Jesus Alfredo Castro Sanchez, Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain, California 2024

San Diego, California – In a major crackdown on border-related crimes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California filed 87 cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, re-entering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, re-entering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.

The district, which encompasses San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico and includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing.

One of the notable cases filed this week includes Jesus Alfredo Castro Sanchez, a Mexican national, who was arrested and charged with Attempted Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain.

According to a complaint, 11 people aboard a 26-foot vessel were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard after a brief ocean pursuit. Castro Sanchez was identified as the boat captain.

On a related note, Krystal Vanessa Santibanez, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance, with 115 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the spare tire, rear quarter panel, and gas tank of her car.

Recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation.

Jose Miguel Verduzco Mendoza, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony Disorderly Conduct with a Deadly Weapon or Dangerous Instrument and Misconduct Involving Weapons in November 2024, was sentenced in federal court to 92 days in custody for entering the U.S illegally.

Emilio Anchundia Bailon, a 41-year-old Ecuadorian citizen, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute on Board a Vessel, with 1,410kgs of cocaine involved.

Pedro Valencia-Anguiano, a Mexican citizen who was previously convicted of “DUI Alcohol – Causing Bodily Injury – Use of Firearm” in 2023, was sentenced in federal court to 89 days in custody for again entering the U.S. illegally.

The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, 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), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement 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.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/us-attorneys-office-filed-87-border-related-cases-week