I.C.E. News Releases November 2014


11/28/2014


DALLAS, TX

ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE Dallas officers deport Salvadoran woman wanted for murders
Margarita Del Carmen Orellana Rivas, 25, was removed to El Salvador Nov. 26 via government charter flight from Dallas and was turned over to officials from El Salvador's Policia Nacional Civil (PNC). In addition to aggravated murder, she's also wanted for “crimes of solicitation and conspiracy in the crime of aggravated murder, aggravated murder as co-conspirator, and illegal gatherings.”


11/28/2014

SAN SALVADOR,EL SALVADOR



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes MS-13 gang member wanted for involvement in 3 murders
Margarita del Carmen Orellana-Rivas assisted MS-13 gang members with the murders of Patricia Beatriz Avalos-Caceres, Orlando Moran-Alvarado and Luis Osmaro Menjivar-Landaverde.


11/28/2014

ALBUQUERQUE, NM



OTHER


FEATURE: ICE, CBP help Mexican boy get life-saving surgery
Upon learning of Jose Antonio’s condition in 2012, staff at the HSI Albuquerque Assistant Special Agent in Charge Office began facilitating the humanitarian parole needed for both Jose and his parents to lawfully enter the United States. Since then, they’ve closely monitored his case and status to ensure he received the necessary medical treatment for his condition.


11/26/2014

LUBBOCK, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


West Texas man faces up to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography
Rassie Cleveland Martin, 57, who remains on bond, faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report; a sentencing date will be set after that report is completed.



11/26/2014

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes Colombian fugitive convicted of murder
Pedro Nel Moreno-Romero, 51, was convicted of aggravated murder in 2013 in Colombia and sentenced to 35 years imprisonment. Moreno-Romero allegedly murdered a friend, then dismembered the body with a machete and later discarded the remains in a plastic bag.


11/25/2014

CAMDEN, NJ



CHILD EXPLOITATION


NY man charged with travelling to NJ to sexually abuse teenage girl
Michael Tway Smith, 66, of New York, was arrested and charged in Camden federal court with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Smith was arrested in Maple Shade, New Jersey, where he was expected to meet the girl.


11/25/2014

DALLAS, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Dallas man pleads guilty to drug and child obscenity offenses
Nicholas Todd Freed was arrested by an HSI Task Force Officer Jan. 28 as he was attempting to claim a package containing anabolic steroids at the Deep Ellum Postal Center in Dallas. Pursuant to the arrest, law enforcement discovered Freed possessed a counterfeit U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) credential and badge.


11/25/2014

NEWARK, NJ



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Former Newark city hall employee pleads guilty to producing fraudulent birth certificates
Cory Cooke, 45, of Newark, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of producing false identification documents.

11/25/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS


ICE, industry warn public of holiday scams
Once it is determined that the items are counterfeit, federal officials will seize the merchandise. But in many instances, the damage to the consumer and the economy has already been done.


11/25/2014

BUFFALO, NY



OTHER


ICE and snow – Buffalo’s Special Response Team tackles extreme conditions
The members of ICE’s Buffalo SRT are no strangers to dealing with adverse situations, training to protect our country and ensuring public safety, but they’re the first to admit, tackling the extreme snow here is a challenge — a challenge so demanding, the Buffalo ICE Field Office Director Michael Phillips authorized deployment Nov. 20 of the SRT to assist the Erie County Emergency Command Center in humanitarian relief efforts in the aftermath of the monster storm.


11/25/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



OTHER


Movies, books and television shows feature gripping, action-packed work that ICE does to protect the public and national security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforces more than 400 federal statutes and focuses on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism and combating the illegal movement of people and goods.



11/24/2014

PHILADELPHIA, PA



CONTRABAND


HSI stops central PA drug trafficking ring
The following people were taken into custody in Pennsylvania: David Folweiler, 27, of West Pittston; Alan Folweiler, 21, of West Pittston; John Pearce, 29, of West Pittston; Frank Xavier Brennan, 33, of Kingston; Maura Kathio, 25, of Yatesville; Tiffany Pradel, 30, of Pittston Township; Marguerita Ann Davis, 59, of Pittston.



