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 illegal firearm possession. Authorities say Bocanegra was detained after an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other law enforcement agencies.
According to information presented in court, DEA agents observed Bocanegra between February and March 2025 handling what they believed to be 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 residence in Stone Mountain. During a search of the property, officers 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 near the home.
Bocanegra was formally charged on August 27 with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The following day, a federal magistrate judge ordered that he remain in custody without bail pending further proceedings.
“Bocanegra, an illegal alien, allegedly tried to hide a significant amount of deadly fentanyl and unlawfully armed himself to protect his stash,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “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.”
“Fentanyl is a poison that continues to claim lives, and combining it with firearms only increases the danger,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA is committed to removing both from our streets.”
The public is reminded that criminal complaints are not evidence of guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
The case involves cooperation among several agencies: DEA; 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 this case as part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative focused on combating illegal immigration and transnational crime through coordinated efforts across multiple Justice Department programs such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Parents seeking more information about drug dangers can visit www.justthinktwice.gov for resources.
For additional details or media inquiries contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. More information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
