New York, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York posted the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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Brooklyn-Based Ninedee Gang Member Sentenced to 145 Months' Imprisonment for Covid-19 Unemployment Benefits Fraud Scheme
Darnell Jones, also known as "EJ," was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry in federal court in Brooklyn to 145 months' imprisonment for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. During the height of the COVID 19 pandemic, from March 2020 through August 2021, Jones used stolenpersonal identifying information to fraudulently obtain more than $800,000 from federally funded unemployment insurance programs established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As part of the sentence, Jones was ordered to pay $838,120 in restitution to the New York State Department of Labor. In addition, as part of his April 2025 guilty plea, Jones admitted to obtaining personal identifying information, including bank account information, between May 2021 and October 2024, to commit wire fraud with an intended loss of more than $2.7 million.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
"Today's sentence demonstrates that those who defraud innocent victims and pilfer federal funds to support violent gangs will face severe punishment," stated United States Attorney Nocella. "To successfully dismantle violent gangs who terrorize our neighborhoods and communities, it is essential that we cut off their sources of income, including from fraud schemes like the one perpetrated by the defendant here."
Mr. Nocella also thanked the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General and the New York State Department of Labor, Office of Special Investigations for their assistance on the case.
"Darnell Jones, a Ninedee gang member, stole more than $800,000 intended for unemployment benefit recipients to fund the enterprise's illicit operations and firearms procurement. Jones manipulated financial programs designed to support vulnerable New Yorkers during a global pandemic just to unlawfully facilitate the gang's criminal activity. Alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to stem any source of revenue supporting the viability of gangs plaguing our communities," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
"Darnell Jones stole more than $800,000 in federal funds meant to help vulnerable New Yorkers during a global pandemic and used those funds to bankroll a violent gang," stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. "Today's sentencing sends a clear message: anyone who steals from the government will face real consequences, and the NYPD will aggressively pursue anyone who seeks to defraud and victimize others. I am grateful to the NYPD investigators, the FBI, and the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney's Office for their pursuit of justice in this case."
As set forth in court filings in connection with sentencing, Jones is a member of the Ninedee Gang, a violent criminal enterprise operating out of the Louis H. Pink Houses in East New York, Brooklyn. Ninedee Gang members were affiliated with the "5" and "6" Pink Houses apartment buildings and engaged in gang-related violence within and outside of the New York City Housing Authority complex. The Ninedee Gang protected its turf through violence, made money by selling drugs and committing fraud, and sought to silence those they perceived to be working with law enforcement.
Jones led the Ninedee Gang's fraud schemes, also known as "scamming," and worked with other members to earn money for the gang through check fraud, postal money order fraud, and unemployment benefits fraud. For example, beginning in approximately November 2020, Jones sent a co-conspirator text messages containing the names of 10 New York residents in order to obtain personally identifiable information (PII) for those individuals without their knowledge. The co-conspirator sent Jones the requested individuals' dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver's license numbers. In exchange, Jones paid the co-conspirator with cryptocurrency. Subsequently, Jones submitted fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance benefits to the New York State Department of Labor using the stolen PII. As set forth in court filings and as established at the trial of Ninedee Gang leader Maliek Miller, text messages in 2020 showed that Jones coordinated with fellow Ninedee Gang member Kevin Wint about pooling their money to purchase "glicks" or "plates," which are references to firearms. Notably, in August 2021, law enforcement agents recovered two firearms, which were outfitted with laser sights, in a residence shared by Jones and Wint.
Eight Ninedee Gang members have been prosecuted for their gang-affiliated crimes, which included the prosecution of seven Ninedee members for their roles in the July 2020 murder in-aid-of-racketeering of Shatavia Walls. Seven Ninedee defendants have pleaded guilty and an eighth, Maliek Miller, was convicted at trial in June 2024 and faces a mandatory life sentence.
The government's case is being handled by the Office's Organized Crime and Gang Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily J. Dean and Irisa Chen are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Elizabeth Reed and Marlane Bosler.
The Defendant:
DARNELL JONES (also known as "EJ")
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-369 (DLI)
Defendant Convicted at Trial:
MALIEK MILLER
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New York
Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:
QUINTIN GREEN (also known as "Wild Child")
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New York
JOE SANTANA (also known as "Baby Joe")
Age: 21
Brooklyn, New York
Chayanne fernandez (also known as "White Boy")
Age: 25
Brooklyn, New York
KEVIN WINT (also known as "Kev G")
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New York
SHAKUR BEY (also known as "Speedy")
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-331 (LDH)
RAQUEL DUNTON (aka "Rah")
Age: 39
Brooklyn, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No 24-CR-344 (LDH)
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/brooklyn-based-ninedee-gang-member-sentenced-145-months-imprisonment-covid-19
Border Patrol Agent Charged With Civil Rights Violation and Evidence Tampering
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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Border Patrol Agent Charged with Civil Rights Violation and Evidence Tampering
A federal grand jury has indicted a U.S. Border Patrol agent for allegedly assaulting a handcuffed detainee and later concealing evidence to obstruct an investigation.
According to court records, on May 22, 2023, Eduardo Prat, 40, allegedly strangled John Doe while performing his official duties as a Border Patrol agent in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. John
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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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Border Patrol Agent Charged with Civil Rights Violation and Evidence Tampering
A federal grand jury has indicted a U.S. Border Patrol agent for allegedly assaulting a handcuffed detainee and later concealing evidence to obstruct an investigation.
According to court records, on May 22, 2023, Eduardo Prat, 40, allegedly strangled John Doe while performing his official duties as a Border Patrol agent in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. JohnDoe was handcuffed at the time of the alleged assault. Subsequently, between May 22 and June 12, 2023, Prat allegedly concealed and covered up a body camera recording of the assault.
