Louisville City Wire

A federal criminal complaint has recently been filed, leading to the arrest of two individuals on charges of firearm possession in Mayfield, Kentucky. According to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, alongside Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, and Chief Nathan Kent of the Mayfield Police Department, the two accused are facing allegations related to illegal firearm possession.

Rodrigo Waldemar Caal-Caal, 22, originally from Guatemala, and Rodolfo Ruiz-Hernandez, 26, from Mexico, have been charged with possession of a firearm on April 6, 2025, in Mayfield, Kentucky, while being illegally present in the United States. The complaint states that both men were involved in removing a firearm from a scene of a death investigation in Mayfield. The investigation into the death continues under the purview of the Mayfield Police Department, and state charges have also been filed against the defendants.

The agencies leading the investigation include the ATF Paducah Satellite Office, Homeland Security Investigations Paducah Office, and the Mayfield Police Department. Both Caal-Caal and Ruiz-Hernandez remain in state custody as they await their initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the federal court for the Western District of Kentucky. Each defendant could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted, as determined by federal sentencing guidelines.

U.S. Assistant Attorney Seth A. Hancock is prosecuting these cases, which fall under the larger framework of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and organized crime.

While a criminal complaint exists, it is important to note that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.