Susan C. Dunbar Acting Executive Associate Director, Management and Administration | U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement
Susan C. Dunbar Acting Executive Associate Director, Management and Administration | U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement
A father and son have been arrested for fentanyl trafficking and illegal firearms sales following a comprehensive investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and involving multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies in Southern California.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations acting Special Agent in Charge Los Angeles John Pasciucco highlighted the ongoing threat posed by transnational crime. “Transnational crime, including the trafficking of fentanyl and weapons, remains a persistent and dangerous threat to our communities,” he said. “HSI Los Angeles remains committed to combatting these threats by working alongside federal, state, and local law enforcement to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt trafficking routes and to bring these perpetrators to justice.”
The two men, 55-year-old Antonio Espinoza Zarate, known as “El Gato,” and his 31-year-old son Francisco Javier Espinoza Galindo, were charged in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In addition to trafficking charges, Antonio Espinoza was charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien.
Court documents reveal that Antonio Espinoza sold various firearms and fentanyl pills on multiple occasions from July 2023 to February 2025. In January 2025, it is alleged he sold a rifle, a pistol, a revolver, and ammunition. The following month, he reportedly sold over 500 grams of fentanyl pills with his son present. Antonio Espinoza, a Mexican citizen, has been deported four times since 2010 and illegally reentered the United States after each removal. If convicted, both men face substantial jail time, including a possible life sentence.
ATF Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cooper emphasized the importance of collaboration for public safety. “ATF is working alongside the Department of Homeland Security to assist with their immigration efforts in the Los Angeles area,” Cooper stated. “These efforts are targeting gang members, drug traffickers and dangerous criminals who have entered the country illegally. Public safety is at the forefront of ATF’s mission. We will continue to provide our support to our partners at the Department of Homeland Security to ensure the safety of this community.”
The investigation was conducted by the ICE HSI-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force and involved the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Los Angeles Police Department.
Reports of suspected fentanyl and firearms trafficking can be made to 1-866-347-2423. For more information about ICE HSI’s mission, visit their profile on X at @HSILosAngeles.
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