Arizona Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances into South Dakota

A Tucson, Arizona, man, Francisco Siquieros-Valenzuela, also known as “Pancho,” 32, was sentenced November 9, to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Siquieros-Valenzuela was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on May 20, 2026.

The defendant was part of a multi-state drug conspiracy involving persons from Mexico, Arizona, and South Dakota responsible for importing primarily fentanyl and methamphetamine and then shipping it from Arizona to South Dakota. Ultimately, over 1 kilogram of fentanyl pills (more than 10,000 pills) were shipped into the State.

“We found this guy in Tucson,” U.S. Attorney Parsons said. “He was sourcing fentanyl and methamphetamine out of Mexico, packaging it up, and sending it our way to poison our communities. Let me be clear: anyone who ships illegal drugs to South Dakota, whether they ever actually set foot here or not, will be identified, tracked down, apprehended, prosecuted, and shipped off themselves to federal prison.”

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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Rapid City Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Criminal Chief Gregg Peterman prosecuted the case.

Siquieros-Valenzuela was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

CONSUMER ALERT: Do You Know the Difference Between a Password and a Passkey? The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Issues Guidance to Help New Yorkers Safeguard Their Digital Information

 

Understand the differences between passwords, passkeys, password managers and multifactor authentication 

Secretary Mosley: “With new technologies come new learning curves, including becoming familiar with the terminology used to navigate them. The Division of Consumer Protection is committed to helping New Yorkers stay informed and equipped with the knowledge they need to navigate the ever-evolving digital world and protect their personal information.”

The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is urging New Yorkers to practice safe digital habits to secure their digital devices and online accounts. With digital technology being prevalent in so many aspects of life today, consumers are constantly being exposed to new streams of information and technology terms. That’s why it is important to understand the key terms and tools that can help protect your devices, accounts and personal information.

“How many times have you gone to sign in to an account and been asked if you want to save your password? While features like this make managing online accounts more convenient, understanding the technology and the terms used to describe it is just as important,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “With new technologies come new learning curves, including becoming familiar with the terminology used to navigate them. The Division of Consumer Protection is committed to helping New Yorkers stay informed and equipped with the knowledge they need to navigate the ever-evolving digital world and protect their personal information.”

Acting New York State Chief Information Officer Jenson Jacob said, “As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, managing digital accounts is no longer just about having a strong password, To protect data effectively, we must understand the authentication tools available and how they work together. At ITS, our goal is to empower all New Yorkers with both the practical tools and the resources they need to protect their information online.”

Passwords, passkeys, password managers and multifactor authentication each play a role in protecting your digital accounts, but do you understand how these terms differ from one another? The Division of Consumer Protection shares a breakdown of these common terms that prevent cybercriminals from gaining access to your devices and accounts.

COMMON TERMS EXPLAINED:

Passwords: A password is a combination of letters, numbers and symbols used to verify your identity and grant access to a computer system, online account or other secured resource. It is important to create a strong and unique password to protect your account from being exploited by cybercriminals, as a weak password could be guessed and result in your account getting hacked. To improve the security of a password and reduce the risk of guessing, include the following:

1. Make it long. 12+ characters is recommended 
2. Make it random. Avoid personal info, common words or predictable patterns 
3. Use a passphrase. Combine unrelated words with separators (e.g., Dog4Winter-zipp!) 
4. Change and retire old passwords, especially after a breach

Unfortunately, passwords are still vulnerable to phishing attacks, data breaches and, if the password isn’t complex enough, password guessing all of which could lead to fraudulent access to your accounts. Visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for more tips on how to create a complex password, and check out our consumer alert on account takeover fraud to learn what immediate action steps to take if your online account has been compromised. 

Password Manager: A password manager is a locked vault app that creates and remembers all your passwords for you, so you only have to remember ONE strong master password. For example, if you have 10 accounts, a password manager can create 10 strong unique passwords for you automatically. When accessing one of your secured accounts, you unlock the vault with one master password or your face ID or fingerprint, and the password manager will autofill the appropriate password so you never have to type or remember it.