11/24/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



OTHER


ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Nov. 21, 2014
ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Nov. 21, 2014


11/24/2014

ALBUQUERQUE, NM



OTHER


Armed New Mexico career criminal charged with unlawfully possessing firearm
Joseph Ernest Purcella III, 34, from Albuquerque, entered a not-guilty plea during Monday’s arraignment hearing. He was arrested Oct. 30 on a criminal complaint alleging that he unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition in Sandoval County, New Mexico, April 7.


11/21/2014

LUBBOCK, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Louisiana mechanic sentenced in west Texas to 2 years in federal prison on obscenity conviction
U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings ordered Nicholas W. Schofield, 26, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, who has been on bond, to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons Jan. 25.


11/21/2014

FORT WORTH, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


North Texas man charged with federal child pornography offenses
Randy Way Wesson, 28, from Hurst, Texas, made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey L. Cureton in federal court in Fort Worth Nov. 21.

11/21/2014

DENVER, CO



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Arkansas man arrested for traveling to Colorado to have sex with children
Donnie Waldo Jr., 47, of Dover, Arkansas, was charged by criminal complaint Nov. 10; he was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver Nov. 17.


11/21/2014

AUSTIN, TX



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Former central Texas police chief sentenced to 4½ years in federal prison for bribery
Andres Tomas Gutierrez, 52, from Jarrell, Texas, was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.


11/21/2014

SEATTLE, WA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


Chinese college student convicted of fatal Seattle-area crash deported
Yichun Xu was placed on a commercial flight back to China Thursday afternoon by ERO officers. The former Puget Sound Community College student came to the attention of ERO following his November 2012 arrest on multiple vehicular assault charges


11/21/2014

DETROIT, MI



INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS


Ford recognizes HSI Detroit for consumer safety, brand protection efforts
Since 2010, Ford and HSI Detroit have collaborated on dozens of enforcement efforts that resulted in the seizures of websites selling counterfeit diagnostics equipment, charges against individuals selling counterfeit airbags and airbag components, seizures of faulty Engine Control Modules (ECMs), which act as the vehicle’s “black box,” and seizures of other sensitive automotive parts.



11/21/2014

TAMPA, FL



OTHER


HSI Tampa Special Response Team supports area schools
Hundreds of children in the Tampa Bay area learned more about the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) during the Great American Teach-In.


11/21/2014

PHOENIX, AZ



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


Arizona car wash chain owner and managers sentenced in company-wide scheme to employ unauthorized aliens
Company owner Daniel Lewis “Danny” Hendon, 64, of Paradise Valley, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Neil V. Wake to 12 months in prison followed by a year of home confinement. Hendon also agreed to divest himself of any future ownership, managerial or profit-sharing interest in the DFC organization.


11/20/2014

DALLAS, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Dallas man sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for transporting, shipping child pornography
A forensic examination of Savell's laptop computers revealed more than 750 images and 250 videos of child pornography. That analysis also revealed that 14 of the files depicted sadism and/or masochism, and 22 files depicted infants or toddlers.


11/20/2014

WACO, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Central Texas man sentenced to 9 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography
James Fudge, 47, of Temple, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Walter S. Smith Jr. to 108 months in federal prison. Fudge must also serve five years of supervised release, and pay a $1,000 fine. On Sept. 18, Fudge pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography and sharing child pornography with others via the Internet.

11/20/2014

SACRAMENTO, CA



CONTRABAND


Northern California couple indicted for drug trafficking in Silk Road 2.0 probe
David Schell, 54, and Teri Schell, 59, both of Durham, Calif., are charged in the indictment with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana.


11/20/2014

NEW YORK, NY



CONTRABAND


Colombian narcotic kingpin pleads guilty to cocaine smuggling conspiracy
For decades, Daniel Barrera Barrera, 47, aka, Loco Barrera, a citizen of Colombia, manufactured and distributed hundreds of tons of cocaine and laundered tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds. Barrera worked with two Colombian terrorist organizations to traffic cocaine to various parts of the world, including the United States.


