The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio has recently brought charges against 11 individuals for immigration-related offenses and secured a guilty plea from another individual to enforce federal immigration laws. Among the defendants charged is Abel Velasquez-Avecedo, who was apprehended following an alleged shooting incident near a local Columbus taco eatery. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office statement, the 29-year-old from Mexico is accused of illegal firearm possession as an undocumented immigrant, in addition to the discovery of suspected cocaine on his person.
Others indicted include Adiel Hernandez-Orellana from El Salvador, with a previous conviction of sexual assault in Arkansas, and Milton Guevara-Cruz, who is reportedly associated with the 18th Street gang and faces charges for reentry after deportation. Sergio Diego-Sevilla and six other defendants, all hailing from Mexico, are similarly accused of illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Additionally, Adalberto Calixto-Tolentino has pleaded guilty to transporting illegal aliens within the country.
These arrests form a part of "Operation Take Back America," which is a continuation of initiatives from President Trump’s Executive Order aimed at curbing illegal immigration and disbanding cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The operation involves the Homeland Security Task Force—a collaboration spearheaded by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Its objective is to deploy a robust response against what the Order described as "an invasion" of undocumented immigration—a term that has been a point of political contention.
While the cases are currently at the stage where the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, federal prosecutors are gearing up to present the evidence gathered by the Homeland Security Task Force. According to Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, vigorous steps are being taken to address these immigration violations, which could result in substantial prison sentences for the implicated individuals, depending on their prior records and the nature of their current charges.
