Las Vegas Woman Charged for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Possession of Firearms

 

A Las Vegas woman made her initial appearance in federal court for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and possession of two firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime as a result of a Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force investigation.

“Fentanyl is a deadly poison that is devastating our communities,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “We will continue to use every federal resource to target, disrupt, and prosecute the networks flooding our streets with these lethal drugs and illegal weapons.”

“Fentanyl traffickers who use the mail to move deadly drugs into our communities should know there is no safe route and no hiding place,” said Deputy Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Sherwin for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas. “Through the Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force, HSI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Henderson Police Department and our partners will continue to intercept fentanyl, seize the firearms and cash that fuel these crimes and hold accountable those who endanger the public for profit.”

“The City of Henderson takes a strong stance against fentanyl and illegal drug activity,” said Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader. “We do not tolerate these actions here or in the surrounding area, and we are proud to work alongside our local and federal law enforcement partners to help keep our residents and neighbors safe.” 

According to allegations in the complaint, on September 21, inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted a controlled delivery of approximately one kilogram of fentanyl to the residence of Olga Josefina Mexia. Upon delivery of the package, Henderson SWAT entered into the residence. During a search of the residence, law enforcement found bulk cash, fentanyl powder in bulk and individually packaged, and two firearms. 

Photos of cash, fentanyl powder in individual bags, and a firearm found in defendant’s residence, U.S. v. Olga Josephina Mexia, Case No. 2:26-mj-00722-BNW

Mexia is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 7, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler for the District of Nevada.

This case was investigated by HSI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Henderson Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Brister for the District of Nevada.

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 U.S. 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. The Las Vegas HSTF comprises agents and officers with the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and Nevada Gaming Control Board with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Cuban National Convicted for International Alien Smuggling and Money Laundering Conspiracy

Case Is Part of Operation Take Back America 

A federal jury in the Middle District of Florida convicted a Cuban National for his role in an international alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 28, of Hialeah, Florida, conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization (ASO), which encouraged thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the U.S. through the southern border. These smugglers charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for the smuggling services, and co-conspirators sometimes chartered private planes to transport groups of aliens. 

“Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez used his travel agency as a front to illegally smuggle Cuban aliens into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. "His travel agency provided a veneer of legitimacy to evade detection when the defendant falsely completed and filed at least 600 applications for visa waivers, arranged to fly the aliens from Cuba to third countries, further coordinated with other smugglers throughout the Americas, and laundered over $20 million through 57 bank accounts. These criminal offenses targeted our immigration laws designed to keep our borders safe and money laundering laws designed to keep criminal proceeds out of the nation’s financial system.”  

“This defendant participated in an elaborate conspiracy to breach our nation’s immigration laws and smuggle illegal aliens into the United States for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “We will continue to work with our task force partners to thwart these illegal activities and ensure that our borders are protected.”

“This was not help, and it was not humanitarian; It was a criminal enterprise built on treating people like cargo and using their desperation for financial gain,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa. “Alien smuggling organizations do not provide a service; they exploit vulnerable people for profit while undermining the integrity of our borders and immigration system. This conviction reflects the strength of our commitment to dismantling the criminal networks that move people, launder money, and enrich themselves through fraud and deception.”

The defendants often used fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waivers and advertised their smuggling services and bogus visa services across multiple social media platforms to solicit Cuban nationals and other aliens to attempt to illegally enter the country and fraudulently obtain lawful status in the United States. Financial records show that during the course of the conspiracy, over $20 million passed through upwards of 57 bank accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-conspirators.

The ASO advertised services that included assisting Cubans with false claims of European citizenship to enter the United States on a European tourist visa waiver or ESTA. The ASO also filed hundreds of fraudulent ESTA applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using fake addresses. Cuban nationals are not eligible for the ESTA program, but the defendants falsely represented that the applicants had not been in Cuba since 2011. They did this knowing the applicants were in Cuba at the time the ESTA applications were submitted. Cabrera-Rodriguez furthered the conspiracy by helping move aliens from their country of origin, including Cuba, into the United States, including by purchasing international and domestic flights to transport aliens into and throughout the United States. 

