LOS ANGELES, CA – A father and son, Antonio Espinoza Zarate and Francisco Javier Espinoza Galindo, were taken into custody on Monday for trafficking fentanyl and illegal firearms. The arrests were the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) working with various federal and state law enforcement agencies in Southern California.
Antonio Espinoza, also charged with illegal reentry, is accused of multiple illegal arms and drug sales. In July 2023, he allegedly sold firearms and over 500 grams of fentanyl pills. In August 2023, he is said to have sold an AR-style rifle and approximately one kilogram of fentanyl pills, supplied by Francisco Espinoza.
Espinoza, originally from Mexico, was previously deported multiple times and reentered the U.S. illegally. If convicted, both father and son face a maximum life sentence and a minimum of 10 years in federal prison.
The ICE HSI-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, including the ATF and Los Angeles Police Department, played significant roles in the operation.