I.C.E. News Releases

10/19/2018

NEW YORK, NY

HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


2 brothers extradited to the US from Mexico to face sex trafficking charges
Jose Osvaldo Melendez-Rojas and Rosalio Melendez-Rojas were arrested in February 2018 in Mexico to eventually face various charges in the United States, including sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking of minors, interstate prostitution, alien smuggling and related offenses. The defendants who were extradited are charged together with three co-defendants, who were arrested in the United States in July 2017.



10/18/2018

CHARLOTTE, NC



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE arrests fugitive alien in NC wanted on multiple Maryland rape charges
In collaboration with officers from ERO Baltimore, an ERO Charlotte Fugitive Operations Team located Alfredo Carreon-Lopez at a Forsyth County business Friday. Carreon is suspected to have fled the Baltimore area following the issuance of a Maryland state arrest warrant on charges of first-degree rape, second-degree rape, sexual abuse of a minor, first and second-degree assault, and multiple additional sexual offense charges.



10/18/2018

NEW ORLEANS, LA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE "Most Wanted" fugitive, child predator captured in Louisiana
Jose Melchor Martinez AKA Jose Luis Martinez-Sanchez, an unlawfully present Mexican national, was arrested Wednesday morning by an ERO New Orleans Special Response Team after executing a federal arrest warrant at a residence in Church Point, Louisiana.



10/18/2018

NEW YORK, NY



OPERATIONAL


ICE HSI New York SSA reflects on Hurricane Maria efforts
When Andrew “Andy” Borra boarded his flight from New York to Puerto Rico in September 2017, nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to see.




10/18/2018

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Maryland brothers accused of operating inter-state cigarette trafficking ring
Basel Ramadan and Samir Ramadan were arraigned today in Kings County Supreme Court before Judge Danny Chun; bail for Samir Ramadan was set at $2 million cash or $500,000 bond. Fahd Muthana was arraigned on October 11, 2018 in Kings County Supreme Court before Judge Chun. All three defendants’ cases were adjourned to December 19, 2018.



10/18/2018

SALT LAKE CITY, UT



NARCOTICS


Utah grand jury returns superseding indictment in Shamo case; adds distribution of fentanyl count resulting in death
The indictment alleges that Shamo intentionally and knowingly distributed a substance containing fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the June 13, 2016, death of a person identified as R.K. in the indictment.



10/16/2018

LOS ANGELES, CA



NARCOTICS


Los Angeles-area methamphetamine trafficking ring allegedly shipped drugs to Hawaii disguised as Aztec calendars and statues
The indictment alleges a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, including an attempted shipment on July 17 of 11.7 kilograms of pure methamphetamine from a post office in Garden Grove. Those drugs were part of a nearly 90-pound shipment that appeared to be colorful, decorative Mexican items, including replicas of the 500-year-old Aztec calendar stone.



10/15/2018

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



NARCOTICS


ICE, Coast Guard; CBP seize 2,325 pounds of cocaine in Puerto Rico
ICE HSI, working jointly with the Caribbean Corridor Strike Force partners, seized 2,325 pounds of cocaine Oct. 13, from a go-fast vessel near Las Paulinas Beach in the municipality of Luquillo. The cocaine has an estimated street value of $29.6 million.




10/12/2018

CHICAGO, IL



FIREARMS, AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVES


Chicago-area man pleads guilty to trying to illegally export guns, ammunition to Haiti
Patrick Germain, 45, of Evanston, Illinois, pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and fraudulently attempting to export firearms contrary to the laws and regulations of the United States.



10/12/2018

PROVIDENCE, RI



INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS


ICE HSI Rhode Island investigation leads to federal conviction, seizure of $500,000 worth of counterfeit goods
The leaders of the counterfeit scheme, Stephen Russell and Robert Brown, both of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, were convicted in February and March of this year of trafficking in counterfeit goods charges in Rhode Island federal court; final sentencing in the case is set for January 2019.



10/11/2018

NEW YORK, NY



HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS


ICE arrests former Colombian intelligence agent convicted of homicide in Colombia
Javier Alfredo Valle Anaya, a 50-year-old citizen of Colombia, obtained his status in the U.S. through fraudulent means, which made him subject to removal. He was convicted in his native country on criminal charges for the 2004 murder of Alfredo Rafael Correa de Andreis, a sociologist, and his bodyguard Edilberto Ochoa Martinez.



10/11/2018

MIAMI, FL



PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY


Palm Beach County man pleads guilty to falsely impersonating a federal agent
Gopaul Parmanand, 41, of Palm Beach Gardens, pleaded guilty to impersonating an ICE Special Agent by fraudulently claiming to be a federal agent and by carrying and displaying a fraudulent badge.




10/10/2018

GLYNCO, GA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE Academy instructors teach prospective deportation officers
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers are among the most highly trained federal law enforcement officers in the United States. But who teaches them to be deportation officers?



