I.C.E. News Releases

08/13/2018

HOUSTON, TX

ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE arrests 45 in Houston area during 5-day operation targeting criminal aliens, immigration fugitives
Of the individuals arrested during the operation, 15 had previously been removed (deported) and 42 had prior criminal convictions. Several had felony convictions for serious or violent criminal offenses, such as rape, child exploitation, robbery, drug trafficking and assault.



08/10/2018

NAIROBI, KENYA



OPERATIONAL


ICE HSI Nairobi, Kenyan National Police Service implement CyberTipline
After facilitating the December 2017 signing of the official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Kenya (GOK) and NCMEC, HSI Nairobi partnered with both the AHTCPU and other stakeholders to ensure both the technical capacity and resources were in place to begin delivering actionable child exploitation leads to the GOK.



08/09/2018

NASHVILLE, TN



TRANSNATIONAL GANGS


Federal indictment of MS-13 gang members with murder in aid of racketeering
Oscar Degaldo Flores, a.k.a. Flaco, 24, of El Salvador, and Luis Colindres, a.k.a. Listo and Joe, 21, of Honduras, were also charged with conspiracy; witness tampering; using, carrying and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and causing death through the use of a firearm.



08/09/2018

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


12 charged in nationwide cellphone fraud scheme which caused million dollar losses
In connection with the fraud, the defendants and their associates improperly accessed more than 3,300 customers’ cellphone accounts, fraudulently obtained more than 1,200 cellphones, and caused losses exceeding $1 million.




08/09/2018

BOSTON, MA



OPERATIONAL


ICE HSI Boston, US Attorney, FBI announce arrest for contract killing threat of ICE agent via Twitter
Brandon J. Ziobrowski, 33, was charged in an indictment unsealed Thursday with one count of use of interstate and foreign commerce to transmit a threat to injure another person. Ziobrowski was arrested Aug. 9 in New York and will appear in Boston at a later date.



08/08/2018

GRAND ISLAND, NE



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


ICE executes federal search warrants in Nebraska, Minnesota and Nevada
This enforcement action is part of a 15-month, ongoing HSI investigation based on evidence that these companies allegedly knowingly hired illegal aliens at their facilities, and that many of these aliens are using fraudulent identification belonging to U.S. citizens.



08/08/2018

PHILADELPHIA, PA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes murder suspect wanted in Guatemala
Alexander Revolorio, 27, entered the United States on an unknown date and place without inspection or parole by an immigration officer.



08/07/2018

PHILADELPHIA, PA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE removes rape suspect wanted in Mexico
Francisco Javier Diaz-Lua, 28, entered the United States on an unknown date and place without inspection or parole by an immigration officer.




08/07/2018

LOS ANGELES, CA



DOCUMENT AND BENEFIT FRAUD


Los Angeles-area man who allegedly led prescription drug ring arrested on new charges of fraudulently procuring US citizenship
Armen Simonyan, 44, who was free on bond in the narcotics-trafficking case, was arrested after being named in a two-count indictment returned today by a federal grand jury.



08/07/2018

NEW YORK, NY



INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS


5 charged in multimillion dollar counterfeiting scheme following ICE HSI investigation
As alleged in the complaint, from at least in or about January 2016 up to and including in or about July 2018, Suen, Huang, Songhua Qu, Kin Lui Chen, and Fangrang Qu, imported at least 42 shipping containers holding an estimated more than 380,000 pairs of sneakers from China. These sneakers were manufactured to resemble Nike Air Jordans.



08/06/2018

WASHINGTON, DC



STATEMENT


Statement from ICE Deputy Director Ron Vitiello on his nomination
"ICE’s mission is critical to protecting national security and public safety, and the men and women of this agency continue to carry out that mission with courage, dedication, and integrity – even in the face of unfair attacks and threats. I am honored that the president plans to nominate me to serve as director alongside the brave men and women of ICE." – ICE Deputy Director Ron Vitiello



08/06/2018

WASHINGTON, DC



STATEMENT


DHS statement regarding safety and enforcement during northern California wildfires
ICE is deeply concerned by the devastation wildfires have caused in significant portions of northern California. Our thoughts remain with those impacted by this tragedy, while our highest priority remains the preservation of life and safety wherever possible.




08/03/2018

NEW YORK, NY



NARCOTICS


More than 2 dozen arrested in NYC following a wiretap investigation
Beginning early Friday morning, 32 individuals were arrested in New York City, Massachusetts, Georgia and Florida. An indictment filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor (SNP) for the City of New York follows a long-term wiretap investigation by HSI and NYPD's Narcotics Borough Manhattan South, Gang Squad Manhattan South and Vice Squad.



