Thread: 476 gang members & criminals arrested by I.C.E.

'Project Big Freeze' Nets 5 Valley Suspects

POSTED: 11:45 am MST January 27, 2010
UPDATED: 11:57 am MST January 27, 2010

PHOENIX -- Five people linked to area street gangs were arrested as part of a nationwide operation called Project Big Freeze, which targeted transnational street gangs with ties to drug trafficking operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Tuesday.

Two of the people arrested in the Valley -- Jose Gerardo Hernandez-Almaraz, 24, and Gregory Walker, 37 -- will be criminally prosecuted on the federal and state levels, ICE said in a news release.

Chandler resident Hernandez-Almarez was arrested Jan. 19, and he will be federally prosecuted on charges of re-entry to the United States after deportation, ICE said.

Walker was arrested on state weapons and drug charges with the help of the Glendale Police Department, according to the news release.

The other three people arrested were deported.

Nationwide, Project Big Freeze resulted in the arrest of 476 gang members, gang associates and other accused criminals, ICE said.

Agents also seized more than 45 guns as part of the operation, which involved ICE agents working side by side with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, in a coordinated effort.

http://www.kpho.com/news/22356035/detail.html

Richfield Chief Speaks at Project Big Freeze Wrap-Up

Updated: Wednesday, 27 Jan 2010, 10:20 AM CST
Published : Wednesday, 27 Jan 2010, 10:20 AM CST

Richfield, Minnesota Police Chief Barry Fritz will be in Washington on Wednesday as federal agents announce the results of Project Big Freeze -- a nationwide gang operation.

Project Big Freeze targeted gangs with ties to drug trafficking groups. Minnesota was one of the locations included in the operation and the Richfield police department was a participating agency.

Fritz is scheduled to be one of the speakers at the announcement at Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters.

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news ... an-27-2010

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I.C.E. News Release

January 27, 2010

ICE Leads Nationwide Operation to Disrupt Transnational Gangs

Project Big Freeze focused on hotbeds of gang activity in 83 cities around the country in the largest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)-led enforcement operation targeting transnational gangs with ties to drug trafficking organizations.

From Jan. 17-24, after two months of intelligence- and information-gathering, ICE, together with more than 115 other federal, state and local law enforcement partners, identified, located and put behind bars 447 gang members and seized 45 firearms. An additional 65 individuals were arrested on federal and/or state criminal violations, including administrative immigration violations.

Law enforcement officials targeted members from 28 transnational street gangs, many of whom not only traffic in drugs and firearms but also commit murder, rape, robbery and a host of other crimes in perpetuating and furthering their criminal enterprises. ICE conducted the bold sweep to "rid our streets not only of drug dealers, but the violence associated with the drug trade," said ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton.

In a press conference held at ICE's Potomac Center North headquarters building on Jan. 27, Assistant Secretary Morton said, "The significance of this operation is not just its size. It also reflects how powerful cooperation between federal and local law enforcement can be."

Dallas Police Department's Assistant Chief Charles M. Cato also spoke to conference attendees. He credited the reduced number of homicides in Dallas in the past five years (248 in 2004 compared to 166 in 2009) to law enforcement programs, such as ICE's Operation Community Shield (OCS), which was initiated in 2005. Through OCS, ICE, in collaboration with our federal, state, local, tribal and foreign law enforcement partners, combats transnational criminal street gangs using ICE's unique administrative and statutory authorities, expert investigative techniques and technological resources.

Morton expounded on Chief Cato's correlation between the drop in crime and law enforcement activity explaining how targeting gang members and gang organizations lowers rates of recidivism.

"Members of these gangs are institutionally involved in crime and so are their organizations." Morton said. "The beauty of ICE's authority is that it is a powerful tool to bring these criminals to prosecution and then remove them from the United States."

A case in point is that of the 447 individuals arrested as a result of Project Big Freeze, 366 are foreign nationals who face deportation after their criminal prosecutions are complete.

Richfield, Minn. Police Chief Barry Fritz, whose agency also participated in the nationwide gang operation, praised ICE personnel, saying "they were wonderful and accommodating." Project Big Freeze was a force multiplier with ICE providing the resources, personnel and technology and ability to cross jurisdictions from state to state, as well as charge subjects federally.

