Theodore S. Hertzberg United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia | Department of Justice
Alexis Carreon Bocanegra, a 25-year-old Mexican citizen without legal status in the United States, has been arrested and charged in federal court for alleged fentanyl distribution and firearm possession. The charges stem from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and several local law enforcement agencies.
According to U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg, “Bocanegra, an illegal alien, allegedly tried to hide a significant amount of deadly fentanyl and unlawfully armed himself to protect his stash. Thanks to the diligent investigation of our law enforcement partners, Bocanegra is now in federal custody. His fentanyl will never hit the streets, and his guns will no longer threaten the safety our community.”
Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, stated, “Fentanyl is a poison that continues to claim lives, and combining it with firearms only increases the danger. DEA is committed to removing both from our streets.”
Court documents indicate that between February and March 2025, DEA agents observed Bocanegra handling what they believed were illegal drug proceeds totaling about $400,000. In March 2025, he allegedly distributed a vacuum-sealed package containing roughly one kilogram of fentanyl.
On August 25, 2025, agents arrested Bocanegra at his Stone Mountain residence. During a search of the property, authorities found two firearms—including an AR-15 rifle—hidden under a bed. They also discovered approximately 5.5 kilograms of fentanyl concealed inside a Huggies diaper box located in a shed on the premises.
Bocanegra was formally charged on August 27 with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. A federal magistrate judge ordered him held without bail on August 28.
The case remains under investigation by the DEA with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office; Atlanta Police Department; DeKalb County Police Department; and Sandy Springs Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney James Hwang is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative aimed at countering illegal immigration and dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts by various Department of Justice programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages parents and children to learn more about drug dangers at www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. Additional details are available at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
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