Cabrera-Rodriguez and his co-defendants also conspired to regularly move funds to companies outside of the United States. Between 2021 and 2024, Cabrera-Rodriguez and co-conspirators transmitted over $600,000 from the United States to purchase flights for aliens to unlawfully enter the United States.

The jury convicted Cabrera-Rodriguez of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering concealment. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 17 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Twelve individuals were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in the conspiracy. Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 31, Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 31, Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 30, Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 29, Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 31, Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 32, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 41, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.  Erik Ventura-Castro, 24, pleaded guilty on May 7 and was sentenced on July 29 to 30 months in prison.

The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and CBP/U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 483 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 436 U.S. convictions; and more than 371 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. 

HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance.

Trial Attorney Amanda Brown of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the 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 other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood.

Attorney General James Warns New Yorkers About Price Gouging During Severe Coastal Storm

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued a consumer alert warning New York consumers and businesses of price gouging during a storm expected to bring heavy wind and rain, as well as potential flooding, to New York this weekend. Governor Hochul has declared a state of emergency in New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties in advance of the storm. New York’s price gouging law prevents businesses from taking advantage of consumers by selling essential goods or services at an excessively higher price during market disruptions or emergencies. Attorney General James is urging New Yorkers who see higher prices on essential goods and services to file complaints with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).

“New Yorkers should never have to face unfair price hikes to stay safe during a storm,” said Attorney General James. “With high winds, heavy rain, and potentially dangerous flooding expected in the Hudson Valley, New York City, and on Long Island, my office will be on the lookout for any unjust price increases. I encourage all New Yorkers to stay safe and report price gouging to my office.”

New York law prohibits businesses from taking unfair advantage of consumers by selling goods or services that are vital to health, safety, or welfare for an unconscionably excessive price during emergencies. The price gouging law covers New York state vendors, retailers, and suppliers, and includes essential goods and services that are necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of consumers or the general public. These goods and services include food, water, gasoline, generators, batteries, flashlights, hotel lodging, and transportation options.

When reporting price gouging to OAG, consumers should:

• Report the specific increased prices, dates, and places that they saw the increased prices; and
• Provide copies of their sales receipts and photos of the advertised prices, if available. 

Price gouging violations can carry penalties of up to $25,000 per violation. New Yorkers should report potential concerns about price gouging to OAG by filing a complaint online or calling 800-771-7755.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on Coastal Storm

Strong Winds, Rain, and Coastal Flooding Continue to Impact Long Island, New York City and Lower Mid-Hudson

Wind Gusts Exceeding 40-45 MPH Recorded Across Long Island And Parts Of New York City With Isolated Peak Gusts of More Than 50 MPH

More Than 28,000 Power Outages Reported Statewide With More Than 12,000 In Suffolk and 8,000 In Nassau

Power Outages Expected to Increase With Winds Gusts Reaching 60 MPH Today; More Than 5,800 Utility Workers Available To Respond, Repair and Restore Power

High Tide Cycles Today and Tomorrow Morning Will See Potential For Moderate To Locally Major Coastal Flooding With Up To 3.5 Feet Of Inundation Possible

3-6 Inches Of Total Rainfall Expected For Long Island And New York City Through Monday

Dangerous Rip Currents, High Surf, And Beach Erosion Expected; Stay Out of the Water and Off Beaches

State of Emergency Declared for Long Island, New York City and Westchester County; State Emergency Operations Center Activated

Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on a potent coastal storm that began impacting Long Island, New York City, and the Mid-Hudson region yesterday with rain, strong winds, and storm surges. The Governor continues to caution New Yorkers, particularly those in shoreline and low-lying coastal communities on Long Island, in New York City and the lower Mid-Hudson, to take necessary precautions as high winds will cause power outages, dangerous surf, with the potential for coastal and isolated flooding. Governor Hochul declared a State of Emergency yesterday for Long Island, New York City and Westchester County and activated the State Emergency Operations Center.

"A dangerous nor’easter is already bearing down on the coastal areas of Long Island, New York City and Westchester County," Governor Hochul said. "This storm poses a significant risk, and I urge New Yorkers to stay informed, stay prepared and stay safe this weekend."

Forecast

Minor coastal flooding has already been observed along the south shore of Nassau County with moderate-to-locally-major coastal flooding possible across portions of New York City and Long Island tonight through Sunday night, and will be most impactful during the high tides.

