Stephen Anthony, special agent in charge of the Cleveland Division of the FBI, Northern District of Ohio, announces the arrest of Jose Bonilla Mejia, 27 years old, of California.

On March 3, 2016 at approximately 6:15 a.m., Jose Bonilla Mejia was taken into custody without incident by the Akron Police Department and agents from the Columbus Resident Agency-Cincinnati Division and Akron Resident Agency-Cleveland Division of the FBI. The warrant was executed based on a complaint filed in the State of California Superior Court–Miller Division in Santa Maria, California. Mejia is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime [Penal Code Section 182(a)(1)], relating to first-degree murder. Mejia was arraigned on these charges in Summit County on March 11, 2016.

The warrant resulted from an investigation out of the Santa Maria Resident Agency located in the Los Angeles Divison of the FBI and is related to an investigation of the MS-13 street gang wherein 14 individuals have been arrested to date.

A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Any questions regarding this news release can be directed to Special Agent Donna Sullivan at the Cleveland Field Office of the FBI at (216) 522-1400 or Donna.Sullivan@ic.fbi.gov.