11/20/2014

TULSA, OK



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


11 alleged Universal Aryan Brotherhood gang members and associates charged in Oklahoma with racketeering, drug conspiracy, kidnapping and maiming a person
Following are the 11 defendants charged in the indictment: Anthony Ramon Hall, 39; Ronnie Dean Haskins, 41; Aaron Clay King, 31; Matthew Brian Wagner, 32; Richard Allen Roberts, 30; Robert Allen Paul Bryan, 40; Rodney Lee Broomhall, 37; William Benton Williams, 41; Kristin Michelle Bright, 31; Carl Matthew Smith, 36; and Timothy Duane Buck, 23.


11/19/2014

MARTINSBURG, WV



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


HSI Pittsburgh case leads to DMV fraud scheme sentences
Jesse Antonio Garcia, 28, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 15 months in prison. He pleaded guilty in July 2014 to aiding and abetting unlawful production of identification document.



11/19/2014

PHILADELPHIA, PA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


HSI Philadelphia brings down immigration and tax fraud scheme
Kim Meas, 60, was the managing director of LS Services Corporation, an employee leasing company in Philadelphia. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, transporting illegal aliens, and failure to collect and pay federal income and employment taxes.


11/19/2014

HOUSTON, TX



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE Houston officers deport Salvadoran man wanted for aggravated homicide
Milton Xavier Zometa, 28, was flown to El Salvador Nov. 19 onboard a charter flight coordinated by ICE’s Air Operations (IAO) Unit. Upon arrival, Zometa was turned over to officials from the El Salvador’s Policia Nacional Civil (PNC).


11/18/2014

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


HSI, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency arrest 19 alleged predators
Those arrested include 12 Koreans, three Sri Lankans, two Vietnamese citizens, one Indonesian and one Thai national. The arrests were made in Seoul, Busan and Ulsan.


11/18/2014

HARTFORD, CT



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Former Farmington private school teacher pleads guilty to child pornography offense
Joseph Rajkumar, 44, formerly of Farmington, pleaded guilty Nov. 18 in Hartford federal court to one count of attempted receipt of child pornography. The charge stems from Rajkumar's sexual relationship with a student while he was a teacher at Miss Porter's School in Farmington.

11/18/2014

LAREDO, TX



CONTRABAND


Georgia man sentenced in south Texas to 10 years for importing 25 kilos of methamphetamine from Mexico
Guillermo Garcia, 55, a U.S. permanent resident from Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia-Marmolejo Nov. 18 to 120 months in federal prison.


11/18/2014

LAS CRUCES, NM



CONTRABAND


New Mexico man pleads guilty to federal drug trafficking, firearms charges
According to the terms of his plea agreement, Armando Conrad Gonzales, 33, will be sentenced to 100 months in federal prison and a term of supervised release to be determined by the court.


11/18/2014

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA



CULTURAL PROPERTY, ART AND ANTIQUITIES INVESTIGATIONS


Pre-Columbian artifacts returned to Colombia following HSI, CBP case
The pre-Columbian artifacts include three bowls and three goblets that are from the area near the Colombia-Ecuador border and are from between 800-1500AD. CBP officers in Miami seized the artifacts after they were identified during a routine air cargo inspection. The artifacts were later turned over to the HSI Bogota Attaché for repatriation.


11/18/2014

PHILADELPHIA, PA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


Criminal aliens off streets after targeted enforcement by ERO Philadelphia
These operations targeted enforcement in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and York areas from the last week in October through the first week in November. It is the latest effort by ERO Philadelphia to prioritize the removal of criminal aliens and egregious immigration violators.



11/18/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE's new family detention center in Dilley, Texas to open in December
The South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley is the fourth facility the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has used to increase its capacity to detain and expedite the removal of adults with children who illegally crossed the Southwest border.


11/18/2014

SAN ANTONIO, TX



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


3 central Texas companies join HSI’s IMAGE program
IMAGE is a nationwide program that assists employers, strengthens hiring practices and curtails the employment of unauthorized workers through outreach, education and partnership.


