At a press conference last week following the raid of eight Mexican restaurants across the state, federal agents told reporters that the searches were connected to a wide-ranging investigation of a criminal network.
Three complaints filed in federal court on Friday reveal further allegations associated with the operation.
All three complaints are against non-citizens. Two of those complaints are misdemeanor criminal complaints against Luis Miguel Campos-Reyes and Isaac Fernandez-Lopez for harboring illegal immigrants and knowingly hiring unauthorized immigrants. The third complaint against Marco Antonio Guzman alleges possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
All drugs, majority of guns linked to one residence
Federal agents said at the press conference Tuesday that they recovered distribution amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana and 20 guns during the seizures at eight restaurants and six residences related to the investigation, with all of the drugs coming from a single location.
According to the complaint against Guzman, the entirety of those drugs and a majority of the guns were found at the Lee County residence he calls home. That residence is owned by Cesar Campos-Reyes, the primary target of the Tuesday raids and the owner of several Mexican restaurants across the state.
The charging document against Guzman describes a 2022 investigation into a drug trafficking organization in Auburn that led to Guzman being identified as a leader of the organization known to distribute powder and crack cocaine.
Over the course of the investigation, prosecutors allege multiple confidential informants purchased cocaine from Guzman, beginning with the purchase of four ounces of suspected crack cocaine at a price of $2,400 in April 2022. The complaint states that forensics later confirmed the substance to be cocaine. Law enforcement then surveilled the property in May 2025, conducting a traffic stop on an individual leaving the property who confirmed to authorities that he had purchased powder cocaine from Guzman. Authorities made three separate purchases of cocaine from Guzman using a confidential informant in June and July of 2025, according to the document, in much smaller amounts worth $110, $50 and $50, respectively.
The complaint details 12 guns found inside the residence during Tuesday’s raid. The guns found inside the ranch where Guzman lived were: “a Taurus 12 gauge shotgun located in the front closet of the residence, Taurus 9mm located next to Guzman’s bed, Higgins Model 20 12Ga located in the living room, Interarms .22 located in the kitchen, SCCY 9mm located in the kitchen, Ruger .380 (SN#3719206) located in the kitchen, Remington 870 located next to Guzman’s bed, Weatherby 6.5 located next to Guzman’s bed, Marlin Glenfield Mod 60 .22 located in the front closet, Ruger Model 20 .22 located in the front closet, Pardner Model SB 1 410ga.” Many of the suspected drugs were in close proximity to the SCYY 9mm handgun described in the complaint.
Guzman was arrested at the nearby Cricket Wireless store without incident, and the complaint describes a mirandized interview of Guzman.
“Guzman explained that he sells small amounts of drugs to friends,” the complaint alleges. “Guzman stated he usually purchases two to three ounces of cocaine and will sell anywhere from fifty dollars’ worth to an ounce. Guzman stated he purchases one ounce of cocaine for $900.00. Guzman stated he has had the firearms for a long period of time and explained they are all located all throughout the house. Guzman knew of a 9mm he owned, along with a .22 that he uses for horse training. Guzman stated he purchased the methamphetamine for only one or two customers. Guzman stated he purchases his drugs from local individuals that are close to where he lives.”
Misdemeanor complaints hint at larger criminal conspiracy
While the criminal complaint against Luis Campos-Reyes only alleges misdemeanor offenses, the narrative connects his arrest to a joint investigation by the DEA Montgomery Resident Office and FBI Auburn Office in April 2021 into “numerous crimes including, but not limited to, money laundering, bank fraud, wire fraud, tax evasion, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.” According to the complaint, this investigation led officers to businesses owned by Cesar Campos-Reyes, which they refer to in the document as the “Campos-Reyes Enterprise.”
The document identifies Luis Campos-Reyes as the brother of Cesar Campos-Reyes, and states that Luis lives in a home and drives a car owned by his brother. Luis Campos-Reyes is the manager of Come en Casa in Opelika. The document refers to Luis Campos-Reyes as a “co-conspirator” of Cesar Campos-Reyes, although it does not allege any criminal activity by Luis outside of the charged misdemeanor offenses. It notes that Como en Casa was one of several restaurants Cesar Campos-Reyes used to secure allegedly fraudulent pandemic relief. The document includes an example of a WhatsApp message between the brothers, in which Luis asks Cesar about designs for the Como en Casa website.
Based on information from other complaints filed, the messages were viewed by officers after seizing the phone of Cesar Campos-Reyes as he attempted to return to the U.S. from a visit to Mexico in February.
A similar complaint against Isaac Fernandez Lopes identifies Fernadez-Lopes as Cesar Campos-Reyes’ brother-in-law and manager of El Patron of Opelika. The document states that Fernandez-Lopez lives in a home and drives a car owned by Cesar Campos-Reyes and that he is saved in Campos-Reyes’ phone as “La Chica,” which translates to “the girl.”
Fernandez-Lopez has no record of entry into the U.S., according to the complaint, but does have a valid employment authorization document until 2028. The complaint notes a March 2025 traffic stop made on a vehicle leaving El Patron of Opelika in which two individuals told officers they were employed at El Patron. These individuals were later verified by Homeland Security to be illegally in the U.S., and the vehicle was reportedly observed at a residence owned by Cesar Campos-Reyes.
Further details likely to come
Prosecutors will seek to provide enough evidence in federal court this week to proceed with the criminal complaints against all three individuals, which could shed further light on the investigation. New evidence could also be presented on Wednesday in federal court as prosecutors attempt to argue their position that he is a flight risk and should remain in custody.
Additionally, Cesar Campos-Reyes’ counsel Richard Matthews alluded in court to a likely forthcoming superseding indictment against Cesar Campos-Reyes, which could contain further details illuminating prosecutors’ allegations against what they have called a “transnational criminal organization.”
All three men facing the new criminal complaints are Mexican nationals.
