Criminal Alien of the Week Report February, 29 2024
Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report
February 28, 2024
The “Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report” in the last week of February 2024 has for your radio listeners and webpage followers a report on a Mexican national federally charged with drug trafficking in a U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon.
Some background information, on Wednesday, January 23, 2024 the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon (USAODO), issued a news release titled “Federal Charges Filed After Traffic Stop Yields More Than 200 Pounds of Methamphetamine” who the subject of interest was identified as Juan Manuel Berrelleza Leyva (U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon Court Case Number: 3:24-CR-00053).
Here is an extended excerpt from USAODO’s January 23, 2024 news release on Juan Manuel Berrelleza Leyva:
“PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man is facing federal charges today after he was caught transporting more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine on Interstate 5 near Tualatin, Oregon, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Juan Manuel Berrelleza Leyva, 22, a Mexican national residing in Portland, has been charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
According to court documents, on January 21, 2024, law enforcement received information that a suspected drug trafficker, later determined to be Leyva, was transporting drugs on Interstate 5 toward Portland. That evening, investigators observed the suspect’s vehicle traveling north between Salem, Oregon, and Tualatin. After briefly failing to yield to the investigators’ attempts to initiate a traffic stop, Leyva, the vehicle’s driver and sole occupant, pulled over.
After a narcotics K-9 alerted to the vehicle, investigators searched it and located more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in a duffle bag, suitcase, and trash bag. Investigators also located and seized just over two pounds of heroin. Leyva admitted to entering the United States approximately seven months prior and being responsible for picking up drug shipments in other states and transporting them to the Portland area.
Leyva made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
This case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN).” – U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
On January 23, 2024 Juan Manuel Berrelleza Leyva (SWIS ID: 843797) was incarcerated with a U.S. Marshall Service (USM) placed on him at the Multnomah County Jail (MCJ) in Portland, Oregon.
Seeking more detailed information on the historical immigration status of Juan Manuel Berrelleza Leyva on January 26, 2024 the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” contacted via e-mail U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Public Affairs for the Northwest Region.
On Tuesday, February 27, 2024 an ICE Public Affairs Officer (PAO) responded via e-mail with the following statement on Juan Manuel Berrelleza Leyva:
“ICE officers make enforcement decisions on a case-by-case basis in a professional and responsible manner, informed by their experience as law enforcement officials and in a way that best protects against the greatest threats to the homeland.
ON BACKGROUND:
Juan Manuel Berrelleza-Leyva, 22, is a citizen of Mexico unlawfully present in the U.S. who is currently awaiting criminal trial on federal charges related to drug trafficking.
### – ICE Public Affairs Spokesperson.
Since Friday, February 2, 2024 Juan Manuel Berrelleza-Leyva (Booking Number: 20240000200) has been incarcerated with a U.S. Marshall Service (USM) placed on him at the Columbia County Jail (CCJ) in St. Helens, Oregon.
If in the near future Juan Manuel Berrelleza Leyva is convicted and sentenced for drug tracking crimes in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon he will very likely join more than 12-thousand Mexican nationals incarcerated in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) prison system.
For “Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report” radio listeners and website followers interested in learning about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), federal anti-drug trafficking role they should visit the HSI webpage titled “Narcotics Smuggling.”
A special thank you goes out again to the ICE Public Affairs team who contributes significant information to help make the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” possible.
Lars, the last week of February 2024 and another “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” for Lars Larson Show KXL FM 101.1 Pacific Northwest radio listeners and website followers.
David Olen Cross (docfnc) is a reporter on foreign national crime. He is a more than decade long contributor to the “Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report.” His past crime reporting can be found at http://docfnc.wordpress.com/.
https://docfnc.wordpress.com/