11/17/2014

NORFOLK, VA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Virginia Beach man sentenced to life in prison for producing child pornography
On July 14, a jury convicted Robert Harold Scott Jr. on multiple counts involving the production of child pornography and online enticement.


11/17/2014

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN



CONTRABAND


HSI Islamabad partners with Pakistan Customs to prevent illegal use of dangerous chemicals
HSI’s leadership in partnering with the Pakistan Customs Service helped in the launch of the End Use Verification project that will help monitor the import and export of chemicals that are used both legally and illegally.

11/17/2014

LAS VEGAS, NV



CONTRABAND


3 defendants tied to Las Vegas-based synthetic drug ring sentenced
Joshua Michael Riley, 32, of Henderson, received a 51-month prison term followed by three years’ supervised release; Nicholas Collado, 32, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and three years’ supervised release; and Alexandra Haardt, 28, also of Henderson, was sentenced to three years’ probation with a condition of one year of home confinement. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey.


11/17/2014

BROWNSVILLE, TX



CONTRABAND


Gulf cartel plaza boss receives 20 year prison sentence
Rafael Cardenas-Vela, aka Junior, aka Commandante 900, aka Rolex, was sentenced Nov. 17 by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen to 240 months in prison and ordered to pay a $100,000 in fines. A final order of forfeiture has also been entered for a $5 million money judgment and his interest in a real property on Bluewing Circle in Brownsville, which was purchased with drug proceeds.


11/17/2014

BALTIMORE, MD



CONTRABAND


Maryland drug dealer sentenced to 11 years in heroin distribution conspiracy
Gary Barham, 52, of Easton, was sentenced to 11 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.


11/17/2014

NORFOLK, VA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Delaware woman pleads guilty to fraud charges
According to a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Linda Avila, 50, and unindicted co-conspirators devised a scheme to file false income tax returns using forms obtained from illegal aliens on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and elsewhere.



11/17/2014

LAREDO, TX



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


Border Patrol agent pleads guilty to harboring illegal aliens
Roberto Cantu-Rodriguez, 35, of Laredo, appeared before a federal judge Nov. 17 to enter his guilty plea for shielding, harboring and concealing five illegal aliens from detection while he was stationed at the Laredo CBP Sector.


11/17/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



OTHER


ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Nov. 14, 2014
ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Nov. 14, 2014


11/17/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



OTHER


HSI Special Agent Cadet Program a valuable experience for students, ICE instructors
In keeping in compliance with the president’s orders, HSI, in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and MedStar Georgetown University created the HSI Special Agent Cadet Program in 2013.


11/17/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR INFORMATION SYSTEM


SEVP deploys new class of field representatives to work with US schools hosting international students
The field representatives serve as a key resource for schools on the SEVP certification and recertification processes, and they educate schools on the program's rules and regulations and federal laws governing international students studying in the United States.

11/14/2014

ORLANDO, FL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Idaho man sentenced to 20 years for distributing child pornography
Charles Keith Rolfe, 60, of Heyburn, Idaho, was also ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release and to register as a sex offender after he completes his prison sentence.


11/14/2014

LUBBOCK, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


West Texas man sentenced to 6 ½ years in federal prison for possessing child pornography
Justin Turcheck, 29, of Abilene, Texas, is currently in federal custody. U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings revoked his pre-trial release last month finding that Turcheck had violated his conditions of release.


11/14/2014

PHILADELPHIA, PA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


HSI Philadelphia investigation leads to DMV fraud conviction
The HSI investigation revealed that Garcia Campos, also known as "Chicano," conspired with a Department of Motor Vehicles employee to sell identification documents to foreign nationals.


11/14/2014

SAN ANTONIO, TX



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE San Antonio deports Mexican fugitive wanted for murder
Daniel Mota-Torres, 35, was deported Nov. 14 and transferred to the custody of Mexican law enforcement authorities at the border crossing in Laredo, Texas.



11/14/2014

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


HSI investigation leads to sentencing of ringleader in multimillion dollar bank fraud scheme
A federal jury found, Mahabubuz Zaman, 42, of Queens, New York, guilty of participating in an elaborate bank fraud scheme which yielded millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains.


