Grand jury indicts 2 Mexican nationals with drug, immigration crimes

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury in Columbus. 

Cristian Melendez, 42, and Ismerio Garcia-Ontivaro, 39, were allegedly transporting more than three kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment in a car when they were pulled over by law enforcement on I-70 in June for a window tint violation.

Melendez and Garcia-Ontivaro allegedly received the Honda Accord from a car hauler traveling from Arizona to Columbus. The Accord had a hidden compartment from the console to the rear seats.

Both men were in the United States illegally after previously being removed and previously being convicted of aggravated felony offenses. Melendez had former convictions for trafficking heroin and illegally possessing firearms. Garcia-Ontivaro’s prior crimes include cocaine trafficking in North Carolina.

The defendants are each charged with conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony. The indictment was returned yesterday.

Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Kevin Raycraft, Acting Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Geraghty is representing the United States in this case.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Southern District of Ohio Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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).

An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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