08/03/2018

GLYNCO, GA



OPERATIONAL


ICE HSI Academy trains special agent candidates
CITP is a 56-day program that provides HSI special agent trainees, as well as criminal investigators from other federal agencies, with an understanding of basic criminal investigative techniques. Seasoned HSI special agents, along with instructors from FLETC and numerous other federal agencies, bring their expertise and knowledge to instruct trainees on topics such as criminal law, enforcement operations, courtroom testimony and other interdisciplinary approaches to becoming an effective criminal investigator in today’s fast-paced and changing world.



08/03/2018

WASHINGTON, DC



HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS


ICE's Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Program celebrates 15 years
For the past 15 years, the center and its partners have worked collaboratively to support ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) efforts to bring numerous individuals to justice for human rights-related violations, such as genocide, torture, ethnic cleansing and various other forms of persecution. Through its work over the years, the center and its dedicated personnel have ensured that the United States does not become a safe haven for human rights abusers.



08/02/2018

NEW YORK, NY



WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT


7 NYC companies join the IMAGE program
The Trans Group and its five subsidiary corporations, headquartered in Spring Valley, NY, operate more than 1,300 vehicles, employ well over 2,000 employees and provide transportation services to hundreds of thousands of passengers annually. Applied DNA Sciences (ADNAS), headquartered in Stony Brook, New York, has approximately 61 employees.




08/02/2018

FORT WORTH, TX



HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING


Fort Worth man sentenced to life in prison for sex trafficking children
Following a four-day trial in April 2018, Demarcus Davis, aka “Zigg,” 26, of Fort Worth, Texas, and co-conspirators, Herman Sanders, aka “Pooh,” 29, and Pierre Lagrone, “P” or “Pedro,” 34, were found guilty for their roles in a conspiracy to sex traffic underage girls.



08/01/2018

LOS ANGELES, CA



FINANCIAL CRIMES


Former agents sentenced to a combined 10 years in life insurance scheme
Former insurance agents Ali Kakande, 38, and Sulaiman Lutale, 36, pleaded no contest to multiple felony counts of insurance fraud, grand theft, and forgery after falsifying life insurance applications to collect over $150,000 in unearned commissions.



08/01/2018

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



CONTRABAND


Puerto Rican man found guilty of possessing, training dogs for fighting
According to the original charging document, Ehbrin Castro-Correa arrived March 4, 2016 at the Pan-American Dock in a pickup truck with several dogs inside crates. At approximately 5:45 p.m., HSI special agents observed he placed six crates, each containing a dog, in the luggage drop-off area before he presented his boarding pass to board the Caribbean Fantasy Ferry.



07/30/2018

HONOLULU, HI



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Former military police officer sentenced to 15 years in prison for production of child pornography
As part of his sentence, Christopher Ernest Fox, 21, was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim and her family, serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.




07/27/2018

SPRINGFIELD, MO



CHILD EXPLOITATION


2 men sentenced in Missouri for child exploitation
Ronald Lee Fields, 56, of Joplin, Missouri, and Shannon Calhoun, 33, of Philippi, West Virginia, (formerly of Joplin) were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark. Fields was sentenced to 20 in federal prison without parole. Calhoun was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Fields and Calhoun to each spend the rest of his life on supervised release following incarceration.



07/27/2018

SAN DIEGO, CA



ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL


ICE detainee passes away
Consistent with the agency’s protocols, the appropriate state health and local law enforcement agencies have been notified about this death, as have the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility.



07/26/2018

ROCHESTER, NY



HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS


Liberian national sentenced in false testimony case
U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Isaac T. Kannah, 51, of Philadelphia, PA, who was convicted of misprision of a felony, was sentenced to time served and one year unsupervised release by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. In addition, the defendant has agreed to revocation of his immigration status and will voluntarily depart the United States immigration proceedings.



07/25/2018

NEW YORK, NY



FINANCIAL CRIMES


ICE HSI's El Dorado Task Force investigation leads to money laundering charges against operators of nationwide prostitution enterprise
Pursuant to an investigation by ICE's HSI-led El Dorado Task Force, two Florida men were arrested Tuesday for money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with their ownership and operation of Flawless Escorts, a nationwide business offering prostitution services, as well as the seizure of Flawless Escorts’ website.




07/25/2018

WILMINGTON, DE



CHILD EXPLOITATION


Wilmington man sentenced to prison for producing child pornography
Miguel Pagan, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography on April 25, 2018.






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