In a recent push by the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II detailed the results of a sweeping enforcement action titled Operation Take Back America, which has seen a focus on prosecuting non-citizens with prior criminal records in the Southern District of Ohio. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Ohio's announcement highlighted new charges, convictions, and lengthy prison sentences for a series of individuals identified as illegal aliens involved in a range of criminal activities from violent crime to drug trafficking.
Among the convicted, Cenuhe Zepeda-Vibanco from Mexico, already under federal supervised release for illegal reentry, was sentenced to 170 months in prison for his involvement in drug distribution. Engaging in the communities throughout the Southern District of Ohio, the operation reported by Gerace shows a relentless pursuit of individuals who have threatened the safety of Ohio's communities with misconduct, now seen through the lens of federal law enforcement.
Another case outlined involved Jaime Fernandez-Alacron, originally from Colombia, who received a 37-month prison term for his illegal reentry after an aggravated felony conviction. Having a history of serious federal convictions—including conspiracy to commit kidnapping and possession of firearms—underscores the intensity of Operation Take Back America’s targets, all detailed in the official press release.
Firing multiple shots from a vehicle after an argument, Abel Velasquez-Avecedo, a man from Mexico previously convicted of assault, was sentenced to 27 months on charges including firearm possession and intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. Indicative of the types of individuals being pursued, the announcement further solidifies the federal commitment to address crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, already fraught with their own set of judicial precedent and public scrutiny.
U.S. Attorney Gerace expressed an unwavering stance to continue the prosecution of these and similar cases with the goal of "to ensure that their unwelcome stay in the United States includes a trip to the Bureau of Prisons," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Ohio. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz, Elizabeth Geraghty, Sheila G. Lafferty, and Danielle E. Margeaux have been spearheading the prosecution efforts in these cases, each reflecting the concerted focus of Operation Take Back America to protect communities from the encroachment of such crimes.
