U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed More than 100 Border-Related Cases This Week

SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed more than 100 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, importation of controlled substances, and assault on a federal officer.

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. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).

In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.

A representative sample of border-related arrests this week includes:

• On March 8, 2025, Gabriel Yeraldi Gaona, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with alien smuggling after he was caught attempting to smuggle two citizens of Mexico into the United States. Following his arrest, Gaona admitted that he crossed into the United States from Mexico by climbing over a ladder that was placed on the first border fence.  The two Mexican citizens he was arrested with admitted that they are citizens of Mexico without lawful documents allowing them to enter the United States.
• On March 9, 2025, Antonio Lerma Cervantes, a Mexican citizen, was arrested on drug importation charges when he attempted to cross into the U.S. from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry with more than 60 pounds of cocaine hidden in the rear seat and quarter panels of his vehicle.
• On March 12, 2025, Edy Osorio-Berrelleza, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested after he was caught attempting to transport another citizen of Mexico within the United States. After running away from a Border Patrol Agent, Osorio allegedly threw rocks at both a Customs and Border Protection helicopter and also towards Border Patrol agents.  Following his arrest, Osorio admitted that he was going to be paid for the smuggling activity, and that he threw rocks at the helicopter and the agents once they were close to him.  He is currently charged with alien smuggling and assault on a federal officer.

Federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.

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.