11/14/2014

DALLAS, TX



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


37 members and associates of various white supremacist organizations arrested in north Texas on drug-trafficking conspiracy charges
This investigation is being led by the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division (DPS-CID) Gang Unit with assistance from the following agencies: Dallas Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit, the Garland Police Department’s Neighborhood Police Officer Unit, the Mesquite and Rockwall police departments, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).


11/14/2014

SAN FRANCISCO, CA



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


3 alleged Bay Area gang members charged with July murder
Miguel Ortiz, 27, of San Francisco; Antonio Castillo, 26, of San Bruno; and Marvin Cortez, 24, of San Francisco were arrested Wednesday on charges detailed in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury earlier this month, which was unsealed Thursday.


11/14/2014

HOUSTON, TX



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


7 more gang members sentenced for their involvement in Aryan Brotherhood of Texas racketeering conspiracy
On Friday, James Erik Sharron, 40, of Houston, and Steven Tobin Mullen, 45, of Dallas, were sentenced to respective terms of 72 and 156 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sim Lake. On Nov. 13, Larry Max Bryan, 52, of Houston, and Terry Ross Blake, 56, of Corpus Christi, both high-ranking leaders of the ABT, were sentenced to 300 and 180 months in federal prison, respectively. Jamie Grant Loveall, 38, and Kelly Ray Elley, 37, both of Houston; and Ronald Lee Prince, 44, of Dallas, were also sentenced to respective terms of 390, 270 and 120 months in federal prison.

11/13/2014

MINNEAPOLIS, MN



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Minnesota woman indicted for producing child pornography
Roxanne Merrell, 35, of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, was charged with two counts of producing child pornography. Merrell was arrested by law enforcement authorities Nov. 5; she made her first court appearance Nov. 7.


11/13/2014

MCALLEN, TX



CONTRABAND


9 south Texas drug-smuggling members sentenced following 'Panama Unit' investigation
Reyes Gonzalez was convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute narcotics along with Eloy Gonzalez, 40, Hector Rodriguez Sr., 61, Federico Rodriguez, 27, Jamail Thomas, 34, and William Champion Gonzalez, 22, all of Weslaco, Also sentenced Nov. 13 was Jose A. Padilla, 54, of Weslaco, a former deputy commander with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office who served under the leadership of former Sheriff Guadalupe Trevino, aka Lupe Trevino.


11/13/2014

NEW YORK, NY



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes Romanian fugitive wanted for fraud
Radu Sebastian Popa, 40, was escorted from John F. Kennedy Airport on Nov. 11 via a commercial flight. He was turned over to Romanian authorities in Bucharest, Romania.


11/13/2014

SEATTLE, WA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE deports Austrian murder suspect captured in Oregon
Stefan Eduard Wiebogen, of Strasshof, Austria, was arrested Oct. 16 by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents near a Portland hostel. He was located after a team of investigators from HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Portland Police Bureau canvased Portland-area hotels, hostels and casinos.



11/13/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR INFORMATION SYSTEM


SEVP releases quarterly report on international students studying in US
Based on data extracted from SEVIS Oct. 7, 1.11 million international students, using an F (academic) or M (vocational) visa, were enrolled at nearly 9,000 U.S. schools. This marked a nine percent increase when compared to October 2013 data.


11/13/2014

NEW YORK, NY



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


Violent gang member gets 25 years in prison after HSI investigation
A federal judge sentenced Rudy Mendoza, 29, following his conviction in a nine day trial in November 2013 for racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, robbery conspiracy, and firearms charges.


11/13/2014

TALLADEGA, AL



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


Talladega Superspeedway receives IMAGE certification
The 2.66-mile speedway became an ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers (IMAGE) partner during a ceremony at the track. IMAGE is a voluntary program that allows private industry to partner with ICE to reduce unauthorized employment and the use of fraudulent identity documents.


11/12/2014

MIAMI, FL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Canadian man arrested for travel to US to have sex with a minor
According to the criminal complaint, Rene Roberge, 47, of Quebec, sent an email Oct. 9, to an undercover agent through a social networking site, in which he requested to meet with the agent and the agent's 14-year-old son.