The locations of highest concern are the southern shores of Queens, Nassau, and southwestern Suffolk Counties. 1-2 feet of inundation is expected, with up to 3.5 feet in vulnerable areas. Roads along the shore will likely become flooded and impassable. Minor coastal flooding has the potential to continue into Monday.

Wind gusts of more than 40 mph have been observed across New York City and Long Island, with wind gusts expected to gradually increase to more than 50 mph overnight. Localized peak wind gusts up to 60 mph are possible downstate, with the highest risk across eastern Long Island. Expect a prolonged period of strong winds in the 40-60 mph range, with gusts gradually weakening Sunday morning. With trees still having full canopies and winds coming from a relatively uncommon direction (from the north-northeast), wind damage will likely be exacerbated. Expect scattered-to-widespread tree damage and power outages across eastern Long Island, gradually decreasing to the north and west into NYC and the Mid-Hudson, with isolated outages potentially continuing into the southern Capital Region.

Light rain is expected to continue to move west overnight, with pockets of locally moderate rain likely moving in tomorrow morning. As of now, the heaviest rain is expected to occur early Sunday morning, when peak rain rates around 1 inch per hour may be possible. Outside of the locally heavier pockets, expect rain rates to generally be less than 0.5 inches per hour. For the Capital Region, Mid-Hudson, New York City, and Long Island, expect widespread rain totals of 1-3 inches, with localized peak totals of 4-6 inches. High-end totals are most likely across eastern Long Island, but bands of rain could also allow for localized high end totals in the southern Capital Region. Expect widespread ponding and flooding in low-lying, flood-prone areas. Isolated-to-scattered flash flooding is still possible downstate in urban and flood prone areas, and where drainage systems may be already overwhelmed from coastal flooding.

New Yorkers should ensure that government emergency alerts are enabled on their mobile phones. They should also sign up for real-time weather and emergency alerts that will be texted to their phones by texting their county or borough name to 333111.

Residents are encouraged to monitor their local forecasts, weather watches, and warnings. For a complete listing of weather alerts, visit the National Weather Service website.

Safety Tips for New Yorkers

As the state experiences high winds, coastal flooding, and rain, New Yorkers should take the following precautions:

• Stay Informed: Regularly check local weather forecasts for updates on the storm's track and intensity. Ensure that government emergency alerts are enabled on your mobile phone.
• Stay Out of the Water: Avoid swimming, surfing, or boating. Extremely dangerous rip currents and high surf make entering the ocean life-threatening. Stay off rock jetties and beaches where sudden high waves can sweep you into the water.
• Do Not Drive Through Flooded Roads: If you encounter water on the roadway, turn around and find an alternate route. As little as six inches of moving water can cause you to lose control of your vehicle, and two feet of water can sweep a car away.
• Secure Outdoor Items: High winds can turn loose items into dangerous projectiles. Secure patio furniture, trash cans, umbrellas, and other outdoor decorations.
• Prepare for Potential Power Outages: Charge your cell phones and other essential mobile devices. Keep flashlights and fresh batteries handy. Avoid using candles for emergency lighting due to fire risks.
• Stay Clear of Downed Power Lines: Never touch or go near downed utility lines, as they may still be live and highly dangerous. Report downed lines immediately to your local utility provider.
• Check on Neighbors: If safe to do so, check on vulnerable neighbors, friends, and family members—especially the elderly or those with functional needs—to ensure they are safe and prepared.

For more preparedness information and safety tips from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, visit dhses.ny.gov.

 

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Release of Body Worn Camera Footage from an Officer Involved Shooting that Occurred on August 31, 2026 in the confines of the Midtown South Precinct

 

The NYPD is releasing body-worn camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that occurred on August 31, 2026, in the confines of the Midtown South Precinct.

The video includes available evidence leading up to the incident as well as during the incident. The NYPD is releasing this video for clear viewing of the totality of the incident.

You can find the video here 

HSI Investigation Leads to Charges Against Man Who Threatened to Kill ICE Officers

 

If convicted, the suspect faces up to 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led to federal charges against a Tennessee man who threatened to kill ICE officers on social media.

On September 16, following an investigation by HSI Knoxville, a federal grand jury indicted David Kerr, a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, on two counts of interstate threats. The charges stem from public posts he allegedly made on the social media platform BlueSky, which said “time to bear spray ICE” and “kill the ICE military police.”