Multifactor Authentication (MFA): Is a process that requires two or more forms of verification to confirm the identity of a user or device. MFA usually includes a password and at least one other step, such as a text message or email confirmation code, or the use of an authenticator app, for authentication. MFA offers an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access. Learn how to enable MFA here.

Passkey:  A passkey is an authentication method that doesn’t require a password. Instead, it uses your device PIN or biometrics, like your face ID or fingerprint, to securely sign in to your online accounts. A passkey can replace traditional passwords by relying on a unique pair of digital keys for each user and device – a private key kept securely on your device and never shared, and a public key sent to the website or app to verify your identity. When you sign in, your device unlocks your private key using your face ID, fingerprint, or device PIN, and the website or app verifies it with the public key. 

Passkeys have many advantages over passwords; they cannot be stolen in a phishing attack and if a server is hacked, a data breach would expose only public keys, which are useless without the private key. While passkeys have become available on a wide range of websites and apps in recent years, passkey systems may not yet be compatible with all devices, operating systems, platforms or applications as they are still in their early stages. 

As technologies continue to evolve, so do the tactics used by scammers. While emerging digital tools offer many benefits, it is important to remain vigilant, understand these important terms and how they differ, and protect your devices, accounts and personal information. For more digital safety tips, check out the NYS Office of Technology’s helpful tips and resources. 

ICE Requests Local Authorities Not Release Criminal Illegal Alien Who Attempted To Hijack a Plane

 

This twice-deported criminal illegal alien was allowed into the country after he tried to illegally enter for a third time because he claimed asylum, citing he was afraid he would be killed because he is transgender

On November 9, Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, an illegal alien from Honduras, attempted to storm the cockpit of a United Airlines plane traveling from Newark, New Jersey to New Orleans, Louisiana, claiming to have a bomb. After the plane landed, he was taken into custody and charged with felony bomb threat, terroristic threats, and disorderly conduct. On November 10, ICE lodged a detainer with local authorities requesting they do not release this public safety threat without notifying ICE.

Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto 

After having previously been deported twice, he illegally entered the country a third time and claimed asylum. A judge granted him asylum after he claimed to be transgender, allowing him to stay in the country.

Gomez-Alberto's asylum application

“This criminal illegal alien attempted to storm the cockpit, hijack a plane, and claimed he had a bomb. Thanks to law enforcement, he is now behind bars. This twice-deported criminal illegal alien was allowed into our country because of a weak asylum system that allowed him to game the system,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Under President Trump’s leadership, ICE has arrested 2,312 known or suspected terrorists and is strengthening our asylum system to put the safety of the American citizens first and crack down on fraudsters who try to game the system.”

From January 20, 2025, to November 10, 2026, ICE has arrested 2,312 known or suspected terrorists (KSTs), and has deported 2,157 KSTs.

Under the Trump Administration, DHS and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have taken swift action to secure the asylum system and crack down on asylum fraud, so that dangerous illegal aliens like this cannot enter our country.

In May, DHS released a directive instructing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to take additional steps to crack down on fraudulent asylum claims. This includes developing anti-fraud policies that will further enforce 8 U.S.C. § 1324c(d), a law that establishes penalties for violations of document fraud. As a result of this directive, ICE attorneys have greater authority to enforce this law, including enforcement actions against immigration attorneys who file false asylum claims in an immigration court. In addition to 8 U.S.C. § 1324c(d), asylum fraud can also be prosecuted as a felony under both 18 U.S.C. § 1546 and 18 U.S.C. § 1001.

Recent cases of asylum fraud include:

On October 29, 2026, five Cuban aliens and one U.S. citizen were sentenced in Florida for their roles in an international conspiracy involving alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering schemes that brought thousands of aliens illegally into the United States. The U.S. Attorney General made the initial announcement last year of charges against 12 individuals in a superseding indictment for their roles in the conspiracy. According to court documents, the defendants operated a prolific alien smuggling operation that facilitated the unlawful entry of Cuban nationals into the United States by preparing visa applications, laundering millions of dollars in payment, and exploiting the immigration process. What began as a small operation grew into a commercial enterprise. As part of the enterprise, the defendants operated a sham immigration business, Asesoria Y Servicios Migratorios LLC, which promised asylum filings, work permits, and lawful permanent residency applications. The company churned out boilerplate asylum claims without clients’ knowledge or consent and even blocked them from accessing their own USCIS online accounts. Several other individuals have been convicted and sentenced because of this successful investigation.