11/12/2014

TRENTON, NJ



CHILD EXPLOITATION


NJ man sentenced to 4 years in prison for possessing child pornography
Cesar Urena Valverde, 31, of Trenton, was initially arrested Oct. 22, 2013, when HSI special agents and detectives executed a search warrant at his home and seized computers and hard drives containing images and videos of child pornography.


11/12/2014

NEW ORLEANS, LA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes Honduran man wanted for murder in his home country
Laureano Garcia-Zelaya, 36, entered the United States illegally in April 2004 near Eagle Pass, Texas, where he was encountered by the Border Patrol and issued a Notice to Appear before an immigration judge.


11/12/2014

LAS VEGAS, NV



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Cybercrime ring member responsible for $50 million in online identity theft sentenced
Cameron Harrison, aka “Kilobit,” 28, of Augusta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon.


11/12/2014

MIAMI, FL



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


Miami-Dade man sentenced to more than 14 years for extortion conspiracy
Eliezer Lazo, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit extortion for his role in an alien smuggling operation that moved approximately 1,000 Cuban migrants from Cuba to Mexico and then the United States.



11/10/2014

COLUMBUS, OH



CONTRABAND


Fugitive drug trafficker captured, more than $370,000 seized
Oscar Vega-Gomez, 29, formerly of Galloway, Ohio, was arrested in Indianapolis late Friday as he left an area hotel


11/10/2014

SEATTLE, WA



COUNTER PROLIFERATION INVESTIGATION UNIT


Hong Kong man sentenced for attempting to buy sensitive technology for China
See Kee Chin, aka Alfred Chin, 56, of Hong Kong, was arrested in February after he handed over an $85,000 payment to undercover HSI special agents and attempted to pick up 10 accelerometers. Court records state Chin had indicated he planned to smuggle the parts out of the country in his suitcase. He previously discussed hiding the items in children’s toys.


11/10/2014

DETROIT, MI



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Naturalized US citizen convicted on immigration fraud charges for failing to disclose terrorism conviction
Odeh was found guilty of procuring her U.S. citizenship unlawfully.


11/10/2014

PHILADELPHIA, PA



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


Sex trafficker gets 9 years in prison after HSI investigation
Wilkes-Barre resident Travis Humphrey, 27, previously pleaded guilty to recruiting and transporting a then 16-year-old female to engage in commercial sex acts in motels in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

11/10/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



OTHER


ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Nov. 7, 2014
ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Nov. 7, 2014


11/10/2014

SYRACUSE, NY



OTHER


New special agent takes helm at HSI satellite office in Syracuse
HSI has one of the broadest legal authorities of any U.S. federal criminal investigative agency, and has longstanding specialized expertise in defeating transnational organizations that threaten our borders, our nation’s security and our public’s safety.


11/07/2014

HONOLULU, HI



CHILD EXPLOITATION


US citizen pleads guilty to traveling to Thailand to engage in sexually explicit conduct with minors
Ronny Lee Waldrip, 63, originally came under suspicion after he traveled to Honolulu in February 2012. Upon his arrival, law enforcement discovered Waldrip brought a laptop computer containing sexually explicit photos and videos of minors, including videos showing Waldrip engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minor females.


11/07/2014

SEATTLE, WA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Washington man who preyed on teen girl sentenced for child pornography
Michael T. Laursen, 47, was the subject of a multiagency investigation, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). He was convicted at trial in May.



11/07/2014

NEW YORK, NY



CONTRABAND


Dozens of ‘Dark Market’ websites seized as part of Silk Road 2.0 investigation
The seizures follow the arrest Wednesday of Blake Benthall, aka "Defcon" for his alleged role in operating the Silk Road 2.0 website. This action constitutes the largest law enforcement action to date against criminal websites operating on the Tor network, a special network of computers on the Internet designed to conceal the true IP addresses of the computers on the network.


11/07/2014

GLYNCO, GA



OTHER


El Salvadoran students graduate from elite federal training program
The 26 current graduates are joining the fight against transnational criminal organizations after spending nearly three weeks in classroom seminars and practical exercises as part of the ITAT program, which provides vetted foreign law enforcement officers with training similar to that of the agency's special agents.