“This man publicly and shamelessly threatened the brave men and women of ICE on social media, calling for them to be injured and killed,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Anyone who threatens federal law enforcement will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Thanks to HSI Knoxville and our partners at the Department of Justice, he is facing up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 if he’s convicted. This violent rhetoric against our law enforcement must stop. DHS is calling on sanctuary politicians and their mouthpieces in the mainstream media to stop encouraging this hateful language before any more ICE officers are hurt, or worse, in the line of duty.”

Kerr appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on September 21, entering a plea of not guilty. If convicted, he faces a total term of 10 years in prison. The maximum sentence for each violation is five years, and each charge also includes a maximum fine of $250,000 and a term of supervised release of up to three years. The trial is scheduled for November 24, 2026.

This indictment is the result of an investigation by HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. will represent the United States.

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on Incoming Coastal Storm

Governor Hochul: “New Yorkers, a Nor’ Easter is arriving as we speak. I want everybody to be real smart. This is going to be a difficult storm between now and Monday morning. Lots of rain, lots of coastal flooding, perhaps even some erosion that could lead to down trees and that means down power lines.”

Hochul: “I've declared a State of Emergency to cover all of Long Island, Nassau, Suffolk, New York City, as well as Westchester counties. We're keeping an eye on this and I want to keep you informed.”

Governor Kathy Hochul announced she is declaring a State of Emergency for Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and Westchester Counties in response to a coastal storm that will begin impacting New York State Friday and is expected to last through Sunday. The Governor cautioned New Yorkers, particularly those in shoreline and low-lying coastal communities on Long Island, in New York City and the lower Mid-Hudson to take necessary precautions as the storm is forecast to bring high winds, dangerous surf and potential flooding. Governor Hochul activated the State Emergency Operations Center to a state of enhanced monitoring starting Friday afternoon with the worst impacts expected Friday night through Sunday morning.

Alleged Narco-Terrorist Leader “Araña” Extradited from Colombia as Part of Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

 

Geovany Andres Rojas, aka “Araña,” a Colombian national and alleged high-level narco-terrorist and prolific cocaine trafficker, was extradited from Colombia to the United States.

Rojas was ​handed over to U.S. officials this morning under heavy security at a Colombian National Police air base in Bogotá. The sendoff was attended by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella. Rojas arrived at an undisclosed location in San Diego at 4:30 p.m. PST, flanked by DEA and FBI agents.

Photo of Rojas (center) flanked by law enforcement after being extradited from Colombia to the United States. Left to right, excluding uniformed agents: U.S. Department of Justice’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Kristopher Jarvis; U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, Southern District of California; San Diego DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee; Araña; DEA San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jacob Galvan; FBI San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jagdeep Khangura;  Acting Special Agent in Charge HSI San Diego Kevin Murphy

On March 7, 2025, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California returned a two-count superseding indictment charging Rojas, whose alias translates to “Spider,” with International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Narco-Terrorism. 

Colombian authorities apprehended Rojas on February 12, 2025, pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice based on narcotics-related offenses. The Supreme Court of Colombia unanimously approved Rojas’s extradition in October 2025. Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended Rojas’ extradition later that year, while Rojas participated in a new round of peace talks between armed groups and the Colombian government. On August 26, 2026, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella ordered that Rojas’ extradition should proceed.

“Colombia and the Department of Justice are making a clean sweep of narcoterrorists, starting with  Araña,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Before President de la Espriella, armed criminal groups in Colombia roughly doubled in size. Their cocaine fueled the Mexican cartels pumping poison into our communities. The Araña extradition sweeps away a web that starts in the mountains of Putumayo and ends in the brutal, cartel contested plazas of Tijuana.” 

“This extradition demonstrates what the United States and Colombia can accomplish when we work together to dismantle the criminal networks that traffic deadly drugs, corrupt institutions, and threaten our communities,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “Geovany Andres Rojas faces narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges for allegedly orchestrating multi-ton cocaine shipments bound for the United States. His extradition shows that borders, criminal influence, and efforts to conceal illegal activity will not prevent DEA and our partners from bringing major transnational traffickers to justice.” 

