Thread: I.C.E. AND C.B.P. News Releases 2/4/19

I.C.E. News Releases

01/31/2019

SANTA ANA, CA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Federal prosecutors unseal indictments naming 19 people linked to Chinese 'birth tourism' schemes that helped thousands of aliens give birth in US to secure birthright citizenship for their children
The indictments charge operators and clients of three “maternity house” or “birthing house” schemes that were dismantled in March 2015 when federal agents executed 35 search warrants, which resulted from international undercover operations.



01/31/2019

INDIANAPOLIS, IN



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Indiana high school swim coach sentenced to nearly 17 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting student athlete
John Goelz, 30, exploited his position of trust and authority with one of his student athletes, a minor, for his own sexual gratification.



01/31/2019

MUSKOGEE, OK



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Oklahoma man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography
Ryan Edward Offineer, 41, of Muldrow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment, 15 years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay $8,500 in restitution to the victim(s) for possessing child pornography.



01/31/2019

PHOENIX, AZ



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes Honduran national wanted for homicide in his home country
Rigoberto Calderon-Villeda, 26, came into ICE custody July 30, 2018, after apprehension by the U.S. Border Patrol. At that time, he was detained for illegal entry, and placed into removal proceedings.




01/31/2019

ATLANTA, GA



INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS


ICE, CBP operation nets over $24 million in fake sports-related merchandise
Special agents from HSI teamed with industry, CBP, Atlanta police officers and other partner agencies to identify flea markets, retail outlets and street vendors selling counterfeit goods during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIII. They seized fake jerseys, hats, cell-phone accessories and thousands of other bogus items prepared to be sold to unsuspecting consumers.



01/30/2019

DETROIT, MI



STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM


8 individuals indicted for exploiting the US student visa system
Charged in the indictments were: Barath Kakireddy, 29, of Lake Mary; Suresh Kandala, 31, of Culpeper; Phanideep Karnati, 35, of Louisville, Kentucky; Prem Rampeesa, 26, of Charlotte, North Carolina; Santosh Sama, 28, of Fremont, California; Avinash Thakkallapally, 28, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Aswanth Nune, 26, of Atlanta, Georgia; and Naveen Prathipati, 26, of Dallas, Texas.



01/30/2019

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


ICE HSI arrest 2 for fraud targeting actors and others
Thomas Irigoyen and Nicholas Ofei Cofie were charged with conspiring to commit wire and mail fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud actors in New York City and elsewhere. Irigoyen was arrested in California and will be presented today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the Central District of California, and Cofie was arrested in New York City and presented in federal court in Manhattan.



01/29/2019

NEW YORK, NY



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE arrests 118 during Operation Cross Check in New York
During the operation, ICE’s ERO arrested 118 individuals for violating U.S. immigration laws. Of those arrested, more than 107 were convicted criminals or had criminal charges pending, more than 55 had been issued a final order of removal and failed to depart the United States, or had been previously removed from the United States and returned illegally. Several had prior felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as child sex crimes, weapons charges, and assault, or had past convictions for significant or multiple misdemeanors.




01/28/2019

ADDISON, IL



FIREARMS, AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVES


Chicago-area man sentenced to 7 years for unlawfully possessing fully automatic weapons, grenades in a storage locker
Juan A. Mexicano, 33, of Addison, Illinois, was sentenced Friday to seven years imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. On Aug. 24, 2018, he pleaded guilty to nine felony counts of unlawfully using a weapon. In December 2018, he was also sentenced in California to more than 11 years in federal prison on a related cocaine trafficking conviction.



01/28/2019

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Chinese telecommunications conglomerate Huawei and Huawei CFO Wanzhou Meng charged with financial fraud
Huawei and Skycom are charged with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to violate and substantive violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Huawei and Huawei USA are charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice related to the grand jury investigation in the Eastern District of New York. Meng is charged with bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.



01/25/2019

FARGO, ND



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Previously convicted Las Vegas sex offender sentenced in North Dakota to 45 years in federal prison for sexually abusing infant
Bryan James Hogle, 43, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland to serve 45 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Hogle also has a prior conviction for sexually abusing a child in New Hampshire in 2008.



