Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California have filed 72 cases this month, including charges related to human trafficking, controlled substances, and illegal reentry following deportation.
Among the cases:
- On December 27, Carlos Mata, a Mexican national, was arrested for attempting to reenter the United States after being deported. Border Patrol agents found Mata hiding in bushes north of the border near Otay Mesa. He had previously been deported in November 2025.
- On December 28, Francisco Javier Hernández, also from Mexico, was arrested for transporting undocumented migrants. Agents discovered Hernández with several migrants concealed in brush near the border, with Hernández acting as their guide.
- On December 29, U.S. citizen Kara Elizabeth Pasco was arrested for attempting to import controlled substances. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 35 packages of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl hidden throughout her vehicle at the San Ysidro port of entry.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
About the Southern District of California
The Southern District of California is one of the nation’s busiest federal districts, largely due to its proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border. The district covers San Diego and Imperial counties, spanning 225 kilometers of border and including the San Ysidro port of entry—the busiest land crossing in the world connecting San Diego with Tijuana, Baja California.
Beyond border-related offenses, the district also prosecutes cases involving terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, white-collar crime, violent crimes, cybercrime, human trafficking, and national security threats.