10/10/2018

SAN ANTONIO, TX



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


South Texas stash house operator sentenced to 5 years in federal prison
Pedro Silva-Segura, 47, from Mexico but residing illegally in Laredo, Texas, was sentenced Oct. 10 by U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra to 108 months in prison. Since Silva-Segura is not a U.S. citizen he is expected to face deportation proceedings after he completes his prison sentence.



10/09/2018

SCRANTON, PA



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Pennsylvania man sentenced to over 22 years for the sexual exploitation of children
Jason Keiser, 27, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 22, 2017, to the aforementioned charge.



10/04/2018

SAN ANTONIO, TX



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


South Texas man sentenced to 70 months for transporting illegal aliens inside a tractor trailer
Gerardo Javier Carreon, 36, from San Antonio was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for his role in transporting illegal aliens inside a tractor trailer. On July 5, 2018, Carreon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.




10/04/2018

BOSTON, MA



NARCOTICS


ICE, federal authorities arrest dozens in Massachusetts operation targeting drugs, criminal aliens
The operation, which resulted in 40 arrests and resulted in the seizure of 10 kilograms of deadly fentanyl, was the culmination of a multi-agency federal investigation which targeted major traffickers of fentanyl, opioids and other drugs, as well as repeat felony offenders, many of whom were also illegally present in the U.S.; eight aliens had already previously been deported at least once before and will be prosecuted for criminal re-entry.



10/03/2018

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


5 in New York plead guilty to armed robbery scheme
Sira Abassi, Kenlee Galvez, David Bradford, Jeremias Munoz, and Luis Monsanto-Germosen pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery during August and September of 2017. The robbery crew committed at least 11 armed robberies in New York City, including stabbing a victim in the torso during a home invasion robbery.



10/02/2018

WASHINGTON, DC



STATEMENT


Nationwide Emergency Alert Test planned for Oct. 3; test messages will be sent to cell phones, TV and radio
The test is intended to ensure public safety officials have the methods and systems that will deliver urgent alerts and warnings to the public in times of an emergency or disaster, including requirements to help ensure that televised EAS messages are accessible to individuals with disabilities.



10/01/2018

SCRANTON, PA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Hazleton Pennsylvania man charged with defrauding the US
Lucas Hernandez-Torres, 47, pleaded guilty to the charges on April 25, 2017, and is awaiting sentencing, and faces a maximum penalty under federal law of 10 years imprisonment.




10/01/2018

GREENBELT, MD



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Maryland man sentenced to 17 years for sexual exploitation of a child to produce child pornography and related charges
Roy David Evans, Jr., age 34, of Essex, Maryland, was sentenced today to 17 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor to produce child pornography, possession of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography.



10/01/2018

FAYETTEVILLE, AR



OPERATIONAL


ICE HSI Fayetteville HERO finding his niche
During his rehabilitation at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Kennedy first heard about a new program that was starting designed for wounded, injured and ill Special Operations Forces to receive training in high-tech computer forensics and law enforcement skills.



10/01/2018

LOS ANGELES, CA



COUNTER PROLIFERATION INVESTIGATION UNIT


Los Angeles-area woman sentenced to federal prison in scheme to smuggle restricted space communications technology to China
Si Chen, 33, pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to violate the IEEPA, which controls and restricts the export of certain goods and technology from the United States to foreign nations. Chen also pleaded guilty to money laundering and using a forged passport with her photo but a different name that appeared to have been issued by the People’s Republic of China.



10/01/2018

DENVER, CO



NARCOTICS


Leader of Darknet's ItalianMafiaBrussels Drug Trafficking Organization sentenced in Denver to 11 years in federal prison
On May 3, 2016, in a joint U.S.-European enforcement action, law enforcement dismantled the ItalianMafiaBrussels Drug Trafficking Organization, arresting 10 defendants during early morning raids in Bruges, Belgium, and surrounding areas. Filip Lucian Simion and Leonardo Cristea were arrested simultaneously in Bucharest, Romania, and extradited to the District of Colorado in July and October 2016, respectively.




09/28/2018

WASHINGTON, DC



FINANCIAL CRIMES


2 oil services executives sentenced in Houston to federal prison for their roles in foreign bribery scheme
Anthony “Tony” Mace, 66, of the United Kingdom, the former CEO of SBM Offshore, N.V. (SBM), a Dutch oil services company, and a former board member of SBM’s U.S.-based subsidiary, SBM Offshore USA Inc. (SBM USA), was sentenced to serve three years in federal prison and to pay a fine of $150,000. Robert Zubiate, 66, of Agoura Hills, California, a former sales and marketing executive at SBM USA, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison and to pay a $50,000 fine.

Pages





https://www.ice.gov/news/all