01/17/2019

LOS ANGELES, CA



COUNTER PROLIFERATION INVESTIGATION UNIT


Los Angeles-area electronics distributor pleads guilty to selling counterfeit integrated circuits with military and commercial uses
Rogelio Vasquez, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in counterfeit military goods, two counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods, and one count of wire fraud.




12/21/2018

ALBUQUERQUE, NM



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


Albuquerque business teams up with ICE to become 'IMAGE' partner
New Mexico Emergency Products (NMEP), an emergency vehicle up-fitter and fleet management company, joined ICE’s employment-compliance program — a voluntary partnership that helps employers maintain a lawful workforce, and reduce unauthorized employment and the use of fraudulent identity documents.



12/21/2018

TAMPA, FL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


ICE HSI seeks public's help to identify additional victims in child exploitation case
Kyle Dale Ritsema, 36, of Land O’Lakes, pleaded guilty today to producing, distributing and possessing child pornography. He was arrested Feb. 13 by HSI special agents.



12/21/2018

ORLANDO, FL



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Florida man sentenced to 30 years for sex crimes against children
According to court documents, Frank Miles, III, 32, of Rockledge, transported at least 69 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children less than 12 years old to his online storage accounts. State law enforcement officers arrested Miles and charged him with possession of child pornography.



12/20/2018

DENVER, CO



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


Denver ICE officers deport Mexican fugitive wanted for premeditated homicide
Raul Alberto Barraza-Zavala, 37, was removed Dec. 19 by ERO’s Special Response Team, and was turned over to Mexican authorities.




12/20/2018

RICHMOND, VA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes murder suspect to Mexico
On Sept. 27, Jose Froylan Garcia Melendez was admitted to the U.S. using a nonimmigrant H2-B visa. The day after his admission, the Government of Mexico notified ICE that he was the suspect in a double homicide in the city of Victoria in Tamaulipas, Mexico.



12/20/2018

NEWARK, NJ



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes Mexican national convicted of manslaughter in US, wanted for murder in Mexico
Betancourt entered the U.S. illegally near San Ysidro, California, in 1991. He was convicted of aggravated manslaughter in 1997 in New Jersey and sentenced to 25 years of incarceration.



12/20/2018

CHICAGO, IL



HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS


US, ICE seek denaturalization of former Bosnian military member residing in Illinois who allegedly lied to obtain US citizenship
Nedjo Milosevic, 53, a native of the former Yugoslavia, who, according to the Department of Justice’s complaint, was a member of one of the military units responsible for the Srebrenica massacre – the largest mass atrocity in Europe since the Holocaust.



12/19/2018

PHILADELPHIA, PA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes Pakistani man sentenced for role in human smuggling conspiracy
HSI New York identified Sharafat Ali Khan, 33, as the Brazilian-based facilitator of the alien smuggling organization.




12/19/2018

HOUSTON, TX



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Houston man sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for trafficking children for commercial sex
Jason Daniel Gandy, 41, received the 30-year sentence following his July 23 conviction on four counts of sex trafficking minors, one count of transporting minors, one count of sexually exploiting a child, and one count of transporting child pornography.



12/18/2018

EL PASO, TX



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes 36 Cambodian nationals
On Monday, December 17th, an ICE ERO IAO flight departed El Paso, Texas carrying 36 Cambodian nationals, of whom 34 are criminals, to their home country of Cambodia in accordance with their final orders of removal.



12/18/2018

LOS ANGELES, CA



FINANCIAL CRIMES


2 L.A. Fashion District executives and their import-export company sentenced in scheme to launder money for drug cartels
Morad “Ben” Neman and Hersel Neman – the owners and top executives of Pacific Eurotex Corp., an import-export textile company based in the Los Angeles Fashion District – each received federal prison sentences today for their roles in a “Black Market Peso Exchange” scheme to launder money for international drug cartels.



12/17/2018

HOUSTON, TX



FIREARMS, AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVES


Illegal alien from China who threatened to kill school children pleads guilty in Houston to gun charges, identity theft
Xiangyu Zhang, 22, a resident of La Marque, Texas, illegally remained in the United States two years after his temporary visa expired. He came to law enforcement’s attention in July 2018 when he threatened to use firearms to kill school children during an internet chat session on the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) Crisis Line. Zhang is a not a U.S. veteran.




