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March 3, 2012 (Jacumba) -- Members of the Boulevard Border Patrol Station Abatement Team (BLV SAT) executed a Federal Arrest Warrant on February 19 for the notorious alien smuggler Steven Virgin Zavala. Zavala, the last member of his family residing in the town of Jacumba, was the leader of Zavala Transnational Criminal Organization.
Zavala was the last member of his family to have avoided federal prosecution for alien smuggling. On February 10, 2012, the investigation results were presented to the Federal Grand Jury of the Southern District of California. The Federal Grand Jury determined that sufficient evidence existed to indict Zavala, and an arrest warrant was issued.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, for approximately two decades the Zavala family, through their familial ties to the adjacent town of Jacume, Mexico, has served as a facilitator of both narcotics and human trafficking within Southern California. At its peak, this organization dominated smuggling activities throughout both Campo and Boulevard Border Patrol Stations’ areas of responsibility.
If convicted, Steven Zavala faces up to 5 years in federal prison.
The investigation, which resulted ultimately in the arrest of Steven Zavala, was a collaborative effort between BLV SAT, the Campo Border Patrol Station Abatement Team, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Field Office, California Department of Corrections, and United States Attorney’s Office.
To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900 or the Boulevard Border Patrol Station at (619) 766-3000.
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