11/07/2014

PHOENIX, AZ



OTHER


Combined law enforcement and medical experience make the Fry family excellent first responders after boat explosion
SA Fry boarded the vessel to find the injured crying in pain, in shock and unable to think clearly or move. SA Fry physically removed them from the vessel, handing them to ASAC Fry. SA Fry carried one non-ambulatory woman to a secure secondary location to a brick structure to shield her from another possible explosion.


11/06/2014

NEW ORLEANS, LA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


California man sentenced to 13 years for child pornography conspiracy
Aung Gaw, 26, aka Michael Gaw, of Fremont, California, pleaded guilty to the child pornography charge following his arrest in November 2013 after HSI special agents executed a search warrant at his California residence.

11/06/2014

SAN JUAN, <acronym title="Google Page Ranking">PR</acronym>



CHILD EXPLOITATION


HSI arrests Moca resident on child exploitation charges
HSI special agents arrested Angel L. Gonzalez-Acevedo, 50, at his place of residence after receiving information from the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) regarding a cellular phone that allegedly belonged to Gonzalez-Acevedo containing sexually explicit material involving a minor later identified as Jane Doe.


11/06/2014

SPRINGFIELD, IL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Illinois man charged with sexually exploiting a minor, possessing child pornography
Talon G. Wright, 38, of Urbana, Illinois, was indicted on two counts of sexually exploiting a minor and one count of possessing child pornography.


11/06/2014

NEW YORK, NY



CONTRABAND


International probe leads to the arrest of the alleged operator of “Silk Road 2.0”
Blake Benthall, 26, aka “Defcon” was arrested Thursday in San Francisco, California in connection with his operation and ownership of the Silk Road 2.0 website, a hidden website designed to enable its users to buy and sell illegal drugs and other unlawful goods and services anonymously and beyond the reach of law enforcement. He will have an initial hearing Thursday in federal court in San Francisco.


11/06/2014

PHILADELPHIA, PA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE deports Afghan doctor with ties to terrorist group
Hayatullah Dawari, 62, of Philadelphia was sentenced to two years in federal prison Sept. 19 after an investigation found the man had ties to the Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin anti-western insurgent group active in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Dawari pleaded guilty to two counts of immigration fraud, and the judge suspended the sentence in favor of immediate deportation.



11/05/2014

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Illegal alien from Mexico pleads guilty in Iowa to passport fraud, identity theft, harboring and unlawfully voting in a federal election
Abel Hernandez-Labra, 44, a resident of Hampton, Iowa, was convicted of the following charges: one count of making false statements in a passport application, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to register to vote, and one count of harboring an illegal alien.


11/05/2014

KANSAS CITY, MO



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Mexican man pleads guilty in Missouri to conspiracy to sell false documents to illegal aliens
These two Cabrera-Guzman accomplices were Cesar Mujica-Aranda, aka "Oscar Gomez," 25, a resident of Liberty, Missouri, and Bernardino Bautista-Hernandez, aka "Brujo," 32, a resident of Kansas City, Missouri.


11/05/2014

LOS ANGELES, CA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE deports 2 Central American suspects wanted in home countries for murder
Carlos Ivan Rivas-Castro, 22, was removed to El Salvador Wednesday aboard a charter flight coordinated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Air Operations Unit. Upon arrival, ERO officers turned the fugitive over to representatives from the Salvadoran national police and Interpol.


11/05/2014

CHICAGO, IL



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


Chicago-area company fined more than $300,000 for hiring illegal workers
Durable Inc., located in Wheeling, Illinois, manufactures aluminum products for retail and food-service customers.

11/04/2014

DALLAS, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Dallas man sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for possessing prepubescent child pornography
U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade ordered that Donald Record, 52, surrender to the Bureau of Prisons Jan. 7.