"It's a two-way street," said Fritz. Local law enforcement help federal officials in that, "We know our city and where the people are."

See the ICE press release on Project Big Freeze for further information.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE comprises four integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/1001/100127washingtondc1.htm

Nationwide sweep nets 10 arrests in San Diego County

By Jose Luis Jiménez, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 2:52 p.m.

SAN DIEGO — Ten people have been arrested in San Diego County as part of a nationwide sweep that led to the arrest of 476 gang members and associates accused of being linked with international drug cartels.

Members of six local gangs were arrested in San Marcos, Escondido, Vista and Lemon Grove as part of Project Big Freeze, federal officials announced Wednesday.

Two face criminal prosecution in federal court and two in state court. The other six are being deported.

Nationwide, 207 of the 476 arrested face criminal charges, while others face deportation, officials said. The arrests were made in 83 cities.

About half of those arrested are accused of having ties with drug-trafficking groups in Mexico, South America and Asia, officials said.
The gang members are accused of working for international criminal groups in the United States, including drug dealing, robbery, assault and murder.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... in-county/

44 accused gang members arrested in Charlotte area
Posted: Jan 27, 2010 11:11 AM CST
Updated: Jan 27, 2010 12:03 PM EST

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Wednesday morning the arrest of hundreds of gang members, associates and other criminals during "Project Big Freeze."

According to ICE, 517 suspects were arrested in 83 cities across the country. Forty-four of the arrests were made in the Charlotte region including Gastonia (2, Charlotte (9), Bessemer City (4), Mount Holly (2), and Stanley (1). An additional 10 arrests were made in the Winston Salem area.

An ICE official said Project Big Freeze focused specifically on gangs with ties to drug trafficking organizations.

ICE says street gangs are often tied to foreign-national members and they are involved in a variety of activities including human smuggling and trafficking, narcotics smuggling and distribution; identity theft and benefit fraud; money laundering and bulk cash smuggling; weapons smuggling and arms trafficking; cyber crimes; export violations and other crimes.

"Project Big Freeze, is the largest nationwide ICE-led enforcement operation targeting transnational gangs with ties to drug trafficking organizations," said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for ICE John Morton. "Through gang enforcement operations like Project Big Freeze, ICE continues to target and dismantle transnational gangs to rid our streets not only of drug dealers, but the violence associated with the drug trade."

Of the 476 arrested, 151 were U.S. citizens and 366 were illegals who will face deportation now or once their criminal prosecution is complete, authorities said.

Fifty percent of the people arrested are members or associates of gangs with ties to drug trafficking in Mexico, South America and Asia.

The following list shows the country of citizenship for those arrested:

•Mexico 270
•United States 151
•Dominican Republic 18
•El Salvador 16
•Honduras 11
•Guatemala 10
•Portugal 4
•Ecuador 4
•Vietnam 3
•Jamaica 3
The suspects were members of a variety of gangs including Surenos (SUR 13), Bloods, ONU Affiliates, Crips, Mexican Posse, MS-13, Eastside Rivas, Latin Counts, Nortenos and Mexican Mafia.

Since its inception in 2005, ICE agents have arrested 16,144 street gang members and associates. Of those arrested, 202 were gang leaders and 2,898 were MS-13 gang members or associates authorities say.

You can report any suspicious activity by calling ICE's 24-hour toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423 or visit www.ice.gov.

http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?S=11888368

Federal Sweep Busts 12 Suburban Immigrants
by Chip Mitchell on Wednesday, January 27, 2010





Authorities say they’ve arrested 11 Mexican nationals and an Ecuadorian in suburbs northwest of Chicago.

The arrests are part of a nationwide sweep targeting drug-trafficking gangs.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement says one of the Chicago-area detainees faces a felony charge; the others, deportation.

The agency says it got help from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments of Carpentersville and Streamwood.

http://www.wbez.org/Content.aspx?audioID=39645

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-4874--0-0.html

carpentersville is 5 miles from me, SWEET! this is the kind of action we here pray for! round'em up, and throw them out!