A joint operation targeting drug and weapons trafficking in El Dorado County has resulted in multiple convictions, with at least two forthcoming deportations of undocumented criminals that were tracked down and taken into custody in the Tahoe area, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office announced this week.
The operation, named Operation Bear Trap, was a multi-agency effort involving federal and local law enforcement across California and Nevada. It aimed to dismantle a criminal network linked to drug, firearms, and human trafficking. The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office worked in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), South Lake Tahoe Police Department, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and Douglas County District Attorney’s Office to carry out the arrests.
Among those taken into custody was Edgar Ivan Trejo-Mendoza, who appeared in court and pleaded guilty on February 18 to the unlawful transfer of a firearm. Following his conviction, FBI and ICE agents took Trejo-Mendoza into custody for illegally entering the United States and have initiated deportation proceedings. According to El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson, Trejo-Mendoza is, “affiliated with a known cartel, an illegal transnational gang.” The DA further emphasized that “there’s a significant amount of time and effort in this entire region to deal with crimes being committed by people linked to cartels, most notably drug trafficking, human trafficking, and firearm trafficking.”
Another convicted individual, Bryan Antunez Gonzalez, was found guilty of carjacking and robbery and has been sentenced to six years in prison. The DA’s Office confirmed that he will be deported as well.
Several other individuals were also convicted as part of Operation Bear Trap. Carlos Alfredo Perez Guerra was convicted of possession of child sexual abuse material and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to four years in jail. Oscar Arreola Nunez was convicted of 16 felonies, including the sale of multiple machine guns and narcotics near a school. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, with four years suspended. Jose Medina Vazquez was convicted of more than eight felonies, including possession of a machine gun and narcotics sales and is now serving a seven-year prison sentence.
In addition to these convictions, the DA’s office shared that that four additional federal defendants were previously indicted from the operation for methamphetamine distribution and still have pending federal cases.
“This operation demonstrates the effectiveness of partnerships between local law enforcement and our federal partners,” said District Attorney Vern Pierson. “By leveraging resources and intelligence across agencies, we are making our communities safer and sending a clear message that criminal activity will not be tolerated,” said Pierson in a statement
El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in tackling violent crime and criminal organizations that pose a significant threat to local communities.
“The success of Operation Bear Trap underscores the critical role of collaboration between local and federal agencies in ensuring public safety. By working together, law enforcement at all levels was able to disrupt a dangerous network, remove illegal firearms and narcotics from the streets, and hold criminals accountable,” the DA added.
