MS-13 Members Hit with Fentanyl, Meth Charges in Nashville

NASHVILLE – The city’s streets were hit with a major blow as thirty-eight defendants, including eight members and associates of MS-13, faced charges on various counts ranging from drug trafficking to assault on law enforcement. United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee announced the charges.

This latest sweep is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, Executive Order 14159, aimed at eradicating criminal cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The HSTF has been instrumental in targeting child trafficking and removing violent criminals from the United States.

The Nashville HSTF, a partnership between various federal agencies and state law enforcement, is leading the charge against these criminal elements. Acting U.S. Attorney McGuire emphasized the commitment to stopping gang violence and holding offenders accountable.

Key cases include United States vs. Rodriguez and United States v. Mendoza, where Victor Alfonso Paez Rodriguez and Jesus Mendoza Viera, both illegal aliens in the U.S., are accused of trafficking large quantities of fentanyl from Mexico into Tennessee.

In United States v. Copeland, Trenell Copeland and others stand charged with offenses related to the trafficking of drugs into Trousdale County Correctional Facility.

The HSTF’s relentless pursuit of criminal cartels has made Middle Tennessee communities safer, with McGuire noting that this collaborative effort is making a tangible difference on the ground.

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