12/14/2018

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Saudi citizen residing in Oklahoma pleads guilty to visa fraud and concealing attendance at al Qaeda training camp
On Feb. 5, 2018, Naif Abdulaziz M. Alfallaj, 35, a citizen of Saudi Arabia, was taken into custody by the FBI without incident, based on a criminal complaint signed in the Western District of Oklahoma. According to the complaint, the FBI found 15 of Alfallaj’s fingerprints on an application to an al Qaeda training camp, known as al Farooq, which was one of al Qaeda’s key training sites in Afghanistan.






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News from CBP


February 4, 2019 | Local Media Release
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Arrest Two on Separate Charges

February 4, 2019 | Local Media Release
Border Patrol Agents Seize over 1,000 pounds of Marijuana in the RIo Grande Valley

February 4, 2019 | Local Media Release
Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Arrests Multiple Criminals Over Last Few Days


More News




C.B.P. Media Releases

Media Releases from the previous administrations are available in the Archive section of our website.

Two Dangerous Criminals Arrested by Casa Grande Border Patrol Agents
Monday, February 4, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseTUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Casa Grande Border Patrol Station arrested a sex offender from Guatemala, and a Honduran MS-13 gang member in separate incidents near Casa Grande this weekend. On Friday, agents arrested 39-year-old...
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Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Arrests Multiple Criminals Over Last Few Days
Monday, February 4, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseEDINBURG, Texas – Over the last few days, Border Patrol Agents arrested three sex offenders and a member of a notorious gang. Friday, agents from the Falfurrias station arrested a Honduran male near Falfurrias, Texas. His records revealed two...
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Border Patrol Agents Seize over 1,000 pounds of Marijuana in the RIo Grande Valley
Monday, February 4, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseEDINBURG, Texas –U.S. Border Patrol agents continue to disrupt illicit activity throughout the Rio Grande Valley. Early this morning, agents working near Escobares, Texas, witnessed several subjects, who had just crossed the Rio Grande, carrying...
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection Arrest Two on Separate Charges
Monday, February 4, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseBUFFALO, N.Y. – Today, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry, Buffalo, N.Y. arrested a 20 year-old Buffalo native on an outstanding warrant for Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Additionally, a 27...
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Agente de la Patrulla Fronteriza muere en cumplimiento de su deber
Sunday, February 3, 2019 | National Media ReleaseDEL RIO, Texas - El 2 de febrero de 2019, la agente de la Patrulla Fronteriza Donna Doss murió en el cumplimiento de su deber en Tye, Texas. El sábado, a las 8:50 p.m., la Agente Doss, un Agente Residente de la Patrulla Fronteriza de los Estados...
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Border Patrol Agent Dies in Line of Duty
Sunday, February 3, 2019 | National Media ReleaseDEL RIO, Texas - On February 2, 2019, Border Patrol Agent Donna Doss died in the line of duty in Tye, Texas. At 8:50 p.m. Saturday, Agent Doss, a 49-year-old Resident Agent, with the United States Border Patrol, in Abilene, TX responded to a call...
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Border Patrol Seizes more than $2.25 Million in Narcotics
Friday, February 1, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseSAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — U.S. Border Patrol agents of San Diego Sector arrested a woman with more than 140 pounds of narcotics hidden inside her car last week. On January 24, at approximately 5:50 p.m., Border Patrol agents assigned to the San...
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Los Puertos de Entrada de Oficina Regional de Laredo Comenzarán Capacitaciones de Fuerzas Aduaneras Moviles en Preparación para la Caravana
Friday, February 1, 2019 | Local Media Release LAREDO, Texas — La Oficina de Operaciones Aduaneras (OFO) de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza (CBP) de EE. UU. continúa preparándose para la posible llegada de miles de personas que migran en una caravana a los Estados Unidos a través de la...
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Laredo Field Office Ports of Entry to Begin Mobile Field Force Training in Preparation for Caravan
Friday, February 1, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseLAREDO, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) continues to prepare for the potential arrival of thousands of people migrating in a caravan to the United States through the Southwest border. The eight...
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CBP El Paso To Conduct Mobile Force Training At Area Ports
Friday, February 1, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseEL PASO, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection El Paso Field Office is alerting members of the traveling public to expect to see CBP officers conducting Mobile Field Force exercises at area ports of entry in the days ahead. “These exercises...
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Border Patrol Arrests Man Attempting to Smuggle Meth
Friday, February 1, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseSALTON CITY, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents working at the Highway 86 immigration checkpoint arrested a man suspected of smuggling methamphetamine on Thursday. The incident occurred at approximately 4:45 p.m., when a 36-year-old...
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CBP Officers in Southern California Assist 967 Travelers in Medical Distress
