54 Defendants Charged with Federal Firearms-Related Crimes Since October 2023 Through Partnership Between United States Attorney’s Office and Tucson Police Department

TUCSON, Ariz. – The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) and the Tucson Police Department (TPD) announced today the results of the first year of the PSP Pilot Program, a collaborative effort between the USAO and the TPD, in which local defendants are referred federally for charges involving firearm-related offenses. The partnership has resulted in 54 defendants being charged since October 2023. In 2022, the Tucson Police Department was selected by the United States Department of Justice as a partner agency in the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP), an initiative to combat violent crime, with an emphasis on drug, gang, and gun violence. Cases referred for federal prosecution also receive additional investigative assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-Tucson and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Tucson.

Representative cases referred for PSP prosecution include:

United States v. Jesus Antonio Najar: Najar was indicted by a federal grand jury with multiple firearms and narcotics offenses, occurring on three different dates. On April 19, 2024, TPD officers apprehended Najar for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, officers found unregistered AR Drop In Auto Sear Swift Links (parts designed and intended solely and exclusively for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun capable of automatic fire), unregistered silencers without serial numbers, and an AR pistol with an obliterated serial number. On October 12, 2023, Najar allegedly conspired and possessed cocaine for distribution while using and possessing a Glock 17 with a machinegun conversion device attached and two additional firearms. Najar is alleged to have possessed the machinegun conversion device that was not registered to him. In addition, Najar is alleged to have possessed an unregistered short-barrel rifle on December 11, 2023. Najar is currently in custody.

United States v. Geoffrey Fred Cruzado: Cruzado was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegal possession of approximately 134 rounds of ammunition as a convicted felon, after allegedly threatening an intimate partner. Cruzado is currently in custody.

United States v. Jessica Guillen-Morales: A federal grand jury indicted Guillen-Morales with possession of six firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of unregistered firearms, illegal reentry, and possession of a firearm by an alien after she was found to be present illegally in the United States in Tucson, on November 19, 2023, after having been deported to Mexico from the United States less than three weeks earlier. Guillen-Morales is currently in custody.

United States v. Israel Manuel Ortiz: In January 2024, TPD officers encountered Ortiz in possession of approximately 57 grams of counterfeit oxycodone “M30” pills, later determined to contain fentanyl, and a .40 caliber pistol. Ortiz, a three-time convicted felon for misconduct involving weapons and armed robbery, was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Possessor and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. Ortiz is currently in custody.

United States v. Isaiah Thomas Taylor: When TPD officers were serving a state arrest warrant for Taylor at a residence last February, Taylor, a convicted felon for misconduct involving weapons, was found to be in possession of a Glock pistol. A subsequent search of the residence revealed three additional Glock pistols, including one fitted with a fully automatic conversion device. Taylor was indicted by a federal grand jury with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Possessor and Possession of a Machine Gun. Taylor is currently in custody.

United States v. Jesus Alfredo Romo: On October 6, 2023, Romo fled in a vehicle from TPD officers during a traffic stop. Once Romo was apprehended, a 9mm loaded handgun was observed on the driver’s side floorboard and a backpack was retrieved from the vehicle containing 60,000 fentanyl tablets and two baggies of methamphetamine, one weighing over 2.5 grams and the other over 0.8 grams. Officers also found two digital scales and Romo had almost $1,300 in cash on his person. Romo, who was previously convicted of felony possession of dangerous drugs for sale, was indicted on November 21, 2023, with various counts including Trafficking in Firearms and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. He pleaded guilty to those two charges with stipulated, concurrent sentences of five and 10 years. His anticipated sentencing date is January 15, 2025. Romo is currently in custody.

“The evolving threat of firearms in America requires vigilance and cooperation,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We see a growing number of defendants who possess devices used to convert a firearm to a more dangerous fully-automatic mode, and we intend to seek sentencing enhancements for the possession of those dangerous devices. Our efforts to mitigate the specific threat in Tucson through a local-federal partnership are paying dividends and protecting the community.”

“Gun crime has impacted the Tucson community at an unacceptable rate over the past several years. Through the PSP program, TPD's partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies have expanded, and we are collectively making significant strides in arresting those responsible for making our community less safe,” said Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar. “Individuals who illegally possess firearms, sell drugs, or engage in gun violence will be held accountable through TPD arrests and federal prosecution by the United States Attorney’s Office. This behavior has no place in Tucson, and we are grateful for the partnerships that are leading to jail sentences for violent offenders, which directly results in decreased gun violence.”

“This is a perfect example of how cooperative law enforcement should work,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber. “By teaming up, federal and local agencies can collaboratively work to rid our communities of those violent criminals who plague law abiding citizens and the communities they live in.”

“These cases are a prime example of how the Public Safety Partnership program works. No single agency can combat violent crime on its own and this program brings a multi-agency approach to better protect our communities,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “The FBI will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in Tucson and throughout Arizona.”

The National Public Safety Partnership was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
 

CASE NUMBERS:         CR-24-03292-SHR
                                      CR-24-01981-RCC
                                      CR-24-00677-RCC
                                      CR-24-01171-RCC
                                      CR-24-05416-JCH
                                      CR-23-01846-RM
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-130_PSP Pilot Program

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