Prat is charged in federal court with deprivation of rights under color of law and destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in a federal investigation. He is on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Prat faces up to 20 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility investigated this case with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector. The Las Cruces Branch Office of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Prat).pdf (https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/media/1432936/dl?inline)
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An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/border-patrol-agent-charged-civil-rights-violation-and-evidence-tampering
Arrest of El Salvadorian Illegal Alien Who Assaulted Federal Officers Rounds Up Maryland Operation Take Back America Prosecutions
BALTIMORE, Maryland, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland posted the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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Arrest of El Salvadorian Illegal Alien Who Assaulted Federal Officers Rounds Up Maryland Operation Take Back America Prosecutions
A criminal complaint against an El Salvadorian illegal alien, who attacked federal law enforcement during a traffic stop, is one of several prosecutions the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland recently announced in connection with the Department of Justice's Operation Take Back America.
Kelly O. Hayes,
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BALTIMORE, Maryland, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland posted the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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Arrest of El Salvadorian Illegal Alien Who Assaulted Federal Officers Rounds Up Maryland Operation Take Back America Prosecutions
A criminal complaint against an El Salvadorian illegal alien, who attacked federal law enforcement during a traffic stop, is one of several prosecutions the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland recently announced in connection with the Department of Justice's Operation Take Back America.
Kelly O. Hayes,U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the prosecutions with Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland filed a criminal complaint against Santos Alvarenga-Rodriguez, 47, for assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers in Howard County, Maryland. According to court documents, law enforcement gave Alvarenga-Rodriguez verbal commands to exit his vehicle, but he refused, leading to a physical altercation that caused injuries to officers.
Additionally, a violent Ecuadorian alien pled guilty in federal court to illegally re-entering the United States after her prior removal. Vanessa Yalixa Munoz-Baque, 31, pled guilty to the re-entry charges after she was previously removed from the U.S. in August 2023. Munoz-Baque illegally re-entered the U.S., again, on November 3, 2023, and began residing in Frederick, Maryland. Then on September 11, 2024, local law enforcement apprehended Munoz-Baque in Frederick on attempted murder and assault charges.
In addition, Edgar David Vasquez-Garcia, 34, a Guatemalan illegal alien, received an 18-month, federal-prison sentence for illegally re-entering the United States. Vasquez-Garcia, 34, pled guilty to the charge after he was previously deported from the U.S. in July 2014. Then in October 2023, law enforcement discovered Vasquez-Garcia back in the U.S. after they arrested him in Edgewood, Maryland, on second-degree assault charges, for which he was later found guilty.
U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Cesear Geovany Gomez, 36, in connection with illegally re-entry charges. According to court documents, on July 28, 2017, authorities deported Geovany Gomez back to Guatemala, but he never sought, nor obtained, the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for re-admission. Geovany Gomez was deported from the U.S. on two prior occasions, and following his latest illegal re-entry, he was convicted for first-degree assault in Prince George's County, Maryland.
Also, U.S. District Court Judge Ajmel A. Quereshi sentenced Jairo Mendez-Miranda, 29, for illegally entering the United States. Earlier this month, law enforcement arrested Mendez-Miranda in Montgomery County, Maryland, after officers checked the license plate of the vehicle he was driving. The officers then discovered a restriction code indicating he may not be legally present in the United States. Authorities previously deported Mendez-Miranda on two other occasions.
Additionally, a federal grand jury indicted a Mexican illegal alien in connection with re-entry charges. Fortunado Cuatlatl-Flores, 44, is charged with illegally re-entering the United States after he was previously removed from the country following an aggravated felony. According to court documents, on February 20, 2026, law enforcement encountered Cuatlatl-Flores in Wicomico County, Maryland, while performing an area-enforcement operation. Cuatlatl-Flores was previously convicted of felony child sexual abuse.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO and HSI for its work in these investigations. Ms. Hayes also thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted these federal cases.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/arrest-el-salvadorian-illegal-alien-who-assaulted-federal-officers-rounds-maryland
Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses
An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 220 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of narcotics in Albuquerque.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2024, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Albuquerque Police Department Narcotics Unit investigated
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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, March 28 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico posted the following news release on March 27, 2026:
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Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Offenses
An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 220 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed large quantities of narcotics in Albuquerque.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, beginning in August 2024, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Albuquerque Police Department Narcotics Unit investigatedQuontez Kuvinka, 26, and his fentanyl trafficking organization. The investigation identified Kuvinka as a source of supply who provided fentanyl and methamphetamine to a courier who, on multiple occasions in September 2024, sold the drugs to an undercover law enforcement officer. Kuvinka also personally sold fentanyl and cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer during controlled purchases.
On October 8, 2024, agents conducting surveillance observed Kuvinka leave his residence and drive to a pre-arranged drug transaction location, where he was expected to supply narcotics for distribution. Law enforcement approached Kuvinka while he was seated in his vehicle, and he attempted to flee on foot before being taken into custody.
A subsequent search of Kuvinka's vehicle revealed approximately 442.6 grams of fentanyl (equivalent to roughly 4,400 pills), approximately 267.5 grams of methamphetamine, and approximately 7 grams of cocaine, along with drug trafficking paraphernalia. Officers also recovered eight firearms and ammunition from the vehicle, including multiple weapons equipped with machinegun conversion devices capable of converting semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons.
As a previously convicted felon, Kuvinka is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Kuvinka pleaded guilty to conspiracy, distribution of cocaine, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, he will be subject to five years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Special Agent in Charge Omar Arellano of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Chief of Police Cecily Barker of the Albuquerque Police Department made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Albuquerque Police Department.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/albuquerque-man-sentenced-drug-trafficking-and-firearm-offenses