Biqi “Ashley” Huang, 25, and Wentian Du, 35, were indicted in September 2026. Huang faces one count of making a false statement in a naturalization proceeding and one count of fraudulent acquisition of a firearm. Du faces one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Huang entered the U.S. on a student visa in 2023 and received lawful permanent resident status after misrepresenting the status of her marriage during a 2025 Green Card interview. Du entered the U.S. in 2022 on a B1/B2 nonimmigrant visa and applied for asylum about a year later. In June, Huang moved to New York and met Du. She then applied to join the U.S. Air Force, telling a recruiter that she wanted to enlist to obtain citizenship as soon as possible, divorce her current spouse, and marry Du.

Nazira Haji Zada, 47, an Afghan national previously residing in Fort Worth, Texas, was removed from the United States in September 2026 after conceding that she is an alien terrorist, in the first-ever case before the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC). Zada supported a plot to commit an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day in 2024 for which her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were previously arrested and convicted. Zada is now permanently inadmissible to the U.S.

Yuniel Lima-Santos, 31, of Tampa, Florida, pleaded guilty in August 2026 to alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering. Lima-Santos conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization that encouraged thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the United States using fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications and visa waivers. The defendants 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 U.S. and fraudulently obtain lawful status. Lima-Santos furthered the conspiracy by helping move aliens from their countries of origin, including Cuba, into the U.S. This included purchasing international and domestic flights to transport aliens into and throughout the United States.

Jose Gregorio Sosa Cardona, a suburban Chicago businessman, was sentenced in May 2026 to nine years in prison for immigration fraud, possessing child pornography, and committing tax fraud.  Sosa Cardona operated Delta Global Solutions, Inc., which assisted individuals applying for asylum, immigrant visas, lawful permanent residence cards, and other immigration benefits. From 2020 to 2024, Sosa Cardona conspired with two employees of his firm and others to knowingly provide false and fraudulent information to USCIS for his foreign national clients who were seeking benefits. Sosa Cardona was accused of fabricating foreign law enforcement reports and foreign political party membership letters to falsely corroborate his clients’ asylum claims.

USCIS screening and vetting also helps identify individuals who may pose public-safety or national-security concerns.

For example, Edwin Antonio Hernandez, 27, of El Salvador, was arrested in January 2026 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a USCIS appointment. Through the screening and vetting of his asylum and employment authorization applications, USCIS identified information concerning his criminal history and immigration status. Hernandez had previously entered the United States unlawfully and was ordered removed by an immigration judge in 2017. While in custody, Hernandez admitted to being an MS-13 member and confessed to murdering five people in El Salvador through shooting, torturing, stabbing, and dismemberment.

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Cutting Red Tape: Governor Hochul Announces Launch of Nation-Leading “Click to Renew” Tool to Streamline Licensing for New York’s Small Businesses

Mobile-First Application Eliminates Unnecessary Steps, Saving Time and Increasing Access

Improves the Renewal Process for More Than 300,000 Cosmetologists, Nail Specialists, Hair Dressers, Estheticians and Barbers

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the launch of Click to Renew, a nation-leading tool to simplify professional licensing across New York State. By launching an easy-to-use digital platform, Click to Renew allows New Yorkers in a wide range of licensed professions to renew their licenses quickly and securely. Since its soft launch in October, nearly 5,000 licensees have successfully renewed with this new system. On average, licensees using Click to Renew complete the process in under 4 minutes, a 91 percent reduction from the previous average renewal time of over 45 minutes. The improvements are already delivering a better customer experience, with a 96 percent approval rating by users on the platform. More than 300,000 license-holders will benefit from the initial launch of this new tool, with further plans to bring the ease and convenience of Click to Renew to additional license types in the near future.