11/04/2014

GALVESTON, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Houston-area man sentenced to 7 years in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography
Miguel Angel Macias, 54, of Friendswood, Texas, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison by U.S. Circuit Judge Gregg Costa on each conviction. In handing down the concurrent sentences, Judge Costa noted the large number of child pornography images attributed to Macias — more than 20,000. Macias was further ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender. Macias pleaded guilty to the charges July 23.


11/04/2014

AMSTERDAM,NETHERLANDS



CHILD EXPLOITATION


First Latin American country to join Virtual Global Taskforce
Colombia is the latest country to join the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement and private sector agencies dedicated to combating online child sexual exploitation and other forms of transnational child sexual exploitation. An official signing-in ceremony was held in Amsterdam, which was attended by the Colombian ambassador to the Netherlands His Excellency Eduardo Pizarro Leon Gomez and General William Rene Salamanca, Director of Special Service, Colombian National Police.


11/04/2014

SACRAMENTO, CA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Northern California man identified in Australian child pornography probe sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison
Michael Elliot Papac, 47, of Alturas, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez for receiving and distributing child pornography. Upon completion of his prison term, Papac will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release.



11/04/2014

EL PASO, TX



COUNTER PROLIFERATION INVESTIGATION UNIT


Former soldier from Fort Bliss, Texas, sentenced to 6 months in federal prison for stealing and importing controlled military equipment for resale
Former U.S. Army Sergeant Dexroy Germaine Hamilton, 31, was sentenced Oct. 31.


11/04/2014

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Iowa man from Rwanda indicted for naturalization fraud
Ken Ngombwa, 54, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been charged with the following crimes: one count of unlawfully procuring or attempting to procure naturalization or U.S. citizenship, one count of procuring citizenship to which he was not entitled, one count of conspiracy to unlawfully procure citizenship, and one count of making a materially false statement to agents of the United States.


11/04/2014

SPRINGFIELD, MO



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


Missouri woman sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison for assaulting ICE agent with her car
Alisha Johnson, 33, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison without parole for her actions during the incident.


11/04/2014

THE HAGUE,NETHERLANDS



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Dutch receive $3 million from HSI Operation Pac Rim investigation
Operation Pac Rim, a three-year investigation, began in September 2009. HSI, in collaboration with international partners, seized the equivalent of more than $170 million dollars in U.S. currency and more than $800 million dollars in property worldwide.

11/04/2014

TOPEKA, KS



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Kansas fast-food worker pleads guilty to stealing credit card info using credit card skimmer
Yao Vignon Kpade, 32, of Overland Park, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of electronic access device fraud. In his plea, he admitted that while he was working at a Taco Bell in Belton, Missouri, he used the skimmer to obtain information from customers’ credit cards.


11/03/2014

LUBBOCK, TX



CONTRABAND


California woman pleads guilty in west Texas to smuggling more than 160 pounds of marijuana in rental car
Christini Lynn Brashear, 45, of Rocklin, California, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to an indictment charging one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.


11/03/2014

NEW YORK, NY



CONTRABAND


HSI investigation leads to sentencing of marijuana trafficker
Oscar Rodriguez, 37, was sentenced on racketeering, conspiracy and marijuana trafficking charges a following his conviction in April 2014. Rodriguez’s convictions stem from "Operation Green Venom," a coordinated multi-agency investigation led by HSI.


11/03/2014

DENVER, CO



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Former Denver woman is sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for tax, visa and social security fraud
Following her prison sentence, Libia Hernandez-Garcia, 60, of Miami, Florida, was also ordered to serve three years on supervised release and ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello to pay more than $70,000 in restitution.



11/03/2014

SAN FRANCISCO, CA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Former Bay Area university president sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for visa fraud scheme
Susan Xiao-Ping Su, 44, of Pleasanton, appeared in court before U.S. District Court Judge Jon S. Tigar. In addition to the prison term, Judge Tigar ordered Su to forfeit $5.6 million in proceeds generated by the fraud scheme and pay more than $900,000 in restitution. The case is the result of a probe by the multiagency Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, overseen by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).


11/03/2014

WASHINGTON, DC



OTHER


ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Oct. 31, 2014
ICE's top 5 news stories for the week ending Oct. 31, 2014

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