“Rojas’ extradition should send a clear message to cartel leaders: the FBI and our HSTF partners remain relentless in our fight to dismantle drug trafficking organizations that facilitate the flow of deadly drugs into our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego will continue working closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to eliminate criminal cartels, hold their leaders accountable, and protect the American people.”

In the years leading up to Rojas’ arrest, he served as the spokesman and leader of Comandos de la Frontera, a paramilitary organization with an estimated 1,000 members operating in southwestern Colombia. Rojas identified himself as a high-level leader of Comandos de la Frontera, posing with weapons and heavily armed fighters in appearances on social media and in interviews with news organizations on behalf of the terrorist group.

In public statements, Rojas described Comandos de la Frontera as part of the Segunda Marquetalia, an organization of former Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) combatants who rearmed and returned to fighting following Colombia’s 2016 peace accord with FARC. Rojas himself was a member of the FARC who signed the 2016 Peace Agreement before rejecting peace and becoming a guerilla leader. The United States Secretary of State designated Segunda Marquetalia a foreign terrorist organization on December 1, 2021. 

Screen shots from video released by Comandos de la Frontera in approximately 2022, featuring Rojas (center) seated before Comandos de la Frontera - Segunda Marquetalia banner

The drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges against Rojas stemmed from a long-term Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation which revealed that Comandos de la Frontera, under Rojas’ leadership, profited from the cultivation and production of cocaine in southwestern Colombia, maintaining control of its territory using weapons and violence. The area is one of Colombia’s top cocaine producing regions, with significant influence over the cocaine supply chain worldwide.

Photograph of Rojas from newspaper interview by Colombian news organization El

Screenshot of video interview with Rojas posted by Colombian news organization El Espectador on March 11, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdYBGrYCeHM

Rojas is expected to make his initial court appearance at 2 p.m. on September 28, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve B. Chu.

The Justice Department’s Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Kristopher Jarvis, and Office of International Affairs Trial Attorney Aaron York, secured the arrest and extradition of Rojas. The U.S. Marshals Service provided significant assistance in ensuring a smooth and safe transfer of custody and transporting Rojas back to the United States.

The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

SUMMARY OF CHARGES 

International Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 959, 960, and 963

Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison

Narco-Terrorism – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 960a and 841

Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 20 years and up to life in prison

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of the 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 U.S. 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.  

HERNANDEZ DEMANDS TRANSPARENCY OF DEI PENSION INVESTMENTS FROM DINAPOLI

 

Joseph Hernandez, Republican candidate for New York State Comptroller, demanded that Comptroller Tom DiNapoli provide transparency on the performance of the state's politically designated pension investments.

 

DiNapoli has committed $26 billion of the roughly $300 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund to climate-focused investments, with a stated goal of $40 billion. His office reports another $34.9 billion run through the Fund's Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise manager program. “There has been no clear reporting of a program-wide return for the SICS initiative or MWBE strategy that allows New Yorkers to evaluate those programs against a comparable benchmark,” explained Hernandez.

 

Independent research shows the strategies behind DiNapoli's ideological mandates don't deliver better returns. “New York pensioners trust DiNapoli with over $300 billion to deliver their retirement. They have the right to know how their money is being invested and the efficacy of those investments,” said Hernandez.

 

Hernandez points to an analysis of 18 ESG funds that found the average ESG portfolio ended 43.9% smaller than a similar S&P 500 index investment. From the analysis, only 2 of the 18 beat the S&P 500 benchmark over a 10 year period.

 

Hernandez also references that the widely cited McKinsey research that found companies with greater executive diversity had a 39% greater likelihood of financial outperformance failed independent replication in 2024. Minimal statistically significant relationships were found by researchers in the underlying public data.

 

“This is exactly why DiNapoli should release the performance of his ideological investments. Little data shows that they bring stronger returns, and I bet the data shows that,” explained Hernandez. According to recent polling, 71% of New Yorkers want the Comptroller to maximize pension returns rather than advance a political agenda.

 

"A fiduciary's job is simply to grow the fund and protect the pensioner," Hernandez said. "Every dollar routed through a political litmus test instead of a performance test is a dollar that isn't working as hard as it should for a retired teacher, nurse, or transit worker. New Yorkers’ retirement is no place to fight a culture war.”