Jury Convicts Armed Illegal Alien from El Salvador for Drug Trafficking Crimes

TULSA, Okla. - A federal jury convicted Geovanny Alexander Pineda Cubias, a citizen of El Salvador unlawfully residing in the United States, of three counts charged against him. The October 15, 2026, verdict includes convictions for possessing a firearm and ammunition as an illegal alien, possessing cocaine with intent to distribute, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Evidence presented at trial showed that Pineda Cubias frequently negotiated drug deals and posted photos and videos to social media displaying several pistols, rifles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and illegal drugs. An October 2025 video showed Pineda Cubias driving by Tulsa Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) yelling threats and insults while brandishing a pistol. Further, Pineda Cubias' social media conversations memorialized nearly a year of his cocaine sales from April 2025 until his arrest in February 2026.

Evidence showed Pineda Cubias illegally entered the United States in 2016. He had previously been ordered removed from the United States in 2023.

"This verdict sends a clear message: individuals who arm themselves illegally and fuel drug trafficking in our communities will be held fully accountable," said the U.S. Attorney. "Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove violent offenders from our neighborhoods and keep the public safe."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Flesher, Jessica Wright, and Stephen Flynn prosecuted the case.