Thursday, January 31, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseSAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to ports of entry along the California border with Mexico provided medical assistance to 967 travelers in distress that entered a port of entry from Mexico, in fiscal year 2018. “The...
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CBP Officers Seize Largest Amount of Fentanyl in CBP History
Thursday, January 31, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseTUCSON, Ariz. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Nogales Commercial Facility seized nearly $4.6 million in fentanyl and methamphetamine totaling close to 650 pounds on Saturday from a Mexican national when he attempted to enter the...
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U.S Border Patrol and New Mexico National Guard Team Up To Stop Drug Smugglers
Thursday, January 31, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseLORDSBURG, N.M. – Border Patrol Agents working in conjunction with New Mexico National Guard seize more than $100,000 worth of marijuana as it was being smuggled though southern New Mexico near Playas. Seized drug bundles. On January 29, 2019, at...
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Laredo Sector Border Patrol Stops Smuggling Attempt at Checkpoint
Thursday, January 31, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseLAREDO, Texas – Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents on Thursday interrupted an apparent alien smuggling attempt at the checkpoint on Interstate Highway 35. The incident happened shortly after 1:30 a.m. on January 31, when agents encountered a...
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Border Patrol Arrests Sureño Gang Member
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseCALEXICO, Calif. – Border Patrol agents assigned to El Centro Sector arrested a gang member Wednesday afternoon, 42 miles west of the Calexico Port of Entry, suspected of illegally entering the United States. At around 5:30 p.m., Border Patrol...
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Border Patrol Seizes Over 1,500 Pounds of Marijuana in the Rio Grande Valley
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseEDINBURG, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents continue to encounter narcotic smuggling attempts in the nation’s busiest sector. Late Sunday evening, McAllen Border Patrol agents working near Havana, Texas, responded to a report of several subjects...
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Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Operations Unaffected Despite Shut Down
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseEDINBURG, Texas – On January 25th, President Donald Trump ended the longest government shut down after signing a continuing resolution that funded the government for three weeks while Congress and the Administration continue to negotiate a long-term...
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Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol arrests Gang Member and Criminal Alien
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseEDINBURG, Texas – Border Patrol agents continue to encounter and arrest gang members and convicted criminal aliens in the Rio Grande Valley. Saturday, McAllen agents working near Hidalgo, Texas, arrested a Salvadoran male after entering the country...
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Smuggling Attempt Stopped by Yuma Sector Border Patrol
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseYUMA, Ariz. – Wellton Station agents working in Dome Valley arrested one U.S. citizen and three illegal aliens from Mexico during an attempted human smuggling event Tuesday. At approximately 6:30 a.m., agents observed a white Chevrolet Silverado...
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Douglas CBP Officers Arrest Convicted Murderer
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseTUCSON, Ariz. – Customs and Border Protection officers at the Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry in Douglas arrested a Mexican national previously deported and convicted of murder as he attempted to re-enter the United States Sunday evening. Officers...
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Dulles CBP Seizes $129k in Counterfeit Consumer Goods Shipped as Air Cargo
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseSTERLING, Virginia – Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized counterfeit consumer goods in an air cargo shipment that arrived recently to Washington Dulles International Airport. If authentic, the merchandise would have a manufacturer’s...
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Champlain Border Patrol Agents Rescue Two Lost Illegal Aliens near Mooers
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseMOOERS, N.Y. - On Saturday, Border Patrol agents assigned to the Champlain Station rescued two citizens of Mexico wandering in the woods in dangerously cold conditions. “I am proud of the dedication these agents showed in extremely cold...
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CBP Officers Seize Heroin Valued More Than $750K at the Colombia-Solidarity International Bridge
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseLAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers at the Laredo Port of Entry intercepted a significant narcotic load with an estimated street value of more than $750,000 in one enforcement action...
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Yuma Sector, Marine Corps Rescue Stranded Motorists
Wednesday, January 30, 2019 | Local Media ReleaseYUMA, Ariz. – Agents assigned to the Yuma Sector Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue team partnered with the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Search and Rescue team to assist a stranded motorist complaining of chest and abdominal pain Monday. At...
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