“New Yorkers work hard to keep their businesses running, and they deserve a government that works just as hard for them,” Governor Hochul said. “With Click to Renew, we are slashing hours of wasted time for barbers, hairstylists and other licensed professionals so they can spend less time navigating bureaucracy and more time serving their customers. Their time is valuable, and we should treat it that way.”

Renewing occupational licenses historically has been challenging due to time-consuming forms and difficult-to-use, dated, computer systems. After receiving feedback from hundreds of New Yorkers around improving the license renewal process through her EXPRESS NY initiative, Governor Hochul directed her team to streamline processes and build new, user-centered technology solutions.

Click to Renew is a first-in-the-nation, mobile-first platform, co-designed with real New Yorkers, and built entirely by in-house state personnel. This new platform is available for New York’s 300,000 barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, nail specialists, natural hair stylists and waxers. To streamline the process, the Department of State removed 22 redundant and unnecessary steps from the process, saving the average licensee 40 minutes each time they renew their license and making it possible to conveniently renew your license via smartphone for the first time. In the soft launch phase, nearly three-quarters of all renewals were completed via mobile devices.

EXPRESS NY builds on Governor Hochul’s commitment to cutting red tape while investing in the services and programs that New Yorkers need. Last fall, the Governor issued a call for recommendations across state agencies to improve the delivery of government services. These recommendations, along with nearly 4,000 public proposals submitted through the EXPRESS NY portal, have led to more than 120 state actions to cut red tape and make government work better that are projected to save New Yorkers more than 5 million hours and tens of millions of dollars each year. Today’s launch builds on these earlier reforms by the Department of State to streamline license renewal application questions by 67 percent for more than 840,000 licensees statewide.

New Yorkers can renew their licenses with the new Click to Renew tool at renew.ny.gov/dos. 

NYGOP: Jeffries, Schumer Must Condemn Lander's Anti-Semitic Hire

The NYGOP released the following statement following reports of Congressman-elect Brad Lander's hire of an anti-Semitic, self-described Communist as his Director of Communications:

 

"Brad Lander has an ugly habit of engaging with and elevating the most radical anti-Semites in his own party. Just when you think he can't go any lower, he finds a way: he has now hired an openly Communist senior staff member who has claimed that Israel has no right to exist, believes in globalizing the intifada, and stated that 'wealthy Jews...make me sick.'  

"Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer must immediately condemn Lander for this hire. Will any New York Democrats take a stand for decency and the safety of Jewish New Yorkers?" 

Mayor Mamdani Releases November Financial Plan, Reduces Budget Gap While Protecting Essential Services

 

Updated financial plan reflects increased revenue, $683 million in additional savings over two fiscal years and $257 million reduction in the Fiscal Year 2028 budget gap  

  

Investments strengthen public health and safety, protect New Yorkers from extreme weather, address federal funding cuts and make City government more efficient

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today released the November 2026 Financial Plan Update, providing an updated picture of the City’s revenues, expenditures and progress towards its savings goal. The plan reflects the Mamdani administration’s commitment to fiscal responsibility by investing in essential services that protect the health and safety of New Yorkers, address federal funding cuts and improve government operations.   

  

The November Financial Plan Update is part of the administration’s ongoing work to strengthen the City’s fiscal health and address structural budget challenges. Upon taking office, Mayor Mamdani confronted one of the largest structural budget crises in modern City history, driven by years of underbudgeting for core services and long-term obligations.  

  

Rather than balance the budget on the backs of working New Yorkers through service cuts, the Mamdani administration stayed focused on savings, established a historic partnership with Albany to achieve new sustainable revenue sources and reverse several longstanding cuts and shifts that had strained the City’s budget, and worked with the City Council to reduce the Unincorporated Business Tax credit for high-income New Yorkers.   

  

“New Yorkers deserve a government that works as hard as they do, and that is as careful with their money as they are,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Our budget proves that fiscal responsibility and public excellence go hand in hand. We are investing in the essential services New Yorkers rely on to protect their health, safety and wellbeing, while pursuing an aggressive savings plan to put our city on stronger financial footing so that our city can deliver for generations to come.”  

