Federal authorities have charged seven individuals in connection with an alleged drug trafficking and money laundering ring linked to a Mexican trafficker. The indictment, issued by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia, involves suspects from Georgia and Mexico and is tied to significant drug operations and financial crimes through Norcross, Georgia.
Law enforcement arrested five of these individuals, all based in Norcross: Sandra Beatriz Hernandez Chilel, Karina Beatriz Perez Hernandez, David Miranda Vinalay, Jerome Lewis, and Irving Joel Hernandez. The arrests were part of a coordinated effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and local authorities. Following their arrests on April 15, 2025, the suspects appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi remarked, “Thanks to the great investigative work of our federal partners and local law enforcement, five individuals working on behalf of the violent JNGC cartel have been taken off our streets. We will not allow these criminal enterprises to continue profiting off of the death and destruction of American lives.”
The defendants are accused of trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into local communities. Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. stated, “The defendants allegedly trafficked high volumes of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into our community and then laundered the illicit proceeds of their activities as directed by a Mexico-based drug trafficker, including more than $1 million during a mere two-month period.”
Acting Special Agent Jae W. Chung of the DEA Atlanta Division highlighted the impact of these substances: “The deadly impact of fentanyl on our communities is devastating. These arrests should be a clear message to the traffickers that keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.”
Demetrius Hardeman, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Atlanta, detailed the financial investigation's role: “Using our expertise in financial investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation is following the money, despite attempts by criminals to cover their tracks.”
The indictment indicates a complex scheme beginning in September 2024, where traffickers delivered bulk drug sale currency to a middleman in Norcross. This money was then allegedly passed to Sandra Beatriz Hernandez Chilel and her daughter, Karina Beatriz Perez Hernandez, to launder through a local money service business, "La Pulga Esperenza". Authorities report that hundreds of thousands of dollars in suspected drug proceeds were wired to Mexico in small amounts over a two-month span to avoid detection.
The DEA has identified several individuals as traffickers transporting drug proceeds, including David Miranda Vinalay, Jerome Lewis, and Irving Joel Hernandez. At least one trafficker is reportedly linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
The authorities continue investigating this case, classified as part of "Operation Take Back America," focusing on dismantling transnational organized crime. The case is jointly investigated by the DEA and IRS, with support from the Georgia State Patrol and local police departments.
As the investigation progresses, the public is reminded that the indictment is comprised of allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in court. Assistant United States Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert and Dwayne A. Brown, Jr. are handling the prosecution.
This initiative is integral to the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operations, aimed at disrupting and dismantling top-tier criminal organizations affecting U.S. security.
Additional information is available via the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia and their public contact options.