  

Strengthening the City’s Fiscal Outlook:  

  

As the administration enters its second budget cycle, the November 2026 Financial Plan Update reflects progress in strengthening the City’s fiscal position while maintaining investments in essential services.   

  

The Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget totals $129.2 billion. Of the $3.3 billion increase from the adopted budget, approximately $1.15 billion is City funds, $1.48 billion is Federal funds and $635 million is State funds. The increase in non-City funds primarily reflects routine budget adjustments that are typically recognized at this point in the fiscal year. The FY28 gap has fallen to $6.2 billion, a reduction of $257 million since the adoption of the FY27 budget in June. Gaps in FY29 and FY30 stand at $8.7 billion and $9 billion, respectively.  

  

The plan also reflects $965 million in additional tax revenue in FY27, driven by increased collections since the June budget adoption and strong performance on Wall Street.  

  

FY27 reserves total $7.8 billion. The administration is also developing a formal methodology for calculating annual deposits into the City’s Rainy Day Fund, consistent with the overwhelming support New Yorkers demonstrated for Proposal 5 from the Mayor’s Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE), which passed with almost 73% of the vote.  

  

Within his first month in office, Mayor Mamdani signed an executive order directing every City agency to appoint a Chief Savings Officer (CSO). The initiative is designed to make government more efficient, streamline service delivery and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly. During the administration’s first budget cycle, agency CSOs identified $1.77 billion in savings across FY26 and FY27.   

  

In July 2026, Mayor Mamdani announced an additional round of savings targets, directing City agencies to identify 2.5% in savings in FY27 and FY28, as well as in subsequent fiscal years.  

In the November Financial Plan, debt service and agency savings total $683 million across FY27 and FY28. Agency savings include consolidating City office space, reducing reliance on outside consultants and bringing services in-house, improving grant claiming practices and reforecasting contract spending.  

  

The administration will provide an additional update on its savings efforts in the FY28 Preliminary Budget. Through these savings, revenue collections and continued fiscal discipline, the administration was also able to make an $845 million prepayment toward FY28 obligations.  

  

Investing in Essential Services:  

  

While strengthening the City’s fiscal outlook, the administration is making targeted investments to protect the health and safety of New Yorkers, address federal funding cuts and improve the delivery of City services across the five boroughs.   

  

Highlights of the November Financial Plan Update include:   

  

Responding to Extreme Weather:  

  

•    Strengthen the City’s Code Blue response: Deploying additional outreach teams, nurses and vehicles, while expanding warming site capacity to connect homeless New Yorkers with shelter and support as temperatures fall ($25.2 million in FY27, growing to $25.9 million in FY30).  

  

•    Bolstering emergency response coordination: Adding 10 full- and five part-time Citywide incident coordinators to serve among the first City representatives deployed to emergency scenes and connect field operations with City Hall, the Emergency Operations Center and agency leadership. The positions will help meet increased operational demands from extreme weather, large-scale incidents and overlapping citywide activations ($600,000 in FY27, increasing to $1.2 million annually beginning in FY28).  

  

Protecting the Health and Safety of New Yorkers:  

  

•    Strengthening juvenile justice facilities, enhancing alternatives to detention, and reducing recidivism: Improving operations and conditions at the Crossroad and Horizon juvenile detention facilities ($48.3 million in FY27, growing to $70.2 million in FY30).  

  

•    Strengthening Legionella prevention and response: Enhance the City’s detection, enforcement and response efforts to Legionella bacteria in cooling towers following the Upper East Side and South Bronx community clusters earlier this summer. The investment will support additional laboratory staff to accelerate testing and build on the NYC Health Department’s rapid and aggressive response ($500,000 in FY27, baselined).  

  

•    Expanding public health services: Funding the operations at the new Central Harlem Sexual Health Express Clinic, adding community health workers to conduct outreach and help patients maintain insurance compliance, supporting other public health clinic operations ($7.2 million in FY27, decreasing to $6.1 million annually as of FY28).  

  

Addressing Federal Cuts and Improving Government Operations:  

  

•    Recognizing SNAP Administrative Costs: Covering increased City costs resulting from H.R. 1, which raises the City’s share of SNAP administrative expenses from 50% to 75% ($61.7 million in FY27, growing to $82.6 million annually in FY30).  

  

•    Supporting homeless services providers: Recognizing increasing food and insurance per diems for Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter providers ($40.3 million in FY27, growing to $43.9 million in FY30).  

  

•    Preventing service disruptions for veterans: Covering disruptions caused by the loss of the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) Veterans Affairs Grant due to terms that would be in violation of state and local laws protecting people from discrimination on the basis of gender ($2.7 million in FY27, baselined).  

  

•    Reforming NYC Public Schools procurement: Investing in additional staff and resources to improve procurement practices, increase transparency and strengthen oversight of systemwide and school-level contracts and vendor spending. The reforms are expected to generate $100 million in savings across FY27 and FY28 ($9.6 million in FY27, baselined).  

  

Bringing Services In-House and Reducing Reliance on Outside Contractors:    

 

The administration is continuing to identify opportunities to bring work in-house, reduce reliance on outside consultants and contracts and build the City’s internal capacity.  

  

•    Office of Technology and Innovation: Generating savings of $4.6 million in FY 2028 and more in subsequent years by bringing consulting services in-house.    

•    New York City Law Department: Saving $2 million in FY28 and annually thereafter by reducing reliance on outside temporary attorney service contracts as agency staffing increases.     

•    Taxi and Limousine Commission: Saving $180,000 in FY27 and $322,000 in subsequent years by ending subscriptions and reducing reliance on consultants.  

Twice-Deported Illegal Alien Faces Federal Drug and Immigration Charges after Massive Conyers Meth Bust

 

Gerardo Miranda Mendoza, an illegal alien from Mexico who was twice convicted of drug trafficking charges and twice removed from the United States, appeared in court to face new federal methamphetamine distribution and immigration charges after the seizure of more than 440 pounds of methamphetamine from a vehicle in Conyers, Georgia. 

“Criminal drug trafficking organizations do not operate within jurisdictional boundaries, and neither can our response,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The Homeland Security Task Force provides a unified approach, bringing law enforcement partners together to share intelligence, coordinate investigations, and pursue those who threaten the safety and security of our communities. A seizure of this magnitude is a reminder of why these partnerships matter.”

“Despite two prior drug trafficking convictions and subsequent deportations, Mendoza allegedly returned illegally and attempted to traffic a massive amount of methamphetamine in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of the tireless efforts and dedication of the Homeland Security Task Force, Mendoza now faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in federal prison, and nearly a quarter-ton of deadly methamphetamine has been taken off the street.”

“Narcotics are destroying lives and devastating communities across the region. Every gram, every pill, and every sale of these drugs have the potential to ruin lives,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Atlanta Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of these deadly drugs and hold criminals who profit from poisoning our communities accountable.” 

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On November 7, 2026, as part of a federal drug trafficking investigation, law enforcement observed Mendoza and another individual arrive in separate vehicles at a store parking lot in Stonecrest, Georgia. After Mendoza arrived in a van, he went inside the store, and the other individual then drove the van to a warehouse in Conyers, Georgia. The other man allegedly loaded trash bags at the warehouse into the vehicle, returned to the store parking lot, and left the van. Mendoza then reentered the van and drove away. 

Shortly thereafter, a Georgia State Patrol trooper stopped the van for a traffic violation. During a subsequent search of the van, law enforcement located numerous trash bags containing a total of approximately 440 pounds of methamphetamine. 

The investigation further revealed that Mendoza has a 2009 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute crystal methamphetamine, as well as a 1998 State of California conviction for transporting controlled substances. Mendoza was deported from the United States following each of these convictions - most recently in November 2017. 

Gerardo Miranda Mendoza, 57, of Morelia, Mexico, appeared in federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Mendoza was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service without bail.

Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint contains only charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia State Patrol. 

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 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. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.